by P. Jameson
Nothing to hurt mate.
This was it. Somehow, he knew after this night, she would be fully his. Fully mated. Fully bonded. Call it instinct, but he’d always known it would take something extra to lock their bond into place.
Healing. And they’d done a lot of that the past weeks.
Now, it would pay off in the most miraculous ways.
Kissing her, he walked her backward toward their bedroom. He’d do it there. He wished they were at home in Cedar Valley, in their bed, so they could remember it every night. But maybe they would return here next Christmas to celebrate this anniversary.
Yeah, that wasn’t a bad idea.
Tabatha slipped her hands under his shirt and her nails scraped a sexy trail over his abs. Goddamn, her touch drove him crazy.
Soft lips, soft body. Mine, mine, mine.
In the bedroom, he broke away long enough to lift her sweater over her head, revealing her luscious body and more of that scent that made him feel wild.
Breed mate. Give her young. Mark her.
Yes, he was going to do all of that.
She tugged at his zipper, freeing his aching erection. He damn near wanted to cut the thing off while he’d waited for her to wake up. He wasn’t sure how he kept away from her with the way his fox was driving him to take her.
Tabatha took his cock in her soft hand, sliding along his length until he groaned her for her to stop. She did, but only long enough to drop to her knees and replace it with her hot mouth. He wouldn’t last with her sucking him like he was her favorite candy.
No, he could take it. He could. Feel the pleasure of her mouth on him for just one more second.
“Tabatha.”
She let him pop free of her mouth just in time, and he pulled her up for a punishing kiss.
“If you want a baby, woman,” he grated against her lips, “I need inside you.”
“Sorry,” she whispered, grinning. “I needed a taste.”
He growled at her boldness. She was testing him.
“I love it when you growl.” She stepped backwards out of his reach and unhooked her bra, flinging it aside. Then she wiggled her hips, sliding her pants over her ass until they were around her ankles and stepped out of them.
He let his eyes roam her bare body, taking time to appreciate every curve and valley. Every soft place he’d come to know intimately. The parts she hated and the parts he loved. All of it, his.
“Goddamn gorgeous mate,” he rasped.
Visions of what she would look like swollen and round with his young made him mad with desire. He saw her laughing and rubbing her stretched belly. He saw himself kissing the bump and talking to it like a goddamn fool. It was going to be beautiful, their future.
Yeah, it was.
But first, he was going to get real fucking nasty with her.
“Touch yourself.”
Her eyes went wide with surprise. “What?”
“Touch. Yourself.”
She blinked. “Wh… h-how? Where?”
“Wrap your palms around your tits and squeeze.”
“Okay.” Her response was barely a breath and her cheeks flushed pink as she tentatively moved her hands to her full breasts to caress them.
He kicked his jeans off while he watched her. “Now pinch your nipples. Not too hard.”
Her mouth eased open from the pleasure.
“Squeeze them again for me, mate.”
“Why don’t you come do it?” she murmured, and he shook his head. The moment he touched her he was going to become a rabid beast, rutting and screwing. He wanted her to feel good first.
Besides, telling her what to do and watching her follow instructions was a whole new level of control that he would definitely be enjoying again in the future.
“Lick your finger,” he said, and she curled her tongue around one. “Suck it. Like you sucked me before.”
She pushed it deep into her mouth and pulled slowly back, hollowing out her cheeks. His cock responded, jumping as if her mouth was on him.
“Good girl. Now use it to circle your nipple. Pretend it’s my tongue.”
“Max,” she whimpered. “I want you.”
“No, stormy. Not yet.”
Her eyes fluttered closed as she followed his instructions once more.
“Now drag your hand over your stomach. Yes… like that. You know where this is going mate, don’t you?” She nodded, her eyes still closed. “Is your pussy burning for me yet?”
“Yes,” she gasped. “Please.”
“Not yet,” he said softly. “Slide you finger between those precious lips, stormy. Are you wet?”
She pressed her lips together as her finger disappeared between her folds, and she nodded hard, confirming what he already knew.
She was ready for him.
But still… not yet.
“Rub yourself, mate. Slide all around your little clit until you think you’re going to burst. Let me see it.”
“Max…”
“Do it, stormy.”
She sighed as her hand started moving in earnest. Good fuck, he was a masochist, wasn’t he? She was destroying him right now, with her obedience and her moans and her sultry scent.
