by Hazel Gower
She smiled up at him, and he was a goner. She was stunning, her skin going crazy with light olive, green, yellow, brown, white, and a dark olive, and her eyes were full of lust directed right at him. Griffen’s body ached with his need, and his wolf begged to be set free. His teeth lengthened, preparing to claim her, but he wasn’t ready for that yet. He wanted to sink into her and let his passion that had been building get to explosion level.
Griffen lined his cock up with her entrance and parted her pussy lips with his fingers. He rested his forehead against hers, and took a deep breath, inhaling her calming scent, before he eased back and caught her gaze. “You ready? Once this is done, I’ll never let you go. I won’t be able to live without you.” He sighed. “I don’t want to ever have to.”
She nodded and gasped as he slowly moved into her. “I never want to be without you. I have a life now. I love now.”
He didn’t answer her because his whole focus was on how she felt. The feeling was different to anything he’d ever felt. She was tight, but her walls were like velvet silk wrapped around his dick. He knew it was the closest feeling to perfection he would ever feel. He rested a hand on either side of her, balancing himself.
He thought the first time was supposed to hurt, but she didn’t say anything, and he was almost all the way in when he finally felt a barrier. He paused, leaned down, and captured her lips, delving his tongue in as he pulled out and thrust back inside her, breaking the barrier he felt. Griffen eased further into her. He was sure her barrier was a lot further than humans. When he wasn’t burning with need for her he’d ask her about it, but right now his body was on fire. His body was wound like a coil sprung tight getting ready to unravel.
He pulled his mouth off hers and looked into her beautiful, unusual, golden eyes as he slowly slid out of her and glided back in. Her gasps were so sexy, and he tensed his muscles as the soft pads of her fingers trailed over his stomach. He was ready to burst, and he knew he wasn’t going to be able to last long. He was in heaven as he breathed in her scent and she gazed up at him with passion-filled eyes. All he had to do was hold out until she came.
Griffen watched as her gaze left his and she mewled when she saw his muscles strain and tense with each retreat and enter. She glanced down and caught a glimpse of him entering her, and she moaned and dug her fingers into his flesh. He picked up his pace and made sure he was fully seated in her with each drive into her. Hope started to lift her butt up, meeting his thrusts. He groaned as her breasts bounced with her movements and stilled to gather himself and not let go. She hissed her annoyance, and he couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped out. She ran her hands over his chest and back, and the immense ecstasy that washed over him was the best type of torture.
Moving again, Griffen pushed into her, and she closed her eyes and gasped. “Yes. More. Don’t stop.”
He hoped she was close to falling over the edge, because he was ready to let go. Each stroke had him rising higher and higher, grunting with frustration and the need to give her pleasure. He picked up her thigh, and leaned down so his face rested in her shoulder. Hope gripped his back, and if she had nails, he’d bet she would have made him bleed.
“You’re mine,” he growled. “Tell me you belong to me. Whose are you? Tell me,” he snarled, his wolf breaking out.
“Yours. I’m Griffen’s,” she replied, her voice breathless.
“Yes. Mine,” he howled. “My mate.”
Griffen nibbled on her earlobe as he pistoned into her. He was about to blow, and her core gripped him so tightly he knew she was close too.
Resting on the spot between her shoulder and neck, he let his wolf come out, and then growled, “Mate. Mine,” before he bit down, claiming his mate.
She screamed, and her body shook with her release. Her pussy quivered around him, squeezing his cock in a vise-like grip as his dick started to swell at the base. Griffen pumped into her with a final deep push before letting himself fall and coming so hard he grunted and let out a long, loud howl. He let go of her neck and licked her mate mark, and she mewled and moaned as his cock swelled and locked them together.
He was wrung out, but she felt amazing against him. He looked at her, and his falling in love with her became had fallen. She was gorgeous with a euphoric smile spread wide across her face and her eyes glazed with a dreamy rapture. He didn’t tell her he loved her, but he kissed her forehead and both cheeks before pressing a quick kiss to her lips.
