His chest ached. Is it possible for a wolf-shifter to have a heart attack before age thirty? He had pondered the question a million times since finding out the truth.
After the meeting with Rafe and seeing Erin and her mom in action, working through insults to save the lives of fellow pack members, the issue wasn’t so black and white anymore. Lucas didn’t know what the hell to think or feel.
He blocked Erin when she tried to listen in on his thoughts. Maybe he should have let her in. Maybe he should have let her know that her mate’s mind was a clusterfuck of self-doubt and turmoil, but he didn’t think that would have helped the situation one bit.
Lucas spent the rest of the morning bored beyond belief, with no patients seeking help. Brenna and Reider left for lunch, promising a speedy return with carry-out for Erin and Lucas.
“Why didn’t you tell Dale to go fuck himself and send them packing when he first walked through the door with that attitude?” Lucas had planned on letting the question go, but it festered in the back of his mind like an unwelcome guest.
Erin sighed and sat down in the chair across from him in the breakroom. “Because that’s not who I am. It’s not who my mom is. We’ve both devoted our lives to this clinic and the pack.”
“How did Rafe know about you and your mom?”
“She used her witchcraft in front of Bjorn to save Rafe when he was a child. I wasn’t aware of this until Rafe told me recently. Bjorn made my mom and dad swear to Odin that they would keep the fact that she was a witch concealed from the pack. My mom bound my powers with a spell when I was young. She also gave me this amulet,” Erin held up the howling wolf charm, “to conceal the scent of my witch.”
“Your powers seemed perfectly intact earlier today. You know, when you zapped me halfway across the street.”
Erin smirked. “You were acting like an ass. Poor Tad and Taavi. They’re probably still pissing their pants.”
“If your powers are bound, how can you use them?”
“My mom removed the spell last night. Up until then, my majik was pretty weak. And while I’d thought my wolf was powerful, the spell had affected her too. Now that both are at full strength, I’m struggling with learning how to control my urges when you people piss me off. You just happened to be the first one to really test my patience.”
“What your mom said about your majik coming from Freyja, was that accurate?”
Erin looked at Lucas in disbelief. “Of course it’s accurate. What the actual fuck. Do I sit here and question whether or not your majik comes from Odin? What the hell?”
“Sorry.” Lucas held his hands up in surrender. “It was wrong of me to ask. I’ve had very little experience with witches, and the experience that I have had wasn’t what you would call positive.”
“That’s not true. Now that you know about me and Mom, you need to rethink your interactions with us over the years. Just because you didn’t know we were witches doesn’t mean we weren’t. How have we behaved? How have we acted? Have we ever done anything to hurt anyone in this pack or put any of them in danger? You’ve known us for years, you just didn’t know about us. You’re just now finding out who we really are.”
Lucas sucked in a deep breath. Erin was right—he’d known them his whole life. They’d always gone above and beyond when it came to acting as the pack’s doctors, answering calls at all hours of the day and night.
“I need some time to think.”
Erin stood and looked down at him. “Yeah, I suppose you would. It’s not like you can trust or believe what you’ve seen with your own two eyes over the years.”
“Erin.” Lucas stood and grabbed her arm.
“Let go of—”
Her protest was interrupted when his lips covered hers.
Lucas didn’t know what possessed him to manhandle her, but the minute she moaned into his mouth his impulse grew to desperation. Pushing her back against the wall, he lifted her leg and wrapped it around his waist.
The searing kiss became more demanding, awakening his wolf. His canines lengthened, scraping against her lip. The second her blood hit his tongue, he was lost to a storm of sensation. His cock swelled to the point of discomfort, straining against his zipper. The urge to bury his hard cock deep inside her left him tearing at her scrubs, needing to feel the heat of her skin against his.
Erin’s gasps and the sound of fabric ripping filled the room. Lucas wasted no time; his lips were on her in an instant, kissing his way down her curvy body. One last yank at the flimsy fabric was all it took to strip Erin to her bra and panties. The scent of her sweet honey filled his nostrils, nearly knocking him on his ass.
