Tamara clutched the emerald pendant, running her fingers along the flat edges, as they turned off the main highway onto an unevenly paved road. The stone sign that read Caedmon village was the only indication she needed that they’d arrived.

She glanced out of the passenger side window, looking between the trees for any sign of life. A feeling of nervousness settled over her as soon as they came across a clearing in the forest. That was when she began seeing the tops of homes, and grown-ups and children walking around going about their daily business. It reminded her of the community she grew up in while living in Florida with her parents. A close-knit community where everyone was considered family.

Devin placed a hand on her thigh as he turned down a street. “I sense your hesitation. Don’t be afraid.”

It was probably easier from him to say. He knew these people. They were like a family to him. They were Caedmon.

“Are there any humans?”

There was silence for a while. “Not since I last left.”

“What will happen when they see me?”

“Nothing,” he said. “All of us interact with humans on a daily basis. Most of them work outside of our community.”

“Will you be punished?”

“No. And even if it did come with a punishment, it wouldn’t matter. You are very special to me, and I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

Tamara relaxed at those words, but in the back of her mind, she knew there would be consequences.

Devin drove the truck through some wrought iron gates, and pulled into the driveway of the biggest house on the block. It wasn’t a house, for that matter. It was a three-story mansion.

He parked in front of the garage alongside a black SUV and shut off the engine. Turning to her, he said, “My business here should take less than a week…if all goes well. After things die down, we can start building that house you and I have been talking about.”

Tamara smiled. Not one day had passed by since he first showed her the sketch of the expansion that they did not talk about the construction of the home, what materials should go into the interiors, where the windows should be, and how high the vaulted ceilings should go. “I’m sure you don’t need my say in the matter. You build homes for a living.”

He leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips. “But I appreciate your woman’s touch and expertise on some areas.”

She spotted someone emerging from the home and stand on the doorstep. Another followed until the pair flanked either side of the door. Their actions weren’t consistent with people who owned the home and wanted to welcome a guest. Their stance was more suited to servants. “Exactly whose home is this?”

“Apparently, it belongs to me.”

Before she could question him, he got out and came around the other side to open her door.

A young man appeared beside them. He looked neither of them in the eye. In fact, his head was lowered. “Sir—”

“That is not necessary. Address me as Devin.”

“Devin, may I take your bags inside?” the young man asked.

Devin handed him a set of keys. “Thank you.”

Tamara clutched Devin’s hand as they took the narrow pathway to the front door.

“Welcome, sir,” the servants spoke in unison. One of them gave her a quick sideways glance.

There was yet another servant waiting on them in the foyer. “May I take your coat?”

Devin helped Tamara remove her coat and then he handed off both garments to the woman.

“I’m Lenora. I’m the head maid in charge. I would be honored to remain here to serve you as I have your late sibling.” She bowed her head slightly, and then gestured off to their left. “Your bother is waiting for you in the office. You’ve arrived in time for dinner,” the woman said, as she led them down a long corridor.

They came to stop in front of a set of double doors. Lenora took a long look at her. The wrinkles that developed above the bridge of her nose told Tamara that she was not the least bit pleased at her presence.

“Sir,” Lenora tore her glance away from Tamara long enough to turn to Devin. “Your room has been prepared. I’ll have Leo bring up your luggage. Will your guest be staying with us?”

“Please address me as Devin, and yes, Tamara will be staying.”

“I will prepare a separate room for her.”

“No,” he said firmly. “She will be staying with me.”

With that, Lenora swung open the doors and stood off to one side. “Good night, si—Devin.”

Just as she speculated, she hadn’t been well received. After all, she was only a human among wolves.

* * *

Devin’s half-brother Dawson stood when he and Tamara entered the room. At first glance, Devin realized that Dawson was the spitting image of his mother, Gloria, who had striking blue eyes and blond hair. Daniel Caedmon and Gloria weren’t true mates, but Daniel regarded her as such.

Dawson was only seventeen years old, but he appeared mature and wise for his age. Devin met him in the center of the room, and they hugged. They’d never been close. The differences in age played a factor, but by the time Dawson had been born, Devin had learned his place as the bastard son and had grown further and further apart from the family.

“Brother,” Dawson said. “I am so glad you are here.”

“Why?” Devin asked. “I will only stand in the way of things.”

Dawson nodded. “I was hoping for that. I’m not strong enough to stand alone against Darius.”

