Chapter 36
The scenery passed by in a blur, bringing back so many good memories of their younger years. Savon leaned closer to Nate, sliding her hand over his thigh.
“You’re sure about becoming Alpha? This is what you want?” she asked.
“Is it a deal breaker? If it is, we can go anywhere,” he answered automatically.
And she knew he would pack up and leave the second she told him where she wanted to go. That scared her. She liked the idea of settling in.
“No. And I want to know what you want, Nate. I’m easy. I need to be able to sneak away when I want, and I need to create when the mood strikes, but other than that, I need you. That’s it. I don’t care about where we are. So tell me what you want.”
“You.” He sighed and pulled into a garage attached to a beach house full of windows.
“What about the pack? Do you want to lead it?” she prompted.
“I’ve given this a lot of thought. And yeah, I want to make Silvertail Ridge a town people are proud to call home. And I like working in the hospital here. But if you hate it here, I can make any place my home.”
“I want to stay. Honest. And as long as this is what you want, I think it’s the right place for us. Besides, I’d miss Bran. And Frannie. Man, I’m a bad friend and sister. At least I talked to Bran.”
“Because he called you.”
She lifted a shoulder. “Out of sight, out of mind.”
Nate turned toward her and caressed her face. “You won’t be able to shut everyone out if we stay.”
“Don’t want to. I miss the town. Not everyone in it, but enough of them to want to be there.”
“They won’t make fun of you now,” Nate murmured.
“Don’t care about that. As long as you aren’t worried how they’ll perceive the Alpha’s mate being something other than werewolf or human.”
“They’ll learn to deal, even if I have to put them in their place.” Nate ran his thumb along her bottom lip. “Come on, Sav. Let me show you our escape. I plan to make good use of it when we can. There’s even a room that’s ready for all the supplies you want.”
She slipped out of the car and reached into the back to grab her bag. Before she managed, he grabbed hers and his and hurried to the door.
Laughing, she caught up. “This looks familiar.”
“You used to dream about a home like this. Painted it a few times. I have one at home.”
She side-eyed him. “You do realize how creepy that sounds, right?”
Sighing, he dropped their bags by the door and pulled her into his arms. “Do I scare you, Savon?”
She shook her head, her eyes dancing with light.
“Sorry if I did at one point.”
“Nate, shut up. We’re moving forward, never backward. Don’t even want to think about the past.”
“Past made us what we are,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers as his hands slid into her back pockets.
“Sure, but we’re us now. The rest doesn’t matter. Yeah, we have to deal with our parents still.”
“And you need to finish reading the letters.”
“Yeah, but with her alive, she can just tell me. Right? I hope. Shit, those letters just piss me off. It’s a lame excuse. Dad was scared, Mom went along with it. Promise me one thing, Nate. When we have kids, we won’t pull that shit. We’ll make sure they know what they are and how to control their powers.” She pulled away, walking toward the back windows. “I’m done not knowing what I can do. Nadya wants to teach me, and I’m ready.”
“She’s just a girl.”
“Looks can be deceiving. Nikolai was more than three hundred years old.”
“What?”
She turned back. “Nate, your father is thousands of years old. My mother is too. She knew Canagan. She knew her and got involved with your father anyway, though she didn’t wind the same bonds Canagan did. I don’t know what to think anymore.”
“What are you talking about?” Nate asked.
“I’m not really sure whose side she was on, or if she even knew. Maybe crazy just runs in the family.” She let out a nervous laugh. “I mean, look at me.”
“You’re not crazy, Savon.”
“If you think I’m only considering you showing up when I was awake, I’m not. I’ve always been disconnected. And sometimes, I break down because I stop giving a fuck.” She leaned against the wall and stared out. “Sometimes my head is a dark place.”
He closed the distance and placed his hands against the wall on either side of her shoulders. “Look at me.”
She faced him and looked into his eyes. “What?”
“Everyone has dark moments. That doesn’t make you crazy. No, that makes you human.”
“I’m not human though.”
“Are you afraid of yourself?”
“Sometimes,” she admitted.
“Me too.”
She tried to duck under his arms.
