CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Joining his pack mates on the flattened grassy area not far from the rear of the house, Zander asked, “Any sign of him?”
“Someone’s been creeping around the southern border of the land,” said Derren, “but I can’t be sure it was Rory.”
Zander lifted a questioning brow at Bracken. “What did you see?”
“There were some wolf paw prints on the eastern side,” began Bracken, “and they were too big to be those of a full-blooded wolf. My guess is that it was Rory.”
Zander clenched his jaw. His blood boiled at the thought of his brother anywhere near Gwen. It had been more than a week since Rory had tried to take her, and they’d checked the land daily for signs that he’d been nearby. Today was the first time that they’d found any, which likely meant that Rory was done waiting for Zander to hunt him.
Shaya had been furious to hear that Rory had harmed Gwen. She’d taken an immediate liking to Zander’s human, apparently. And when Zander had shared that he and Ally were certain that Gwen was his mate, the rest of his pack became just as pissed about Rory’s test.
Given the shit that Nick had previously spouted, Zander had expected the Alpha to be disappointed to hear that Gwen was his mate. If he was, he’d given no indication of it. He’d simply said, “Keep her safe, Zander. Take it from someone who watched his parent fall apart after she lost her mate—you’d be a shell of a man without her. I don’t want that for you.”
His Alpha was right on that score, but Zander was resolute that he’d never know how that felt. He’d never have to be without her. No one would take her from him, especially not Rory. The asshole had hurt her once—he wouldn’t get another chance. Zander would make sure of it.
Ally took a step toward him. “I know your instinct is to hunt Rory and eradicate the threat to your mate, but it won’t be that simple. For one thing, he’s your twin.”
“Don’t think that means anything to me right now,” Zander rumbled. “Blood doesn’t make family. Rory isn’t my family. Never was. Gwen—she’s everything. If I have to kill him to keep her safe, that’s what I’ll do.” His wolf was behind him all the way.
“Gwen won’t like to think that you killed your twin for her,” Ally gently pointed out. “She’s the type of person who’d worry that it killed something inside you and that you’ll one day hate her for it.”
“She’s also the type of person who fully understands that sharing someone’s DNA doesn’t have to mean anything.”
Ally inclined her head, conceding that. “While we’re on the subject of Gwen . . . have you decided when you’re going to tell her that you believe she’s your mate?”
He sighed. “I’m working up to it.”
“She’s a lot more relaxed with you now. She seems really happy.”
Bracken slipped his hands in his pockets. “Do you think it will be hard to convince her to leave here and move to pack territory? She works for Yvonne and her soon-to-be brother-in-law, and she keeps a close watch on the whole family. She might feel like moving away would be abandoning them.”
“I worry about that.” Ally paused to swat at a mosquito. “But Marlon and Yvonne will bodily throw her out if it comes to it—they want her happy, and they think Zander can give it to her. I haven’t told them that she’s your true mate, just in case you’re wondering.”
“She’ll join the pack,” said Zander, confident.
Derren tilted his head. “What makes you so sure?”
“She’s full of questions about the pack, our culture, the laws we abide by.” She quizzed Zander daily. “In my opinion, she’s always been fascinated by wolf shifters for a reason—deep down in her soul, she knew she belonged to one. She subconsciously knew she’d be part of a pack one day. She’s ready for it. Hungry for it on some level.”
“He’s right,” said Ally. “When she’s with us, when we’re together as a group, something in her sort of . . . settles. I can’t explain it. But it makes me think that joining our pack won’t be a big problem for her. Leaving her family will be, though. You can’t ignore that, Zander. You have to face it so you can think of the best way to deal with it.”
A cool breeze slid over Zander, bringing with it the scents of wet grass, salty water, and . . . human males. He stiffened. “We have visitors.”
Derren nostrils flared, and then he tensed. “Where’s Gwen?”
“She’s inside the house; she’ll be fine,” said Zander.