There was a hint of fear in Dawson’s eyes. Heck, he even smelled it throughout the room. “Why do you say that?”

This time Dawson looked him square in the eyes. “There is only speculation…but I have a gut feeling that Damon’s death was no accident.”

“A rock climbing accident, right?”

“Accident,” Dawson scoffed. “He was an expert climber. We found the rope still attached to the anchor. It was cut, not torn. It was no accident.”

Devin swallowed his disgust, and cringed as his heart thudded with rage. Could Damon have been murdered? Of course, he wouldn’t put something like that past Darius. There was a lot to gain being Caedmon leader. History had a way of repeating itself. In the past, potential leaders had been known to fight to the death to gain such a position.

It wasn’t until Tamara gently squeezed his arm that he felt calm again. “I’ve been rude.” He placed a hand in the small of Tamara’s back so that she stood ahead of him. “This is Tamara. Dawson is my youngest brother.”

“Hello, Tamara.” Dawson offered his hand.

Tamara accepted the greeting. “Nice to meet you, Dawson.”

“You’re human,” Dawson said.

“She is.” Devin said. “Tamara holds a special place in my heart.” The statement flowed from his mouth so easily, but it was the truth.

Dawson smiled. “It must be nice to have someone you can share your heart with.”

The fact was that he had never shared his heart with anyone. Hearts were too easily broken, yet, he gambled his away once again. But Tamara wasn’t his father. She was far from it.

Devin nodded toward the table. “We should eat. Let’s talk over dinner.”

* * *

Tamara reached for the bottle and squeezed more of the almond and vanilla smelling body wash onto the sponge. She drew in a deep breath, and reveled in the essence of it. How long had it been since she’d soaked for this long in a warm bath?

After smoothing the soap over her skin, she closed her eyes and sank deeper inside, resting her head against the edge of the tub. The water in the whirlpool reached her collarbones, and she could actually stretch her legs out without being cramped.

This was no ordinary bath. The room they’ve been offered to stay in was fit for a king and queen. Everything about it—the silken bed sheets, plush carpet, and heavenly soft mattress—was extravagant. The bathroom was complete with a full shower, dual marble vanity sinks, and sleek tile floors. It reminded her of something she’d seen on the cover of a magazine featuring homes for the rich and famous.

A strong set of hands molded over her shoulders. She didn’t hear Devin come in, but there was no mistaken that it was him. His familiar smell was like a drug to her.

He massaged her neck and shoulders. “You’ve been in here a very long time.”

“I can’t help it. The water feels so good.”

“May I join you?”

Tamara grinned. “There might be enough room in here for you.”

“Are you teasing me?” The water swooshed around her as he stepped into the whirlpool.

“Would you like me to?” She opened her eyes in time to see the lower half of his body disappear under the bubbles.

“I’ve been waiting long enough to have a moment alone with you.”

Although, he’d never left the house, there’d been several meetings and things that needed tending to. “I was bored without you.”

“I’m sorry.” His expression turned serious then. “You shouldn’t have to deal with my craziness.”

“It’s not that.” She reached up to slick back the hair from his forehead. “It’s just that I want you all to myself…which is selfish.”

“We share the same feeling, then. Tomorrow we’ll take a short trip into the city. Just me and you. Like a date.”

“I would like that.”

He moved in closer until his body was touching hers. “I want you all to myself too, Tamara. Just like it was back in the cabin.”

“We have now,” she whispered, her fingers spreading over his chest. “We can pretend that we’re back in the cabin.”

One night and several rounds of sex with Devin had turned her into a sex fiend. She’d never been this direct with any man. Didn’t even remember the last time having sex brought on such a potent mixture of emotions.

Tamara tilted her chin and initiated the kiss, but Devin didn’t just return a simple kiss. He made love to her lips, sipping at them gently and exploring her mouth with long lingering caresses of his tongue.

His manhood brushed against the apex of her thighs and she reached between them to grab him. He tore away from the kiss and tilted his face to the ceiling. A look of pleasure crossed his features as she stroked him. His dick transformed to rock hard and the veins pulsed against her fingers. She traced a line from tip to root, and watched as his balls drew up tighter around his dick. He was long and full in her hand. A work of fine art. She took her time pumping him between her fist.

Devin covered her hand with his. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“No. I’ve never seen it quite like this before. You’re perfect.”

Not only was he twice as long and big as the asshole she’d foolishly chosen to give her virginity too, he also had no issues with letting her touch him. Sex in her past was always performed with the lights off. No foreplay. No kissing. Emotions were even non-existent.

