by Alexa Riley
“You aren’t like everyone else.” His brows draw together like this is something I should know. “I knew that from the moment I laid eyes on you, and not because you were a bear shifter, Winnie. I don’t know why I knew you were different, I just felt it. Everything about you is soft and sweet and I want it. My wolf wants to just curl around you and soak it in. Relish the comfort. I feel starved of it.”
His hands start to roam my body, sliding down my sides and over my hips.
“Everything I do is for this pack and what I think is best for it. Even when I was pushing you away, I thought it was best for you. I’m starting to think I can’t do anything right. I fucked up with Gwen and now you. I seem to be doing more damage than good.”
My heart breaks for him at the confession because what he’s saying is true. Everything he does is for the pack. Gwen even said today that she’d never seen Stone do anything for himself. I can’t imagine working so hard for something and thinking you’re still not doing it right.
All this time he’s wanted me. Maybe I can be the one to finally give the alpha something of his own.
Chapter 10
Stone
“Stone.”
Hearing my name on her lips is enough to make me do whatever she wants. I may be the alpha, but this little cub can bring me to my knees. Never before have I bared myself to anyone, but with Winnie, I would do it if that’s what she asked.
Pulling her closer to me, I slide my hardness between her wet folds, teasing myself. I feel Winnie shudder against me, the pull between us getting stronger.
“Do you want me to stop?” I’m so close to the edge that if I do this much longer, I won’t be able to stop. I’ll slide back and push inside her and I won’t be able to pull back out.
I feel her nails dig into my shoulders as she clings to me. Her big eyes gaze into mine, and I see her make her decision. “Don’t stop. I’m yours, Stone. Since the day you found me, I’ve belonged to you.”
At her confession, I roll us over so she’s under me, and I pin her arms up by her head as her legs wrap around me. “Say it, Winnie. My wolf is too close to stop. Tell me what I need to hear.” I feel my nails start to ache as I dig them into the bed, trying to hold on to my wolf. I’m sure my eyes are glowing, and I feel the tingle in my spine as if I could shift at any second.
“I’m your mate, Stone. Take me for your own.” Her words are breathy as her hands come up to rub my chest, scoring her blunt nails down my tattooed skin.
The feeling of her marking me and telling me to claim her sends a shiver running down my spine. I take a breath to try to control my wolf because I want to stay human for this. I don’t know if we can mate as shifted animals, and it’s been so long since Winnie has shifted that I’d be worried to try it.
Leaning down, I rest on my elbows, holding her face in my hands. I rub my nose against hers, then look into her soft brown eyes, needing to tell her before we mate. “I love you, Winnie. I have since the day I first held you in my arms. I’m so happy that you’re my mate.”
“I love you, too, Stone.” There are unshed tears in her eyes, and I kiss her cheeks, moving down her neck as I position my cock at her opening.
“This is new for both of us, so let me know if I hurt you, little bear. I’m not sure how we’ll breed together, but I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”
She smiles a little and raises her hips in invitation, wanting me to enter her.
The need is overwhelming, and I take one final breath as I thrust inside her. Her tight warmth squeezes around my cock, but otherwise, Winnie is relaxed. The first penetration doesn’t seem to have hurt her. Her shifter body is welcoming her mate into her womb.
I feel her heat and hold myself inside her as I cum. It’s the first part of the shifter mating ritual—the semen triggers the need of the female, and the mating heat begins. I don’t know if it will work the same with Winnie, but it’s my body’s natural reaction.
Thick pulses shoot up my cock and into Winnie’s womb. The intensity of the pleasure is nearly blinding, and I have to force myself not to collapse on top of her and smother her body. Closing my eyes and burying my face in her neck, I place my teeth on her tender flesh and do as my animal commands; I bite her.
When I taste slightest trace of blood, I lick the wound, sealing my saliva inside of her. That small amount, combined with my semen, will bind us together, mating us for life. The heat will begin and will last until she is bred, ensuring the continuation of our species.
