Lunar Mates Volume Two: Books 4-6 Read online

  He smelled her spike of fear and pushed away the urge to approach her, to touch her. He could undress her himself, but it was better to establish his dominance now, better to begin building some kind of trust. And the certainty that she had to choose this still filled him. He hoped like hell it didn’t backfire on him.

  She finally reached for the edge of her T-shirt and he sighed in relief. She yanked it off with a jerk and went straight for the snap on her jeans. He wanted to tell her to slow down but sensed she might revolt. He wouldn’t be able to deal with that in the gentle manner she needed right now, so he bit his tongue.

  She kicked off her flip-flops, pushed her jeans down in a rush, and hesitated. The room was dim, but he had exceptional eyesight, even for a werewolf, and he caught his breath at the number of scars crisscrossing her belly. His inner wolf howled in outrage and he damned near gave voice to it. The bastard had marked her.

  “Come here, Chloe.”

  His voice was gruff with rage and her fear was palpable. It filled his nostrils, beat at his senses, but to her credit she didn’t stall. When she stood before him, he dropped to his knees and set his hands on her hips. Her scent hit him like a freight train and for a moment he was dizzy. Then his eyes again lit on the scars, and he leaned over to kiss them. Up close, he recognized them as having come from the fury of a whip, and he fought back the dual urges to cry and rage. He’d failed to protect her. That she would agree to spend the week with him told him more about her than anything. She may not realize it, but she was strong and brave and a part of her had to trust him.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I should have warned you. They’re ugly.”

  Her voice held self-loathing and regret, and he hated himself a little for forcing her to face the pain of her past.

  “No, baby. They’re proof of your courage and my failure to protect you,” he said.

  She jerked away and stared at him with angry narrowed eyes. “What are you talking about? They don’t have anything to do with you.”

  Did she really believe that? Sighing, he rose to his feet and pushed a hand through his hair. “I deluded myself into believing that Wyatt wasn’t treating you that badly, that until I saw some kind of proof that he was, you’d be better off if I just left him alone.”

  He stood before her, barely brushing against her, and yet despite his guilt, despite the seriousness of their discussion, her body responded. He heard the pounding of her heart and the scent of her hunger for him was a spicy perfume in the air. It was a small thing to rejoice over, but at the moment he’d take anything he could get. He took a deep breath and refocused on their conversation, lifting a hand to caress her face as he did so. She turned into it, rubbing her cheek against his palm, and his chest constricted.

  “It was my failure,” he said softly. “You’ll never be without protection again. You’ll never be in that kind of danger again.”

  He gave in to the temptation and pulled her closer. Wrapping his arms around her, he feared he might come before he actually got inside her. Her full breasts pressed against his chest and all his blood rushed straight to his cock.

  “I thought you weren’t going to bite me,” she accused. “And I didn’t ask for protection.”

  He laughed, and joy and a sense of rightness consumed him. For the first time in a year his life felt rights. “Baby, everyone knows you belong to me. Surely you already knew that.”

  “I don’t belong to anybody,” she contradicted.

  His generosity only went so far. He lifted her chin and met her gaze. “That’s just a formality and you know it.”

  He expected her to stiffen again and try to pull away. Instead, she rolled her eyes.

  “Is that supposed to scare me? Because you’re not as intimidating as you think.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “So you trust me after all?”

  “I trust you not to bite me this week. I haven’t decided about everything else.”

  Her eyes shifted away and he wondered if she was thinking about running away at the end of the week. No fucking way. He growled and she flinched, her eyes clashing with his.

  “You aren’t going to disappear on me.”

  “Of course not,” she answered, a calm expression crossing her face. She shifted against him, rose onto her tiptoes, and dropped a kiss on his lips.

  His body grew taut, and he grumbled, “You aren’t going to distract me with sex, either.”

  “Who’s trying to distract you?” she whispered, teasing, her lips trailing a line up his jaw. “You promised me sex.”

