Chapter Thirteen
She wasn’t surprised by the knock on her back door. Or that all her chemicals did a dance when she caught sight of his features under the porch light.
Damn, he was so big. So beautiful. She’d never wanted someone so badly in all of her days.
The emotions she picked up confirmed that he was angry and maybe a little hurt and suddenly she didn’t want him to feel that way with her. Not the hurt part. The angry part they could work out.
“I know it was a surprise. I didn’t not tell you on purpose. It just happened today. I mean, I’d have done it either way, mind you, but I would have told you up front.”
“Can I come in?” He tipped his chin and she stepped back, waving the way.
Once she closed the door and they stood in her kitchen, the impact of his wolf and the magic he carried as a shifter surrounded her.
“Wow. So. That happened, huh?” She pointed at him.
His serious look melted as he laughed, stepping close to pull her into his arms. He buried his face in her hair, breathing her in as their magic caressed and combined in ways that made her entire body an erogenous zone.
“What you do to me, girl.” He shook his head as he stepped back. “I became Prime tonight.”
She hugged him tight, pleased for him. “That’s amazing. Congratulations!”
The tension radiating from his muscles fell away and she snuggled in tighter, needing him to know she was there for him. With him.
If he wanted that after they put everything out on the table anyway. Because she really liked Mac and wanted to pursue something with him in the long-term sort of way. But it wouldn’t work if they weren’t honest.
“I’m not mad at you for challenging my dad for the mayor’s office,” he said after pressing a kiss to her lips.
“Oh. Well, good.”
“Things are going to be really complicated. Especially between now and election day.”
She took his hand, tugging him into the living room where she went back to her place, tucking her blanket in around her legs as she settled. “I just made a pot of hot chocolate. There’s enough for two mugs if you want. If not, there’s stuff in the fridge.”
He glowered a moment, continuing to stand, staring down at her.
“What now? If you’re breaking things off, fine, but let’s skip the hot cocoa if it’s all the same to you.”
He snorted, shaking his head. “Hot chocolate sounds just fine. I’ll get another mug and take off my shoes.”
She watched him poke around through her cabinets until he found a mug and came back to join her. Not on the other end of the couch, but right up on her. In her space.
He got under her blanket, draping her legs across his lap, tucking it around her feet.
She wasn’t a werewolf but she knew enough of them and her best friend was married to one so she understood what that was. He was marking her. Protecting her. Making her house a space that was his as well.
If he’d been a threat to her, the magic she’d poured into the land her house sat on, into the walls and floors, would have set off an alarm of sorts.
Instead, it settled around them both. Not something that had happened with anyone but her family and Katie Faith.
Her magic was so totally ride-or-die for this werewolf. Probably the rest of her too.
“I’m not breaking up with you. Is that what you want?” he asked after he filled his mug.
“Hell no. But I’m going to be totally honest with you, okay?”
He nodded. “I expect no less.”
“I think this race is going to get mean. I think your father is going to say rude, spiteful things and I’m not going to tolerate any nonsense. Which means your family is going to be spending a lot of time being mad at me and me at them. You and I have nothing to do with that. It isn’t about me and you. Or about witches versus Pembry wolves. It can’t be. If we let it, everything between us will begin to go bad.”
He took a deep breath. “I can respect that. I wouldn’t expect you to not stand up to ugliness and I’m going to do the best I can to keep that out of this campaign. I just not even an hour ago warned all the Pembry wolves at the city council meeting, including my father and Darrell, that we’d keep this race civil. And I underlined that with my dad and Darrell when it came to you as my woman. Because you are.” He nodded to underline that.
Mac leaned to put his cup down, taking hers as well. He enfolded her hands in his. “You know this is serious. I’ve known you since we were all kids. I’m Prime now and my wolf knows—like the man does—that you’re what he wants. Every time I see you I want you. And now that I’ve had you? Now that you’ve had me,” he added with a smirk. “I don’t want to let go. I’m all in. But I’m being honest with you in return because when you’re all in with me, it’s forever. And as you may have noticed, I come with a lot of baggage.”
Aimee sucked in a breath. He overwhelmed her sometimes. Which sort of freaked her out. But also, mainly, it felt right. Like he was the lock she was meant to fit.
She wasn’t human. Never lived like one when it came to culture and social hierarchy. Her magic had already begun to root into his, which she told him.
“Notice I’m not arguing here. When you came into the house earlier I felt that you’d become Prime. I felt your wolves and their power coursing through yours. My magic knew yours immediately. Understood the ways it had changed.”
He tipped her chin up with a fingertip and kissed her long and slow until her bones had melted and she sighed when he pulled back.
It should have felt like it was moving too fast. It should have been a moment of panic where she argued with herself about how this was not logical.
“I like that you respect me enough to tell me the truth.”
She’d never been complimented like that, but, yeah, it worked.
“I’ve got so much respect coming your way. I bet you can’t wait.”
