His head jerked up and the fatigue burned away. “I already have three sons. That’s more than any man needs. As long as I have you, I have everything.”
She was confused until she understood he meant Sage, Reece and Billy. God, she loved him and she was going to take a chance on love.
“And this claiming is permanent?”
Elias nodded. “It’s accepted in every pack. It’s the way it’s always been for us.”
“I’ll still want to get married.” She needed that for herself and for Billy.
He solemnly nodded. “Whatever makes you happy.” He paused. “Do you think you might consider taking my last name? For you and for Billy?”
Sue nodded through her tear-filled eyes. “Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes, I’ll mate with you. Yes, I’ll take your name once we’re married.”
Elias threw back his head and opened his mouth and howled. The primal sound echoed through the small home and vibrated through her body. He looked totally wild and untamed. And he was all hers.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Elias wanted to let the world know that Sue had agreed to be his. He’d make damn sure she never regretted her choice.
He knew he had his nephews and Anny to thank for the two of them having the house to themselves. He’d thank them tomorrow. Tonight was all about Sue and him.
He pulled her off the sofa and onto his lap. He wanted to absorb her into his body, wear her scent on his skin forever.
She petted his shoulders and back, soothing and arousing at the same time. This incredibly giving woman had accepted him, in spite of the troubles and obstacles ahead. He was truly humbled.
When he’d set his sights on coming to Salvation, he’d never thought he’d be the one to be saved. But Sue had charmed him from the beginning and showed him what he had been missing in his life.
“What now?” There was no hiding her nervousness. Not from him.
“Now.” He stood with her still clutched in his arms. She twined her legs around his hips and her mound pressed against his swollen cock. He groaned and playfully nipped at her neck. “Now I take you to the bedroom and make you mine.”
He wanted to strip her right there and fuck her, but she deserved better than that. She deserved a soft bed and tender lovemaking. He might not be able to manage the second, but he could handle the first.
Elias wished it was his bed in his house and not someone else’s, but he would remedy that soon. “I’ll build you a house,” he assured her. “It won’t take me long.” He set her on her feet beside the bed. There were pretty pillows stacked against the headboard. Anny’s doing, no doubt. He could also smell the fresh scent on the sheets and knew they were clean. He really owed Sue’s friend a debt.
She blinked, and he knew she couldn’t see him as well as he could her. The light filtered in from the hallway so it wasn’t completely dark.
“A house?” Her voice rose to a high-pitched squeak, making him laugh.
“Yes, a house. They have plans we can modify. A room for you and me, and one for each of the boys.”
“A home.” This time, her voice deepened with emotion. He knew she was missing her parents just as he was missing his brother and sister-in-law.
“A home for all of us.” He kissed her then, tired of talking. He needed to seal the pact between them. Make it real, so no one could ever separate them again.
He glided his lips over hers. She made a sweet little humming noise that had his balls clenching. Her tongue flicked over his lips before sliding into his mouth. He roamed his hands over her body, down her slender spine and over her firm butt. Her clothing was getting in his way. He had to touch her bare skin.
He didn’t stop kissing her. Couldn’t. There were so many buttons on her blouse, he simply grabbed the fabric and pulled. Buttons flew everywhere, pinging off the floor. Sue laughed and tugged on his T-shirt. He reared back and yanked it over his head.
She made another humming sound and rubbed her hands over his chest. Her fingers kneaded his taut muscles before skimming downward.
He managed to get her blouse off and then her bra. Her breasts were firm and full. He cupped them, testing their weight. Her breaths came faster when he thumbed her nipples.
“Naked. Got to get you naked,” he muttered. He lifted her and lightly tossed her onto the bed. She bounced once before settling. It only took him seconds to undo her shorts and tug both them and her panties off. She lifted her butt to help him.
When he had her naked, he stood back and stared, wanting to remember this moment. Her pale skin glistened, and her blond hair was a beacon that would always signify home.
She opened her arms. “Come here.”
Elias wasted precious seconds stripping off his jeans and socks before he climbed onto the bed with her. He covered her with his body but kept his weight on his forearms so he didn’t crush her. She was smaller than he was. Delicate but not fragile.
He wanted to worship her. “You won’t regret this.” It was important for her to know he’d do whatever it took to make her happy. Any wolf who’d spent as many years alone as he had knew just how precious a mate was.
“I know.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged him lower. “I’ll make sure you don’t have any regrets either.”
“Never.” He kissed her, pouring every ounce of his being and all his passion into the embrace. Now that he had her, he would never let her go.
Her man was so fierce with his lowered brows and scowl. Most women would be afraid, but she loved Elias’s passion. She had no doubt he was committed to making their relationship work.
What more could a woman ask for?
Love. She ignored the little voice in the back of her head. Elias loved her. Didn’t matter if he never used the word. Every action he took spoke of his deep feelings.
She was more than a little nervous about the coming claiming. Being bitten didn’t sound sexy. It sounded painful. Still, it was a small price to pay, and it would make him happy.
