by Bianca D'Arc
His chance came after dinner when Bob finally ushered the last of their guests out of the pack house. Bob and Patty left soon after, little Mina in tow. They had a guest suite in another part of the house, and Shane knew they were retreating to their own rooms to give Shane and Maria a little space. He’d have to thank them in the morning.
Not wanting to risk any interruptions, Shane made sure the doors were locked and then ushered Maria back to his set of rooms. When he got her into the bedroom, he just had to kiss her. He’d been starving all day, it seemed, for another taste of her lips. The little nibbles he’d managed to steal here and there hadn’t been nearly enough to sustain him.
She seemed to feel the same way as she clung to him, pressing her hot body to his as their tongues dueled. Shane was quickly approaching the point of no return when he made himself slow down. They’d have time, he cautioned himself, but he had to do this the right way. He wanted a lifetime with her, not just a night or two.
“Maria…sweetheart…” he whispered in between kisses, stroking her hair as he tried to gently push her away. It gratified him to know that she was so hot for him, but they had a lot to settle between them before this could go any further right now. “I need to speak to you, before I completely lose my head.”
“Talk later,” she whispered, making his temperature skyrocket, but he knew it was the volatile lust driving her. It whipped up between them, like some sort of passion tornado every time they touched.
“No honey,” he said as gently as he could. “We have to talk now. You’re my mate. You heard me say that before, in front of everybody, right?”
He could see his words were starting to penetrate the passionate fog that surrounded her. She blinked a few times, making him want to kiss her all over again, but he resisted. They had to get a few things clear between them first. It was important to their futures that they both knew where they stood.
“I…” She looked down, clearly unsure of herself. He hated that he’d made her uncertain. An Alpha female like Maria should never doubt the devotion of her male. That’s why talking right now, was so important.
“You’re my mate, Maria,” he repeated, willing her to understand the deep ramifications of his declaration. “Wolves mate for life.”
Her gaze shot up to meet his, her eyes widening in surprise, but—he was glad to note—not alarm.
“Are you serious? After knowing me for less than a day?” Disbelief filled her tone. He understood her hesitation, but he had to find some way to make her understand how it was for shifters.
“There’s something to be said for instinct. Wolves follow it in all things, and ever since I laid eyes on you, my wolf has been howling one thing—the certainty that you were special to me. I tried to stay away from you because, as you found out first hand, my pack is in more than a bit of disarray. I’ve been an outsider here, put in place through the power of the old Alpha, and held there by the loyalty he had earned from his pack. But that only goes so far. It’s time I stood on my own and gained their trust through my own actions. Today was a breakthrough, whether you realize it or not. The most important members of the pack accepted you today. And the men I met with all afternoon accepted my authority, without question, which is something that hasn’t happened up until now. I think maybe I have you to thank for that.” He touched the tip of her nose, joy spilling over into affectionate touches.
“Me? How do you figure that?” She really didn’t understand what she had done, and he had to try and find a way to explain it all.
“By attacking you, and then me, the McCarthys brought everything to a head. I had a chance to assert my authority and show the pack that I wouldn’t back down from a fight—even a dishonorable one. You did the same. By grabbing those guns and coming out to help me, you showed them your true mettle. Your bravery. Your loyalty. Your courage. And your love.” His voice gentled as he looked deep into her eyes.
Yes. There it was. The affection he’d hoped to find.
“My wolf knew you were mine from the moment we met. My human side tried to fight against fate, but it was a losing battle. In fact, it’s a battle I’m glad I lost,” he went on. “I can’t imagine not having you in my life, Maria. I know this is all very sudden for you, but sometimes you just have to follow your instincts. Tell me what you’re thinking, sweetheart. Tell me what your instincts are saying about me. About us.”
“Well…” She looped her arms around his neck and he drew hope from her smile. “I’m thinking that this has to be the craziest thing that’s ever happened to me, but my poor, dull, human instincts are pushing me to trust you. I want to be with you, Shane, for as long as you’ll have me.” She leaned into him as his heart filled with love.
“Then you’re going to be here a very long time, sweetheart. I vote for forever.”
He had to kiss her then. The air had been cleared as much as he could manage for now. The rest, hopefully, would work out in time. Right now, he had to be inside her, making love to her, once again. For the rest of the night. For the rest of their lives.
Chapter Nine
Maria almost couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth, but somewhere in her soul, she recognized the truth when she heard it. There was also a part of her that agreed with everything he said. Forever sounded about right to her—especially when he kissed her. She could happily stay in his arms for the rest of her life. And beyond.
On some intrinsic level, she felt she had found her soul-mate. Maybe that’s what shifters experienced. Maybe their animal instincts allowed them to recognize their perfect mate a lot easier than muddled human thought patterns. Maybe it was just that easy to Shane’s wolf—it recognized her soul as the other half of its own. Maria would have to ask him about it sometime…later. First, she had a lot of kissing to do. A lot more touching, and perhaps a little licking, sucking and biting, too.
