by Alisa Woods
“You did it,” he said softly, beaming down at her with pride in his eyes.
“But what did I do?” she asked, biting her lip. She had taken this insane step of revealing herself to the world. And she was making herself the spokesperson of her fellow shifters. It was risky and outrageous. And necessary. But she had no idea what Jared truly thought of all of it.
“You did the right thing. And the brave thing.” He sucked in a breath, briefly squeezing his eyes closed with some kind pain, then opening them again to peer at her. “And you stopped me from killing a man.”
She scrunched up her face. “Don’t tell me Agent Smith is really alive!”
The pain on his face relaxed a little. “No. He’s still very dead. And Piper tells me the NSA isn’t eager to have his death splashed all over the news, so they’ve already concluded their brief investigation with the help of the FBI and decided that it was self-defense.”
“So you’re cleared? No charges?” It had been hanging over her heart since the night before.
“No charges.” His lips pressed tight.
“Oh, thank God.” She slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. They hadn’t had any time alone, not since returning to his family’s safehouse the night before, crashing, then preparing for today’s press conference. It felt amazingly good just to hold him.
But his arms were loose around her.
She pulled back and peered up at him. “What’s wrong?”
Several tormented emotions crossed his face as he struggled for words.
She frowned. “Jared, what is it?”
He grimaced, then said, “That night… that first night. Remember how I said I was watching you?”
She cocked one eyebrow. “Pretty stalkerish, but yeah… you were spying on my father to…” Her voice trailed off. You stopped me from killing a man. She blinked at him. “You were there to kill my father.” She dropped her hold on him and stepped back.
He winced, eyes pinched and heavy. “Yes.”
“But you didn’t.” Her mind was whirling back to that night. She had argued with her father about the legislation, lost control of her shifting, fled to the forest… and Jared had followed her there. But he had never told her exactly why he was there in the first place. She looked up at him with wide eyes. “You stopped to come after me.”
“I wanted to make sure you were safe,” he rushed out. “That was all. And then… I…”
“You would have killed him,” she said thickly, head buzzing. “If I hadn’t decided to stop him and his anti-shifter legislation, you would have killed my father.”
“No.”
She whipped her gaze from the distant stare that had captured her back to his soft brown eyes. “No?”
He shook his head. “Once I met you, Grace… once I loved you… there was no way. It was you or him. I chose you.”
“You chose me,” she repeated in a whisper, her heart soaring.
“Yes.” His eyes were wide, watching her like he was afraid she wouldn’t understand.
Tears pricked her eyes. “So when you say loved… do you mean that hot, sexy thing we did in my bedroom? Or are you talking about love-love. The kind that, you know…” God, her words were tangling around her heart.
Something broke in his expression, and suddenly, his lips were on hers, his arms crushing her to him. It was hot and fierce and made her want to rip off the crisp jacket and shirt he was wearing right here, backstage. His mouth made demands of her that she willingly gave as her fingers dug into his shoulders, wanting even more. When he pulled back, they were both breathless.
“Love,” he said, his breath hot on her lips, “as in I want to sink my teeth into you and claim you forever.”
His words thrilled her, inside and out. Her wolf panted for more—to have him now—but instead she just nodded frantically.
“Yes,” she gasped. “Yes, yes, yes.” She pulled in a deep breath. “Wait… was there a question in there?”
He flashed a grin, then it tempered into a smoldering look that sent heat flushing to her lady parts. “Grace, will you be my mate?”
“Yes.” No hesitation. She knew it meant forever. It was exactly what she wanted.
“Will you let me love you all the days of my life?” His dark eyes were swallowing her.
“Yes.” She really wanted those lips back on hers.
He dipped his head, like he was going to kiss her, then stopped just short. “Grace Krepky, will you marry me?”
She gasped. But of course, that’s what it meant. It was insane and wicked fast and… perfect.
“Yes,” she breathed out.
His eyes blazed, and he drew her in for a kiss that held her captive, mind, heart, and soul… a kiss that she never wanted to end.
Grace was sure her screams of pleasure could be heard throughout the River family estate. But with Jared between her legs, performing sexy magic with his tongue and fingers, she couldn’t bring herself to care. Or even think. Mostly, she was moaning his name and digging her fingers into his hair, urging him on.
“Oh, God, Jared, please!” He’d been teasing her so long, every muscle in her body was coiled tight in anticipation, waiting, begging for release.
He lifted his mouth from her sex and chuckled against the flat of her stomach while still slowly, tantalizingly thrusting two fingers inside her.
“Damn you!” She pulled her fingers from his hair and beat on his head instead.
Which only made him laugh more.
His thumb replaced his tongue in attending to her hyper-sensitive nub, making her gasp and arch her back—so close, but still not there—then he slid his deliciously hot body up the length of hers, pausing to give each of her tightly puckered nipples a taste before settling in at her neck. His thick and rock-hard cock pulsed heat into her side. She would happily have him use that on her, if he wasn’t going to finish what he started with his mouth.
“You love when I tease you,” he whispered against her neck.
