by Lacey Thorn
“Claim me?”
He watched her shiver at his phrase, but the scent hitting his nose assured him she was as turned on as he was.
“I’m going to fuck you until you’re covered in my scent. Then I’m going to finish putting my mark on you.”
Her hand went to where he’d bitten her earlier.
“I’m going to mate you, baby.” He forced himself away from her, moving to stand at the foot of the bed while he watched her. It was the only way to keep from surging inside her before she truly understood what would happen.
“You want to mate me?”
“Do you understand what that means?” He needed her to understand.
“It means I’ll belong,” she whispered. “You won’t disappear when I close my eyes. You’ll never leave me.”
Her words slayed him. There was need in her gaze. Not sexual, though that was still there. There was fear. Not of him. But of losing him. Derrick remembered Cody’s words then. When they’d been preparing to bring her back here, Cody had told her when she woke up from the sedative that they’d be just a dream to her. Derrick had thought she’d looked panicked then.
“I’ll never leave you,” he swore.
Chapter Seven
Derrick eyed the blonde-haired beauty in front of him. Naked. Mussed. From his hands. He didn’t temper the growl that resonated in his chest. He knew the effect it had on her. God, her scent was delicious.
“Derrick.” The way she said his name pulled at him. It hit him low in his gut and had his cock thickening even more.
She mesmerized him. She’d come up onto her knees on the bed, kneeling with them spread just enough that her sex played peek-a-boo with him. Her breasts were high and firm, dark pink nipples crowning them and making his mouth water for a taste. He planned to take his time. Their first time had been far too quick. He needed to feast and gorge his senses with her. After he’d fully claimed her.
She reached out and palmed his cock. He shifted his weight, widening his stance as her heated breath tickled over the crown. He wanted her mouth on him. Wanted to feel her lips and tongue. Hell, he even wanted the nip of her perfect white teeth. His balls ached with the need to spill inside her again. Her lips were just brushing his tip when he reached for her and tumbled her back on the bed.
“Derrick!”
He swallowed her exclamation. Needing the taste of her on his tongue. God, she was ambrosia. Hell, he never used words like that, but with her, it fit perfectly. He couldn’t keep his hands still. He wanted to touch every inch of her he could. He skimmed his palms down her sides to her hips before running them back up to cup and lift her breasts, brushing his thumbs over the taut buds.
Her moan cupped around his balls as he kissed his way down her neck, bending to take one of her ripe pink berries into his mouth. He feasted, moving his mouth back and forth until she was writhing beneath him, her hands buried in his hair. He slipped a hand down between her thighs and skimmed his fingers over her folds. Wet. She was so wet. He dipped a finger inside and almost lost his mind at the throaty sound she made as he pumped it into her.
Her nails dug deep as he explored her sex, strumming his fingertips over her clitoris before fucking her with them. She was so responsive. Every moan and tremor had him edging closer to losing control. He wanted her orgasm before he thrust his cock inside her again. Wanted to watch her face as she came. For him.
She panted, making short staccato moans. He pinched her clit between his fingers and tugged sharply. She broke with a soundless scream, head arched back, neck exposed. He took what she offered. Leaning up and clamping his mouth at the spot he’d left on the side of her throat and biting down until he tasted her blood on his tongue. He sucked greedily as her body convulsed with the pleasure flooding her system. It would only get better. He laved over the mark he’d made. It would be permanent now, their bond was created. She belonged now. With him. To him.
He moved between her thighs and surged deep while she was still in the throes of her orgasm. She was heaven. He fucked her hard and deep, taking everything she had and giving her all of him. She wrapped around him, holding tight as he took her with a frenzied need. His heartbeat raced in time with his pistoning hips. His. Mate. Everything changed in this moment. He had a mate. A future. He’d have to work at tempering his need to run headfirst into danger, offering himself as a target to draw out the enemy. He had a mate to think of now.
