Awakening: Book 1

by L. T. Marshall

  “I don’t think they ever intended you to be with me. This is where you’re needed. They wouldn’t give you a role if they didn’t think you could do it.” My words are rushed, babbling mainly, cheeks flushing, a little breathless. Focusing on sliding sideways like some sad little untouched having a freak out, because he has a penis, and it’s like I just realized, because I’m sitting on it. Distracted from the levity of what we’re talking about because Colton is making me …. hot. That’s the word! Really, really hot. Squirmy. My whole body pulsating with need now that it’s caught on to what’s happening. I think I’m experiencing my first full on hormonal breakdown, full haze mode initiated, and craving things I shouldn’t.

  My wiggling does seem to change the atmosphere a little, and the way he frowns at me as he sits up and glances down at my weird moving in his lap, says it all. I react by looking much like a rabbit caught in the headlights, widening my eyes in embarrassment, and try to smile, albeit weirdly at him, to distract him from the fact I’m trying to dislodge my butt from his manhood. I feel like an idiot and slide straight back into his groin with a minor bump that does extract a twinge of movement that makes me gasp lightly. I ignite a semi now he’s aware of where my thoughts are and my grinding on it unintentionally.

  Oh my god. I didn’t mean to and now, it’s like that elephant in the room… literally, and I spazz out mentally. Freak out in full. Completely flustered, face so flushed I know I’m probably crimson from chin to roots and my movements are clumsy. It feels bigger like this and it intimidates me more than a lot, now I can feel it half hard, and probing my ass way more.

  I get a hint of dimple as a slight knowing smile moves in, a raised brow, and his whole aura changes from down and depressed to ‘well, hello, are you doing what I think you’re doing?’. That cheeky twinkle in his eye and it’s obvious my hormones are giving his hormones the come on. I literally see the slide of Latino Lothario as Colton’s whole aura changes to wolf mode, and his eyes begin to glow. His prey caught in his sights and I become hyper aware that every cell of my body heightens to crazy levels. His wolf rattles mine, and I can’t stop the way she piques; knowing my eyes start to glow in response to his primal signals as she uncurls deliciously. I’m suddenly super aware of every part of his anatomy, and tingling with apprehension, as our bodies start to tune in on one another in the first stages of going into heat. This is new for me and the timing couldn’t be any worse.

  He slides his hand under my hair to catch me in his hold, locking his eyes on mine as his pupils dilate, and things get real heavy real fast, so that my lungs literally stop functioning. He lifts my chin and brings his face to mine so our noses graze, the contact ignites a fire inside of me, and I groan softly, so quiet no one in the room hears it but him and I forget that there’s other people here. Colton is all in horn mode, his erection growing under me, only making this worse, and I think he even forgets we’re sat beside his mom. I almost self-combust as though he zaps me with a taser when he grips me a little harder and move sin with intention.

  “I don’t believe never was in the plan. You’re here now. They brought you back to me.” It’s so soft it’s barely audible, his voice tickles my mouth as he runs the tip of his tongue across his bottom lip and sucks it in, sexy as hell. I pant in response as one of his hands slides under my ass and cups a cheek with a small squeeze. My underwear gets clammy, my heart rate almost explodes, and I press my thighs together to combat the aching sensations down there while I bite on my own lip, such is the desire to do that to him. My head gets insanely foggy, and all I can do is lean in, crave with a hunger like I ‘m starving to have that tongue in my mouth. The memory of his kiss fueling me on with abandon. My nails rake across his chest as I begin to slide my hands up in readiness to curl around his neck. Instincts taking over as my wolf dominates with her unyielding need.

  He tilts down softly, and I know what’s coming, the slow move in, the way he lifts me to him by the ass as he grazes his nose against mine, and as much as I start to get drawn in, aching for him to do it, something tugs me mentally, clawing slowly at the back of my mind. I’m almost drooling as I relent and start to close my eyes, my heart pounding through my chest, and I want those hands of his to slide up my shirt and feel me out. Yet, I can’t.