Being inside her warm soft body is pleasure like I’ve never known. Having the taste of her on my tongue just adds to it, and I want to cum all over again.
Sitting up a little, I look down at Winnie and see that she has her eyes closed. After a beat, her eyes pop open, glowing bright gold. “Winnie?”
Suddenly I’m flipped over, and Winnie is on top of me, grinding down on my cock and clawing at my chest. The feel of her mark is so erotic that I thrust up, meeting her down-strokes.
“Mine,” she growls, and leans down, sinking her teeth into my chest.
Feeling her break the skin sends me spinning into another orgasm, and I thrust inside her, cumming again. Semen runs down my shaft as Winnie begins to pulse and cum on my cock. She doesn’t stop riding me as she continues to contract and relax, one orgasm rolling into the next.
I feel her lick the wound on my chest, sealing it, and she sits up and licks her lips. Her eyes are bright gold, and she’s breathing hard as she grinds down on my hard cock, looking for another release.
Seeing how lost to the pleasure she is lets me know her need is in full force. I go to sit up, but she pushes on my chest, forcing me to lie back down as she rides my cock harder. I watch her as she moves. The sight of her naked body on top of me is so fucking beautiful. I reach up and pinch her nipples, and she growls with pleasure. I can see her bear in her eyes. She’s come out some and is in partial control. It makes my wolf growl happily, knowing that her animal wants mine.
Snarling, I flip us over before she can protest, and I pull out, turning her over on all fours. I want to take her like this and let her bear know that I’m dominant. That I’ll be in control.
She lets out a loud growl and turns to look back at me. “Easy, little cub. I’m going to give you what you want.”
Thrusting back inside her body, I blanket myself over Winnie. I plant my hands on either side of hers, caging her in and holding her still while I rut inside her. I’m fucking her like my wolf would fuck her, taking what we’ve always wanted, and the thought makes me cum.
I don’t stop moving as I release inside her again, filling her pussy with warm cum, over and over. I’ll have her soaked and dripping with my seed before we both find sleep. It’s the way of the mating heat, to keep us connected until we can’t even move.
I latch my teeth onto her shoulder, biting down just a little, not enough to break the skin. I just hold her there with my teeth, a warning to her bear to submit. She stills beneath me, bending to my dominance, allowing me to keep moving inside her.
Her clenches speed up, and she orgasms on my cock, opening up and letting my seed breed her. When she cums, I bite down harder, pricking the skin just slightly. Her clenches become tighter, her body responding to my mating mark.
We’re animalistic in our passion, both of us connected in the most intimate way.
“Mine, Winnie. You’re mine now.” I feel her contract around me as I kiss her back and thrust harder inside her. “And I’m yours, too.”
She leans back into my body, giving me her warmth. “Yours,” she whispers, and tightens around my cock again.
Holding myself inside her as far as I can go, I cum, giving her more of my seed. The sticky cum spreads between us, and I know it won’t be the last of it tonight.
I have a feeling the two of us are in for a sleepless night.
Chapter 11
Winnie
“That’s not what I meant by making you breakfast at the bakery.” I grip the sides of the m
etal prep table to stop myself from falling back onto the cookies I was about to decorate.
Stone has my legs thrown over his broad shoulders, my dress bunched up around my waist, as he kneels before me. My panties are once again in pieces on the floor as his mouth eats at me. I’m starting to think I shouldn’t even bother to wear them anymore. But I have to admit, it’s pretty hot when he effortlessly rips them off me. He even gave them an annoyed growl when he’d done it this time.
His only response to my words is a growl against my pussy, which sends chills down my spine. His fingers dig deeply into the flesh of my thighs, like I might take his treat away. His unbreakable hold lets me know that would be impossible.
