Eight

Drake was famished, and his mate was fucking manna in the wilderness. The scent of her heat called to him even more than before. Her body wanted his seed, wanted his young. And damn every fucking consequence, his wolf wanted to give it to her. Give her everything.

It felt like the right thing to do.

He lapped at her wetness, feeling her thighs quiver against his cheeks. She was close, but having trouble letting go. No doubt, her wolf was raging inside, making things even crazier.

For a split second, he let doubt creep in. He’d never done this before. During his transition from young to adult, he’d been trained in how to please his mate. The Cedar Valley pack had taken great pride in the sexual prowess of their males. But as far as actual experience, he had none.

He was as virgin as the morning sun.

But then Ella’s nails dug into his arm, and he knew he was giving her pleasure. Could scent it. Could taste it on his lips.

He had to do something to push her past the barrier. Something that didn’t involve his dick, because if she so much as breathed on it with her sweet, hot breath, he was going to explode.

His wolf snarled as Ella moved her hips against him. Mine. Fucking mine.

Forgetting about the hard ground, he flipped her onto her back. She gasped, but Drake saw the satisfaction in her eyes. This is what would push her over. This was what she needed. To be dominated. Taken. Claimed, even if he couldn’t fully mark her.

And fucking hell, he needed it too. Needed the skin on skin contact with her body. Needed his scent all over her, never to be washed away.

He ripped his t-shirt over his head, tossing it on the bank of the creek. Ella’s eyes flared as she stared at his chest. Fuck, he liked her looking at him. Her eyes scouring his body made his cock throb. And there was nowhere else for the damn thing to go. He’d already released the zipper.

Shit.

“More. Please,” she begged, tossing her head from side to side, catching fallen leaves in her hair. She looked wild and unkempt in the sexiest way. He’d do anything—fucking anything—to keep her. Being the one to see her like this day in and day out was a gift he would never take for granted.

They just had to take care of this shade thing first.

Head in the race, Drake.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, brushing his fingers over her throat until he reached her breasts.

There wasn’t a more perfect body for him. He circled a hardened nipple with the tip of his finger before brushing his thumb across it, eliciting a whimper from his mate.

He bent low, nipping at her jaw. “This body is mine,” he declared.

“Yes.”

“No one touches it but me. No one makes you feel like this but me.”

“God, yes.”

He drew back to watch her eyes flutter back in her head before he took a hard nipple between his lips, sucking and tapping with his tongue. Ella’s hands flew to his head, pulling his hair hard.

Drake increased his attention, dragging his hand down her body until he was buried in her wetness. He slid between her folds imagining it was another part of his body taking pleasure in hers.

She began to shake, trembling all over. “Drake?”

“It’s okay, baby. Let it go.”

“I… I can’t,” she wailed.

“You can. There’s no room for fear. Not between us. I won’t let you be afraid of what you are.” He moved to her other breast, squeezing and licking.

But she didn’t have her release and she didn’t shift. The urge to plunge inside her became stronger and stronger. A thing he couldn’t ignore. And didn’t want to anymore.

Instinct was too strong. It was overpowering logic, both hers and his. Their wolves weren’t letting them do this any other way.

And fuck everything, Drake was done denying them.

“I need… I need…”

And that was all it took for him to give up his plan of not marking her. She needed him. His mate was in need and he’d throw all caution to the wind to meet that need.

He rose up, kissing her lips slow and sweet, promising her forever with that single gesture. He wanted to spend more time there, but it would have to wait until later.

“I’m going to make everything better,” he whispered, against her vibrating skin.

On his knees, he jerked his pants down, releasing his erection.

Ella looked between their bodies. “Yes, yes, yes,” she chanted. “Mine.” Her eyes lit up while her body hummed with power.

Drake swallowed, gripping his cock and guiding it to her entrance. He let out a hiss of pain laced with pleasure when his hardness made contact with her wet heat. But he didn’t push into her yet.

She screamed, bucking and twisting, making it harder and harder not to sink into her and thrust away until they were both sated.

“Fuck. Fuck, baby, come for me.” He pressed his thumb against her clit. This was it. He was going to take her. Hard and fast and furious. One thrust. That’s all it’d take and she’d be his…

And then he felt it. Her release. It shook her entire body, making her spasm uncontrollably. All he could do was hold still and absorb her pleasure as she bucked against him.

He stared at her coming undone beneath him, and his chest ached with longing. There wasn’t a more beautiful sight than his mate losing herself to pleasure he’d given her.

“That’s good, Ella,” he urged through clenched teeth. He was going to bust. With nothing else to push him over besides her body jerking and her moans of pleasure. “Your release is so sweet, baby. Now let me have your wolf.”

She brushed against his cock once more and he gave up trying to hold back. He tightened his grip, pumping once into his hand before releasing his pent up orgasm onto her belly.

A strangled sound burst from her throat as her wolf struggled free, but she wasn’t fighting it. He could sense how hard she was trying, how badly she wanted to be one with her animal.

And then it happened.

He blinked.

Her eyes peeled wide.

They both went still, their mutual pleasure forgotten.

Skin became fur. Teeth became fangs. Fingers became claws.

Drake stared down at Ella’s new form. Her fur was dark like her hair had been, tipped in gray and red. She was slender but strong, her frame covered in lean muscle. She was beautiful.  She took his breath away.

Staring at him with awestruck animal eyes, she whimpered.

Drake smiled. “Hi, baby.”

Still poised above her, he shifted, finally letting his animal off its leash.

Wolf nuzzled his mate’s neck, imprinting her new, stronger scent. The heat was still upon her, but they were temporarily satisfied. It was enough for now.

She rubbed her snout against his, trying out her new body, and nipped at his jaw lovingly.

He drew back, letting her stand on four legs. Taking a small step, she stumbled, but caught herself. Inching toward the creek, she bent her head and drank from the stream.

When she looked back at Drake, there was a teasing twinkle in her eye. He let out a curious chuff and she pranced back and forth along the bank.

She was going to run. His mate wanted to play. A growl rumbled past his chest daring her to run from him. Those legs were new; he’d win that race.

Ella let out a playful bark and then shot around him, heading in the direction of his cabin. With a soft snarl, he bounded after her.