He caught her biceps, holding her in place. “Afraid of myself, not you, Sav, never you. The other day, when I needed answers, I shifted and pushed my claws into someone, squeezing organs to hurt without causing permanent damage. I wanted his pain, I wanted him to hurt for trying to hurt you. And Nikolai, you have no idea what I wanted to do to him for touching you in any way you didn’t welcome.”
“Doubt it was as bad as I wanted to do.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Feared I wouldn’t stop there. Sometimes I feel like I’m falling off the ledge.”
“We can hold each other up,” he whispered.
She closed her eyes, pushing it all away. When she looked into his eyes, she smiled. “Show me your beach house.”
“Ours.”
“Okay.”
“Mean it, Sav. Everything that’s mine is yours.” He stepped back, twining his fingers with hers, and pulled her through the two-bedroom home. Windows stretched across the walls, shutters, glass doors to a deck. Down below was the sandy patch they used to lie in.
She stopped at the window in the bedroom to watch the storm roll in. “Still like the rain?”
His hand closed over her hip and he leaned against her back. “As long as we’re naked in it,” he purred against her ear.
She reached between them, working his belt.
He pushed her hands aside and dropped his pants before tossing his shirt against the wall. Then he slid her shorts down and rid her of the tank top. Covering her breasts with his hands, he kissed her neck.
“Think it will rain?”
“It’s coming.”
He lifted her off her feet, flipped the latch, and carried her down to the beach.
Laughing, she looked back. “I can walk.”
“Need a second to get a handle on this raging desire.”
“Don’t need control. I want it all.”
* * * *
Did she have any idea what she was inviting?
Nate set her down. She turned to him and took a step toward the water.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Her hazel eyes sparkled. “Come get me, Nate.”
He dove forward, spinning her so he could haul her against his body and set her on a weathered log before taking her mouth.
The first raindrop landed between his shoulder blades as she turned him to sit beside her. She rose up on her knees, and he straddled the log, pulling her against his body as she pressed tight.
Her fingers combed into his hair as rain pattered around them, falling on their bodies, the leaves above, the sand and water.
He wrapped an arm around her hips and lifted her up, laying her back as he reached down and slid his fingers into her.
“Ready, please, fuck me,” she begged.
Nate sank into her. Her eyes fluttered as her breath caught. A moan escaped. She rolled, landing him ass first in the sand as she rose over him, rivulets of water rolling down her curves as her mouth crashed over his.
He lifted her, moving to kneel as he guided her hips over his cock. They’d always fit, two interlocking pieces, neither complete without the other.
Love, deep, true, and worth fighting for.
The mistakes of their parents nearly kept them apart, but no more. Together, they’d find their way.
He needed more. Her body undulated, taking him in, but he spun, pinning her upright against the log as he drove deeper, harder.
“Yes, that!” she chanted, driving him faster.
All fear evaporated as she urged him on, her grip tightening as he pushed past all limits and control. Pure need roared through him, his wolf rising but not taking over, something he should have feared, but this felt better than anything that had come before.
Her arms locked around his neck, her hands holding his head as she kissed him deeper, giving as much as she took. She’d never been a dormant partner, she interacted, making sure he knew who he belonged to.
Pleasure flared, passion burned hotter. He was nearing climax as rain washed away the sins of their past. She broke the connection of their mouths and bit down where neck meets shoulder.
The instant pain took the pleasure to a whole new level as he slammed into her several more times while they found their peak and soared into bliss.
Colors burst through everything. Her love painted the world in a new light. Vibrant, expressive.
He lay back, bringing her with him. The rain came down softer.
Savon curled tighter, running her finger over the tender spot on his neck. She pressed a kiss, sending a thrill of magic through him.
He lifted her face, capturing her attention. “Do you like this place?”
“Love it. Love you.”
Lightning hit the ocean and she grinned as thunder crashed.
“Better take you inside.” He stood, scooping her into his arms, and ran to the house.
“I don’t mind the storm.”
“We can watch from the bed.”
“Don’t want to sleep,” she whispered.
“Not going to let you,” he promised. “I’m going to hold you, then I’ll make love to you again. Sometime soon I’m going to feed you because I plan to be famished by then.”
“Mmm, and after I eat I should ward our beach house, and the property.”
“Will that take long?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. You can make love to me to reward me for a job well done when I finish.”
“Was going to do that anyway.”