by Celia Kyle
Val frowned at his inclusive question. To her way of thinking, the alpha had the final say. Asking for opinions was one thing, but actively including underlings in the decision-making process seemed counterintuitive. But as she watched him, she saw a sparkle in his eye that made her wonder if he had a deeper, more complex motive for asking such a seemingly simple question.
“It would have been best if we’d simply continued paying off the mayor,” Shull subtly chided, “but since that ship has sailed, I don’t think we have any other choice but to agree to McNish’s terms.”
Warren shook his head. “And where will it end? They can’t be trusted, Shull. If we give them an inch, they’ll take a mile.”
“Or several square miles, as the case may be,” Zeke pointed out.
“I agree with Shull,” Knox interjected.
Of course you do, Val thought.
“Me too,” Levi chimed in, unsurprisingly. “Seems we’re better off going along with whatever they want. They hold the cards here, not us.”
“These bastards have us by the throat,” Shull added, seeming to gain momentum from the support he was receiving. “If we don’t do what they want, we’ll lose access to Wolf Woods.”
“So?” Val asked quietly.
Every face at the table turned to stare at her, some in disbelief, one in particular with pride. She focused her energy on that one, even as she looked the other men in the eye.
“Things change. Towns grow. People are assholes who go back on their promises. You already own a bunch of land that belongs to your… family, right?”
Zeke’s eyes widened at her emphasis on their euphemism for “wolf pack,” but he remained silent, waiting for her to finish.
“What’s so special about the Wolf Woods that you would fight so hard to keep homes from being built there?”
Shull and Knox sputtered their astonishment while Levi glared at her. Warren glanced pointedly at Zeke, who eventually answered.
“My parents fell in love in those woods, as have many members of our community.” His voice was calm and cool, but the look he gave her as he spoke set her on fire. “Everyone at this table shares a similar story because the Wolf Woods have been a part of us for generations.”
Val nodded and gave him a soft smile, letting him know she heard him, loud and clear. They could figure it out from there. She’d only wanted to identify the “why” of what they were doing. It was a tactic she’d learned in the Army, how to cut to the core of an issue.
She leaned back and watched as the men argued the pros and cons, the precedents and the future. Knox and Shull always seemed to smoothly guide the conversation around and around in circles, until they could insist their point of view was the correct one. Levi always agreed with them, though Warren remained steadfast in his opposition.
After what seemed like hours of the round and round, always taking one step forward and two steps back, Warren finally heaved a defeated sigh. “We just have to figure out a way to stop McNish.”
Frustrated and bored out of her mind by the constant back and forth, Val blurted, “Hey, find me a pound of C-4 and I’ll take care of your problem tonight.”
They all stared at her for a beat, and then Zeke broke out laughing. The rest followed suit, lightening the mood in the room. With an amused shake of his head, Zeke pushed back the chair and stood.
“We’re not getting anywhere tonight. We can revisit it at a later time when we’ve slept on it. Right now, I’m going to escort our guest to her room.”
Sounds good to me! Val thought with a smile. Levi glowered at her as she stood and she couldn’t help tipping him a sassy wink as Zeke led her from the room.
Chapter Fourteen
Zeke dragged his feet as he led Val though the house. So much had happened that day, his mind spun, but the moment he couldn’t forget—no matter how long he lived, he’d never forget it—was making out with her in the Wolf Woods meadow. The very same spot his parents had fallen in love. Of course that wasn’t some kind of omen or anything.
As they reached Val’s door, she spun around and leaned back against the door, giving him a sly smile. “So, am I going to see your mangy mutt again in the morning?”
Forgetting that part of his busy day wouldn’t be such a bad thing, but of course she just had to remind him. Almost as if she was teasing him, but that was impossible. He’d instructed everyone to be very careful about shifting in the vicinity of the pack house and to watch what they said in front of Val. There’d been some near-misses, but nothing major.
