by T. A. Grey
Even though when they finished, she still ached deeply inside. The cramping pain would start after that. It wrenched hard inside her until she felt like she could barely breathe. But she kept that from him. Didn't dare let him know how much it hurt, because then he'd be inside her in a heartbeat. His protective instincts were already strong. He'd take her to save her from the pain.
His teeth found her earlobe and bit down. Goosebumps spread across her arms, and she couldn't help but brush her nipples back and forth across the crisp hairs of his chest. His strong hands traced over her body, everywhere he could reach. He didn't shy away from her neediest parts, but pinched her nipples as he sucked the sensitive skin at her neck.
"Vane!" Moaning her pleasure, Sarina brushed her fingers through his hair and fisted the thick locks.
"Spread your legs, Sarina." She started to open her legs, eager to come again, to see him come, but stopped.
"You will hold your promise to me, right Vane?" He growled at her, more beast than man, and used his powerful thighs to separate them. "Vane, tell me you won't take me!"
He settled himself against her, his cock nested atop her sleek sex, and pulled back to look at her. His eyes were dark and intense, his jaw tight, his brow furrowed.
"Let me have you, Sarina. I need you as much as you need me. Don't you understand that it pains me not to ease you, to not be with you?" She was already shaking her head no, but her eyes shined with unshed tears.
"Vane, I can't. My father..."
"Stop thinking about your father, Sarina. You are my mate. You belong to me, and I want you now, dammit. Can't you think about yourself, your needs? I will protect you." His hands clasped her cheeks as if to reassure her.
Sarina was weakening, and she knew it. She wanted to believe him, this strong, virile Alpha. But her father was incredibly powerful and dangerous. A small voice popped up, what if he could protect you? There was no doubt that he was physically strong enough. But she'd seen her father destroy people with just a few words. Was it worth the risk of pregnancy, of losing her father and his respect?
Her beast sprawled out in comfort and purred every time she thought of Vane. The thought of begetting a child with Vane didn't repel her; in fact, she found her hips rising at the idea of having their baby. Then, a sharp spasm like a knife cutting through her innards tore through her. She gasped and Vane closed his eyes in a grimace.
"Lumara, let me inside you. Please!"
Sarina blinked away the wetness in her eyes, stunned. He'd said please. He'd begged. The action, the words were so surprising that Sarina gaped openly at Vane. But a moment later, her stomach convulsed, needing the one thing that he could give her.
"I need you, Sarina. It kills me to see you in pain, kills me not to take you." He shut his eyes tightly and rested his forehead against hers, an uneven breath shuddering out. "Can't you feel how right this is? Let me inside you, lumara." He growled darkly, and captured her lips in a kiss that curled her toes.
A whisper so soft and gentle a mouse could hear it. "Yes, Vane. Yes, please."
Vane drew back from her, stunned. Then his eyes closed and he seemed to whisper a soft prayer. When his eyes opened again and found hers, Sarina grew hot at the scorching look he gave her. A look that said you are mine and about fucking time.
A hot hand found her thigh and pushed her open. He kissed a hot path down her neck and across to the other side as pulled his hips back and positioned his cock at her creamy entrance. Gone. That's what he was.
He groaned her name as his hips pushed, only the tip going in. Sarina gasped at the sensation. He stopped and looked down at her, his eyes swirling with need and something else.
Vane pushed in another inch, then another before he hit a soft, resisting barrier. He wanted to throw back his head and howl his claim on this woman. Let the world know whose mate this was. Instead, he pressed the tips of his fingers onto her soft, very wet clit and rubbed it in slow circles.
His touch was like electricity through her body, zapping her in places she'd never felt before. Her nails scored his back as her hips lifted in short, jerky movements.
"Please, Vane. Please." This time she was the commander, he was the subordinate, listening, and obeying commands, for he gripped the pillow by her head tightly in a fist and thrust.
