Jack ran as fast as he could. He heard others join them but didn’t bother seeing who. He kept fixated on Grace’s scent. As the miles drew on, he knew they were closing in on Grace.
A huge black wolf raced in front of Jack, forcing him to slow down. Once he stopped he saw that it was Ben. Furious that Ben had stopped him, Jack rumbled low in his throat.
Dozens of wolves joined them in the clearing. Grant had kept his promise. They had a small army. Looking over the group gathered, a small voice in Jack’s mind asked if it was going to be enough.
Ben ignored Jack’s growl, turning his head in the direction they had been running. His ears flicked back and forth. His body tensed. Jack saw the fur on his back raise.
Without the wind rushing past him, Jack heard something. It was faint but he knew what it was. Grace was crying.
Jack shot past Ben ignoring his barked command. He raced towards the sound only half attempting to be quiet. He came to the edge of a clearing and stopped.
In a tangled patch of ferns, Grace was slumped against a tree. Her head was thrown back. Cautiously, Jack crept towards her keeping behind the foliage.
She was making whining noises deep in her chest. They sounded strange coming from a human but Jack recognized them. Grace was in pain. Tears tracked down her face.
Jack didn’t smell any blood on her. Parts of her clothing were torn. He couldn’t see anything that would cause the level of distress he was seeing.
Suddenly, her body jerked forward, startling Jack. Her eyes snapped open. “No,” she growled, “no, no, no.” Her back arched while her foot slide forward. “I won’t,” she argued.
Jack made a distressed noise. She looked crazy. It hurt to him to watch. Her body fought against itself while she argued with no one. Her face was molted from crying. Her hair had leaves in it. Muscles along her body spasmed making her movements abrupt and unnatural.
Jack wanted to run to her. His wolf kept him planted where he was crouched. His instincts were telling him to wait.
From the depths of the forest a figure moved. Its progression was slow and deliberate. Once he saw it, Jack could see shapes making their way towards Grace.
The rogues.
They were in their wolf form. Leading them was a human. Jack could see them but there was no other indication that they were there. They didn’t carry a scent. The only thing he could smell was the decayed smell coming from Grace. They didn’t make sound but Jack watched them rustle brushes as they walked through.
He could make out fifteen wolves but if he hadn’t seen the ferns moving he never would have known they were there.
Grace was too busy struggling with herself to notice them until they were right in front of her. The man cocked his head taking her in. With a snap of his fingers, Grace’s spine straightened with a sickening crack. Her eyes were unblinking as she saw the rogues. The leader gestured for one of the wolves to shift.
“I won’t give it to you.” Grace’s voice sounded raw but strong.
“You don’t have a choice.” The man’s words lacked intonation. He lifted a finger. She grit her teeth groaning as she fought whatever magic he was working. Grace’s arm rose making his point. Clenched in her hand was the spell. Jack’s body tensed.
Desperation lit behind Grace’s bloodshot eyes. Her other hand frantically tried to lower her arm. She grabbed her wrist straining to control her possessed arm.
The rogue stood, human now. He walked towards her, his hand outstretched.
Grace lunged. Her body jerked as if she was being held in place. Grace snarled and swiped her free hand at the man reaching for her. She raked claws down his cheek. He yowled, rearing back.
“End this, we have places to be.” The leader turned to leave. The wolves turned to follow.
Jack burst from where he was hiding. Launching himself at the man trying to take the spell, he took the bastard to the ground.
Howls exploded from the forest. The Black Bird wolves dove into the clearing as the rogues tried to defend themselves. All hell broke loose.
Fighting broke out all around. The sounds of vicious roars filled the air as bodies hit each other attempting to tear the other apart.
Below Jack, the rogue struggles. Jack struck trying to bite the man’s throat but he threw his arm up. Jack tore flesh. The rogue punched Jack in the snout with his other hand. Jack bit down harder refusing to let go.
Jack cried a searing pain exploding in his side. He flinched away from the feeling letting go. Jack jumped away from the rogue.
