Ariel

by Donna McDonald

  Matt chuckled at her complaints. “Maybe I don’t know what you’re capable of, but I’ve always known what you were. Do you think your alpha side should worry me more?”

  Ariel shrugged. “Maybe. If you make me mad, our fights are not going to be pleasant. In fact, I’m always amazed about how much leeway I seem to automatically allow you. It baffles me to feel nearly subservient with you when I would for damn sure kick any other male’s ass for similar offenses. Can you explain why I feel this way around you and no one else?”

  “Sweetheart, it’s the simplest thing in the world. But actions are so much better than words.”

  Ariel saw the wolf in Matt’s eyes seconds before his hot mouth claimed hers. Throat growling his possession, Matt’s tongue demanded her arousal while his hands gripped her hips and dragged her flush against him. Her body instantly complied with his demands. Her hands ran over his chest in delight, rejoicing in his thunderous heartbeat. His fierce desire always thrilled her, no matter how many times they were together.

  When he finally released her lips, she felt his sharp, dangerous teeth grazing her neck as they slid down her across her jugular. Her wolf didn’t flinch from the contact even though her human side fully understood her life was at risk. If Matt had wanted to kill her, he definitely could have, and in a flash. But she remained still, literally frozen in place, while she waited for the male she desired to do whatever he wanted to her.

  “Okay—just one more question. Where the hell do my survival instincts go when I’m with you?” she demanded.

  “They’re still there. They just aren’t being felt because they aren’t needed when you are safe in my arms. You belong to me,” Matt whispered roughly, his teeth aching with the urge to mark her once and for all. “Your succulent body knows I adore it. Your scientific mind knows I respect your thoughts. Even your nanos know I mean you no harm. But I’m still waiting for your human heart to catch up. How long am I going to have to wait?”

  Ariel bit her lip, thinking hard about it. “I’m not sure. If I belong to you, do you belong to me back?”

  “Yes. I belong to you back. And you’re the only female I’ve ever felt that way about. The feelings I have about you are so strong, they make any doubts I have fade away. What is left has turned into my absolute faith that we will adapt to each other. I cannot bear to think otherwise. I will do nearly anything to keep you in my life.”

  “Matt…” Ariel whispered his name and leaned forward, tucking her face into his shoulder. Her teeth sharpened in her mouth. Her wolf always made her strong.

  “I really like the idea that belonging works both ways. My wolf is feeling very possessive of you right now.”

  Matt’s heart pounded hard at the news. “How possessive is your wolf feeling?”

  “Very possessive,” she whispered. “I need you now. I need you badly.”

  Supporting her claim, her fingernails lengthened into claws. She used them to rip Matt’s shirt to shreds in order to get to his skin.

  “You can have me anytime and anywhere,” Matt declared. Wanting to save the rest of his clothes, he stood with Ariel clasped around his waist. Bracing her hips with one hand, he used the other to free himself from his sweats. When he sat down in the chair again, he lowered Ariel until his need of her pressed against her entrance.

  “Take me in and make me yours,” he pleaded. “It’s what I want. I need you too.”

  Ariel groaned as Matt used his hands to help her hips find the perfect position. When he pulled her tight against his nearly naked chest, she slid down on him as he thrust up to get inside her. Together they created the physical bond they both craved.

  One of his hands raked her hair back as he called her name in pleasure.

  Ariel leaned forward and braced her hands on his shoulders to better meet his suddenly eager thrusts. “You’re mine now,” she whispered, nipping his ear. She circled back to his mouth, nipping his lips too. “I want you to be mine, Matthew Gray Wolf.”

  Needing more of him, she crushed his lips with hers and felt him quiver in response to her assertiveness as she bore down to meet his thrusts. His enthusiastic reactions told her everything important she needed to know about the man beneath her. They told her they were equals. Their relationship had that as a foundation.

  She kissed and stroked and whispered his name. Eventually Matt stilled his movements, letting her take over completely as she rose and fell on him.

  His half-lidded eyes stared at her breasts, enjoying the show.

  “How possessive are you feeling now?” he demanded, his voice husky and full of joy.

  “Mine.” Ariel choked out the single word, understanding what she was feeling at last.

  Following a need greater than any she’d ever known before, Ariel pressed her weight down hard, clamping her muscles tight as she trapped Matt’s erection inside her. Without any reservations, she leaned forward and sank her sharp teeth into his throat. When he yelled in surprise at her attack, she listened to her wolf and bit down harder, unwilling to let him loose in any way at all.

  It was a moment like the one Reed had described. Instinct ruled her. She was acting from a knowledge greater than logic. Matt’s erection throbbed within her depths while her muscles clenched around him ruthlessly. He was making half man-half animal noises and calling out her name. When her wolf growled in satisfaction over his struggles, Ariel completely understood…and agreed with her other side.

  Her mind clicked off entirely when Matt stopped struggling and bent to her neck as well. His teeth sinking fully into her sent an indescribable amount of pleasure racing through every cell as the mother of all orgasms hit. She felt Matt pulsing in completion as he climaxed too, and still her body held on to him, not wanting to let go.