Bracken lifted his brows. “You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
Suds splattered on the ground as Gwen scrubbed the side of the truck with the wet sponge. Soapy water pooled at her feet and dotted her legs. Her tank top and denim shorts were wet with soap and water, but the air was so hot and dry that they wouldn’t be damp for long. Her sunglasses protected her eyes from the shards of sunlight that bounced off the wet, clean paint.
Washing her truck was not her favorite pastime, but she’d needed something to do. She was used to new guests arriving at least once a week—used to having rooms to clean, linen to launder, Welcome Hampers to prepare, and people to take on tours around the marsh.
It was strange to have so much time on her hands. Hell, she’d been so bored, she’d even cleaned her own room. Marlon and Yvonne had made it worse by fussing over her. Needing some air and space, she’d turned to her dirty truck.
Having something to do also helped distract her from thoughts of Kenny and the Moores. On the evening of the day she’d met with Kenny, Geena had called to say that he’d seemed very happy after the meeting. He’d supposedly contacted Ezra Moore and instructed him to back off.
So far, his instruction had worked. There had been no more attacks or problems. Gwen wasn’t confident that things would remain so calm, though. Not when the people in question were laws unto themselves.
Zander’s tension hadn’t eased either, but she suspected that was partly due to the lingering threat that Rory presented. She wasn’t worried about that moron because, well, he was a moron. But she could happily shoot him right in the dick for toying with Zander and using her to do so.
It was laughable to be protective of someone who was a gazillion times stronger than she was. If anyone could take care of himself, it was Zander Devlin. He didn’t need her. It was both strange and . . . uplifting to be around someone who didn’t need her to be the strong one.
Hanna, Yvonne, Julie, and Marlon had all used her as a crutch to some extent. Hanna was a lost cause, but Gwen had shaken free of her as a child. The others didn’t need her so much anymore. Julie now had Chase, and Marlon’s inner strength had bloomed once he’d admitted he was gay and stopped forcing himself to be something he wasn’t. Now that Yvonne no longer had her husband browbeating her, she was better too. Oh, she still liked burying her head in the sand, but she didn’t lean so much on Gwen anymore.
Gwen loved her family, had no problem being there for them, but she’d never really realized just how tired she’d been of always being their rock. Not until Zander came along, offering his support, protection, and strength. It had been so tempting to just accept what he offered and let him take the weight of everything, but she’d resisted at first. Really, he’d just seemed too good to be true—definitely too good to be truly interested in someone like her.
She’d given up resisting, and she felt lighter for it. She still thought that a female shifter might suit him better, but who was she to tell another person what was or wasn’t good for them? Or what they did and didn’t want? It was insulting, really. Zander was a full-grown man who had his own mind.
Done scrubbing the window, she swiped her forehead with the back of her hand and then dropped the sponge in the bucket. Iridescent bubbles slithered down the red paint and onto her shoes. Nice. Picking up the hose, she turned it on. Water blasted from it, rinsing the soap from the car and dripping on the ground. It was as she turned off that hose that she heard the chuckles. Familiar, irritating chuckles.
Gwen spun on her heel. Brandt was leaning against Marlon’s car, arms crossed, smirking smugly. He obviously knew about the deal she’d made with his father, and he was here to gloat. Yeah, she’d figured he’d do something stupid sooner or later. He just couldn’t help himself.
Rowan and Mack stood a few feet behind him, eyeing the hose nervously—they apparently had the sense to consider that she may want to use it on them. Brandt . . . he was too caught up in this “I have the upper hand” moment. It pissed her off that she’d have to let him think he did. Inside her, pride warred with the need to be smart, and smart barely won out.
Brandt lifted his hands. “I’m not here to give you trouble, Gwen.”
Well, that would be a first. “If you have any sense in your head, you’ll leave now.”
“I just wanted to say that I’m glad you finally saw reason, that’s all.”
“Saw reason?”
“I get that you’re upset about the stuff I did to you. What’s sad is that we could have avoided all that if you’d just seen reason a lot earlier.” He shook his head with a sigh, as if she’d been acting like a brat all this time.
Anger surged through her, hot and sharp. He could not be believed. “I’m not sure if you genuinely believe that all you did is my fault and not a consequence of you being a fucking turd. I also don’t care. Just. Go.”
