Seven

Ella let Drake pull her through the empty field and past the practice track until they arrived at his small cabin. She frowned as he pushed her inside and closed the door behind them. The fresh air had done her some good. Her head felt less like a balloon and more like it was weighted to her body. But it had done nothing for the intense ache between her legs.

Drake spun and pulled her into his arms. She welcomed the contact. It was a necessary anchor, keeping her in the real world while she tried to make sense of all that had happened since leaving Red Cap. Hell, all that had happened since she’d stepped foot in this club.

“I didn’t want you to find out like this, but there’s no time, so just listen to me.” He waited for her nod before continuing. “You aren’t like other humans. You’re different. You’re a shifter.”

A laugh burst from her lips at his serious tone. She’d thought he was going to tell her something worrisome.

Of course she was a shifter.

Wait.

What was a shifter? With her knowledge of cars, all that came to mind was a gear shifter. She imagined herself, except leather covered and with numbers and a gear map painted on her stomach.

She shook her head, squinting up at Drake.

“A human that shares a body with an animal. A wolf, to be exact. Ella, you’re a werewolf.”

Oh. Yeah. That.

But he was wrong. She most certainly was not a…

“A wolf?”

Drake nodded. “We all are. Your mother was too, but not your father. It’s why you’ve never turned. But now, you need to.”

She shook her head in disbelief, wanting to deny what he said, but also not able to. Something inside her felt the truth of his words. The stories her daddy told… maybe he’d been trying to prepare her for this all along.

“A wolf.” She let her lips speak the words again. “Shifter.”

As unbelievable as it was, she believed him. And she wasn’t just taking him at his word. Now that she’d been given a name for what gnawed at her inside, things became clear. She knew things. Things that had been shoved to the back of her subconscious.

She knew she needed a pack. Maybe that’s why she’d been so desperate to become a member of the club in the first place. She knew she hadn’t been made this way like the werewolves in the movies. She was a wolf because her mother was one. She knew that delicious scent coming from Drake earlier was because he’d been aroused.

She stared at him, a flood of emotions rising in her chest. Joy, desire, fear, confusion, satisfaction, desperation. “You’re my… my… mate.”

His tight grin didn’t erase the worry from his eyes. He brushed his thumb across her heated cheek. “I am. And you are mine, sweet Ella.”

Sweet Ella. No one had ever called her something so… reverent. This man—wolf? man/wolf?—was different than anyone she’d ever known. He treasured her. Even though their relationship was new, he held her in the highest regard. The same as she did him. And it was because of the animal inside her that she could understand this. It was instinctual, the respect and attraction.

It was an unstoppable force for sure, but she didn’t want to stop it either. She wanted to matter to someone. To him. Like he mattered to her.

The rest was just details.

Another realization hit her, and this one brought with it overwhelming mortification. “Oh my god.” She tried to push him away but he wouldn’t budge.

“What is it?”

“Oh. My god.” Her voice rose to a squeak.

The look on his face was brutal. “Ella, tell me what’s wrong.”

“I’m in heat,” she whispered, horrified.

Drake’s face relaxed a fraction. The side of his mouth even turned up in the most heart-quaking intimate expression. It made her stomach flutter with a million butterflies.

“I know.”

“But… but I threw myself at you!” And she wanted to do it again. Jesus. The burning was both enjoyable and unbearable.

“I know,” he murmured, pulling her closer. “And I am so glad you did.”

“The guys.” Holy hell. “That’s what was wrong with them back in the shop. Oh, no. How embarrassing.”

She buried her face in Drake’s neck so he couldn’t see how humiliated she was.

“You don’t have to worry about them,” he said, roughly. “Blister will knock some sense into ‘em. We just need to keep you away for a while until it passes. Or…”

“Or what?”

Drake shook his head, and she pulled back to look at him.

“It’s too soon,” he choked out.

“Too soon for what?”

He stared at her so intently she knew he was choosing his words carefully. “I can claim you and every wolf nearby will know you’re mine.” She felt him grow hard against her belly and struggled to hold in a gasp. “No one would dare touch you. But…”

God, that sounded amazing. Ella the human might not have agreed, but Ella the shifter was so effing on board with being taken and claimed. A moan escaped her.

Oh hell, Ella the human probably wouldn’t have minded either.