“I thought this would be hot as nature is in your blood or how your people live, but I kind of didn’t think about the aftermath when we are stuck here for half an hour or so.”
“Mmm,” she moaned.
He chuckled at the thought that she was so happy she couldn’t even respond. His chest swelled, and if he wasn’t attached to her, he was sure he would strut around like he was the big man as he’d satisfied his woman so well she couldn’t speak. He nuzzled her neck, and she sighed loudly.
“How about I roll so you’re not on the hard ground?” he said.
He didn’t wait for her answer as he maneuvered the roll and tried to keep the clothes under him for some comfort. She still didn’t say anything, but she snuggled against his chest, and he was surprised when she fell asleep.
He couldn’t sleep while he was still inside her, but he happily basked in their aftermath and enjoyed watching her sleep. A peace washed over him, and he knew things were going to be okay. They had to be, because he was would never give up what he had now. He hugged her to him, and she sighed in contentment.
* * * *
Hope
She and Griffen had sex, or made love, and it had been amazing, better than anything she could have imagined. Faith, Remy, Lexie, and the other girls came to pick her up for a shopping trip. She was going to choose clothes herself and not have the girls buy them for her online.
As they walked around the shopping center Remy and Faith kept staring at her and smirking. She knew it was because she was walking around like she had her head in the clouds, but she was really fighting to stay the light olive skin and brown eyes like a human. Hope knew she was flashing rainbow a lot because one of the girls would hiss at her when she did, but it was because she couldn’t stop thinking about how smooth Griffen’s skin had felt under her and how hard it was too. Hope loved the feel of his muscles flexing and straining. She moaned.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Hope,” Remy huffed. “I’m not a goddamn wolf, but I bet you smell of arousal.” She winked. “Should we go somewhere quiet? Have you got something to tell us?”
Ava held her nose with one hand and the other held her stomach as she waddled along. “Trust me, be glad you’re not, Remy. I didn’t think Hope had a smell, but bloody hell, today all I can smell is her need and want and my brother.” She shivered. “It’s bad enough I have to put up with lust smells for my brothers from Faith, Remy, and Kirby, now I have to add you too,” she groaned. “I thought when you didn’t have a scent that I wouldn’t have to put up with the smells from you.” She let her hand fall from her nose and rested it on her belly.
Kirby, who had her son in a sling and had been quiet as the others talked, spoke up. “I wouldn’t complain too much, Ava, because I’m not a wolf, but everyone knows when Logan has scored.” She raised her hands and bracketed the word scored with her fingers. “He tells anyone who’s willing to listen how powerful his sperm is to have knocked up his woman with triplets. He struts around like he’s God’s gift.” She shivered dramatically. “So, I don’t need to smell anything—he bloody tells everyone.”
Hope smiled as she watched her friends. She had friends and family. Right now her life was like the best dream she’d ever had. She tried not to be scared, because she’d gone so long without any of the things she had now, and she was terrified the other shoe would drop...or at least she thought that was what she’d heard people say. Expressions were another thing she was still learning. She learnt things with visions before, but now she was learning through reading, and friends a
nd family showing her things.
The shopping center wasn’t that busy. It was early morning and relatively safe. They only had really watch for zombies, which were humans that demons had gotten a hold of and given some of their blood and made them under their control. Demons didn’t like the daylight. They could go out in it, but they avoided it. They hadn’t taken over the world yet and were still staying mostly hidden. But Hope knew if they ever did conquer Earth they would go out in the daylight.
Remy bumped her shoulder. “You with us, Hope?”
She shook her head. “Sorry, I was lost in thought.”
“Yeah, I gathered that, and that it wasn’t about sexy times.” Remy smiled, but Hope just nodded. Thinking about the demons always brought her mood down.
“How about we go to the food court?” Lexie butted in. She rubbed her belly. All the mated women were pregnant or had a baby.
