The Wolf and His Forbidden Witch: A Howls Romance (White Mountain Shifters Book 2)

by Lisa Carlisle

  Sliding down between her legs, he licked her succulent flesh, and she moaned.

  “Grayson.” Her voice turned husky with want.

  He savored her sweet tang and slipped his fingers inside her to heighten her pleasure. She ran her hands through his hair. Soon, she was writhing beneath him, her sighs growing louder.

  As he brought her to the edge, her body arched and muscles tightened. Incoherent sounds escaped her. He increased the pressure, sending her spiraling. Her body shuddered, and she cried out his name.

  After the strongest of her quakes subsided, he quickly covered himself with a condom and slipped inside her.

  “Damn, you’re so wet, Aurora.”

  “Yes,” she murmured. “I believe you have something to do with that.”

  “Hope so.” He covered her mouth with his, tangling his tongue with hers as he slowly sank inside her. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, welcoming him in.

  A rumble emanated from his chest. “You’re so tight. Feel so good.”

  Once he was buried to the hilt inside his mate, he paused. A strange sense of being complete came over him. That’s what being loved by his mate felt like—she was his home.

  The urge to drive in and out of her grew stronger—as did the compulsion to claim her. His fangs emerged, itching with the desire to mark his mate.

  Now, his wolf urged. She’s the one.

  Grayson knew that, but she wasn’t a wolf shifter. He had to wait until she was comfortable with that, if ever.

  He attempted to ignore the itching in his fangs as he fucked her harder. He lifted her hips and rammed into her. She squealed and grabbed onto him, bucking against him from below.

  The intensity grew immense. Her cries turned ragged.

  Aurora sank back onto the pillow and she turned her head to the side, exposing her neck and shoulders. “Go ahead, Grayson. Mark me as yours.”

  His wolf danced inside. It had been pushing Grayson to claim her as his mate from the first moment they met. Was she truly ready for him to seal their mating with his bite?

  Before he grew too excited, he paused, “This is permanent, binding us always. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

  She looped her arms around his neck and ruffled the hair at the back. “Remember what I said about time being precious?”

  “Yes.”

  She stared into his eyes. “So let’s not waste another second.”

  “Okay.”

  The desire to mark her grew unbearable. He rocked into her again and bent down, opening his mouth to release his fangs. When the tips pierced the flesh near her shoulder, she gasped.

  Her sweet blood flowed over his tongue like nirvana, igniting a primal instinct that focused entirely on her. He’d do anything to protect this woman and wanted nothing more than to love and cherish her. A magical connection grew between them, so palpable that he thought it might be visible and solid in form. Yet, he didn’t see anything but a glowing, iridescent light that surrounded them, growing brighter as it expanded, and then it contracted, filling him with that soul-invigorating light.

  They were bonded. He had no doubt that magic had connected him to his mate. An urge to seal their connection on a physical level grew overpowering.

  He pulled his fangs out and licked the puncture wounds, and then he fucked her harder, with fierce thrusts that made her cry out.

  She tightened and quaked beneath him. “Grayson.”

  Her climax ignited his own, and it tore through him with a ferocity he’d never experienced. Pulse after pulse of fiery heat exploded out of him until he was spent. He all but collapsed on top of her, but prevented himself from crushing her with his hot and sweaty body.

  When his brain functioned again, he asked her, “Are you okay?”

  She gazed at him with warmth in her hooded eyes. “Absolutely. That felt amazing.” She smiled. “You?”

  After finally claiming his mate, he felt incredible. He felt euphoric, as if anything and everything was possible. Even as the pack edged ever closer to war, he wouldn’t change a moment of what had happened. With her at his side, he’d be willing to face anything.

  He gazed at the woman he loved. “With you as my mate, Aurora, I’m the luckiest shifter alive.”

  Chapter 13

  Aurora

  What a night—a terrifying, amazing, life-changing night.

  Aurora was now mated to a wolf shifter, and she had zero regrets. Every part of her sensed that it was right. She knew deep in her being that they were meant to be.

  She thanked the goddess for leading her to Grayson. Not only was he the most wonderful man Aurora had ever met, but he was a phenomenal lover. She didn’t know sex could feel that incredible, but she supposed it had something to do with them being so connected. Already, in such a short time, he was such a tremendous part of her life and she couldn’t imagine him not being in it. Their connection would grow with time, and she looked forward to them building their relationship together.

  After Aurora gathered her belongings from her hotel room and packed them in her trunk, Grayson said, “Walk with me a minute?”

  “Sure.” She took his offered hand, and they walked away from the hotel. “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see soon.” His tone revealed nothing.

  His hand was hot and trembling slightly. Or was it hers shaking?

  Grayson didn’t say anything as they walked on the brick sidewalks through the village. They passed several restaurants and shops. Curiosity drove her to want to repeat her question, but she’d find out soon enough.

  A few minutes later, Grayson stood in front of an empty brick storefront in between a bakery and clothing boutique. The windows were smeared with a white coating.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  Her brows drew closer together . “About?”

  “About your new shop space.” A mountain-wide grin spread across his face.

  Her mouth dropped open. “What?”