The barrier fell without easily under his strength, and Sarina gasped. Vane held himself still, even as sweat formed over his brow and pooled down his neck. He'd never had a virgin before, didn't want to hurt her. But then she did something that surprised the hell out of him.
She pulled his lips down and kissed him with a mesh of tongue and teeth that would have made his hips rock in need, if he didn't forcedly hold still. Then, she wrapped her legs around his thighs and pulled him deeper inside. He was lost completely in her sex, her intoxicating heat.
Chapter 15
Christ, she wrapped around him so tightly. Her cunt was soft, wet, and clung to his cock like vise. The feeling was almost enough to make him come. A few strokes and he’d be done for. He had to make her come first.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Vane scrambled off Sarina at the loud knock. He stood in front her, legs open, ready to fight. The door burst open with an explosion of splintered wood.
Vane let the rage of his beast release inside him. Physically he grew bigger, taller, stronger. His senses went sharper, more focused, clearer. He could smell several of them, all lykaens, all male. Vane growled. He would protect his mate.
Five males, one dressed differently from the others marched into the cabin, Vane heard Sarina gasp and duck behind him and mutter "oh no." Vane recognized the last man. King Brunes, Sarina's father.
Sarina trembled against his back, her wet tears coating his cooling skin. He was going to plow his fist into each and every one of these cocksucker's faces for making her cry. Especially him.
"Sarina, get over here now. We're leaving. And you, who the hell are you, and what have you done to my daughter?" Her father pointed a shaking finger at Vane.
"I am Vane Kategan, Alpha of the Midwest pack of Kategans. Sarina is not leaving with you. She is mine."
The King's eyes glowed for a moment and his hands curled into pale fists. He and Vane stared at each other, locked in a visual, aggressive battle between two Alphas fighting over what they wanted.
"Sarina, I said to get over here now!" the king shouted. His men took a step forward.
"I should go," Sarina said weakly, and stepped around Vane.
Vane grabbed her by the shoulders. "You are not leaving me. You are my mate."
"You mated with this male!" the King exploded, his face turning a deep red.
"No! No, not yet. We were in the middle...What I mean is, we didn't...he didn't..." Sarina's soft voice trembled and faded away. Tears fell down her face and over her chin, wrenching Vane's heart like he was being stabbed in the heart. He grabbed her and hugged her to him.
"I will fight, King Brunes. I will fight for what is mine." The calm, deadly tone had Sarina stiffening in his arms. She started shake her head no, but Vane ignored it.
"Then at least we have that in common, Vane Kategan. Men, attack!"
"Father, wait!" Sarina shouted. The sound startled every man in the room. She took a pleading step towards her father, her arms open wide. "Please, father, I love for him. I w-would choose him as my mate. He is worthy." The last word drifted off, not be heard by anyone but Vane, as her father's roar shook the windows in the cabin.
"Kill him!"
The king's men sprang, grabbing Sarina and thrusting her behind the wall of their bodies. Vane shouted, his arm reaching out but grabbing only air. The men closed in with fists and hard booted feet.
Must get Sarina. He chanted the words over and over, even as his fist connected with a jaw, his foot with another's knee producing a loud crack. Blood was roaring in his ears. A hard fist slammed into his gut, but he didn't feel any pain. Vane punched the first man in the face and he fell heavily to the ground. The third man c
ame at him from behind, trying to lock him in a hold, but Vane ducked and slammed his elbow into the man's face in an explosion of blood.
"Sarina!" he yelled, then cracked the last guard in the gut with three quick, hard jabs. The man groaned and collapsed to his knees. Vane sprinted out of the cabin and after Sarina.
The car door slammed shut and sped away in a cloud of gravel, dirt, and smoke. Over the gunning of the engine, he could hear her voice screaming his name.
He fell into a hard sprint, his legs eating up the distance between him and the car. But then the engine roared and the distance between them got further and further apart. Until the car whipped around the bend and sped off down the road.
