Cole (A Wolf Shifter Romance Novel) (The Steelman Shifters Book 1)

by Ruby Brooks

  “No. It’s only ever been you.”

  “Right answer.”

  When I slid my tongue against her, she released a moan, and I smiled to myself. I was going to enjoy hearing the various ways I could make her fall apart beneath me. Flicking my tongue against her, her grip tightened on my shoulders as her breath came out in pants.

  “Cole… you’re not doing enough,” she moaned.

  “Not enough?” I sucked her into my mouth and she moaned louder.

  “Yes,” she hissed. “That’s better.”

  “What about now?” I slid a finger inside her and she bucked her hips. I let out a light chuckle before continuing, making her moan, and wriggle under me. I got her right where I wanted her before slowing down, teasing her.

  “Cole…”

  I was loving the sound of my name on her lips. Showing her mercy, I resumed my original pace. I watched as she came apart, moaning out my name.

  “Get back here,” she demanded, pulling me up to meet her lips.

  “Yes, ma’am. When did you get so bossy?”

  I knew she could taste herself on my lips and, fuck, it turned me on more.

  “When did you get so… big?”

  I grinned. “Does that mean you like my body?” I had been training twice a day, minimum, after I had healed from the stabbing, even when I was stuck in my wolf form. I couldn’t afford to be caught out again.

  “Well, obviously,” she hadn’t stopped touching me and the flush I grew up loving was growing on her cheeks. “Is it my turn to please you?” She whispered.

  “No. Tonight is all about you,” I kissed her softly, slowing things down this time. Her hands tugged at my pants and I pulled them off, watching as her eyes widened.

  “I— I, Cole. I don’t have any condoms.”

  “Good job I do.”

  “Did you know this would happen tonight?”

  “I always hoped,” I murmured, climbing on top of her. “The laboratory I was in this morning had a box of them. I don’t think anyone will miss them.”

  “You were in the lab?” Her body stiffened and I slid my fingers between her legs again, relaxing her.

  “We aren’t talking about that stuff tonight, remember? It’s all about us.”

  “Hmm,” her eyes rolled back and she opened her legs wider, giving me easier access. I sighed when she trailed her fingers down me again and I slid the condom on.

  I gave her another deep kiss before withdrawing my fingers.

  “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” I asked, looking for any hint of resistance.

  “Yeah,” she whispered, smiling up at me. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to put that smile on her face.

  We both groaned when I slid into her, her nails dug into my back as she pulled me closer. I gripped her hips, lifting her slightly to deepen the angle. Making love to her was the best idea I ever had and I would do anything to keep this moment between us.

  I had to tell her what happened that night, but I forced it all out of my mind.

  “Cole. I— I need…”

  “What do you need, baby?” I nipped at her leg that I hooked over my shoulder and her eyes rolled back into her head.

  I let her find her release first before finding my own, and didn’t pull out of her until I set her down in the shower to clean her.

  ✽✽✽

  “The alarm is going to go off soon,” Hayley hissed, shaking me out of my sleep inertia. “If they find you here… where is your room exactly?”

  “It’s that prison cell. You watched me walk from there yesterday.”

  “So it was you?” She gasped.

  “Who was the guy going after you? Has he hurt you?”

  “Micah?” Great, so she knew his name. I shouldn’t be jealous, I had no right to be. “He’s no one.”

  “There’s something there,” I commented. I slid out of her bed instantly missing her body wrapped around me. Staying here tonight was reckless and dangerous, but I had no regrets. Although, if I was to do it again, I’d do a better job of leaving my clothes somewhere I could find them easily.

  “Cole,” she hissed again. “You need to go.”

  “I’m trying,” I pulled on my clothes and rushed over to her, giving her a kiss. “I’m joining you in training today. What should I expect?”

  “For your arse to be handed to you.”

  “By who?” I scoffed.

  “Me,” she flashed me a grin and I returned one of my own.

