Authors: Aliyah Burke
She met his seeking tongue and wrapped her arms around his neck. Casimir flexed the fingers on her neck while he cupped her ass with his other hand. She ground against him, her moan deeper, richer.
He wanted her.
The doorknob rattled and she sprang back with an uncanny quickness.
Her eyes watched him, wide with dilated pupils and the air permeated with the scent of her arousal. She touched her lips and shook her head.
“That won’t be happening again.”
He begged to differ. “I don’t agree with you on that,
wife.
”
Behind them the door opened and in walked Paps and his grandmother.
“Everything okay?” Paps paused, glancing between the two of them.
Casimir didn’t understand why the man cared. Ignoring that for a moment, he grunted.
“We are coming to an understanding.” He stared at his wife, wanting to touch her again. Or kiss her.
“Yes,” Dyana said. “Until the papers arrive, I’ll be staying—”
“Right here,” Casimir snapped. “I told you, you weren’t staying in town.”
“You also said the papers were waiting.”
He growled low and stepped closer. “I can do nothing about the papers but you are not leaving before they get here.”
She matched him glare for glare. “I would suggest then, hoss, you get them here in a most expeditious manner. If they’re not here in a week, I’m leaving. I have things to do. Take me to where I have to stay. I need to get some things done.” She passed quick glances over his grandparents. “Sir. Ma’am.” Then she walked back outside.
“She is rude, uncouth, and has no respect for our ways.” His grandmother’s words were laced with revulsion.
“It’s been a hard few days for her.”
Why am I defending her?
“Where are you stashing her?” Paps leaned against the wall. His blue eyes sparking with something Casimir hadn’t seen in years. Amusement.
“Cabin near my house.”
“Thank God you’re not letting her stay with you.”
“Mind your tongue,” he snapped. “She
is
currently your alpha as well.” With a glare at his grandmother, he strode after Dyana.
She rested against the hood of her car. She had most of her weight on her uninjured leg. He scowled. Jetje glared at her from across the way. The party had moved to the front yard and watched her with open curiosity.
Casimir observed his pack. Little Rainie headed back over to Dyana. As he stood there he witnessed her entire disposition change. The anger segued smoothly into joy, making his wife’s beauty shine free.
Arrow. Wonder why he called her that.
Kraven walked up to his side and crossed his arms as he whistled.
“She’s a looker.”
“She’s lame.”
“Man, you really need to get over that. Where’s she staying?”
“Leave her alone.”
“You’re discarding her as fast as you can. What do you care?”
“She’s mine.”
Kraven fell silent. “Your wife, you mean right?”
“That’s what I said.”
“No, you said she was yours.”
Casimir walked off, done with the conversation. He didn’t want to even begin to analyze what his slip-up meant. Kraven trailed him. The two females fell silent when they approached.
“Let’s go.”
Dyana glared at him then Kraven before looking back to Rainie, who got a smile. She went to the driver’s door and opened. “Bye, Rainie.”
“Bye bye.” The youngster waved and scampered to her mom’s side.
Casimir went to the passenger side and slid in. She was backing up before he got his belt fastened. A complete difference from the first time he set foot in her vehicle.
Dyana didn’t speak to him as he told her where to go. Bypassing his house, they didn’t stop until reaching the cabin.
“You’ll stay here.”
She parked and got out, looking around. Wolf howls pierced the air and he listened to the pups signing their joy. He noted her reaction but she never showed nervousness, just awe.
With a turn of his wrist, he opened the cabin door then gestured her in.
“I’ll be by later to take you shopping.”
She put her hands in her back pockets. “No need. I saw where the town is.”
“You will wait for me.”
Dyana went back out and took his bag from the interior of her car and set it on the ground. “There you go.” She set the alarm, went back by him into the cabin, and shut the door.
Masculine laughter reached him and Casimir frowned as Kraven strolled from the trees.
“I’m liking her more and more. Tossed your bag out and closed the door in your face.”
“Fuck you, Kraven.”
Casimir wasn’t sure what to do with this woman, who defied everything he believed in and stood for.
