Chapter Six

 

Garrett

 

We arrive at the beach at sunset, pulling into Condos Pilar, the cluster of vacation rentals nestled along the white sand. I get out and stalk to the door of the condo where Sedona stayed, not waiting to see if the rest follow. I rap on the door and hear the voices of the young people and running footsteps.

“Hey man.” Jason, the young kid who called, opens the door. The rest of the kids stare at me with pinched faces. I met them all when Sedona stopped by on her way out, but damn if I remember all their names. The place smells like sunscreen, liquor, and a sour smell that reminds me of nausea.

Trey, Jared, and Amber arrive behind me as the group of college students gather around. They repeat their stories, each a variation of what I already heard: Sedona went for a run on the beach that morning and never returned. No one saw anyone or anything menacing. They spoke with the authorities and filed a report, but since she hadn’t been missing twenty-four hours, nothing was being done.

My fists tighten at my sides, wolf rages beneath the surface. The more they talk, the more I feel like I’m coming out of my skin. Finally, I reach for Amber. My wolf needs her close, and I’m willing to give him whatever he wants to keep from shifting and tearing this place apart. Already the kids look nervous, their gazes on the floor or darting to me, then away. Humans don’t often understand animal dominance, but their primal brains recognize a predator when they see one.

Amber leans into me, her arm slipping around my waist and giving me a squeeze. She’s still too pale, biting her lower lip. I scared her, bringing her down here and keeping her from escaping. But, here she is, comforting me. Her warm weight against my side keeps me focused.

“Okay, do you know how we can rent a place to stay here for the night?” I ask. It’s almost dark, and I’m dying to shift and sniff the entirety of the beach.

“Actually, we were thinking we’d head back home tonight. We could go report it to the authorities in Tucson. So you could stay here.”

Normally, I’d do anything to avoid involving the authorities, but, in this instance, not knowing what had happened to Sedona, I want all the help we can get. I should call my parents, too, but I don’t want to worry my mom or my dad to start a war. If I can find Sedona first, it, would be better. If not, I’ll call them in the morning. “That sounds like a good plan. Thank you all.”

Within twenty minutes, Sedona’s friends leave. We settle into the place, my pack mates searching the refrigerator to eat the leftovers from the college students.

“We’ll go sniff the beach.” Jared shucks his T-shirt.

I flex my muscles, my body itching to shift as well. While I trust Trey and Jared, my wolf won’t rest until I’ve done the sniffing himself. But I can’t leave Amber here alone. I’m not certain she’ll stay put. Her attempt to climb out the bathroom window at the border crossing has me cautious.

“Bring me the duct tape from the trunk of the Range Rover,” I order Trey in an undertone. He raises his brows like he thinks I’m nuts, but obeys.

When he returns, I take Amber’s hand, leading her toward a bedroom.

Once inside, she turns. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” I blow out a breath. I can’t forget she betrayed us, no matter how much my wolf wants her. “Listen, baby. I need to go shift and sniff the beach. I’m really sorry about this.” I spin her around and pin her wrists behind her back.

“What in the hell—stop it!” she shrieks, real panic entering her voice.

“Easy, easy,” I murmur in her ear. While this is a necessity, I’m going for seductive rather than abusive. I’m hard as a rock, and I remember how much she liked being restrained last night. If I can keep it sexy, I just might pull this off without her hating me for the rest of our lives.

I work quickly, wrapping the duct tape around her wrists and picking her up by the waist. “You’re safe with me, Counselor. Nothing terrible is going to happen. It’s just that after that little escape stunt you pulled at the border, I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here alone while I go check out the beach.”

Amber’s resistance slackens. I sense her confusion.

I nip the shell of her ear. “Be a good girl, and I promise I’ll reward you when I get back, baby. I’ll even keep you tied up.”

“You sadistic—”

I cut her tirade off with a hard kiss.

When I break it, she looks at me dazedly, lips parted. Gritting my teeth to keep from prying those legs apart to reward her immediately, I restrain her, plunking her in a high-backed chair and pinning her there while I rip off tape. Little angry grunts escape her.

Sexy little grunts.

“You growling at me, princess?”

“Don’t call me that!”

“You’re so fucking cute when you’re mad.” I secure her wrists and tie her to the chair.

“Let me go, Garrett. This isn’t funny.”

I drop to my knees at her feet and pry her legs apart. She’s wearing the yoga pants from this morning, and her arousal has leaked through. I press my face into the apex of her thighs, open my mouth, and nip at her sex through the thin fabric.

