Full Moon Rising

by Lorie O'Clare

  Pulling her shirt up, he released her mouth, his tongue singeing her skin while he traced a hot, moist path to her breast. He sucked on the throbbing nipple, dousing it with the heat of his mouth, licking and nibbling until she thought she couldn’t stand it any longer. Her pussy throbbed, moisture seeping through her, soaking her. The hot scent of her cum filled the air around them.

  Ethan continued to suck and bite at her breast, holding her to him with one hand, while the other pressed against her stomach, moving its way down to the source of her desire. Her pussy exploded, her muscles contracting when his fingers reached her small hole. He pushed his way inside, groaning against her breast when her pussy clamped down on his fingers.

  “That’s it, sweetheart. Let go and come for me. Soak me with your sweet juices.” His brazen words made her wild with excitement.

  She wanted to ride his finger, beg him to fuck her. If she told him to bury himself deep inside her and let her ride him until she drained them both, he would do it. She could still take the upper hand. She hadn’t given up control.

  Her insides exploded. The intensity of it taking her breath away. Her legs went out and if it weren’t for Ethan holding her to him, she would have melted into a puddle of lust on the ground.

  “Good girl,” he whispered, and then pulled his finger out of her.

  Her pussy throbbed. She wanted more. Her body hummed with need, craving his cock.

  Ethan straightened her nightshirt. He ran his hand over her hair, stroking her, petting her, the moistness of his finger dampening the side of her face. She smelled herself on him.

  His dark gaze captivated her, his black hair accenting his piercing blue eyes. “When you are ready to give yourself to me then you may have more.”

  She stared at him. She wanted more now. And if he wouldn’t give it to her now then he wouldn’t have her at all. No one would control her.

  “I don’t think so, Ethan.” She ran her hands down her nightshirt, her palms suddenly too sweaty.

  He cocked an eyebrow. It dawned on her that he probably wasn’t used to being told no. As sexy and demanding as he was, women probably begged him to fuck them. Well she wouldn’t beg. And she wouldn’t submit to his decision on how to manipulate the situation.

  She straightened, doing her best to give him her best prosecutor’s look. “I’m not giving myself to you. I’m going home.”

  Chapter Six

  Beth left her pack leader’s house drained. The past several days had been full of dealing with one repercussion after another from her statement to the sheriff the day she’d arrived to see her mother. All she had tried to do that day was prove a point, show the sheriff he didn’t have a right to mark and number her just because she was arriving in town. She had spoken on principle and look where it had gotten her.

  She almost groaned out loud when her cell phone rang. “What is it?” she snapped.

  “I’m sorry to bother you.” Lacey didn’t sound sorry at all. “But I’ve been asked to call you and tell you that you’re needed here in the office immediately.”

  Beth didn’t like the sound of that at all. She wasn’t sure she could mend another crisis today. Not to mention going home traffic had given her a headache by the time she pulled into the parking building by her office.

  Both of the Andersons from Anderson, Hunt and Anderson stood in the boardroom when she exited the elevator. Several of the senior attorneys turned away from her, whispering as they walked down the hall. She headed in the opposite direction toward her office, giving Lacey a questioning look when she reached her desk in the outer office.

  “What is going on?” she asked, feeling the tension in the air from the moment she’d stepped on to the floor.

  “Brad Preston wants to see you.” Lacey looked a bit pale, and quickly opened a file she had in front of her. She didn’t say anything else.

  Something was very wrong.

  Beth tapped on the door of the senior attorney’s office. Brad Preston stood in his office staring out the window and turned to look at her. Fear and anger swarmed around him. She frowned, not accustomed to seeing the older man anything but calm and confident.

  “Is there a problem?” she asked.

  “Beth.” He didn’t move, didn’t ask her to come in, or to sit down. “I need your resignation, effectively immediately.”

  “What?” She couldn’t believe her ears. “Are you firing me?”