Stone has been on me since I gave myself to him last night. We made love all night long. The first few times were hard and fast, but as the night went on, he slowly started to worship my body. I don’t think one inch of me went untouched last night and into the early morning. I’ve never felt so loved, so wanted, in my life. I was made to feel like he couldn’t breathe without me.
I’ve never seen Stone like that before. It was like he couldn’t stop touching me. That at any moment something could just take me from him. I hate the worry he seems to feel about it, but it would be a lie if I didn’t say I love it, too.
To go so long without feeling like you’re important to anyone. To now have it. To have someone filling in all those holes I felt I had inside me. I want to soak it all in, even if it does make him a little miserable.
“Give me that sweet honey, Winnie,” he says, before latching onto my clit, sucking it into his mouth with another growl that vibrates through me, making me explode. The orgasm shoots through me, and I try to close my legs, but Stone just lazily licks at me, getting every drop of my orgasm. Each time his tongue grazes my clit, my whole body jerks.
“Please, Stone,” I beg, unable to take anymore. I’ve had so many orgasms in the last twelve hours, I can’t take another. I’m not even sure if I can walk now. Which isn’t good because I have a bakery to open.
My head is still thrown back, my eyes closed. It isn’t until I feel Stone peeling my hands from the metal table edge that I realize he’s now standing between my legs.
He brings my hands to his mouth, kissing the indents left by the sharp table edges, an unhappy furrow in his brow.
“We should have stayed in bed,” he says, placing another kiss in the marks.
“It didn’t hurt, and it was well worth it.” I smile up at him to reassure him. He seems a little off kilter. I do enjoy how much I seem to be affecting him, but I also don’t want him stressing himself. “I can’t wait to do it again.” He grabs me, pulling himself closer to me as he nuzzles my neck. “Tonight,” I finish, when I feel his cock press against me.
I would’ve loved nothing more than to lie in bed with him all day, but the bakery has to be opened today. It’s Sunday, and we’re only open until noon anyways.
“Just getting my scent back on you,” he says, rubbing against me.
“I’m pretty sure it’s permanently on me,” I giggle, as the whiskers of his beard tickle my neck.
“I told you not to shower,” he complains, taking my earlobe into his mouth. He pouted this morning. Yes, pouted when I insisted on a shower before coming to work. He said I was washing away all his hard work.
“I recall you rather enjoying that shower,” I remind him.
He groans against me like he’s recalling it, pressing his hard, jean-covered cock against my pussy.
Suddenly, he retreats, pulling me off the counter, and my feet hit the floor. My dress falls back into place just as Gwen comes pushing through the door to the kitchen, X—of course—a heartbeat behind her.
She stops, a big smile pasted across her face.
“I knew you’d be all mated by this morning,” she says, putting her hands on her hips. X lazily leans up against the wall. He never seems to have much to say, but Gwen can talk enough for everyone, and he seems to like to watch her do it.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, looking down to make sure I’m decent, though I don’t think Stone would have let anyone in the room if something was showing. I know she can smell what was going on, and pink hits my cheeks. Stone pulls me to him, wrapping an arm around me in a possessive hold. We haven’t been out together yet, and I still wonder what it will be like when the rest of the pack is around. I normally fade to the back.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d be here. I know after this big guy,” she points over her shoulder to X, “got his paws on me, he wouldn’t let me up to breathe. Anyways, I just wanted to make sure someone was here to open this place up. I don’t trust those stepsisters of yours to do shit.”
I glance up at Stone, wanting to see his reaction to Gwen's words, but he just has a big smile across his face, too. It’s then I realize I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile like that before. It reaches all the way to his eyes.
He glances down at me, the smile dropping a little. “Are Tamara and Trish not doing their share at the bakery? I can have a word with them.”
I hear Gwen huff.
“No, don’t,” I quickly rebuff. One, I don’t want him anywhere near my stepsisters, and two, I have a feeling if Stone finds out how miserable I was living there, it will eat him up inside. I want that smile he just had to light up his face again. He would be devastated to know that I wasn’t treated right, and there’s no way for him to go back and change it. I want to move forward and see him smile like that for the rest of our lives.
