Resurrecting The Beast [Werescape Book II]

by Skhye Moncrief

  Wolf whimpered back.

  Now. The point of no return. The place my life split from humble rectitude twisted into atonement to extreme danger if my Wolf resisted.

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  Chapter Six

  Nothing could have been more thrilling than thrusting into Sylvie's fisting molten velvet. Until I remembered her gift when I felt the little tug of her hymen.

  My heart stopped.

  My breath hitched in my throat.

  Wolf snarled.

  To claim his possession. But Sylvie was more important than Wolf. Sylvie was my pleasure. The one thing I'd sworn I'd never take again. But she'd begged. And her argument had been so damned heart-wrenching. To know how a man loves a woman. Because she'd never know love the way the world worked AEI. Never have a mate she wanted thanks to her father. And there was no fear or disgust in the way she looked at the scars I'd given myself. She saw something in me she wanted. I could see it in her eyes. Hear it embedded in the plea to know love. Maybe this was part of my penance? To help her? But I didn't want to hurt her. I stared into her shadow-darkened blue eyes. “Ready?"

  She nodded.

  "It won't sting long, sweetheart. I promise.” And I plunged into insanity before I gave any second thoughts credence.

  She was so Gods-be-damned wet. Gloriously slick. Tight. Her channel squeezing all around me. I just wanted to ram my balls so deeply inside her soul so that she would never have room for anyone else. So any bastard who tried to take her knew she'd given herself to me. Gifted herself. Lost her maidenhead because she wanted to.

  Wolf roared.

  Bite her. Bite her. Taste her blood.

  Not that. Never again. That was the one thing forbidden. Shut up, Wolf. Or it ends now.

  No ending. Just the beginning, Wolf snarled.

  Shut up, Wolf.

  She threw her head back, arching the white skin of her neck.

  Creamy white flesh...

  The iron-tinged scent of blood filled my nostrils.

  Mine!

  Damn Wolf. But I couldn't stop lunging. Pumping into the wildly gyrating hips of a young woman who wanted nothing but love.

  She clawed into my shoulders with her human nails, flailing her head left and right, crying out those little woman sounds of pleasure. Whimpers.

  Calls to a Wolf.

  And he was listening.

  Waiting. Pounding home. His cock stiffening. Throbbing while he licked his lips, eyeing her collarbone.

  Down, Wolf.

  Too late. Tightness pulled in my groin. Straining my balls. Tensing until my cock exploded. Spasm after spasm. Over and over. Spurting out scorching hot seed. And it didn't matter if I left a piece of myself inside her. I made her happy. Satisfied her. With my scarred body. How in the hell?

  Our hips jerked. Grinding in a dying tempo. Lunging until there was nowhere else to go until we stopped, together in a final grinding melding motion.

  What did she think of me? I'd used her. Hadn't I? I slid my gaze to hers.

  Those blue eyes laden with her newfound awareness.

  "Did I hurt you? Or frighten you?” Surely I didn't. I'd controlled my unruly Wolf.

  "If I'd known it would be like that, I would have given myself to a man years ago,” she whispered.

  The little sassy thing.

  Wolf's mouth watered.

  He wasn't getting a bite. Not of Little Bit. She'd find her a worthy mate tomorrow.

  "Beast?” I didn't want to upset him. He hid something from me. That didn't matter. I sure wanted to weave our tongues together again.

  He dragged his stare from my neck and eyed me with his golden Shifter gaze, licking his lips.

  "Is that all? I've seen people making love. But I don't know everything. Is there anything else I should know?” Surely he'd have a few more examples to share with me. And then he'd mark me. How could he not? Even if only by mistake. Then I could stay with him. Keep him company.

  He sighed warm air across my chin and blinked slowly, licking his lip with the tip of his delightful tongue. “I'm not finished with you yet."

  That sounded more like a threat than a promise. I couldn't help but chuckle.

  "That's one naughty laugh, sweetheart."

  Oh, if he only knew how much I wanted him to call me sweetheart all night. Even forever. We'd only spent a day together and he'd proven how safe I was with him. I couldn't possibly find another man like Beast. Not AEI. I'd been searching for years. For the man who would steal my heart and protect me from the rest of the world. That's what love was about. Wasn't it? Hadn't I finally stumbled upon it?