The man staggered to his feet. His face twisted in satisfaction as he raised a switchblade covered in Jack’s blood. The bastard had stabbed him.
Jack circled him. The bastard smiled. Jack lunged wrapping his teeth around the wrist holding the knife. A knee connected with his ribs. Jack growled at the pain. He whipped his head shaking the rogue’s entire body. The knife dropped.
Jack used his body to toss the guy back on the ground. The instant he hit the ground, Jack went for the throat. The rogue didn’t have time to defend himself. Jack didn’t bother with suffocating him. Jack tore at his flesh. The man under him threw punches trying to get Jack to let go. They slammed into his body with brutal force. Jack thrashed using all of his body weight to kill the rogue.
The man’s blows got weaker. Jack didn’t stop. Finally, the rogue went limp. Jack kept his jaw around his throat. He gave the bastard a shake. He was dead.
Heaving air, Jack sat back. If the rogue had been in wolf form, Jack wouldn’t have beaten him.
Around him, chaos reigned. Fights were going on in patches around the forest. Everywhere groups of Black Bird wolves attacked singular rogues. It was vicious. Teeth flashed and pain filled roars echoed.
The rogues were tearing the Black Bird wolves apart. They were overpowering three of four wolves at a time. Jack smelled his Pack mates’ blood. Their movements were slowing down. They were exhausted. They couldn’t keep fighting like this. They outnumbered the rogues three to one but they were still losing. It was only a matter of time before the tide turned.
Jack didn’t have time to help. He shifted, feeling a knife wound he hadn’t noticed.
Grace was still suspended where the leader of the rogues had left her. She was clawing at the hand holding the spell. Her wrist was bloody from her nails. She was tearing herself apart trying to force the spell from her hand.
“Grace,” Jack rushed forward.
Her head popped up. She saw him and her face fell. “Jack,” she sobbed. “I didn’t mean to. I couldn’t stop myself.”
“I know, Gracie,” he promised trying to calm her down. She was choking on sobs. “I’m going to take care of this. Everything will be alright.”
He stopped in front of her, his hands pausing. He didn’t know anything about magic. The last thing Jack wanted to do was to make things worse. He glanced up smiling at Grace. “It’ll be fine.” He saw the fear in her eyes. Jack needed to save her. He reached out to take the spell from her.
“Don’t touch her!” Screamed a feminine voice. Jack jerked towards the sound. Ivy Stevens leaped off an ATV being driven by Ezra. She was sprinting towards them. “Do not touch that woman.” She skidded to a stop in front of Grace.
“Why shouldn’t I touch her?” Jack asked.
Ivy held her hands out, fingers wide, pressing into some force that Jack couldn’t see. “She’s under a spell. We do not need it transferring or amplifying or something.”
Ezra and Ezekiel ran towards them skirting groups of wolves fighting.
The witch walked around Grace searching the forest floor. She kept three feet away from Grace. Jack looked down but only saw dirt.
Ezekiel reached them. He took the leather satchel from earlier off his shoulder, handing it to Ivy. “We’re in the middle of a war zone here, Ivy. We don’t have time to examine things.”
“Shut up,” she ordered. “This makes things infinitely more complicated. We have to destroy the spell but now there’s a live element involved.” She dumped everything out of the bag. Frantically, she sifted through bags of herbs.
Jack honed in on that. “Live element? You mean Grace? Can’t you free Grace and then destroy the spell?”
Ivy shook her head. “I don’t have time to explain why that is not optional.” She pulled a curved knife from the pile. Grace cried out.
Jack grabbed Ivy’s wrist. He bared his teeth at her. “Don’t fucking go near her with that knife.”
A punch threw Jack to the ground. Ezra stood over him, a wild expression in his eyes. “Don’t touch her.”
Jack rubbed his jaw. “She’s about to stab my mate.”
Ivy snorted. “I’m not going to hurt her. I’m trying to save her. The spell she’s had cast on her is lethal.” She held up the knife. “I need blood to counter it.”
Jack looked at Grace. Her face was pale. Her whole body shook from strain. She wasn’t paying any attention to them. Her eyes were vacant. Tiny whimpering sounds came from her open mouth. Her pain was a physical presence.
