Makeshift Mate

by C. E. Black

  “I should have dropped you off at the house,” I told Isa as we climbed out of the car. Every light in Lynn’s single wide was on, illuminating the front lawn. There were three other cars besides my truck. Two belonged to Lynn and Theo. The other I recognized as belonging to Kent, Lynn’s ex.

  “No, you shouldn’t have,” Isa said from beside me as we walked up to the front door. “I told you in the car, I can help the girls while you deal with pack business.”

  She was right. I knew it. My wolf knew it. But I wasn’t about to tell her that when all my protective instincts were telling me to get her and Sara out of there. Instead, I pushed open the door and held it open for Isa. My gaze caught on the broken lock and bent frame before I stepped inside.

  The scent of death and lingering fear greeted me as I surveyed the scene. Straight ahead was the living room where Lynn sat hunched over on the couch, her skin already turning an ugly shade of purple around her left eye. Tess sat next to her, rubbing her back as she spoke softly in her ear.

  Next to the living room, was the kitchen. That was where I found Theo bent over a prone male body. Kent was covered in shards of wood, his neck bent at an odd angle. A quick glance told me he’d been slammed or thrown into the cabinets, which accounted for the debris that littered the linoleum.

  The mess could be dealt with later. First, I needed to take care of my packmate.

  “Lynn, are you okay?” I asked, giving Tess a nod. She leaned back to give me room but kept a comforting hand on Lynn’s back.

  Lynn pushed a strand of dark hair behind her ear, and ducked her head. “Yes, I’m okay. Just a little rattled.”

  “What happened?” I coaxed, gently as I knelt next to her.

  “We were sleeping when his car pulled up. It woke me up and I got to the door just as he kicked it in. He hit me, knocking me down. The noise woke up the girls and he started for the hallway.”

  Sniffing, she looked up at me, her green eyes flashing. “I couldn’t let him get near them.”

  “I know, Lynn. You’re a good mom. You protected the girls. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for what you did. You saved my daughter, too.”

  “I don’t know what he would have done. Maybe he just wanted to see Ashley,” she said, guilt lacing her tone.

  “Hey.” I took her hand in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay now.”

  Lynn took a deep breath and continued. “I didn’t think. I just grabbed him and threw him as far away from Ashley’s room as I could. I didn’t mean to kill him.”

  “I know. Your wolf was running on instincts.” I placed a kiss on the top of her head and gave her hand one more squeeze before standing. There was nothing I could do for the guilt she held, but I would do everything I could to make tonight’s events disappear.

  “We’ll take care of everything here, okay? I want you and Ashley to come stay at the house.” My stare gave her no room to argue and she nodded obediently. There was a reason I had so many bedrooms in my house.

  “Where are Sara and Ashley?” Isa asked softly.

  Lynn’s voice shook when she answered, “In my bedroom.”

  “I’ll go check on them,” she said, waiting on Lynn’s nod of approval.

  Without thought, I reached for Isa, placing a hand on her shoulder. I couldn’t help but touch her in some way. She turned back to me and seeing the expression on my face, her lips softened as she gave me a small smile. I let my hand trail down her arm as she walked away.

  I would have gone with her, the need to check on Sara and make sure she was safe was strong, but I was afraid if I went in there right now I wouldn’t be able to control my emotions. Which was dangerous for an angry wolf.

  Trusting Isa to handle the girls, I met Theo in the kitchen. He stood from his crouch next to the body. His gaze, when it met mine, glowed. His wolf was fighting for control. As the Alpha, my control held stronger, but I too felt the wolf close to the surface.

  “Lynn said he kicked in the door. Before she could call us or the police, he hit her and went after the girls,” Theo recounted what Lynn had just told me.

  “Let me guess,” I said as I looked around. “When she threw him, he hit the cabinets and broke his neck. Or either his neck broke when he hit the floor.”

  Theo’s nod was jerky. “That’s about right.”

  “Should have killed him when I had the chance.”