“I’m… I’m not opposed to that.”

Drake reached down to grab a handful of her behind, squeezing to bring her even closer. His hands on her did strange things to her inside. She was melting with every point of molten contact. His mouth was so close to hers she could feel the magic of their breath mingling.

“Do you have any idea what those words do to me? What you do to me? I want to lose myself in you, Ella. Body, mind, and soul. I’ve waited a long time for this. For you. But I can’t put my young in you yet. It’s too soon. We haven’t discussed children or living situations. Or hell, what we’re going to tell Blister.” He brushed his lips over hers, soft and succulent. “We’ve only just found each other.”

Drake was right. There were so many questions she needed answered. So much to think about. This was happening too fast. She just couldn’t make herself care.

She wanted her mate.

“I’m usually more thoughtful than this,” she mumbled. “I make plans and lists. I’m strategic. But with you, I just want to go all in. It feels…”

“Right,” he murmured, his palm cradling her cheek. “It feels right.”

She nodded.

“There’s something else.”

“What?”

She squirmed at his tone, but Drake skimmed his fingers over her ribs lulling her with his magical touch.

“You’re what we call a shade. It means you’ve never shifted to your wolf form. Your animal’s been trapped inside you for far too long, starved of attention. Of freedom and touch. The reason you’ve been feeling so erratic is because your wolf wants out.”

The stirring inside her seemed to agree, but the rational minded human part of her rebelled at the radical thought.

“I don’t know how to do that,” she argued. “Doesn’t it just… happen?”

Drake shook his head. “Not for some. You should’ve shifted around puberty. But you were raised away from a pack. Raised as a human, away from other animals. So the wolf inside you was never allowed to learn from others like it. I’m sure your father didn’t have the slightest idea how to nurture your animal.”

Ella stiffened, but he put a finger to her lips.

“I can see that he did his best. Tried like hell, I’d bet. He loved you with every ounce of himself. I know because he gave you your history in stories. He gave you all he knew to give. He just didn’t know how to help you change.”

Ella’s throat closed up with sudden grief. Poor daddy. He’d been mated to a wereshifter. If he’d felt anything for her mother like she felt for Drake… losing her must have been pure hell. Maybe they were together somewhere now. Loving each other again.

Drake caught a tear as it flowed free of her eyelid to slip down her cheek. He glowered at the drop of wetness on the tip of his finger, accusing. The action was wonderfully protective and made her feel like she had her own knight in shining armor. This man would fight her battles for her, sure, but that wasn’t what she wanted exactly. She wanted someone to fight her battles with her. And after the way he’d handled her racing him on the track, she knew Drake was that man too.

“I think daddy would be happy I found you,” she whispered.

Drake pressed his forehead to hers, breathing deep. Ella let the comfort of his embrace burn away layers of her grief. She was sloughing off the past and coming out stronger. That’s what this was.

“Tell me how to free my animal.”

He pulled back to look into her eyes, searching. “Well, I have an idea. Not a damn clue if it will work, but it’s worth a try.”

“Yeah?”

“When we shift, it’s like an explosion. It’s sudden, a burst of mutation that happens in a blink. But so much happens within and without. You go from feeling like a human—human emotions, tastes, urges—to feeling like an animal, with different emotions, tastes, and urges. But the one thing that stays the same in both forms... is pleasure.” His eyes grew dark and just that simple word from his mouth set her on fire again. Head floating, ears ringing, burning throb at her core.

“But you said we can’t—”

“I can’t mark you. Not yet. But I never said I wouldn’t pleasure you until you came completely apart.” His voice was a deep thrum against her chest. “I want to make you lose control. I want to see you undone.”

Her vibrating throaty moan said what her mouth couldn’t: yes, a million times, yes.

“I want you here, in my bed. Sweet and slow. On the couch, fast and hard. The fucking kitchen table. In the shower, wet and wild. I want you everywhere, in every way. But tonight…” He brushed her hair back from her face. “We need to be outside in the open air. Because baby, tonight you’re going to let go. You’re going to be free.”

She was going to turn. Transition. Somewhere in the depths of her soul, it sounded so right. She needed this. But she was also afraid.

“What if I turn and then can’t change back?”

Drake shook his head. “That won’t happen.”

“How do you know?”