He thrust deep and howled as the first splash of seed shot from his cock. Then he moved, pulling free of her snug grip and letting the next load hit her belly then higher onto her chest. He leaned over her, letting the rest drip from the head of his cock to smear over her sex and thighs. He used one hand to carry some of his essence to the mark he’d made and rubbed it in there. Then he took his time rubbing the rest into her skin. Breasts, belly, thighs, until she was coated in his scent. Until his wolf was satisfied. Only then did he fall to the bed beside her, tugging her close against him.
“Sleep,” he ordered when she wiggled against him.
The creation of the bond between them would take a toll as her body changed. Not that she’d ever be exactly like him. Despite legends, wolves could not be made by being bitten by one. You either were one or you weren’t. It was that simple. She’d undergo other biological changes though. Her senses would grow and expand. All of them. Not to the level of a wolf, but far better than a human. Her body’s natural ability to heal would change, as well. She’d heal faster and become almost completely immune to common illnesses and disease.
He turned them so they were on their sides with him spooning behind her. She fit his body perfectly. He swept her hair out of her face, tucking it along the back of her head where he could twine his fingers into it. Then he placed a kiss on her shoulder and let his eyes close.
There would be hell to deal with when they woke. Cody. Adrian. Michael. They’d all have something to say about him mating Jess, and Derrick didn’t care. It was worth it. She was worth it. He’d make sure they all knew it.
For now, he was content to hold her, safe in the knowledge she belonged to him. He draped one of his legs over hers, wrapped an arm around her middle to keep her anchored to him, and closed his eyes. He already felt calmer, his beast satisfied with the mate they’d taken. When he woke, he’d deal with the fallout. And try to figure out why, even after mating Jess, he was still concerned how Michael, Adrian, and Cody would take it.
* * * *
Jess awoke to the sensation of a heavy arm pinning her to the mattress again. Derrick. His unique scent surrounded her. She smelled it on her, and if that wasn’t the weirdest thought she’d had, she wasn’t sure what was. She slowly slid away from him, stopping and rubbing his arm when he tensed up as if ready to drag her back against him. It took longer than it should have, and her bladder was screaming by the time she gained her feet. She made a quick trip to the bathroom and sighed as she took care of basic needs.
As she washed her hands, she noticed her bandage was missing. Turning to the side, she took in the fact her earlier scrapes were healed. She ran her fingers over the spot where Derrick had bitten her. He’d broken her skin and given her the most intense orgasm of her life. It wasn’t as bad as she’d anticipated, but she still saw where his teeth had punctured her skin and drawn blood. It didn’t hurt. Wasn’t even sore. Neither was her wrist.
She lifted her arm to eye level and rotated her hand in slow circles as she tested her injury. Nothing. No pain whatsoever. She took her time, taking a closer inspection of her body as she searched for any other changes. There was nothing she could see. She thought briefly about taking another shower then decided against it. Something told her Derrick wouldn’t like it if she washed away his scent. Instead, she eased back into his bedroom and quietly grabbed his shirt from the floor and pulled it on along with her panties. She padded quietly to the door and slipped out, not quite closing it behind her.
Derrick still slept soundly. Even from the hallway, she heard his steady breathing. She paused, alm
ost stumbling as she processed that. She heard his breathing as if she were still lying next to him. She contemplated that as she made her way back to the stairs they’d gone down earlier to check on Michael.
She wanted to take a closer look at his blood. Something that had her scientific mind intrigued. She needed to check it.
“He mated you.”
Adrian stood at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed over his chest, watching her. She never even thought of lying. What would be the point? It hadn’t been a question anyway. He knew.
“Yes,” she admitted with a nod.
“Then why are you down here instead of still up there with him?”
“I came to check on Michael,” she answered. There was something about the way he said mated. His expression conveyed annoyance, edging toward anger, while his tone held a hint of curiosity.
“Does Derrick know you’re down here?” He studied her as if he trying to read inside her head
“He’s sleeping.”