  I growled, remembering a bruised and battered Lynn crying in my office. I’d found the asshole drinking it up at Moonshiners. I’d put fear into the scruffy wolf, banished him from the pack, and told him if I ever saw his face near Lynn or Ashley again, I’d kill him. I shouldn’t have been so lenient.

  “Has anyone called the police?”

  Tension was high in the confined space, so when Isa had spoken she’d gained the attention of two edgy wolves. Her eyes widened and she took a step back. I gritted my teeth, and twisted my neck until it popped. I could smell her fear. It was light, but there, and my wolf itched for a chase.

  “No,” I said, turning away before I scared her any more than I already had. “This is pack business. We’ll deal with this.”

  Her fear slowly dissipated. “What can I do?”

  Theo cleared his throat and stepped past us. “I’m going to go check on Tess.”

  “I meant to ask you about that. Did she come with you?”

  He nodded. “She was with me when I got the call and wanted to help.”

  He walked away, giving Isa and I some semblance of privacy. But it wasn’t enough.

  I took her hand in mine and led her outside. They’d still be able to hear us, but not if I kept my voice low.

  Still trying to keep my wolf in check, I gave Isa my profile. “Go home. Take the girls and Lynn with you. I’ll be home as soon as we clean this up.”

  From Isa’s silence, I figured she’d understood that meant getting rid of the body.

  After burning the body, I would send in a crew to repair Lynn’s door and cabinets. And whatever else needed fixing.

  But first, I would shift and take a run around the perimeter. Though I hadn’t scented anyone else, I needed the security in knowing there wasn’t another threat out there.

  “Okay,” Isa finally said.

  As she took a step away from me, I called her name. When she stopped, I looked her in the eyes, letting her see what I was thinking. That I suddenly wanted to wrap her and Sara up in wool. That she meant more to me than I’d been prepared for. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her I loved her, but it wasn’t the time.

  When she didn’t flinch at the intensity in my stare, I crashed my lips into hers. The kiss was short, but hot and demanding, and left both our hearts pounding.

  “Wait for me,” I told her. “In my bed, Isa. Wait for me.”

  She held my gaze and said, “Okay,” and I released a quiet breath I hadn’t known I was holding.

  “I’m going to shift now,” I warned. “I have to make sure Kent didn’t bring any buddies. Don’t be scared.”

  Her grin surprised and aroused me. “Not scared,” she said, then took a step back and waited.

  Shaking my head, I exhaled, then stripped. The change happened quickly, an advantage of being an Alpha.

  Once shifted, I shook out my coat, and looked up at my mate, my tongue rolling out as I smiled. She laughed and stepped forward to run her hand down my silver fur.

  “Beautiful,” she whispered, awe lacing her voice. Then with an inhale she pulled back and said, “Finish what needs to be done here, then come home. I’ll be waiting.”

  The demand in her tone had my hackles rising right along with my desire for her. She’d pay for that. In the most delicious ways, of course.

  Chapter 18

  Isa

  Mumbled voices woke me from a disjointed dream, and I sat up slowly, blinking with confusion until I remembered which room I was in. Whose bed I’d slept in.

  I listened to the deep voice just outside the bedroom door. The sound was t
oo soft to hear what was being said, but I recognized the tone. Locke was back.

  Coming fully awake, I glanced at the clock and frowned. I’d tried to stay awake for him, but had passed out sometime around three in the morning. It was now almost five. The poor man had to be exhausted. I know I had been.

  Our date had started out as one of the best of my life and ended on one of the most horrific I’d ever experienced. But even in the middle of that horror show, Locke had shown a gentleness to Lynn that had surprised me. He cared about his pack.

  And despite playing the part of absentee father at times, he cared about his daughter even more.

  I’d seen the concern on his face when he’d gotten the call. Some of that worry might have been for Lynn and her daughter, but I bet money it had mostly been for Sara. And if that hadn’t convinced me, then the way he’d hugged her before we’d left Lynn’s house would have. He’d held her so tight she was wiggling to get away. Hopefully, Sara would remember that.