She thrusts her pussy toward my mouth, making the cutest sound of dissatisfaction. “We both know you like being restrained, Counselor.” I stroke my thumb slowly over her slit. “I’ll make it up to you when I get back. You have my word.”

She looks so beautiful, eyes dilated, hair mussed, full lips parted. My wolf surges to the surface, and my vision domes. Fuck. I guess I still want to mark her. Desperately.

Time to leave.

I rip off another piece of tape and clamp it down on her mouth. “Sorry, sweetheart. But this is the only way I feel comfortable leaving you. Trey will be right in the living room if you need anything. I’ll be back soon. No more than a couple hours.”

“Rmphel mphs!” she repeats in a muffled scream.

“Be good.” I stroke her hair, watching her tits jiggle as she keeps squirming. “Are you hungry? Do you need anything before I go?”

Her brows slam together. “Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm.” She kicks at me, eyes narrowed.

“No? Okay, baby. Bathroom? I guess I should’ve asked that before I taped you up. No? All right. I’ll be back before you know it.”

I tug her head to the side and nip her neck. “Please don’t wear yourself out fighting with that tape.”

Another furious scream, and I can’t stop myself leaning down to kiss her lips through the tape. She tries to head butt me.

Chuckling, I rear back and look her up and down. Her chest heaves, and there are pink spots on her cheeks. Fucking gorgeous. “This is a good look for you,” I drawl, just to see the anger and frustration spark again in her eyes.

She stills, and glares at me. “Uck. Oo.” She enunciates each word clearly, as best she can behind the tape.

“There’s my good bad girl.”

 

~.~

 

Amber

 

Let the record reflect: I’m going to buy the biggest nutcracker in existence. I’ll see how Garrett McJerkwolf likes getting tied up when he has a silver ballbuster clamped to his nards.

First I have to get out of here.

I wrench at the tape for the thousandth time, but it won’t budge.

The front door bangs open. I sit up straighter, ready to go another round with a werewolf. But when Garrett walks in, his head down, shoulders slumped, worry lines creasing his forehead, all the fight drains out of me. I don’t need a vision to show me he found nothing.

He’s shirtless. His sculpted pecs, lightly dusted with brown curls, stand out in relief above the eight-pack abs and narrow waist. The moment he sees me, the bar of his enormous cock presses against the front his jeans. I noticed it when he tied me up, too. The fact it made me crazy horny only pisses me off even more.

I make a questioning sound, eyebrows raised.

“Nothing.” He shakes his head. “There’s no sign of her. All three of us shifted, but I couldn’t catch her scent. The ocean probably washed it away.”

I make another comforting noise. He looks so dejected.

He pulls the tape from my mouth, and the sting helps me remember my rage.

“Ow,” I snap.

“Sorry.” He breaks the tape from my chest and wrists with his bare hands, ripping it from me like it’s tissue paper.

“I have some things to tell you, buddy.”

“I’m sure you do, Counselor.” Looking tired, but amused, he folds his arms across his chest, mirroring me. For some reason, this sends my temper into the red zone.

“That’s funny. You acting like you respect me. Because last time I checked, when you respect a woman, you don’t kidnap her and drive her across the border to Mexico.” I channel Lawyer Amber as hard as I can to keep from screaming like a crazy person. “You do realize this is the worst second date in the history of dating. And that’s saying something because the first one was epically, epically bad. And—why are you grinning at me like that?”

“My wolf thinks you’re adorable when you’re mad. But be careful, little lawyer. I’m real riled up right now. And I know just what would make me feel better.”

“What?”

“Tossing you over my shoulder, carrying you to the bed, and fucking you six ways to Sunday,”

“It is almost Sunday.” My voice sounds strangled. My lady bits are cheering.

“Nope.” Garrett’s grin is feral. “Not this Sunday. Next. It’ll take about a week.” He leans forward. “How’s that end to our second date?”

“This isn’t a date.”

“I know. You’re the one who called it that. You like spending time with me, Counselor?”

“What? No, I—” My cheeks flood. Damn my libido for picking this moment to go into overdrive.

Garrett steps close enough for me to feel his chuckle in my panties. “I promise our third date will be epically better.”

“Look.” I hold up a hand, trying to put space between us. It lands on his rock-hard chest, which doesn’t help my focus at all. “Your sister is missing. We need to find her.”

My reminder sucks the energy out of the room. Damn. So much for my reward. I should have let him keep me tied up a little longer.

“Yeah,” Garrett sighs, and slumps. He looks about a thousand years old. “You saw her surrounded by men, so she didn’t drown. Or get lost. She’s been gone for twelve hours now. No human could have taken her—she’d rip their throat out. So it has to be other shifters.”

