Running with the Pack: Cannon Pack, Book 3 (20 page)

He stretched, then squinted at the city lights sparkling in the growing darkness. Spending the whole day with Lauren was a joy he never wanted to give up. He turned away from the scene and studied her ample bottom that wiggled as she scrubbed the kitchen countertop, and felt his cock twitch. Soon, however, they’d have to face their problems.

“Lauren, we need to talk.”

She made a face. “Uh-oh, this doesn’t sound good. Are you breaking up with me already?”

He loved her sense of humor. In fact, she was the only one who’d made him laugh since Torrie. He didn’t want to lose that so he tossed her joke back at her. “You wish.”

“No, I don’t.”

Daniel’s eyes met hers and drilled her to the core, suspicious. Could love have found him not once, but twice? Could he trust her? Could he trust himself?

“I really don’t, Daniel.”

With that simple declaration, making him believe, she stripped him of every thought, every intention—save one. Groaning, he yanked her to him and crushed his mouth on hers. She uttered a small cry and clung to him. He lifted her, his kiss deepening. Taking her with him, he laid her on the floor, then pulled her on top of him, enveloping her in his arms. She gripped his hair, clutching it in her fingers, hanging on as though keeping him from escaping. He tunneled his fingers through hers, letting it fall forward to frame her face.

“Lauren.”

She kissed him again, shutting down what he wanted to say, so he said it with his mouth, with his hands. He kissed her harder, growing urgent, experiencing the myriad of tastes that was Lauren. Her breasts pressed against his chest, their bodies producing the friction to peak her nipples. He released her hair to run his hands along her back.

Lauren straddled him, the cleft between her legs lying hot against his growing shaft. She pushed her hands flat on his chest, letting him slide his hands to her bottom. The look she gave him stopped his heart and his mind.

“Is something wrong?”

She gave him that soft smile he’d come to love. “No. But about the other time… The time when you tied me up. If you want to do that again…”

Lauren couldn’t have said any sweeter words. “Hell, yes, I do.” A flicker of one of those indecipherable looks crossed her face. “But not this time.” He rolled on top of her, took her face in his hands, intent on her understanding him, knowing him, wanting him. “That time was great, sexy as hell, and yeah, I do want to do that again. But right now, I want more than sex with you.” He swallowed, suddenly fearful of her reaction. “I want to make love with you.”

Her eyes moistened, then closed. He held his breath, every second lasting an hour. But when she opened her eyes, he knew without question, without words, that she wanted the same. Tugging her along with him, he led her into the bedroom.

Her bed was covered in a blue comforter with colored pillows creating a headboard against the yellow wall. A nightstand and dresser completed the room with a few select objects resting on their clean surfaces. Bright and airy, this room was a reflection of her: cheerful and thoughtful.

Daniel watched her turn down the bed she’d made only a few hours earlier, keeping the comforter folded straight. She smoothed the simple white sheets, preparing their bed. Didn’t she realize how rumpled he intended to make the sheets? He smiled, turned her to face him and kissed her. He continued feathering her mouth, her eyes, her cheeks with kisses as he tugged the T-shirt over her head. She giggled and tugged his shirt off in return. Her braless breasts made him ache and he had to touch them. Running her hands along his arms, she laced her fingers behind his neck, lifting her breasts in welcome.

“Daniel.”

He shushed her and unbuttoned her jeans, letting them fall to the floor in the same moment she freed him of his. Twisting one finger in her panties, he tugged, easily ridding her of them. She lowered her eyes, acting shyly. Lifting her chin, he studied her and let her do the same.

“You’re beautiful.”

She blushed, then giggled that wonderful sound she made.

“You can still use your safe word. If you want.”

She shook her head, but didn’t speak. Taking that to mean what he wanted, he kissed her again and lowered her onto the bed. She lay down and tried to cover her body with the bedspread.

“No, don’t.” He slid over her, holding his body away from hers. “I don’t want you to ever feel like you should hide from me.” Would she understand that he meant her thoughts as well as her body?

She swallowed and he couldn’t resist licking the hollow at her neck. He breathed in deeply, taking in her scent and memorizing it. If he had to, he could find her anywhere by her scent alone.

“Make love to me, Daniel.”

