“What do you want, sweet? Tell me.” He grabbed his thick cock and started massaging it, making her whimper.
“You. I want you. Please, Cooper, now.”
“Hmm, let me think…”
“Cooper,” she wailed as he grinned down at her, looking totally unrepentant.
“On your hands and knees, baby,” he ordered, and she moved quickly to obey him, her body shaking in anticipation.
“Do you trust me, Laney?”
All of a sudden she stiffened. Trust him? Was he crazy?
“T-trust you?” She looked over her shoulder at him.
“Yes, do you trust me?”
She took a deep breath before trying to turn and face him, but he moved between her legs, holding her still with one arm around her waist.
“Laney?”
“What?” she asked, too busy trying to escape him to take heed of the cold fury in his voice.
“Who the fuck whipped you?”
Laney stilled, air leaving her lungs in a huge whoosh at the enraged question.
“Who do you think?” She was proud of the steadiness of her voice. Show no fear. It should be her motto. The bed moved as he climbed off and Laney jumped as she heard something hit the wall heavily. Just like that the thick arousal in the room dissipated to be replaced by a harsh, pulsing fury. A man’s fury that someone had hurt his woman, put their hands on his mate, dared to harm what was his.
“I want to resurrect that bastard so I can kill him all over again, slowly, and very, very painfully.”
“Coop.” Laney climbed off the bed and, keeping her gaze on the floor, her stance submissive, approached him hesitantly. It took all her courage not to run from the enraged man who was pacing angrily up and down the room, his hands clenching and unclenching spasmodically.
“How could he? How could he do that to you? His own daughter?”
Laney stood there, unable to touch him yet unable to walk away.
“Cooper, please. It’s over, Zachary’s dead and I…” she trailed off.
“You what?” He looked over at her. His eyes had bled to golden amber, his hold on the wolf slipping in the face of his intense emotions. His gaze was lethal, holding a fury so pure and overwhelming that she found herself crouching on her hands and knees in fright, cowering before she could stop herself.
“I think I better leave.” She made to move when he grabbed her arm.
Caught like a rabbit stuck in headlights, she froze, hoping if she remained still, the predator wouldn’t notice her, harm her.
“Laney,” he groaned, drawing her up into his arms, rocking her gently. The fury was still there, but Laney could tell he had it under control, that he’d locked it down for her.
“Sweet, I get angry, I yell, I throw things and I can’t stop that, not even for you.”
She wriggled, trying to get free, her own anger growing as his dissipated. “I didn’t ask you to,” she said irritably.
“No, you didn’t. But I don’t want you running scared from me every time I get mad. However, I understand that actions speak louder than words, so I’ll just have to show you that no matter how mad I get, I will never hurt you.” She watched him draw in a large breath, the rest of his rage slowly drifting from his eyes. She knew it was still there, in the background, but for the moment all that filled his face was pure, sexy arousal.
“Now back on your hands and knees, wench.”
“What?”
“Back on your hands and knees. I don’t believe I told you that you could move from the bed.”
“B-but moments ago you were punching the wall, and now you…you—”
“Now I want you to get back on your hands and knees. Your mind may not trust me, Laney, but I think your body does. It knows I want to give you nothing but pleasure.”
He took a step toward her, and she had the feeling that he was holding himself back, keeping himself under tight control. His voice was surprisingly gentle when he spoke, holding a teasing note. “Hands and knees, or do I have to give you that spanking I’ve been promising you?”
Laney took a deep breath, taking stock of her feelings. Surprisingly, her body and her wolf agreed with him. They did trust him, even if her mind and heart had misgivings.
She moved slowly onto her hands and knees.
“Good girl,” Cooper murmured, placing a couple of pillows under her stomach before pressing her shoulders down until her chest rested on the bed, her ass in the air.
His hands massaged her butt cheeks before he moved away and she heard a squirting noise. Then he returned and pressed a well-lubricated finger through the tight entrance of her ass.
