Scent of a Mate

by Milly Taiden

  “I think I should come join in one of these sessions. They sound fun.”

  “You’re definitely welcomed to. They are tons of fun, and there’s wine.” Jordan added as if she needed an incentive.

  Barbara chortled. “As I was saying, you saw Aric and he saw you. That was it.”

  “What do you mean that was it?” What did she miss out of the first time she met him?

  “You were too busy being stressed over the stuff at home, so you didn’t see his instant need to protect you. The scent of a mate is recognized at the first time we see them. It doesn’t matter how old you are, it doesn’t matter if you’re separated for years, or that he’s your best friend’s brother. All that matters is you’ll eventually end up together, which you did.”

  “You mean the first time I saw him, he…liked me?” She’d been an overweight teen with glasses, a bad attitude and some serious issues at home.

  “Honey, he was never the same again. My son went from being this carefree teen who chased girls in the pack, to hanging on to every word Ellie said about her friend.”

  Wow. She never would’ve guessed that her own crush was returned. Aric was older, so she never considered he’d see her as anything other than a pesky young girl. She had to stop kidding herself about him. She was in love with him. There were no longer any thoughts of being away from him. That meant she needed to start focusing on one hundred percent commitment to their happiness. Hell, she was officially in a committed relationship with the man of her dreams, but instead of nerves all she felt was joy.

  Aric and his brothers didn’t warn Caleb of the person in his group. They needed to keep the man from running. Catching them unawares was the best way to get their hands on the traitor. Fury rolled around his gut, firing his need for revenge on the person who hurt his mate and sister.

  Caleb’s message indicated they’d be at his bar later. Wolfe’s Den was filled with males and females from his and Caleb’s packs. His brothers took seats at multiple entryways to wait.

  The group arrived shortly after them with Caleb leading the way. His short brown hair hung in disarray. He took that moment to slide his fingers through, mussing it up some more. Aric glanced at the others following Caleb, until his gaze zeroed in on one man. Eddie. The only blond in Caleb’s small group of back-up, strolling in without a care in the world. Cocky. It would cost him his life. Aric’s tenuous hold on his animal started slipping. Fur pushed under his skin. His fingers burned with the shift into claws. His face heated as he fought the bones from popping.

  He glanced back at Caleb. No words were needed. His friend had seen it in his eyes. He whirled fast, grabbing Eddie by the throat. All conversation halted.

  “What did you do?” The deathly growl echoed inside the bar.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Guilt was written all over Eddie’s face. The bitter scent of his lies and sharp fear shot out of his pores to tell the truth he denied. “Let me go man.”

  The wolf in Eddie turned his voice rough. Caleb threw him across the room. He flew to the other side of the bar, hit his back on a wall, and landed on a table. Glass shattered under him.

  A circle of shifters surrounded Eddie, Caleb, and Aric. Jake, Nathan, and Mason stood by the corners nearest the doors in case Eddie tried to escape. Eddie stood.

  “I’ve done nothing.”

  Caleb shoved tables out of his way. “I will ask you one more time, Eddie. What did you do?”

  “Nothing!” He growled. His features turned feral. His eyes glowed with his animal. Fur sprouted on his arms and face. Fingers turned to claws.

  “Liar!” Aric couldn’t take it any longer. He jumped Eddie. The other man was taken by surprise while his attention was solely on Caleb. Aric landed on Eddie. He slashed his claws over his face, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Eddie fought Aric’s hold on him, shoving him to get him off.

  Eddie got back on his feet, rushing to the center of the circle to get away.

  “He hurt Ellie!” Aric bellowed, signing Eddie’s death sentence. “And he’ll tell me who hurt Jordan before he dies.”

  Caleb’s roar was fierce. Like Aric, he controlled his beast without problems most times. But being faced with a person who hurt the one he loved broke his control on the beast.

  “You. Hurt. Ellie.” The need for vengeance was clear in Caleb’s face.