“Because, just like you can’t survive without changing to your wolf form, you also can’t not be in your human form. You need both. Your animal will recognize this, and you’ll turn back. Besides, I’ll be with you. When you shift, so will I. We’ll be wolves together and I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

Ella swallowed. She could feel his alpha dominance rippling the air around them. What he was saying was he would bring her to heel if her wolf tried any funny business. He was saying trust him, and somehow she did. It was almost too easy to trust Drake Folsom. He brought every one of her defenses down.

She wanted this quarrelling within her to stop. She wanted to be one with her animal. She felt it was necessary in order for her to heal. In order for her to live her life to the fullest. Like daddy would’ve wanted.

Ella took a deep breath. Time to take care of shit.

Stretching up on her tiptoes, she pressed her lips against Drake’s, tasting his green-apple flavor. The gum he liked to chew.

She smiled at his lips, but his snarled growl let her know he meant business.

With his mouth fused to hers, he reached behind her to open the door. Then he broke contact, lifting her carefully into his arms. She started to protest, but he didn’t seem to be struggling with her weight at all.

Keeping his eyes glued to hers, he carried her down the steps and across the driveway, winding between trees and bushes until they were deep into the woods. He stopped, and Ella could hear the babbling of water over rocks. Carefully, he let her drop to her feet.

“Where are we?”

“Blade creek,” he answered.

The place was gorgeous. The moon reflecting off the hazy fog of the warm summer night lit up the sky while still keeping them in darkness. Leafy green trees made a thatch-like canopy above their heads that opened up above the creek. Fog came and went over the surface of the water so that one second the moon glistened off of it and the next, it was swallowed up. It was moody and quiet. Not that she needed anything special. She was fully on board with their plan.

“Things aren’t perfect,” Drake said. “I’d rather have you for the first time on a bed of roses instead of these leaves, but this is going to be memorable. I want it to at least be beautiful. This is my favorite place in these woods.”

Happy tears pricked at Ella’s eyes. Her mate was so thoughtful. But the hint of uncertainty in his gaze was out of character. She’d never seen him anything other than sure. Even verging on cocky. Racing, his kiss, his touch. Everything was done without hesitation. But what he’d said earlier about their kiss…

Just because he looked like sex on legs didn’t mean he’d been with lots of women. He worked hard, but maybe he didn’t play hard.

Drake blinked and his dominance came rushing back to the surface. He curved his hand around her neck, brushing down past her collar bone and cupping her breast in a soft but sure grip.

“I wish I could say I’m going to take you, mate, but that sweet dominion will have to wait. For now…” he took the collar of her tank in both hands and yanked, ripping it clean down the center. “For now, I’m going to lick every inch of your body. Familiarize my tongue with all your hot spots.”

He swept the scraps of her shirt aside revealing the lace cups of her bra and the heavy swells that ached for his touch. His eyes burned her with their lust.

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. “And try… try to keep my cock from derailing this plan.”

Ella was on fire. Would it really be so bad if he just went ahead and marked her? She wanted it so bad she was willing to beg. But a little voice in the back of her mind reminded her this was the heat. Not that she didn’t want Drake with everything in her, but the unbearable yearning for his seed was because of the heat.

Wasn’t it?

Dear god everything was becoming fuzzy. Lines were blurring. Desire mixing with instinct. She would have to trust Drake fully with this. He knew what she was going through and he’d keep her safe. He said so.

“Ella, you have to stop,” he warned.

“Stop what?”

“Looking at me like that. Like you’re going to give me everything I want. It’s hot as fuck and I can’t think.” He took a step back. “Take your clothes off. Let me watch you.”

She’d never undressed for anyone before, but she didn’t feel a single qualm over it. The way he watched her, she knew she was like candy for his eyes. And she loved how that made her feel. Superior. Confident. Exceptional. And uniquely his.

Slowly, she undid the button of her jeans and slid the zipper down but then stopped, and moved to shrug free of her ripped shirt. His eyes moved with her, doing a dance to her every movement. When the scraps of her top were on the ground, she inched her hand downward, back to her waistband.

Drake’s breath heaved, making his broad chest expand. His jaw was tight, his arms ramrod straight at his sides, hands clenched to fists.

The knowledge that he was wound so tightly because of her was empowering.