“Easy, baby, you feel so tight and I don’t want to hurt you. Just relax for me.” His finger moved gently in and out until she relaxed, then he added a second finger, stretching her, lubricating her. His strength was enormous. She knew those bare hands could easily break her bones, yet this strong, dangerous man was treating her as if she were fragile, delicate, precious.
“How you doing, sweet? Talk to me, tell me how you feel.”
Inexplicably, she blushed. No less than ten minutes ago she’d come with his tongue licking her asshole, and now she was blushing at having to speak of her pleasure.
“How did it feel when I was licking your ass?”
Laney forced herself to answer truthfully. “Good, naughty, but so damn good. Please, Coop, I need more.” She wiggled her hips.
“Anything you ask for, sweet.” His fingers withdrew, only to be replaced with something large and cool.
“Relax, sweet, let it in. Push out as I push it in. Easy, baby,” he murmured as she thrashed her head, incoherent cries falling from her lips.
“It’s too much,” she cried, suddenly frightened by the overload on her senses.
“No, it’s not,” he replied ruthlessly. “This will feel so good, I want you overflowing with pleasure, with sensation, and since I’ll never allow another man to touch you, this is the closest we can get.”
She shuddered at the dark promise, relaxing so he could push the rest of the plug inside her.
“Good girl, you can breathe now.” She let out a startled breath, unaware she’d been holding it as the large plug was pushed inside her. Moving experimentally, she was fascinated by the full feeling. It burned, but that pain was changing into something wonderfully, darkly erotic. A sharp slap on her ass had her jolting, and she turned to look over her shoulder in shock, her protest dying at the sight of Cooper massaging his full cock, smearing the silky drop of precum over its head. She whimpered as he grinned at her.
“Eager, baby?”
“Oh God, Cooper, you have no idea. Now will you stop mucking around and just fuck me?”
“You had but to ask, sweet.”
Her snort of disbelief turned into a groan of satisfaction as he pressed his cock into her tight passage. She was even tighter because of the plug in her ass, and the feel of him having to fight to gain every inch was damn near indescribable. If she hadn’t been so wet it would have hurt, but she was ready, primed. She arched back into him, pressing more of him inside her, delighting in the full cock rubbing against her sensitive nerve endings.
Laney whimpered as he thrust in and out, his cock brushing over that special spot inside her, tormenting her.
Her legs spread wider of their own accord, her ass clenching down on the plug inside her.
“Cooper,” she wailed.
“Shh, baby, don’t fight it, let it take you.” His scent was driving her wild. It had become sharper, sexier and fiercely intense. Laney could feel his scent claiming her as his touch did, marking her, possessing her. She was his, and he was leaving neither of them in any doubt about that fact.
He remained on his knees behind her, but one hand moved to play with her clit. That was enough to send her soaring, to make her burn up in flames, and she cried her joy aloud. Her orgasm went on and on, drawn out by his continued thrusting until he came inside her, his hot semen shooting into her hungry womb.<
br />
It was then that it happened—her soul moved, shifted, reached up to join with his. Colors swirled, glittering like jewels all around them, twirling fast as though she were trapped on an out-of-control merry-go-round. Finally, she was thrown off and, landing hard, slipped off into unconsciousness.
*
“I didn’t think it was true. I thought you were wrong.” Laney felt puzzled, confused by what had just happened. “Why did you leave me if we’re mates?” She hated the hurt tone in her voice, hated that she was so open to him, so vulnerable. But it was something she needed to know. She might have pushed him away, but why hadn’t he fought harder for her? Old insecurities reared up, throwing her back into the past. Zachary taunting her, hitting her, locking her in the basement without food or water or light, she was weak and stupid, weak, stupid and undesirable.
“Hey, hey, hey.” Cooper gently turned her face up to look at him. “What on earth are you thinking about?” His voice, a silken drawl, weaved its way around her heart, soothing her nerves, her old wounds, even as his body clasped her close. She felt protected, cherished.