His tongue tangled with hers, his kiss almost overwhelming her at times before he eased back to tease and cajole. Sue lost herself in the passion consuming them both. His skin was warm and firm beneath her hands. He was so strong and sure, yet he seemed to need her as much as she did him.
He tore his lips from hers and kissed her jaw and neck. She dug her nails into his shoulders as he paused at her breasts. He swiped his talented tongue over each nipple before continuing his downward trek. She knew what was going to happen and the anticipation had her toes curling into the covers.
There was no lead up, no teasing. Not this time. He opened his mouth over her pussy and feasted on her. She moaned and tried to jerk away from the intense pleasure. He wouldn’t allow it. He gripped her hips and held her while he licked and sucked her most sensitive flesh.
“Elias.” His name was both a prayer and a plea.
“Not yet,” he muttered. He sucked her clit between his lips and flicked it with the tip of his tongue. Sue lost it. She screamed his name as her body exploded. She shook and shivered, clinging to his shoulders. It was too much. The pleasure was almost painful, but she never wanted him to stop.
Aftershocks of pleasure burst inside her and her entire body quivered. Yet she wasn’t fulfilled. She dug her nails into his shoulders and tried to tug him upward. “I need you.”
He growled and his eyes glowed when he looked up at her from between her thighs. He sat back and rolled her until she was stomach down on the bed. This was it. Her heart pounded and sweat broke out on her brow. She wanted Elias but couldn’t help but be afraid.
“Sue.” He ran his hand down the length of her spine. She felt his hot breath and then his lips follow the line down the center of her back.
“I want this but I’m afraid.” The only way this could work was if she was honest. If they were both h
onest.
“We don’t have to do it if you’re not ready.” Disappointment coated his words, but she knew he’d step back if she asked.
She turned her head and glanced over her shoulder. “I’m ready. Just be patient with me.”
He brushed his lips against hers in the softest, gentlest of touches. “I’ll try to make it as painless as possible,” he promised.
He situated himself between her legs and helped her up on to her hands and knees. The position left her vulnerable, but it was exciting too. If it were any other man but Elias, she knew she wouldn’t be in this situation. Elias was special. She was taking a huge risk with her life, with her son’s life, but it was worth it.
He wrapped his hands around her hips and pushed his thick erection between her thighs, letting his hard shaft brush over her swollen lips and clit. Pleasure radiated outward from her core, bathing his cock with her cream. She moaned as anticipation built. Her inner muscles quivered, clenching in growing need.
“Elias.” The waiting was the worst part. She wanted the claiming over and done with.
He stroked his fingers over her, teasing for a brief moment before sliding his cock deep in one long slide. He was so big and hard, he stretched her to the limit, but it never crossed over into pain. Always pleasure.
“You okay?” His voice was low and guttural. She was beyond speech, so she simply nodded.
Her pussy rippled around his hard shaft as he remained still inside her, letting her body adjust to his invasion.
Soon it wasn’t enough. Her inner muscles contracted around his cock, squeezing tightly. He swore, pulled back to the tip and then plunged deep.
Sue sucked air into her lungs and clutched the covers beneath her. She wished she could see Elias, see his fierce expression as he drove into her again and again. He planted his hands next to hers. His much larger body surrounded hers. She felt protected rather than threatened. Elias would always use his strength to protect her. It was in his nature.
He licked her shoulder and let his teeth graze the tender flesh at the top of her spine. In spite of her determination to be brave, she tensed. Elias simply nibbled on her neck and then soothed the small sting with his tongue.
“Do it.” The waiting was making her more nervous.
Elias stilled and seemed to grow larger inside her. Anticipation swirled and tension gripped them both. Power pulsed in the air like a living, breathing predator.
Something sharp pricked her skin. She jerked and moaned as razor-sharp teeth sank deep into her flesh. The sting made her cry out in pain. She felt Elias start to withdraw.
“No. Finish it.” If she had to go through this to cement their relationship, so be it.
He growled and then she felt the light suction as he ingested some of her blood. She tried not to think about that. Elias flexed his hips, driving his shaft deep. Passion flared to life inside her. The primal invasion of her body by his, the taking of her blood, the claiming all culminated in that moment.
Heat enveloped her skin. It swelled from the inside out, threatening to incinerate her. Elias pounded into her, and she accepted his claim. She stiffened her arms and legs and forced herself to remain upright even though she wanted to do nothing more than melt into the mattress beneath her.
Elias supported his weight on one hand and fitted the other between her legs. The second he touched her clit, her orgasm shot through her like a shooting star. She cried out and her body jerked.
Elias retracted his teeth and roared. It was so loud and close to her ear she feared she might go deaf. His big body shuddered, and she felt the spurt of warmth enter her as he came. It sent another round of spasms through her.
His warm, rough tongue lapped at her shoulder. She was well and truly marked. Claimed by a werewolf. It was almost too fantastical to be real, yet here she was.
Her arms and legs could no longer support her weight and she collapsed. Elias covered her, his erection still throbbing deep inside. He managed to shift most of his torso off her so she could breathe.