  “I didn’t know she was yours, man.” Blood dripped down Eddie’s face. “Your uncle—”

  Caleb shifted. The big grey wolf didn’t wait. Eddie shifted as well. There would be no more talking. Aric let his animal free. They continued their argument through their animal links.

  “Where are the others?” Aric asked the other wolf.

  “Fuck you,” Eddie growled, trying to avoid Caleb’s sharp canines. The scent of his anger and fear filled the bar. Pack members continued to watch, all the while staying out of their way. This was Aric’s domain and he ruled. No one would aid Eddie.

  He ran from Caleb, but ended up within Aric’s reach. He pounced, jaws open, on the brown. Another table broke in their scuffle. Eddie whimpered and snarled. Aric’s wolf growled, ready to kill off the animal that’d taken part in hurting his mate and hurting his sister.

  Eddie whimpered as Aric bit down hard on his hind leg, breaking bones. Eddie clawed at Aric’s side, but Aric moved swiftly out of reach.

  Eddie struggled on to his feet, still attempting to fight the two more powerful wolves off.

  “Did my Rocco send you? Are the others part of his team?”

  Eddie laughed through their animal connection. Blood spurted from his muzzle. “Your uncle is going to kill you.”

  “Not if I kill him first.” Caleb circled closer to Eddie.

  Aric watched Eddie try to limp on his working legs.

  “He knows you’re coming. He’s waiting for you.” Eddie tried to move toward one of the entrances where Nathan stood guard.

  There would be no getting away. Caleb dug his claws deep into Eddie’s side. Eddie snarled at the pain being inflicted. He attempted to shake Caleb off him. That didn’t work, so he clawed at Caleb’s side. The quick move was enough to get him off and allow Eddie a small reprieve.

  Eddie glanced his way. “It’s only a matter of time before your mate and your sister are dead. He’s coming for your family next.”

  Everything turned into a blur. One moment he stood there, watching Eddie paw away from Caleb, and the next he was biting down Eddie’s neck until he broke every bone his jaw could reach. Eddie’s struggles were nothing compared to Aric’s wolf’s fury.

  Eddie had threatened his family. There would be no mercy. He continued to bite down on the other wolf until he stopped moving completely. Anger still burned his gut. He wished he could get rid of him all over again. Though he knew this was the end of Eddie, he knew a new threat would rise unless Caleb took charge of his pack.

  Aric and Caleb left the body to be cleaned up by other members of his pack while they went to the back to clean themselves up. They returned moments later in clean clothes, blood-free.

  Sitting in a booth, he watched Caleb scrub his hands over his bristly face. “I’m so sorry.”

  Guilt. He understood why Caleb felt that way. Lately he’d felt guilt every time he saw the bruises on Jordan’s face and neck and realized that due to her involvement with him, she’d been placed in constant danger.

  “They’re both alive and Jordan will be fine in no time.” He could say that with certainty now that he’d seen her wake up.

  “God damn it!” Caleb slammed his hands on the wooden table. “I should have known he’d have someone in my team reporting everything back to him.”

  “You couldn’t have known Eddie would turn out to be a rat.” He’d known Eddie for years and the last thing he would have expected was for him to do this to Caleb. Always claiming loyalty to him, it had taken Aric by surprise for Jordan to say he’d hurt Ellie.

  “What are you going to do about Rocco?” Mason asked joinin
g them at the table.

  “I’m taking him down.” He picked up the sweaty beer bottle and took a long gulp.

  “Caleb, you know that by hurting my mate and sister, he’s signed his death sentence.” Not only would Aric not allow anyone to threaten his family and neither would his brothers or his father.

  Caleb glanced at him, his eyes filled with determination. “I need you to give me time to take care of this myself.”

  “We can’t allow Rocco to continue leading a pack. He’s putting my family in danger.”

  “I know that. I just need some time.”

  Aric wanted to argue, but knew that if Caleb was to take control of his pack again, he’d need to be the one to take down Rocco. If Aric and his family took that from him, Caleb would have a harder time getting the respect of his pack.