“I would have come back, sweetness, had I known. The pack was unstable, volatile, but I would have left it. For my mate.”
His words had her frowning once again. “Why didn’t you know? Why didn’t it happen before?” She looked up from where she lay against his chest, her fingers playing softly in the dark hair surrounding his nipples. She could still feel the plug in her ass, stretching her, preparing her for his penetration.
Perhaps that should have worried her, but it didn’t. She was his mate, his true mate, something so rare that she’d never dreamed she would find hers. To hurt her would be to hurt himself. Finding her true mate was a magical thing. He would complete the other half of her soul. Together they were stronger than they were apart. If she was honest, that was what worried her the most. That he was now tied to someone so weak. What if she dragged him down to her level?
He tapped her head. “Earth to sweet, pick up please, it’s your mate calling.”
“Are you always going to be such a smart-ass?” she asked, exasperated.
“Are you always going to be such a space cadet?” he replied. She stuck her tongue out at him.
“I said, even though you rudely ignored me, that I used a condom last time and that is why we never bonded. I didn’t realize you were my mate. I think subconsciously I knew because I couldn’t stop thinking of you, but there was so much going on here that I pushed aside my instincts.”
“Oh.”
“Oh? Is that all you have to say about the most perfect night of your life?”
Laney pushed herself up onto one elbow so she could stare down at him.
“Was that what this was? Huh, and I didn’t even know. Can we repeat it so I can commit it to memory?”
He flipped her onto her back, hovering over her, his weight resting on his hands.
“As many times as you want, sweet,” he crooned, a wicked glint in his eyes as he showed her just how memorable he could be.
Over and over and over again.
Chapter Five
Cooper heard them enter the house. He could have gotten up, could have left the room before they got there. But he didn’t want to. He wanted to lie here, holding his mate. Their bonding was complete. Nothing could come between them now, not even her brothers.
But he did move the blankets up to cover her completely before they bounded their way into the bedroom, the door slamming open loud enough to wake even Laney from her deep sleep.
Poor sweet, she obviously hadn’t been sleeping well, having no one to watch her back. Well, that would all change now. He was going to insist that she take care of herself. Of course, first he had to survive the beating her brothers were obviously intent on inflicting.
Laney sat up with a gasp but Cooper pushed her back down behind him so his body covered hers.
“What’s happen— Oh my God,” she gasped as she saw the three obviously furious male werewolves enter the room. She must have remembered her nakedness, because he heard her gasp again before the sheet was pulled around to cover her, which bared more of Cooper’s body. Not that he cared—like most werewolves he was unconcerned about his nudity.
Cooper figured that she didn’t want to incite their rage further. He, on the other hand, didn’t care. He’d been itching for this fight since she’d told him she was Zachary’s daughter. It was bad enough imagining her being abused when he’d at least thought she had a home, a haven where she could hide. To learn that she hadn’t even had that made him wonder where her brothers had been during all this, and why the hell they had let her leave by herself. They should have gone with her, protected her, watched over her.
“We trusted you with her,” Marcus, the middle brother and the most hotheaded, took a step toward the bed, his fists clenched in rage.
“That’s our sister you’re fucking, Brady!”
“Jay!” Cooper heard Laney gasp, obviously shocked by her normally easygoing brother’s rage. She tried to sit up, but Cooper just pushed her back before rising to draw on his pants, more for her peace of mind than any sense of modesty.
“Let’s take this outside, shall we?” he drawled. His gaze locked on Rye’s, who had yet to say anything.
“Take what outside? Nobody’s taking anything anywhere. Rye! What are you doing barging in here?” Laney tried to get out of bed, but the sheet she was clasping as though it were a lifeline simply wouldn’t move with her.
“Stay there, Laney. I’ll be back soon.” Leaning down to kiss her, he ignored the low growls from the furious men behind him.
