by Ruby Madden
“How are you feeling?” she asked the woman, politely. Baby steps. She’d start with talking to Meredith without threatening bodily harm.
Green eyes brightened with a kind of hope. Like a puppy. Seeing the look, Norelle felt cheaper than dirt.
“Oh, well. A little morning sickness now, and I don’t have much of an appetite. But everything seems to be going fine. We have an appointment in a few days with those expensive doctors in Seattle.”
“That’s good. Shouldn’t you be sitting or something?” What did she know about pregnant women?
Meredith’s expression darkened, just as Liam walked back into the kitchen. Norelle noticed the noise volume decrease instantly. Snort. Someone was hoping for a show. Liam glanced between his mate and sister, brow creasing.
“Why does everyone think being pregnant means being on bed rest?” Meredith complained, voice hot. “I’m tired of people telling me to go sit!”
Liam relaxed. “Is that all?” He leaned down, kissed the woman’s forehead. “Are you done eating? You want a ride back to the Y?”
Meredith scowled at him, then sighed. “No, we’ll take the bus. I know you have this Bears day only thing going on.”
That’s why there weren’t any humans in the dining room. She wondered whose idea that was.
“You should go sit with Cassius,” Liam said, glancing at Norelle. “Take the rest of the day off and get settled in. Show him the sights.”
“Funny. Um, put in an order of the salmon risotto and-”
Liam bared his teeth. “What am I? I know how to feed my customers. Get out.”
She sighed, walked past him. Paused with her hand on the door. “It’s good to be home.”
Norelle heard his grin. He likely knew it was as close to an apology she’d gave him. “Good to have you back, sis.”
***
“You know we’re going to have to talk to my mom, right?”
Liam had put a new item on the menu since she’d been gone. The sneaky… she bet he’d just been waiting. The cream ravioli dish with mushrooms, tempeh and pine nuts. She’d vetoed it in favor of something with more spice at the last menu planning meeting. She had to admit it was good though. It was odd, though, being on this side of the restaurant.
She had to ignore the stares of her Den mates. They all knew she’d been banished to cool off. That she’d returned with a male in tow… just wait till they figured out who the male was.
Cass looked pained. He was eating fish, and not complaining. Not that he’d ever really done more than make snarky comments when she prepared meatless dinners. He always ate them, and usually stalked the pans looking for crumbs and drippings. All the while insisting real geeks eat meat.
“Can I finish lunch first? I prefer not to discuss unpleasant things while I’m eating. My stomach is delicate.”
She snorted. She knew how delicate his stomach was. About as delicate as his rock hard… abs.
“Norelle.”
His eyes caught hers. They’d gone silver, picking up on her quicksilver change in mood.
“We can cancel the meeting, go back to your place,” he said, voice dipping to a murmur.
So tempted. “No. We have to get this over with. And remember your promise to be perfectly polite.”
“I’m always perfectly polite.”
***
They had different ideas of perfectly polite.
Sometime between the restaurant and her mother’s house his playful mood evaporated, leaving only the cool, analytic tech behind.
“Cass.” They stared at each other over the hood of the car. Cassius cool and distant, Norelle agitated.
His brow rose. “Don’t forget, if the Council and your mother had had their way, I never would have been born.”
She sighed. “We have to focus on the present, Cass. The past is gone.”
He smiled, a little cruel. “Is that what you tell yourself whenever you see Meredith?”
Norelle stiffened. “That’s mean.”
“Hmm. I had a talk with Boden, you know. Blaming that poor girl for-”
“Shut up, Cass,” she growled, pushing away from the car and striding up the walkway.
He caught up with her as she rang her mother’s doorbell. She didn’t need to ring the doorbell, of course, but since they were here to see Gwenafar as a representative of the Council, Norelle preferred to be polite.
“I’ll punish you later for being disrespectful,” Cass said in her ear. His hands brushed the curve of her hips, clever fingers pinching a buttock just as the door opened.