She shivered, and he wrapped his muscled arms around her. “You’re mine now.” There was such satisfaction in his voice that she almost laughed. He was an arrogant beast, but he was all hers.
She shivered again, not quite sure what that would mean in the long run. There was so much for her to learn, to understand about him and the pack, but not tonight. She closed her eyes and rested in his warm embrace.
Elias struggled to catch his breath. His cock was swollen and surrounded by Sue’s wet heat. The taste of her blood was warm on his tongue. He nuzzled her neck, licking at the wound. It would scar, a permanent reminder to all who saw her that she belonged to him. He’d been very careful and the bleeding had almost stopped.
He’d hated hurting her, but his wolf had reveled in the claiming. The courage it had taken for her to give herself over to him was humbling. He’d smelled her fear, but mingled with it had been determination. A woman like Sue didn’t commit easily. She’d not only joined her life to his, but that of her son as well.
He spread his hand over her stomach. He had Sage and Reece as well as Billy now, but there was a yearning deep inside him, a longing to have a child with Sue. That wasn’t likely to happen. He’d already had his miracle, and she was lying in his arms.
Her hand covered his and squeezed. A lump formed in his throat and he swallowed heavily. “I’ll take good care of you and Billy.” It was important to him that she understood that.
“I know you will. We’ll take good care of you too.” Her pledge made his heart swell. No one had ever worried about him before. Even when he’d been a young pup, his mother had been more concerned about making him tough than coddling him. The harsh Alaskan environment was no place for a weak wolf. Survival depended on strength.
Only his older brother had ever looked out for him. It was why Elias hadn’t hesitated to leave their pack when Everett had found Marcie. He’d protected his small family, his pack, but he hadn’t been able to save them from a fatal car crash. That night would haunt him forever.
But he’d still had his nephews. His new mission in life had been to find them the safest home possible. He’d done that. Not once had he considered what he’d do when the boys were grown and living their own lives.
Now he had a new mission, and this one would last a lifetime. Sue was his mate. His to protect and to care for. He nuzzled her temple. They were both naked on top of the covers, their bodies sticking together with sweat. It was a hot evening with only a light breeze floating in through the window screen.
His erection finally went down enough for him to slip from Sue’s body. He turned her so she was facing him. Her sleepy smile made him hard again, but it was too soon. She was human, not werewolf, and needed time to recover.
She placed her small, work-roughened hand against his cheek. This was a woman used to hard work. One who never shirked her responsibilities or backed down from a challenge.
“You look so fierce.” She brushed her fingers over his forehead and rubbed at the lines between his brows. She stilled and hurt filled her eyes. “Are you having regrets?”
“Never.” That she would think that almost broke him. “I love you.”
“What did you say?” Her blue eyes grew even larger and more luminous than usual.
His scowled deepened. He hated talking about his feelings. “I love you.” He’d only ever said those words to two other people—his nephews. And this was far different. As much as he loved those boys, it was nothing compared to the powerful love he had for Sue.
A slow smile spread across her face. “You don’t look happy about it.”
He shrugged. “It makes me weak,” he muttered. In the world he’d been born into, a male did not show weakness of any sort.
She shook her head. “It makes you stronger.”
“Well,” he demanded.
Her smile grew
. “I love you too. Otherwise I’d never have let you bite me.” She reached up and touched her shoulder. “It doesn’t hurt. Not much.”
Elias was stunned by how easily she admitted she loved him. Power surged through him. He wanted to shift and run for hours. He wanted to howl at the moon. He literally wanted to beat his chest with pride that this woman was his. He didn’t think she’d appreciate any of those options, so he pounced on her and rolled her under him.
Her laugh went through him like a soothing balm, calming his wolf. “You belong to the big bad wolf now,” he teased.
She twined her arms around his neck. “You don’t look so tough to me.”
“I don’t, do I? I’ll have to fix that.” He growled and lowered his mouth to hers. Just before their lips touched, he tickled her sides. Sue shrieked with laughter and shoved at him. “Still don’t think I’m tough?” he teased. He tickled her again and she batted at his hands, laughing until tears fell from her eyes.
“I’m sorry. I stand corrected. You’re the fiercest wolf around.”
Sue couldn’t catch her breath. She’d never seen this playful side of Elias before. He always seemed so serious. Of course, he had a lot of responsibilities and had just added more with her and Billy. She liked that she could make him smile.
She laughed until her sides ached and her stomach hurt. Elias stopped, but he was still grinning. He touched his nose to hers. “You’re not so tough now, are you?” he countered.
“Payback is a bitch,” she promised. “Remember that.”
He laughed, rolled onto his back and pulled her into is arms. She rested her head on his shoulder and placed her hand over his heart. He loved her. He’d actually said the words. Granted, he hadn’t seemed happy about it, but that only made her love him more. They weren’t words he threw out lightly, and that made them all the more precious.
She reached up and touched her neck. The spot was tender and there was dried blood on her skin. Her stomach lurched, but she took a deep breath. This was no worse than a sharp cut, and it was important. The mark tied them together in his culture.
Wolf on a Mission: Salvation Pack, Book 6 Page 28