“All right. You brought me here to help. How can I help?”

He stabs his fingers through his tousled blond hair. “Really?”

I nod. I hate being Crazy Amber, I’m afraid of becoming her, but I’ve never been the type of person to walk away from someone in need. If he thinks I can help, I have to help. Even if he did technically kidnap me and bind me with duct tape.

“Here’s the thing. We’re at the point I should call in my dad. But, if he comes down here, he’s going to bring a hundred armed wolves and tear this town apart before asking questions. If you could get any more information before I call him down, it might keep wolves—particularly Sedona—from getting hurt.”

“But I don’t know how to use the visions. They just come.”

He picks up my hand and rubs his thumb over the back of it. “Just try?”

“Okay,” I whisper.

Crap. I am so not ready to embrace this side of myself. Especially around these people—wolves—I hardly know.

Except Garrett doesn’t seem like a stranger. Not at all. And he doesn’t make me feel crazy, either. Maybe I can do this.

I can at least try.

 

~.~

 

Garrett

 

“So, who do you think took Sedona?” Jared asks as we sit around the table eating the fish tacos he and Trey bought. It’s late, but no one can sleep. “Did you see what they looked like in your, um, vision or whatever?”

Amber shakes her head. She leans against the kitchen counter, eating standing up. Still putting distance between us. It’s a good idea, but I want pull her into my lap and feed her with my fingers.

“Were they wolves?” Trey cranks his neck around to look at her.

Her brow wrinkles. “No, they were men—oh.” She pauses. “Well, how would I know? Is there a telltale sign or something?”

“Their eyes. Did they change color, or glow?”

Frowning, she shakes her head. “I don’t remember.”

“Can you have the vision again?”

“It’s not like a movie I rent. They just come to me.”

“You don’t control them at all?”

I frown at Trey to shut him up.

“No,” she snaps. “That’s not the way they work.”

“Well, that sucks,” Trey mumbles.

I growl, and he adjusts his expression to something friendlier.

“Look, I’m trying.” Amber sets down her food and turns to the sink. She spends about a minute washing her hands, then grabs a paper towel and starts wiping down the counters.

“Hey.” I push out of my chair, amble over to her. I don’t mean to crowd her, but she drops the paper towel and backs up anyway. “We’re all just trying to figure this psychic thing out.”

She flinches at the word psychic. “You don’t understand. I’ve spent my entire life suppressing these visions.”

“Is that why you get headaches?”

Her shoulders lift and fall.

“Have you ever tried just letting them happen?”

“I can’t.”

I tilt my head to the side.

“I’ve never tried,” she amends. “I’m afraid they’ll take over my life.”

“Okay. May I try something?”

“Like what?” She watches me warily. She used to trust me, against her better judgment. But I broke it. This distance between us? It’s my fault.

“I’m going to touch you,” I murmur.

Behind me, Jared clears his throat.

“Please,” I add.

A small hesitation, and she nods.

“Just breathe. Relax.”

I place a hand over her eyes. “Close your eyes.” Her lashes flutter against my palm. “Just feel into it. Humans or wolves?”

She stays quiet for so long, I give up on an answer. The heat of her body, so close to mine, makes my cock thicken. I breathe in her scent, knowing I should back away, keep my hands off her if I want to maintain control.

“Wolves,” she says at last.

I force myself to step back. “I knew it.”

“What do you think they want with her?” Jared asks. He and Trey come to their feet.

I run my fingers through my hair. “Probably breeding.”

Amber looks shocked, so I explain. “Many shifters consider our species endangered. Our DNA has been diluted too much with human genes. It’s considered a sin against our kind to mate with a human. But that means in smaller communities in-breeding is now the problem.”

“What happens when they mate with a human?” Amber asks.

“These days, they produce human babies.” I meet her intelligent gaze. Is she thinking about what might happen if we continue on the path we’re on, this doomed dance of attraction? “Offspring who never get sick and heal quickly, but human, not wolf.”

“They can’t shift?”

“Right. I mean, there are half-breeds who shift—it’s not unheard of. There’s a panther in Tucson who didn’t shift until she got pregnant with a wolf shifter’s pup. But it’s rare.”

“So you think they spot a female wolf who hasn’t been part of their pack, and just grab her for breeding?” Amber’s voice sharpens, and I get a hint of what she must be like on crusade.

I bet she’s fucking amazing in the courtroom. I get hard just picturing her in one of her fitted suits, pacing the room in high heels, dazzling every male in the building with those shapely calves, that sharp mind.