His smirk died a quick death. “There’s no call for speaking to me like that, Gwen. I would have thought you were smarter than that.” Like he was someone big and important whom she should quiver before. Unreal.
“You think you’re tough and scary, Brandt? Is that what it is?” She snickered in disbelief, giving him a withering look. “It doesn’t take a gynecologist’s opinion to know you’re a pussy.”
Eyes blazing, he pushed off Marlon’s car. “What the fuck did you just call me?”
“I don’t see you going around harassing male loners. Oh, no. You went for the female. Know why? You’re weak, Brandt. You’ll always be weak. That was why you drugged Andie before you attacked her—you were too chicken shit to take her on while she was at full strength. You go around town, acting like a first-class asshole, and then hide behind Daddy. So, yeah, you’re a pussy.”
He balled up his hands. “Didn’t Rowan once warn you that your mouth was going to get you in trouble one day? You should’ve listened, Gwen.”
Rowan quickly slid in front of him and put a hand on his chest. “Brandt, you heard your dad—you can’t touch her. If she reneges on the deal, you’ll be on Shit Street.”
Mack nodded. “Come on, man, this ain’t worth it.”
Brandt hissed at them through his teeth. “No one speaks to me like that. She’s gonna damn well pay for it.” He shoved Rowan aside, only to come to an abrupt halt. Gwen frowned, confused, but then Zander’s hand smoothed up her back as he silently sidled up to her from behind.
“Everything all right here?” he asked.
“Fine,” she said, gaze still locked on the asshole in front of her. “You know, I had no idea that pussy lips could talk. My mind is blown.”
Brandt sneered as he studied them. “I heard you were rubbing yourself all over some shifter at Half ’n’ Half. What does it say about you, Gwen, that you gotta fuck other species because your own doesn’t want you? How’s that bestiality thing working out for you?”
Zander looked at her. “I’m confused. Is he trying to be funny or intimidating?”
She shrugged, scratching her nape. “I always struggle trying to figure that one out. Either way, he fails dramatically, so I don’t suppose it matters.”
Zander took a slow, predatory step closer to the human boys, and they each shuffled backward—he wasn’t even sure if they’d done it consciously. As he’d crept up to the house, he’d heard enough of the conversation to know the visitors were Brandt and his friends. Pissed didn’t begin to describe how he felt as he stared at the male who’d harassed and almost assaulted his mate. His wolf swiped at Brandt with his claws.
Arching a daring brow at Brandt, Zander said, “You’re not going to give me shit? You only mouth off when you’re dealing with females?”
Brandt swallowed hard and then jutted out his chin. “This is between me and Gwen.”
“No, kid, it’s not. You got a problem with Gwen, I become your problem. You piss her off, you deal with me. And trust me, kid, you don’t want to deal with me. You can’t. I can see in your eyes that you know that.”
Brandt’s breathing sped up. “There’re three of us. There’s only one of you.”
“No, there really isn’t,” said Bracken, coming up behind the boys. They whirled to face him, wide-eyed. That was when Derren and Ally came out from behind the SUV and moved so that the humans were then surrounded by the four shifters.
Brandt spun back to face Gwen. “Call off your guard dogs.”
“You think I don’t know that you’re terrified?” Zander asked. “I can smell your fear.” His wolf relished it. “So there’s no point in making ballsy little comments. You’re just making yourself look stupid.”
“Maybe he simply is stupid,” suggested Derren.
“It’s a strong possibility,” allowed Zander. “I tell you what, kid. You and me can take care of this right now. We’ll battle it out here. Your friends can even join in and help you. My pack mates will stand back; I don’t need the backup. What do you say?”
Rowan grabbed Brandt’s arm and whispered, “Dude, we need to go.”
Brandt glowered at his friend. “You’re scared of some fucking animals?”
“Yeah,” said Rowan, unashamed. “And so are you.”
Mack shifted from foot to foot. “I knew we shouldn’t have come. Let’s just go.”