Vane stopped running, his steps faltered, and he tripped over some rocks, barely managing to right himself. His breath exploded from his lungs in sharp, burning bursts of air. His heart tightened until he was sure it was bleeding in his chest.
He had failed. He had failed miserably. And now she was gone.
"Sarina," he whispered, his throat tight.
Chapter 16
Three days passed and still Sarina couldn't stop the tears from coming. The pillowcase beneath her face was wet, and she was exhausted from the whole situation.
The large mansion no longer felt like her home. She felt like an alien in a foreign world. Her father refused to speak to her. Although she got the hint that he was more than a little angry after he gave her a personal guard, installed cameras in her room, and took out the phones and internet.
She had no way to communicate with the outside world. To try to find Vane. She sighed, made herself sit upright, and pushed the shaggy hair out of her face. Oh, how she missed him. Without him, she felt as though a piece of her was missing. And it hurt missing that piece, God did it hurt.
Going to the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face, Sarina looked at herself in the mirror. Dark shadows hung below her eyes, and her skin looked gaunt and pale.
She hated what she was about to go through. Hated herself for being afraid, and hated not knowing what her father might say. Stealing herself for what was to come, she left her bedroom and went to find her father. Her new ‘personal guards’ trailed behind her.
"What do you need, Lady Sarina?" asked her guard, Rener. She wanted to sigh at his question. Now when she left her own bedroom, she was questioned. She had the strongest urge to say 'my mate's cock', but refrained. Barely. To start speaking stupidly now would only hurt her chances of seeing Vane again. So she ignored him instead.
After checking his bedroom and the kitchen, she found her father seated at his desk in the library. He stiffened when she entered, though he didn't raise his eyes to meet hers.
"Father, I'd like to talk to you."
"As you wish," he replied, but continued writing.
Sarina gnashed her teeth together and went to stand before his desk. "I want you to stop this nonsense, father. Cameras? A guard? Why I ask you? I am a grown woman."
"So is that why you spread your legs like some whore to a man you hardly know? Is that what a grown woman does, Sarina?" His coarse words were like a slap to the face. Yet somehow, instead of wanting to cry she felt anger. Real, seething anger.
"Don't you dare call me a whore! I gave myself willing to Vane because he is a male of worth, and I'm his mate."
Her words must have struck a blow, because her father exploded from his seat and came around to grab her by the shoulders. He shook her with his each of his words. "You accepted his mating proposal? You accepted it!" Sarina didn't register the strange movement until her face was turned sharply to the side and her cheek was burning hot and stinging.
"You, you hit me. You hit me," she accused, her hand covering the burning pain.
The king's mouth opened and closed several times. He looked nearly as shocked as she was. Whether it was the pain in her face or the blunt refusal of her father, but something changed in her in that moment. Hardened her.
"I have accepted his mating proposal, and he has claimed my virginity. I am his now. Let me go to him. Let's stop all this insanity, father." The last word seethed with hatred, something she'd never felt towards her father.
The shock left his face, replaced by cold refusal. "Prince Conlin of the Pride has agreed to suit with you. He has already signed the marriage contract. I was in the process of choosing a wedding date for you both when you came in. How does this Saturday sound? Two days should be enough time, don’t you agree?"
Sarina took a deep breath that did nothing to calm her. "Y-you've married me off to a man I not only hate, but despise. You know how much I hate that man."
Her father smiled, and it made her stomach turn. "He has agreed to specific terms, let's just say that he'll be quite amiable to you, and provide you with heirs, of course. He is quite excited. You should be happy, proud even, of marrying such a fine man."
"Fine man. Fine man! He nearly raped my best friend Alison and beat her to within an inch of her life. You are selling me to him. How dare you."
His nostrils flared wide, and he returned to sit at his desk. "I assure you he won't lay a hand on you like that. And besides, after your act of whoring, I figured you wouldn't mind being sold off." With that hanging darkly in the air, he returned to writing. His movements were quick and jerky, the scrape of the pen across the paper loud in the otherwise silent room.
