Chapter Twelve

On one side, greenery blurred past. On the other, the ocean stretched for miles. California was gorgeous in so many ways. If they kept going, speeding past all of their problems, the scenery would change into dry deserts filled with the wildly hopeful and determined. Eventually, they would run into the pack that expelled Miles, but until then, the wonder of California would continue to astonish Monica.

The drive was nicer than she’d thought. They sped down the winding path with the windows down. She put her feet out the window, Nikolai smiling at her as his eyes strayed from the road to take in the woman seated beside him.

It felt like they were the only two people in the universe. She reveled in the moment. There was no confusion, no torment of her soul. She wasn’t tugged in too many directions, wasn’t aching for something she couldn’t have.

“What was it that made you call on Regina?” Nikolai asked, finally. “I didn’t peg you for the girls’ day kind of woman.”

Monica shook her head, pushed her hair back from her face as the wind tugged at it. She’d had plans, a way of helping Nikolai in his fight, and had hoped Regina would help her. All the sketches were finished, she’d even started prepping stencils. She’d wanted to show Regina, but she would settle for asking her over the phone later.

“That’s none of your business, sir.”

Nikolai pulled the truck onto the side of the road. Monica thought he would argue with her, until she realized they’d arrived. The great arches of natural stone stood over the crashing waves. A waterfall trickled off one of the arches, catching the light to create a prismatic spray.

Lia would have felt home here. It fell under the selkie’s jurisdiction, as the entire coast belonged to her. Monica would have to take her, sometime. She kicked her door open and slid out into the open air. The sound of the waves, humming all around her, quieted the trouble in her soul.

Nikolai came around, leaning against his truck, and pulled her into his arms. He held her gently. His cheek rubbed against her hair, making the cat inside her purr happily. She couldn’t help but hold his hands. The touch, affectionate and hungry, was unlike anything she could get from her Pack. She leaned back against him, greedily accepting his touch.

She swallowed, wondering if it was a lack of love in her life that made her lean into him or if it was something more. It couldn’t be, she thought. It was only that Nikolai filled a void in her life. That was all.

And yet, she was still here with him. She’d followed the Alpha of another pack into the middle of nowhere. The night before, she’d helped defend his home and let him pleasure her on his couch. She’d even planned a way to help him win the love of his pack.

There was more to what she was feeling than a simple craving for attention.

The sun arched high in the sky when they decided to walk down the hill. The cliff behind them cast a shadow over the sand, creating a bubble of shade they could lounge in. Monica tried to put distance between them but found herself crashing into him time and time again. He would laugh, put his hands on her shoulders to straighten her out, and wait for it to happen again.

Once they reached the sand, away from the road and any prying eyes, Monica couldn’t stand it anymore. She spun on him and threw her arms around his neck. They stumbled into the cliff face. Nikolai growled, his hands tightening on her. When she looked up at him, his eyes burned with an echo of the hunger she felt.

She threw caution to the wind and kissed him. At first, her kiss was hungry. As hungry as the first time he’d kissed her. He lifted her, so she could wrap her legs around him, and spun around so that her back was against the stone. It was cool, parts of it jutting into her back. She didn’t care. All she cared about was Nikolai.

His tongue filled her mouth, reaching deep inside her. She groaned into him and it spurred a hungry force inside him. He reached for her arms, holding them above her head so she could not play with the soft length of his hair or scratch her nails along his back. He laughed and leaned in to bite the tender skin of her neck. He licked her skin like he couldn’t get enough of the taste of her.

Monica groaned with ecstasy. She was a woman starved of water and he was a big, tall drink. She couldn’t get enough. Struggling against his grip, she bit her tongue. It was difficult not to beg when faced with such a man. Her legs wrapped around his narrow waist, hooked behind his back so that Nikolai could explore her at his leisure.

It was all too slow for her. Her body burned with an intense hunger that gnawed at her from the inside out. She craved skin against skin, her hands on his body. She wanted to press her lips to his and feel the hunger inside him.

Dissatisfied, she yanked one hand free of his grasp. He growled against her skin, but she ignored him and reached for the hem of his shirt. The thick fabric of his t-shirt was in the way. Monica needed the sensation of skin on skin, the feeling of their bodies sparking like flint so that they could die in the flames of their desires. Her back arched into him as she tugged the fabric higher and higher.

Nikolai leaned back to let her pull it over his head. The shirt was lost in the sand, his shoulders revealed to the open air. They were covered in tattoos, images of dragons wrapping across his left shoulder. Monica let her hand trail over the inked creatures. On the other side was a winding design made of thorns that seemed to pierce into his skin, as if he constantly bore the pain of who he was.

