by Tl Reeve
It’d been the first time he used my nickname. Awareness filled the space separating us. I placed my hand in his and a spark of victory filled his eyes. He gathered me in his arms. The warmth of his naked body cradled mine as he captured my lips with his. The kiss started slow, a tentative swipe here, a nibble there. Then a ferocious need clawed at us. The kiss became carnal. All tongue and teeth. I moaned, rubbing myself against his abdomen.
His grunt of satisfaction accompanying the flex of his hips drove me. This mating of mouths was only the beginning for us. A promise of more to come. When? It might be now or tomorrow. It didn’t matter. I’d relish it. The desire to take what Benning gave freely rushed through my veins. I needed him like he yearned for me.
“Benning,” I whimpered when his mouth latched onto the sensitive skin of my throat.
“I’ve got you,” he answered.
He carried me to a fallen log and sat, pressing my body more intimately to his. The head of his erection nudged my clit. I groaned. I wanted more of the delicious sensation. “Please.”
“Please, what?” He palmed my ass and rocked me over his lap.
My attention centered on where our bodies touched. Holy shit. It was as if every nerve ending had been sensitized with the roll of my hips. “Make me feel good.”
He chuckled. “Babe, you already do. Your pussy is getting my dick all wet.” He glanced down between us, and groaned. “Beautiful.”
Covered in a mix of dirt and leaves, only this man would think we were beautiful. If he didn’t have me poised to experience one of the best orgasms I’d experienced, I’d laugh. We looked a mess. He lifted me a bit, then lowered me onto him. My eyes went wide. My mouth fell open. Inch by glorious inch of cock filled me. He stretched me to capacity, and then some. The quick burn of pain morphed into gratification as I settled onto his lap.
He grunted. His lip curled while his head fell back on his shoulders, exposing the long, powerful length of his neck. I leaned in and placed a kiss on his pulse point while swiveling my hips. His fingers dug into my flesh and I relished in it, knowing tomorrow I would wear his mark.
“Shit!” he snapped. “Better than I could’ve imagined.”
“Same.” Way the same. My breath left me in soft pants while working my body over his. With each thrust, the coil of desire tightened in my belly. I clung to him, riding him for all I was worth.
He picked me up and had us on the ground like it was nothing for him. He slipped from me before positioning me as he wanted me. On all fours. Like our wolves. Taking me like the wolf would mount his mate. I glanced over my shoulder at him. He stared down at my ass, his hands were placed on each globe, squeezing and spreading them.
The erotic scene did things to me. I couldn’t explain it other than I went wild for him. I wiggled my ass, then bent lower onto my arms, which pushed my ass higher. A growl of approval rumbled from his chest seconds prior to him filling me in one thrust. The muscles of my sex rippled and the bundle of nerves between my thighs throbbed.
His pace was brutal. Demanding. With each shift of his hips, my nipples scrapped the wet, cold ground, hardening them to the point of pain. I liked it. It was hedonistic. Benning lay over my back and wrapped his massive arms around me, cupping my breasts and kneading the neglected flesh.
Oh, God, it felt so good. I felt possessed. Like he was everywhere, inside and out. The constant growl bubbling up for him only turned me on. However, when his mouth latched onto the back of my neck, I lost it. The ball of pleasure expanding inside me, exploded. I screamed, bucking against him as I came hard.
Benning fucked me through the waves of my release. His strokes shortened and his pace turned erratic. He rutted within me, claiming every inch. The desire to be his, flowed through me, and it burned itself into a piece of my soul. He clung to me with the same ferociousness. His grunts were vicious sounds of pleasure. Like he couldn’t get deep enough. Couldn’t go hard enough at me.
I took it. Encouraged him with soothing sounds. Begging him to give over the bliss running wild through his system. Twice more he filled me, then he stilled. His ragged, pleasure-filled howl, had me answering without hesitation. The warmth of his release bathed my insides, as Benning shuddered. He pressed kisses to my shoulders, trying to catch his breath.
