Janie's Salvation

by Dawn Sullivan

“Do you want to bring her back in with us?” he offered, kissing her softly on the forehead. “We could put the crib back where it was until you are ready for her to be in here.”

  Janie’s eyes widened in surprise, shocked that he would be willing to do that for her. She could feel the evidence of his arousal pressing insistently against her belly, but instead of trying to coerce her with sex, he was doing everything he could to make her happy. Just like he always did. He never worried about himself, it was always about her and Alayna.

  With one last glance at her daughter, who was snuggled deep in her covers sleeping peacefully, Janie slipped out of Xavier’s arms and captured one of his hands in hers. After making sure the lights were off in the rest of the apartment, she led him back to her bedroom, their bedroom now, shutting the door behind them.

  Letting go of him, Janie walked over to stand in front of the bed. “Janie?” he whispered raggedly, as she grasped the bottom of her shirt and slowly slid it up and over her head. His gaze locked on her light pink bra, and she heard a low growl escape his throat. “Janie,” he rasped, “don’t take off anything else unless you are ready for what’s going to happen next. I don’t have the energy or control to hold back much longer.”

  “So don’t,” she whispered, slipping her fingers into the waistband of her leggings and sliding them down over her hips. Her lacy pink underwear hugged her body, accenting her slender hips, with a golden heart charm hanging down in the front, resting against the curve of her mound. After kicking the leggings off, Janie raised her eyes to look at his, biting her bottom lip nervously.

  “Fuck, Janie, you know what that does to me,” Xavier ground out roughly as he quickly crossed the room to her. His lips were on hers, her body flush against his, before she knew what was happening. He ground his hips into hers, his hard length pushing into her, and a small squeak left her lips as she grasped his shirt tightly and pressed closer to him.

  “If you want me to stop, you have to tell me now, baby,” Xavier snarled, tilting his head back from her, sucking in deep breaths of air.

  “If I wanted you to stop, I would never have started this in the first place,” Janie growled, satisfaction filling her as she watched her nails begin to grow and felt her fangs fill her mouth. She was ready to claim her mate, and nothing was going to stop her. One way or another, he would be hers by the next morning. Very carefully, she swiped her claws down his shirt, effectively removing it from his body. “You are mine,” she murmured, running her hands up and over his hard chest. “Mine!”

  “Fuck, yes,” Xavier rasped, settling his hands on her hips and pulling her up against him again. “I’m yours.”

  Janie reached down and undid the button on his jeans, then slid the zipper down. Shoving them down his legs, along with his boxers, she soon had him standing fully naked in front of her. His hard cock was between them, and she reached down to wrap her fingers around it. He gasped, and she slowly slid her fingers up and down his length. Her body shook with need, a feeling she had never felt before, but there was also a small tinge of fear that she couldn’t seem to block out. Even though she’d had sex in the past, none of it had been consensual, and all of it had been painful. She wanted to claim Xavier, and she was going to, but a part of her was scared that it would hurt, just like before.

  Xavier must have scented her fear, because suddenly his hand closed over hers and he pulled it away from him. “Stop, sweetheart,” he said, bringing her hand up and kissing it gently. “It’s okay. You don’t have to.”

  Tears filled her eyes as she whispered, “I want to, Xavier. Every part of me wants to. I’m just scared.”

  “We will wait,” Xavier muttered, rubbing his cheek against her hand. “We don’t have to do this now. All that matters is that you are here with me. Everything else can wait.”

  “I don’t want to wait, Xavier,” Janie insisted, sliding her hand into his thick hair. “I want you. I need to know what it feels like to share something like this with someone you love. It’s just that…” she paused, meeting his gaze before going on, “it always hurt before. All I know is pain. I don’t want to feel pain. I want pleasure.” Tightening her hand in his hair, she pulled his head down to hers. Brushing her lips lightly over his, she whispered, “Show me what love feels like, Xavier.”

  Xavier groaned when his lips met Janie’s. A part of him wanted to yell and scream, then go and kill every single person who had been a part of what happened to his woman. But he knew that wasn’t what Janie needed right now.