  “You told me how you wanted to have your own shop. I thought about it and talked to the CFO.” He winked. “He’s a tough businessman, but he saw the potential in your idea.”

  Aurora gaped at Grayson. He was talking about himself, but it was such an unexpected conversation, she didn’t even know where to begin to process it. She spun in what felt like slow motion back to face the empty storefront. The idea of opening up her own shop here was a dream—one she thought was out of reach for a long time.

  “Is this for real?” she asked. “Or am I dreaming?”

  Grayson laughed. “It’s one-hundred percent reality.” He stepped behind her and wrapped both arms around her waist. “Look at it, Aurora. Do you see the potential? Think of all you could do to make it your own.”

  Once she started to visualize the possibilities, the ideas wouldn’t stop. “It’s perfect. We could hang witch globes in the window, set up displays for herbs, offer personalized charms with candles and herbs…”

  Grayson squeezed her more tightly. “I’m glad you’re envisioning it. The inside is even better.”

  She turned in his arms and faced him. “Oh, Grayson. I don’t know. I mean, there’s so much to consider. First, I need to move up here. Also, I have to check my finances to see if I even have enough to start something like this.”

  “Fortunately, you have an in with the CFO, as well, since you’ve captured his heart.” He glanced down at her with warmth in his eyes. “He is ready to invest.” He arched a brow and gave her a knowing glance. “I also happen to know he has plenty of room in his house.”

  She placed her hand on her heart. “Oh my goodness. I can’t believe this. Why are you doing this for me?”

  “You’ve done so much for others,” Grayson said. “Especially me. I kept you up for here for selfish reasons—I didn’t want you to leave. You’ve made my dreams come true, so now I want to do something for you. Maybe you’ll let me start to help you realize yours.

  “Oh, my.” She covered her mouth and then dropp
ed her trembling hand. “Grayson, this is too much.”

  “It’s not nearly enough. You deserve the world, Aurora, but I’ll start with offering you my heart, if you take it.” He cocked his head. “And a key.

  He pulled one out of his pocket. “Here’s one for your store.” He then reached for another. “And the other for the house. Our house.” His eyes turned soulful and full of hope. “If you’ll consider moving in with me.”

  Happiness fluttered inside her, making her feel so light. “Consider it? Of course.” She threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Grayson.”

  After she pulled back, he handed her the key to the store. “Take a look inside.”

  Once they entered, she was buoyant, gushing about all the things she could do in the place. “This is amazing. Absolutely perfect.” She explored the two small rooms in the back. “We could do readings in this one,” she noted. “And the other could be an office.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” Then he cupped her face. “In all the real estate and financial deals I’ve been involved with, I’ve never been so excited about one like this.”

  Her bright eyes shined as she gazed at him. “That makes two of us.”

  He gazed down at her and his expression turned intense as he caressed her cheek. “You mean so much to me, Aurora. My lover, my heart, and my mate. I love you.”

  “Oh, Grayson.” Tears of happiness pooled in her eyes. So many emotions threatened to engulf Aurora, she wasn’t sure she could reply.

  He peered at her with concern. “Are you okay?”

  She blinked through the tears. “Yes, I’m just happy.”

  Grayson flashed her a one-sided grin. “The tears started to worry me. I feared I might have said something wrong.”

  She shook her head. “You said absolutely everything right, Grayson,” she clarified with a smile. “These are happy tears.”

  “Happy tears,” he repeated with a nod. “Got it.”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat before it choked her up. “Oh, Grayson. You are the most amazing man I’ve ever known. So considerate from the moment we met. How lucky I am that the universe brought us together.”

  He pointed overhead. “It must have been written in the stars.”

  “Yes,” she agreed with a breathy sigh.

  After he handed her the second key, the one to their house, he picked her up into his arms and kissed her.

  Epilogue

  Rafe

  Rafe pushed his chair back from his desk and stood facing the windows to view Franconia Mountain. His pack had worked so hard to build this resort. Since war seemed imminent with the Sacco pack, it could all fall apart.

  What good was he as alpha if he couldn’t even protect his pack? Sure, he’d led them to prosperous living with a financial cushion that provided comfortable homes for each. But if war was to follow, so would death. And destruction. And mourning.

  Then he’d be a failure as their alpha.

  He rubbed the tense muscles at the back of his neck. The chaos had started because of mates. Last fall, he’d been the one to suggest to Grayson and Damon that it was time they all found their mates. Rafe had been feeling the yearning for close to a year. It was as if his wolf sensed that she was close and was counting down the time to be able to meet her.

  Both Damon and Grayson found mates—and in both cases, it led to more complications with the Sacco pack. Now even the mountain air seemed tense, awaiting battle.

  Or, maybe that was the tension that had moved into Rafe’s skull, refusing to leave.

  He rolled his neck and shoulders. Damon’s earlier reluctance to find a mate echoed in Rafe’s head—they were trouble and could only lead to pain.

  Rafe turned from the window and grabbed his coat before he left his office. He’d return to his home on the mountain, the largest one, suitable for the CEO and alpha of the pack. No, not a home. It was a big, cold, empty house just for him. Devoid of talk or laughter. It was just Rafe alone each night, nursing a drink by himself in front of a lonely fire.