“You didn’t need to ring the doorbell, Norelle,” Gwenafar said. Her gaze shifted to Cass. “Cassius. My. What a handsome young male you've grow-” Gwenafar stilled. “Ah. And an Alpha.”
Norelle realized that she hadn’t told her mother Cassius was a born Alpha. Her almost mate thought he'd hidden it from her- as if. She’d grown up with a father and then a brother who were born Alphas. There was no way to mask that nature fully.
“Well, come in. Liam said you didn’t have dessert, so I set out some of my peanut butter iced brownies.”
“Peanut butter icing?” Cass said, walking past Norelle.
She kicked him in the ankle as he passed her. So much for cold and distant. All her mother had to do was wave brownies in front of his nose. Norelle glanced at her mother, saw the small smile and knew the female had done it on purpose.
Once they were settled on the couch, Cass balancing a small plate of brownies and fresh strawberries, Gwenafar lifted the lid of her laptop, accessing a conference call. Several faces popped on the screen.
“Is this the boy?” Eldest Elena asked as Gwenafar adjust the angle of the laptop.
“Hardly a boy,” Cassius replied, evenly.
Elena snorted. “Under a century, and you're eating that brownie like it has legs. I call 'em right, boy.”
His eyes glittered, lips curving. Norelle recognized the battle expression for what it was.
“Eldest,” Norelle greeted, bringing the female’s attention to her. “Thank you for meeting with Cass and I.”
“We read over the request for a mating exception,” Brigitte, a middle aged new grandmother said. “It would set an interesting precedent.”
“No, it would open a flood gate for other such 'requests',” Elena snapped. “A rule is a rule. Maybe in a hundred years we can relax a bit- but you'll be old by then, girl. So it won't matter.”
Brigitte’s calm expression wavered. “We have to be more flexible with the children, Elena. We don’t need to cause a rebellion. There are so many influences these days.”
“Hah! Flexibility is what leads to-”
“May I make something clear?” Cassius asked. Waited until eyes were on him. “I have no intention of finding a human female to mate. I think it's dangerously barbaric and will open the door to a public relations disaster. So you should take the deal I've offered.”
Norelle frowned. “What deal?” She had a feeling he wasn’t referring to the proposal they’d already emailed. The one they’d worked on together. Well, he’d been present while she drafted it and read it back to him. And demanded he agree. Which he did, mostly, despite folded arms and blank expression as his eyes kept drifting back to his laptop. Fingers twitching.
Elena chuckled. “Going behind her back, huh? Not a good way to start a relationship.”
“Cass, what did you do?”
“I offered my services in procuring male mates for Bear females who are otherwise unable to produce healthy cubs- with Bears. There are no such genetics issues inter-species.”
She stared at him. “And where do you think you're going to find-” Norelle stopped. She knew exactly where he could find shifter males eager to mate, and as soon as possible.
“I’m more interested in your offer to adopt human females, raise 'em up right to be mates of our males,” Eldest said.
Norelle focused on Elena again. “We can do t
hat. But I won’t have my daughters forced into any unions.”
Elena waved a hand. “None of us are interested in force, girl. But if you raise the children right, they'll tow the line. Look at Gwen, here. Raised a near perfect daughter. You do still want a place on this Council, don't you?”
“Yes.” Norelle said, softly. That hadn't changed. But what she was willing to give up for the place had changed.
“Then we will allow your mating to Cassius. You continue your training. You raise your human daughters. You find shifter males to mate our females who are of no use to us. And you don't birth any cubs of your own.”
“I won’t agree to that,” Cassius said, cold.
“Then we won’t sanction the mating, and you will both be exiled from Clan Conroy.”
Norelle's heart seized. “Cassius...”
He ignored her. “My parents had me. I can shift. There are ways to ensure a healthy cub is born.”
Elena stared him down through the monitor, eyes bright. “Those ways are exorbitantly expensive and the option was abandoned because it would eventually bankrupt the Clans.”
“I’m rich.”