“No, I don’t, damn you.” She bucked her hips against his hand, his fingers still far too slow in their rhythm. “Now make me come!”
“So demanding.” But he was still laughing at her.
She was seriously going to make him pay for this.
It had been a week since she had announced her run for office—a week of tireless days of campaigning and pleasure-filled nights in Jared’s bed, exploring every position, every tease, all the sex she never had in the years she was denying who, and what, she was. It was all one hazy dream, one climax after another, one triumph on the campaign trail following the next. Her life couldn’t be more perfect, except… Jared had yet to claim her like he had promised. She didn’t know what he was waiting for. With that, or with the slow torture between her legs.
She tried to wriggle away from his torments and turn the game back on him, but he held her fast. And truthfully, his massive, sexy body pinning her to the bed? His muscles rippling against her in his slow, rhythmic, seductive tease? His hot breath on her neck, panting his arousal, as if his massive cock probing her side weren’t enough of a clue?
There was nowhere she’d rather be.
She turned her head to nuzzle into his ear. “If you don’t hurry up, my love, I’m going to die from need.”
He nipped at her neck. “If one could die from need, I would die every moment you’re not right here underneath me.”
And when he said things like that… her heart thrummed with more than just the breathy pleasure he was giving her. It filled to capacity with more love than she ever thought possible. Especially for her, the hidden shifter girl and Senator’s daughter. Only now she was neither of those. She was out and proud and doing good things in the world with Jared by her side.
Or on top of her, as the case may be.
She threaded her fingers into his hair again, caressing his cheek with hers, matching his slow rhythm. “I want you, Jared River.”
A low groan rumbled through his chest. Hi
s fingers thrust a little faster, his thumb striking lightning bolts of pleasure through her most sensitive parts. She slid one knee up along his arm, opening herself to him and touching him everywhere she could reach.
“I need you,” she panted into his ear. “Every day. Forever.”
His groan became a growl, and he slid his body down hers in a rush, diving back between her legs with his tongue. She let loose an animal sound that came straight from her wolf, but her claws stayed in, even though he was suddenly pumping her at a furious rate while lapping at her sex. She raced toward her climax, every muscle, inside and out, quivering toward the release.
Then she came so hard, she bucked up from the bed and curled over his head in her lap. He held her firm, working her through it, wrenching every last convulsion of pleasure out of her as her body squeezed down on his fingers. When the peak had washed over her, it left her completely limp.
She fell back on the bed, making it bounce. “You aren’t a man,” she said, still gasping. “Or a wolf. You’re some kind of angel of pleasure. Or demon. I can’t decide which.”
He came up grinning. “I guess we’ll have to keep experimenting… until you figure it out.”
He slid up to kiss her full on the mouth, sharing the taste of her while pulling her body tight against him. Then his hand slid around from her back to cup her breast. He seemed to love playing with them, and she couldn’t say no to anything that brought him pleasure. Not that she wanted to. His cock was pressing deliciously against her, reminding her that she wanted that next. Whether in her mouth or taking her in any number of positions, she didn’t care.
But that wasn’t exactly true. She did care. And maybe now was the time to ask.
When he broke from her mouth to focus on sliding slow kisses along her jaw, she forced herself to speak and not just lose herself in the sensation. “Jared.”
He kept nibbling. “Ready to go again, my love? Because it’s still early.”
It was past midnight, but she wasn’t complaining. “Jared, I need to know…” But then words failed her.
He froze mid-kiss then pulled away to look her in the eyes. “Need to know what?”
She searched his dark, concerned eyes. If there was something holding him back, something coming between them, she needed to know what it was. “Why haven’t you claimed me?” she asked in a whisper.
He pulled back a little, the sexy glow on his face tempering. “It’s not that I don’t want to, Grace,” he said carefully. “I hope that’s not what you’re thinking.”
Actually, yeah, it was. She just shrugged.
He leaned in and kissed her so sweetly, it made her heart ache. “Every time I touch you, I want to throw you down on the bed and ravish your body. Sink my teeth in you and claim you, over and over.”
Her breath hitched. God, yes! “So what’s stopping you?”
He pulled back to look into her eyes again. “All of this has been so fast. So crazy. If you’ll still have me, I’m going to marry you. But marriages can end. If you change your mind, there’s always an out. A way to leave. Mating is forever, Grace.”
She touched her fingertips to his lips, which were pressed tight with his concern for her. She really couldn’t love this man any more than she did. Unless maybe the magic of the mating would allow it—she sincerely hoped so. She wanted to give everything to him.
“I know it’s forever,” she said softly. “That’s why I want to do it.”
“You’ve only known me for a little over a week.”
She slid her fingers to hold his cheek. “I’m no expert on being a shifter, but from the very first moment, my wolf wanted you. She insisted on it. And when we made love, she simply knew—you were our mate. She knew it like she’d been waiting for you her whole life.”
His concerned expression softened. “Oh, Grace.” He seemed unable to say more.
“Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?” she asked with wide eyes, concerned that maybe she had gotten this all wrong.
“No.” He kissed her softly. “That’s exactly how it’s supposed to be.”
