The fear he’d scented rolling off Wade lessened, but not by much as he dragged his sister to her feet. Max felt pity for the guy, but he should have come to someone in the pack before something like this happened. Especially since it had happened before.
Max swiftly moved and put his body in front of Lauren’s as the two left. He knew the others outside would have heard everything and while he wanted to order one of his wolves to escort them out, this was something he had to do. For Lauren, for himself, for his pack.
He’d contact Wade later with the healer’s information but first, he had to get Naomi off pack property and as far away from Lauren as possible.
Once the door shut, he turned to Lauren who immediately cupped his face in between her long, elegant fingers. Her expression was soft. “Go take care of pack business. I swear I’m unhurt. She just tranqued me. My jaguar took over and protected me.”
“You’ll be here when I get back?” He felt vulnerable even asking the question. Couldn’t bear the thought of her leaving him now.
She smiled. “I don’t care what my pride says, I’m not leaving. You and I have some unfinished business.” There was a wicked note in her voice that told him exactly what she was referring to.
It relieved him, but he didn’t mean short term. “This thing between us…I know we still have a lot to learn about each other, but I don’t want you to leave when the week is up. Hell, I’m releasing you from your punishment. You can have the brooch now.” He nodded to the table behind her. “I want you to stay because you want to.”
She leaned up on her tip toes and brushed her lips against his. That one action had the ability to bring him to his knees. “I’ll be here when you get back and we’ll talk about the future. Go take care of pack business. I’m not going anywhere.”
It wasn’t exactly the answer he wanted, but it would have to do. Once he got her naked and under him, he knew he could convince her to stay long term. Sure they had a lot to discover about each other, but everything he already knew, he loved.
Crushing his mouth over hers, he kissed her hard, his tongue invaded her mouth, tasting and teasing. After he walked out that door, he wanted her to taste him for the rest of the day.
Chapter 10
Max closed his condo door behind him, locking it immediately. After escorting Wade and Naomi from the property, he’d assigned two packmates to tail them out of the state. Normally he would have handled that task himself, but he needed to be with Lauren. He’d already been away from her for too long as it was. For the past couple hours he’d been dealing with the entire pack, answering questions about what had happened and why two of their packmates were now gone. No one seemed to mind that Naomi was gone, but he could tell many would miss Wade. It was a tough situation, but they were lucky to be alive. Naomi had basically attacked Max’s mate. Didn’t matter that it wasn’t official yet, the whole pack knew what his intentions were.
He’d heard from Derrick that the jaguars had all left—minus Lauren. That news, he hadn’t been expecting at all. He’d assumed he and Lawrence Hayes would be getting into it as soon as Wade and Naomi were gone.
Lauren must have been pretty damn convincing to get them to leave. He wanted to ask her how she’d managed it, but more than that, he wanted to kiss her, to mark her as his.
The need building inside him was so raw it was hard to wrap his head around it. Max stripped off his shirt as he headed for the guest bedroom, but stopped in the doorway. The bed was made and all Lauren’s stuff was gone. He could still scent her, strongly, though.
In his bedroom.
He hardly remembered moving as he made his way to the end of the hallway. His throat tightened as he saw her stretched out in the middle of his giant bed, the covers kicked almost all the way to the end of it. She had a book open on her chest as she slept. Her breathing was light, barely audible—and she wore only panties. His cock instantly hardened, pressing against the zipper of his pants with insistency. Clearly she’d been waiting for him and fallen asleep.
Max didn’t want to disturb her after the day she’d had. He just wanted to hold her, to comfort her. Okay, that was a lie. He still wanted to bury himself inside her, to cover her with his body and scent.
Her honey brown hair was spread out over the pillow, just begging for him to run his fingers through it. Unfortunately the hardcover book covered her nipples.
But he’d seen the light brown, tightly beaded tips and the image was seared—Lauren’s eyes flew open as if she knew he was watching her.
For a moment she tensed, her entire body going bowstring tight, but then all her muscles relaxed as she stretched her arms over her head. “Hey, didn’t mean to fall asleep.” Her voice was raspy.
Watching her intently, Max tossed the shirt to the ground then started unbuttoning his jeans.
Lauren chuckled and sat up, but still clutched the book to her chest even as her gaze roved over his body with barely concealed need. “Not wasting any time, huh?”
“I just don’t want you to be uncomfortable being the only one naked.” He shucked his socks, shoes and jeans in seconds. No boxers for him. Not with Lauren around. He had a feeling he’d be going commando forever.
She snorted as he sat on the edge of the bed, but made an almost strangled sound as her gaze zeroed in on his hard length. She licked her lips and he knew it wasn’t because she was trying to tease him. Her swallow was audible as she finally met his gaze, her pupils dilated. “How did everything go?” she finally asked before glancing at the clock on his nightstand. “Did they just get out of here?”
More than a few hours had passed so he understood the question. It was already past dark. “No, they were gone within the hour, but I had to field a hundred questions from pack members about their departure, then I had to deal with regular pack stuff at one of the bars and the hotel.” Max seriously wished Grant would get back to town. Being in charge was a pain in the ass. He’d never realized how whiny some of his packmates could be.