“Yes.” He dipped lower, dragging his lips from the hollow of her neck, between her breasts, then over to one, then the other. He cupped her breast, loving the way it fit his palm, and nuzzled her other one. Teasing her with his tongue, he played with the nipple, flicking it, making it grow taut with his teeth.

Lauren arched her back, giving her breasts to him. She caressed his legs with hers, stealing the strength to hold his body away from hers. He lowered his torso, putting his shaft next to her warm mons. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she captured him and brought him to her.

Daniel crushed against her and, fearful of hurting her, rolled, placing her on top. She nibbled soft kisses over his chest, murmuring words he couldn’t hear but understood. Closing his eyes, he couldn’t help but wonder how he’d come to find this woman. And with the wonder came the fear. How would he keep her? Would she want to stay? Or would she go back to her human life and forget him? Forcing the unwanted thoughts away, he lifted her, placing her pussy on top of him.

She tossed her hair, her breasts jiggling along with her movement, and he took them in his hands, wanting the weight of them.

“I need you, Daniel. I can’t wait much longer.”

He’d planned on taking longer, much longer, but her desire flowed into him. Her body trembled, an earthquake that rumbled into his.

His incisors erupted, ready for the marking. The wolf within roared its demands, telling him to throw her on her stomach and ram into her from behind. He suppressed a greedy growl and told his wolf to back off, keeping the animal inside.
Not yet
, he thought.
She isn’t mine yet
, he told his wolf. She wasn’t his—theirs—unless he forced it and he wouldn’t risk forcing her. Watching the emotions—lust, ecstasy, anticipation—on her face, he saw an almost ethereal glow spread over her. She was beautiful, inside and out.

Lauren rocked up and down, backward, forward, her eyes closed. She placed her hands on his pecs for balance, her nails digging into his skin and jolting him out of his trance. Moaning, he gripped her hips to move her in the right direction. His cock, full and near completion, pumped into her, and her vaginal walls surrounded him to hold him as securely as chains would have. He was the captive now and she the keeper.

The avalanche that preceded his release swept through him, expected yet surprising in its intensity. Lauren tensed along with him and leaned back, placing her palms on either side of his legs. Her brow furrowed with concentration and he had a sudden urge to lick the furrow away. She deserved everything he could give her, including peace, at whatever cost to him. In the seconds before they climaxed, he made his decision.

Snarling, he pounded into her, bucking her like a rider on a bronc. She yelled out, her juices flowing down to his curly patch. He matched her yell with a shout and threw back his head, his shoulders and arms shaking in the release. Crying as though she were in pain, she fell on top of him.

He smoothed her hair, inhaling the sweet smell that was Lauren. She was nothing that he’d thought she was, yet so much more. Snuggling her close, he closed his eyes, peaceful and content for the first time in many months.

“Daniel?”

“Hmm?”

“You said we needed to talk. Please tell me you’re not breaking up with me. Especially not after having mind-blowing sex with me.”

He chuckled, moved her to the side so he could see her face and nuzzled into her neck. Was this the same joke? Or did she really fear his leaving? Her sweet scent aroused him again and, for a second, he opened his mouth, ready to sink his fangs into her. If he had his way, he’d claim her for his mate. The thought sent a warm happiness through him.

She was right, however—they did need to talk and he couldn’t delay it any longer. Growling, he lifted himself onto his elbow and ran a finger from one side of her chin to the other.

“No, I’m not breaking up with you.” Funny, how they’d fallen into being a couple without ever discussing it. “But this is serious. Lauren, you have to stop hunting.”

Her eyebrows dove toward her warm brown eyes. “I thought we had this straight. I’m not a hunter.”

“I know you’re not. At least not any longer. But you have to stop going on hunts and trying to fool the other hunters.”

Her confusion warped into annoyance in record time. “You know why I go on the hunts. I have to try to help. After what happened to Torrie, then Mysta and Tyler, what else can I do?”

The fact that Lauren wanted to help his people, even after all the danger involved, made him vow to hold her in his arms and protect her with the last beat of his heart. Protecting her, however, meant getting her to stop risking her life.

“We’ll find another way for you to help. But you can’t go on. Either the werewolves will get you or the hunters will figure things out. I’m not sure which is worse and I don’t want to find out.”