  Sense claws at me as he gets so insanely close his lip softly slides against mine, igniting a desire and passion unmatched, and it takes every ounce of will power and strength in me to close my mouth, breathing so heavily I might pass out, and inhale like I need oxygen badly, through my nose. It’s incredibly painful and takes everything I have in me to lean back and break the headiness of being caught up in his scent, his touch, his power over me, which inevitably leads to more. Our mixed emotions of strong desire and need for sex is pulsating between us, and I honestly don’t know where I find the strength to break it.

  I lift my hand and stop him midway, with a hand over his soft lips, and close my eyes tight while I try to regain some control and attempts to rationalize. Breathing in and out and slowly, counting to ten while praying my body calms down and saves me from my own weakness. Colton halts, sensing my change, and has the decency to sit still and not push me. I swear, if he did, I would lose and probably traumatize the doc with a vulgar display of porn in the infirmary. I honestly, for a second, thank the stars Colton doesn’t force my hand, even though his own need is almost overpowering me.

  We clearly have the attraction, and every day the haze gets closer my own body will start to betray me, just like this. I turned this year, so this will be my first heat, and god, it’s going to kill me if this is anything to go by. Maybe this is that, creeping in, or maybe it’s just the downside to imprinting, so that when we get too intimate the need to screw gets right in there, but whatever it is, it’s a reminder to stay away from him like this from now on. Close contact is a no. We can’t fight it.

  “Don’t. Some things I can’t forgive. You’re just making this messy.” I shove him back forcefully, my voice shaking, not able to breathe properly, a whispering tone as I slide off his lap, getting on my own two feet on Jell-O legs and a lot of lightheadedness. I avoid his eyes, but Colton isn’t about to give up.

  He catches me by the waist and pulls me to him bodily, so I collide into his now standing frame, and almost crumble. Maybe it’s a last-ditch attempt to play on what’s already ignited between us and throwing caution to the wind, but I’m getting stronger by the second now I haven’t got him all around me, hemming me in.

  “Are you really going to stay mad at me for an eternity and deny this between us? Come on, baby. I get that you’re angry, but really? Never? When it feels like this? When we both want it this much.” He leans in, aiming to carry on his smooth seduction, nuzzling into me as though this is merely my being a stubborn girl, and this is all a game. Pulling me up against him and wrapping me in tight as he tries for a second go at aiming a kiss, but it riles my temper, and I snap. From lust crazed to pissed in zero point five seconds.

  “Colton, stop it, let me go.” I start fighting him, but he has octopus arms and manages to get me tangled up with him no matter which way I tray and escape.

  “No can do. It’s not in me to let you go again. You’ve got me crazy right now.” He makes a joke of it, pinning my arms around me and swiftly leans in to peck me on the lips and gets himself a knee to the groin. I’m not playing, and I know I started this, but I’m stopping it now, and he needs to accept it and fuck off.

  Colton is faster than me though, blocks my assault and just gives me that cheeky boy, dimpled grin that infuriates me. Making light of the heaviness that’s between us and pushing my mood off like water on a duck’s back.

  “Nice try. Good to see your time without me brought out the fierce. I like a bit of rough in a girl.” He slowly unwinds me, chuckling at my furious glare, and then leans in, cups my face, steals a quick lip to lip kiss before I slap him hard in the abdomen for doing it against my will. Crossing the line even if a second ago I was begging for it.
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  He makes an ‘oof’ noise, clutches it, then throws up defensive palms and laughs at me. He’s not deterred, or mad, he’s seeing that little thing between us as a ray of hope that he might get his way if he plays his cards right and might even take advantage of getting up close again. My hackles rise, and I go into defensive mode, eyes glowing with warning that he needs to back off. Insides calming from what that was and instead igniting in fury, ready to claw him half to death.

  “Okay, I surrender, red eyes. I get it. You need more time and I need to up my apology game. Maybe calm my testosterone while I’m at it.” That smug, cute boy face, and the bro mannerisms, as he adjusts his own black sweats and rolls his shoulder to relieve some of his own sexual tension.

  “You need to go choke.” I snap at him sulkily, pushing past him in barging for the direction of the door, irritated by him, at him, at me. So annoyed that he took liberties when I was showing weakness and pissed me off all the more.

