VIOLET

After making dinner, it was late in the evening. Jayce had called my cell to tell me that he might not get back until dark, so I made a small plate for myself to subdue my hunger until he returned and toggled through a few television channels. I curled up on the sofa and got invested in a Lifetime movie about some chick trying to break up someone else’s marriage so she could nail the guy. But after it ended, I got bored and climbed up to the second level, which turned out to be a small loft with a dome window.

There was a desk with a big leather chair facing the backyard. One of the walls was lined with leather bound books. Mostly crime fiction and some police procedurals. I thought I also saw a really old book with Jayce’s pack symbol engraved on the front. I opened it to the first page and realized that it must have been an old family heirloom or something. The sheets were filled with maps and building diagrams. There were also family trees inked inside, mostly hand-drawn. I replaced the book on the shelf and thumbed through more of the books. It didn’t take me long to realize that Jayce belonged to a pack with a lot of history, one that had made an attempt to track lineage.

Arrow Lake was Jayce’s home. His relatives and ancestors had lived here for decades. How unsettling it must have been for them to have suddenly been cast out by a vote that said that shifters weren’t allowed to step foot within the main town.

I paused when I heard the front door open. When Jayce called out to me, I ran to the top of the stairs excited to see him.

“I’m up here,” I said, smiling widely.

Jayce was fully clothed this time. Bummer. I was silently hoping I’d get another glimpse of man buns or his cock hanging heavy and low between his legs. I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth and willed the images away to keep from becoming aroused. I couldn’t keep my attraction to Jayce at bay and I didn’t want him to think that I was so sex-deprived that I needed it all the time.

He dropped some bags in the foyer, kicked off his boots, and tore off his shirt. After laying it across the chair, he looked up at me in the loft. I couldn’t help but to stare and take in all of his perfection.

I felt my nipples pebble. Dammit. My attempt to subdue my feelings wasn’t working. I couldn’t hide this magnetic pull towards him. I rubbed at the mate mark on my wrist. I had almost forgotten about the thing until now. What he’d told me turned out to be accurate. The effects of the mate mark on a person were higher when in the presence of the one carrying the matching mark. It was as if the thing were drawing us together right along with this other emotion I felt deep in my soul for Jayce.

He rushed up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time.

Before I could utter any words, he took my lips in a breathless kiss.

“Damn, I’ve been missing you,” he crooned.

I chuckled. “I missed you, too. Did everything go alright?”

“Yes, so far so good. I got some of my pack members out of jail. My alpha and a few others are tracking some of the rogues through the mountains, trying to see what they’re up to. Mostly trying to push them out of the town.”

“Do you think that’ll work?” I asked.

Jayce frowned. “Honestly no. These are rogues. They’ll probably retaliate, and then we’ll go to plan B.”

“Which is?” I asked, cautiously.

He kissed me again. “I don’t want you to worry. You’ve been through enough.”

“Yeah…”

Jayce looked down at my hand at the book I was holding. “You’ve been reading about us?”

“I was kind of bored. I know I can’t go out right now because of what’s going on. I saw the book with the symbol and I was just curious. I hope you’re not mad.”

“No, I’m not mad at all. I don’t have anything to hide from you in particular. I just thought that stuff would put you to sleep.”

“That’s not true. Your pack has a lot of history here.”

He nodded. “Yep. We helped build Arrow Lake back when there was nothing but trees and rocks. Some of these areas weren’t even livable. We were the only one pack living here at the time, but we’ve since split off into other groups. Except for the Black Ridge rogues, we get along with the other packs. We’re not too particular about new packs coming in, but that’s a different story.”

“Of course. Wolves are territorial, right?”

“To an extent,” he said. “As a matter of fact, we’re taking turns tracking the rogues since we know they’re in the area. I’ll have to go out again tomorrow night, but I’m free all day tomorrow. I don’t want you cooped up in the cabin any longer. Let’s go out so you can enjoy it. I’ll tell you all about the packs and whatever else you want to know about us.”

“And about you?”

“Yes, about me too,” he agreed, then lifted his nose and sniffed the air. “It smells good in here.”

I smiled. “I cooked and think I outdid myself this time. I made some braised chicken, homemade mashed potatoes and gravy…”

“God, that sounds good. I haven’t eaten anything since this morning. I’m ready to chow down.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go downstairs and I’ll fix you a plate,” I said.

Grinning, he hoisted me up and carried me down the stairs. But when he dropped me on the table and his lips descended between my breasts, I realized that he wanted more than just dinner.

“Jayce, what are you doing?” I panted, as he pulled down the straps of my dress and sucked my nipple between his lips.

“I want dessert first,” he mumbled, kissing a trail down my tummy and hooking my thighs over his shoulders.

“Oh…” I mumbled as he pushed my panties aside.

“Like I said, I haven’t eaten all morning.” He slid his fingers between the folds of my sex and parted me. I was already wet before he pushed his finger inside my pussy. “Don’t you think I know by now when you’re in need?”

I blushed. “I keep thinking about you…I can’t stop.”

“Not to worry, I’m going to take care of that right away.”

With a devilish grin, he lowered his mouth to my sex and brought me to orgasm in record time.

During our heated session in the kitchen, we both worked up a healthy appetite.