“Yes,” Brigitte said. “You are. I don’t think it’s fair, though, do you? You get to flout the laws because you're rich.”
“Cass...”
Finally, he looked at Norelle. Studied her face. Swore. “I will fund the research needed.” His jaw clenched. “I’ve seen the medical reports. Ongoing funding could cripple my businesses.”
“But you'd have your cub,” Elena replied, a purr in her voice. “And you'd be the savior of the species. You’ll just have to work harder to make more money, boy. We’ll help you. The Council isn’t entirely bereft of influence.”
Norelle realized, wondering how she could have been so stupid, what was going on. She stared at Elena. The crafty old...
“Fine. If Norelle and I have a cub, I will fund enough research and treatment for an additional three females to also have healthy cubs. And you will leave Norelle alone. No threats of banishment, no more exiles. She keeps her training for the Council.”
“Agreed,” Gwenafar said.
Cassius glanced at the female present. “Understand me- I don’t give a damn about any of you. But I love Norelle. You already know she's my weakness so I'm not revealing anything.” He smiled. “But just remember that sword you think you have over my head- it can slice both ways.”
“Glad we understand each other, boy. Welcome- you and your parents- back to the Clan. Get busy reproducing.”
CHAPTER
12
She unlocked the apartment door, paused, the fine hair on her neck and back trembling. She felt him behind her, silent. Patient, a predator knowing his prey must eventually turn and face him.
Norelle turned, fingers balling and unballing, knowing that this time it was different. Knowing, from the glow in his eyes, that he didn’t want to wait any longer.
She didn’t want to wait any longer.
“Norelle?” he asked, unmoving.
Her hands rose, unclipping the heavy braid of her hair from its containment at her nape. Let the braid fall. He stepped forward, quick, lean fingers unraveling the tail. He lifted the weight of the loose strands like they were a river of precious metal flowing through his fingers. Tugging gently, he pulled her towards him with the binding rope of her own hair. Pulled her head back to expose her throat.
Teeth nipped the spot in the curve of her neck, right before the arch of her collarbone. The spot where he would bite her. Soon. Irrevocably binding them together. Her hands pulled at his shirt, burrowing under cloth to caress heated skin. His muscles flexed under her touch, sculpted strength evident from dips and valleys and ridges explored by her fingers.
“Take me,” she urged.
“Finally,” he said into her skin, lifting her into his arms. “Where’s the bedroom?”
“First door on right.”
He entered, arrowing for the bed with a distinct lack of curiosity regarding their surroundings. She snorted. She would at least have glanced around, took in the decor, furniture. Decided if she was a slob or just distracted. The flat black headboard was cheap, and the two wooden crates she’d purloined from the restaurant to use as a night stand- industrial shabby chic. But the blow up glossy photographs of food were nice.
But this male had eyes only for the bed, with its plain white sheets and no covers. He tossed her onto the mattress, standing over her, expression inscrutable.
Norelle’s brow arched “What, do we need to discuss terms for the merger or something?”
Smoky eyes narrowed. “Ha. No, I just want to remember this moment.” He smiled. “The moment when you completely submitted yourself to me.”
Why, the smug bastard. She sat up, a retort on her lips when he laughed. Reached forward and tugged her back to her feet.
“I’ve changed my mind about the order of events,” he said, unbuttoning her jeans. Pushing the cloth down her hips. “I’m going to lick you first. It’s been far too long.”
“Like a day?”
Kneeling, he glanced up, silver eyes warning. “Don’t be sassy. I’ll just have to spank you.”
Her body, already stirring, clenched with need. She bit her lip, holding back certain choice words.
“Yes, I’ve noticed that about you,” he continued, conversational. Her panties and jeans were gone. “You like me to spank you. You enjoy the pain. Take your shirt off.”
Norelle’s fingers fumbled the buttons. He just crouched, watching her with his knowing predator’s stare, fingers trailing up and down her inner thigh. Teasing her slit with the lightest of touches.
“The bra.”