“I think it’s possible, yeah. She’s an alpha female, and young enough to bear lots of pups.”

Amber swallows, looking a little sick. “We have to get her back.”

“Yeah.” My stomach clenches. “Soon. Before they start…” I can’t finish the sentence. My fists tighten, itching to punch someone. My wolf wants to rampage. I want to break everything I see. If Amber weren’t here, I probably already would have.

“So what do we do?” she asks, chin up like she’s ready to do anything. She’s not going to like what we have to do.

“We have no leads, Amber. No scent at all. We got nothing but your vision. Let’s play twenty questions with you and see what you can intuit.”

Her shoulders slump. Doubt oozes from her stance. I step so my body blocks my two packmates watching her, and cup her chin. “You can do this, Amber. Your gifts are meant to be used.”

“What if I’m wrong? Or I can’t see anything?”

“It will still be more information than we have now.”

“You’re crazy,” she mutters, but she walks to the couch and sits down, tucking her legs up under her body and closing her eyes. “Go ahead.”

Trey has his laptop open. “It says here that psychics can be clairsentient, clairvoyant, clairaudient or claircognizant. Which do you think you are, Amber?”

“Clairvoyant. I see things--I don’t usually hear. Maybe clairsentient--sometimes I feel things like emotion. Especially his.” She shifts her gaze to me.

“G, do you have something of Sedona’s?” Trey asks. “It says that police psychics hold an object that belonged to a victim or missing person to kick start the intuition.”

I go to the room Sedona stayed in and grab one of her tank tops from her suitcase. I hand it to Amber. “This belongs to Sedona.”

“Can’t hurt to try, I guess,” Amber mumbles, taking the shirt and holding it in both hands. She closes her eyes.

“Where is Sedona now?”

Amber sits perfectly still while three pairs of eyes stare at her in silence. Minutes tick by. She exhales in a whoosh as if she’s been holding it. “I don’t know,” she says at last.

“Is she in San Carlos still?”

Another long pause and then a shake of her head. “Sorry.”

“Can you get a name of one of the men who took her?”

Agitation radiates from my little human, but she squeezes her eyes shut again. “La...Luh...Lobo?” Her eyes snap open. “Oh, that’s stupid. That’s just wolf in Spanish.”

“No, you may be onto something. It could be the last name of a family of wolves.”

“Your father might have contacts with some of the packs down here,” Jared says in a low voice.

I blow out a breath. I was hoping to find my sister fast, without involving my dad. “First, let’s do some digging. We need a lead.” I know my dad. He’ll drive down with every warrior wolf in his pack, maybe even from packs who owe him favors. It’ll be war. My gut tells me Sedona will pay the price.

We’ve gotta get more information. “Trey? Will you see if Kylie can help with research?”

One of the shifters in Tucson—the panther who mated a wolf—is a tech genius. She can hack any system in the world for information.

“I’m on it,” Trey says.

“Is she in a house right now? Outside? Is she in wolf form or human?” Jared asks.

Amber’s face pinches, and she shakes her head. “I’m sorry, you guys. I just don’t know.” She looks pale and exhausted. My wolf whines, hating her distress.

“Okay,” I say. “Amber, why don’t you get some rest? It’s been a long day. We’ll try again in the morning.”

“No, that’s okay, I can keep going. Ask another one.”

“Amber.” I start to put an alpha-push to my voice. Jared catches my eye, and I back down. “All right. One more.”

“What step should we take next to find her?” Jared asks.

“Hmm, interesting question.” Amber closes her eyes again as Trey walks outside to call Kylie. I motion for Jared to follow him.

I sit back down and wait in silence, the sound of the waves crashing on the beach outside making a lullaby to ease the tension in the room. Amber gives a soft sigh. She’s fallen asleep.

As tight as my gut is right now, as much as I want to find Sedona, I can’t bear to wake Amber. I lift her carefully. Her eyelids flutter, but she doesn’t open them. Her lips move, but I don’t catch what she’s saying.

“What’s that?”

She furrows her brow and shakes her head. “I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do. You know,” I assure her, carrying her into the bedroom. How can she have gone this long without anyone telling her how powerful and special her talent really is? A gift, not the curse she believes it to be.

I pull back the covers and lay her on the bed. My little spitfire looks so fragile asleep, the line between her brows creased with worry. My wolf is calmer now, and I can’t resist brushing a kiss on that little line. If she were my mate, I’d do everything I could to make sure she never had cause to worry again.

 

~.~

 

Amber

 

I wake to find myself on the bed in the bedroom, Garrett sitting in the chair, chin in hand and eyes on me.

“How long was I out?” I croak.