“Take mine,” Jack held out his wrist.
Ivy grabbed a container of salt off of the ground. “Stupid wolf, your blood is useless. Only I can help her but,” she looked up, “I need time to prepare and cast. “Can you guys keep-”
A wolf leapt past Jack going straight for Ivy.
Ezekiel dove in front of her taking the full brunt of the attack.
The wolf tore into Ezekiel. He didn’t stand a chance as a human.
“We’ve got you covered,” Jack yelled as he shifted.
Jack threw his body against the rogue. The impact knocked the wolf off of Ezekiel. Jack bit anything near him. He felt teeth sinking into his flesh but ignored it. The rogue wrestled on top of jack. Before he could press his advantage, Ezra ran in.
Contending with a new opponent, the rogue ran at Ezra. Ezra braced his feet anticipating the collision. The rogue suddenly dropped, hitting his shoulder to the earth. The mud kept him moving forward. Ezra couldn’t react fast enough. The rogue used the slide to his benefit latching onto Ezra’s throat.
Jack and Ezekiel dove into the fray. They rent flesh. The rogue growled but dug deeper into Ezra.
Ezekiel went crazy. He shifted throwing himself onto the wolf’s back. His grabbed either side of the rogue’s face and dug his fingers into the animal’s eyes.
The rogue howled letting go of Ezra as he reared back, trying to shake Ezekiel loose. The force knocked the rogue off his feet.
Jack didn’t hesitate. He threw himself at the rogue tearing into his stomach. Hot blood filled his mouth as he tore the rogue apart. Jack was frenzied.
The rogue bucked still fighting. Ezekiel was thrown off landing onto Jack. Struggling, Jack jumped to his feet. Instinctively, he moved out of biting range. When his vision cleared he saw a half dead Ezra ripping the rogue’s throat out.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ivy’s arms raised as she chanted. Wind lashed her hair. Her voice rang out somehow louder than the sound of war. The mousy figure from Ben’s office was gone. In her place a creature of power stood wielding a force of nature.
All of the fighting had converged around Grace and Ivy. The Black Bird wolves formed a barrier around the women. They fought with renewed energy keeping the rogues from reaching Ivy.
A rogue took advantage of Jack’s distraction. He jumped onto Jack’s back latching onto Jack’s scruff shaking Jack viciously. The rogue tore a chunk out of Jack’s shoulder trying to rip out his throat.
Jack bucked and writhed. The rogue wouldn’t budge. His teeth ripped Jack’s hide. No matter how hard he tried, Jack couldn’t get the rogue off of him. The wolf was tearing him to pieces. He felt the rogue’s teeth bite into his throat. Jack knew it was over.
The rogue flew off of him. Jack leapt to his feet ready to fight.
The rogue didn’t move.
“Woo! One for Betsy.”
Jack turned to see Betsy standing astride an ATV, a hunting rifle in her hands. Her eyes zeroed in on a rogue creeping towards Ivy. Grabbing the bolt, she chambered another round. Bringing the sight to her eyes, Jack saw her exhale and pull the trigger. The rogue dropped. Betsy pumped her fist in the air. “Woo! Two for Betsy.”
Jack watched a group of Black Bird wolves being ripped to shreds by a team of rogues. They were outmanned. They were going to be slaughtered. Ignoring the pain wracking his body, he sprinted towards them.
The world exploded into blinding white. A deafening boom shook the ground. It was like being inside a lightning strike.
Stunned, Jack didn’t move. He lay on his side trying to figure out what had just happened. The earth spun. His ears were ringing. His brain couldn’t process anything.
Knowing he needed to get up, Jack tried to move. His body protested. Staggering to his feet, Jack saw a few wolves doing the same.
Movement to the side had Jack turning. He saw a few rouges running further into the woods. In the confusion, no one followed them.
Jack looked to see if Grace had made it through whatever had just happened.
She was gone.
Jack’s heart froze.
He sprinted to where she’d been. He didn’t realize he had shifted back until he pushed back a fallen branch with his hands.