“Now look at yourself,” he husked. “Look at your hand, the way it makes love to your pussy. Look what you’re doing to yourself, mate. Are you almost there?”
She watched and her hand went faster, torturing that beautiful clit until she was gasping for air. Her legs shook and she caught herself on the bed to keep from falling.
“That’s right, stormy. Feel that pussy, how wet it is? Tonight, it’s mine.”
“Every night,” she argued.
“Every night,” he agreed. “But tonight, I’m going to claim it in a whole new way.”
Another whimper, and he knew she was about to come.
“Max…” she gasped. “Max, please.”
And he was done for.
He closed the distance, scooping her up and tossing her on the bed. He pushed her arms up above her head and held them there while his mouth ravaged her body. First her lips and neck, sucking and biting and kissing. Then her breasts, tonguing her nipples.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed up, and that was all he could take. He slid home like a goddamn miracle and his fox took over.
Fucking hell, he hoped this didn’t scare her.
Because he was losing it. Too much animal. Too hard for mate. Too needy.
There was nothing he could do to stop it.
Even if he wanted to.
And he definitely didn’t want to.
***
Tabatha cried out as Maxim took control of her body. Her orgasm rolled through her mightier than an avalanche with each hard pound from his hips.
God, she loved the feel of him going wild.
His wild side could make her drool from just a single look. But when he acted on it… it was pure magic. He put a spell on her body, on her soul.
“Yes, yes…” she moaned as she found his gaze. His eyes were a familiar silver, pupils slitted like an animal’s. His expression was all fierce and determined one second, full of so much love the next. She wanted to answer it. “I love you,” she breathed. “Love you so much.”
He paused, sliding one arm under her back to cradle her hips while the other gripped her shoulder, his nails biting into her skin. It was half hug, half prison.
And wholly special.
“Always be mine,” he grunted, thrusting hard enough to bring her back around to a new orgasm.
“Always.”
Sweat pooled on his brow as his hips flexed under her hands.
“This is it, female. No turning back.”
“Never want to.”
Lifting her head, she kissed his jaw. Raked her nails through his hair.
“Stormy,” he grated, sounding desperate. “My stormy…”
And then he tossed back his head with a strangled roar, pushing deep, his release spilling inside her, warm and beautiful
. At her shoulder, she felt his claws peek out, pricking her skin where his fingers gripped. And the mating bond… the mating bond locked into place so strong it was like a whole new sense. Like seeing or feeling or tasting, but more. Something she’d been missing her entire life and didn’t know how she’d lived without.
She gasped as Maxim filled her, but there was something else. Something she’d never felt before. Something that stretched her past her limits and made everything down below very tight. Like… like he’d grown a few sizes.
“Max!”
“Shh,” he said, softly stroking the hair at her temples. “It’s okay. Be still.”
She trusted him. Whatever this was, he wouldn’t hurt her.
He stared into her eyes, and all she could see was his love. He had so much of it for her. How did she get so lucky?
“What is happening?”
He swallowed hard, thumb caressing her cheek. “It’s normal. Part of breeding. We’re… locked together… until my body is done.”
Locked together.
“It’s never happened before,” she whispered.
“Are you scared?”
“No.” She was never scared with him. “It feels kind of nice.”
He dropped a kiss to her lips.
“You smell like me.”
“Your mark?” she asked hopeful.
“I think so. The bond is strong.”
She nodded. “I feel it. It’s amazing.”
“So fucking amazing, mate.” His eyes fell to her shoulder. “I’ve clawed you.”
Frowning, she looked over to see five small prick marks where his fingers had been. They formed a semi-circle around her shoulder and it made her frown grow into a huge smile.
“Another mark,” she breathed.
He watched her carefully.
“It’s the shape of your hand where you were holding me. I love it.”
“You do?”
She nodded, finding his eyes again. “Does this mean our mating is complete?” He was still larger than life inside her, and she wondered how long the strange phenomenon would last.
He rumbled out a satisfied sound, like a purr. “Not only that, but everyone will know. And every fucking time I see this mark, it will remind me what a miracle you are, stormy.”
“A Christmas miracle,” she murmured.
“An everyday miracle.”
She hugged him close and eventually he eased out of her body with a long sigh that made her think he wished it hadn’t ended. Maxim rolled to the side, pulling her against him.
“Will that happen again?” she wondered out loud.
“Next time we breed.”
“It’s special.”
“Yes, mate.” His rasped reply sounded choked, and she glanced up to see his eyes were damp.