  Pushing down all of his anger, he vowed to show her the patience and love she deserved. Running his fingers softly down her arms, he lightly traced her lips with his tongue. He fought for control as she panted against his mouth. She wanted him, he could feel it, taste it. Inhaling deeply, he let the smell of her desire run through him, the scent of her fear reminding him that she needed gentleness above all else right now.

  Bending, Xavier slid an arm under Janie’s legs and slowly lifted her into his arms, swallowing her gasp of surprise. Gently he set her down in the middle of the bed, and then followed her onto it. Letting his gaze wander down her body and then back up, he stifled a groan at the way her bra cupped her breasts firmly, and the way her panties barely hid what was beneath them. Her skin was a milky white color, so soft to the touch, and he wanted to trace every inch of it with his tongue.

  “Xavier,” Janie panted, “please.” Her beautiful eyes were wide with desire, her lips slightly parted as she stared at him in confused expectation. She had no idea what she was asking for, and that pissed him off. She was his, dammit, and the things she had gone through were so horrible, his gut twisted in horror and anger every time he thought of it. His mate, his everything, forced to do things no one should ever be forced to do. He hoped he could give her everything she needed.

  Leaning down, he kissed her gently, nibbling lightly on her bottom lip. Sliding his hand over the silky skin on her stomach, he slowly moved it up to cup her breast. Deepening the kiss, he swallowed her moan of pleasure as he skimmed his thumb over her nipple.

  “Xavier!” His name was a plea against his lips as she pushed into his hand. Her body trembled against him, her hands gripping his shoulders as she tried to pull him closer.

  Slowly, he moved his hand up and slid her bra straps down. First one, and then the other. Reaching behind her, he undid the hooks at her back, before removing the bra and tossing it to the floor. Lowering his head, Xavier licked one of her nipples before sucking it into his mouth. Janie cried out, arching off the bed. “That’s it, sweetheart,” he rasped, pulling back to blow lightly on her nipple before moving over to the other one to give it the same attention.

  His gums ached, the need to sink his teeth deep into her soft skin and claim her was beating at him, but he pushed it down. This was for her. He could smell her arousal, knew she wanted him, but that slight bit of fear was still there, floating around them.

  “You are so beautiful, Janie,” he whispered, leaving her breasts to lightly lick and kiss his way down her stomach. Slipping his fingers into the sides of her underwear, he slowly slid them down her thighs as he sucked gently on the skin right above her belly button.

  “Xavier,” she moaned, moving her head from side to side on the pillow, “I don’t know what to do.”

  “You don’t have to do anything, baby,” he muttered, swirling his tongue down low on her belly, “just let go and enjoy everything. I’ve got you.”

  “Xavier!” she screamed, as he ducked his head and flicked her clit with the tip of his tongue. Gripping her hips gently in his hands, he licked her, a low growl ripping from him when her taste exploded on his tongue. His fangs punched through his gums and he fought for control, not wanting to scare her.

  “Hold still for a second, baby,” he urged, resting his head on Janie’s belly.

  “I can’t!” she protested, lifting her hips up as she slid her fingers into his hair. Gripping the strands tightly, she guided his mouth back to her. “Please…”<
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  He couldn’t resist. Finding her clit, he began to lick and suck, the sounds she was making driving him out of his mind. He ground his hard cock into the mattress, trying to find some relief as he pushed Janie over the edge into an orgasm. Her fingers pulled his hair as her soft cries filled the room.

  Raising his head, Xavier looked up into her wide eyes, dark with desire. He couldn’t wait any longer. Slowly, he crawled up her body, covering it with his. Placing his arms on either side of her head, he leaned in and kissed her. He rested his forehead against hers, looking deep into her eyes. “I love you, Janie,” he rasped, as he found her entrance with his aching cock, and slowly began to push inside. “You are my world, my everything.”

  He saw tears fill her eyes, and tried to pull back, but she shook her head. “No,” she whispered, “don’t stop.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  Janie smiled, running her hands up and down his back. “You aren’t hurting me, Xavier,” she whispered, as one tear slipped free. “You are loving me.”