“Then, dammit, Jared River, take me. Claim me. Give my wolf what she really wants.”
He rumbled a growl in his chest again. “I was going to wait until after the wedding.”
She reached down and stroked his cock, making him groan, which flushed fresh pleasure through her. “I don’t want to wait. I want you now.” She kept a firm hand riding up and down him, reveling in the silky-steel feel and the fact that his eyes had quickly hooded with pleasure.
“Are you sure?” His breathing was stepping up.
Would he really do it this time? “I couldn’t be any more ready.” These were the same words she’d already said to him, twice now for different things, and it was even more true today. Physically, emotionally, deep inside her wolf—she was ready in every way to become Jared River’s mate.
He growled and yanked her hand away from his cock. She almost protested, but his large, strong hands quickly turned her over, propping her on her hands and knees. Then he thrust that gorgeous cock of his inside her. She shrieked with the suddenness of it, filling and stretching her with such completeness. He was so big that, even when he was gentle, it was still a shock to her system when he slid inside her. But now he was taking her hard and fast, growling and moaning, gripping her hips with his powerful hands as he thrust his enormous cock into her body—it was rougher than he’d ever taken her before, and she could hardly breathe with the pleasure of it.
“Is this what you want?” he growled as he pounded into her.
She could only whimper in response. Her climax was already building, rushing her entire body with the possession he was taking of it.
“You are mine, Grace. Mine. Always mine, just as I want you, just like this.” His breath was heaving as much as hers, his voice harsh with power and dominance.
God, his words alone were enough to make her come… and they made her body quiver even more under the pounding. She braced herself to meet each thrust. The entire bed was shaking, and she was barely holding on, barely aware of anything but Jared’s hands gripping her, his cock filling her… then her orgasm crashed and buried her like a wave, head to toe, her entire body fluttering. She cried out with it, her moan rising and falling with his thrusts working every pulse out of her.
Then he suddenly pulled out and stepped off the bed.
His cock was standing at attention, dripping wet with their lovemaking. His eyes were blazing, and his chest heaving.
“Submit to me, Grace,” he demanded.
Jared wanted all of it—her submission, her love, her body writhing under his. His magic filling her blood. He wanted to fulfill every fantasy she had—but ravishing her just now had only brought out his alpha in a way that he hadn’t felt in so long. She didn’t merely bring him alive… she was making him whole.
And he would have her, dammit, the way he wanted her.
She belonged to him… and he wouldn’t even exist without her.
She was his everything, and it was time he claimed her in the proper way.
“I… I don’t know how to submit,” she said, still on her hands and knees on the bed, her body flushed from the orgasm he’d just pounded into her. She was so damn sexy, her long, gorgeous hair mussed from their lovemaking and spilling everywhere; that soft, innocent look on her wide sky-blue eyes goading him into ravishing her again.
“Come here on the floor with me.” His voice was hoarse with need.
She skittered off, her thin body like a nymph doing his bidding. Fuck, his cock couldn’t get any harder.
“Shift,” he ordered. The submission pose would come naturally to her, once they were both in wolf form, but he didn’t want to say that out loud. He wanted her to give it over to him, offer it up to him because her wolf was responding to his alpha. He wanted a true submission from her.
She obeyed his command, transforming into that beautiful, pure white wolf he had first seen dancing in the moonlight. He had
wanted her then, but never thought in a million years it would be possible. He shifted as well, looming over her smaller wolf form, standing with his tail erect, ears perked, head held high—the alpha pose.
Submit to me. His thought command washed over her, and she nearly collapsed into the submission pose. The magic of her submission hit him like a thousand-watt blast. Her magic was so strong. And pure. And filled with such righteousness, he was cleansed by just being in its presence. It was unlike any other submission he’d experienced, even with his wife, Avery. Grace’s magic made him more of an alpha, more of a man, than he had ever been before.
Rise, my love. His heart was overflowing with the magic of their bond… and this was only the submission. His mouth watered for the mating bond to come.
She leaped up from the submission pose and pranced a little, her tiny paws dancing on the floor—the submission bond was working its magic on her as well.
He shifted back to human. “Shift for me, Grace.” He was panting with need for her.
The second she shifted, he grabbed her, turned her around and bent her over the edge of the bed. His hands were rough and demanding—because he knew it spiked her pleasure and because he couldn’t hold himself back. He needed to be inside her, now, in every way.
With one hand holding her shoulder pinned to the bed and the other gripping her hip, he slammed into her. She gasped and moaned as he pounded her again, fast and hard, not holding back, giving everything he had. Possessing her body like he had wanted to from the start.
Her small cries of pleasure, the hard squeeze of her tight body around him, all of it was ramping him up so damn fast. He leaned over her, still thrusting, lifting his hand from her shoulder to swipe that long, gorgeous hair from her skin, clearing the way. His fangs came out, his mouth watered, and he bent to taste the sweet flesh of her neck, swiping his tongue across her to mark the spot where he would mark her. He could tell she was close again, her sweet flesh quivering around his cock as it drove into her. He hovered his fangs over her neck.