  And he was more than willing to deliver, despite the warning bells clanging in his head over her abrupt change of demeanor. He should pause to explore that, but there was no longer a scent of fear lingering in the air and he didn’t have the inner strength necessary to push her away. Pushing her onto the bed and fucking her brains out, he could handle. No was not currently in his vocabulary.

  He claimed her mouth in a fiery kiss, and it was only rigid control, somehow gained from months of abstinence, that allowed him to keep it gentle. He was doing just fine until she unsnapped his jeans and slid her hand down his pants. Once her fingers wrapped around his cock, his wolf side roared into dominance. Chloe was its mate, and it demanded that he claim her now.

  “Ah, Christ,” he muttered, reaching for the zipper on his jeans.

  Without releasing her mouth, he pushed them off, backed her up to the edge of the bed, and followed her down. They slithered up to the top of the mattress, and as they moved the sweet tang of her lust filled the air. He had to taste her. Would combust if he wasn’t allowed to drown in her.

  He sat back on his heels and tugged off her plain cotton underwear, lying down between her thighs on his belly. For a few seconds, he was hit by a sense of unreality. He’d waited months for her, for the chance to touch her. To love her as only he could. Her glistening folds beckoned him and he dipped his head for the first taste. She moaned, rolled her hips, and he was immediately lost in the wonder of her.

  He wanted to draw out this first experience, but he was ready to explode. Dipping two fingers into her wet pussy, he found her clit with his tongue and flicked it experimentally. He only had minutes to drive her body to orgasm and was thrilled when hard pressure on the nub had her bucking against him. She spasmed around his fingers when she came and he could just imagine that delicious sensation around his cock.

  He withdrew in anticipation of seating himself inside her to his balls, and inched up her body, kissing and nibbling as he went. He paused at her breasts, which were still covered by a plain white bra, to suck one hard nipple into his mouth. His teeth clicked metal. God help him, it was pierced. His tongue swirled over it and her back arched up off the bed, a low cry coming from her throat.

  He’d explore that later. For now, he couldn’t wait any longer. Trembling with need, he moved over her and positioned his erection at her entrance. He claimed her mouth as he thrust into her. Her fear immediately swamped him, and he lifted his upper body to rest on his elbows.

  “Baby, Chloe. It’s okay. It’s me.”

  Her eyes flew open at his words. He dropped a kiss onto her forehead and took several deep breaths, holding her gaze. He shifted to move off her when she surprised him by grabbing his hips. Her fear was receding, but it was still more than he could take. She licked her lips and let go of him.

  “I’m fine. I just need a second.”

  He needed a lot more than that and rolled onto his back, catching her waist and pulling her to straddle him. Her pussy brushed his dick and he sucked in a sharp breath.

  “Whatever you say, baby. You’re in charge.”

  Her eyes narrowed on him, suspicion clear in their sexy brown depths.

  “For now, you mean.”

  He rested his head on his arms and grinned. “For now.”

  She shifted, her sex sliding over his cock, and his entire body flexed. Blood rushed into his ears and it took every bit of control he had, and then some, not to surge
up, roll them over, and drive into her. She watched him with an endearing nervousness, her bottom lip tugged between her teeth. He couldn’t take much more and decided to nudge her along.

  Reaching for the snap on the front of her bra, he popped it open and stared. She had thin gold loops through both nipples, with a small pink ball threaded through the bottom. His mouth watered. He slid the bra straps down her arms and tossed it to the floor before reaching up and gliding the tip of his thumb over one nipple. When she didn’t move, he flicked the tiny bead in the loop and gave it a slight tug. She gasped and arched into his hand. His eyes flew to her face. She was breathing hard with her head thrown back, her lips parted, and her eyes closed. She was wearing a blissful expression. So beautiful he couldn’t find the words to describe her.