  Xavier swallowed hard, closing his eyes for a moment, then opening them to lock with hers again. “Always.” Gritting his teeth, he cupped her head in the palms of his hands and then began to move slowly.

  He watched her closely, but all he saw was pleasure. The fear was gone. Her eyes darkened even more, and she began to meet him thrust for thrust. Suddenly, a low growl slipped from Janie, and he felt sharp claws dig into his ass as she bared her teeth, her eyes beginning to glow a dark topaz. “Mine!” she growled, right before she moved her head and sank her fangs into his shoulder.

  “Fuck! Janie!” He couldn’t have held back after that if he tried. But he didn’t try. He lowered his head and buried his own fangs into her silky skin, groaning as he came deep inside her. He felt the moment their souls were melded together as one, as they were meant to be. The bond clicked into place, and a peace like no other filled him.

  Pulling his teeth from her shoulder, Xavier licked at his mating mark. “Mine,” he muttered, kissing it gently before meeting her gaze.

  “Always,” Janie replied, her eyes lit with love, a soft smile on her lips.

  13

  Reaching into the crib, Janie tucked the small blanket around her daughter, a small smile crossing her lips. Xavier had gone to get some more things from his apartment, and Flame was getting ready to leave with what was left of hers. She would miss her friend, but she was excited to begin the rest of her life with Xavier.

  Shivering at the sudden chill in the air, Janie crossed to the other side of the room and gently lowered the window, wondering how it had gotten so cold so quickly. It took her a moment to realize that it couldn’t be coming from Alayna’s window. It had only been open a small crack.

  With one last look at her daughter, Janie left the room and wandered slowly down the hall. She paused when she reached the living room, her brow furrowing as she glanced around the small apartment, taking in the open sliding glass doors to the balcony. “Flame? Is that you?”

  When there was no response, Janie glanced back toward her daughter’s room, debating on calling Xavier, but then she noticed something in the air that she had missed when she first came into the room. Blood. Flame’s blood.

  Quickly making her way across the living room, Janie gasped when she saw her friend lying unconscious on the kitchen floor, blood streaming from her temple and dripping on the white tile. A gun lay beside her, as if it had slipped out of her grasp when she fell. “Flame!” she gasped in shock, running to crouch beside her. Feeling desperately for a pulse, Janie shuddered in relief when she found a strong one.

  She was so worried about Flame, that she almost missed the familiar smell that suddenly teased her nostrils. One she hadn’t scented in a very long time. Inhaling deeply, just to verify what she already knew, Janie rose, turning to face the man who now stood in front of her. “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

  “I made a mistake, Janie. I’m here to take you home.”

  “A mistake? How did you find me?”

  “Let’s just say I have friends in high places,” was the short response. “Time to go.”

  Janie shook her head slowly. “No. I won’t go with you.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed, and he grinned ruefully. “You sound like you think you have a choice. You should know better than that by now, girl.” Pulling a gun from behind his back, he pointed it at Flame. “Now, let’s go, unless you prefer I put a bullet in your friend here.”

  Janie swallowed hard, her gaze going from Flame, then down the hall to where her baby slept peacefully in her crib, and back to the man in front of her. His eyes narrowed as he watched her carefully, “Or maybe there is something else in this place that means more to you?”

  Janie stiffened, realizing her mistake immediately. He obviously didn’t know about Alayna, and she didn’t want him to. She moved quickly to stand in front of Flame, hoping to distract him from the little girl who owned her heart. Gritting her teeth, she growled, “I will not let you hurt my friend.” Or my daughter, she thought as her eyes strayed to the gun on the floor just a few feet from her.

  He threw his head back and laughed. “Do you really think you will be fast enough, girl? I will shoot that bitch first, and then go after whatever waits down that hall. Smells like a child to me. Your child.”

  Anger filled Janie, pure raw fury. She was going to kill the bastard for threatening her daughter. The pain hit her hard, her body suddenly bending and reforming like it had never done before. Claws sprang from her nails, and fur began to sprout on the back of her hands, then down her arms.