She snaked her hand behind his head and pressed his lips to hers. She would take that pain from him, make it disappear into nothing so that he would know the bliss that was rising through her. Never once would she have suspected love would feel like this. It made her feel as though she could take on the world.

Nothing could take her down, not as long as she stood beside Nikolai.

There’d been a time in her life when she thought power was enough. Being the mate of her Alpha would grant her the greatest power. No one would ever look down on her again, but she never thought it would be a stunted power. As she licked at Nikolai’s lips, nibbled and tasted them, she got a feel for the kind of power that came with love.

They were each other’s shields against the world. Whatever pain he felt, she would gladly bear if only to see him smile and laugh. The words caught in her throat. They were trapped there as he kissed her. Monica swallowed them down and decided to use them another time.

Finally, Nikolai stumbled back from the cliff face. He held her to his body with one strong arm behind her back. Monica never stopped tasting his skin, from the hollow of his collarbone to the small space behind his ear. He shuddered, fingers digging like greedy claws into her lower back, when she drew his ear lobe into her mouth.

He fumbled toward a small patch of silken grass in the shade. Together, they fell. They were a mess of limbs, of flying clothes as they struggled to get closer to one another.

When they found themselves wearing nothing more than thin layers of underwear, Nikolai paused. He held himself over Monica, palms pressed against the grass while his bright eyes studied her. She stifled her groan of frustration, clenching her fists to keep from pulling him down.

“Truth be told, this wasn’t exactly the date I had planned.”

Monica’s response began with a guttural growl. Unable to control her hands any longer, she touched his chest and let them slide over his shoulders. “Do you hear me complaining?”

She would be in a moment, if he didn’t kiss her, if he didn’t give her what she craved. His groin pressed into hers. She was sure he could feel the pulsing need between her legs. It overtook her body, made her feel like a ticking time bomb. The sensation was stronger than when he’d used his tongue. Perhaps it was stronger because he’d used his tongue before.

Now, Monica knew she would be getting the whole package. She wanted it more than anything in that moment. She used her feet to push the waistband of his boxer briefs over his hips.

Looking between them to see what she’d revealed, her breath hitched. “That is…”

Nikolai froze. She could feel the apprehension in his arms, but he had no need for it.

“You could put that oversized dildo to shame. I didn’t…I didn’t think real dicks came in that size!”

Monica swallowed, wondering if she could take everything Nikolai had to offer. His cock, hard and absolutely ready, pressed against her lower stomach. With each press of his hips, her mouth grew dry and her groin grew wetter. She wanted it, wanted to try, but wasn’t sure she would be able to please Nikolai with what she had to offer.

“I’m going to warn you now,” Monica began, even though her throat was growing tighter. “I haven’t… uh, I haven’t had sex in a while. So, I might be a bit tight.”

Nikolai ducked his head. He pressed a tender kiss to her collar bone. It sent a ball of fireworks rocketing from her chest to her core, where it exploded with electric warmth. Unable to stop herself, Monica let out a small purr. He paused, a grin on his lips as he drank in the sound.

“If I knew you would purr, I would have tried harder.” He laid another kiss on the opposite collar bone. “We can follow whatever pace you set. If you want to stop, we can do that, too.”

She heard the reluctance in his voice at the last line, felt it echo inside herself. She tightened her grip on him and refused to let go. They weren’t going to stop. She wasn’t finished—wouldn’t be until he was as deep inside her as she could take.

“Just be nice to my bra and panties. I like these ones.”

Nikolai leaned back to take her in. Monica never thought this was where she’d find herself, but she suspected her panther knew all along. It pulled her toward Nikolai with every step. The conniving beast chose the cream-colored lingerie that popped against her dark Latina skin because it knew Nikolai would drink it in. He ran a fingertip along the underwire of her bra before rising to trace the tiny black polka-dots above her nipple.

She shuddered at his touch, another purr slipping out of her.

“That’s right. Purr for me, kitty cat.”

Her purr turned into a growl. Monica bucked and rolled them over. Nikolai’s eyes were wide with surprise when he found himself beneath her. He reached and plucked a piece of grass from her hair before tugging at the back of her neck for a kiss. She ground her hips into him, letting the soft satin of her panties glide over his long cock.

Nikolai groaned into her mouth. He arched into her, pressing his cock into her labia in search of the spot that would spark her fire. There was still too much fabric between them. Nikolai reached behind her, fingers sliding up her spine, to unlatch her bra. It fell away, forgotten in the grass. Her breasts bounced, free from their captivity.

