Their Wicked Future

A Talon Pack Novella

Author Note: Quinn and Gina almost sacrificed everything to save their Pack and their mating in WICKED WOLF. Sixteen years later, they're ready to take another step. They've spent their lives putting others first, as well as raising Quinn's son from his first mating, now it's time to finally think of their future.

Their Wicked Future is a short story set in the Talon Pack world. It’s meant for readers of the series and can be read at any time after Mated in Mist (Talon Pack Book 3). I hope you enjoy Quinn and Gina's little slice of life!

ONE

Quinn wanted to bash his head against the wall, but that probably wouldn’t help much. It may help some of his aggression, but not all of it. And considering he’d been born a wolf and had lived with his other half for a few decades, he should be used to the fact that his wolf kept riding him hard.

Of course, it wasn’t every day he had to deal with a group of ten pups who decided that rolling next to the thorn bush—and then into the thorn bush—sounded like a good idea.

He still wanted to wince for those little ones and their sad faces as they pouted. The Alpha’s mate, Brie, had done her best to take care of each of them, but it had been he who’d had to deal with their little cries.

He hated when pups cried.

Gina’s arms wrapped around his stomach and he couldn’t help but relax at her touch. Fractionally.

“What’s wrong?”

Quinn sighed. “Ten pups. Thorns. Whimpering. Tears.” He paused. “And after I got Gideon to stop crying over the fact that all those kids were whining at him, I had to deal with the kids’ tears.”

Gina snorted and leaned her head against his back. “Gideon doesn’t cry, dear. You know that. He just sort of grunts and huffs like the Alpha wolf he is. Dad’s even worse sometimes.” They were Redwoods, so Gina’s father, Kade, was their Alpha, but Quinn had grown up a Talon and was good friends with the Talon Alpha and the rest of the family.

Quinn turned in Gina’s arms and reached around to cup her backside with one hand. Even after sixteen years together, he couldn’t help but love every inch of her. His hand felt right on her ass. Of course, it felt right anywhere he could touch her.

He let out a growl that reverberated in his chest, and Gina kissed his shirt, right above his heart.

“I guess we’re done talking if you’re palming my butt as you are?” Gina asked, laughter in her tone.

Like him, Gina hadn’t aged a day since they’d met. They were wolves, and would perpetually remain the same no matter how old they got. Yet he knew he’d love every bit of her even if they did go old and grey. She was his. His mate, his future, his everything.

And he was so damned happy she’d walked into his life and turned it upside down.

Quinn leaned down and licked the curve of her neck over the place where he’d marked her all those years ago. She shuddered in his hold, and he couldn’t help but growl. The mark might not show since it had healed soon after he’d sunk his fangs into her flesh, but everyone in the Pack—any Pack for that matter—would know she was his. The matching mark on his shoulder spoke of the same ownership. They owned each other, just like mates were supposed to.

He was more dominant that she was, but only just. And since she was the Enforcer of the Pack while he was only a soldier, an enforcer for the Alpha but not the actual Enforcer, she held a higher place in the hierarchy. If he’d been a little less confident in whom they were together, it might have been a problem. But he trusted her with his life and with the lives of those in his Pack, so there wasn’t anything to worry about when it came to dominance.

Gina reached around and gripped his ass with both hands, arching into him. “Wolf got your tongue?” She grinned, and Quinn leaned down to nip at her lips.

“This wolf is about to have your tongue.”

Gina laughed, so he crushed his mouth to hers. She moaned into him and they rocked together, their wolves rising just enough to make it interesting. When he pulled back, breathless, he leaned his forehead against hers.

“I hate that I have to head to a freaking meeting right now,” he growled. His wolf was too close to the surface, and he had to take deep breaths so he could regain control.

“I’m sure I can find a way to make a little quickie worth your while.” Gina kissed his jaw and he swallowed hard.

“You know nothing we ever do is quick.”

“Well, remember that time out in the woods on our way to the Talons for that Pack circle?” Gina bit his jaw, sending a growl through them both. “We had to be pretty fast then.”

Quinn ran his hands up her back and let one palm cup the back of her hair. His fingers tightened and she let out a moan. “We’ve been quick before I suppose.” He met her gaze. “We’ve been slow, quick, and everything in between.”

Gina smiled up at him, her eyes brightening. “I guess that’s what happens when you’ve been together as long as we have.”

Quinn smiled as well and leaned down to take her lips with his. “I love you, Gina.”

She kissed him back before pulling away. “I love you too, Quinn. Now, why don’t you tell me what else happened today.”

He closed his eyes. “Gideon mentioned that he and Brie are talking about having a baby.”

Gina stiffened for a moment before relaxing, but he could tell she’d forced herself to do so. “They’ve been mated for over a year now. And the Alpha and his mate need to have children.” She paused. “And I know Brie will be a wonderful mother. She’s a submissive and so nurturing. And Gideon? Well, it will be fun to see him stumble around, you know?”

Quinn cupped her face. “We can try again, Gina.”

His mate closed her eyes. “We tried for five years, Quinn. And it didn’t happen. It doesn’t happen for everyone. I get that. We have Jesse.” Jesse was Quinn’s son from his first mating, and Gina had helped raise him as her own.

Quinn ran his thumb over Gina’s cheekbone. “And Jesse is everything. I know that. I also know that Walker, Hannah, and Mark have been working on a way to try and help us.”

Gina sighed. “We took a decade off, Quinn. A decade because I was scared. I got on birth control and we just…coasted.”

Quinn cupped her face. “There was nothing coasting about our time together. If you want to try again, we can. Because I know the Healers want to help, and I want you to be happy.”

“I don’t need my own children to be happy,” Gina said, and Quinn nodded.

“I know. We can adopt, or we can do what we’ve been doing. We’ve waited as long as we have because we are happy. But I’ve seen the way you look at the pups and the way you look at the expectant mothers.” He sighed. “I look at them the same way.

Gina was quiet for so long he felt as if he’d messed up by saying anything. “I want to try again. I’m scared, but I want to try again.”

His arms tightened around her and he forced himself not to hug her too tightly. “Sounds like a plan,” he said casually, though he was anything but casual.

“And no matter what happens, I love you. And Jesse.” Gina sounded a hell of a lot stronger than he did.

No matter what happens, she’d said. No matter what happened, they’d be together. They’d been through hell and had found their fate. Now they would take the next step. Again. Because he would do anything for the woman in his arms.

Anything.