Lying on the ground, covered in dirt was Grace. Small cuts covered every inch of exposed skin. The blood looked black against her deathly pale skin. She was so still.
“Grace,” Jack staggered forward. She didn’t move. “Gracie?” He fell down next to her. He put his hands on her cheek. They were freezing. He sobbed. “Gracie, I’m so sorry.” He wrapped his hands around her cold fingers.
He’d come as fast as he could. He’d fought as hard as he could and Grace was still dead. Regret swelled so strongly it threatened to drown him. His mate was dead. He hadn’t been able to save her.
Jack wanted to go back in time. He wanted to go back to the moment their hands had touched that first day in Black Bird. He would do everything differently. He would have mated her that day and spent the last year showing her how happy their life could be.
His pride had cost him everything.
“She’s unconscious, not dead.” Jack lifted his head from Grace’s hand. Ivy sat up in a pile of broken bark. She shook her head. Her hair was singed. Smudges of black covered her face. Her eyes were the size of dinner plates but she looked a little singed but unharmed. “She’s going to be dead to the world for a while,” Ivy yelled, too loud. She frowned and rubbed her ear. “She’s fine though.”
Jack looked back at Grace. He put his ear to her chest. He sagged, hearing the soft thump of her heart.
Ivy pat the ground around her trying to find something. Her face lit up. She lifted the spell like it was a wand. Turning over the paper she nodded then showed it to Jack. It was blank.
“The spell had been destroyed?” He had expected the thing to be burned to a crisp.
“Yes,” she smiled proudly. “We nulled the spell on the vellum and,” she gestured to Grace, “on your friend.”
A group approached them. Ben had his arm around Anne. The Robbins boys surrounded Betsy like guards. Their expressions were opposite to the smile Betsy was sporting. Ezra and Ezekiel picked Ivy off of the ground keeping her between them. Everyone was bloody and bruised.
Jack pulled Grace onto his lap, savoring the feeling of her body against him. He was not letting her out of his sight. He didn’t care how irrational that was.
“How many did we lose?” Mark limped up to where they were standing.
Ben shook his head. “I’m not sure, a few.”
“Those bastards lost more,” Betsy sneered.
“The rest ran away when the explosion happened.” Cal noted.
“What was that explosion?” Anne looked around.
Ivy raised her hand. “That was me. I had to counter the spell on the paper and the one on…”
“Grace,” Jack supplied.
“…Grace. It was a pretty powerful casting, hence the explosion.”
“I don’t care what it was.” Ben shook his head. “We were getting our asses handed to us. That thing saved our lives.” He glanced around the circle. “Did anyone manage to see where their leader ran off?”
Everyone shook their heads.
Ivy raised her hand again. “I didn’t see where he went but I did recognize him.” She paused. “That was Lawrence McDowell. He’s a member of the Monroe Springs’ Pack.”
Ben swore. “This just gets better every fucking minute.”
Ivy wilted. “I guess this means I can’t go home.”
“Not if you want to live.” Patrick said bluntly.
Ivy flinched and the Tate brothers growled at Patrick.
“Hey,” Betsy shouted. “You just saved one of my best friends. Your home is here. You need anything, you go it!”
“Yeah,” Anne agreed suddenly looking devious, “and you’re probably going to need a job won’t you?”
Ben sighed, his shoulders drooping. “Now, is not the time, Anne” He took in the destruction in the clearing. He looked wary, his eyes haunted. “We need to tend to our wounded and bury our dead. We can meet once everyone is accounted for. We need to start preparing for war.”
The enforcers nodded. This was not over
Grace groaned. She wasn’t even really awake and she already knew she hurt all over. Her eye cracked open. She also wasn’t in her bed. Carefully, she turned her head. She was in Jack’s house.
She tried to move but her body refused. Flopping back against the pillow Grace went to rub her eyes. Her left wrist was wrapped in gauze from palm to wrist. The white fabric was clean.