  His soft mouth fell back to my cheek. And I fell, hopelessly lost in Beast's spell.

  The rain still roared by morning. Which was fine with me, Beast thought. I'd made love to Little Bit all night. Come so many times I couldn't recall the number. Laid here in stickiness. And all I wanted to do was shut my eyes. Like hers where her feather-light body draped my chest, like the wolf skin covering her back, and slept. Lucky woman. She had no idea how much I struggled not to bite her. To mark her.

  My Wolf wanted her so badly he still gnawed at my ribcage.

  To Hell with him. I didn't have any energy left to move. He'd just have to wait. And Sylvie was going to the village when the rain stopped. The village's clan could take her in. Embrace her with the mate she desperately wanted. And that was that. I shut my eyes.

  But sleep wouldn't take me.

  No. I had to lie there thinking about how I didn't want to let Sylvie go.

  How I wanted her to stay.

  Or how I needed to go with her. To protect her. Her father, her jilted fiance, and Prophets were on her tail. She had no weapons. Not even a horse. The only thing she had to barter with was her virginity. And I took that.

  What had I been thinking to take that crucial bartering chip from her? I thrust my fingers into her silky chestnut mane.

  She moaned, snuggling her nose more deeply against my neck. “Sleepy,” she muttered.

  Of course she was. “Shh.” I couldn't help but plant a kiss on her forehead.

  She hummed a little sound of satisfaction and snaked an arm around my head.

  Leaving her in Death Summit was going to be the death of me. For some reason, life decided to torment me a day longer with the rain.

  The sun burst through the clouds after midday. Right after I crawled off Beast's snoring form. The large killing machine slept dead to the world. Good thing? Maybe. Because I would have just crawled up to smile into his eyes. To let him know how much I appreciated being adored. To hopefully convince him to adore me forever. But who was I kidding? This clan was waiting. And Beast intended to deliver me there. When he woke. So, I left him sleeping and looked for something to feed my growling stomach.

  He'd somehow managed to drape my wet clothing over a rock before initiating me into the sexual rites of adulthood last night. The Shifter had amazing foresight. Now I could pull on the dried leather. And stay warm when separated from his internal furnace. Although, I'd rather have just spooned his hot musculature. Gods, those arms were solid like a tree trunk. Nobody could sleep soundly like they could wrapped inside them.

  My gut snarled.

  So, I turned to the supplies at the back of the cave and rounded up a small cup full of dried corn and another of dried pinto beans. He'd just have to risk permanent damage to his stomach with the food today. But how badly could I ruin beans and corn? Toss in a chopped up onion and we'd be good to go with some salt. I hope. I'd hate to give him the idea that I was good for next to nothing. I cleaned up his pot, added water, and tossed in the goods.

  He was watching me when I turned around.

  "No fair, staring at my ass when I don't know you're awake.” I pounced on his sprawled out steely form.

  "You warned me you can't cook,” he barked a laugh and grabbed me with both hands and pulled me into his steely arms.

  "Well, you're just going to have to suffer. It's past noon. My gut's g
rousing."

  The biggest grin split his cheeks.

  Such a sweet expression. He needed to grin more often. I leaned over his face, rubbing his cheeks.

  His eyes twinkled with some hidden thought.

  "What are you thinking?” I asked.

  "A little sex gets you cooking."

  Right. I choked back a snort. “You're magic, Beast."

  "Little Bit, my special powers are limited to ripping off limbs and howling at the moon."

  He didn't need to inform me. I was game. Don the Wolf skin and wave your magic wand.

  He promptly lifted my knees off the floor, rolling me onto my back, pressing his hips into my groin. His loose copper hair framed the serious mask of his face. “You should be afraid, Little Bit. Very afraid."

  Why? “You've done nothing to hurt me. And those scars don't do a thing to intimidate me."

  "Don't smile like that. The first thing you need to learn as a woman is not to just give yourself to any man. Don't appease him. Don't agree. Be strong. Demand what you want."