Hope wanted children of her own. She wanted Griffen’s children badly. She couldn’t wait to see what their children would look like and what abilities they would have. She could be pregnant now. She gasped as she realized that. Griffen had broken through her barrier, and she knew for her people the barrier was what was kept in place until you wanted children. Her heart beat faster and she stopped walking and closed her eyes to concentrate on keeping herself looking human as happiness flowed through her. She could be just like her new friends and have a family of her own.
Soft, gentle fingers touched her arm, and Kirby’s sweet voice interrupted her concentration. “Are you okay, Hope? Can I help you, or do you need me to get you help?”
Smiling at her friend, a giddy feeling came over her as she realized all she now had. “I’m fine. No, I’m better than fine, I’m ecstatic. So happy. I have more than I could have ever dreamed of.”
Kirby’s smile brightened, and Hope beamed at her.
“Come on, you two,” Remy yelled at them. “I’m starving.”
Both she and Kirby giggled as they caught up to the group of women, because all Remy and Ava did lately was eat. If Hope didn’t know better, she would think Remy was having more than one baby too.
* * * *
Glaring at Griffen, Hope debated killing him in his sleep. She now slept in the same bed with him, and she loved cuddling up to him. She slept like a log every night, because he exhausted her. If he said ‘let’s try that one more time’ or ‘this time put a little more oomph into it’ or ‘this is for your own safety, and we’re not stopping until you get it’ one more time, she would kill him.
She ached, and every muscle protested each movement. She was an Enewu and wasn’t made for combat. She knew why her people were happy to remain peaceful and didn’t put up a fight when the demons came. For the last couple of weeks Griffen had been teaching her self-defense moves and some basic fighting skills. He taught her how to swim too, but he was a lot less aggressive with that.
“No more. I’m done,” she puffed out and dropped the sword. She knew she was her natural skin as she just didn’t have the energy to keep up a human appearance. She didn’t even think she could hide right now, she was dead on her sore feet.
“Let’s just try that move one more time. Pick up the sword.”
She did her best growl and glared at him, trying to burn him with her scathing look. He pouted, and she couldn’t even drum up an ounce of care for how hot he looked.
“I’m taking you to the base tomorrow, and I want you confident in your skills.”
Plonking down in the grass in the backyard, Hope laid back and ignored him, hoping he would get the message and leave her alone. When he hovered above her with his hands held out like he was going to help her up, she groaned and turned to her side.
“Griffen, no more. I’m done.” Hope closed her eyes, ignored the werewolf still hovering over her, and let nature surround her as she let herself be.
Chapter 6
Hope
Hope sat in the car, staring at the gates of the military compound. For the last two weeks Griffen had been training her. Their sessions were hard and exhausting, always ending with her letting nature heal her. She was one with nature when she let her Enewu part out, and when she had no energy left to move, she was all Enewu. Many times she had wanted to give up and stop, but every time she woke from her rejuvenating sleep, Griffen came to her, showered her with kisses, and they made love, which helped her to want to learn more when he rewarded her with such satisfaction.
She was now ready to join in the training with the other women. She wouldn’t be at the same level as them as she’d just started, but she would be training with Nara and some of the other women who’d only just begun learning. Faith helped teach some of the lessons, and Hope was interested in seeing her in action and not just a vision.
Visions. Her lips curled up, and she couldn’t help the smile. She hadn’t had any daytime visions. She’d had some dreams which she knew were visions, but nothing like what she’d had before. She had a life, and from what she’d seen, and what Griffen had told her, Faith had one too. Hope was proud of herself for helping the prophecy come true.
None of that was why she stared at the gates, apprehensive about going inside them. It had to do with showing more people what she was. Humans. The military. She knew what they did to things that they didn’t understand. She’d seen in visions how they shot and threw explosives at the demons, not knowing that it had the opposite effect of what they were going for and fueled the demons, giving them more energy and strength. That had been one of the reasons why the demons were willing to stay and destroy Earth; they liked the destruction the humans made.