It all came back to Grace. She remembered everything that had happened. Her body flushed with shame. She had stolen the spell from Ben’s office and almost handed it over to the rogues. If her Pack hadn’t showed up, she would have.
“Hey.” Jack walked into the room smiling. “I didn’t expect you to be awake yet.”
He looked exhausted. His face was drawn. There was a scab healing on his forehead. His hair hung limp like he hadn’t washed it in a few days. He was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
“Hey,” she croaked back.
Jack went to one of the side tables and poured her a glass of water. He came over and helped Grace sit up. She took a few sips of water and collapsed back into bed, out of breath.
“Damn, I am weak.” Her muscles were shaking just from being vertical for two seconds.
“You’ve been asleep for a few days. You also exploded. I’m pretty sure anyone would be feeling weak.” He joked.
Grace gaped at Jack. “What?”
Jack got into bed, drew her under his arm and caught her up on what had happened. She remembered Ms. Stevens pulling out her knife but things were fuzzy after that. She vaguely recalled someone blowing something pungent in her face. That was it.
“I’m glad I wasn’t awake for that.” Being in the middle of a magical explosion was not something she wanted to experience fully conscious.
Jack sighed, leaning back onto his headboard. “I am too. It was already too much watching you trying to fight that spell.” He shook his head. “I don’t think I could handle watching you have it ripped out of your body.”
Grace nodded but didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to tell jack that as bad as it had been to watch her fight the compulsion forcing her to do things; it felt worse feeling the magic violating her free will.
She was aware the entire time she was driving out to her cabin but she couldn’t stop herself. The need to get the spell to the woods overwhelmed everything else. Once she entered the woods and smelled the familiar scents a small part of Grace woke up.
She tried to turn around but it took so much energy to subdue the force driving her deeper into the woods. The freedom never lasted long enough to do anything.
Grace shook her head. She didn’t want to remember that. “Did we beat the rogues?”
Jack brushed his hand through her hair stalling. “No.” He said finally. “We didn’t come close to beating the rogues. The casting that Ivy did distracted everyone and the rogues took the chance to run. If she hadn’t been there, we would have lost. We weren’t able to track any of them.”
Tears pricked her eyes. She knew they had lost people even though Jack didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. And it was all her fault.
“Grace,” Jack wrapped his arms around her. She turned into his warmth and broke down.
“It’s all my fault. I’m the reason all those people died.” She cried until her sobbing became hoarse.
Jack sat her up handing her more water. “It’s not your fault, Grace.” His voice was reassuring. “They were coming for us. They’d been targeting Black Bird long before you moved back into your cabin.”
“But if I haven’t moved into the cabin they wouldn’t have attacked.”
“Yeah, they would have,” Jack contradicted. “They would have cast their immortality spell and surprised us all during the new moon. We would have been slaughtered.” Jack drew her back against his chest. “You gave us the warning we needed to get everyone to safety.”
Jack and Grace embraced each other not saying anything. Grace’s mind tried to wrap around the things that had happened in the last few days. There were so many impossible forces that they had to fight against.
“How are we going to defend against magic and armies of rogues?” Grace asked voicing her fear.
Jack shook his head. “I don’t know. Ben has already started planning though. Ivy Stevens is working to learn as much as she can about the witches who made that spell originally. He’s hoping that we can stay one step ahead of them if we know more.”
He brushed her hair absentmindedly as he went on. “Ben has almost made enforcer training mandatory for anyone who is physically able. A lot of the wolves who fought were untrained and unprepared to go up against rogues.” Jack shook his head. “Our people don’t have the stamina to fight rogues. Right now, any training will help. Ben officially called on Holly to be an enforcer so she could help train people.”
Grace huffed an amused breath. “I’m sure Holly loved that. She gets to be an enforcer and hand the Henry and Patrick their asses. That might be her dream job.”
Jack poked her ribs. “Don’t laugh too hard. Once you aren’t injured you are going to start training too.”
Grace made a face. “Is there any way to be put on the disabled list indefinitely?”
Jack snorted. “You’ve gotten beat up, cursed and been at ground zero of an explosion. There is no way in hell you’re missing defense training.”
