He reached over and brushed her hair back off her forehead. “I should go.” He didn’t move, but his words froze the blood in her veins.
“Go? Go where?”
“Back to my room.”
What the fuck was he talking about? “Why would you do that? This is our hydan suite.”
“Being with you. After…like this…. It’s too much.”
“Why wouldn’t we be together like this? How else do you expect mates to be together?”
“I honestly don’t want to hurt your feelings—”
“Since when are you worried about that?” He was pissing her off. She wanted to handle this calmly and try to figure out why he suddenly had a bug up his ass, but she was getting frustrated and angry. “You’re seriously not going to spend the night of our joining with me?”
“It feels, too…I don’t know what to say. Too close. I just…I need my space.”
“Space?” She could hardly make sense of his words.
He pulled his pants up and sat on the edge of the bed. “Don’t get me wrong. You…that…was amazing. I just think staying would give you the wrong idea.”
“Well, thanks for the high marks. Glad I was so amazing that you can’t wait to get away from me.” Now she wanted him to go. She wanted to cry, and she couldn’t stand for him to see her do that.
“It’s not like that. Not really. It’s like I told you before—”
“Right. No love match. Guess I didn’t realize that meant I’d be sleeping alone, too.”
“It’s not like I’m not attracted to you. We’ll be together like this again. But what I said before still stands.”
“Go!” He was infuriating, and she didn’t want to look at him for another second. He looked so fucking hot with his unzipped pants and his hair all tousled. She wanted to simultaneously slap him and wrap herself around him. “Just go. I don’t need to hear that bullshit all over again.”
“Nikki, I—”
“Please, not another word.” Could he hear the tremble in her voice? She hoped not. “Just get out.”
Chapter 2
He was an idiot, a fool, an animal, everything she’d called him since the day they met and then some. He’d had her in his arms, so soft and warm and beautiful with the scent of their mating clinging to her skin. He could have held her like that all night, waking her as often as he wanted to fuck her again. But instead, he’d blown it and come back to his lonely guestroom and an empty bed.
Luke wasn’t sure why he’d felt such an intense need to get away. He didn’t want her to be his old ball-and-chain, but she was his, whether he liked it or not. And he couldn’t deny that she was easy on the eyes and perfect in his arms. He could get lost watching those almond-shaped eyes glitter with pleasure as she took his cock.
Lying beside her after they mated, he’d felt something. He hoped it was just the mating bond. Of course, he couldn’t completely avoid forming an attachment, but he wouldn’t allow himself to feel anything more. It was that thought that had compelled him to leave her there, despite the fact that he’d felt an almost physical ache with each step he’d taken away from her.
He had to avoid it, that need to be with her, even if only to lie beside her and listen to her breathe. The pangs at the idea of losing her. He didn’t understand why he was feeling them already, but he couldn’t allow any of that to become part of his life, part of him.
So many people wrote songs and poetry about the beauty of love, but what about when it was painful or even ugly? Everybody chose to ignore how dangerous love could be. Luke had seen what it had done to his father. He’d witnessed how his father had invested everything he was in it. In that, and in leading the Lycan Clan. The latter had cost him the one thing he’d prized above everything else, even his own life, and the loss had left him broken. Grey had eventually pulled himself together after months of drinking and neglecting his sons. A threat against the clan had made him rally and return to the man he’d once been, but he was never quite the same again, and Luke never felt he could fully trust him.
But he wasn’t his father, and nor was he the leader of a huge clan of wolf shifters that depended on him. Yes, tragedy could strike even if he never took on a position of leadership with the clan, but the chances of the same thing happening again were small. Surely, fate wouldn’t put him through losing his mate the same way he’d lost his mother. But what if he was wrong about that and fate really was an evil bitch? In that case, he was right to keep Nikki at arm’s length.
Unfortunately, that plan was the reason he was in his guestroom alone, rather than pressed up against Nikki’s warm, sexy body. Luke exhaled explosively. Maybe he should just go apologize. But then again, maybe he should just go to bed and deal with her in the morning. Apologizing too soon might set a bad precedent. He couldn’t have her expecting him to be sensitive all the time. No, the morning was soon enough to admit he’d been an asshole. Luke threw himself on the bed without even bothering to remove his shoes. It was going to be a long night.
* * * *
Nikki couldn’t sleep. She’d grabbed a T-shirt to wear to bed and crawled in, pulling the covers over her head and hoping that when she woke up, she’d discover that this end to her joining, being abandoned right after sex, would be nothing more than a bad dream. She couldn’t stop thinking about Luke and how he’d “wham bam thank you ma’amed” her. No one had ever treated her so callously.
Well, Billy Grant had taken her virginity in the woods and then run off and left her alone, but she couldn’t really blame him for that. She’d scented her brothers coming and he’d been wise to get out of there. She’d kissed a frog or two after that, but no one had made her feel quite so unwanted. The problem was that she didn’t hate Luke, though he’d probably change that if given enough time.
With a small growl of annoyance, Nikki tossed the covers back and walked to the closet to look for a pair of shorts. She’d go for a run and clear her head. Then she’d be able to sleep. Tomorrow, she’d find a way to put Mr. “I’m So Sexy I Don’t Need a Decent Personality” in his place.