Adrian shook his head. “You should probably head back up. I don’t think he’d want you down here without him. Especially dressed like that.”
“Too bad,” she replied. “I want to check on Michael.”
“Too bad?” Adrian repeated. “You don’t have any idea what you’ve mated.”
“Who,” she corrected, tone sharp.
“We’re wolves,” Adrian countered. “Animals in men’s skin.”
“Who taught you to believe that?” she asked softly, reaching out to cup his jaw. And why would he believe it?
He stared at her for a long moment before pulling away and walking down the hall.
“You want to check on Michael or not?” He threw the question over his shoulder as he moved, not stopping to wait for her.
When she caught up with him, he was holding open the door. She took one look into the room and almost lost her mind.
“What the hell is going on? Who did this to him?”
Michael had been tied down to the bed. Arms and legs anchored so he had little mobility. She immediately headed toward him with the intention of finding a way to free him. Adrian stepped in front of her.
“I did, and the binds remain.”
“Why?” she demanded. “It’s inhumane.” She caught his eye. “And don’t even think about spouting that bullshit about how you’re animals to me. You’re as much one as you are the other. So don’t. Why would you do this to him?”
“To protect him.”
“From what?” she asked.
“Himself,” Adrian said and appeared exhausted, mentally and physically.
“When was the last time you slept?” Why hadn’t she noticed how tired he was when she’d met him earlier?
He shrugged. “I’ll sleep when we figure out what’s going on.”
“Talk to me,” she urged. “I want to help. I’m a scientist, Adrian. A doctor. But I can’t help if I don’t know what’s going on.”
“What do you want to know?” he finally asked, sitting in a chair toward the foot of the bed Michael was tied to.
“Everything, but I’ll start with what Michael was hit with. Any chance you still have it?”
“Yeah,” Adrian told her. “Cody has it in the lab. He’s been running every test he can think, but there are still no answers. Unless the latest vials have managed to shed some light.” He let his gaze run over her. “What are you doing here, Jess?”
“Trying to help Michael if you’ll let me.”
“I’m not talking about this room.”
“Okay. Well, I’m here because Cody and Derrick brought me here.”
“What are you doing in Three Sisters?” Adrian demanded.
“Would you believe I came to Oregon looking for you?”
Adrian was on his feet in an instant, stalking her until he had her backed against the wall. “Who sent you here?”
“No one.”
He leaned close, teeth bared, inches from her face.
“I’ll ask one more time. Who sent you here?”
“Me. My mother. A story I heard when I was a child that I never understood until I was older. An old man in Alaska, who kept telling me I’d find my heart’s desire if I looked for the sisters.”
“What does Alaska have to do with Oregon?” Adrian questioned, looking as confused as she was.
“Nothing. Everything. I don’t know. All I know is I came here, hoping to find…you. And I did. I found you. All of you.”
A low rumble from the bed pulled both their gazes toward Michael, who was awake and looking anything but happy.
“And you’re lucky I did.” She pushed Adrian aside and quickly headed toward the bed. “Because you need me. You need me because I’ve spent my whole life believing you existed, searching for you. I’m an amazing scientist and an even better doctor.” She laid her hand on Michael’s chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart. He seemed to calm immediately at her touch.
“I don’t know what’s going on, Adrian, but I need to know. I need to know everything, or I’m no good to any of us. Especially Michael.”
Chapter Eight
Adrian shook his head in frustration. God, she made him ache, made him burn with a desire he’d never known. He smelled Derrick’s claim on her skin. Derrick’s mating. It made no sense yet made perfect sense at the same time. One of them mating was bound to throw a kink in their unification plans. Yet, given the opportunity, Adrian would have mated Jess before anyone else could have.
“Adrian?”
He glanced up to meet Jess’ gaze where she stood beside Michael. God, it was hard to see him in this condition.