Pushing her panties aside, he circled his finger over her clit and was instantly rewarded with one of her sensual moans. Her hips bucked against his hand when he slid two fingers into her tight pussy before pulling them out and sliding them into his mouth.
“You taste so fucking good.”
Lucas knelt before her, pulling one of her legs over his shoulder giving him the perfect access to her core.
***
Erin tossed her head back against the wall as Lucas slid his tongue over her clit. She had to admit the man was talented as hell with that tongue of his. It brought her to heights she’d never thought possible, especially when he slid it inside her opening.
She ran her fingers through his spiky hair, trying to hold on as he alternated fucking her with his fingers, then his tongue. Goddess above, she felt like her legs would give out at any second. Just when she thought she couldn’t endure another second of his wicked torture, he drew back, leaving her just long enough to stand and bend her over the lunch table.
The thought of protesting crossed her mind momentarily, then vanished completely the second he slammed his cock home.
Unlike their previous encounter, where Lucas had taken his time easing into her, this time he wasn’t so gentle. Erin cried out at the forceful yet welcome intrusion, loving the way his cock filled her pussy, stretching it in all the right ways.
She met each of his thrusts and begged for more as he pulled her hair and playfully slapped her ass.
Lucas slowed his pace and whispered in her ear, “open up to me, Erin. I want to feel the passion when you come all over my cock.”
She lowered her shield, allowing the mating connection to click into place. She was immediately assaulted by a rush of lust and desire from Lucas’ thoughts and emotions that left her teetering on the edge. Erin pleaded for Lucas to pick up the pace to send her flying over that edge, but he refused.
“Soon, baby. Soon. Right now, I want you to feel every inch of me sliding in and out of you. Do you like how that feels?”
“Yes. More please,” Erin begged once again.
Lucas slowed even more, sliding almost all the way out before slamming right back into her.
Erin shouted in bliss. “Yes! That’s it!”
“Mmmm…my baby likes it a little rough, does she?”
“Goddess, yes. Please fuck me.”
Lucas repeated the motion of pulling nearly the whole way out and quickly slamming deep inside of her again.
Erin’s body trembled from the force of each wicked thrust. Her breaths became shallow as Lucas continued his perfectly timed slow thrusts until she felt her inner walls clenching around his cock as her climax surged.
“You’re mine, Erin. Don’t ever forget that.”
“Never.”
Surprised by the sheer intensity of her orgasm, Erin collapsed in a heap against the table. Feeling and experiencing everything through the bond of the mating connection was like nothing she had ever known.
Unadulterated bliss seeped through her pores…until she felt and experienced Lucas’ next emotion.
Regret.
Regret turned to shame. Shame turned to betrayal.
Tears formed at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to allow them to spill over.
“Get the fuck out!”
“Erin, wait.”
Sparks
flew from her fingertips.
Zipping up his jeans and grabbing his t-shirt, Lucas backed off and headed for the exit.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Rafe scratched his head deep in thought. His day so far had been total shit. His plan for waking up and making love to his mate, then easing into his day had gone straight to the shitter when he got the text about Erin and Lucas’ fight in the middle of town.
Not only did he have that to deal with, there was the whole Twisted Tail issue and the meeting with Gus and Calder—which was now hours late. Then there was the possible problem with Gus rejoining the pack on a full-time basis. Not that Rafe wasn’t happy for his uncle and Beth, but it could potentially bring up issues when it came to having the strongest Alpha lead the pack. Talk about a curve ball that he hadn’t seen coming. Ever since their mating, the question had lingered in the back of his mind.
A knock at his door pulled him from his thoughts.
“Come in,” Rafe called, looking up from his desk. “Lucas, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be with Erin, keeping an eye on her and protecting her.”
“Yeah, about that.” Lucas shuffled into Rafe’s office like he’d been sent to see the principal.
“What did you do this time?”