“An hour. Any headaches?”

“No. Watching over your prisoner?” I murmur, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. I stretch my arms over my head, arching my back. Was the previous sizzling attraction a fluke?

Nope. I spy with my little eye something that begins with C, growing long and hard against his jeans.

“You take this kidnapping thing seriously.” I really shouldn’t poke the bear...wolf...but I can’t help it. He looks so delicious with his dark scruff and tousled hair.

“I could’ve tied you up again.” His voice is deeper than usual, his eyes boiling.

My pussy clenches, but I school my face. He doesn’t need to know how well he plays the game.

His nostrils flare, his eyes turning silver as he sniffs the air. “You’re close to ovulation.”

“What?” I yank the covers up, thankful I’m still fully clothed.

“You cycle with the moon. Not many human females do, anymore.”

I glance at the window, where the curtains frame a full moon.

“Two days,” he answers my silent question. His pewter gaze makes me pull the covers up under my chin.

So, what happens during the full moon?

I go hunting.

“What does that mean to you?” I ask.

“I might have to lock you up to keep you safe.” His glittering gaze screams big bad wolf.

“You already did that.”

“I mean lock you away from me.”

Lust kicks through me. Garrett leans forward, his hands clenched together, his tattoos clear.

He’s a menace, I remind myself. He kidnapped you. Tied you up.

A pulse grows between my legs. It would be so easy to push the covers back down, spread my legs. Play with myself. See how long it takes him to lose control.

No, no, no. Bad girl.

This guy is every bad decision I never made, rolled into one. And if I don’t snap out of lust soon, I’m going to make what might be the biggest mistake of my life.

A knock sounds on the bedroom door.

“Hey, boss?” Jared calls.

“Yeah,” Garrett gives his head a quick, dog-like shake and unfolds from the chair. He prowls to the door with a smooth speed, silent as a wolf. As a predator.

“I heard back from Kylie. She sent the list of people with the last name ‘Lobo’ in the surrounding area, and then all of Mexico. There aren’t any in San Carlos, though. There’s one about thirty kilometers away. We’ll drive over and sniff around right now.”

“Thanks, guys,” Garrett says. “I’ll stay here and pick Amber’s brain.”

I bite my lip as the guys leave. A woman is missing. Whatever Garrett and I have for each other, it can wait.

Thirty minutes later, I’m pacing the living room, balling my hands into fists. “I don’t know. I just don’t know. I wish I could help, but I can’t.”

“Just relax. You’re too wound up. Lie down on the sofa and close your eyes.”

My stomach twists up in a double-knot. “I can’t. Garrett, this isn’t working. I’m not going to be able to help you. You’ve got to find another way.”

“It is working. It has worked. I’m just asking you to try again.”

“For God’s sake, I can’t,” I snap, then close my mouth when I see pain on his face. I force myself to exhale. “I’m sorry, but you’re stressing me out. This whole experience is very intense.”

“I know. That’s why I wanted you to sit down. You need to relax. Either figure out how to do it for yourself, or I’ll help you.”

Excuse me? I whirl, my hands on my hips. “You’ll help me? Exactly how do you plan to do—” I stop speaking when Garrett stalks toward me, pulling his T-shirt off over his head.

I back up, even though my ovaries rev their engines.

You’re close to ovulation. Who says that? A werewolf, I suppose.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

His lips twist in a wry grin. “I know what helps me relax…”

“Oh no.” I dart to the side to avoid his grasp.

He moves shockingly fast for a man his size, snatching me up by the waist and swinging me around as I kick uselessly. “What did I tell you about running from a wolf?” he growls, his breath hot against my ear.

“Stop it! Put me—” I gasp when he rubs the seam of my yoga pants roughly against my clit. My pussy spasms with pleasure.

“You know you want this.” The rumble of his words reverberate from his chest right to my core. “You’ve known since the first night we met it’s an inevitability.”

I lean my head back against him. “No, I don’t,” I lie, a giggle leaving my throat as I thrash. I don’t even know why I fight him, except out of indignation at his cocksure certainty.

“Oh yes you do. You think I can’t smell every time your pussy gets wet for me?”

I go still, contemplating that. How many times have I been wet for him since the day we met? And he’s known? Every time? Eek.

I close my mouth on a moan as he continues to thrill my pussy with his rough pawing through my yoga pants.

“You can keep lying to me and yourself, but this responsive little body of yours always tells the truth.” He manages to pin me back against his chest and slide a hand up my shirt, his palm cupping my breast and squeezing.

I arch with a cry of pleasure.