Neither of us set out for this to happen.
Neither of us tried to stop it.
He gathered me in his arms and led me to the fallen log where this adventure started and placed me on it. He sat beside me. Not a word was spoken. The forest came alive with the sound of birds and woodland creatures scurrying to and fro. This was my land. Our land when the time came.
“We will fix this.” His words were spoken barely above a whisper.
“We have to,” I answered. “I can’t let this slide any further than it has.”
He grunted in return. “I’ll help.”
“And if I choose another?”
He sighed. “I’ll still help. In less than a year, your pack will be decimated.”
I figured the same. “Okay.” I let out a breath. One I’d figuratively been holding since my father announced this outlandish arrangement.
He wrapped his arm around me. “It’ll all work out, Pip. I promise.”
I didn’t like promises. My father had broken plenty through the years and this was the predicament I’d been placed in. “Don’t.” Even if Benning didn’t help, I realized things had to change, long before now.
“I keep my word. It’s my bond. A wolf is no good without it.”
I nodded. “I understand, but for some, it’s just lip service.”
“Your father.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I shivered.
“Then we won’t.” He stood. “Why don’t we continue our tour. I’m sure there is more to show me.”
Run. Yes. Get away from the bullshit of leading a pack. Later, we could talk about everything else. “Sounds great.”
Chapter Seven
The sun hung low in the sky when we returned.
I hadn’t planned on staying out so long, however being with Benning was easy. I didn’t have to think with him. After our time together, I feared I’d be even more confused about this situation I’d been placed in. Instead, it gave me a bit of hope.
“Thank you,” I murmured, stepping up to the door. “I had fun today.”
“You’re welcome. I did, too.” He bent to me, and brushed his lips over mine.
“They will smell us.” I don’t know why I said it.
“They will and I don’t care. You laid out the rules. I followed them.” He pushed a lock of my hair behind my ear and smirked. “I don’t regret it.”
Nor did I. “Well,” I placed my hand on the knob. “This is it.”
“It is.” Laughter lit his words.
Push the damn door open, I chided myself. Stupid to stand there with him and not go inside. But I realized the minute I did so, this magical bubble around us would pop, and reality would come crashing in.
Steeling myself, I pushed open the door, and was greeted by the loud ruckus of noise coming from the men gathered around the television, some game playing out on the screen.
The minute Benning shut the door, all gazes turned to us.
“There you are,” Dax greeted us. “We’ve been worried about you.”
I glanced at the guys. No one seemed particularly worried. “Sure. Sorry. We went for a hike and it took a bit longer than it should have.”
Dax crossed the room to us. “I need to speak to you.” He inched closer to me. “Now.”
Benning stood at my back. “Why don’t you try asking nicely?”
Dax flicked his gaze to Benning. “Sure. I’ll get right on it. Pip. A word.”
An uneasiness settled over me. I didn’t want to deal with this bullshit, not after a great day. “Make it quick.”
Dax drew me back outside. He paced for a second before rubbing his cheek. “Where did you go?”
I reared back. “For a hik
e. I showed Benning our land. What does it matter to you?”
“Why are you giving them hope?” His gaze filled with jealousy.
“Because I haven’t picked any of you. I’m not sure I can.” His questions had thrown me. “I told you the rules. I won’t renege on them because you don’t like it or think I should pick you.”
“Pip.”
“Don’t, ‘Pip,’ me.” I fisted my hands on my hips. “If you want time with me, you know how to do it. I’m not going to be waylaid the minute I walk in the house because your briefs are in a twist.”
Had I been wrong? Did Dax not feel the way I did? I stared at him for a moment, taking in his tense posture. The fiery gleam in his eyes. Maybe they weren’t all for me. I’d made a mistake. I could feel it.
“I’m trying to tell you something important,” he muttered.
