The Wolf Within

by Sondrae Bennett

  “Then why the fear? Does he live in town?”

  “He just gave me a creepy feeling. It was nothing. And no, he doesn’t live here.” Julie waited a moment for her words to sink in. “Now don’t you think there are more important things we should be discussing?” Like why he had rejected her earlier, and if he would do it again.

  Tonight had opened her eyes. Yes, she had been drunk when she’d convinced herself sex with Brendan wasn’t the catastrophe she’d envisioned. But her point remained valid, even after the alcohol had worn off. Maybe a fling was exactly what she needed right now. As long as she remembered a fling was all it was and didn’t let her heart get entangled, she’d be fine. Besides, if Brendan did everything else half as well as he kissed, it was worth the risk.

  “And what other things do you want to discuss, little one?”

  “Why did you stop earlier?”

  “You were drunk. I’m not going to take advantage of you.”

  His sincerity seemed real, and if that had been the only thing holding him back…

  “I’m not drunk anymore.” He stared at her for a long time, searching for something. Julie didn’t know what he looked for, so she stared back, telling him with her eyes this was what she wanted. Finally, his gaze released hers and trailed down her body, causing her to blush. It wasn’t as if she’d expected guests. She knew her gray sweat pants and baggy sleep shirt weren’t suited for seduction.

  * * * *

  Julie in her comfy clothes was sexier than any woman he’d ever seen in lingerie. Which admittedly hadn’t been too many, but not for lack of offers. After he’d discovered Julie was the one for him, he’d lost interest in other women. Even if he and Julie weren’t together, dating and sleeping around felt disloyal. The one time he’d relented had been last Christmas, after he’d caught the scent of another man on her clothing.

  Afterward, he’d felt guilty for weeks. They hadn’t been together, he hadn’t even told her his intentions, but it still felt as if he’d betrayed her.

  “Are you sure this is what you want? Because, baby, once we start, I’m not sure I’ll have the willpower to stop. And there’s no way in hell I’m letting you get away from me afterward.” As her chest inflated with a large breath, he braced himself for disappointment.

  “I’m sure.” The words had scarcely left her mouth when he pounced. He saw her eyes widen in surprise and searched their depths for fear—of him, of his beast—but there was none. Only the slow kindling of desire’s flame.

  He had her right where he wanted, her legs wrapped around his waist, close enough to feel her chest rise and fall with each breath. He brought a hand up and swept it over her face, following the movement with his eyes and memorizing her features.

  “I’ve waited for this for the longest time.”

  “Stop. I don’t need flowery words. I need you. Just you.”

  She grabbed his hand, stopping its exploration and brought it to her breast. There was something in her voice. Something troubling. But as her nipple hardened underneath his fingers, the weight of her breast settling in his palm, he tucked the concern away for later. Right now, he had more important things to discover. Like what color her nipples were, and if they tasted as good as they felt.

  He whispered her name before closing his mouth over hers, the need to taste her overwhelming him. He watched her eyes close before allowing his own to follow. The feel of her hands reaching up, clutching his back like a lifeline, forced a growl past his throat. He worried for a moment whether it would scare her, but her hands gripped him tighter, assuring him it hadn’t.

  Skimming his hands down her stomach, Brendan clutched the edge of her shirt. He pulled it up and over her head, breaking the kiss.

  Intent on getting back to her mouth, he cast a quick look down, but was brought up short by the sight in front of him.

  Julie was perfection. There were no other words. A black and beige bra cupped her breasts, the round globes offered to him on a lacy platter. He took back everything he’d thought earlier about lingerie. Julie was sexier in sweats than any other woman in lingerie. But Julie in lingerie was downright deadly.

  He couldn’t wait to buy her more.

  His gaze was glued to her breasts. They were perfection.

  With reverence, he ran his hands over them, watching as she arched into his teasing touch. Her head fell back as her hands on his waist pulled him forward. He leaned down, placing a kiss at the top of each peak before letting his teeth scrape along the edge of the fabric.