  “You can try,” I couldn’t tear myself away from her. I took more kisses from her before she responded.

  “Thanks to you, my wolf is slowly coming back. I could even take on Andrew and his friends.”

  The sound of his name on her lips sobered me up. “Leave him to me.”

  “No.”

  “Yes.”

  “No.”

  “Fucking hell. You haven’t changed a bit. I love that,” I added the latter in a rush, “but I forgot how crazy you drive me. Please, Hayley, leave him to me.”

  She narrowed her eyes and glared at me. I didn’t look away and I knew she only did it first because she was conscious of the alarm going off.

  “Okay, fine. But you owe me.”

  “I owe you a fuck ton,” I kissed her once more, sliding my tongue into her mouth. Her hands roamed my body and I groaned, pulling away from her reluctantly. “Now who is making me late?”

  “Go,” she giggled, burying herself under the covers again.

  “I’m glad we are together again.”

  “But we are trapped.”

  “No, we aren’t. We’ll talk later about this, okay?”

  “Okay,” she said as I ran out of the room before she tempted me into bed with her again.

  Keeping my senses on high alert, I remembered I forgot to tell her to subdue hers. I needed to give her some credit, though, because surely she would know the situation it would put us both in if word got out. My only hope was she wouldn’t let her fear of Andrew coming after her again take over because she would probably shift.

  No one provided any food for me at the cell and I wondered if I had missed it. I followed Nathan’s scent to a room and knocked, waiting for him.

  “What do you want?” he barked. He looked rumpled as though he had just gotten out of bed. I committed the fact he followed a similar sleeping pattern to everyone else to my memory – it may come in handy later. Know your enemy and all that.

  “Good morning to you, too. I need breakfast.”

  “Right. I’ll order some to your cell.”

  “Why can’t I have a room?”

  “Because you are spending your night in Hayley’s bed? I love how she kicked you out before feeding you,” he let out a laugh.

  “You know about that?”

  “Do I look like I was born yesterday?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Fuck off then. Your food will be ready shortly.”

  “Nice talking to you too,” I muttered at the door, which he shut in my face. At least he didn’t reprimand me for spending time with Hayley, so I guess that meant he had granted permission?

  I didn’t know what anything meant anymore. I needed a solid, definite plan to get out of here. I paced the corridor outside my cell as I waited for some breakfast. I barely had time to digest it before the alarm rang.

  I caught up to her in the hallway and pressed her against the wall, keeping an ear out in case someone spotted us.

  “Hide your abilities, okay? Fight like you fought before,” she looked like she wanted to argue so I placed my fingers on her lips. “Listen to me. What do you think will happen when they realise my blood will make them stronger? I’ll become a target too. Let’s keep it to ourselves.”

  “Okay, I get it. Get off me, you big brute.”

  “You love it,” I stole another kiss from her before leaving a respectable distance between us as we reached the training room. “What’s the instructor like?”

  Hayley shuddered. “He’s a prick. Feel free to hit him for me
whenever you are ready to break us out.”

  I watched him the whole session, figuring out what she meant. He was checking out Hayley both when she noticed – and when she didn’t. I didn’t have to be Sherlock to put two and two together there.

  I guess Carl’s name was another one to add to my growing hit list. He worked the group hard though, and it was tough pretending that it affected me when it didn’t. I caught Hayley’s eye and she grimaced, experiencing the same.

  Andrew was visibly pissed that Hayley had healed. I wanted to partner with him and hurt him, but I let Hayley have the pleasure. She feigned failing some punches and winced at the right moments when she received blows that didn’t hurt her.

  I was so proud of her for breaking out of her shell and finding that confidence in herself I knew she always had. This Hayley was a completely different one to the wallflower at school. In a sick way, this place had made her bloom.

  When we got back to her room after training, I took her straight into bed, showering her with my affection. I ignored the fact neither of us were addressing the elephant in the room. I guess some things never change.