“He was hit by a drugged dart.”
“When you say dart, I’m picturing the ones I’ve used in the field when sedation was required before approaching. Someone hit Michael with one. Why? Why would someone hit him with a dart?”
“Hunters have been using drugged darts on us for years. We thought it was hunters. Correction, we were meant to think it was hunters. But I caught one of the attackers. Turns out we have a bigger enemy right in our own backyard.”
“Back up a minute. Hunters? As in a group armed with guns or bows—or whatever their weapon of choice is—who literally set out to kill you?” Her eyes flared as she swallowed. “Are they cannibals? Do they skin and eat you? Tell me we aren’t talking about a group of cannibals!”
God, he needed to remind himself that no matter how right it felt for her to be with them, she had no clue of who and what they were. She didn’t know what they fought for or who they fought. She was right. She’d be no help to them if she didn’t understand exactly what they were facing. Especially the fact there were worse terrors than being killed and eaten.
“Hunters are exactly that. Minus the cannibalism.” At least, he’d never heard of any of them eating a shifter. “They’re a group of humans who know we exist. Not just wolves, but all shifters. And as the name suggests, they’ve made it their mission in life to hunt us down and eradicate us from the face of the earth. With time, they’ve evolved, so to speak.”
“All shifters?”
“Yes. Wolves, coyotes, lions, tigers, bears.”
“Oh, my,” Jess deadpanned.
“Ha-ha!” Adrian shook his head. “There are many breeds of shifters.” He thought he heard her mutter something about Abby and cats, then Jess focused on something else.
“Evolved how?” Jess asked.
“They’re no longer in such a hurry to kill us. Sometimes, they want to…experiment a little first. Use various drugs on us. Pit us against each other or against another breed of shifter. Open us up while we’re alive to see how our body responds to various forms of pain or dismemberment.”
“Oh, god.”
Michael growled as Jess paled, appearing ready to pass out or perhaps throw up.
“Hunters weren’t the ones to hit Michael, though,” Adrian continued. “It seems we have another purist society to deal with. This one was hiding right beneath our noses this whole time.”
“Of wolves,” he corrected. “We’re split into four main groups. The largest group is the Gray Wolves.”
“Derrick’s group?”
“He’s the alpha, yes,” Adrian agreed. “Then there are the Red Wolves.” His gaze immediately went to his best friend.
“Michael?”
Adrian nodded. “There are Artic wolves, then the smallest group made up of black wolves. Cody is Artic. I’m black.”
Jess lifted a brow.
“In and out of my fur,” Adrian added dryly.
“I bet you’re just as sexy in the wolf skin,” she teased, making his blood pound with need. Christ! She was Derrick’s mate. So why was his wolf urging him to stake a claim? “What about the four of you?” She circled her finger in the air. “If wolves keep to their own kind, and the four of you are…different. How did you end up together? And here?”
“We’ve known each other a long time. Cody and Derrick. Me and Michael. We’re separate but still wolves. And alphas. It’s not uncommon for pack alphas to meet. Over the years, we’ve all become fast friends.”
“Okay, but what brought all of you here? And what about your packs? What’s happening with them while their alphas are gone?” Jess asked.
“We thought if the four of us united, it would show our packs it could be done. That is should be done. As for our packs, it’s a modern era, Jess. We have phones, computers, and all kinds of technology to keep in touch. We all have betas we keep in constant contact with. We know what’s going on. There are protocols in place. Our packs are as safe as we can make them at the moment. Until we get them all to unite though…” He stopped and shook his head, frustration getting the better of him. “Wolves should never turn against other wolves. Yet, we do it time and time again. Clinging to our own packs to the exclusion of others just like us.”
“There will always be those who want things to stay the same,” Jess stated softly.
“But at what cost?” Adrian demanded, his anger growing again. “Right now, the only thing we’re achieving is making it easier for hunters to attack and kill us off. Or even worse, make us kill each other.”