  “You have an hour to clean out your office.” He looked behind her and she turned, the smell of a musky aftershave smothering the emotions of the security guard who stood in the hallway. “Once you have your things together, we’ll escort you from the building.”

  Beth ignored the security guard and turned to glare at her boss. “What the hell is going on here, Brad?”

  Brad Preston backed up toward his desk, while the security guard entered the office. Fear became the prevalent emotion in the room. Suddenly it all made sense to her. The reporters at her house. Her confrontation with the sheriff up north. Brad was scared of her. He’d heard the rumors that she was a werewolf.

  “Please, Beth.” His tone didn’t show his fear; she would give the older attorney credit for wearing a good mask. “I’m allowing you plenty of time to clean out your office. If you need help hauling anything down, just let us know.”

  He moved behind his desk, his usual dismissive motion. Beth threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. This was just fine. If her law firm didn’t want her, then she sure didn’t need them. Her reputation wouldn’t be tarnished over this, she would see to it.

  By the time she pulled into her driveway, passing the camped-out reporters on the road by her home, she was beyond irritated.

  “Well, I’ve just lost my job,” Beth announced to Alicia and Joe when she entered her kitchen.

  It was then she noticed the scent of another werewolf. Turning she took in the man dressed in a plain-looking suit sipping a drink out of one of her glasses.

  “That might be for the best,” the man said, and she raised an eyebrow at him.

  “Who the hell are you?” She wasn’t in the mood to be polite.

  The man smiled, his manners remaining intact.

  “Ben Smith. Werewolf Affairs.” He produced a badge from his inner coat pocket, flashing it in front of her.

  Beth stepped forward, taking the badge from him and studying it for a moment. She should have guessed the Bureau would send someone out sooner or later. As much as she hated to think she couldn’t handle this matter by herself, Beth Parks had a solid reputation. Her name as one of the more successful attorneys in the Midwest had appeared in many publications, on the news, in articles. Humans everywhere knew who she was. Knowledge that she was a werewolf, whether confirmed or not, was escalating. And her refusal to make a statement only added to the paranoia among the humans. She should have seen her termination at work coming.

  “What can I do for you, Mr. Smith?” she asked, returning his badge.

  “I wanted to know if I could speak with you for a bit. Werewolf Affairs has some concerns.” The werewolf had absolutely no smell at all, an annoying trait once she thought about it.

  “Sure.” She gestured toward her living room and then looked back to Alicia. “Why don’t you bring in some coffee?”

  Her housekeeper nodded quickly, concern written all over her expression.

  “So the humans have terminated your position at your law firm?” Ben Smith spoke like they were old friends, relaxing comfortably in one of her chairs.

  Beth sat down on her couch, realizing as she looked around her living room how seldom she actually came in here. She turned her attention to the werewolf who sat across from her and nodded. She wished she felt as relaxed as he looked.

  “I’ve already spoken with your pack leader.” Ben accepted the cup of coffee from Alicia with a gracious smile.

  Her housekeeper turned and placed Beth’s cup down next to her. The worry in the air around her had Beth giving her a reassuring smile. “T
hanks, Alicia,” she said.

  Ben waited until Alicia left the room. “You made a big mistake confronting that sheriff up in Minnesota. That pack leader had done wonders with the humans in his district. We’ve been watching him and are very impressed.”

  Beth swallowed. She couldn’t argue that Ethan Masterson was indeed impressive. At the same time, she wasn’t used to a reprimand. Her stomach slowly tied into a knot.

  “I didn’t make a mistake. And I don’t regret that I made a stand for my rights.”

  Ben stared into his coffee, not commenting. He was the diplomat, sent here to smooth things out, see that the humans calmed down, and that her pack didn’t act up. But Beth knew her rights. Whether werewolf or human she had a right to travel this country without being asked to account for her presence so a town could keep an eye on her.

  “I understand why you are here.” Beth’s mind began churning while she tried to figure out what her best approach should be at this point. “Give me some time to evaluate this situation, and I’m sure I can iron this thing out.”