  Chapter 19

  Hayley

  “Hayley, it’s me. It’s safe to open up.” Cole rapped at my door. I hadn’t slept all night, worried about him. I ran to the door and unlocked it, letting him in. He wrapped his arms around me and pressed a kiss to my head as I sagged with relief.

  “Is everything okay?” I checked him out, making sure there weren’t any injuries.

  “Yeah,” he smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “We need to talk.”

  “Uh, yeah. Every time we do though…” I batted my eyes at him and grinned as his gaze darkened slightly.

  “Don’t tempt me,” he teased, lifting me with ease into his arms. “Seriously, I need to talk to you about something.”

  He placed me down on the bed and I curled into his arms. “What’s happened?”

  “Nothing, it’s not about the mission tonight,” he picked up a strand of my hair and curled it around his finger like he always used to when we cuddled. I loved that he hadn’t changed. “I know that every few weeks Nathan uses a substance to subdue your wolf. I also know how to stop it.”

  “What?”

  “I want to draw your wolf out, but… you will need to make yourself packless.”

  “The pack is all I have left.”

  His arm tightened around me. “Where are they, Hales? I’m still so fucking angry that they didn’t do enough to save you,” he scoffed. “I want to help you, but I can’t when you are still under Tristan’s influence.”

  “What happened between you two? I always thought you were close.”

  “We were. Anyway, that’s not the point. We only have an hour before the alarm goes.”

  “I’m not sure I agree with this.”

  Cole shuffled on the bed, so we were facing each other and he cupped my cheek. “I know it’s hard. You were packless before, but it won’t be like that.”

  “Can I join your pack?”

  “No.”

  “But—”

  “Hayley,” he cut me off. “You are going to lead my pack with me. You are either by my side or not at all, there is no way I am having you under me like that.”

  My heart blossomed at his words. “You mean that?”

  “What did I do to make you doubt my feelings for you?”

  I bit my lip. “I thought you’d never come for me. That you’d forgotten about me.”

  “I could never forget about you.” He pressed a kiss to my lips and I immediately deepened it, making him groan. He rolled me underneath him, pinning me down. “Please, Hayley. I will beg you if I have to.”

  “Why?” Given I didn’t want to join the Steelman pack at first, I had changed my tune. I didn’t want to be completely alone again and I was scared I’d upset my wolf.

  “So I can protect you.”

  “You are always trying to protect me,” I muttered. “How are we going to do it?”

  “You need to break the bond with the Steelman pack so I can influence you properly.”

  “I told you last night not to use it to your advantage.”

  “This isn’t to my advantage… what is wrong tonight? Did someone come by?” he asked, massaging my cheek with his thumb.

  “No. I don’t know what’s wrong. I just… mentioning the pack has brought all of the memories back.” I pulled out of his grip and lay on my back, staring at the ceiling. “No one came for me, Cole. Why did you?”

  He paused before answering. “Because I love you.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes,” he breathed. “Yes.”

  I pressed my lips together and willed myself not to cry. “I thought you’d died. I saw you collapse on the floor.”

  “I know. I’m not that weak anymore.”

  I slid my eyes across his body. “No, I can tell you aren’t.”

  He tipped my chin with his fingers, so I had to look at him again. I was grateful he wasn’t pushing me to say the same back. I knew I loved him, but I was hurt. He still held so many secrets from me and I couldn’t look past that yet.

  “Please, Hayley. Let me take care of you.”

  “Okay, fine,” I relented, at a loss of other ideas. “Will it hurt?”

  “Yes.”

  “Great.”

  “I’ll be here for you though. Do the others know that you are still part of the Steelman pack?”

  “No. Carl commented on me being packless on my first day. Actually, Andrew tried to join the Steelman pack apparently, but failed.”

  “Interesting,” Cole pursed his lips, lost in thought for a moment. “Come on, let’s get you to shift.” Cole rolled out of bed with more confidence in me than I had.