  Why did that matter? I had every intention of staying. Didn't I? “I didn't give myself to any man."

  He raised a hand and pressed his knuckles to my cheek. “So soft. Men would kill to possess you."

  Soft like the leathery iron of his chest. I placed a palm against his pec and slid it across the supple swell of one breast.

  "Don't be so agreeable, Little Bit,” he whispered his warning.

  I snapped my gaze back to his piercing green eyes. “I got what I asked for. Whether you like it or not.” The ass. I rammed an elbow into his chest and tried to shove him off me.

  He didn't budge. “Changing your mind already?” His amazing weight pinned me down.

  What was wrong with Beast? He was the vague and reclusive one in the cave. Not to mention, he just switched from keeping a distance from me to revealing the particulars of making love to me. I settled back down and glared at him. “I'm not the one who needs to make up my mind."

  His serious gaze brushed my features as he raked fingers through my hair.

  So damned thoughtfully. “I need to take you to Death Summit. Tornado will find a place for you in the clan."

  Why that option? We'd just spent an amazing night together. Would it matter if I stated my preference? After all, he'd just told me to speak my desires to men. “I want to stay with you."

  He froze, boring a hole through me with his cutting gaze. “No.” He shoved off the cave floor, grabbed his pants, and marched his glorious ass through the shadows and out of the cave.

  What just happened? I know he never intended to keep me. But he made love to me like he felt what I felt. Wasn't that enough to change one's mind? I guess not.

  Okay, so much for don't be so agreeable. Beast simply didn't want me. I'd just have to leave. Thank the stars the rain had stopped. I pulled all my clothes back on and quickly stepped into the cool afternoon's sunlight.

  Valiant, my black stallion, stood beneath the closest lodge-pole pine tree's tall trunk. Ears cocked, he looked ready to go. With his wet saddle and blanket, I'd have to ride bareback. But anything to get the hell away from Beast would be helpful. Just where had Beast run off to?

  Beast watched as his guest rode her stallion west, away from his cave. Maybe escorting her from afar wasn't the best idea. If a Prophet attacked, well, the only thing I could do would be shape shift to reach her and save her. But she was dangerous. And I'd risked everything last night to appease her.

  She was far too seductive to keep on a tight leash.

  Besides she headed in the right direction. She'd reach Death Summit by nightfall on her mount. We'd never have made it by foot in one afternoon.

  I'd just follow. Watch over her until I knew she'd safely entered Death Summit's log palisade. I had to send her on her way. She needed to live among other people. Have a life. A family. Hear the laughter of her children. Share the happiness of family with her mate. After all, she could never have that with me.

  If only Tornado hadn't saved me when I'd thrown myself at that damned brown bear. I'd be dead instead of miserable now. Free of my living nightmare. Instead, I had to relive it. More so with Little Bit forcing herself on me and seducing my Wolf.

  I followed her more as Wolf than man that day. Coarse hair bursting at the seams of my clothes.

  Wolf snarled to run.

  To shift.

  To drag her back to his cave.

  But I feared my Wolf would terrify her.

  Albeit, she'd lived around Shifters all her life. Probably spent time alone with them in Wolf form. Still, I couldn't deny the need I felt to protect her. From Tornado. From my Wolf. From her father.

  Gods damn. If I didn't help her, who would? Tornado didn't have a vested interest in her. She posed more of a problem to him in he had to feed her and in adding her to his clan. But I couldn't take her back to the cave.

  Yes. Mine. My cave.

  Gods-be-damned animal. Shut up.

  I kept trotting along a ridgeline to keep above her, close to where she steered her black stallion through the conical Douglas firs.

  She'd reach Death Summit soon.

  So damned soon. And—

  Mine. Mine. Mine.

  How could she just up and left? Got on her horse. And departed. Crazy. For a woman who had begged me to stay in my cave and given herself to me, she'd just gone her merry way. Where did that leave me? Trotting on a ridge like a love-sick puppy. And I didn't like equating myself to a puppy. Not when I'm a wolf.

  She broke through the timber line, headed straight for the gaping gate, and kicked her horse into a trot.