  “It’s not a preference, but if it gets you hot, I’m into trying it.” He adds with a raised brow, that complete inappropriate sexual innuendo getting another slap in response as I spin on him, instinct making me lash out to maim the asshole and he cowers away playfully, laughing harder at me and clutching his side as though hilarity is painful. Utterly entertained at my amusing him. Not fazed by my anger one bit. Not taking this seriously at all, and not injured by my feeble aims … this guy who was literally seconds away from betraying his new mate bond and cheating on his Luna.

  JERK!!

  He backs away with a raised set of hands, that goofy smile of adoration, looking at me in that wicked devilish way that makes my blood boil. All happy, teenage asshat, who doesn’t see anything wrong in what just went down.

  “Honestly, you just … arghhh” I half growl at him, self-combusting with sheer frustration, and pent up rage. No longer willing to play this weird whatever it is, losing my cool, and being as immature as him. I turn again, go to storm out of the infirmary, fueled with hot anger and returned hatred. Seeing the doc and medic glancing my way as I stomp my hardest towards the door, glad they didn’t actually see us getting hot and heavy back there and throw daggers back at the room I’m leaving.

  I walk smack bang into an incoming figure in the doorway, and almost trip over them in the process, muffling a shocked yelp as they right me to my feet with a mumbled apology, and then look past me directly.

  “Alpha … we have incoming.” It’s a low tense sentence and my heart stops beating. It shuts me up, my blood runs cold and I mentally try and calculate if it’s been long enough for Deacon and his pack to get here. It’s only been a couple of hours, surely it can’t be. My blood runs cold, cooling my jets, and dispersing my tantrum as seriousness makes me turn to look back at Colton standing in the room by the bed.

  Colton mentioned attacks…. maybe it’s Juan and his men, or maybe it’s vampires. I feel instantly sick, my insides turning to dust, but Colton springs into action, the ever-ready warrior, the smile fading and the carefree dropping around his feet. He seems to grow taller, look stronger, his eyes turning to a low glowing amber as his expression calms completely. A born leader pushing everything else aside when faced with an actual threat.

  “It’s showtime!” He sounds out confidently, those eyes burning brighter as he bristles up and gets ready to go out there and take down whatever threat is coming for his people.

  Deacon

  I flash a wary look at the Doc in the corner, who turns a paler shade, his brow furrowing, etching his features into that of worry, and he casts an evasive look back at me. He darts a glance at Colton then back again to me, suddenly sheepish.

  “It can’t be Deacon, right? It’s too early!” I point out while asking him to confirm, to calm my own sudden whirlwind of nerves, hating the apprehension I can feel from him, but he swallows loudly.

  “I may have over exaggerated our head start rather somewhat, a teensy little bit. I didn’t want to alarm you and give you reason to doubt coming with me, dear girl. If you knew they were hot on our heels, so to speak, you would have queried the plan and I had faith the fates would intervene if we just got out. I had to keep the sedation low, so I didn’t kill my human staff in the process, and sadly that meant the wolves recovered quickly.” He’s apprehensive about admitting to a lie, recoiling slightly and I give him a deflated smile, translating that it’s okay and it doesn’t really make much difference now, because it is what it is.

  “Damn right, it’s Deacon. Meadow and the pack are tracing them down the north road in, following them. They’ll be here in a couple of minutes.” Colton growls and sweeps past me, determination oozing from him, and that growing hostility coming off him like a dense smoke. He’s moving into battle mode in his head and I can’t do much except follow him out of the infirmary. Knowing no matter what, I should be out there for this entourage arriving. After all, it’s because of me and Sierra they are even coming. “You should stay here.” Colton flashes me back a moody look, fierce, overbearing protectiveness shining through, and gets my ‘hell no’ glare of warning flashed right back.

  I’m not about to be sat in the corner and cotton wrapped because Colton thinks he needs to take care of a feeble little femme. This femme took down a bear, and she isn’t about to be intimidated by that idiot Deacon.