She huffed, pouting her lips, but he could tell she wasn’t serious. “Can’t we talk about this later? After you run out and get us something yummy?”

He ran a finger over her mouth, loving the way her soft lips felt. “Okay. But you’ll be careful while I’m gone?”

Her eyes softened. “Of course. Besides, nothing’s going to happen before you get back.”

“Good.” The knot in his stomach unwound a little. He nuzzled her ear, then licked her collarbone.

Her answering lick came as a surprise, throwing him off-balance. “How about a gallon of my favorite ice cream? And I want a shower to freshen up a bit while you run down to the market and grab us some mint chocolate chip. I want to make myself pretty.”

“You’re already pretty.” He returned her lick with one of his own. If he had his way, he’d lick her all over her body.

Lauren laughed and wiggled out of his arms. “Go on. If you hurry, I might still be in the shower when you return.”

He grinned and grabbed for his clothes. “Don’t shower too quickly. I want to wash you. Every inch of you.”

“Then get moving, wolf-man.”

Lauren hurried out of the shower and grabbed the phone. “Hello?”

“Where the hell have you been, Lauren?”

The familiar voice sent a chill through her and she pulled the towel tighter around her. “John?”

“Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

No “I’ve been worried about you” from this jerk. Lauren bit back the retort. Still there was no need to get him any more riled up than he already sounded.

“I thought Bobbie called you and told you about my sick aunt. What was I supposed to do, John? Ignore my family when they needed me?”

“You’re supposed to keep your boyfriend informed of your whereabouts. You disappeared from the hunt and I didn’t know what had happened to you.”

“Oh, come on, John. Admit it. You figured I’d gotten fed up lagging behind everyone else and went home. You were probably happy that I left the hunt early and stopped slowing you down.” The silence on the other end confirmed her suspicions. “See? I knew it.”

“Okay, yeah, I was. But then when you didn’t answer my call the next day, I had to wonder. Your lack of consideration threw off my entire week.”

She couldn’t believe her ears. She vanishes without a trace and he doesn’t call to check on her until the next day? And then does nothing else when she didn’t respond? If John were standing in front of her right now… Or better yet, in front of Daniel. She smiled, thinking of Daniel and ice cream. Oh, what a sexy combination!

“I’m sorry. I really am. But I’m back, so would you please calm down? I promise I’ll make it up to you.” Not on his life. The next time she saw John she’d break up with him. Maybe she should go ahead and break up with him over the phone?

“Damn straight you will. I’m not just a patient who gets messages from the receptionist.”

“Bobbie is my friend, not merely my employee. But can we talk about this later?”

“Not that I should do you any favors, but since you did manage a kill the last time we went out, I figured you’d want to know about tonight’s hunt. In fact, we’re about to get going.”

“What? Now? I don’t know. In fact, John, I’ve been thinking—”

“Look, Lauren, I know it’s short notice but it is what it is. We’ve got a line on a female. A
pregnant
female. Think about it. We can wipe out two at once.” He chuckled and she heard the excitement in his tone.

Lauren bit her lip. Hoping to please Daniel, she’d decided not to go on another hunt, but how could she let John hurt another werewolf? Especially a pregnant female? She imagined the werewolf, her belly swollen with child, lying on the ground, her blood and the child’s life force spilling from her body. She shook her head. She’d had to watch as the hunters killed other werewolves, but she’d be damned if she’d do nothing to prevent this tragedy.

“Lauren, are you there? Are you coming or not?”

“Sure. Count me in. I’m ready for some action. Are we meeting at Luigi’s?”

“Yeah, the usual. But you’ve got to get here in the next few minutes if you want in. Otherwise, we leave without you.”

Daniel would understand once he knew about the female and her baby. She had to tell him, but he’d left his cell phone behind. Still, if she left him a note, maybe he could warn the female. Or get the pack to help? But where should she tell them to find her?

Crooking the phone between her shoulder and ear, she quickly scribbled a note to Daniel, urging him to hurry to the hunters’ usual meeting place behind Luigi’s Italian Restaurant. Maybe she could stall the group, giving Daniel time to catch up with them. If not, she’d have to come up with a way to save the shifter herself.