Brandt’s eyes sliced back to Zander. “You wouldn’t be protecting her if you knew the truth.”
Rowan’s eyes widened. “Fuck, Brandt, use your head and stop!”
Shooting them a bored look, Zander lifted a brow. “You kids going now? Pity.”
“It would have been fun to watch you kick their asses, Z.” Bracken moved aside, letting the humans pass. Brandt did so reluctantly, but his friends couldn’t seem to get away quickly enough.
Tossing Gwen a glare over his shoulder, Brandt said, “I’ll be seeing you soon.”
“Not if you want to live, you won’t,” growled Zander. That made all three boys hasten their steps. When they were finally out of sight, he said, “Bracken, follow them to the border; make sure they leave the land.” With a nod, the enforcer did. Zander turned back to Gwen. “You were supposed to be inside the house.”
She arched a brow. “And you assumed this because . . . ?”
“Dammit, Gwen, you said you’d stay home.”
Her spine snapped straight. “No, I didn’t. I said I wouldn’t go trekking through the marsh. I didn’t say I would stay inside those four walls—I’d go crazy if I did. I should be perfectly safe in my own damn driveway. Brandt was in the wrong place, not me. And I’m not going to sit behind closed doors because of assholes like him and Rory. You wouldn’t.”
“We’re not talking about me.”
“That empathy deficiency is interfering here. Imagine how you would feel if the situation were reversed. Would you stay inside?” He didn’t answer her question, but his expression said it all. She resumed rinsing the car as she asked, “Now, did you find any sign of Rory out there?”
“He’s been here. He hasn’t come close to the house, but he’s come close enough.”
“I don’t think he’ll make another try for me. It’s too obvious a move. He doesn’t seem like the kind of person who likes to be predictable. That, oddly enough, makes him a little predictable.” She looked at the Beta pair. “He’s more likely to strike out at one of you next time. Probably you,” she told Ally.
Derren’s eyes narrowed in interest. “Why do you say that? I’m not disagreeing, I’m just curious.”
“Well, if he targets your mate, wouldn’t your instinct be to hunt him?” At his nod, Gwen continued, “Then I’m guessing that Ally wouldn’t want you doing that alone. That means that she’d either go with you or insist on someone else doing so. By making that move, he’d be dividing your group. And that would make Zander a clearer target.” Gwen looked at Zander. “I know that so far he’s focused on others, but you’re the ultimate target.”
“We can’t split up, no matter what he or anyone else does,” Ally insisted.
“We won’t,” stated Derren.
Noticing that each of the shifters had dirty boots from walking around the marsh, Gwen asked, “Want me to give your boots a quick rinse?” At their nods, she used the hose to quickly wash off the mud before the water could soak through the leather.
The Beta pair headed up the porch steps, promising to take off their wet boots before entering the house. Zander remained where he was, and now he was looking at her with such intensity that her stomach twisted.
“What are you thinking about that has you staring at me like that?” she asked.
“Baby, you’re standing there wet in a tank top and shorts. What do you think is going through my head?”
She rolled her eyes. “One-track mind.”
“And you just noticed?”
The front door swung open, and Yvonne leaned out. “Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes. If you need to shower, go now!”
With Zander’s help, Gwen quickly finished washing her truck and then took a shower. He joined her, of course. Conserving water was important. The brief bout of sex was just a bonus.
After dinner, they settled on Zander’s balcony with her sitting on his lap. At her request, he called Dawn to ask about Andie. Gwen had called Andie a few times herself, and though the cougar claimed to be okay, Gwen wanted to be sure. According to Dawn, Andie had settled in fine and was spending a lot of time with Heath—the male she’d met on the first day.
“I’m relieved she’s doing okay. And I’m super glad she left here before Rory showed up. He might have seen and hurt her.”
Zander skimmed his hand up and down her leg. “Probably. He’s an asshole that way.”
She sifted her fingers through his hair. “He never did even one thing good for you in his life?” she asked, sad at the idea. Even Hanna, neglectful and selfish though she was, had done the occasional good thing for her.