  Time passed. She didn’t know how much…or care. She was happy, satisfied, and complete.

  Eventually, her wolf teeth receded and she gasped in surprise. Instinctively her tongue came out to lick over and around the indentations she’d made, healing them as Matt had done to her.

  Then the magnitude of her actions hit her as hard as the big orgasm had. She moaned softly against his now marked skin, her human side suddenly unsure about how angry Matt was going to be about her show of aggression.

  His hand in her hair gripped hard as he turned her face up to his. His mouth swooping down hard and hot on hers was a visceral shock even after what they’d shared, but she felt nothing but approval and gratitude in the kiss.

  When her mouth was free again, she finally opened her eyes, willing at last to face what she’d done. Matt’s gaze on hers was blazing hot. His arousal was banked, but the cinders of his lust were still burning. He was still inside her, a semi-firm reminder of what was possible. She shivered in anticipation of what he would do when the flames roared to full life again. It looked like her werewolf wedding night was going to be one where they couldn’t get enough of each other.

  Ariel sucked her bottom lip as she cautiously offered an explanation. “I don’t exactly know why I did all that to you. I couldn’t seem to help myself. Did it hurt when I bit you?”

  Matt’s smile was wide and wicked as he answered. “Yes. Alpha teeth are lethal. At first your bite hurt like hell, then it was incredibly blissful.”

  “Blissful?”

  Matt gripped her tighter. “Yes. Mating with you was far better than any story I’ve heard anyone share about what happens. I’ve never had a climax last that long before. I didn’t think you were ever going to let me find release. I’m still not sure what you did to stop it from happening, but…damn…I liked it.”

  Ariel wanted to chuckle at his description of her control, but her tired body couldn’t manage humor. “Your bite didn’t hurt me at all. It was glorious. It stopped time and I could sense every nuance of what was happening to us. My orgasm spun out as I felt yours. But tell me the truth, Matt. Didn’t my aggression bother you?”

  Matt snorted. “Are you serious? Not even a little bit. Your aggression thrills me. Your
obedience humbles me because I have to work so hard to earn it. My wolf and I are thrilled beyond what I can describe in words to call someone like you our mate.”

  Ariel sighed. “Okay. So the bites…they mean we’re mates now, right?”

  Matt nodded. “Yes. Or at least our wolves are. I am committed to you like no other with all that I am. One day, I hope your human side accepts me just as completely as your wolf has. I know this has happened too fast for the cautious scientist in you. It is my goal to erase all her lingering reservations. Please let me. I love you, Ariel. All of you. No matter how complicated your life is.”

  She lifted a hand to his face. “I love you, too, Matt. I’ll try to be the best mate I can be while I’m figuring out my crazy life.”

  Matt smiled. “That’s all I can ask. Are you hungry?”

  Ariel smiled as she shook her head. “Only for you. You make me insatiable.”

  “Best mating present ever—except for you biting me back.”

  Matt lifted her gently from his lap and held on until her legs were steady. He took her hand as they walked up the stairs.

  “So what will we have to do for your pack tomorrow to make this official?” Ariel asked.

  Matt grinned. “Nothing earth-shattering. But you need to wear something revealing. We both do. I want them to see my marks. I have to say your bite totally surprised me. Only one female out of every ten couples ever bites her mate back. You just became a unique werewolf statistic, Dr. Jones.”

  Ariel hung her head and sighed. “Biting you back surprised me too. It’s not like I planned to do it. It just…happened.”

  “Do you regret it?”

  “No. But I feel a little guilty, even if my wolf doesn’t. She’s…I guess I have to admit that she’s just as possessive as you are.”

  Matt laughed at her admission, mostly because he could sense her honest shock. “Would you rather go back to being boring and predictable? I can’t imagine someone as incredible as you ever being happy with that sort of life.”

  Ariel laughed as Matt dragged them both into the bathroom to shower.

  Chapter 20

  Going public to the pack went a lot better than she thought it would. Turns out, it meant Matt’s family got to throw them a big all-day party with lots of food. Matt’s father looked nothing like him, even though they sure acted like twins. When Nanuka had caught her staring off into space, she had patted her arm and kissed her cheek. She’d thanked her for the robe and gotten a secretive laugh instead of an appreciative ‘you’re welcome’. She made a mental note to keep an eye on Matt’s stepmother.

  Many times that day she’d wondered if the entire town had come out to look at the marks on their necks. Nobody thought twice about boldly pulling aside her or Matt’s clothes to gawk their fill. Before the day ended, she was very glad she’d taken Matt’s advice to wear the plainest white bra he’d bought her.

  She’d also heard “congratulations” said a million times and had responded with “thank you” an equal amount.

  Her nemesis had reluctantly come to see them. Matt had given Cheryl’s embarrassed family no choice except to supervise. The still angry woman looked at both their necks and nodded solemnly, but walked away without saying a single word to either of them. Matt’s gaze had burned a mad hole in Cheryl’s back as she left. It was like the female who tried to kill her had a death wish.