Wait…biting? That thought made her pause, but then she remembered the way the small pain of his bite the night before had intensified the pleasure. Perhaps that was a new aspect to lovemaking that she’d like to explore further. With Shane, and only with Shane.
She didn’t really know if she believed this would last a lifetime. Her fledgling human instincts would need a little more proof. She did know, however, that she wanted more of his lovemaking. A lot more.
Maria was totally infatuated with him. If she trusted her wild, uninhibited heart, she’d say she loved him. Whether or not it would last as long as he claimed was yet to be seen, but she was more than willing to give it a whirl. Forever sounded really good to her love-drugged brain right about now.
“I marked you last night,” he whispered against her skin as he kissed and licked his way down her throat. He was busy undressing her as he went, kissing each new area of her body he uncovered. “That’s how everybody knew you were mine. Tonight, I might not be able to control myself from sealing the deal, Maria. I want you to be sure. After I bite you, there’ll be no turning back. You’ll be one of us.”
That made her pause. She pushed at his shoulders. She needed to see his eyes. For her part, she was crazy about him, but she needed to see the same delirium in his gaze—the delirium that felt like it would last a lifetime.
Shane cooperated, moving back so she could look deep into his eyes. “Are you really sure about this?” she asked him, her voice breathless. “Are you certain it’s me you want to be with forever? I mean…I’m no prize. I wouldn’t want to start something here and then have you change your mind about me.”
Shane shook his head, smiling softly. “Honey, it doesn’t work like that for wolves. Once we commit, we’re done. Total loyalty. Total love. For the rest of our lives.” He moved another inch away from her, grasping her shoulders lightly. “I guess the real question is, can you settle for me? I know I’m not as smart as you are. I don’t have the same kind of education, and never will. I don’t want you to ever be disappointed with me.”
“Are you kidding?” Maria couldn’t believe the words coming ou
t of his mouth.
How could anyone ever think Shane was dumb? He was the smartest man she knew—and that included all the Ph.D.’s she worked with at the university. Some of them were so lost in their own little worlds, they were downright morons when it came to everyday life.
That wasn’t the case with Shane. He had more knowledge of the world and its cycles, the forest and the inner workings of his society that interested her. Just from being with him these past couple of days she could tell he was a gentle soul with strict manners when he was dealing with others, and her. He would make a great partner in life. He was like her dream of the perfect man—a mix of capability in all situations, loyalty to his friends and those he cared about, and a deep sort of wisdom that couldn’t be learned from a book.
She could see from the downcast look on his face that he didn’t expect her to feel that way. It was the first real display of vulnerability she’d seen from him and it affected her deeply. Until this moment, she hadn’t really considered how much of a burden it must be to have to be so strong—so Alpha—all the time for everyone else.
Maybe she could be that one person in his life around whom he could show the doubts everyone must have from time to time. She would gladly share his burdens. It made her see their relationship as one of equals—each helping the other in different ways. That was something she had always dreamed about finding, and here it was.
All in all, Shane was almost too good to be true, but he had to be real—he was standing there, before her, wearing his heart on his sleeve, just for her. In the face of that kind of honesty, she couldn’t deny him.
“Oh, Shane…” She moved closer to him, raising one hand to stroke his cheek, then run her fingers through his soft hair. “I’m the first one to admit that having a big education doesn’t equate to intelligence. You’re the smartest man I know. You’re brave. Loyal. Trustworthy. And yes, highly intelligent.” She reached up and placed a tender kiss on his lips. “Not to mention sexy as hell.”
Shane smiled then and she felt like everything would be okay. Then she remembered the whole werewolf thing…
“Will I become like you?” she whispered, unable to meet his gaze.
“Do you want to?” he countered, not answering her question.
How to answer? Should she tell him the truth, or would that scare him off? Of course, he was talking in terms of forever. If he was going to get scared off, better now than later.
“The reason I started studying your people in the first place is because the whole concept of shape shifting fascinates me. Will you be put off if I admit I’d love to experience it all first-hand?”
Shane’s response was laughter, and for a moment, she wasn’t sure, then he squeezed her tight, rocking her from side to side. She could feel his happiness and it echoed her own.
“Honey, we’re not the kind of folks who argue with fate,” he finally said, pulling back again to look into her eyes. “Maybe the reason you’ve been so interested in werewolves is because somewhere deep inside, you always knew you’d end up with one. Did you ever think of that?”
“Huh.” She marveled at the way he looked at things. “You know…” She considered his words as he continued to smile at her. “You might be onto something there.”
Then she thought of another possible obstacle.
“What about my job? My research?” she thought aloud, needed to know the answer.
For so long, her work had defined her. Only now did she realize how narrow her life had become. She still wanted her studies, but she wanted much more now—a life with Shane and his pack. A wolf spirit of her own. The experiences only Shane could give her.
“You can keep your job,” he said reasonably. “Most of us work in the human world in one capacity or another. But I only ask that you let your wolf be your guide in what you choose to reveal about us.”
“You trust me that much?” She couldn’t quite understand the faith he seemed to have in her.
“I do. And I trust the wolf you will become even more.” He kissed her on the forehead. “Always trust your instincts. They will never lead you wrong. You’ll learn, sweetheart, once you’ve experienced the change.”