  “What the hell?” he yelled, his eyes wide with shock. “You can’t fucking shift!”

  “I guess I can now, asshole,” Janie snarled around a mouthful of teeth. Dropping to her knees, she groaned as her bones began to change and transform into something she never thought possible. It didn’t take long, and soon she was standing on all four legs, shaking out of what was left of her clothes, glaring at the man in front of her. She hated him. Had always hated him. And now he had just made the fatal mistake of threatening her daughter.

  He threw his head back and laughed. “This just means I will get just as much money for you as I did your sister,” he said, taking a step toward her. “She didn’t come easily either, but she soon figured out that you can’t fight your alpha. I will always win.”

  The door to the apartment opened, and that small distraction was all Janie needed. Leaping at Byron Reed, she wrapped her jaws around his neck and clamped down hard. She had seen his eyes widen in surprise, but he never got a chance to react. It was over within seconds, with her old alpha on the ground, his throat ripped out, and Janie standing over him. Her body shook as she stared at him, thinking about the hell she’d lived through for so long after he kicked her out of his pack.

  “Holy shit. Your mate is badass, X.”

  The sound of Aiden’s voice pulled her out of the rage she was in. Her gaze swinging toward the door, she cocked her head to the side. Xavier, Aiden, and Chase stood just inside the room, their arms full of boxes. His eyes never leaving hers, Xavier let his box drop to the floor. “It’s okay, baby,” he said quietly, crossing the floor to kneel beside her. Reaching out, he ran a hand gently over her head and down her back. “Your wolf is gorgeous, mate. I’ve never seen a wolf with fur that beautiful tawny color like yours before. It has small pieces of white throughout, and your eyes. They are breath-taking. A dark golden color.” Janie’s wolf preened at his words, and she rubbed her head against his chest. Xavier stroked his hand down her side, leaning in to kiss her muzzle gently. “I love your wolf, Janie, but I would like you to come back to me now, please.”

  Janie’s eyes narrowed, and she looked over at Chase for help. She had no idea how she had shifted in the first place. How did she change back?

  Chase smiled, setting the box in his hands on the carpet before making his way toward her. “Let me help you, little wolf.”

  Janie felt
his power pouring through her, filling her with contentment, along with a silent command, and then she was shifting. It took a while, and she shivered when she was finally fully back in human form, gratefully accepting the blanket Aiden wrapped around her.

  “What the hell happened?” Janie’s gaze flew to where Flame was pushing herself up into a sitting position on the kitchen floor, glaring around the room as she pressed a hand to the side of her head. “Someone fucking hit me with something. I’m going to kill him!”

  “Good luck with that,” Aiden laughed, motioning to where Byron lay in the middle of the living room floor. “Janie already beat you to it.”

  “Janie?” Flame asked, her eyes narrowing as she struggled to her feet with Chase’s help.

  “I guess my wolf didn’t like him threatening you and Alayna,” Janie said, burrowing into Xavier’s side, exhaustion rolling through her after what she’d just been through.

  “Who was he?” Chase broke in, after helping Flame over to the couch.

  “My old alpha,” Janie admitted, laying her head against Xavier’s shoulder. “He said he made a mistake. That he came to take me home.”

  “A mistake?”

  Janie’s eyes widened in horror when she remembered his next words. “He said that since I could shift, he would be able to get just as much money for me as he did my sister.” Grasping Xavier’s shirt tightly in her hand, Janie looked at Chase. “He sold my sister, Alpha. Please, we have to find out where she is.”

  “We will, Janie,” Chase promised, taking out his phone. “First, I am going to get someone in here to clean up this mess. Then, I’m going to need all the information you have on your sister, and I will contact your old pack to find out what they know. Don’t worry, we will find her.”

  “We have to,” Janie whispered, her gaze going to Xavier. “She was the only one who fought for me, Xavier. The only one who wanted me to stay. We have to find her.”

  “We will,” he told her, cupping her face gently in his hand. “We will.”