She opened the door and walked quickly down the hallway in her bare feet, anxious to feel the fresh air and hear the wind rushing in her ears. Nikki was thankful no one was in the hall. She didn’t need the embarrassment of explaining why she wasn’t enjoying a proper all-night fucking on her joining night.
Nikki made it nearly to the door before she ran smack into Levi, who was apparently on his way to bed with a pretty blonde on his arm. She wished the blonde would distract him enough not to notice her, but of course, that didn’t happen. “Where you going? Shouldn’t you be…with Luke?”
She shook her head. “Don’t ask. Just don’t ask.”
Levi disentangled himself from the blonde. What was her name? Nikki thought it might be Lea or Laura, or something like that. “What did he do? Did he hurt you?” Levi asked anxiously.
“No, you know I wouldn’t let him hurt me.” She sighed. This wasn’t a conversation she wanted to get into with her brother. “He’s just an ass. That’s all. I’ll be fine. I’m going for a quick run. Go on and enjoy your night.”
“I think Adam’s right. It’s time to teach him a lesson.” Levi clenched his hands into fists and turned to walk away, as if he planned to begin Luke’s instruction immediately.
Nikki caught his arm. “This is a battle you can’t fight for me. You can’t make him want me.”
“He agreed to join with you, and even if he hadn’t, he’s your mate. He needs to know that he can’t treat you like shit. Besides, he’s crazy if he doesn’t want you. What’s not to love about my little sister?”
“I appreciate your vote of confidence, but I don’t want you touching a single hair on his arrogant head. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it would be to have my big brother trying to beat my new husband into being nice to me? Seriously, I can handle him just fine on my own.”
Levi looked skeptical. His date looked rather annoyed, but he didn’t seem to notice. �
�You never know, little sis. A punch in the mouth might straighten him right up. I won’t really hurt him…much.”
“Promise me, Levi. You won’t touch him and you won’t let Adam hurt him, either.”
Levi’s jaw clenched. He could be stubborn about some things, and both he and Adam had always been protective of her. Sometimes they seemed more concerned for her welfare than her father was.
“Promise me. It’s my joining night. Don’t make me worry about you beating him to death and possibly starting a war.”
“I said I wouldn’t hurt him that much.”
“Levi!”
“Okay, okay,” Levi answered gruffly. “I promise…for now. I’ll give him a couple of days to get his act together. After that, all bets are off.”
Nikki shook her head and sighed, then stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “Goodnight, Levi.”
The blonde tugged on his arm, clearly pleased that the matter was settled. Nikki watched them walk to the stairs, making sure Levi didn’t head to Luke’s room despite his promise. The blonde kept a death grip on him all the way, probably worried about the same thing. When she felt sure he’d keep his promise, at least for the night, Nikki turned and pushed the heavy wooden door open, already shifting to wolf form before it had even closed behind her.
* * * *
Nikki cut swiftly through the woods, enjoying the way the cool night air ruffled her fur and reveling in the night sounds all around her. With her keen hearing, every cricket’s chirp was like a song, every trickling stream like a melody. Small animals scurried out of her path, adding the snap of twigs and the crackle of leaves to the symphony as she tried to put as much space between her and the lodge as she could. She didn’t want to risk meeting any other guests and having them gossiping about her in the morning.
She ran toward Silver Spring, a town that was home to mostly humans but also quite a few members of the Raven Clan. Going in the other direction would have led her to Lycan territory and more wolves she knew or would know as soon as the two clans joined. Stopping just beyond the edge of her clan’s property, she sat back on her haunches and let the night wash over her.
Nikki tried not to think. She tried only to feel the night, replacing the anger, frustration, and doubt of the evening with the peace only being outdoors could bring her.
She’d closed her eyes and was focused on taking deep, cleansing breaths when it happened. Her nostrils flared at the scent and her body tingled all over. Her pussy tightened, slickening without warning or preamble. Her mate. He’d followed her out there?
Nikki threw her head back and willed her body to stretch and change, returning to its human state. Then she walked in the direction of the scent, ready to give Luke a piece of her mind.
“Why did you follow me? I’ve had enough for one night.” Only as she stepped past the thick line of bushes and into a small clearing did she realize what her intense arousal had caused her to miss. This scent. It was similar to Luke’s, but all wrong. The wolf who stood before her, huge with golden-brown eyes that glowed with hunger, wasn’t Luke.
“Who are you?” Amazement made her voice no more than a whisper. Some wolves did have more than one destined mate, but she’d never imagined she’d be one of them.
The wolf regarded her silently and then began the process of taking his human form. In no time he was standing in front of her, tall with short, dark hair and a powerful build. Nikki felt small and weak just looking at him.
“I’m Mason, of the Lycan Clan.” He paused, grinning an unreasonably sexy grin. “And it seems you’re my mate.”
Great, Nikki thought. Can my life get any more complicated?