“Or you’re just being an asshole who’s jealous.” I turned from him. I couldn’t choose between them, and if I did, someone would get left behind. The thought crushed me.
“It’s not what you think.”
“Sure, it’s not, Dax.” He’d been my friend from the time we were pups, but obviously, our friendship was running its course.
“Damn it, Pip.” He snarled and grabbed my arms, spinning me towards him. “Do you understand the patience I have to have to watch you with each of these men? To see you walk out and wonder when it’s my turn?”
“It’s not a competition,” I whispered. “I can’t choose.”
“I’m trying to tell you, why you have to. Your heart is big. Your sense of pack and responsibility is bigger. I can’t very well let you get hurt because you want to do what is right for the pack.”
“Who asked you to be my protector?”
“I’ve always been your protector,” he growled. “Even when we were kids, I watched over you. All the time. It’s in my DNA to be by your side, but you have to understand, there are things about these men you don’t know.”
Yes, well, the same could be reversed. There was a lot of about me they didn’t know, too. “Dax, I think you’re more pissed off I had sex with Benning and it wasn’t you.”
He stumbled back. “Is that how you see me?” The shock registered on his face before the scent of betrayal struck my nose. The rancid smell made my gut clench. “Do you really think all I want is your body?”
I sighed. “I can’t do this, right now. You’re ruining a good day.” My phone rang, a blessing in disguise at the moment. I pulled it from my pocket and walked away. “Silvi, what’s wrong?”
“There’s been another incident. I-75 and the Super Center exit. Both sides of the freeway have been affected. There is a twenty-car pileup on the southbound side.”
Shit. Dax stood behind me. “Give me fifteen and I’ll be in.”
“See you when you arrive.” She cut the connection.
“I have to go.” I couldn’t look at him right now. I had a job to do.
“Go. We’ll talk about this when you get back.”
No, we wouldn’t. Dax liked playing my protector because it came with perks. He could keep whomever he deemed unworthy of me away. Now, he was doing the same to the four men I had to pick a mate from, even though I couldn’t choose.
I hurried inside to change, then grabbed my gun and my badge and bag. “I’ll be back later, I guess. Duty calls.”
I didn’t wait for any of their protests, I had a job to do. Besides, it would take my mind off their situation. As I got into my car to leave, Dax appeared at my side again.
“It’s not what you think,” he murmured. “I want you happy. Always have.” He pressed a kiss to my temple. “Be safe.”
“I will.”
Questions raced through my mind as I pushed the limits of my car through Chattanooga to the site of the accident. Surface streets were better than highway. I could get through traffic by using my lights and sirens. As I approached the intersection, the carnage confounded me. I sat there for a beat, trying to take in the massive pile up. I couldn’t find a starting point.
Yellow tape cordoned off the area while officers directed ambulances in and out of the scene. On the freeway, a fire burned out of control. A fire truck on the northbound side had been hemmed in by the stopped vehicles. If police didn’t get him in soon, more of those cars would burn and the freeway would be shut down.
I got out of my car and headed for the mass of mangled metal once vehicles. I spotted Silvi standing to the side. She pushed her hair out of her face, and the overwhelmed gleam in her eyes scared me. Showing my badge to the waiting officer as I crossed the line, I quickened my pace.
“Silvi!” I called out. “I’m here. What the hell happened?”
She rubbed her forehead with a gloved hand. “According to the first victims pulled from their cars, the lights on the off ramps were green. The street traffic also had the right of way.” She pointed to the state workers checking the signal box. “They arrived about ten minutes ago. So far, they haven’t said a word.”
“Shit.” I blew out a breath. “What do you need?”
She gave a humorless laugh. “I need to clone myself thirty times, so I can get to every inch of this scene before the sun sets and we lose all of our natural light.”