He pinches the stiffened bud of my nipple between his fingers and rolls it, while the digits of his other hand continue to pulse against my clit, grinding the seam of my pants against it. “Did you think I missed every time these little nipples got hard, or the way your eyes dilate when you’re thinking about what would happen if—no, when, you’re finally claimed by the big bad wolf?”

My first mini-orgasm shoots through me, a shudder he surely feels. So much for pretending I don’t want it.

He bends his knee and brings it up between my legs, holding my weight while he moves, freeing both hands to grasp the waistband of my pants.

“Don’t,” I squeak, but my voice sounds far more wanton than serious.

“Say yes,” he murmurs in my ear.

“I’m not...I don’t...” I moan at the sheer pleasure he’s eliciting in my nether regions.

“You need it.”

He slides the flat of his hand down the front of my pants and cups my mound. I jerk the moment his hot fingers touch my wet pussy, and I wrap my hand around behind myself to hold his neck.

He slows down, tilting me back on his knee and running one digit up and down the length of my weeping slit. “Say yes,” he murmurs. He bites my ear. “And I’ll let you come.”

“Let me come?”

No one lets me come. I come when I...my eyes roll back in my head as his thick fingers part my labia and explore my inner pleats. Jesus, his index finger is as thick as some men’s cocks. I want it inside me.

As if reading my mind, he slides it in, alone, first, then with his middle finger, filling and stretching me, stroking the inside of my wanton pussy.

I claw the back of his neck, fighting like a cat in heat, which he doesn’t seem to mind.

“That’s right, princess. Let you come.” He abruptly removes his digits and taps my clit lightly. “Or do you want me to leave you all wound up like this?”

“I-I could finish on my own.” Technically, it’s true. Although it wouldn’t be half so satisfying.

He lowers his knee, dropping my feet to the floor.

“Yes,” I bark in a hurry, all pride dissolving when faced with the loss of his hot hands on my body. “I said yes.”

He chuckles and picks me up. “Good girl,” he murmurs in my ear as he carries me to the bedroom and tosses me onto the bed like a rag doll.

I prop myself on my elbows, watching him crawl up over me, his cock bulging against his jeans, his expression ravenous. “I’m going to make you come so hard you scream.”

Arrogant much? But then, he probably has reason to be confident. A man—or wolf—whatever, who looks like him probably has girls throwing themselves at him on a regular basis.

He grabs my pants on either side and yanks them down, tearing my panties off in the process and throwing them both over his shoulder. Grasping my knees, he parts them and bends them up, opening me to him. “I did promise you a reward.”

I gasp at the shock of vulnerability, of having my most intimate parts spread and displayed for his close inspection. He brings the pad of his thumb to my clit, just rests it there, as if he knows I need a moment to calm down and get used to his touch.

“Lace your fingers together behind your head.”

I stare at him, my brain slow to process his words. When he arches a stern brow, I force my mind to replay his words and bring my hands out of the way. The position increases my sense of exposure, but I immediately forget when Garrett brings the tip of his tongue to the seam of my labia, parting the lips and running along the inside of each before circling my clit. Already on fire, I jerk at the touch, bucking.

He holds my pelvis down with one huge hand and penetrates me with his tongue, his thumb returning to my engorged clit and gently vibrating.

I lose my breath in a cry, hands flying down to push his head away, the sensation too much.

“Uh uh,” he scolds, abruptly stopping all his ministrations. “What did I tell you about your hands?”

“I’m sorry,” I whimper, desperate for him to go on—as desperate as I’d been for him to stop a moment before.

He pulls his knees up underneath him and sits up, grabbing my ankles and lifting them into the air.

“What are you— Ow!”

Garrett transfers both my ankles to one hand and slaps my ass with the other one—hard. He rubs away the sting then lands another one and another. They aren’t gentle, light spanks, but hard and deliberate, catching my bulging labia and exposed sex with each slap, his palm coming away wet with my juices. The fire he ignites is more than surface sting; it comes from my very core.

Even so, I fight him, kick my legs, though they barely move in his grasp.

It’s horrible and incredible at once. I’m helpless, but, for once in my life, I’m not fighting for control. I let him have it. Let him punish me because I know what’s coming next.

Pleasure.

Pure, unadulterated pleasure.

“Little girls who disobey get punished, don’t they baby?” I hear pure sex in his voice, and I moan in response. “What’s that, angel?”

“Yes, sir.” I don’t even know what makes me say it. It’s not like I watch BDSM porn or know anything about being spanked by a lover, but it just comes out.

He growls, eyes turning silver. “Oh, baby. You have me harder than stone.”

