Catherine couldn’t believe she was standing as she’d been ordered. And the tone of Marco’s voice left no doubt that she had been ordered. But there were worse things, she told herself. Worse was almost preening when he had praised her. Worse was how much her ass hurt. Worse was how incredibly turned on she was. But worst of all was that she was quite certain he knew all of it.

“Such a beautiful ass you have, my Catherine. And it has such a lovely feel to it—firm and smooth yet enough give and bounce when it is spanked that your mate can tell you feel it. And you felt it, didn’t you?”

“Yes...” she said a bit sullenly.

“Yes, what?” he queried her as a reminder.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good girl,” he said again in his low rumbling voice.

Catherine could feel her nipples contracting even more tightly and danced lightly on her feet. She hoped partly that shuffling back and forth might reduce some of the sting and partly because she had to do something to try to alleviate the growing need she had to feel him do as he’d promised—mount her from behind and take her long and hard. She had no doubt that he was quite capable of making good on that promise as well.

She heard Marco chuckle. Catherine was quite sure he knew the state she was in... both in terms of pain in her ass and the fire that was spreading throughout her body. She heard him growl and once again felt the sound as well as heard it. It caused her to shudder in response. She heard him chuckle again. He knew what that sound did to her.

“You do that deliberately,” she accused as she whirled around to face him.

“Catherine, you turn back around and put yourself in position. This is the only time I will remind you without there being consequences.”

The easy charm and lust had been replaced by command. This was a man used to issuing orders and having them followed with no questions asked. Well, he’d have to get used to plenty of questions and a lot of not having his orders followed. What was she thinking? She wasn’t going to be with him. This was a one-night stand... two at most. But he had talked as though he planned to be with her.

She flashed back on what he’d said—suckling his sons and daughters? And when had his calling her his mate begun to sound normal? On second thought, this was a ‘just as soon as he fucks me and falls asleep’ stand. She meant to get out of this hotel and out of Florence. She didn’t think he’d much care for his plans being thwarted and did not wish to bring any trouble to Sera’s front door.

She wondered why he couldn’t just come over here and fuck her. She’d begun to ache. Her pussy seemed to be throbbing in time with her heart. She desperately needed him to take that hard length she’d felt and use it to ease her need.

“Marco?”

“Yes, my Catherine?”

“I thought you were going to forgive me.”

“Have you apologized and asked for my forgiveness?”

“I apologized,” she whined and hated the sound of her own voice.

“You told me you were sorry. You were only sorry that you were about to get your bottom spanked. Would you care to apologize and ask to be forgiven?”

She jumped as his finger ran down the side of her neck. How had he joined her so quickly and so quietly?

“Marco, please. I’m sorry. I did apologize for being a bitch...”

She yelped as his hand connected once again with her very sore backside.

“Listen to me, my naughty mate, you do not use curse words of any kind and you do not refer to yourself in any derogatory manner. You are my beautiful Catherine. You are exquisite beyond measure and I will not have anyone denigrate you in any way... including you. Have I made myself clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Try again.”

She stomped her foot, which made him chuckle.

“I’m sorry for whatever you need me to be sorry for so you’ll quit fu... messing around,” she corrected herself, which also made him chuckle. “This isn’t easy for me,” she said as she started to lose control of her emotions and tears began to threaten to fall from her eyes again.

She felt him nuzzle her neck as he wrapped his arm around her and stroked her side.

“Shhh,” he crooned. “I know, but you have to learn to behave. I have no wish to punish you, but I will when you are in need of correction. Now, try again.”

“I really don’t know what you want me to say.”

“I want you to apologize for refusing to allow me to apologize for insulting you...”

She waited and then realized he expected her to repeat what he said.

She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for not allowing you to apologize to me.”

“And for using foul language.”

“And for using foul language,” she repeated.

“But mostly for failing to heed my call as your mate.”

“What do you mean by that?” she asked, confused. “I mean I can say it, but I don’t understand.”

Marco growled low and she felt her whole body respond with a shiver of pure desire.

“My call, my Catherine. That fire you feel running across your skin and seeping into the marrow of your bones. You are my fated mate. I have been waiting for you... as I believe you have for me. Haven’t you?”

Catherine felt panicked. How did he know? Did he know about her dreams? What did he mean by fated mate?

“Catherine, you will apologize for not heeding my call.”

“All right, Marco. I’m sorry. I didn’t know that’s what it was.”

“But you felt wildly attracted to me and I have haunted your dreams, have I not? As you have haunted mine?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Yes, what?” he gently chided.

“Yes, sir. I have seen you in my dreams for years so when I saw you at the restaurant, it was unsettling.”