  “I have complete faith in your skills.” Ben smiled. “But I’ve already had that time, and I think we’ve got a good plan laid out.”

  And he was here to tell her what her part of his plan was. It took a bit of effort to remain relaxed, not jump up and start pacing. She was in charge. She called the shots.

  Sighing, she wondered if she could allow someone else to hold the ropes. “What do you want me to do?”

  “I think your pack leader can calm things down here with little effort.” Ben sipped at his coffee, watching her over the rim. “But it would be easier for him if you were to disappear for a while.”

  Beth stared at her cup, not picking it up. Disappear for a while. There was only one place she could think of to go.

  You’re going to run right back to Ethan. His last words to her hit her like a punch to the gut. When you are ready to give yourself to me, you may have more.

  “With Halloween right around the corner, humans tend to get a bit more superstitious. I think they will put this behind them faster if you aren’t available for comment. Basically Elizabeth Parks needs to disappear, just for a while.” Ben stood up, straightening his jacket with a smooth swipe of his hand. “Think of a safe place where you can stay. And then let us know when you are ready. We will see to it that your home is protected here.”

  Several hours later, Beth had tied up all ends at her home. Alicia and Joe would stay on, keeping the place in order, with instructions from her to allow the pack to use the home and land as needed. She wrapped a small bundle of clothing and fixed it to a collar that she secured around her neck.

  The moon was almost full when she walked out into her backyard, naked, the cold night air immediately attacking her bare skin. Her nipples hardened with fury, reminding her of how Ethan had pinched her nipple. The same intense need she’d experienced that night rushed through her. For a moment she couldn’t catch her breath.

  Slowly sucking in the fresh night air, she arched her back, staring up at the glowing white orb in the sky. The moon would offer plenty of light for her journey north. Anticipation rippled through her over seeing Ethan again.

  The change stirred deep inside her, moving through her like rich syrup, infiltrating her blood, hardening her muscles. She closed her eyes, enjoying the wonderful experience of allowing the more primal beast within her to surface. It was like freeing herself of all the burdens of the day, allowing all stress and headache to glide right out of her. Her basic instincts took over, allowing her to think more clearly, experience the true beauty of her surroundings and not dwell on the preoccupations of her life.

  Beth fell to all fours and immediately sprinted across the open ground behind her home. She relished the cold night air as it combed through her fur, cleaning her soul, invigorating her body.

  Tearing across the countryside, pushing her muscles until they burned, she laughed at the night, feeling more alive than she had in ages. When was the last time she’d been so free of all responsibility? She couldn’t remember.

  Now she could focus on doing something she never thought she would do. She would tame an alpha male, and she would make him enjoy the experience.

  It was well into the middle of the night by the time she’d reached the northern half of Minnesota. The night air was so clean, so cold. Her body was hot after running for so many hours and she considered taking a break, maybe doing a little hunting. She could make it to her mother’s before dawn.

  Slowing to a lazy stroll, she moved with her head low to the ground, enjoying the crisp smells of the evening.

  Suddenly something didn’t seem right. Beth quit moving, slowed her breathing, stilled every muscle in her body, while she focused on the darkness, and listened.

  Voices. Humans. She heard them talking and they weren’t that far away. But there was something else. She smelled werewolves too.

  Her ears tickled at the sound of their talking. She’d been so absorbed in her thoughts and the beauty of the night, she had just noticed them.

  Beth hugged the ground, the night dew soaking her fur. She was in an open meadow, the smell of water not too far away. On the other end of the grassy area, a group of men sat on and around an old truck. She couldn’t see it from her position, but she could smell the water. Her guess was that they were fishing.

  But there was something wrong with the picture. Werewolves moved among the humans. And the werewolves were in their fur.

  Beth’s heart pounded against her ribs while she hugged the ground and watched the scene playing out in front of her. The men were laughing, gathering fishing supplies and putting them in the back of the truck.