  The bedroom door opened and all thoughts of Sara, Lynn, and the awful night slipped away. The light from the hallway illuminated his tired expression seconds before he closed the door, plunging the room back into darkness.

  When he didn’t move from his spot next to the door, I asked, “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes,” he answered, his voice as dark as the room. “Lynn couldn’t sleep.”

  “Oh. Should I go sit with her?”

  “No. She’s already going back to her room.”

  “Will she be okay?”

  “She will. She just needs a good night’s sleep. We’ll have her house back to order by the end of the day tomorrow and I expect she’ll want to move back in right away.”

  My brows furrowed. “Are you sure that’s wise? She and Ashley have been through a terrible trauma.”

  He paused, then said, “Violence is different for werewolves. Our wolves can be vicious creatures. At an early age, we had to learn a vast amount of control. I’m not saying we’re evil, but what Lynn is going through is mostly guilt because of who Kent was. Not because she killed him, but because she killed Ashley’s father. We have someone in the pack who can help both of them when they’re ready to talk.”

  I wasn’t sure I understood, but I did accept what he’d tried to tell me.

  “You have to be exhausted,” I said, pulling back the covers. “Come to bed.”

  Suddenly, he blew out a shaky breath, startling me.

  “I was afraid you wouldn’t be here. I thought I’d scared you away.”

  Not knowing what to say to that, I replied, “Of course, I’m here.”

  “Right. The deal,” he said, his tone dry.

  “No. At least, it’s not the reason I’m in your bed.”

  That gave him pause, then his tone dropped into a husky whisper, causing me to shiver. “And why are you in my bed, Isa?”

  “Because you asked me to,” I answered.

  “Asked?” He took a step toward the bed and pulled off his shirt.

  “Yes.”

  It was too dark to see him properly, but I heard the sound of his button popping open and the zipper sliding down.

  “Hmm, I don’t remember asking.”

  I sucked in a quiet breath and had to bite my lip to keep from grinning. “Then tell me. What do you remember?”

  “I remember telling you to wait in my bed. Not asking.”

  “I don’t take orders. I give them,” I warned. Though I was beginning to wonder how true that statement was now. I’d gladly taken quite a few orders from Locke tonight.

  My eyes were glued to the dark outline of his body as he knelt on the bed at my feet. He grasped the blanket and sheets in his hand and pulled. The covers slowly slid down my body, revealing what I’d worn for him. Nothing.

  It was his turn to gasp. “Babe, I hate to tell you this, but you not only take orders, you take it to the next level. I don’t remember telling you to be naked.”

  I opened my mouth to reply with something intelligent, maybe even witty, but instead I moaned because his lips were pressed to my ankle and moving up my leg with purpose.

  Gripping my calves in his strong hands, he pulled me down the bed until I was lying down, then he continued to kiss up my inner thigh. He reached the juncture between my legs and my hips bucked, but instead of going where I’d expected, he moved to my other leg.

  My moan was followed by his chuckle. I would have slapped him for that, but his lips suddenly found a spot that made my eyes roll back in my head. Then he went for it, lapping at my sex like a starved man, his moans almost as loud as mine.

  The man had a gift. As a lucky recipient of said talent in his truck earlier, I’d been surprised about my sudden lack of inhibitions. Though I didn’t regret it. How could I? Seconds into sucking my clit and I was already reaching climax.

  Remembering at the last minute that there were guest staying at the house, I bit down on my arm as a hard, but quick orgasm shot through my core. I rocked my hips, riding it out as long as I could.

  With one last swipe of his tongue, Locke moved up my body, his eyes blazing a trail over my bare skin and my knees parted for him. His hand moved between my legs, stroking me, bringing me closer to the precipice once again.

  “Tell me how much you want me,” he growled.

  “I want you,” I breathed, digging my fingernails into his arms. I felt so empty, too empty. I needed him.

  “You want me to fill you up? You want me to fuck you? ’Cause I want you, Isa. You’re so wet for me.” He hummed into my neck before licking the damp skin.