  “Oh God.” The breathy words filled him with pride.

  “Nope. Just me. But I’m flattered.” He stopped his exploration to smile. Her glaring gaze met his teasing one.

  “Did I tell you to stop?”

  “Ordering me around again, beautiful?” He thrust his hips against her, letting her feel his erection through his jeans. “I love it when you get all bossy.”

  Her head fell back on a groan, making him smile as he got back to work. The combination of submissive and dominant in one perfect package turned his wolf on more than he cared to admit. She might not be shifter, but she was stronger than the average human in heart and spirit.

  He thought about how her family shielded her, protecting her from the world. Was he the only one who saw Julie for the strong and vibrant woman she was? Her family knew she was special, but did they realize how much?

  Her moan dragged his mind back to the task at hand.

  Using his teeth, he pulled the cup of her bra off one breast.

  Her rosy nipple proved too much a temptation to resist, and he covered the peak with his mouth, sucking hard. Her nails scratched down his back as he feasted, moving downward to cup his butt and pull his hips forward.

  The need to see if her panties matched her bra drove his hands downward. He hated letting go of her nipple to accomplish the task, but the thought of Julie nude before him was too tempting to resist. He steadied her with one hand as she lifted her hips, a clear invitation.

  He struggled for a moment to get the sweatpants past her hips, but was rewarded for his troubles by the sight greeting him. She was indeed wearing a matching set. Groaning, he leaned down and placed a heated kiss against her stomach, using his teeth to scrape downward. Her breath hitched as he grazed the sensitive skin along the edge of her underwear.

  “God, you’re going to kill me,” he whispered, urging her up with his hands so he could remove the panties. As soon as they were off, he went back to work, trailing his lips over her mound and past her outer lips. He reveled in her throaty moan as he took the small bundle of nerves gently between his teeth. Her hands became rough in his hair, but the spark of pain drove him forward.

  The scent of her desire filled his senses as his tongue swept downward, tasting her. She filled his every sense, her taste driving him crazy. As his tongue plunged inside her, she thrust her hips forward, and her moans broke as she rode out her climax.

  After her hands fell limply to his shoulders, Brendan stood, his lips coasting across her skin on the way up. She shuddered as he nibbled her stomach, the scent of her renewed desire floating up. Reaching behind her, he unclasped the bra, pulling it off and throwing it to the side. He moved back just long enough to pull his own shirt off before returning to press against her, wanting to feel her, skin to skin. He needed the tactile assurance this was real, that he was actually here exploring the edges of pleasure with Julie, his mate.

  She pushed against his chest before his mouth connected with her breasts. Her gaze ran up and down his bare skin with her hands following the path, tickling the sprinkling of hair.

  The look of awe on her face when she raised her gaze to his was humbling.

  “Brendan, you’re beautiful.”

  Tilting his head to the side, he smiled. “While I’m glad you like what you see, I would have preferred sexy or handsome—much more manly than beautiful. Besides, you’re the beautiful one. Looking at you hurts my eyes.”

  Her hands left his chest, and he sq
uashed the urge to grab them back. A half-frown, half-smile curled her lips. “Looking at me hurts your eyes? Not really a compliment.”

  Wasting no time, Brendan pulled her forward until she was barely on the counter, supporting her as he stared into her eyes.

  “It was a compliment. You’re stunning. So much so the brilliance of your beauty is more than my mere mortal eyes can stand.” Her breath hitched.

  “You artists. Such poetic souls.” Her gaze dropped to his lips, and her chin rose in invitation.

  But their conversation had cooled his ardor enough to remember the one thing he couldn’t forget. Frustration followed the insight. Fuck! He almost said it aloud, realizing they couldn’t go any further. Never had he imagined the evening would end this way, so he hadn’t bothered to bring any protection with him. He hadn’t come here tonight with the intention of getting in Julie’s pants.

  “Julie. We have to stop.” Anger flashed within her eyes as they snapped to his.