* * * *
Mason hadn’t expected to meet his mate in the woods in the middle of the night, but he couldn’t say he was displeased. Albeit later than intended because of clan business, he’d been on his way to Raven territory to celebrate his brother’s joining, when he’d caught a whiff of an addicting scent and felt a physical desire so strong it could only mean one thing. His fated was nearby. Unlike his older brother, he’d never dreaded the day he would meet his mate, so he’d stopped and eagerly walked toward her scent.
Mason had always expected that when he found his mate, she’d be his match, but she was sexier than he could have hoped for. Of course, it didn’t hurt that she was full-on nude in the moonlight, but it was more than just her full breasts and rounded hips that excited him. Even in the darkness, he saw intelligence in her eyes. She looked like a woman who could give him a run for his money, both in the bedroom and out of it.
Moving swiftly, Mason took his mate in his arms, pulling her naked body against him. She was soft and curvy in all the right places, and he could swear his cock grew three inches just from the intoxicating smell of her arousal and the smooth glide of her skin against his. He saw no reason to hesitate in touching her. Once a wolf shifter met his mate, he usually just took her. He could be ceremoniously joined with her later, if she wished.
“Wait,” she said just as Mason leaned down to taste her lips. Whatever the reason for her hesitation, she seemed to forget about it quickly. He gently took her mouth, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and crushed her lips against his, drawing a deep growl from his throat. She tasted just as good as she smelled, and he wrapped his hands in her hair as his tongue explored her mouth. Her breath came so hard her breasts heaved against his chest, her stiff nipples teasing his pecs.
Mason wanted to touch her everywhere. He broke their kiss, looking around for a soft place to lay his woman, so he could kiss and caress every inch of her. A big bed would have been nice, but he didn’t want to wait to claim her. Besides, she was beautiful in the moonlight.
Oh, shit! What was wrong with him? The animal part of him had kicked into overdrive and he hadn’t even asked her name. He guessed he should probably at least learn that before he tasted her pussy and fucked her. “You’re so sexy.” He stopped to nuzzle her neck. “But I just realized I don’t even know your name.”
His mate sighed and pushed back a little, gazing up at him with something that looked like regret. “That’s what I wanted to tell you. I’m Nikki Black of the Raven Clan, and I’m already mated.”
Mason was sure the universe was playing some type of evil joke on him. She couldn’t be that Nikki, not the one who’d just joined with his brother today. Maybe she was some other Nikki. He wasn’t thrilled that she already had a mate, but many in his clan had more than one fated. He’d deal for the woman who was destined to be his, but if that mate was his older brother Luke, they’d have a rocky road to domestic bliss. Luke had always made one thing clear since they’d come of age—he didn’t want to be tied down, ever. “Please tell me you’re not joined to Luke Andres.”
“I am. And believe me, I wish I wasn’t. Do you know him?”
“He’s my brother.” Mason watched her face. Her expression cycled from shock to disbelief to annoyance to disappointment in under a minute.
“Great, so I get to be shackled to two commitment-phobes instead of just one.”
Mason wasn’t surprised at this statement. He’d heard from his parents just how much Luke had dragged his feet about the joining. Seeing Nikki in person, though, he had to say his brother was crazy.
“Still just one. Do I seem eager to turn tail and run the other way?” He looked pointedly down at his cock, which still stood at attention.
“Well, your brother is attracted to me, too. There’s nothing so special about that. We’re fated to be together, so that comes naturally. He was happy enough with the idea of fucking me until his father, oh God, your father said he had to join with me and live as my mate.”
“I’m not my brother.” Mason drew her close. “And he’s a fool if he doesn’t want to be with you.” He caught her mouth again, gently brushing his lips over hers. Nikki’s lips parted and she leaned into him, allowing him to lead the way as they explored each other’s mouths. This time, when they came up for air, Mason wasted no time. He li
fted her in his arms to carry her over to a cushy area of grass he’d spotted.
“Wait!” she said, stopping him again. This time, he figured he’d better listen. What if she had some other bomb to drop? Maybe she wanted to tell him she was a vampire-wolf hybrid or had a third mate or something.
“I’m almost afraid to ask…”
“We can’t. You can’t claim me. Not yet.”
This, Mason decided, was much worse than if she had confessed to having vampire blood. “What do you mean I can’t claim you? You want me just as much as I want you.” When a wolf met his mate, the desire was always intense. He knew she felt it, too.
“I just…Look, would you put me down?”
Mason tightened his arms around her. He didn’t want to.
“Please? I feel ridiculous trying to explain myself while you’re holding me like this. And your touch…on my skin…It makes it even harder.”
Mason put her back on her feet. “Talk quickly. I can think of far better things to do right now. If this is about Luke, we can deal with the logistics later. Right now, all I want to do is claim what’s mine.”
Nikki shivered, so he pulled her close again, giving her his heat. The night air did have a bit of a chill in it. She sighed again and then spoke against his chest. Her words were muffled, but he heard every one, wishing he hadn’t. “You can’t claim me yet, because I’m already joined with Luke. So mating with you will feel like cheating.” She shook her head against his chest. “I probably need my head examined.”
Nikki's Fated [Wolves of River's Bend 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 3