  He left the lodge located at the base of the mountain and hiked up to his house, but remained too restless to unwind. Instead, he stripped off his clothes, and went outside into the forest where he shifted to wolf form. He let his wolf run wild up the mountain, running on instinct. When scenting a rabbit, the thrill of the hunt propelled him to go forward. He tracked his prey and devoured it.

  Yet, even after the hunt, his wolf remained restless. Unsatisfied.

  Something was still missing. Someone was still missing.

  His wolf prowled back down the mountain, sniffing as if he was closer to catching the scent of her—his elusive mate.

  Author’s note: Thanks for reading Grayson and Aurora’s story. As you may guess, Rafe’s story is next in the Alpha and His Enemy Wolf! You don’t want to miss what’s in store for Rafe!

  Order now!

  Want a sneak peek? Read on for the first chapter of The Alpha and His Enemy Wolf, book 3 in the White Mountain Shifters series!

  Chapter One

  Rafe

  Dawn spread across the mountain, bathing it in early light. Rafe finished his coffee as he stared out of his window. This quiet time before all the patrons arrived was his favorite time to ski. He had a few minutes to himself as he navigated down from his home built on the side of the mountain to his office in the lodge.

  He needed that serenity, especially in recent weeks. With his pack growing ever closer to war with his rival pack, the Saccos, he was on edge as his enforcers, who were stacked along the borderline, itching for his go ahead to tear into Sacco flesh or fur.

  Rafe finished his breakfast and put on his gear, strapping on his skis once he stepped outside. He skied through a path carved through the forest to a main trail on Franconia Mountain. The morning sun was bright and dew lingered in the air. As he approached the bottom of the trail, he caught a scent and skidded to stop. A Sacco wolf had been there. Its stench still permeated the air.

  That meant they’d trespassed into his pack’s territory. Rafe swore and gripped the ski poles so tightly, he wouldn’t be surprised if they snapped. He searched for any sign of a Sacco. If he spotted one of them, he’d impale him with the pointed end of the pole. The mountain appeared serene, with no signs of intruders.

  A Sacco wolf has been near the main chairlift. The scent is fresh, he communicated telepathically to his enforcers.

  We’ll look into it, Valen, one of the veteran enforcers, replied.

  You haven’t detected them along the border?

  The enforcers had been patrolling on the pack line, on watch for a Sacco attack.

  We haven’t seen any sign of them along this border, Valen replied.

  They must have accessed our territory from another entry point. Watch for them. After he ended the conversation, Rafe completed his run and practically tore off his skis before he entered the lodge and bounded up the stairs two at a time.

  Was war the better option?

  He’d been trying to avoid war with his rival pack to avoid unnecessary death. His beta wolf, Grayson, had convinced him that peace was the better option. However, Grayson’s negotiations with the Saccos had failed. And the Saccos slipped over the past few nights, committing infractions to hamper operations of Franconia Mountain Ski Resort. Rafe was furious and only a hair’s breadth away from declaring war.

  He was an alpha, after all. He wouldn’t tolerate these assaults. He’d spent the past decade building up the resort with Grayson to the success it was today—a venture that allowed him and his wolf pack to live and prosper here in the mountains. During negotiations, the Saccos had dared demand Franconia Mountain as retribution for the death of one of their enforcers at the hands of a Sacco.

  How dare they ask for something they expended no energy in building? Rafe clenched his jaw. He thought he figured out why—they didn’t want the resort to exist at all. The backward pack preferred to live in nature. If they took control of the mountain, they’d let the wilderness take
over the way it did in their territory. Trees would grow on the ski trails, cutting through the abandoned chair lifts. Rafe would tear apart every wolf in their pack before letting them destroy what he’d built.

  Minutes after he’d removed his ski boots and switched into a fur-lined pair, Grayson, both beta of the pack and CFO of the resort, entered his office. He was usually well-groomed, but he had growth on his face and bags under red eyes. Stress and lack of sleep were affecting all in the pack.

  “I smelled them too,” Grayson declared.

  Rafe slammed his fist on his desk. “The audacity.” He spat and shook his head. “Did you find any damage to equipment?”

  “No. It looked like they attempted to break through a lock, but weren’t successful.”

  Rafe scowled. “They might return to finish the job.”

  “I have an enforcer who can guard the area.”

  Rafe cocked his head. They’d already spread them thin along the mountain. “Who?”

  “Damon.”

  “Damon?” he repeated with a slight flinch.

  Damon was the enforcer who had fought the Sacco wolf—and fortunately won. Once the Saccos demanded his head, Rafe and Grayson told him to leave for his safety until the situation was resolved.

  “Once he learned that negotiations had failed, he returned, eager to do his part to defend the pack.”

  Rafe nodded. “Yes, station him near the main lift tonight. I have a feeling they’ll be back.”

  “Will do, alpha,” Grayson replied.

  “And if anyone catches a Sacco, hold them for me.”

  Mila

  “Are you sure you can do this?” Mila’s father, the alpha of the Sacco pack, asked her.