  “What the hell do you mean ‘we have to stop’? What is this, some game to you? You lose a bet?” She slapped her hands against his chest and pushed, but he refused to budge.

  He reached up and grabbed her hips to prevent her escape as she tried to jump off the counter. The need to make her understand propelled him onward.

  “Of course not.” Anger built in his gut. How could she think he would use her that way? “I didn’t bring protection with me.

  It’s not as if I carry condoms around in my pocket.”

  After a minute, the anger drained from her eyes and stiff posture. “Well, you’d better start. But lucky us, I saw some in one of the drawers. Samantha must have left them when she moved out. So—” Her hands trailed down his chest, playing with the button on his jeans. “If that’s your only excuse…”

  Her persistence sure did make him smile, even as his wolf howled with satisfaction. Tonight she would be his. Nothing stood in his way.

  “Don’t move a muscle,” he ordered, disentangling her limbs from his waist. The intensity of Julie’s gaze fired his blood. It took three strides to reach the dresser, thanking his lucky stars when he found the box on his first try. Grabbing two, he didn’t bother opening them as he strode back into her arms.

  “Two? Feeling ambitious are we?”

  “What can I say, I’m a boy scout. I like to be prepared.” At his words, her gaze drifted to his erection, the bulge obvious behind his zipper.

  ” Boy scout, huh?”

  Without another word, he eased his zipper down, not an easy task considering the size of his erection and the fact his claws kept trying to extend, his wolf close to the surface.

  After what felt like forever, he freed himself, tore open the packet and slid the condom on. Julie’s gaze, which had been fixed on his eyes until now, drifted downward. She sucked in a breath as she took in his size.

  “Uh, Brendan, not to spoil the party, but I’m not sure you’re going to fit.”

  He laughed. He couldn’t help it. The way she said it with such hunger and apprehension at the same time was too endearing.

  “It’ll fit. Trust me.”

  “I do.” The naked trust in her gaze took his breath away.

  That was it. The tenuous control he’d held onto all evening snapped. The world took on an altered hue as his eyes shifted to his animal’s.

  Without another word, he pulled her hips forward, balancing Julie on the edge of the counter, and plunged forward, entering her in one thrust. The sensation of her tight sheath clasped around him was almost more than he could bear. Concern for her made him pause. But even as he worried, her eyes clouded with pleasure and a fractured moan slipped past her lips. He knew at that moment, he was the luckiest man on the planet.

  Her nails dug into his shoulders as he slid out. Her hips moved forward, meeting his as he plunged back in. He wasn’t going to last long. Already he felt his release gathering at the base of his spine. The only sound in the room was their harsh breathing and the glide of his cock into her wet heat.

  He grunted, changing the angle of his thrusts, driving deeper into her and increasing the pace of his strokes. Her back arched at the increased tempo, and he sensed her growing pleasure. Knew the smallest push would send her over the edge.

  He ran one hand down her thigh, coming back up and pressing his thumb against her clit. The small pressure was all she needed. As her strangled cries filled the room, Brendan gripped her hips and thrust forward, grunting with each jerk of his body.

  His own release crashed over him, drowning all conscious thought in its wake. His world exploded, and he jerked inside her until he was spent. All he could do was shudder as the sensations swamped him.

  When conscious thought returned, his lips were wrapped around her shoulder. Thank God his fangs had retreated. He couldn’t begin to imagine her reaction if he’d mated with her without discussing it first. Julie was not someone he ever wanted to see truly angry.

  When he glanced up, her eyes were closed. A tear streaked from the corner of one as he watched.

  “Julie? Oh God, Julie I’m sorry. If I hurt you…” Before he could finish, her eyes opened to stare at him. Awe, not pain, was the only emotion in their depths.

  “Hurt me? You’ve done more than hurt me. You’ve ruined me for all other men. There’s no way anyone could top that.”

  Relief thundered through him, leaving amusement in its wake. He choked on a laugh as he considered her words. Only Julie would admit something like that.

  “I do love a good challenge,” he whispered, wiping the tear from her cheek.