“Maybe,” he replied as her dark eyes drew him in like a fly to a spider’s web. “But if he scared you…”
Val smiled and his world brightened. “That big ol’ marshmallow? No way. He acts all gruff on the outside, but inside he’s got a soft, gooey center that just wants to be loved.”
Zeke’s face flushed as she called him all sorts of things he didn’t appreciate—Marshmallow? Soft? Gooey? He wanted to show her exactly how not-soft he was, merely by standing so close to her that her scent intoxicated him.
“Then he’ll probably put in an appearance at some point. He likes you an awful lot.”
“Good,” Val said, opening her door to let out a happily prancing orange-y puff ball. “Then he’ll like my little princess too. Tell you what, she’ll even take first watch. Your big boy can relieve her later, if he’s not too tired.”
“Huh? Wha—”
Before he could finish his question, Val gripped a handful of his shirt and pulled him inside her room, closing the door on Fang.
A second later, Zeke found himself pressed against the door, Val’s body flush with his own. Her soft hands cradled his face, and her lips moved sensually over his. Zeke groaned into the kiss and he hardened within his jeans, his thick shaft pressing into the zipper that held him captive. He reached around her hips and increased the pressure between their bodies, reveling in the feel of her so close.
Val broke the kiss with a gasp and they both struggled to catch their breath. “Where were we earlier?”
“Right about here,” Zeke growled and changed his grip to wrap one hand around the back of her neck to keep her steady as he took control of their kiss. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, tasting her with rhythmic dips into her mouth. He caressed her tongue with his, mimicking what he ached to do to her body—her pussy.
Using his hold on her hip, he backed her toward the waiting bed, anxious to lie and explore every inch of her delicious body. She was truly something special—perfection in his eyes. She wasn’t a pushover by any means and as he urged her backward, he knew she moved as he desired because she wanted it just as much as he did. She could have shoved him away, could have changed their position, but she knew the dance and was as anxious as him.
Yet he was conflicted. Even as he pushed her onto the bed and crawled atop her—never once breaking the kiss—he struggled with indecision.
His wolf was ravenous for the dark beauty, desperate for Val. And the rock-hard shaft between his thighs revealed how desperately his human half craved her. But he couldn’t simply sink into her as they both desired. And it was something they both desired. Val parted her legs, the heat from her cloth-covered pussy searing through her clothing and nearly burning him with the strength of her desire.
She rolled her hips, that promise of heaven so very, very close. So close and tempting and alluring and… damn he ached for her. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted another.
But he wouldn’t have her.
His wolf howled its objection, snarling at him and demanding he claim Val now.
It would be a claiming if he gave in at that moment. His wolf was too present, too determined to tie them to Valerie. If he fucked her, he would claim her with his bite and that wasn’t something he was ready to tackle. Despite the wolf’s assurances that Val belonged to them, Zeke still wasn’t convinced.
If he was right—and the wolf was wrong—the bite would probably kill her.
He wasn’t will
ing to take the risk.
She whimpered and pulled her lips from his, just long enough to whisper a single word. “Zeke.”
His name, a demand and plea in one. She trembled beneath him, her arms around him and fingers clawing at his back. If she’d had claws like a she-wolf, his shirt would have been shredded and gone, nothing but skin beneath her palms. The mere idea of feeling the pain of her claws while their arousal burned bright almost shattered what little control he still held. Almost, but not quite.
He knew what she demanded—more from him, all of him. Not something he was prepared to give, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t give in just a little.
Valerie yanked on his shirt, pulling it toward his shoulders, but before he allowed her to strip him, he changed their positions. He lifted and pushed and got the delicious woman to rest on her side while he spooned her from behind. He soothed his wolf the slightest bit by grasping her shoulder between his blunt, human teeth and Val… Fuck him, but Val moaned deep and long as he mimicked what he truly craved to do to her.
Zeke released her flesh and nuzzled the tender spot, gently soothing any pain he might have caused before pausing to drop tender kisses to the slim line of her neck.