As I writhe and wriggle under the onslaught of his hand, I’m suddenly desperate to help him with his harder-than-stone cock. How much would fit in my mouth?

He stops spanking, and I let out a soft, low moan. He lifts my ankles even higher in the air and plants a kiss on each raw cheek before lowering my pelvis.

I tuck my hands underneath, cupping my hot, tingling buttocks, still panting from the punishment. Of their own accord, my knees part and pelvis lifts in offering.

He chuckles. “What are we going to do about these hands?”

I immediately snatch them away, my ass giving a reminder pulse of what happens when I disobey. I both want and don’t want more of the same. “Sorry, sir.”

 

~.~

 

Garrett

 

Oh no.

She did not just call me sir again. Fates, she’s testing my self-control.

My cock punches out against my jeans, painfully hard and dying to plow into Amber. But I’m not going to. No, this is for her. I owe her pleasure. Besides, I don’t trust myself with her.

“I’m tempted to tie you up, since you’re having a hard time following directions, but I don’t want to get kicked in the nuts, which I strongly suspect would happen if I tried it again.”

She gives a short bark of laughter. “I was thinking about acquiring some silver nutcrackers.”

I lower myself and return to my earlier pleasure, tasting her incredible pussy. I lick into her, nipping her lips with my teeth. “Baby. you taste so good to me.”

She jerks. “Oh God!”

I lift the hood of her clit and flicked it with my tongue then suck the little nub until her legs thrash around my ears and her choked breath sounds desperate. I thrust two fingers inside her sopping channel and swirl them around, stroking her inner walls. Finding her G-spot, I tickle it, feeling the tissue harden under my fingertips as her voice turns to a screech.

I lick the thumb of my other hand for lubrication and wiggle it between her butt cheeks, seeking her little rosette. Her pelvis pops up from the bed, but I follow her movements, circling the tight ring of muscle, pressing into it.

“Stop... what? Oh God,” she squeals.

I shove my thumb in and out of her ass as I continue to stroke her G-spot. I don’t stop fucking her, filling both her holes, demanding more and more of her. My vision has domed, my wolf is growling, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to give him an inch. This isn’t about me putting my cock in a hot human, not even one my wolf has attached himself to. I fight the urge to swap my fingers for my cock, to pound her sweet pussy until we both shatter.

Amber’s already close, so close.

“Come for me, baby,” I growl. “Come all over my fingers now.”

She lasts only three seconds longer. She explodes, screaming as I promised, bucking and kicking, her internal muscles tightening and spasming around my fingers as she unravels in the most gorgeous display of an orgasm I’ve ever seen.

I keep pumping until she collapses into a lifeless heap, then I ease my fingers out and plant a kiss on the swollen lips of her sweet little pussy. “I’ll be right back.” I scramble up and get myself into the bathroom to wash up and get my wolf under control.

This was for Amber. Not for me.

But my wolf doesn’t give a fuck about whatever decision I’ve made not to claim Amber. He’s pissed I still have a full cock and an unmated female.

I force myself to think about Sedona and, after a few breaths, he backs down. I was relaxing Amber so she can help Sedona. Not mating her.

Once I’m calm, I return and find she hasn’t moved, her legs sprawled open, arms flung wide. Her mussed hair and flushed cheeks make her look thoroughly fucked. By me. My wolf preens. I climb over her and kiss her neck, settling beside her.

“What about you?” she asks hoarsely.

“I don’t think you’re ready for wolf cock,” I joke, hoping I’ve hidden my grimace of pain. I seriously think I might die if I don’t fuck her brains out soon. But Amber’s not mine for the taking. I have no plans to mate any female, especially not a human. And, damn, but I don’t think I’m capable of just fooling around with her. Not with my wolf howling at me to mark her.

“No?” she pouts. She’s adorable. Her armor’s fallen away, and I get to see the real Amber underneath. The sweet, soft, angelic Amber. And fates, if I’m not careful, I’m going to hurt her, despite my best intentions. I need to tell her we can’t do this. Now.

She gets up onto her hands and knees and crawls toward me. It’s pure sex-slave stuff, and I almost pass out just watching. She flicks open the button on my jeans.

I grab her hands to stop her, but it’s too late. She brings that hot, moist mouth to my cock and bites through my boxer briefs.

“Fuck.” I grab her by the hair and hold her mouth still with one hand, whipping out my cock with the other.

She opens wide.

Ah fates, I shouldn’t. I really shouldn’t. But I can’t seem to pull back. I plunge deep into her mouth, bumping the back of her throat and making her gag. I immediately pull back, shocked at what an asshole I am. “I told you you can’t handle wolf cock,” I say, but it comes out strangled.