  Two werewolves were in their fur. She heard water splashing but couldn’t see what they were doing. It appeared the werewolves were pulling something out of the water. When they reached the bank, the humans moved among them, helping them load whatever it was into the back of the truck.

  Then it became clear what they were doing. She didn’t understand it, but the men were simply fishing, loading supplies after they had secured their catch for the day. The two werewolves moved to the side of the truck, changing into their human form. They walked back around to join the humans, securing the buttons on their jeans, all the while the men laughing and joking. Humans and werewolves living among each other in peace. Had Ethan Masterson actually pulled it off?

  The grass was barely tall enough to conceal her. The men seemed fairly distracted with their work but she worried they would notice her. Female werewolves didn’t run by themselves. At least not ones with solid reputations. And up until a few days ago, Beth’s reputation had been impeccable.

  She didn’t move, didn’t dare breathe. Her heart hurt in her chest from beating so hard while she waited until the truck pulled away. Even then, she lay there praying all of them were gone. Wet dirt and the dampness in the air made it hard to detect any specific smells. It appeared that she was all alone in the meadow.

  Hunting no longer appealed to her. All Beth wanted was a hot shower and some of her mom’s good cooking.

  She stood, her muscles cramped from lying still for so long. Slowly she began moving around the area where the werewolves and humans had been. Every blade of grass bending against the breeze made a sound. Crickets hopping on the ground distracted her. The night offered so much noise, and her heightened senses were overreacting to each sound.

  The bright moon intensified the shadows, making them longer, distorting images around her. She wasn’t afraid, but caution had her looking over her shoulder every few seconds.

  Maybe you should just haul ass and get the hell out of here.

  She liked that idea. Beth broke into a full run, tearing across the meadow, leaving the scent of the humans and werewolves well behind her. Her paws pounded the ground, the vibration sounding through her. It took her a minute to realize another sound vibrated through her as well.

  When she turned to look over her shoulder, it was too late. Black f
ur lunged toward her, flying through the air. The last thing she saw were shiny, long white fangs before she went tumbling head over heels.

  Beth came up fighting. She always had when bullied. It was simply her nature. Maybe she was small and her legs too short. But no one pushed her around.

  Without thinking she rolled across the grass, the hard ground bruising her in several places, and came right back up on to her paws. Leaping through the air, she dove at her aggressor.

  Someone needs to teach you some manners. She growled, doing her best to sound deadly. Often attacking back made a bully back down. They only picked on the smaller, cowardly werewolves because it built their own miserable self-esteem. Well, Beth Parks wasn’t put on this planet to be a punching bag to some insecure, overgrown werewolf.

  It surprised her a bit when her attacker seemed a bit more irate when she lunged back at him. She aimed low, her usual point of attack, trying to slice through a shoulder, or other sensitive area that would slow the werewolf down.

  Dagger-like teeth clacked in the air in front of her. The hissing growl was more than a warning. Her attacker was issuing orders. She took a slap across the face, causing her to stagger sideways.

  Well, hell.

  It took a moment to get her bearings, everything around her seeming to spin for a moment. She gave herself a good shake and then focused on the black beast in front of her. And when she did her legs about gave out.

  Ethan Masterson!

  Why hadn’t she recognized his scent sooner?

  Shiny black coat flowed over bulging muscles. The moonlight reflected off of him, making his fur look like smooth black silk. Images of rubbing up against it, feeling that smooth strength all over her had her struggling for breath.

  He moved in on her, slowly, his head lowered so his shoulder and back muscles bulged and flexed in plain view while he walked. His sultry blue eyes were now a captivating gold. And those golden eyes glowed as he stared at her with fangs so long and thick they could kill with one strike.

  Yet she wasn’t hurt. A bruise or two from tumbling on the ground, but they would fade by the time she returned to her human form. Heat rushed through her at the thought of the controlled power that sauntered toward her.