  She grew wetter, slick enough for him to easily slide inside when he shifted and he found her entrance with his other hand. She pushed back against him, and he gritted his teeth against the orgasm that threatened to overtake him. He concentrated on pulling her torso close enough that he could suck one nipple into his mouth and indulge the fascination of those piercings. The bitter taste of metal combined with her own sweet flavor. It was uniquely Chloe and he loved it. His teeth closed over the ball and he tugged on it carefully. His reward was instantaneous. Her pussy clamped around him, and she cried out in the silent room, her body shuddering with another orgasm.

  He released the ball to circle the nipple with his tongue. Once her spasms subsided, he gripped her nape and hauled her down for a rough, possessive kiss at the same time he thrust his cock into her. Fast sure strokes pushed him to the edge, and he came much too quickly. It was the most intense thing he’d ever felt. Sensation rushed through his body and out his pores. He felt reborn.

  He changed the kiss as his heartbeat gradually slowed, from something fierce to loving, and finally he released her. Sliding out of the warmth of her body, he pulled her down next to him and rolled them onto their sides. Spooning her from behind, he wrapped his arms around her with his hands flat against her stomach. He felt rage rise inside him again when he felt her scars and with effort, pushed it away. It wouldn’t help her now. Wouldn’t help either of them now. One hand crept up her stomach to her breasts and palmed their weight, learning her curves. With soft fingers, he traced the rings.

  “When did you get these?” he asked.

  “About three months ago.”

  He tugged on one gently, and she groaned in response. “Why?”

  She shrugged. “It was just something for me, something personal.”

  He sensed that wasn’t the complete answer. “What else?”

  Sighing, she turned her head and looked at him over her shoulder. “Is nothing private with you?”

  “Not when it involves my mate, no.”

  He frowned and waited her out in silence, switching to finger the other ring. Finally, with a huff, she went on.

  “I read it would increase sensitivity. I wasn’t very sensitive before and I liked how they looked, so I went for it. I didn’t notice you complaining.”

  “If you were so determined to stay single, why would you bother?”

  She didn’t answer him, and the smell of her arousal rose as he continued to play with the hoops.

  When she didn’t respond, he answered for her. “Maybe you were ready to accept me sooner than you thought.”

  “I don’t know if I’m ready now, Billy.”

  “I think you are,” he whispered in her ear, lowering one hand to dip between her folds.

  She was wet and hot for him. He lifted her top leg over his hip, and guided his cock into her. Rocking an easy rhythm, he returned to her breasts. The piercings were a serious turn on, even more so knowing when and why she’d gotten them. He’d been resigned to spending weeks gaining her trust and hoped this was a sign it wouldn’t take so long. After a few more strokes, his ability to think dwindled to nothing, and he reached for her clit, rubbing in fast hard circles and willing her to come as he fought his own release. She didn’t let him down. Her pussy squeezed around him and when she came, crying out his name, he was right behind her. Afterwards, they both lay quietly panting for a long time.

  Six

  As the silence stretched, he felt her retreating and struggled for a way to draw her out. He wanted her soft and relaxed again. Trusting and giving. But how did he do that? Despite their weekly chats he didn’t know her nearly as well as he wanted to. She was damned good at deflecting questions about herself. He refused to let her while she lay naked in his arms.

  “Why were you working at the diner?”

  He knew she’d gone college and had wondered if the job was because of lack of opportunities in town or had something to do with Wyatt.

  “There weren’t a lot of choices and I figured it would be good experience if I ever went wild and opened my own restaurant.”

  “Is that something you want to do?”

  There were plenty of small businesses in their village. Another place to eat would probably be welcome. She shrugged then shook her head.

  “I like to cook. I find it relaxing. But owning or even managing a place of mine own would take up way more of my time than I want to sacrifice.”

  “Keep it to yourself then,” he warned, half joking. “We should have a hired someone to cook at Jackson’s long before now but we haven’t got around to it yet. If he hears that not only can you cook but you like it, you’ll find yourself pressed into service.”