“Cooper! Don’t be stupid, stay here. You three get out of here so I can dress, then I’ll explain everything. But get out!”
“Explain everything? Like how the Alpha took advantage of you while you were fragile and recuperating? Get dressed, Laney, and then wait inside. We’ll be back to get you shortly.” Cooper noticed that Rye didn’t once look at his sister while speaking to her, his eyes watched Cooper’s every movement. Cooper moved slowly, not wanting the fight to start in front of Laney. He gestured toward the door.
“After you.” As the three brothers filed out, Cooper turned back at the doorway to point a finger at Laney.
“Stay there, sweet,” he ordered. “I mean it.” Turning, he left before she could reply, no doubt in his mind that she would obey him.
“Stay there, Laney. Wait inside, Laney. Good Laney, have a treat, woof-woof, what do they think I am? Their bloody pet Chihuahua?” Laney raced around the room trying to find some clothes to wear, muttering to herself. She finally gave up on finding her own clothes, instead dressing in one of Cooper’s t-shirts, which fell nearly to her knees. She slipped on some boxers so she felt halfway decent before sprinting out of the house. Ignoring the sharp stones under her feet, she raced around to the back of the house where a small crowd had gathered, the sound of flesh meeting flesh making her flinch. She’d never liked violence or confrontation, but there was no way she was going to wait inside like a child while her brothers beat on her mate.
Laney easily slipped her slight frame through the crowd to catch Cooper landing a sharp uppercut to Jay’s jaw. She flinched as she watched her brother take a few steps back, shaking his head as though he were seeing stars.
But it didn’t matter, because Marcus was there to take his place, landing his own uppercut to Cooper’s jaw, which he tried to follow with a left hand jab. However, Cooper saw it coming and blocked it. Hitting back, he landed a hard gut punch that had Marcus bending over in pain. Cooper was holding his own, but it was three against one and Rye hadn’t even entered the fight yet.
Just then she saw Rye step forward, coming in from the right while Jay came at Cooper from the other side. There was no way Cooper could fight them all.
“Stop it!” she yelled, jumping forward just as Marcus stood and lunged forward. He’d obviously been intending to tackle Cooper, but instead he ended up slamming into Laney. Marcus manage
d to turn, taking the brunt of the impact as they landed on the ground in a heap. But she still had the wind knocked out of her. As she lay there, trying to regain her breath, hands clasped her around the waist and pulled her up against a hard chest.
“Delaney! Are you all right? Sweetheart, talk to me.” She was clasped tightly in Cooper’s arms, her face buried in his chest.
“Umm cmt brmth!”
“What?” His grasp eased up and she pulled back her head, gasping.
“I can’t breathe!”
“Shit!” Cursing harshly, he pulled her up against his chest, his hold more gentle this time as he rocked her softly.
“Is she hurt?”
“Honey, are you okay?”
“Baby girl, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to tackle you.”
Laney turned in Cooper’s arms to glare at her brothers.
“You! All of you!” She included Cooper in her glare. “You’re acting like juveniles, fighting in the backyard. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.”
She pushed at Cooper’s chest, trying to wiggle from his arms.
“Stay still,” he growled.
“Let me go!”
“No!” Cooper glared menacingly at the crowd who immediately backed away from his furious gaze, their heads lowering in submission.
“Let’s take this inside.” He walked toward the cabin, still holding her against his chest like a small child.
“Stop squirming or I’ll throw you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes.” She froze at his murmured words, the anger behind them firing her own.
“Don’t you dare get mad at me, Cooper Brady! You’re the one acting like an imbecile. What were you thinking, fighting all of my brothers at the same time? You could have been hurt.”
“Really?” he replied sarcastically. “I was actually planning on hurting them.”
“But there are three of them.” She didn’t care that the three in question had followed them into the living room. They stood, glowering at her with a mix of concern and disappointment. Cooper set her down on the couch before he stood with his hands on his hips, glaring down at her.
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