  “How’s Ellie?”

  He saw how difficult it was for Caleb to ask about her. Hell, they’d had this almost relationship going for years, neither of them willing to admit their feelings. And with Caleb’s pack problem, neither was willing to push the other to commit.

  “She’s safe. We have her protected.” Aric knew that’s what Caleb really wanted to know.

  He gave a grim nod, sliding his fingers through his mussed up hair. “And your mate?”

  “Jordan woke today. She’s the reason we know about Eddie. She recognized him from the day you came to my house.”

  “I’m sorry I brought him near her.”

  Aric knew how Caleb felt. The wolf was angry and guilt-ridden for not realizing sooner that his supposed friend was a snitch.

  “Don’t worry about it. Focus on what you need to do next.”

  Caleb growled. “I have to catch Rocco off-guard. And now that I see Eddie had been on his side, he’s probably aware of my whole plan. I’ll need to think of something else.”

  His friend looked haggard and tired. Aric knew he wasn’t the only one who saw it.

  “I think you need some extra hands to help you get on with ridding the Rahound pack of Rocco.” Jake studied Caleb with concern.

  Caleb smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m a little short on enforcers.”

  “It’s all good. I think I can sacrifice some of my time away from the ladies to give you a hand.” Jake sighed.

  Caleb lifted a brow. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “I think that’s a great idea.” Nathan busted into the conversation. “I’ve got some time on my hands too. You need back-up man.”

  Aric watched Caleb for a long moment. “This isn’t about taking your right to fight away, but about ensuring you get the chance to do it.”

  He ground his teeth as if ready to argue the point. “I’ll take your help, but I’m taking Rocco down. One way or another, he’s a dead man.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Jordan sighed as Aric’s truck pulled into her driveway. After so many days at the clinic, she was home.

  “Don’t move.” Aric ordered, rushing out of the truck and heading for Jordan’s door.

  “Come on, Aric. I can walk. You really need to stop treating me like an invalid.” But she sat there, waiting for him to open her door. Once he did, she curled her arms around his neck and let him carry her into the house. No man and ever treated her with kid gloves before. It was new and interesting, and made her feel special in more ways than one. She’d come to realize in her time at the hospital that Aric and his family were protectors. She couldn’t speak for all shifters, but the Wolfes needed to ensure their loved ones were taken care of. Lucky for her she happened to be one of them.

  “I prefer it if you did as little as possible while you’re still healing.” He trudged through the house, shut the door with his foot, and continued to the living room.

  Jordan grinned, running her hands over the shaggy hair at the back of his neck. “As little as possible?”

  He stopped. His eyes brightened with desire. That look he gave her, hungry and wild, made her body sizzle. “I can think of a few things you can do without overexerting yourself.”

  He sat on her favorite chair and placed her over his lap. His rock hard cock poked her ass and flared her lust to life.

  Her wiggle had him groaning. “Jordan…”

  She ignored his soft warning and kissed him instead, rocking her hips over his dick. They were deep into their kiss. Her hands strayed over his shoulders, gripping and squeezing his muscled arms. And then he was tearing his lips from her, jumping to his feet with her in his arms.

  He growled. “What the fuck––?”

  “What is it?” She squealed in his hold.

  “The chair moved.”

  Mind still cloudy with need, she didn’t understand what he was talking about. “What?”

  He put her on her feet and placed his hand over the seat cushion of the black leather chair. “It started moving under me.”

  She blinked. And laughed. And laughed some more. She continued laughing until her stomach hurt from the look on his face.

  He frowned. “What’s so funny?”

  “I’m sorry. It’s just...” She burst into laughter again. “It’s a massage chair.”

  “Well, your massage chair was groping me.” His attempt at indignant failed with his smile.

  She grinned and rubbed her body boldly over his. “The chair isn’t the only one.”

  “Then I suggest we go somewhere the furniture won’t try to take part in whatever we’re doing.”