She watched him for a long moment, her eyes filled with a mix of hunger and something he couldn’t define. “Do you guys have any pack owned day spas in town?”
He was confused by the change of subject, but shook his head. “Not really. There’s a spa with limited amenities at the hotel, but that’s it. Why?” He still sat on the edge of the mattress, his cock aching between his legs. He wanted to take her right then, but more than that he wanted to discuss what had happened and to make sure she was truly okay. And she seemed a little hesitant so he figured pouncing wasn’t the smartest options.
She shrugged and after a brief hesitation tossed her book aside, drawing his gaze right to her breasts. “I’ve been thinking about expanding my business and opening up another location.”
It was hard to focus on anything but her luscious body, but at her words he remembered she owned a high end day spa. “Where?”
She shrugged again, her mouth quirking up mischievously and his heart rate went into overdrive.
Okay, he’d go back to that later. For now, he had questions. “How’d you get your pridemates to leave?”
“It took some convincing, but after I gave them the brooch and assured them I was staying of my own free will, they had no choice to leave.” Her expression was smug.
“Your father is alpha. He can do whatever he wants.” His voice was wry.
“He might be alpha, but he listens to my mom…sometimes. I’m not going to lie, they’re both angry at me, but I’m a grown woman. They can’t force me to do anything. Even though I know they’d love to. I made it clear I was staying for a while.” She looked over at the door to his walk-in closet.
For the first time he noticed it was open and all her stuff had been moved in there. Elation built inside him in a rush, the feeling almost foreign. Lauren was staying. That was all he and his wolf needed to know.
Hell, yeah. “So I don’t have to worry about them barging in here later?”
She grinned a slow, wicked smile and leaned closer
to him. The scent of her desire was potent and addicting. “Nope.”
God, he wanted to cover that hot mouth with his. He slid fully on to the bed and grabbed her hips so that she had to straddle him. Letting one of his claws extend, he sliced through the delicate scrap of her panties. It didn’t make a sound as the soft material fell from her body. Her thighs settled on the outside of his legs as her slick, wet opening rubbed right over his erection. This is what he’d been wanting. Still… “Are you positive you’re okay with what happened?”
She pursed her lips in annoyance. “I’m fine. Yeah it sucks that a maniac drugged me, but things could have been a lot worse. No humans saw us, she didn’t actually hurt me and now she’s gone. And…I’ve got a naked, sexy man between my legs. I don’t want to talk anymore.”
He didn’t want to either and before he could blink, her lips were on his, her mouth searching and hungry as he slid his fingers through her hair and cupped the back of her head in a tight grip. He wasn’t letting this woman go. Not ever. After the way she’d tried to shove him to the side earlier, to protect him—nope, she was his.
They weren’t done talking, not by a long shot, but she was right. They had more important things to do. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she lifted up over him, stroking her wet slit right over him, teasing the head of his cock. He was so thankful they didn’t have to use a condom. Since they were both shifters they couldn’t give or receive diseases and he could scent it wasn’t her fertile time. He could be inside her with no barriers.
He wanted to plunge right into her, but knew he needed to work up to it. To test her slickness first. Somehow he released his other hand from her hip and went to cup her mound but she took him totally off guard and slid right onto him with a strangled moan.
The feeling of having her tight sheath wrapped around him made his balls pull up tight and his brain short circuit. She was so wet. The scent of her desire was almost overpowering and he hadn’t been expecting that.
“I was fantasizing about you before I fell asleep,” she rasped out, her eyes heavy-lidded, the need in them clear.
He tried to make his voice work. Right now he felt like a randy cub barely able to control himself. But he wasn’t going to embarrass himself before they’d even gotten started. “Don’t move,” he commanded, impressed that he’d found the ability to speak, though his words were more growl than anything.
Dipping his head to her breast, he kissed and licked a path around one hard nipple, never making contact with the tightened bud. Each time he got close, he withdrew, keeping his strokes light against her breast. And each time he pulled away, her inner walls tightened around his cock. Tiny little contractions that drove him crazy.
He could feel the tension humming through her as she forced herself not to move. As he’d ordered. Soon she started to rock against him, but he increased his grip on her hips.
“Tease.” Her voice was urgent, shaky, and he smiled against her satiny skin.
Yes, he was. And they were only getting started. Moving with the quickness of a shifter, he repositioned their bodies so she was flat on her back with him still buried deep inside her.
Much better.
Pushing up so he was on his knees with her legs spread wide around him, he stared down at her. “Beautiful.”
Her cheeks flushed at his words as she reached up to stroke her palms down his torso. Just the feel of her touching him lit him on fire and he loved seeing the hunger in her gaze. Loved seeing how much she desired him.
Her scent was enough to drive him insane but actually witnessing that hunger was erotic in a way he’d never imagined.
Reaching down, he slowly rubbed her clit as he kept his gaze on her face. Her lids grew heavy as she sucked in a quick breath. Her breathing was unsteady, but she didn’t tear her eyes from his. When he removed his hand, her inner walls clenched around him and she let out an annoyed growl.