“You always assume the worst, boss.”
“Judging by the way you’ve acted towards your mate, can you blame me?”
“I guess not. I told you, the woman makes me nuts. Like legit fucking crazy. When have I ever been this out of control?”
“So what happened?” Rafe asked.
“She threatened to turn me to werewolf dust with her flaming fucking fingers of death. I’ve been zapped enough today, if it’s all the same to you.”
“And?” Knowing the story was nowhere near complete, Rafe gestured for Lucas to continue.
“And? I don’t know what to say, other than I fucked up again. But it wasn’t intentional.”
“Go on.”
“Dale brought Kata in. She was hemorrhaging. He flipped out and demanded someone other than witches help his mate, but I’ll give Erin and Brenna credit—they handled him like a pro.”
Rafe jumped from his seat. “Is Kata okay? How about the baby?”
“Yeah, they’re both great. Finally, Dale gave in and agreed to let Erin take a look at her. Kata was having a miscarriage, but thankfully Erin used her majik to save Kata and the baby.”
Rafe heaved a sigh of relief, grateful for the happy ending. “Thank the gods.”
“The whole thing made me really rethink my stance on witches after watching Erin and her mom go above and beyond to help them. Afterwards, I don’t know what came over me. Kata and Dale took the baby home. Brenna and Reider went to grab lunch. Next thing I knew, we were going at it hot and heavy.”
Rafe shrugged his shoulders. “None of that sounds like reason enough for Erin to light your ass up again.”
“It wasn’t until afterwards. My first thoughts and feelings right after were what set her off.”
“Come again? What could have been that bad?”
“I was ashamed and felt like I’d betrayed my family.”
“And the mating connection was open?”
“Yep,” Lucas confirmed.
“I can see why she’d have a problem with that.” Rafe sucked in a deep breath. “You’ve got a lot of ass-kissing to do, buddy.”
Lucas rubbed his hand roughly over his forehead. “I don’t know if she’ll ever forgive me. Hell, if the situation were reversed, I wouldn’t.”
“Either way, you’re going to have to get it together. We’ve got work to do. Calder and Gus will be back any minute. You might as well stay for the meeting.”
“Do you think Calder was right earlier when he talked about the Fates sending powerful individuals to Black Paw because of some unforeseen threat?”
“I do. Especially after meeting with the volva personally. There’s a lot of lives at stake. I just wish I knew the best way to protect the pack.”
It was much more than just his pack. It was his mate and their unborn babies. For once, his life finally felt like it was coming together. He had found his mate. The pack was happy. Yeah, they had shit with Twisted Tail to wrap up, but the Council would handle that. What Rafe wanted more than anything was peace within the pack.
Wasn’t it just like life, or the Fates, or whoever-the-fuck to say, ‘Hold up there, son. Let’s see how we can turn everything into a clusterfuck in the blink of an eye’? Life at Black Paw was about to take a drastic turn and it scared the shit out of him.
“You don’t think any of this is just a coincidence, do you?” Lucas asked, pulling Rafe out of his trancelike state.
“No, I don’t. Besides, you know I don’t believe in coincidences. There are too many warnings, too many signs all pointing to the same thing. We need to be on our fucking A-game more than ever.”
Rafe gave Lucas a brief nod, letting him know that Gus and Calder were about to join them.
***
Seated in his nephew’s office, Gus looked around. He was proud of Rafe and how he’d led by example when it came to his pack. The boy’s heart was as pure as the fresh-fallen first snow. When he looked at Rafe, he saw only the very best of both Bjorn and Grace. The dynamics of Rafe’s powerful pack were ever-changing, but that’s the way of life. A never-ending cycle of ups and downs.
Some of the transformations were slow and gradual, while others happened in the blink of an eye. For example, his mating with Beth. Gus had given up all hope of finding, let alone claiming, his mate long ago. It seemed the Fates had overlooked his longing for a life partner.