“He gave me a kidney, but my parents had to bribe him to do it.”
“Bribe him?”
He nodded. “He also tried to make me feel bad about it afterward. He still says I stole his kidney. He even said it in the attorney’s office.” Zander almost smiled when she leaned farther into him, giving him comfort. “You know, when he told me he’d take from me what’s mine, I dismissed the threat. At the time, I had nothing for him to take.”
She frowned. “You have your pack and your home.”
“Yeah, but they’re not something that’s mine and only mine. You are. In a sense, he’ll see you as an impostor.”
“Impostor?”
“He’s the same way with Jesse and Bracken. See, in some fucked-up way, Rory sees me as belonging to him. He doesn’t care about me. Doesn’t want me in his life. But he doesn’t want others to care about me—not even our sister—and he really doesn’t want me caring about others. He was always jealous of my friendships with Jesse and Bracken, and he’ll be jealous of what I have with you.”
“Tough,” she snapped.
Zander smiled. “Yeah, tough.”
“Tell me more about your sister. You’ve never really talked about her much.”
“Remember I told you that I know someone who’d once needed someone to stand up for them the way you’re standing up for Andie? I was talking about Shelby.”
Gwen gaped in horror as he told her about the shootings and how the witnesses had been bullied into silence. “No wonder you and Bracken offered to help me. You’re doing it for Shelby.”
Zander skimmed his fingers down her face. “No. I’m doing it for you. I told myself it was for Shelby. But it wasn’t. Not then, not now.”
She swallowed. “Thank you.”
“No thanks needed.” Zander reached back and yanked the tie out of her hair. He gently unraveled the intricate braid, unsurprised by her exasperated sigh.
“You need to stop taking out my braid.”
“I love your hair. Playing with it relaxes me.” With a firm grip on her hair, he tugged her head back and kissed along her neck.
Gwen let her eyes drift closed as he used his lips, tongue, and teeth to devastate her neck. “This relaxes you too?” It fired up her libido big-time.
“This makes me hard as a rock.” He swiped his tongue over the mark on her throat. “It also makes you wet.” He could smell it.
Hearing a familiar chiming coming from inside Zander’s room, she rasped, “That’s my phone.” She’d left it inside.
“Ignore it.”
She did, but it just kept on ringing. “Let me answer it. It could be Andie or Julie.” He reluctantly let her go and gave her a firm spank on the ass as she passed. “Hey!” She fished out her phone, but didn’t recognize the number. A little cautiously, she answered, “Hello?”
“Miss Miller, it’s Ezra.”
Her grip tightened around the phone as irritation blasted through her. She was about to ask how the hell he’d gotten her number, but then she supposed it couldn’t have been too hard for him, given he had people who’d electronically messed with her life.
“Rowan told me what Brandt did today. I wanted to apologize—”
“Aren’t you tired of apologizing for him, Moore?”
He sighed, sounding . . . weary. “It won’t happen again.”
“It better not.” She paused as Zander strolled into the room. “Brandt almost let the cat out of the bag earlier right in front of the shifters.”
Ezra whispered a curse. “Like I said, it won’t happen again.”
“Glad to hear it.” She ended the call. “That was Ezra, apologizing for Brandt.”
“I suspected he might contact you.”
She placed her phone on the dresser. “I don’t like that he called my cell.”
Zander crossed to her. “I don’t like that he called you at all.”
“Hopefully he’ll find a way to keep Brandt on a leash. It’s a vain hope, though.”
Softly, Zander brushed his mouth over hers. “Don’t let them mess with your mood.”
“Hard not to.”
“Forget about them.” He grazed her lower lip with his teeth. “I don’t want to talk about them.”
“Really?”
He snaked his hand around her throat and gave it a gentle squeeze that made her pupils dilate. “Really. Know what I do want?” He kissed his way up her neck, along her jaw, and over to her ear. “I want to play with my baby.”