  “Shift?” I felt equal parts dread and excitement. “I don’t think I can.”

  Cole closed his eyes for a moment and, when he looked at me, he looked almost ashamed. “I’m going to make you.”

  “Right,” I commented, kneeling on the floor across from him. “How are we going to do this?”

  He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers delicate. His voice was anything but though.

  “Shift.” He ordered, and I gasped in pain. I braced my hands on the floor as I felt the pain radiate from my core to everywhere.

  “Breathe, Hayley. Embrace it.”

  I couldn’t make out the rest of his words. There was a roaring noise in my ears and when Cole pressed his hand over my mouth, I realised it was coming from me. Sweat slid down my back as I watched in awe as my hands began to change.

  “Cole,” I cried.

  “I know, baby. I know.”

  As the pain became too much, I started begging him to stop. As soon as I did, it stopped. I peered at him through my wolf’s eyes; he grinned at me. He reached out to stroke my head and I let out a soft growl.

  I missed this. I felt strong again. Powerful. And I no longer felt afraid.

  “There she is,” Cole whispered. His eyes looked more vivid and I could see the dark circles under them.

  “What’s wrong?” I whined and he shook his head.

  “Later. I need you to break the bond.”

  I sighed but my wolf was eager to please Cole.

  Are you sure? I asked my wolf.

  “Yes.”

  I questioned Cole with my eyes and he gave me a sad smile.

  “Find the bond, Hayley, and break it. I can’t really explain it to you, you just have to feel it.”

  “I’m scared.”

  “Don’t be. You aren’t going to be alone again,” he said it with such force that I believed it.

  I closed my eyes, trying to find the pack bond. I still remembered the day I had made it and what it signified. How naïve of me. My wolf didn’t stop me when I tugged at the bond, and pulled, hard.

  I groaned in pain as Cole sighed, feeling the disconnect.

  “Shift back, Hayley. I want to talk to you.”

  “I don’t want to,” I
protested. “I’m stronger like this.”

  “You’re strong anyway. I’m not going to let the treatment lock away your wolf again.”

  “I’m putting a lot of faith into you right now.”

  “I know.”

  “You never do the same for me. What happened last night?”

  “If you shift back, I’ll tell you.”

  “I hate it when you do this.”

  “I know,” he gave me a cheeky smile at the fact he was taunting me and shrugged. “Do it.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him and tried to shift back. My wolf resisted at first until I reminded her this was under Cole’s instructions, and she relented immediately. Sometimes I hated that she would side with him every time. I told Cole so.

  “Because I’m your mate,” he said simply. “To answer your other question… I don’t want to tell you what happened last night because I’m ashamed.”

  I was completely naked, my clothes shredded on the floor, but Cole wasn’t looking at me. He had a faraway look in his eyes and was looking at the ground.

  “When I first got here, I made a deal with Nathan. He makes sure you are protected and I do jobs for him. Last night was one of those jobs.” He rubbed at his chin, the stubble growing there making him look older than he was. “I took out an entire pack, Hayley.”

  “How many?”

  “Eighty? Eighty-five? The hunters took the alpha.”

  I crawled over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Why?”

  “Why?” he chuckled, without humour. “Because all I want is for you to be safe.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and held me.

  “But—”

  “No buts. Eight, eighty, or eight hundred… I’d do it all for you.”

  “That’s twisted,” but I couldn’t help but fall in love with him a little harder.

  He pressed a kiss on my bare shoulder. “I know. We are going to get out of here, okay? I have a plan, but I just wanted to give you a few more days to train.”

  “I’m ready now.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive.” I leaned back so I look into his eyes. “I have been waiting for this. I want revenge.”

  He gave a broad smile, flashing his teeth. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  I kissed him and his hands tightened on my waist. He released one hand, bringing up to the back of my head, holding me in place.