“Oh yeah?” Yeah, my girl loves a challenge because she’s immediately back on my cock, sucking hard as she draws it into the pocket of her cheek and out. She grips the base and strokes her hand up and down in synchronized movements with her mouth, making it seem like she’s taking my full length.

My vision domes. My teeth elongate to mark her. I take a page out of the play I just made her follow and lace my fingers on the top of my head. I can’t touch or I swear I’ll throw her down and fuck the living daylights out of her. She looks so fucking hot, those full lips stretched around my throbbing cock, eyes trained on my face like the perfect submissive.

“Fates, Amber. I’ll never say you can’t handle wolf cock again,” I choke. I want to grab her head and urge her faster, but I don’t let myself.

No touching.

Do not touch her if you want to keep her safe.

She picks up speed on her own, probably sensing how close I am from the way my thighs shake how close I am.

“Fuck, baby, I’m going to come,” I growl. I start to pull out, but she doesn’t let me. She grips my cock tighter in her little fist and sucks so damn hard.

Lights explode behind my eyes. I bellow, and the sound is more animal than human. I come in her mouth, and she sucks it down, swallows.

The release gives me a few precious seconds to get away from her. To keep from nailing that hot little pussy from here into eternity.

I lurch away and walk until I hit the door, where I shove my cock back in my pants and zip them up. I force myself to remain facing the door, like a kid in a timeout. Despite my orgasm, my flesh is still on fire, teeth still at the ready. I work to slow my breath. I can do this. I am an alpha wolf. If I don’t have the self-discipline to master my beast, I don’t deserve the position.

“Listen, Amber,” I say in a strangled voice. “What we are... what we just did...”

“No, I know,” she interrupts, getting up and putting her clothes on. “This was just to relax me.” I dare to turn and see the soft happiness in her face disappear, like a light switched off.

The pain of that sight is enough for my wolf to pull way back. My vision clears. The teeth return to normal.

“We can’t work long term.” The words are heavy on my tongue. “Humans and... we don’t work out long term. Believe me, baby, I want you. I want you so badly it hurts.” I grab my cock in my jeans for emphasis. “But I can’t do it.”

“You made your case,” she says stiffly. “I’ll stop thinking of this as our second date.”

A terrible weight drops onto my chest. “No, it’s definitely a date. I don’t kidnap and duct tape just any girl, you know.” I try for humor then sober again. “I want you to know, I don’t do this”—I wave a hand to indicate the bed—“casually.”

“Yeah right. I bet all those girls at the club throw themselves at you.”

Do I detect a note of jealousy? My ego is momentarily cheered. “I don’t,” I growl.

She turns away from me as she steps into her yoga pants.

Fuck. I’ve hurt her. I definitely screwed this up. I walk up behind her and wrap an arm around her waist, but she stiffens. Sensing the walls she’s erected kills me.

She picks up Sedona’s tank like she’s going to put it on instead of her shirt. Then she goes still.

I remain still, too, though I know my touch is unwelcome. It’s like I need the physical closeness to try to counteract the chasm I’ve just put between us.

“She’s in a cage, being taken out of an airplane and put in a white van.”

I drop my hold on her and whirl her around. “Where?” I bark, cursing inwardly when she flinches.

“I don’t know. The men handling her look Latino. So. maybe still in Mexico?”

“Where? What city?”

“I don’t know.” Amber looks around for her pants.

I pause at the door, then stride back, catching Amber around the waist and pulling her close for a kiss. “Thank you.”

She blushes. “Well, I don’t know if it—”

I stop her protests with another kiss. “Thank you. I release her as abruptly as I snatched her up.

“Trey,” I shout, slamming the bedroom door open. “Call Kylie. Find out about every plane that left this area since Sedona disappeared—especially ones that might have been carrying a caged wolf.”

The pierced wolf has his phone to his ear before I finish. “Closest airport is in Hermosillo.”

I turn to Jared next. “Pull up a map of Mexico.” When the tattooed wolf walks over with his laptop and the map on the screen, I bring it to Amber, who has dressed and come out of the bedroom. “Where?”

She gives me a doubtful look but gazes at the map.

“Don’t think, just say the first thing that comes to your mind.”

“Mexico City,” she blurts, and then looks surprised, as if she didn’t know she was going to speak. She blinks several times. “But I also heard the word Lobo again.”

“I’ll get Kylie to cross reference that area with the word Lobo, Trey says.

“Do it in the car.” I nod to Jared, who starts packing up his laptop. “We need to get to Hermosillo.”