Before she could say anything, he reached up to cup one breast and said, “Touch yourself. I want to see what I missed in the shower.” Ever since finding her in the shower like that, he’d wanted to actually see her doing it. He’d imagined it, but knew his fantasies would pale in comparison.
Her cheeks flushed pink again and she paused for only a second before reaching lower and pressing against her sensitive bundle of nerves with her middle finger. Watching her, he began rubbing his thumb over her hardened nipple in soft little strokes.
He studied how much pressure she used and paid attention each time her sheath tightened. The small contractions around his cock from before were growing tighter and tighter, milking him so hard he knew he was about to lose it.
But not yet.
Rolling his hips, he began moving inside her, his stomach muscles tightening as he controlled himself from coming. Her amber and vanilla scent grew stronger, headier. She was so close and he couldn’t wait to push her over the edge.
He leaned down and sucked her other nipple between his teeth, hard. She cried out, her free hand sliding into his hair and gripping him with the strength of a supernatural.
“I’m close, Max.”
His name on her lips—it made him absolutely crazy. He began pumping faster, her tight body welcoming him with each hard thrust. His body trembled with the need to release, the feel of her satin hold on him too much. Pleasure poured to all his nerve endings, but he restrained himself.
Barely.
Max teased her nipples with both hands and mouth as her grip on him tightened. Then he felt the trembling invade her. Her inner walls rippled around him, squeezing almost painfully as her orgasm hit.
With a soft cry, she reached around him and dug her fingers into his ass while he pumped harder and faster. He could feel the warmth of her release as her nails pricked his skin. The pleasure/pain was too much. With a growl he tore his face from her breasts, burying it against her neck as he came.
His heat flooded her as she met him stroke for stroke, her own cries of pleasure mixing with his until they both lay limp and sated for the moment. But this was just the first round and they both knew it. That had barely taken the edge off.
His cock was half-hard inside her as he raised his head to find those big brown eyes watching him with so much warmth.
“I’m glad you caught me sneaking into your alpha’s house,” she said softly, cupping his face with her palm.
He leaned into her hold, loving the skin to skin contact. “Me too…though I would have come for you soon anyway.” It was the truth and he needed to tell her how he felt. Max didn’t want any secrets between them.
Her eyebrows drew together. Sighing, Max pulled out of her, his body immediately protesting, and stretched out along her petite body, tugging her close against his chest.
Lauren immediately curved into his hold, pressing her breasts against him as she nuzzled his neck and chin. “What are you talking about?” she murmured, her breath warm against his skin.
“Six months ago, right after you left I felt…” He struggled to find the right word, but she supplied it for him.
“Lost?”
He pulled back to look at her, searching those dark eyes. What he saw floored him. It was total understanding.
“Yeah,” she said, reading him perfectly. “I felt it too, but I convinced myself a wolf and jaguar had no chance at a future. That I’d worked up that weird pull in my mind, like it wasn’t real.”
He snorted softly at her words. “It was real all right. I would have come for you sooner, then my mom died.” It was strange to admit it, but he wanted this woman to know everything about him.
Her expression softened even more. “Max, I’m so sorry.”
He shook his head, not needing anyone’s pity. Not that he felt that particular emotion from her. “Right after your pride left, I couldn’t function for a week straight. It was like I’d gotten your scent tangled in my senses and couldn’t shake it. My wolf was angry and confused when you were gone. I was ready to chase after you like a randy cub but my mom died.
She was killed by rogue vamps and I had to take care of business. Her mate certainly couldn’t,” he spat the words, unable to hide the disgust he felt for his deceased mother’s useless mate. Max blamed him for keeping his mother sequestered, living the life of lone wolves. She should have been living with a pack where she would have been protected, but there was nothing he could do about it now. “After I killed the vampires who’d attacked her, I came back here and was in no shape to court you.”
Lauren smiled, at the word court, he guessed. Being so much older than her, it was a word that made sense to him, but was probably lost on her. Well, maybe not lost, but foreign. Dating was a stupid word to him though. He didn’t want to fucking date her. He wanted to mate her. And courting was the only stage before that.
“I was practically crawling out of my skin the past couple months,” she confessed quietly, rubbing her cheek against his chest. “Work was the only thing that kept me sane. When the opportunity to come back here to steal the jewels was brought up by one of my cousins I jumped at the chance. Not…for my sister, but because I wanted to see you again. I don’t think I even admitted that to myself until just now.”
Max could scent the truth rolling off her so potent it was a punch to his senses. The thought of scent triggered something else in him. “When I first scented you, you seemed surprised that I could smell you.”
Lauren was silent for a long moment, her cheek resting against his upper body as she moved with the steady rise and fall of his chest. Finally she lifted her head. “I have some rare qualities and one of them is that I can cover my scent completely when I want. I have to concentrate harder than normal, but I can do it. There are only a few others like me and according to them, only their mates can scent them all the time. When I realized you could scent me, it freaked me out because you’re a wolf and I’m a jaguar. My cat seemed to recognize you on a primal level but I wasn’t ready to accept it. Of course you just won’t take no for an answer.” Her smile matched the teasing of her last statement.
Claiming His Mate (A Werewolf Romance) Page 8