  She giggled and let him lead her toward the bedroom. They’d taken two steps through the door when he turned on her, locking their lips together and once again carrying her to the bed. She yanked on his T-shirt, tugging the material over his broad shoulders and head before moving to his jeans.

  “Jesus, Jordan. Give me a second.”

  She licked his nipple and heard his sharp inhale. “How long was I in the hospital?”

  He groaned, sliding his fingers into her hair, pulling her head back off his chest. “A little over two weeks.”

  The zipper hissed on its way down. She met his gaze. Wild passion filled his eyes.

  “I missed you. I was scared I wouldn’t see you again with every punch that guy threw at me. I don’t ever want us to be separated again.” She took a deep breath and blurted out her feelings. “I love you.”

  Her words had an incredible effect. He tore the rest of his and her clothes off so fast all she heard was material ripping. Then he was on her, kissing her hard, branding her with the sexy mouth she loved. He pushed her back on the bed, caressing every inch of her body with his rough calloused hands. Every touch was bliss. Every kiss pushed her temperature higher, soaring into new heights. He cupped her face and allowed her to see the same things she felt mirrored in his eyes.

  “I love you too.”

  To hear him say the words made her heart flip. Emotion clogged her throat. She threw her arms around him and kissed his neck. She inhaled the scent of her man and the passion burning between them.

  “Bite me, Aric,” she whispered.

  He kissed her. “You’re sure about this? Your body won’t be the same. Even if it doesn’t accept the change for you to be one of my kind, you won’t be the same.”

  She smiled and slid a finger over his lips. “I’ll never be the same anyway. I’m yours now and always will be.”

  He growled and dropped to seal their lips together. She widened her thighs to allow him easy entrance into her body. She’d never considered herself easy, but for Aric, she’d probably strip in the middle of the street if it got her some growling during sex.

  Her enthusiasm was short lived. He didn’t enter her, which only turned the heat up in her blood. Instead he kissed her neck. Then he slowly licked his way down her chest, circling first one nipple, nipping the little bud with his teeth and sucking so hard her pussy quivered. Then he moved on to the other and did the same, until she was writhing under him and whimpering for more.

  “Aric.” She gripped his hair in her fists, squeezing and loosening her hold dependin
g on how his lips moved over her.

  He growled into her belly, licking his way around the indentation of her belly button. Her sex grasped at nothing. She needed him inside or she’d lose her mind.

  He chuckled, and she realized she’d said it out loud.

  “Hurry up already. I’m dying here.”

  He glanced up from between her legs. Her breath reeled. Sandpaper clung to the inside of her throat. He inhaled and licked his lips, and she almost came.

  “Jordan?”

  “Hmm?” She knew she couldn’t speak past the knot in her throat. His look was so hot and possessive she felt melted on to the bed.

  “I love how you smell.” He licked a cool, wet, trail from clit to slit. “But I can’t get enough of how you taste.”

  Her body wound into a ball of tension with the feel of his tongue swiping at her entrance. She moaned, she screamed, and she ordered him to make her come.

  He slid two fingers on either side of her clit, massaging her with the digits. Her pussy throbbed, her nipples ached, and her need to feel him inside her grew some more. The two fingers speared her sex and curved to massage her upper walls and G-spot. It felt like thirty seconds passed before her knees were shaking. Tighter and tighter, her body wound. She sucked air into her deprived lungs and moaned. He flicked his tongue into a quick motion that made her see stars. One gasp, two gasps, and her whole world exploded.

  She half-lifted off the bed and slammed back down. Shudders racked her body. Wave after wave of pleasure filled each of her brain cells. She stopped jerking long moments later. Orgasms were never that powerful for her, but with Aric she found herself shaking and turned into a mass of nerves.

  A lone thought filled her mind: Pleasing him. She lifted to her knees and grasped his cock.

  “That should wait.” He groaned.

  She moved into a position where her shoulder brushed his thigh and lowered her head to lick the beads of moisture dripping from his slit. She sucked his cock into her mouth, twirling her tongue a full circle over the head.