  With a lift of my chin, I moaned my consent just as he tilted his hips and thrust into me. I gasped and his mouth covered mine, taking my breath as his own and giving me his. He filled me and it felt not just right, but necessary.

  “God, Isa. You feel so good. So amazing,” Locked whispered against my jaw, placing biting kisses between each word. “I want to stay inside you forever.”

  I agreed with him. I could stay like this always. I wanted it to last, the feel of him inside me. But my greedy body had other ideas and I jerked my hips, persuading him to move.

  He groaned and nuzzled my breasts, nipping and licking while I arched my back uncontrollably.

  “Locke,” I whispered and he finally pulled slowly from my body to thrust back in a little more sharply than before.

  Once he started, he didn’t stop. His rhythm started off leisurely, but the closer I came to climax, the harder and less fluid his movements became as his control slipped.

  Pleasure burned hot in my belly just before I shattered. I tensed, my body pulsing as Locke growled in my ear, and suddenly he was coming with me. Four shallow thrusts, then he buried himself deep inside me, my name falling from his lips.

  He pressed his lips to my neck and I felt him shudder beneath my palms. I wrapped my arms around him and held him, but he pulled away.

  When I began to complain, he shook his head and rolled off of me. “Sorry. I can’t. Just give me a minute,” he said.

  He stared up at the ceiling, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Just give me a minute,” he said again.

  I wasn’t an insecure person when it came to my body or sex, but he was making me nervous. “Did… Did I do something wrong?”

  “No. God no, Isa,” he said, sounding tired. “You did everything right. That’s the problem.”

  “Then tell me what’s wrong. Look at me,” I pushed.

  Glowing silver eyes turned in my direction and I gasped. I’d only seen his eyes like that a few times, and each time he’d been angry.

  “My wolf is being a little difficult,” he said, his voice a tad growly.

  “Why are you angry?”

  “I’m not. Oh, sorry. I guess the only time you’ve seen me like this was when I was irritated. No, I’m not angry. I’m lacking control right now. I should go, but I don’t want to leave you.”

  “I don’t want you
to leave me either,” I said, scooting closer to him. “I feel like I’m missing something, though. Talk to me.”

  Moving to his side, he faced me to run his palm up and down my arm and I instinctively leaned into his touch. He must have been calming down because the glow in his eyes had dimmed.

  “What happened just now?” I asked. “Why did you pull away?”

  “I was fighting the urge to mark you.”

  “Mark me?”

  “Claim you. Bite you.”

  “Like a vampire?” I asked.

  He growled and I rested my head on his chest to catch the rumble.

  His arms came around me as he said, “No, not like a vampire. My mark would be just that, a mark, a way for my wolf to claim you as his. I would bite you on your shoulder and yes, my teeth would break your skin, leaving the smallest of scars. But I don’t drink blood.”

  Needing time to process this information, I slipped out of his arms. When his expression closed down and he didn’t try to hold onto me, I gave him a small smile.

  “Just need to clean up. Be right back.”

  As I wiped away the evidence of our lovemaking, a lot of thoughts ran through my mind, but they all ended up on one thing, the idea of him claiming me. It felt a little like ownership. Being treated like an object wasn’t high on my list of wants. But oddly enough, the thought of being claimed by Locke didn’t seem so bad. In fact, my heart raced with excitement and anticipation. If things were different, if we’d planned on something more permanent, I would have considered it more seriously.

  Locke’s arms were waiting when I returned and wrapped around me tightly as I laid down, half on top of him again.

  “Thanks for telling me,” I said and without permission my mouth kept moving. “Did you mark Sara’s mom?” That didn’t sound jealous. No, not at all.

  I squeezed my eyes shut and murmured an apology. “That was tactless. I’m sorry.”

  Locke brought the strangest actions and reactions out of me. From moving in with a complete stranger, to reaching orgasm in a moving car, and now asking inappropriate questions. What would be next?

  He tensed, but answered the question. “No.”