αβ
Dyana peered about her new, temporary lodging. Her body continued to hum from the kiss. She strolled through the building. Three bedrooms, two baths, an open kitchen, and living room. All furnished.
Bigger than my house and he called it his cabin. Then again, from the size of that house we passed to get here, I guess this would be a mere cabin.
Masculine laughter filtered in through the open windows and she paused. It wasn’t Casimir. The dark haired, dark eyed one who seemed to watch her closely.
Regardless, whoever he was, he held rank in the pack. Dyana knew a bit more about shifters than she’d let Casimir in on. Maybe not wolf pack knowledge but, given how it was in the leopard hierarchy and eagles, she figured somewhat similar for the wolves. She’d learned much from Ranger.
They’d had a short stint being sexually involved with one another and given he was a lieutenant in the pack, she’d witnessed a lot of the hierarchy firsthand. She and Ranger were much better friends, they’d never wanted to pursue anything else. So when he had someone else, she was just fine with it.
She blew out a breath.
What do you know, I’m married to the Alpha.
She dug her phone free and sent a text to Ranger.
See you in CA.
His response was instant.
CALL ME.
She shook her head over his command and sent a reply.
Later. Shopping.
Casimir may have said wait but she was hungry now. Phone in her back pocket, she opened the door. Nothing met her as she looked away from the sight of her car.
With a firm grip on her keys, she made her way down to the vehicle and slipped behind the wheel. Once the engine rumbled she lowered the visor and her throat clenched tight. Another shot of her, Reggie, and Shyla. All of them with a frosted mug of beer in hand, toasting. Shyla’s graduation night, the three of them had a blast until the wee hours of the morning.
Never have those again, either.
Her thought brought tears to her eyes as she drove toward town.
He said to wait.
Her foot actually came slightly off the gas before she snorted and shook her head.
Tough shit.
She continued on. She didn’t do blind obedience.
“Call Ranger,” she said at the end of the drive.
“Hey, beautiful,” he answered after one ring. “Can you talk now?”
“I’m heading into town. What’d you have to tell me?”
“What the fuck are you doing with Casimir Lars?”
A light rain began to fall. “I’m in Washington with him to take care of something. Why? What do you know about him?”
“Listen, all shifters know about Casimir Lars and his Tatra Pack, how he left his Pack as a boy and went to the Úlfravaldr Pack to be raised there. Not to mention how he became Alpha of the Tatra.”
“Didn’t he just take over when his father stepped down?”
“Not even close. He’s the third son. Hell, when he was a boy they didn’t talk about him because he was so sick. No one expected him to make it.”
Casimir sickly? There’s an image she couldn’t picture, not given the virile man he was now.
“What happened with his brothers?” She slowed as she entered town.
“He killed them.”
Her heart skipped a few beats and her foot slid off the accelerator for a second time. As the car slowed even more, she replaced her foot and pulled into a store lot.
“Is this conjecture?”
“No. He challenged them for the pack and won. Why are you there with him? He’s not an easy man, Dyana. I’m easygoing most of the time. He’s not. He’s the Alpha.”
“So I’ve learned.”
“He’s fair but ruthless. Our pack’s been starting negotiations with them about some things but they’re hesitating. He’s difficult and private. Which makes me ask again, what business do you have up there?”
Shifters watched her as she sat in the idling car. If they were like Ranger who could hear so much more than she, she needed to drive. Back on the road, she headed up the two-lane road that sliced through the thick evergreen forest.
“I’m his wife.”
“Fucking A. I’m a goddamn dead man.”
“Why? I just found out so he can’t do anything to you. He has a woman he’s been fucking. Hell, she’s the only reason I know because he wants to divorce me to marry her.” Bitterness soured her tone.
“But I slept with the Alpha’s mate. Shit.”
“Don’t worry, Keane,” she said using his real name. “This isn’t like you.”
“War can begin for what I’ve done, Dyana. This is serious. I may very well have killed any chance of having our packs allies.”
“That won’t happen. Look, tell me more about him.”