  She froze for a moment. “You still live in the main house?”

  “Yes. The beta usually does but we can take one of the empty places nearby if you prefer.”

  “You’re getting pushy.”

  “I can’t help it,” he answered lightly, holding his breath for her response.

  After a moment she said, “It would be more convenient if I agreed to help with the cooking. But I need my own closet and I miss my books. Except for what I’ve bought over the last year they’ve been boxed up at my parent’s.”

  “I moved into a suite last week. It has a large sitting room and a small extra bedroom,” he said carefully.

  She huffed. “Confident, weren’t you?”

  “Hopeful.”

  Maybe a little desperate too but he didn’t tell her that. This time when silence fell it wasn’t nearly as worrisome.

  “What do you think of Gage’s pack?”

  “You mean what do I think of Gage?” she countered, amusement in her voice. “He’s a good alpha. He reminds me of my dad, with kids and women, I mean. He’s not gentle. He’s too strong, I guess, but that strength is…reassuring.”

  He was stunned at her observation. He trusted Gage absolutely, would follow him into anything. Gage was the Regis, their king, but that information being a closely guarded secret didn’t dampen Billy’s instincts at all. Earlier that day, he and several others were released from a blood oath that prevented them from speaking of it, so he could tell Chloe why she felt safe with Gage, but was it fair? It was dangerous information. She twisted in his arms and gave him a slight smile.

  “I know who he is, Billy,” she said softly. “I agreed to come here because he said he’d tell you. So you’d know I was safe.”

  God. He should have seen that coming. After all, she was Nolan’s daughter and he was from the old Regis’s pack. Nolan had known all along. And even back then, battered and terrorized, she’d made certain he would be reassured before she left. That could only mean one thing.

  “So you’re coming home with me.”

  She pressed her lips together and her eyes glittered.

  “Do I look like one of your subordinates?”

  He cocked his eyebrows and tried to figure out where this was going.

  “No.”

  “But you feel free to order me around.” When he didn’t respond she rolled her eyes. “When was the last time you dated?”

  “Over a year ago,” he growled.

  “I wasn’t accusing you of anything. I just wonder how long
it takes to forget all those pesky middle steps between meeting your mate and calling it a done deal. Steps like dates.”

  He stared at her. It didn’t work that way and she knew it. She was dead serious though, so he thought about the couples he knew and realized in a way she was right. Many of the werewolves he knew claimed their mates shortly after meeting them, and then spent weeks getting to know their women. The process was reversed but the dating, the courtship, was still there.

  “I’m an idiot,” he said softly and was rewarded with a smirk. “I have a meeting in the morning. How about lunch?” He kissed her lightly. Teasing. “And dinner of course.” Another brush of his lips against hers. “Definitely can’t skip dessert.”

  She laughed. “Sorry, sweetie, dinner is already taken.”

  He scowled. “Excuse me?”

  “The Charleston alpha and beta and Patrick’s mate. I was under the impression you, Jackson, and Summer had been invited to that too?”

  He had been and had been prepared to skip it. No one had told him Chloe would be there. Still…

  “I want you to myself.” Damn it. “Shit. I’ve got a full week of meetings and dinners already scheduled. A couple of lunches, too. The dinners…I’d like you with me for those.”

  “Let me get my phone. It has my schedule in it.”

  He released her reluctantly and was pleased she didn’t even bother with a shirt before hurrying from the room. He grabbed his own phone and had the pillows propped up for them to lean back against when she returned.

  “You’re already being treated as my mate, official or not,” he said, looking at her screen and handing her his phone so she could add the dinners to her list.

  “I’m having breakfast with my parents tomorrow.”

  “Can I invite myself along?”

  “I thought you had a meeting?”

  He sighed. “Unfortunately, and it’s one I can’t skip.”

  She bit the corner of her lip and he suspected she wanted to ask something.

  “What is it, baby?”