Now that he’d found her, changes were forthcoming. Changes that, before this morning, had never crossed his mind. He’d never considered staying at Black Paw for any length of time. That was his brother Bjorn’s dream, not his.
As the oldest son, Gus had once been destined to lead Black Paw, but without a mate by his side, he had abdicated the title and position, choosing instead to create a life for himself within the Council. Taking his grandmother’s last name kept him separate from Black Paw politics, allowing outsiders to be none the wiser. Presiding over the packs as a whole satisfied his Alpha and kept him busy. By devoting his life to the Council, Gus had fulfilled his destiny—or so he thought.
But nothing was as it seemed, and now Gus had decisions to make. Decisions that would impact not only himself, but Rafe, the pack, and the Council. He had to wonder if the Fates had brought him home to claim not only his mate but the title of Alpha as well.
The thought stirred in his head, leaving a bad taste in his mouth. Surprisingly, his wolf found the idea of being the Black Paw Alpha nauseating. Gus had been certain the idea would leave his wolf foaming at the mouth. Perhaps before he met his mate, it would have.
But the more he saw Rafe in action, the stronger his belief grew that Rafe was indeed the one meant to lead the pack.
“What weighs on your mind so heavily, Uncle? Today of all days your mood should be light.”
Gus sucked in a deep breath and paused before answering. “The full repercussions of my Black Paw homecoming.” He watched for even the smallest of reactions that Rafe may have displayed, but Rafe didn’t twitch a muscle. “I wondered if my decision to come home would stir my Alpha’s need for control, as this was once destined to be his pack.”
“I sense a ‘but’ coming.” Rafe waited for Gus to finish his train of thought.
“You’re right—there is a ‘but’ coming. My wolf has no interest in trying to reclaim what was once his.”
“And how do you feel about that?” Rafe asked.
“I’m perfectly fine with it. I’ve watched from the sidelines as you ran this pack for years and you’ve done a better job than I could have imagined. The people here love you as their Alpha. Even more, you have their full support. Very few Alphas are held in such a high regard. The idea of trying to replace you actually makes me feel ill. The Fates have chosen a fair and wise leader of Bl
ack Paw—which is why I asked Calder to meet me here. I have high hopes that he’ll step up and lead the pack at Twisted Tail.”
Gus trained his attention on Calder. “What do you say, boy? Are you ready to lead your own pack? I know that Alpha of yours is strong enough to do it.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Christoph had been watching various members of Black Paw for days on end, and he was convinced it was by far the most boring pack to roam the damn planet. How could everyone be so disgustingly happy all the fucking time? Where was the drama? Where were the cheating scandals? Where was the public shame and punishment? He didn’t know how they did it.
Life at Twisted Tail under his father had been fabulous. There was never a dull moment. He missed the old days of watching an execution at noon, then fucking whatever whore he wanted for dinner, and a different one for dessert if his appetite desired.
Perhaps Ivar was right. Maybe it was time to shake things up a bit for the good citizens of Black Paw.
Christoph knelt down and rummaged through his backpack. His fingers skimmed a dozen or so bags of ‘puppy powder,’ as his dad used to call it. That should spice things up a bit. At the very least add some much-needed excitement to the pack. It wouldn’t be truly fun until he found a way to dispose of the current Alpha.
Christoph zipped the backpack up and tossed it to his brother. “You know what to do.”
Ivar slung the bag over his shoulder. “Finally! Now maybe we’ll see some action here in Lamesville.”
Christoph nodded. “See if you can’t give a few samples out, get them hooked, and keep them coming back for more. We’ll break this pack one way or another. And no sampling the product. I mixed it on the strong side.”
Ivar headed off to do his brother’s bidding, with his own ideas running through his head.
It had been far too long since he had scored a strong batch of powder. He could practically feel the burn it would leave in his nose. His mouth watered at the idea of spending the afternoon in a drug-induced stupor. With any luck, he could find a few slutty bitches to join him.
Fur Ever Witched (Black Paw Pack Book 2) Page 11