She shivered as he sucked on her earlobe. “Then play with me.” He kissed, no, he feasted on her mouth—barely even stopping as he stripped off her vest and bra. A big believer in fair play, Gwen gathered his T-shirt in her hands and slid it upward. He helped her whip it off, and then she smoothed her hands over his warm chest. Damn, he was amazing. Solid. Edible. Perfect.
Driven by an urge she was too turned on to overthink, she grazed his chest with her teeth. He growled and fisted her hair, pushing her head closer. She bit. Hard. Sucked to leave a mark.
Gripping her hair tighter, Zander snatched her head back and kissed her as he clutched and squeezed her breast. She was the softest, sweetest, most perfect fucking thing. And when her hand cupped his cock over the denim of his jeans, he groaned. She was looking down, watching as she rubbed the heel of her hand over his dick. “Something you want, Gwen?”
Well, now that he’d mentioned it . . . Gwen sat on the bed, putting her head level with the cock that was rock hard within the confines of his jeans. She deftly tackled his fly, and his cock sprang out—long, thick, and ready. Her pussy fluttered. Her hands tingled with the urge to fist him tight and pump hard. But she found herself simply staring at him.
“Well, go on, then.”
Gwen slithered her tongue up from base to tip, and then swept it over the head. There was no way she’d be able to take all of him in her mouth, but she was happy to try. Not yet, though. First, she wanted to tease him. Wanted to hear him groan as she pushed him to the edge. Zander was always so attentive, so damned determined to make sure she got off that Gwen wanted to return the favor. So, well, she went to work on his cock.
Zander watched in sheer fucking awe as his mate went down on him. She licked and stroked and played, like he was something to explore and savor. Every now and then, her eyes would flick to his—eyes glittering with need. He felt that look in his balls. Balls she cupped and rubbed and licked.
“Baby, take me in your mouth.” She didn’t. The little witch kept on playing and teasing and generally driving him out of his mind. “Gwen.” She blew a cool breath on the head of his cock while lightly grazing his thighs with her nails. He bit out a curse. “Gwen, if you don’t quit fucking around . . .” She fisted his cock and took him into her mouth. “That’s it. Good girl.”
Zander sank his fingers in her hair, groaning as she sucked him hard and fast, like she was trying to drain the come from his balls. Nails dug into his ass, pulling him forward as she took him deeper. Her throat contracted around his cock as she swallowed, taking even more of him. Fuck.
Seeing her there, lips wrapped around his cock, cheeks hollowed and flushed, her breasts and hard little nipples bared . . . Zander knew he was gone. “Swallow it all, Gwen.” His orgasm pulled him under, sending pleasure spiraling through him. He gripped her hair tighter as he exploded inside her mouth, shooting jets of come down her throat.
“Jesus, Gwen.” As he stood there trying to find his composure, his dick still in her mouth, her eyes snapped to his, expectant, waiting for direction. He liked that a fuck of a lot. “I think you deserve a reward for that.”
In complete agreement, Gwen slowly slid him out of her mouth, kind of pleased with herself. How he was still half-hard, she didn’t know, but she sure did appreciate his excellent recovery time. He didn’t move. Just raked his gaze over her, like he was taking a moment to appreciate a view that was his. “Something you want, Zander?” she asked, throwing his earlier words back at him.
“I have what I want right here. Stand up.” She did, and Zander slid down her shorts and panties while she kicked off her shoes. “I can smell how wet you are,” he growled. The scent of her need made his dick throb. His wolf inhaled it with a contented growl.
“I do hope you’re going to do something about it,” said Gwen. He tossed her on the bed, and a laugh bubbled up. She blinked, bracing herself on her elbows . . . just in time to watch the show as he made quick work of his clothes. Damn, the guy was a delicious sight to behold.
“Spread your legs, Gwen.” Holding his gaze, she did as he asked. “My baby’s being a good girl for me. I like that.” He knelt on the bed and spread the folds of her pussy with his thumbs. “Slick. Plump.” He sank a finger inside her. “I bet you like to play with yourself, don’t you?”
“Don’t need to. I have a vibrator to do the work.”