I shook my head. Silvi had a problem with delegating. She didn’t like bringing in people she didn’t know or trust. In this situation with the massiveness of the accident scene, we’d have to. “I’ll call in a few of the other investigators and get more officers out here. We also need to get the fire department to the cars on the other side of the freeway.”
“Surprise, I put the call in, when I hung up with you,” she replied. “I knew we couldn’t handle this on our own.”
A small explosion rumbled above us. “Who’s on the bridge?”
“Charles and two tow trucks. They’re trying to make a hole.”
“We’re going to need more than two.” I took in the totality of the scene, trying to grasp the depth of it. People, some from the freeway others from the intersection, sat on the sidewalk while paramedics and EMTs worked in tandem to create a triage center. Some people already wore tags denoting their status. Most were walking wounded, some were critical, others covered by white sheets. Those who were deemed too injured to wait were the first to be loaded up and sent to Parkridge East hospital. From there, they would be transported to one of the other facilities equipped to handle their injuries.
“Life Flight is in bound,” one of the officers to our right announced. “We have to clear the parking lot.”
“How long?” I shouted. The wail of sirens making it almost impossible to hear, let alone think.
“Fifteen minutes.”
“Take an officer, go to the Super Center and make the announcement.” I found two other officers nearby. “Tell the fire department to send trucks and have them take the exit ramp to get on since that side is blocked, too. They can get a handle on the fires quicker.”
“On it,” he stated, running with another officer towards the fire trucks already positioned around us.
“Have all the cars on the freeway been checked?”
Silvi frowned. “I’m not sure. The scene was pretty fucking crazy when I arrived. Better check with the paramedics first.”
I grunted and cut a path through the broken wreckage of vehicles. The putrid smell of burned flesh, blood, and a sundry of other things singed my senses. My wolf bristled, pushing against my skin to be let out to find the source of this chaotic madness. I wanted the same.
“Have the cars been checked on the freeway.” I pointed to the overpass where black smoke billowed from the cars stuck there.
The man turned to me and nodded. Determination along with terror filled his dark-brown eyes. “They were walking off the freeway when we arrived. North and south are secure.”
A bit of relief surged through me. At least for a minute, I could concentrate on how and what. “Good to hear. How many victims do we have?”
He shrugged. “I don’t have a good c
ount. I treat as I see them.”
“Guess,” I urged.
“At least,” he glanced around. “A hundred maybe? Everything from bruises from seat belts, to broken bones, and head trauma. We have some with puncture wounds and others with massive internal injury. Five have already been confirmed dead. Three more, if those helicopters don’t get here soon.
I nodded taking mental notes. “Thank you.”
Before I could step away, he grabbed my arm. “You’re going to catch the son of a bitch who did this, right?”
“I plan on it.”
After making my way around the perimeter, I went back to Silvi to check in. She looked harried. Long wisps of her hair came loose from her braid. Her pant legs were covered in grease and dirt. Her features were grey and a bit tight. This was no scene for a pregnant woman.
“Hey,” I said, coming up beside her. “You should go home. I can cover this.”
She eased down onto the curb. “Tommy said I should apply for the captain position at the police department.”
I grinned. “I think he’s right.” I’d miss her as my partner, but as it stood, if things worked out accordingly, my hands would be tied to the pack. I’d be needed there and not here. “You’d make an excellent candidate for the position.”
“He said the same.” She chuckled. “I think this baby is going to lower my chances.”
“They’d be stupid to let a pregnancy stop them from hiring you.”
She rolled off the gloves she’d donned and took the bottle of water offered to her. “I swear, when I found out, I thought it would be simple. I’d not feel anything. I’d keep going.”
“You’d fall flat on your face every night,” I added.
“Exactly. Four months pregnant and you’d think I’m eight or nine.” She shook her head. “I’ll have to take a desk job sooner rather than later.”
“Yeah. Maybe. I’d strike while the iron is hot, though. You wouldn’t want to miss the perfect opportunity to change your and Tommy’s lives by taking the captain job.”