Ella slipped her pants over her hips, bending to slowly push them down her legs. The air hit her skin, sending chills skittering across her body, but it did nothing to cool her down. Heat licked at her core, flaring to her fingertips. Even her lips felt scalding hot.

Only Drake could douse this fire.

She straightened, silently begging him to touch her, but he only touched her with his gaze. Starting from the top of her head, he scoured her, his eyes hitting on her most intimate places.

“Take off the rest.” The quiet dominance in his voice was like a whip snapping her into action.

Reaching behind, she unhooked her bra, letting it slide from her shoulders.

The hunger in his eyes was feral as it touched on her breasts. Ella squirmed under his scrutiny. Hell, she was going to combust when he finally put his hands on her.

“The rest,” he murmured, shifting from one foot to the other as if he could barely hold himself back.

Hooking her thumbs in her panties, she shifted her hips, pushing them down and then stepping free.

Drake nodded slowly, zeroing in on the aching spot between her legs. He ran a hand over his mouth as if he was imagining his lips on her. “I’m going to devour you. Do you understand that?”

Ella’s breath caught in her throat.

“Do you?” he repeated.

“Yes,” she rasped.

In the moment, she wanted that more than oxygen. In fact, if he didn’t do something quick, she was going to go crazy with lust.

“Just so we’re clear.”

Before she could answer, he broke the leash on his control, charging forward, falling to his knees and wrapping his arms around her waist. He buried his face in her belly, licking and sucking. She gasped and moaned at the surprise of his lips against her skin. He didn’t start at the top of her body and work his way down like she’d expected. No, instead he gripped her ass with both hands, bringing her right where he wanted her to be: centered over his hungry mouth.

The first lick of his tongue against her sex made her cry out.

“Fuck,” he hissed, before diving in for more.

Ella squirmed, but he held her in place for his assault. And what a beautiful assault it was, his soft and urgent tongue lapping at the wetness he’d drawn from her. Her breath came faster the faster he moved, the heat building to an explosive level.

“D-Drake?”

He paused to look up at her, but the expression on his face was brutal, like she’d interrupted something of the utmost importance. “What?” he snapped.

Her legs trembled worse than a leaf in a thunderstorm. She was so close to coming. She just needed…

Drake got a wicked gleam in his eye, and before she could utter another word, he fell backward, taking her with him to the ground. He landed flat on his back, with her legs straddling his head.

Ella yelped, trying not to sit on his face, but he just chuckled.

“There,” he husked. “Comfortable?”

Comfortable? Not exactly. She was spread wide open, hovering right over his mouth. It was a position of pure honesty. She couldn’t squeeze her legs together to escape him. She couldn’t hide any of her flaws or lessen his attention. But then she realized she didn’t want to.

Drake didn’t wait for her response. He just went back to kissing her most intimate spot. His hand on the small of her back pressed her closer to his working mouth as she tried to keep her hips from thrusting against his face.

Ella cried out, a wild howling sound that came from somewhere deep down. Inside, she felt like she would shake apart. Wolf… wolf… wanted…

She could feel the animal inside clawing to the surface. So close, but something was holding it back.

Drake’s hand moved between her legs to tease her opening while his mouth tortured her clit.

“Ohhh,” she groaned as he carefully slid a finger inside.

Oh, god. This was different than she remembered. All the times before, she’d never felt like she was going to fall into oblivion and explode at the same time.

“Fuck,” he whispered against her tender flesh. His hot breath grazed her lips as he spoke. The scruff of his five o’clock shadow scratched the insides of her thighs while his finger pumped in and out. It was all so erotic. It almost felt like a dream.

She felt the absence of his hand, then heard the zing of his zipper and his tortured sigh.

“I’ve never been so hard in my life. I need to mark you so bad.” He delivered another long lick to her center. “Keeping these pants on,” he muttered almost to himself. “Just need a little relief.”

Ella started to scoot down. She’d show his body the same respect he showed hers. But his fingers gripped her thighs.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I want you in my mouth.” God, that sultry voice was back again. She felt like a sex kitten—or… sex wolf? Whatever.

“I want that too.” His voice was strangled. “But if you go anywhere near my cock, this’ll be game over. We need your wolf to come out to play.”

He was right. She wasn’t thinking straight. Damn it. “Okay.”

“Now get your sweet ass back up here. Your mate wasn’t done licking.”