Zander stilled as all kinds of graphic images exploded in his mind. “Watching you fuck yourself with a vibrator has its appeal. But . . . I find I don’t like the idea of anything being in this pussy but me.” He added another finger, smiling at her sharp gasp.
“The vibrator doesn’t make me come as hard as you do,” she said, surprised she could speak while his fingers were thrusting in and out of her, hitting her most sensitive zones with unerring accuracy. “But it also doesn’t make me do things I don’t want to do.”
“What do I make you do that you don’t want to do?”
“You make me say I’m yours.”
“You are.” He thrust his fingers deep to punctuate his point.
“I don’t like to say it.”
She didn’t like to admit it, Zander thought. There was a distinct difference. “Why? Is it because you worry I’ll one day give you back?”
Gwen shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe.”
He withdrew his fingers. “Baby . . . I couldn’t give you up even if I wanted to.” He tilted her hips toward him, hooked her legs over his shoulders, and swiped his tongue between her slick folds. Her taste blasted through him, and he groaned. “I love going down on you.”
Zander ate at her pussy, licking and suckling while she bucked and moaned. He growled each time he was rewarded with more of her cream. She tasted so fucking good, smelled so fucking good. As her moans turned into curses because he wouldn’t let her come, he scooped up some cream with his finger and slipped it into her ass.
Gwen’s back bowed a little. “Jesus, Zander, you need to give a girl some warning before you go shoving things up her—” She cut off as he lightly suckled on her clit. “Fuck. Don’t stop.” But of course he stopped, the jerk.
“I want to be in you when you come.” Zander lowered her legs, satisfied when she locked them around his waist. He curled his tongue around her nipple just because, and her fingers delved into his hair. Those fingers tugged hard when he plucked the taut bud with his teeth.
“No biting,” she hissed.
So he bit her. Right on the swell of her breast. “You like it when I bite you.” His wolf fucking loved it. Zander grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head, staring into blue eyes that were hazy with need. The sight made his balls ache. “I’m going to hold you down.”
Gwen swallowed, totally mesmerized by the stamp of feral possessiveness on his face.
“No struggling. Just take it.” Zander slowly sank into her, gritting his teeth as her pussy squeezed his cock. Fuck, she was so damn tight. Yet, he always slid smoothly inside . . . because she was made to take him. Once he’d buried every inch of himself inside her, he groaned into her ear. “Gonna make my baby come long and hard, until she can’t even breathe.”
“I am totally up for that, just in case there was any doubt.”
His lips curved as he reared back. “Good.” Zander slammed home, driving himself deep. Heels dug into his ass, and her pussy rippled around him. Grunting into her neck, he pumped his cock in and out of her body. Every stroke was hard, wild, possessive. She didn’t struggle against his hold on her wrists. She took what he gave her, and that sent his pleasure soaring.
“Do you have any idea how hot you looked with my dick in your mouth? Any idea how hot it was when I came right down your throat and you swallowed every drop I gave you?” He bit her earlobe. “Know what else you’ll do one day? You’ll take my cock up your ass.”
Gwen shook her head, even though she knew she’d let him do it. Hell, she’d let him do just about anything as long as he made her come.
He lifted his head to pin her gaze. “You will, Gwen. And you’ll love it. If I wasn’t so possessive of this pussy, I might have considered sticking your vibrator in it while I take your ass.” He plunged harder, drove deeper, took everything she had to give. Every moan spurred him on. Every flutter of her pussy pushed him closer to coming. And he was so close now . . .
He kept on slamming into her, until her pussy became so tight and hot that it was almost too much. He knew she was hanging on that same edge, knew exactly what would throw her over. Because as much as she pissed and moaned about him biting her, she fucking loved it.
Zander sank into his teeth into her throat, growling as her pussy clamped down on him and she came with a choked scream—back arching, heels digging into his lower back. He rammed his cock deep again and again until, spine locking, he exploded inside his mate.
As always, a sense of peace crept over him. He might not have claimed her yet, might not have the bond, but she still got to him in a way that no one and nothing else ever could. There was no doubt in his mind that she was his mate. He just needed to find a way to make sure there was no doubt in hers.