“Touch me all you want, Tamara, but I can’t promise I will last long if you continue to torture me like so.”

She grinned and led him to sit on the edge of the tub. The sexual control she had over him made her want to do devilish things. With his throbbing dick in hand, she moved forward causing him to move backward. When he couldn’t move any further, she knelt in the water in front of him and slid her tongue against the opening on his cock head.

He uttered an expletive, and bit the corner of his bottom lip.

She tongued his rod, tracing along the veins. He seemed to grow even more under her touch. His reacting like that gave her satisfaction in knowing that she could please him.

“Tamara, I will come if you don’t stop.”

“Exactly, making you come is my plan,” she whispered against the underside of his dick head, and then looked up to lock gazes with him.

There was a small amount of precum at the tip, and she licked it up with her tongue. He was spicy and sweet, just like salted caramel. She covered him with her mouth, yearning for more of him. It was almost impossible to take all of him inside, as she wanted to do. She used her hands to pump and stroke him, as she hungrily sucked at the bulbous head.

“Oh my G—.” He took either side of her head with his hands. “Just like that. Fuck.”

The sound of his eager voice had her pussy clenching in need. She stopped sucking him long enough to make her next demand. “Sit on the edge. I want to fuck you.”

He did as she obliged, moving quickly. “You like to be in control, is that it?”

The idea of sexually dominating Devin turned her on. “Yes.”

“I like that. A woman who will take charge.” Devin dragged her into his embrace, tipped her chin, and took her lips in a kiss. The kiss was passionate and it confirmed how much he wanted her.

He lifted her thighs over him so that she was straddling him. His dick pierced her opening and she cried out. She was still sore from the previous night, yet she still wanted more of the same. He bent his head to her breasts and took a nipple into his mouth. A jolt of pleasure burst through her body as he suckled, causing a warming sensation inside her. She slid down on him with minimal effort, taking all of him inside of her.

Tamara rocked her hips back and forth, adjusting to his size. She moved slowly at first and then fucked him with firm deliberate thrusts. His hands squeezed the globes of her ass as she bounced. She held her hands at the back of his neck, and tilted her hips at just the right angle. It was unnecessary as he was long and wide enough to touch all her nerve endings. Her climax was near, building inside of her, but wavering over the edge. She didn’t want this feeling of euphoria to end. Lust. Love. Carnal desire. Need. All those emotions swarmed within her. She slowed her pumping and claimed his mouth with a kiss.

She lifted herself off of him and knelt on the bench on the other side of the whirlpool with her back turned to him. Looking over her shoulder, she said, “Now you will fuck me…this way.”

“Oh, yeah?” He bent over her and kissed lightly along her spine. “You’ve teased the hell out of me. Shall I return the favor?”

She pressed her ass up against his erection. “Would you be able to resist the urge not to?”

“Tease.” Devin lifted both of her arms and placed her hands on the silver bars in front of her. “You will need to hold on tight, because I’m going to fuck you good and hard.”

“Please do,” she whispered.

His lips moved lower to brush against her hips and he didn’t stop there. “You have a nice ass.” He pushed two fingers into her drenched pussy and then slid them up and down her slit.

Parting her pussy, he took her with his mouth. She cried out as he pulled her clit between his lips, teasing her with the tip of his tongue. He sampled her from behind, and she struggled to keep her slippery hands on the bars. With slow tantalizing strokes of his tongue, he licked from clit to ass again and again until her legs shook from the intensity of the desire raging in her body. Throwing her head back, she cried out his name as her climax raced through her.

Devin slammed into her with one stroke while she was still riding erotic waves. He grabbed hold of her hips and pounded into her relentlessly, never missing a beat. “Is this how you want me to fuck you?”

Waves of water splashed onto the floor. She threw her ass back, meeting him thrust for thrust.

“Yes…” It was all she could manage to say as yet another climax hit her.

“I want you forever…to claim you.”

“I know…your wolf,” she said, the words escaping her on bated breath.

His body began to shake and he stroked deeper within her. “Mine,” he growled, as hot seed exploded into her heated pussy.

Mine. Those words echoed through bathroom, and seemed to repeat itself in her head. Her heart rate had not returned to normal by the time they finally separated. With weakened legs, she collapsed into the tub and fell back against Devin’s chest.

She’d experienced twice as many emotions with Devin, as she had in her whole lifetime. This was the way it was supposed to be.