Greedily, Nikolai palmed both. His rough thumb grazed over her nipples, exploring and worshipping them. He touched her like he couldn’t get enough. He would never have his fill of her, not if she could help it. She’d make him beg for her over and over. She wanted him to come back to her, time and time again because she knew she wouldn’t ever get her fill of him, either.

She slid her panties down. The cool, ocean air kissed her bare skin. Above, they could hear the sound of passing cars. Engines revved and roared past them. One slowed down and came to a rumbling stop above. Both shifters paused, their eyes rolling toward the cliff above them.

Nikolai covered her breasts with his hands, reflexively. Monica could feel her heart thundering in her rib cage. It felt like it bounced against each rib as they waited, listening for the sound of footsteps or voices. A smile slipped over Monica’s face as laughter at their predicament rose.

She’d never made love outside. There was a thrill, the fear of being caught with a cock between her legs, that only made her excitement grow. Slowly, Monica lifted her hips. She lowered herself over Nikolai’s cock. Inch by inch, moment by silent moment, she took him into herself.

The car above didn’t move, still humming above their heads. The soft murmur of voices never came any closer, so Monica began rocking her hips. Her head fell back. She surprised herself, able to take all of him with only minimal pain. It quickly faded as the pulse of pleasure overtook her body. She rode him, teeth shut tight against the groans that threatened to escape her.

Nikolai held her rocking hips. His eyes glinted with the same thrill she felt. At any moment, they could be caught. They’d be reduced to two silly teenagers, gathering their clothes before running off.

Thankfully, as she rocked over his cock, no one came down. No voices approached them while Nikolai reached between them to stroke the bead of pleasure between her folds. Her attempt to silence herself became a struggle as he teased her. He timed his circles with the rhythm of her rocking so that each time she slammed down, he arched over her clitoris.

Finally, the engine above roared to life and her moan escaped her. She was so close. Every small movement, every stroke threatened to spill her into a pool of orgasmic pleasure. Then, Nikolai slipped out of her. She cried out, bereft, but he only smiled.

His hands were gentle as he rolled them over. He placed her legs over his shoulders, letting her hook her ankles behind his head, and began to slam home inside her. Gone were her small strokes, replaced by Nikolai’s furious need. He gripped her thighs to steady her with each pump.

Unable to control herself, her orgasm exploded within the first few thrusts. She screamed, her pleasure radiated through every ounce of her body and soul until it escaped through her voice. She gripped the grass beneath her, gathering fistfuls as if she might lift off and float away.

The sound of the crashing waves joined them, timing Nikolai’s thrusts. She could barely believe this was her life. She lay beneath one of the Alpha bears of the California coast, the open sky above them and the endless ocean beside them. The air glittered with the rainbow cast by the nearby falls.

Monica had once imagined a life of power and control, but she found herself greedily grabbing for this life of love and laughter. It was exactly what her tired soul ached for. She thought of their silly pranks, the rainbow balls that filled her room. When she looked back to the man above her, she let the orgasm take her again.

Nikolai shuddered, too. He arched into her, unable to control himself. As he came, she held his gaze. It became a tether that wrapped around both of them. Would it last beyond the small patch of grass they’d claimed with their love making? Or, would it snap the moment he drove her back to Monterey?

She didn’t want to find out. Monica wanted to stay beneath him forever, his cock buried inside her. Instead, he pulled out. He shuddered at the sensation. It echoed through her, rising like aftershocks to fill her throat. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t find any words.

Nikolai extended a hand, a small smile on his lips. He didn’t stray far from her, as if he too were afraid of the tenuous tether that bound them. He seemed glad to revel in her presence. She opened her mouth to say she should clean up when she realized he was leading her to the sand, to the ocean.

“How do panthers feel about swimming? I can’t imagine Nessa in the ocean.”

The sound of another woman’s name in his mouth made Monica growl. She yanked his hand until he careened toward her. She cleansed the name from his mouth with a greedy kiss. For this moment, Nikolai belonged to her. She would let no one else take him from her because she knew the moment they drove back, he belonged to his pack.

When she drew back, Nikolai was breathless. He looked down at her with wide eyes. “I don’t know what I did to deserve that, but my question still stands. Can you swim?”

Monica winked at him and ran for the water. He shouted and ran after her. They crashed into the open waves together. While she wasn’t a water born creature like Lia, Monica loved the waves. It was part of what kept her in California. She couldn’t imagine a life without an open body of water nearby.