He twisted to face her, jostling Grace. “I almost forgot. Betsy and Anne have adopted Ivy. She’s living with Betsy right now and Anne is trying to hire her at the store.”
If Ivy was staying with Betsy and working for Anne it meant that she had now joined the ranks of their group of friends. Grace would be seeing her a lot if that were true. She hoped Ivy was an open minded and forgiving person because Grace had not made the best first impression.
“How is that going?” She asked
“Ivy is too sweet to say anything. She doesn’t stand a chance against Anne and Betsy. They’ve already given her a makeover and dragged her to Miller’s.” He shook his head. “Between Ben and the girls, she doesn’t have time for anything else. Namely, Ezra and Ezekiel.”
“Oh,” Grace hummed knowingly. “I’m guessing that it causing problems.”
“The brothers have started hanging out around Betsy’s apartment. It’s only a matter of time before everything boils over.”
“Who would have guessed?” She was excited to get out of bed and join the fun. The Tate brothers chasing a woman around town was sure to be a blast to watch.
“I caught them sneaking into Monroe Springs a while ago.” Jack admitted. “I bet they’ve been going to see Ivy for, who knows how long.”
“Well, we will have to place bets on which couple gets mated first: them or Betsy and Paul.”
Jack looked down at his hand going quiet.
“Jack?” She got concerned by the concentrated expression on his face.
“I know I said I would give you a choice but I don’t think I can wait, Grace.” His eyes were wide begging her to understand. “After that explosion, I saw you lying on the ground and I thought you were dead. And,” his eyes stared blankly ahead, “in that moment there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t give to have you back.”
He shifted so he was sitting next to her on the bed. “Grace, I want a life with you. I want to come home knowing you’ll be there. I want to have dinner on the table when you walk in. I want to hold your hand while sit at the diner.” His face lit up. “I want you. However you’ll take me.”
Grace felt her body go hot and cold. She felt her heart pound in her chest. She couldn’t help herself, she started smiling. This was a dream come true.
“I want all of those things too Jack, with you.” She looked down at her lap suddenly feeling embarrassed. “I know we’ve already said this,” she cleared her throat, “but I don’t think it really counted.” Jack looked confused. “So, before we can move on with our lives there’s something I wanted to say.” She took a deep breath. “I love you, Jack Taylor.”
He smiled the expression warming his face. “I love you, Grace Copeland.”
Grace leaned in kissing him softly. Jack put a hand around her neck drawing her in. They explored each other with their mouths and hands.
Jack pulled back. “I want to make love to you, Grace. But we can wait until you’re better.”
“As long as we go slowly,” she blushed.
“That is exactly the speed I want to go.”
Jack lowered Grace to the bed, smoothing her hair around her face. He inhaled deeply. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” He kissed her again.
Grace pushed her hands under the shirt he wore. Jack’s body was hot and hard. She ran her nails over the dips and peaks along his chest and stomach. She felt his muscles jump as she explored.
Leaning back, Jack slowly lifted his shirt off of his body. Grace sighed as he exposed his gorgeous body. She could see a few new scars from their battle with the rogues. Grace wished to hell that he hadn’t been hurt.
“Hey, hey, hey,” he chided. “None of that right now.”
Grace grabbed the ends of her shirt and pulled it over her head in response. Jack’s eyes turned predatory. Grace cupped her breasts between her hands. She squeezed and teased them pinching each nipple. Jack dove just like she knew he would.
Wet heat enveloped her right nipple. Grace moaned loving the feeling of Jack sucking on her. Cream gushed between her thighs making her clench them together.
She put her hands into Jack’s hair pressing him into her. Jack growled around the nipple he was sucking. Grace growled in response.
Wanting to make Jack feel good she reached between their bodies. His cock was trapped in the boxers he was wearing. Grace pushed the fabric down as far as she could reach. Jack sat back on his heel taking off his boxers the rest of the way.
His cock stood up, angled towards Jack’s belly. It was gorgeous. Grace’s mouth watered. She pushed pillows behind her and gestured Jack forward. “Come here.”