With their new position, Valerie couldn’t reach him, couldn’t remove his clothes and tempt him further. Instead, she was vulnerable to what he craved—more of her.
He grasped her wrist and tugged, lifting and encouraging her elbow to bend until her hand came to rest on the back of his neck—making her even more vulnerable to him. Now he could touch her as he desired.
He went to the hem of her top, slipping beneath the fabric to find silken, bare skin. So soft and warm, he didn’t think he’d ever get enough of touching her. A thought that only solidified as he eased his touch up her body, not stopping until he reached her breasts. Her glorious, full breasts that were held captive by her bra.
Zeke tugged on the lacy cup and freed one of the plump mounds. Her hard nipple pressed into his palm, the firm nubbin revealing further proof of her arousal. He plucked and pinched the small bit of sensitized flesh, absorbing her every whimper and moan as he toyed with her. She dug her human nails into the skin of his neck and he welcomed the sharp sting. It helped him retain some semblance of control and keep his head on straight while his wolf pushed to break free of his control.
Yes, her full breast in his hand was tempting, but not as tempting as what truly called to him—the scent of her arousal, her pussy. A pussy he wanted to touch, taste, devour.
He released her breast—ignoring her low whine—and traveled down her body until he reached the waist of her pants. He didn’t hesitate to dip beneath the fabric, to slide under her panties, and onward until he cupped her core, her soaked center. Even without delving between her folds, his palm was soaked with evidence of her desire.
He pressed hard against her mound, earning him a hiss in response.
“Shit,” Val murmured low, need coating her voice, and his cock throbbed against her full ass. “Fuck, Zeke.”
She arched her back and increased the pressure against his aching cock.
“Valerie,” he murmured in response. “Do you have any idea how much I’ve thought about this ass, this pussy, this afternoon?”
“You’ve been checking it out enough.” She pushed into his dick and ground against him so hard he struggled not to come right then and there. He gritted his teeth and pushed back the urge to lose himself in the pleasure of her.
“You’re bad.” He rasped and she shivered.
“I am. What are you gonna do about it?” she challenged him. He loved that.
He’d show her what he was gonna do. He slipped two fingers past the seam of her lower lips, delving into the source of her wetness. He found her clit with ease and pressed on the small bundle of nerves, earning him yet another full body shudder.
He stroked her in small circles, her juices making the movements fluid and easy, and her reaction was instantaneous. She transferred her grip to his shoulder, pulling him closer to her as she lifted one leg and threw it over his—opening herself even more. And he took advantage of her new position, delving south and finding her center with ease. He slipped his fingers inside her, plunging them into her tight, wet sheath in a single, fluid movement.
“Zeke.”
He liked the way she said his name—full of passion and wanting.
Zeke scented her arousal, the salty sweetness hanging in the air like a drug, and it spurred his own desire onward. His touch remained strong and steady as he pleasured Val, the deep penetration of his fingers a constant pace while the heel of his hand ground against her swollen clit. Her breath came in rapidly increasing pants, her chest heaving while he pleasured her.
“Fuck.” She followed the curse with a gasp and her inner walls rippled around his penetration. He couldn’t suppress his grin, cocky pride filling him at the knowledge that he could pleasure her so thoroughly with only his hand. What would it be like when he finally fucked her hard and deep?
It was his turn to shudder, but he managed to swallow his moan. Barely.
Val’s pussy milked his fingers in a desperate rhythm—one that told him she drew nearer to her release—and he continued to torment her wet cunt. Over and over and over again he worked her pussy, not wanting to stop until…
“Come for me, Val. Do it.” He growled the words, his wolf’s presence unavoidable. The harder he pushed her, the more the beast pushed at his human half. His next words were more wolf than man. “Come for me.”
Valerie froze, a desperate gasp escaping her lips as she came apart for him. She coated his hand in a rush of her feminine juices and he didn’t slow or stop his movements in any way. He kept the same torturous pace, holding her tight while she fought to writhe in his grasp. Her lips parted with a silent scream of pleasure and Zeke couldn’t help the masculine satisfaction in the way she convulsed and twitched in his grasp.