He shook his head, smiling. “I promise that anything you tell me in confidence will never be repeated. I want this—” he motioned between the two of them “—to be rock solid.”
She held out a pinkie and he took it with his own.
“Pinkie swear.”
“Okay so now that we’ve lowered the cone of silence I need to say that your dad was a condescending asshole tonight.”
He thought about how his dad hadn’t acknowledged that Mac was Prime. Even as there’d been a flash of pride in Mac, their dad had given the bulk of his affection and attention to Darrell.
“Yeah. He was. On the other hand, you were fucking amazing. I was so proud of you standing up the way you did.”
“It’s not usually me that does the flashy up-front stuff. That’s always been Miz Rose or Katie Faith. I was nervous, I can’t lie. Luckily your dad was such a turd he ended up making me mad and I forgot about being anxious.” She gave him a look. “I did see you haul Darrell back on his ass.”
“I told you I underlined what I wasn’t going to tolerate when it came to you and how they acted.”
She blushed a little. “Yeah? And what does your momma think?”
“I don’t know. She left before I could talk with her about it.” They’d ushered her out before Mac had finished with his father.
“Well. Stay out of arm’s reach. I know you probably learned that lesson even though Darrell didn’t.”
“Even when he played football he forgot that.”
“Another reason why he’d be a terrible Patron. How’d he react to you being named Prime?”
“I just assumed the title. My dad didn’t argue. I imagine by morning it’ll be announced far and wide.”
“Wait.” She held up a palm. “What do you mean he didn’t argue?”
“I mean, I don’t know how to explain it. But as I was there tonight it just happened. I felt the moment when the wolves turned to me to make things right. And when I decided I was Prime, I just was.”
“Wow. That’s really cool. But how did he announce it? Or memorialize it? Or is this another way of doing it and I just didn’t know until today?”
“I could have fought for it and assumed the title. But there’s no one I’d fight. Darrell knows he can’t beat me. He most assuredly does after tonight. And he had the chance to challenge me several times and he didn’t. This was a bloodless coup.”
Aimee frowned at him. “What aren’t you saying?”
“Nothing, it’s totally normal for a wolf to take a title by assuming it and the pack not challenging that.”
She didn’t believe him, but he could see she hadn’t thought of a way to get around that yet.
“I’m proud of you.”
He stole a kiss. “Thank you. Speaking of parent reactions. Your dad won’t coldcock me for being with you?” he asked.
“I’ll do you one better than that. My mother invited you for Sunday dinner. They eat at four thirty. Don’t be late. If my dad has to wait to eat he gets so grumpy.”
“Uh. Okay.” He knew at that point he had no such welcome to offer her. Not from his parents anyway. He figured his grandmother and aunt and uncle would take that place though, in welcoming her to the family.
His phone started buzzing and he groaned.
“Go on, Prime, answer that.” She nudged him.
“I don’t want to. I’m here in our bubble and I don’t want to go.”
“You’re adorable when you pout. Damn it. How can nature be so unfair?”
He groaned but answered. “What?”
“Just wanted to check in to be sure you were okay,” Huston said, not ruffled at all by Mac’s gruffness.
“I’m here with Aimee just now.”
“I put a guard on you. Don’t argue. You’re Prime and things are hinky. You won’t even see them.”
“Them? There’s more than one?” Mac demanded.
“Not at a time. But there’ll be a pool so someone can be on you twenty-four hours a day.” They’d discussed some of this as necessary preparation to take over.
“Okay. Fine.”
“Tell Aimee I said hey.”
“I will. Don’t leave a light on for me. I’ll be staying here.” He waggled his brows at Aimee, who snickered behind her hand.
“Call me when you wake up.” Huston hung up the phone and Mac tossed his to the coffee table.
“I’m supposed to tell you hi from Huston.”
“You’re staying over, huh?” One corner of her mouth tipped up.
“I’ve got an overnight bag in my trunk. I was hoping we’d be in a make-up state of mind versus a break-up state of mind. I’m glad it’s the former.”
“Me too. But I’m not so dumb I don’t know we won’t fight. A lot. You’re very bossy and I don’t like being bossed.”
“Yes, you do.”
She blushed again. “That’s different!”
He pounced on her, getting tangled in her blanket, laughing and stealing kisses.
He rolled to his feet and picked her up, blanket and all, carrying her to the bedroom, where he deposited her onto the bed as if she weighed nothing.
That wasn’t overrated.
She wanted him so much it caught her breath a moment as he whipped his shirt up and over his head.
“Like Christmas early.”
He dived on her, his hands and mouth kissing and caressing even as he managed to get her totally naked without breaking a sweat. Within another few breaths he was naked as well.
“Damn, boy, you got some moves on you,” she teased.
“I have to keep you interested, don’t I?”
She embraced him, holding him with her legs around his waist too. Shuddering when he rolled his hips, brushing his cock against her clit.
“That’s the fucking way,” he snarled.
Like she’d argue with that?
But he backed off and it was her turn to snarl. “Why? What? Why are you stopping?”