  But totally surprising her, it was Brandi and Heidi who gave her the hardest time about her officially mating Matt. They and their guys had followed her home to Matt’s house, promptly dragging her outside in the yard for a private chat.

  Heidi launched in before they had reached the edge of the yard. “Why did you do this, Ariel? I thought you said not to get too attached to the guys.”

  “Yeah, I’d like to hear this too. I thought you said the sex was just to get us through the whole female werewolf transition thing,” Brandi declared, crossing her arms.

  Ariel ran both hands through her rapidly growing hair. Accountability sucked. “Matt insisted we mate and I caved. Worse, I don’t even regret it. Life can’t be all about work…or problems. If anything happens to me tomorrow, I’ll at least have spent my best days living with and loving a decent man..”

  “Don’t you mean a decent werewolf?” Brandi demanded. “Matt is not just a man.”

  Ariel sighed. “Yes. Okay. Werewolf. Matt’s a werewolf. We’re all werewolves. What’s this inquisition really about? My werewolf marital status doesn’t change your lives any.”

  Brandi kicked the dirt. “Of course it does. Gareth is getting more possessive. I have no intentions of staying with him. I have to leave. Or at least I want to leave. I want to go back to my job and find out who the hell was funding Feldspar Research.”

  Ariel shrugged. “So? Go—leave. I think it’s a good idea. Just be careful and call now and again. I’ll worry if I don’t hear from you.”

  Brandi kicked the ground a second time. “I know. I guess I was hoping you’d go with me. I know Heidi wants to stay and work with Eva. Maybe I assumed the wrong things.”

  Ariel sighed. “Brandi, I’m sorry. I can’t go with you. I like the idea, but I need to stay, and not just for Matt. I need to stay for Reed too. He needs me. And if anything happens to him, I’m kind of next in line to run the Black Wolf pack. Matt knows this is the case. I…damn it. I can’t leave Alaska. I may never get to leave it again. Permanent responsibility is part of the whole alpha thing.”

  Brandi huffed out a breath. “Fine. I get it. I’m used to being alone anyway. I just thought…well never mind what I thought.”

  “No, don’t say that. You thought right. We’re friends…family…or whatever label you want to use for our connection. And if things weren’t the way they are, I’d go with you in a flat minute. I mean it. I need you to believe me.”

  Brandi snorted. “Hell. Okay, sure. You don’t expect me to hug you now, do you?”

  Ariel laughed at the appalled look on Brandi’s face. “You can skip the hug, but I expect you to be careful, call frequently, and come back alive. Those people you’re going after are not worth dying for.”

  “Okay. Sorry I bitched at you. I’m sure you and Matt won’t kill each other the first time you argue. And don’t turn your back on Cheryl. She’s evil. You should have let Matt kill her when he offered.”

  Ariel rubbed her nose. The action reminded her of Reed and she instantly missed him. She needed to borrow Matt’s phone and call. “I’ll deal with Cheryl. When are you leaving?”

  Brandi shrugged. “Whenever. I need a ride to the airport in Anchorage and some cash until I get back to civilization again. Once I call in, I’ll have to pretend I don’t know you all for a while since you and Heidi want to remain deceased in the eyes of the world.”

  “Now you’re scaring me. Can you stay a few more days until I get settled in?” She instantly relaxed when Brandi nodded.

  “Yeah. Sure. I’ve waited this long. What’s a few more days?”

  Ariel turned to Heidi. “I already know what your major problem with this is. Ryan wants to mate you, doesn’t he?”

  Heidi crossed her arms and nodded.

  “And how do you feel about Ryan?”

  Heidi shrugged. “Confused. Resistant. But I don’t want to end things either. I like him. He’s amazing. I just want more time to find myself…I suppose. Since he found out about you and Matt, he has done nothing but talk about making things permanent between us. It makes my stomach hurt when I think about it.”

  “Sorry I set a bad example. What do you want me to do?” Ariel asked.

  Heidi looked away and sighed. “Can you just forbid me to mate him?”

  “I can. However, any control I have over your love life is nothing more than a mental illusion you’re fostering for your own benefit. No one can tell your heart what to feel, not even the most bad-ass alpha.”

  “Just order me, Ariel. My willpower is not going to be enough. I need a good, solid reason to hold him off,” Heidi declared
.

  “Fine—you cannot mate Ryan, or any male, until you are a hundred percent sure he’s the right werewolf for you. When you’re sure, you have my permission to mate whoever the hell you want. I expect you to take at least a few months to become sure.” Ariel snorted when Heidi breathed out a ragged sigh of relief. “All better now?

  “Much. I’ll tell Ryan what you said tonight.”

  Hearing the back door open, Ariel turned to look toward the house just as Matt, Gareth, and Ryan came outside looking for them. She laughed when she heard Brandi grunt in irritation.

  “Relax. They’re not keeping tabs—not really. They’re just checking to make sure we’re okay. I don’t like all the hovering either, but you’ll make yourself insane if you let it annoy you.”