“You sure?” His other hand comes up to cup my face as he bends down to rub his nose against mine. God, I love when he does that. It’s such a silly, sweet thing for this big alpha to do.
“Positive.” I lean in a little, pressing my mouth to his.
“All right.” He pulls me flush against his body, rubbing against me.
“Stone, I promise your smell is all over me.”
“I know. I want to make sure I’m covered in yours, too.”
His words make me smile. He lets me go, and we both look over at Gwen and X, having forgotten about them for a moment. Gwen is still rocking the giant smile.
“I need a word with you,” Stone says, his eyes locking on X.
X nods. “I smelt it, too.”
Cupping my face, Stone rests his forehead against mine. “Promise me you won’t leave this bakery.”
He pulls back and looks over at Gwen. “You staying?”
“Oh yeah, I can’t wait for you boys to leave because there’s going to be some serious girl talk going down.”
Stone just shakes his head, pulling his eyes back to me.
“I promise,” I confirm, before he can ask again. I see some tension drain from his shoulders, and I know he’s going to be like this until they find the shifter that seems to be roaming around. Besides, where am I going to go? I want him to go do what he needs to do and not worry about me. The sooner the shifter is found, the sooner Stone can loosen up.
“Kiss me,” I tell him. His lips instantly come to mine in a soft, sweet kiss.
“I’ll be back before you close,” he says, then places a kiss on my mate mark before finally letting me go.
“Wait.” I grab a box from under the counter and place a few treats in it. The cinnamon rolls are still nice and warm. “A real breakfast.”
He takes the box from me, leaning in to whisper in my ear even though everyone in the room is a shifter and can hear him. “They won’t be as sweet as the breakfast you already gave me.”
With that, he’s gone, and I watch X give Gwen a kiss before following him out.
“I’ve never seen him so happy!” Gwen looks like she’s about to burst. “Give me all the details. Well, maybe not the sex. Just the stuff where Stone is eating out of your hand. I want those details.”
I can’t help but laugh.
“Fine, but help me get this stuff out front so we can open. Then I’ll give you all the non-sex details.”
“Deal.”
C
hapter 12
Stone
It’s almost noon when I make my way back to the bakery. I’ve been anxious to get back to Winnie, but knowing she’s safe with Gwen makes it a bit easier to handle.
Xavier and I scouted around our land today, trying to track the scent, but neither of us could pin it down. I had to go door to door and check on the pack, making sure everyone knew the situation and to be extra careful, to always travel together and report anything suspicious right away.
When I walk into the bakery, I smell my mate, and my mouth begins to water. It’s been too long since I’ve had her taste.
“I thought I smelled you. Where’s my big guy?” Gwen says, coming out from the back, wiping her hands on a towel.
“He’s waiting out front. Said something about not liking the mating scent on me and Winnie. Careful, I think he might be a bit more aggressive because of it.”
“Ooh, just the way I like him!” Gwen winks at me as she walks past and out the front door to her mate.
I turn around in time to see X pick her up and carry her away from the store. With as pregnant as Gwen is, I’m surprised he lets her feet touch the floor. I know I won’t when Winnie is bred.
The thought has my cock throbbing. My need is getting crazy strong, and I’ve got to be inside her. After flipping the lock behind me, I stalk to the back, seeking out my mate.
When I push open the door, I see Winnie coming from the back room and carrying an empty tray. When she sees me, she stops in her tracks and slowly places the tray down.
I take a step towards her, and I can feel my wolf at the surface. I’ve gone too many hours during mating heat without touching her, and he’s agitated.
Winnie lets out a little growl, and I see her eyes start to glow. Once again, her bear is showing signs of wanting me, and it makes pride swell in my chest. Her animal deems me a worthy mate, and that’s the biggest boost to my ego. It makes me feel ten feet tall and like I could lift a mountain.