“Because I’m not a seventeen-year-old boy. I have self-control and some finesse.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t want that right now. I want you in me.”
“Oh.” With a piratical grin, he thrust into her with one hard movement, leaving them both gasping for breath.
He was big. Big enough that it stung a little. And big enough that the sting warmed into pleasure as he dragged free of her body and plunged back in.
She dug her nails into his shoulders, into all that muscle, the play and flex against her hands nearly as hot as the pressure he managed to work around her clit.
He really did have some major finesse.
* * *
She was so tight and hot inside sweat beaded on his brow nearly immediately. That soft, sweet heat gripped him, not wanting to let go and he nearly lost his mind with the pleasure of it.
She held on tight, urging him just how she liked him, which turned him on even more. She trusted him with herself, with her pleasure and the vulnerability of expressing it to someone else.
He licked down her neck, loving the little sounds she made, especially the squeaky one when he found that perfect spot just below her left ear.
He should have been mindless with it, with the need to have her; instead that depth of want made everything clear. He knew what he wanted without a single doubt.
“Make yourself come,” he whispered against the sensitive skin of her temple.
There was no hesitation. She slid a hand between their bodies until her fingers found her clit. He stroked into her, grinding his body against those fingers each time.
Her breath got shaky and her inner muscles began to twitch and contract around him. Her already inferno-hot pussy superheated again as she came with a cry she muffled, her face pressed to his neck.
By that point he was lost to the need to come. His body took over, delighting in each touch and caress as she ran her hands over his back. The scent of her orgasm, of her magic meeting his hung in the air, heavy and sensual. Teasing his senses as he came so hard he forgot to breathe until he sucked in on a gasp.
Even after he rolled to the side, the muscles in his thighs and calves jumped as he lay there, fingers tangled with hers, panting like he’d run a mile.
“I like your house a lot better than Huston’s,” he muttered.
Laughing, she rolled into his side, resting her chin on his chest. “I should hope so.”
“I’m not going to hide that you’re my woman.” In fact, he wanted everyone to know.
“That was very cavemannish. Cavemantastic. Whatever you wanna call it. I wasn’t aware it was an option for you to hide that we were dating.”
“We’re not dating. Humans date. I dated humans. You’re mine.”
She pinched his side.
“Hey! I’m yours too.”
“Oh. Okay. But you know, you might think in a month that I’m more trouble than I’m worth.”
He sighed. “You’re trouble all day and night. But you’re most definitely worth it. And not just for the sex.”
“Thanks. I guess. I definitely like you for the sex. I mean, the rest is pretty good too. Except for your parents, but I’m willing to try and look past that.”
“That’s a thing we’ll have to keep working on.”
“Or, you keep working on it. I have my own kooky family to handle and no offense or anything, but yours seems like a lot of trouble. You’re big and strong and so I’ll leave it to you.”
He grumbled, but held on to her anyway. The weight against his side, her thigh slung up over his, her arm draped across his belly, it all worked together to soothe and excite at the same time.
“So. You’re running for mayor,” he said.
“Yeah. I am. I can’t make excuses for it. I wish I didn’t have to, but I do.”
“I think you’d be good at it. The empathy you carry is important. To everyone.” It felt like a betrayal of his father to say it, but it was true.
“Empathy is within everyone. People just need to listen. I do think my gifts are a good fit for the job. He’s going to be angry though. I don’t necessarily like it when people are angry at me.”
“My mom can be good practice.”
She snickered. “I’ll try not to insult her. In front of you I mean. She’s your mom, I get that. You want to defend her and I get that too.”
“She’s wrong. Blaming Katie Faith for this is silly.”
“She knows that. There’s something else eating at your momma and it’s not Katie Faith. Maybe she’s worried about whatever confrontation you and your brother are going to have. He’s not going to take this well. You being Prime I mean.”
He wished he knew what his mom was so worked up over too. It alarmed him to see her so close to the edge.
“She’s always been bigger than life. But this is different, like you said.”
Aimee sighed, heaving herself out of bed and to her feet. Which was fine with him until she pulled a long-sleeved shirt on.
Catching sight of his features, she bopped him with a pillow before shimmying into a pair of panties. “It’s cold. For those of us who aren’t shifters, this is winter. I need pants and socks so stop pouting.”
“I’m not pouting.”
“Normally, if someone in town was feeling off, like your momma probably is, I’d talk to them. Check in on ’em from time to time. But she’s... Well, I guess I haven’t been as pushy as I normally am because of this mess between her and Katie Faith and I know she sees me as an extension of that.”
“Are you...actually worried about my mother? After all she’s said to you and Katie Faith?”
“Yes. Well. If there’s something wrong, naturally I’d want her to get help. I’m not a monster.”
He moved quick, grabbing her by the waist and hauling her back to bed, kissing her as she laughed.
“Let’s do something else for a while. Pretend the rest of the town and its problems are far away for another orgasm or two. What do you say?”
She held his cheeks in her hands. “I say hell yeah.”