She couldn’t wait. It all sounded so magical. She knew it would probably hurt, of course, but the gains from the transformation—and the ability to be Shane’s true equal in this partnership—would make it all worthwhile. Something in her soul already knew this was the path her life was meant to take. Was that instinct? Maybe so. She’d probably learn a lot more about that after she fully embraced the wolf.
She reached upward and kissed him again, deeper this time, expressing the love and trust in her heart. She was going to follow her instincts this time and hope the roller coaster ride led her somewhere good. So far, being with Shane had been everything she’d hoped for—except for the fighting part. Then again, what life didn’t include conflict? At least in the werewolf world, it seemed like any disputes were out there, in the open. She preferred that to the subterfuge and plotting she’d experienced in the academic community.
Having a wild wolf inside probably made for a very honest society—which was another of her theories she couldn’t wait to discover the truth about. She was really getting away with something here. Not only was she getting Sexy Shane in her life, but he was bringing her into the pack life she’d thought about for so long and in such detail.
Shane went right back to undressing her, using his hands and teeth, licking her all over. They were still by the door to his room. They hadn’t moved much since getting inside, into the private space where they could finally be alone. Maria didn’t care. She just wanted to have him inside her again. Where or how didn’t matter. All that mattered was him. Sexy Shane. Making love to her.
He was growling. Low, sexy sounds as he worked his way down her body, turning her lady parts up to full flame, just like that. She looked downward to find him poised at the juncture of her thighs as he bared her ass, taking her panties and jeans away with one long swipe of his hands. Then his mouth was on her, his hands spreading her legs, his strength supporting her as he licked his way through her glistening folds.
Maria wanted to scream, but she held it back. There was more to come. With Sexy Shane, there was always more pleasure to be had, it seemed. Would she survive a lifetime with him? She wasn’t sure, but she definitely wanted to give it a try.
“Come for me, baby,” his words rumbled against her clit and without conscious thought, she complied. Her body shook as he held her, his strength all that was keeping her upright.
Carefully, he stood, lifting her in his arms so that her back was pressed against the bedroom door, her legs wrapped around his waist. His eyes were level with hers and he met her gaze with both confidence and care. He was such an amazing man. How could she not want to spend the rest of her life with him? The simple fact was, she wanted him. Had wanted him. Would want him. For the rest of her life.
There really was nothing to think about. She was going to follow her paltry human instincts and her heart…straight into the arms of the man she was pretty sure was the love of her life.
“You ready?” he asked her, holding her gaze. There was so much unsaid between them, but it didn’t matter. Everything she needed to know was right there, in his eyes.
“I’m ready for it all, Shane. Forever,” she whispered, gratified beyond words when his eyes flared with the power of his wolf. Sexy Shane was even sexier when his wolf side showed through.
He didn’t make her wait. He positioned them so that all he had to do was thrust upward and drop her downward the tiniest bit to join their bodies. He made sure she was all right before basically nailing her to the door, pressing hard against her while he began to move. She was helpless in his grip, but she loved the way he took charge. She’d never been with such a strong man before and there was something to be said for feeling delicate and feminine.
She let him have his way—which happened to be her way too. She’d get her turn to drive him crazy. This
time was for him, though she enjoyed every moment of his frenzied thrusts. She came on him and still he pumped into her, lifting her upward slightly with the force of his hips grinding into her bottom.
She came again and still he kept going. He was insatiable, and apparently, so was she. Shane was teaching her things about her capacity for orgasm that she’d never even suspected before.
And then he nuzzled her throat and she thought maybe she knew what was going to happen next. Sure enough, he bit—softly at first, then harder. The pain stung like a son of a bitch, but oddly, it only ramped her excitement higher. When he broke the skin, she screamed his name as the biggest climax yet rocked her body, and her world.
She thought she felt some sort of invisible bond form between their souls. Or maybe that was just fanciful thinking. Either way, she felt more joined to him than in just the physical sense. It almost felt like they were communing on some sort of spiritual plane only reachable by lovers in a state of extended bliss.
That, or she was just high on pleasure. She couldn’t really be sure, and didn’t really care.
“You’re mine now,” he said, his voice growly like his wolf when he finally released her torn flesh from his teeth.
It stung anew, but the pleasure riding her entire body made up for the wound as he carried her in his strong arms, into the bathroom. He threw a towel on the countertop before placing her on it. That was so thoughtful of him, putting the soft towel there so her bare butt wouldn’t freeze on the marble.
“Let’s get you fixed up and then we can go for round two.” The smile on his face and the promise in his eyes lit a fire in her blood she thought would have been quenched for a while, considering the amazing multiple orgasms she’d just experienced.
Shane proceeded to clean the new bite mark with warm water and a washcloth. His touch was as gentle as could be and the look on his face was one of pride and possession that spoke volumes about what he was feeling. Maria enjoyed the pampering and noticed that the open wounds closed pretty quickly. Already, scabs were forming. Maybe there was something to that famous shifter healing ability after all.