It was a good three hours later that she drove in the store lot. She leaned against the door and rubbed her leg, willing the ache to go away.
Nearly sunset, she struck off over the parking lot and into the store. Without Shyla wanting to try on everything she had clothes and a large suitcase along with the toiletries she’d need in much shorter time than she was used to spending in a place like this. After paying she headed back to her car, stored the items, and headed to a grocery store. Her venture didn’t take long and she’d gotten something to eat for her dinner.
The return to the cabin didn’t take very long and she’d just lifted the final bag of clothing to carry in when something alerted her to the fact she no longer remained alone. Dyana locked her car and strode inside without showing how near numbing her fear truly was.
She grabbed her salad, opened the top, and set it down to unwrap her silverware. Munching on a bit of the food, she placed the container on the coffee table and began removing the tags from the clothing. She’d seen the washer and dryer the cabin had and was going to use them.
By the time the sun had disappeared, she had one load running as the land was swathed with darkness. She strolled back to the main room eating and froze at the sight of the man standing there.
Casimir stood there, a scowl across his handsome features. The sleeves of his navy blue shirt strained to contain his muscles as he crossed his arms. Her gaze trailed lower over the jeans that did nothing to hide the strength in his legs or the size of his cock.
When she managed to drag her gaze north of his waistband to his eyes, she found his waiting.
Damn, damn. Damn.
“I told you to wait and that I would take you shopping.”
She shrugged as if he didn’t set her pulse pounding on so many levels. “So you did, and I told you I don’t follow orders nor am I Pack.”
His eyes went wolf and her slit pulsed as moisture gathered.
Holy hell.
Deep inside something woke in her and she fought not to react.
One second he wasn’t and the next he stood directly before her, surrounding her with his scent, which encouraged her mind to jump on him and explore the man claiming to be her husband.
The outdoor’s freshness mingled with his own scent. Her nipples hardened and she nearly whimpered.
“You are more than Pack, Dyana.” He stepped closer, somehow maneuvering her to where the wall was at her back. Retreat was no longer an option.
“No,” she disagreed. “I’m a minor distraction. One which I would like to point out, wouldn’t be an issue had you held up your end and had the damn papers ready.”
“Wrong.”
His eyes changed. Not from wolf, but to passion. Her breath hitched as the urge to mark him floored her. Put her mark on him so that bitch kept her hands off.
“How do you figure?”
“Because you’re my wife. My mate. Alpha.” He leaned closer. “Mine.”
Oh sweet Jesus, she was ready to come from his look and tone. “I thought that was Jetje’s position.” Even she couldn’t ignore the sneer that her voice took on with that name.
“No.” He reached out and fisted his hand in her locks. “Say it. Tell me you’re mine.”
Her skin prickled and she wrapped her fingers in the hair around the nape of his neck. “That’s what you want, is it? Me to tell you that I belong to you?”
He didn’t respond, just flickered his gaze to her lips and back to her eyes.
Why the hell not?
She may as well take another go at experiencing a kiss with her husband. Correction,
her
husband. Making it her choice to put her lips to his. She didn’t believe she would marry again. Not that she knew of the first one.
She pushed up on her toes and before she could figure out exactly how dumb of an idea this was, she placed her mouth on his. For a fraction of a heartbeat he held immobile.
As she pushed her tongue through his lips a low growl rose up from his throat. Her body went on high alert as he lifted her straight up so they were face to face. He broke free of her mouth, touched her lips with his free hand, then reclaimed her mouth.
Devoured her. Engulfed her. In a way that surpassed all-consuming. Down to her veins she felt on fire. Its intensity scared her, not as much as the fact she craved more. Desperately so.
Hooking her legs around his waist, she ground against the large package she knew was there. Their tongues dueled for supremacy, thrusting, parring, twisting, and sliding. He tugged on the hair he held and she trembled as she came in a hard and powerful rush.
Sense struggled mightily against the haze of lust before it penetrated. Dyana wriggled free and landed on the floor, leg spiking in pain upon impact.
“I’m not and do
not
do that again.”
He barely appeared fazed by her declaration. “You are.”