Eventually he slowed his attentions, easing her down from the heights of release, and her breathing gradually eased. She slumped and he eased away enough for her to roll to her back, but he refused to retreat from the warm wetness of her pussy. She felt too perfect against his hand—her slickness only for him.
“Feels like you needed that.” Zeke grinned at her.
She smiled, though he saw the slightest edge of anger in her expression. Yeah, his comment pissed her off a little. His Valerie was the type to like the upper hand in the bedroom, and he found the idea of that kind of struggle… exciting.
Val slipped one of her free hands between them, her palm finding his thick hardness with ease, and she gave him a rough squeeze. “I think you need something too.”
Zeke allowed himself a moment to enjoy her touch, a moment to revel in the pleasure of her harsh caress. But only a moment. It was all he could tolerate while his wolf struggled and snarled at him for release. It wanted her. It demanded her.
But he refused to give in. Not yet. Not ever.
He pulled his hand free of her heated wetness and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, stilling her movements and stopping her before she could push him too far.
“I’m fine.” He gently pulled her away from his throbbing cock and dashed his wolf’s hopes once more.
Val snorted and rolled her eyes but didn’t fight him. Thankfully. “Uh-huh. Right.” She licked her lips, drawing his stare to her kissable mouth. “Are we done, then?”
Done? He didn’t think he’d ever be done with her.
He mentally shook his head. No, that was the wolf talking. The wolf wanted forever.
Instead of letting his wolf have its say, he released a single word. “No.”
Now it wasn’t him that pulled her away from his cock. No, Valerie was tugging out of his grip and reaching for her own pants. Pants that were soon unzipped and wiggling down her hips, more of her pale brown skin revealed to him inch by inch. Those panties were pushed down as well, revealing the dark curls that hid her sex from view. He licked his lips, remembering the
feel of her silken walls and now he wondered what she’d taste like. Salty and sweet? Plump and soft?
Perfection. Yes, however she tasted, it would be perfection.
She kicked her pants and panties free, now nude from the waist down. She rolled to her knees and reached for the bottom of her shirt, arms crossed, as she paused to quirk an eyebrow at him in silent challenge.
Val was stripping down. What was he waiting for?
Nothing.
Zeke rose and shucked his jeans and boxer briefs. His shirt soon followed until he stood utterly nude beside the bed. And Val… Val knelt on the bed, her glowing skin tempting him more than anything he’d ever experienced. Her dark nipples begged for his mouth. Her wide hips demanded his large hands and her pussy… Her pussy begged for his cock.
His wolf howled inside him, a loud call to mate with the female before him. She was the perfect alpha bitch—hard and soft at the same time. It lunged and demanded he claim her the way a wolf ought to claim its mate. Hard. Rough. Now.
He resisted the urge to impale her with his cock—barely—but he did lunge for her tempting body.
Val laughed as he caught her, both of them toppling back onto the pillows. She parted her thighs without hesitation, baring the heaven of her body to him in an instant. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to keep his dick from sinking into her wet heat. Not yet.
No, not ever. The wolf scoffed at him and Zeke ignored the beast.
Instead of pounding into her as he craved, he crawled down her body, the scent of her juices too much to resist. He eased further south, not stopping until he lay between her spread thighs, the pinkness of her inner sexlips exposed and glistening for him.
Zeke couldn’t resist her and this close to her pussy—the source of that tormenting scent—he was driven wild by the need to pump in and out of her wet sheath. His wolf wanted his human half to use his dick, but he remained resolute against claiming her. Instead, he placed his hands beneath her ass to hold her steady, elbows resting on the mattress to keep him up, and then he lowered his head to her center. He lapped at her with a single, long delicious swipe of his tongue. He gathered her juices and savored every drop he managed to collect.