  Veering right for Tornado's kin and a forced mating.

  Maybe I erred.

  Maybe I could make this work. Somehow. Keep her safe. With me. We'd have to decide that after we reached the cave. But did I have time before she was marked?

  What did it matter?

  I'd lost her.

  It was too late.

  Besides, she would be happier among the Shifter clan. With other people. Other women. I'd just watch to see she safely reached the village.

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  Chapter Seven

  Riding into the remote mountain village had Sylvie on edge. Without one damned weapon, there was nothing I could do to defend myself. Albeit, Beast said this was a sanctuary. I'd just have to go with whatever unfolded. Especially since the guard on the wall had shouted my arrival and people began stepping from doorways into the hard-packed empty expanse of a courtyard.

  The village had equipped itself with at least four tanks, large guns mounted on the walls, and a circular Guardian housing complex facing the gate. Extremely large housing complex. Who knew how many Shifters resided here within the clan. I drew up on Valiant's reins and waited for the inevitable.

  My claiming by the clan.

  Did Beast miss me? Had he even returned to find I'd departed? I could dash for the forest. Back to him. At least try to find him. I glanced over my shoulder at the open gate gaping in the orange light of the setting sun.

  But he didn't want me. I turned back to the growing crowd.

  Bald men. At least twenty. Guardians with shaved heads. Even some women joined the Shifters. Some with bulging bellies. Mates? Shifters mated Normal women. Like me. Here. Now. It wouldn't be long before I'd be standing there holding the bulge of life growing inside me, looking at a strange visitor.

  Was being absorbed into a Shifter clan really that bad? I'd wanted to mate with a Guardian my entire life. But here I sat dreading what would occur.

  Because I wanted to be with Beast.

  A large man, muscular, tanned, his shoulder-length loose black hair striped with silver, had to be the clan head the way he approached Valiant. “You're a long way from home."

  He had no clue how far. It would take me months to ride back. But that wasn't happening. “I was told this village was a place I could stay."

  The man's black eyebrows arched. “Oh. By whom?"<
br />
  "Beast."

  The man slowly nodded. “True. Do you want to stay?"

  Like what I wanted mattered anywhere AEI on this damned planet. “My name is Sylvie Drake. And I'm not going home. Prophets are after me for the bounty on my head. I lost everything I had escaping them. All but this stallion. You can have him. I need somewhere to stay. And Beast said I could stay here."

  A young blonde woman with a bulging belly stepped forward. “She can stay with us, Tornado."

  He nodded at her, watching me in profile then turned back to face me. “We'll discuss things tomorrow. It's late. You go with Sierra. Her mate won't let anything happen to you."

  Lovely thought—something might happen to me,

  Beast tried to keep his Wolf contained. But the damned thing growled into existence and raced through the moonlight.

  She was just beyond the wall, Wolf thought.

  My mate.

  With the others. My brethren. With one long drag of cold air filling my nostrils, I could tell nobody had claimed her.

  But my brethren won't allow my entering their lair. Not until sunrise when the gate opens. I'll get my mate in the morning.

  By morning, Sylvie had firmly resigned herself to staying in the village with Sierra. The blonde had the most adorable baby daughter. Expecting another child soon, she could use a friend. And I enjoyed her company. Sierra didn't pry. Didn't tell me how things were going to be. She just welcomed me into her world. A world that looked happy. Why don't I feel happy?

  "It's hard raising a baby and expecting another,” Sierra said, holding her squirmy one-year old. “But Jackal helps me. He loves being a father."

  Well, all except for now. Her extremely large mate had disappeared.

  "He should be back any moment with our breakfast.” Sierra smiled.

  Oh to be as beautiful as this woman. Even pregnant she made me look plain. I doubted any of the Shifters would want to mate with me. I was in so much trouble. Where in the hell was Beast? Off doing his manly crap. Alone. Selfish bastard. He could keep his damned cave to himself. I'd buy myself a lodge here with the gold lining my boots. I could probably buy my way out of forced marriage. And if Tornado didn't confiscate my horse for the greater good of the village, I'd have a mount.