"Then I hate you, father."
* * *
Vane slammed down the shot of tequila and swore it'd be his last one.
Again.
"Take it easy with that, Vane. You know that shit doesn’t sit well with you."
Vane sneered at his brother. "Fuck off, Rome."
His younger brother didn't look fazed in the least; he merely arched a thick eyebrow. "No, fuck you. I'm trying to help. We're all here to help. But your idea is shit."
"I hardly see how going over there and claiming my woman is shit." He threw back another shot, and didn't even need to wince this time. He was getting better at this.
Already the alcohol was burning like fire through his blood. It would slow down his senses, and he'd feel it for days in his body, but it helped him right now. Help him not to feel so crazy. I failed.
"Why don't we just kidnap her?" Vane looked at his younger sister, the only female Kategan. Vera’s chin-length hair and bangs used to bother him. Each of the brothers had protested when she cut off her hair, but in time, they each realized it was still beautiful...and it suited her. The look was both serious and feminine, just like her.
"Bad move," Rome said drily. "We have no idea what kind of power he has over the local authorities or the lykaen Justicars with his political ties. He could have judges in his back pocket and Justicars on standby. We need to handle this more delicately."
Vera shrugged then turned to Vane. "Perhaps, but are you certain she's your mate, your lumara?" Vane growled, making everyone's hair stand up. "Fine, fine. Cool it, Jacob."
Vane looked around the room as if he might find another person suddenly with them. "Who the hell is Jacob?" Vane squeezed the shot glass until Vera was certain it was going to break.
Vera's eyes went wide and innocent. "Well before you flip, just know that I was always team Jacob."
"Jacob is a fictitious werewolf romance character for teenage girls," said Rome.
"Rome’s always been team Edward. I think he had a thing for one of the vamp girls. Isn’t that right?" Vera asked, a sly smile on her face.
He only shrugged making Vera pout prettily.
"Enough of this! I need to get Sarina back." Vane slumped forward in his chair, his hands covering his face.
A hard knock sounded at the door. Rome was the first to move. He sniffed on the edge of the door then turned back with a puzzled look on his face. "It's our brother."
Rome opened the door to the second eldest Kategan Alpha, Darien. "Darien, come in. It's been too long." Rome hesitated a moment before embracing his brother in bear hug. "It's good to see you."
"It's good to s
ee you too. I see the whole family is here," said Darien. Vera gasped in pleasure and ran to embrace him. Darien lifted her up in his arms and swung her back and forth until she was laughing so hard tears rolled down her cheeks.
After he set her down, he faced Vane. Neither of them spoke nor moved. The tension in the room rose like a fever.
"Vane," Darien acknowledged.
"Darien."
Vane didn't know what to think seeing his brother here. His brother, the same man who left the pack after his girlfriend's death, and chose to live alone. Vane hated it. The man didn't need solitude. He needed family, friends, and packmates. That was the soul of their people, what kept them together and strong.
"You look like shit," Vane said, crossing his arms.
Darien let out a brief, grunt of a laugh. "As if you look better." That seemed to ease the tension in the room, and finally the brothers crossed to each other and embraced. A tight, hard hug that held far more emotion than any words between them could have said.
"We'll get her back, Vane. We'll get her back."
Chapter 17
"Ms. Alison Bennson to see you."
"Please send her in." Sarina closed the book she'd been reading with a snap.
The sight of her closest friend was such a relief she wanted to cry. They hugged each other for long moments. Alison was the first to pull away.
"What is going on here, Sarina? I've been calling you for a week and I get either no answer or that butler Jameson always says you're unavailable. Pfft, like I believe that. You've stopped mid-shower to answer my calls before. And what is with this security?" Alison whispered quickly, sneaking a pointed look at the guard standing in the corner of the room.