  “What challenge?” she muttered, her gaze dipped to his mouth.

  “You said nothing could top that. That was like waving a red flag in front of a bull, because, baby—” he waited until her gaze rose to his, “I fully intend to try.”

  Chapter 6

  Julie jerked awake at the pounding on her door. What the hell? The crisp hair on the naked chest beneath her palm ticked her hand. Her head fell back to Brendan’s shoulder with a groan. Apparently, the pounding didn’t disturb him in the least. How he could sleep through that racket was beyond her.

  “Julie, damn it. Open this door before I break it down.”

  Danny’s frantic voice boomed from behind the panel.

  “Hold your horses will you?” she called back.

  Brendan grumbled at the sound of her voice, opening his eyes at last. When he saw her, the corners of his mouth curled into a smug smile, causing her heart to trip. His hands reached for her, trying to roll her under him. The man was insatiable. Anyone else would have been worn out for a week after their sex marathon the night before.

  “Stop. You have to hide. Into the bathroom,” she whispered. The last thing she needed was Danny catching them together. She’d never hear the end of it. Her family still viewed her as the poor little human girl in need of protection.

  “Huh?” Sleep still clouded his eyes, and she watched him shake his head to clear it.

  “Who are you talking to?” Danny demanded from behind the door. Damn his wolf hearing. He sounded angry, but Danny never got angry. Not since he’d broken her arm by accident during a fight when they’d been kids. From that day on, he’d never let his emotions get the best of him.

  At the sound of her brother’s voice, Brendan’s gaze flew to the door. He looked as if he wanted to call back, but Julie shoved him out of the bed before he could. Grabbing his hand, she tried to tug him into the bathroom. Brendan just stood there, staring at her with a confused smile on his face.

  Exasperated, Julie dropped his hand and walked behind him, shoving him inside.

  “You could at least pretend to cooperate. Keep quiet until I get rid of him.” She grabbed a robe from the hook before shutting the door.

  Flinging it over her shoulders and tying it, she moved to the door and yanked it open. A hassled Danny stood on the other side, glaring.

  “What the hell, Danny?”

  His gaze ran over her from head to toe before try
ing to peer behind her. She closed the door tighter around her frame, blocking the mess within. No way would she let him see the clothes and condom wrappers scattered throughout the room.

  “Why the hell is the lock broken on the door downstairs?

  You scared the daylights out of me.” He seemed calmer now, seeing her unharmed.

  Her lock was broken? Shit. She’d forgotten Brendan had broken in last night. Frantically, Julie searched for a reasonable excuse.

  “I locked myself out and had to break in last night. No big deal. The top lock still worked, and I was going to call someone to fix it this morning.” There, that seemed good.

  His eyes told her he half-believed her story, if at all. But she didn’t have to answer to him. There was nothing he could do but take her at her word.

  “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he asked, tilting his head again, trying to see past her.

  “No. I’m not. Is there a reason you’re here so early?”

  “We’re going to breakfast. I offered to pick you up.” He met her gaze at last.

  “Oh. Okay, I need to get dressed first. Why don’t you wait downstairs? I’ll be there in ten—” Her gaze strayed toward the bathroom. “Make that fifteen minutes.”

  Suspicion entered his eyes again, but he nodded, turning around to tread down the stairs. That was a close one. She didn’t need lectures from her family about getting involved with someone from the pack. She was old enough to make her own mistakes.

  * * * *

  Brendan tried to clear the sleep from his brain as he listened to Julie’s conversation with her brother. He made no apologies for eavesdropping. Not that he had a choice. Short of turning on the shower—which would have alerted Danny to his presence and put him in hot water with Julie—every word of their conversation bled through the walls.

  It might make things easier if Danny discovered he was here. Her brothers had to find out at some point. He was Julie’s mate, after all. He didn’t want to hide their relationship. And after they beat him up—he had no doubt they would beat him up—they’d accept it. Because he would do everything in his power to protect her and cherish her every day of their lives together.