“Max? Is something wrong?”
He shook his head, his lips turning up in a soft smile as he stared at her. “Just happy, mate. That’s all.”
“I’m happy too,” she whispered.
Epilogue
It was Christmas morning, and the skulk had gathered in the meeting hall for the official Passing ceremony. If was the first ceremony of its kind in over twenty years since most alphas only gave up the position by death.
But this wasn’t a normal situation and Maxim wasn’t a normal alpha. And with his father still living, healing, if the things Tabatha told him were true, the only way for their people to accept a new alpha was for the acting alpha to pass the responsibilities to another male.
After that, it was up to the new alpha to hold his rank within the skulk.
Maxim watched the would-be alpha from his place on the octagon, and knew he’d chosen well.
Nash was the right person. He was open to change, yet didn’t accept it without asking questions first. He was fair to others and good to his mate. And above all… he was the only truly bonded male in the skulk. Maxim knew they would need him as an example in the coming months.
“Let this day mark a turning point for our people,” Maxim called out. “A day when our ranks begin to heal. A day when our children’s future looks kinder. A day when the responsibilities of an alpha pass from one hand to another.”
The crowd was abuzz with guesses at who would be their new leader. No one knew who Maxim had chosen. Not even Rocco and Jett. They only knew that the passing ceremony meant their alpha lived but was not fit to lead… in the harshest terms. But somehow Maxim believed he would see his father strong again someday.
“As acting alpha, I will be passing mine and my father’s place to…” He found the male in the crowd. His female stood beside him, eyes wide. “… Nash Garret.”
While the people murmured their thoughts, Maxim leaped from the octagon to the main floor. Nash would have to take the throne, and it wasn’t going to be pretty. There had to be a symbolic death first.
Nash stepped forward, and Maxim could see the confusion in his eyes. When they were face to face, the male asked, “Why?”
“Because you have what it takes to protect our people.”
“As do others.”
Maxim shook his head. There was something Nash had that no one else did… yet.
“You’re different. You have love.” Maxim challenged. “The true bond.”
Nash glanced at Sela and she didn’t look away. “Yes,” he rasped. “I believe I do.”
“So…” Maxim straightened his shoulders and dropped to a fighting stance. “Take it. Take the throne. Become the alpha.”
Chanting started and Nash stood to his full height. This would be fast. Neither of them needed to bleed.
Not too much anyway.
Nash approached the octagon and Maxim blocked him with his body. They went to sparring while the crowd cheered, and each time Nash attempted to reach the throne, Maxim stopped him.
The male would have to try harder.
He ducked and dodged Maxim’s efforts, but it wasn’t enough. Claws came out, but no animal. So Maxim increased the pressure on the new alpha.
He smashed his face with punch after punch, and Nash retaliated until they were bloodier than they needed to be.
Shift, hound, Maxim urged in his mind. But Nash would have to do it on his own.
Finally, Maxim dragged his claws deep into the fox’s back, opening up a wound that would definitely need the help of his mate.
Nash roared and his animal emerged, furious and determined. He went for the throne again and this time, Maxim let him.
He dropped to his knees at the foot of the octagon, bowing to the new alpha as Nash’s fox stood tall on the platform. It growled and snarled, filling the room with a show of dominance that demanded a response.
One by one, the people bowed, every last one of them, in acceptance of their new leader.
And as Maxim looked up at the proud animal, he knew next Christmas, when he brought Tabatha home for the holidays, his skulk would be in a much happier way.
He’d done it. They had done it. Together, all of them.
He found Tabatha’s smiling face in the crowd and winked. She blew him a kiss in return. Tomorrow, they would head back to Cedar Valley where a mish-mash pack of shifters waited for him to join them. And they would start a life that could only end in a happily-ever-after.
He was a lucky motherfucker.
Either that, or he’d been really good this year, and this Santa Claus guy was the shit.
*******
Thanks for reading Christmas to the Max. I hope you enjoyed it! If you’re looking for more Christmastime romance, I hope you’ll check out my holiday stand-alones, A Mate’s Wish OR All is Bright, and get lost in those Christmas miracles!
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About the Author
P. Jameson likes to spend her time daydreaming, and the
n rearranging those dreams into heartstring-pulling stories of trial and triumph. Paranormal is her jam, so you’re sure to find said stories full of hot alpha males of the supernatural variety. She lives next door to the great Rocky Mountains with her husband and kids, who provide her with plenty of writing fodder.
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