He gave her a devilish smile knowing what was coming. Jack crawled over her body, dragging his hot member over her exposed skin. Grace loved it. When he got close enough, Grace wrapped both hands around his cock.
Jack’s breath caught. Grace smiled. She pumped the hard length slowly watching the skin give and take with her movement. Jack’s hips jerked trying to get her hands to move faster. He was going mad.
Taking pity on him Grace kissed the tip. It jumped. Grace put the head of Jack’s cock into her mouth sucking hard.
“Oh God, Grace,” Jack heaved.
Grace continued to pump his shaft while her mouth lavished his cockhead with her tongue. She licked the slit, tasting precum. She tongued the skin at the base.
When Jack grabbed her head, she was ready. He thrust into her mouth making her gag. He pulled out, spit clinging to his cock. Breath wheezed out of him at the sight.
“I want to fuck your mouth so hard you can taste me for days,” Jack confessed.
Grace purred. “That sounds lovely.”
“Oh lord,” Jack breathed. “But if we don’t stop right now, I will cum down your throat and I want to be inside you.”
Grace shifted back. With Jack straddling her, she shimmied out of the shorts she was wearing. She opened her arms, “Then come here.”
Jack lowered himself over her. She could feel the heat coming off of her body and it felt exquisite. Jack kissed her forehead. “I love you, Grace.”
She placed her hands on either side of Jack’s face. “I love you too.”
Jack gripped his cock and teased the wetness between her legs. Grace moaned as his hard cock brushed her clit. Jack smiled. He put himself right against her entrance and thrust.
Grace gasped. His cock stretched her pussy and for a second, the sharp sting made Grace’s body flare into awareness. Arousal had her fingers digging into Jack’s back. Her back arched into his body. She felt his cock pressing at the entrance of her womb.
Grace gave herself over to the pleasure. She became wild. She bucked her hips, fucking Jack from below. She loved feeling his cock slam home. She lived for the feeling of his body inside her, the heat filling her.
Grace growled and snarled at every scratch that Jack gave her needing more. She reached between their sweaty bodies and started rubbing her swollen clit.
“That’s it,” Jack praised, “that’s my girl. Make yourself climax.”
Grace bit her lip pinching her clit. The sudden jolt sent her reeling. Grace felt her muscles tense as pleasure exploded through her body. All she could do was cling to Jack as her orgasm throbbed through her body.
Jack started fucking her hard. He pressed her into the mattress thrusting into her with wild abandon. The noises coming from his throat weren’t human. Grace felt his body tense. He thrust into her howling.
Jack dropped onto his elbow sinking his teeth into her neck.
Grace screamed a second orgasm hitting her. She struck, biting Jack, making him growl into her throat.
They stayed like that for a long time, long enough for Grace’s aftershocks to fade. Licking the bite mark she had left on Jack, Grace sighed in contentment.
When Jack rolled next to her, Grace traced a finger over the mate mark. “What happened to letting it be my choice?” She teased.
“If you think I was going to pass up marking you for a second time, you’re crazy.” He nuzzled the curve of her neck. “And don’t think I didn’t notice you bite me right back.
Grace chuckled. “I couldn’t help myself.”
“Neither could I. You realize this means that you’re moving in with me?”
Grace craned her neck until she was looking at Jack. “And why wouldn’t you move in with me?”
Jack just shook his head. “After everything that’s happened, you’re still throwing sass about that cabin.” He gave her a stern look. “You’re moving in with me. Until we chase the rogues from our valley, we are staying here.” Jack nodded like that was that. “Afterwards, we can visit the cabin.” He compromised.
Grace rolled her eyes. She wasn’t going to complain too much. Jack’s house had central heating anyways. Living in the cabin in winter would have been a nightmare. “I guess I better call to Dane to finish fixing the roof.”
Jack growled the sound vibrating through Grace. “No, you won’t. There is no way I am letting that South Creek wolf fix our cabin. I can do the repairs.”
“Our cabin?” Grace asked, an eyebrow raised.
“Our cabin.”