Her breasts burst free. She wasn’t a small girl, her body offered plenty for him to explore. Grab, pinch and punish.
Fingers cupped the globes, massaging. Teasing rosy nipples to stiff peaks, like she would tease cream. Whip cream. She bit her lip again, harder.
Cass pinched her nipples, hard. “You don’t get to bring yourself pain,” he said. “That’s my right. Say, ‘Yes, Cassius.’”
Her lips firmed. He pinched her again, twisting one nipple. Lightly, just enough. Heat pooled between her thighs, a frantic need building.
“Yes, Cassius. Please, whatever you’re going to do to me- do it.”
“Hmm. I’ll get you later for giving me orders. But for now…”
His fingers imprinted on her ankles, prying her legs apart to give him access. He wasn’t looking at her now- not paying one iota of attention to Norelle, and her reactions. Focused on one thing, nostrils flaring as he inhaled the scent of her desire. The rough pad of his tongue lapped her folds, the tip burrowing deep as he spread her lips apart. Teased her entrance, dipping in and out with the fluttery grace of a bee sipping nectar. Then withdrew, moving his attention to her bud. Her engorged feminine cock, jutting forward for him to ravish.
“Cassius,” she breathed, ragged, her hands gripping his head. Clenching in the silk strands of his hair. “I don't know if my legs will hold.”
“They’d better,” he said, pulling away long enough to speak. “If you collapse on the floor I’ll have to just have my way with you. And then we’ll start all over again. Until you learn how to stand quietly like a good girl.”
She wanted to fall to the floor. Oh, God. She was so tempted. Wanted to feel his body press her tummy side down into the rough carpet. Have him just fuck her without regard for anything but taking his pleasure, fast and hard from her body. Wanted to be helpless beneath him. The dark cravings no longer shocked her- she’d come to realize over the weeks with him that her tastes edged towards something far naughtier than she’d ever thought herself capable of.
He seemed willing to oblige. Egg her on even.
Cass licked and taunted, eating her pussy with the relish of a cat in cream- ironic, really. Or a Bear with a pot of honey. She snorted. Cass paused, looking up, hot eyes glaring.
�
��Why are you laughing? I must not be enjoying myself properly if you have the presence of mind to laugh.”
Oh. Oh. “Uh, well, I was just thinking-”
“Did I give you permission to think, Norelle?”
Fingers bit into her thighs. Tongue plunged into her core. Norelle cried out as he plundered her, all thought gone. In and out, fingers on her nub. Knees like jelly, oh God, she was going to cum, going to collapse…
Cass rose, pressing her to the bed and flinging her legs over his shoulders, giving himself a deeper angle, fucking her with his tongue. She came with a river of nectar, body quivering as he bathed his face in her.
“Next time,” he said, cool and watchful, hands rubbing up and down her body, “I think I’ll eat you from behind.”
“Oh, fuck, Cass.”
“Hmm. Indeed. Turn over.”
She obeyed- of course. He settled on the edge of the bed, pulled her onto his lap effortlessly. “Now, since I’ve had my fun, you get to have yours. Fair’s fair, after all.”
“Are you going to-?”
He slapped her ass. “Be quiet.” The blessed sting brought a cry to her throat. He smacked her again, rubbing the smarting flesh to ease the sting. Slapped her again, and again in a series of sharp percussions. She squirmed enough that he had to imprison her with an arm on her lower back.
His finger teased the rim of her asshole and she tensed. “No? Maybe next time.”
Norelle was wet, lubricant dripping down her thighs. She bucked, wanting more. Cassius laughed, dark and masculine.
“Now, let’s discuss some things since I have you in a compromising position. Always wait to begin negotiations until you have the advantage.”
Norelle stilled, looking over her shoulder. Glared. “Cass...”
He smiled. Innocent. “I want a biological cub.”
“But-”
Sting. She inhaled, hissing, refusing to cry out. He would not win this game.
“I will concede the point of adoption. It’s noble- and it was my suggestion, initially. But I want a little girl with my mate’s eyes.”