“But I am here now, my Catherine. You are my fated mate. Now finish your apology.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t heed your call.”

“Such a beautiful mate. Shall I forgive you and take care of that fire between your legs?”

“Please, Marco. But seriously, I haven’t been seeing anyone and so haven’t been on the pill.”

“And this would be a problem because?”

“Because I could get pregnant.”

“And that would be a problem because?” he chuckled, nuzzling her neck and running his hands up the front of her body to gently grasp her breasts, flicking his thumbs over her nipples.

“Shit. Can’t you just use a condom until I can get protection?”

“No, my Catherine, if my seed strikes fertile ground, your belly will swell with the glory of our lovemaking.”

She couldn’t repress her shiver. He made it all sound so easy... so normal... so right.

He moved directly behind her, maneuvered her lower body, and spread her legs apart so that he could mount her. She heard him unzip his fly and felt the hard head of his cock begin to probe between her legs, seeking the entrance to her core.

She felt him grasp her hips and hold her steady as he lined up his cock with her pussy and then thrust home. She was surprised with her climactic response to his possession. One of his hands continued to hold her steady as he began to pump in and out of her. The other he wrapped around her waist to support her as her knees began to buckle.

“Oh, my God, Marco,” she said, trying to catch her breath.

“My glorious mate; how sweetly you respond to me.”

His rhythmic thrusting was strong and steady. Catherine felt her pussy contracting around him as she enthusiastically made his cock welcome within her warm sheath. She thought she’d never heard a sweeter sound than when Marco groaned and then growled in pure pleasure. Catherine used one hand to lean heavily against the wall. With the other she brought his hand up to her breasts.

He chuckled as he began to rub her nipple between his thumb and finger, causing her to gasp again. He moved his hand so that now his arm stretched across her torso and caught her other nipple between his fingers as he pinched and pulled her. His other hand quit grasping her hip but slid across the lower half of her body to trap her more fully and to allow her even less movement as he pummeled her pussy with his cock.

“Brace yourself, my Catherine, I mean to finish hard in you.”

She did as he ordered and felt herself open even further to him. He rammed her with his cock over and over. She felt her pussy start to contract in orgasmic spasms. But more than that, she could feel Marco reach his own finish and begin to pump her full of his seed. For the first time in her life, she understood what it was like to be taken by a man, what it felt to be used for her intended purpose, and more than that, what it felt like to be loved.

Loved? Where had that thought come from? He’d said nothing of love. But he growled low and long in her ear as he continued to pump his cum deep into her core. She felt the warmth of his feeling embrace her completely.

Finally, she felt him finish filling her. He snugged up against her bottom, making her wince. He pressed himself even more tightly against her. She had lost herself to his passion while he was fucking her, but now was reminded this same man had spanked her to tears before he’d taken her without any protection whatsoever. She knew instinctively that he was pressing against her to seal the entrance to her womb, trapping all of his essence within her. Even though it hurt, she settled her ass back against him within the cradle of his pelvis.

Marco continued to nuzzle her and make low growling noises, which only increased her sense of well-being. Why had no man ever thought to growl at her before now? Why had she never known what it was like to be possessed so completely and when she wanted it so badly? She found herself weeping silently.

“It’s all right, my Catherine. I’m here. I have you now.”

He withdrew from her with a loud groan, and her legs started to give way. She quickly found herself swept up into his arms and taken to the bed. He set her on her feet but held her steady as he turned back the covers. Once again he lifted her in his strong arms and cradled her against his chest before kissing her deeply on the mouth and then gently on each eye. He laid her down on her side ensuring she was comfortable and then tucked her in.

As he went to leave her side, she reached for him. “Marco?” she said quietly.

He smiled down at her and sat on the edge of the bed. He stroked her hair and leaned down to kiss her again.

“Do not fear, my Catherine. I will not leave you. I am just going to get undressed and arrange for dinner to be brought up to us in a few hours. Then I will join you in our bed and we will sleep and let your body recover.”

He ran his hand down her back and gently across her punished ass. She smiled. The caress was at once possessive, soothing, and a reminder of his dominance.

She watched him as he stood and began to remove his clothes. There was a grace and elegance to his movements that transcended his wealth and power. He was primitive and wild. He would expect and demand nothing less than her best. She knew he would support her in all ways and yet he would demand her surrender to his will.

He walked around the end of the bed, turning back the covers as he did so before joining her. She felt the mattress give with his weight and then felt his arm snake out around her middle and draw her to him. He kissed the back of her neck.

“Rest, my Catherine. I will use you hard and well this night.”

She shivered in response to him but snuggled more closely into his body as she shut her eyes and slept. Her dreams no longer contained the man who held her close, but the black wolf remained.