“You have nothing to be scared of.” Griffen squeezed her hand, and Hope darted her gaze from the gates to him. “I can’t get over how quickly you pick things up. You’re becoming a remarkable opponent. I’m so proud of you and can’t wait to show how well you’re doing.”
“That’s not what has me nervous. I’m scared of what will happen when I show the men what I am and can do.”
Griffen leaned over and pressed buttons on a pad and then talked into a mic, and the gates opened. He turned back to her. “Trust me. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again. If they tried, they’d have to go through me.”
He drove through the gates, seeming confident that he’d soothed her fears. Hope trusted Griffen, and she believed what he said, but it was other people she didn’t trust, and she didn’t want to be responsible for Griffen getting hurt.
Griffen parked his car next to a bunch of others and got out, but she stayed inside, still unsure of what she was about to do. Her door open, and Griffen held out his hand. She undid her seatbelt and stared at the extended hand for a moment before she placed her hand in his and he helped her out of the car and shut the door. She trailed behind Griffen, his fingers threaded through hers, as he guided her along.
Hope could hear the yelling and noise of the men, and she reminded herself that she was helping Griffen and he would protect her and she trusted him. They entered a large building, and Hope was assaulted with the smell of human sweat. Her senses had been as good as shifters, but when she gave some of her power to Faith she lost some of them. However, her senses were still stronger than that of a human. When she’d been with the demons her abilities had come in handy, helping her feel the moods and sense what had happened before she’d been summoned. It had also been a hindrance as she could smell the unwashed body of the demons and the captives. Right now, the smells weren’t pleasant. She wrinkled her nose and moved close to Griffen so she could focus on his scent.
Hope almost felt like she jumped out of her skin when she heard a chuckle and a deep voice at her side. “Cute. I guess you can smell as good as we shifters can.” She realized she was looking at Grayson, Nara’s mate, and knew she had lost her human skin and gone her rainbow translucent. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but Remy is right, you’re awesome.”
Raising a brow, Hope waited to see if he said more, like why he thought he wouldn’t like agreeing with Remy.
“Don’t look at me like that. Remy already has a big head.” He shook his head, but the huge grin on his face was unmistakable. “She’s a whole lot of fun, but damn, I’m glad Nara is my mate and not her, because Remy is a handful.”
Hope nodded in understanding, because she had heard of Remy’s adventures, and she had seen her in action, both in visions and when she’d been there herself. Remy had been one of her first real friends though, so Hope adored her, and she was so happy Remy had found her family, even if her mother was different than Remy wanted her to be. Hope knew Remy was ecstatic at having a sister and loved Nara.
“I love Remy. She’s a lot of fun,” Hope said.
“Oh, trust me, she’s something.” He sighed. “I know Nara hasn’t had the easiest life, but Remy gives her way too much advice and takes her places I’d rather she not.”
They entered a room with a bunch of men in the leather pants and tops that helped to protect from the demons’ blood. They were working out on machines. Hope realized that since Grayson had arrived he’d distracted her from her worrying. She was calmer now that she was thinking of her friends.
Griffen let go of her hand, but his arm slid around her waist and brought her next to him. “Attention,” he yelled. The men all gave him their focus and stood straight. “You are all in for a treat. My mate is going to show you something that will give you a glimpse of what you will be up against. Mind you, the demons are no way as cool as my mate. They rely mostly on their strength and use their body as a weapon. Move. I want you all outside.”
Griffen turned and led Hope toward a set of doors. He opened them, and with his arm still around her waist, he guided her outside. The ground was concrete, but as Hope looked around she saw grass, trees, and a couple of obstacle courses. Other groups of men were in the middle of completing them. Devlin and Jamie, Griffen’s brothers, stood by some, and Logan and Rane stood by watching another.
Kane strolled toward them, and her stomach sank and she shrank against Griffen. She still wasn’t comfortable in Kane’s presence even though she knew he was happy with her for the power she’d given to Faith.