  ‘That son of a bitch darted me in the back. I’m not missing him crawling up and realizing this is a Santo domain! I want to experience that epiphany and watch him grovel.’ It’s through gritted teeth as my own aggression peeks, thinking about that smug assholes face, and the longing to kick him in the balls when I was in the facility. That little simmer of rage ignites and my skin tingles in anticipation, revving up my anger for that slimy weasel.

  “You stay on my ass then. Stay close where I can intervene should I need to.” Colton drops that overbearing, no nonsense command, and turns away, obviously picking up on my stubborn tone and knowing arguing with me is futile. Still has to be in charge of my safety though.

  He leads the way immediately, straight out into the hallway, through the foyer, and out the still open main door at hyper speed. Other wolves either getting out of the way, or turning and following their leader, as I assume, he pack links and issues orders.

  He’s eager to get out front and await our guests. His wolf starting to peek in the glowing of his eyes and that snarl in his tone, but he keeps it in check and stays mostly human, rolling his shoulders and leaning forward lightly, so that stance of psycho comes through prominently when we come to a halt at the gravel driveway that spans the whole front width of the homestead.

  Wolves tend to hunch forward and look at you from a tilted down chin. It’s usually because as wolves we prefer to go to all fours even though we can walk upright, and Colton seems caught between the two. Stance and lowered head as his eyes glow viciously and his words take on that dominant growl in the undertones. He isn’t planning on turning, but he is planning on intimidating the shit out of Deacon. I can sense his actions and read him way better than I used to be able to. I wonder if our wolves are synching a little because of the closeness of how we got in the infirmary, or maybe I’m just getting better at dissecting the mood and picking out who’s belongs to who.

  He leads us out across the new, cleared sweeping gravel drive, all the vehicles are gone, and I can see how huge the forefront of the homestead’s entry is. Without the wolves flanking and taking us in without seeing it, I can appreciate the wide vast space, tree lined with dense forest, and only one narrow opening coming in north bound. Colton was right about this being smaller than the manor at the mountain, but it’s still pretty impressive.

  The headlights flash in the far distance through that gap in the trees and I realize it’s because the road is straight, and long, and standing here, we can see it for a couple of miles. Being dark means we can see the flickering lights moving in on us. Like incoming orbs bouncing around on uneven gravel terrain.

  “Two trucks… Radar can pick out heat signatur
es of twelve wolves between the two.” Colton murmurs it at me, as if Radar being able to do that isn’t a surprise, and now his name makes perfect sense. He can see body heat through objects, infrared sight.

  Something slight catches my eye distracting me from this wonder, just past him as I look his way. Adjusting my nocturnal vision, I realize Santo wolves are moving in from the tree line stealthily and standing spread out around us in the shadows. Watching, waiting, prepping to be there should their alpha need them, and I again hate that I’m not linked in and hearing the communications between them all. It’s obvious by the silent way they get in position and nod at one another that there’s a line of chatter getting them where needed. They’re preparing for battle because they don’t know how things are going to play out.

  “Doc said there were nineteen wolves at the facility, so I’m guessing he left a few behind to keep the humans in check.” I add in afterthought, sticking close to him as a few warm bodies close up behind us, wolves I don’t know well but we’re being flanked by more than a dozen anyway, and I wonder where the sub pack are.

  Colton starts pacing, side to side, adrenalin, and hostile levels are so high he’s even affecting me, and my body starts to lightly vibrate. Watching the oncoming truck, bristling with fierceness, and all I can do is watch, and wait, with held breath. Nervousness hitching up because I don’t know how this is going to go, and even though we outnumber them, I’m still not a wolf that’s ever had to battle another wolf like this. Colton doesn’t count that one time he triggered me, and I can’t even remember it happening. I feel nauseous even while still crazily angry at Deacon and start wringing my hands together to calm my stupid nerves.

  Colton walks six feet to the left, turns and walks it back again, like a caged animal, and I can taste his impatience in wanting to deal with this. He’s stiff, and solid looking, ready to pounce, and I can taste the nearness of his wolf as he verges on turning. It’s like a high-level energy feeding mine, and my own wolf starts to internally wriggle around with a need to show face.