What a Wolf Wants (Black Hills Wolves Book 2) (7 page)

“You’re human,” he told her. While he didn’t make it sound like a terrible thing, she heard the quiet rejection. Deeper still, the hurt of it.

A fist squeezed her heart, so she tore a page out of his book. “I know.” When she wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged him down, he came willingly. She had no idea what she was doing, but she went with it. Then bit the side of his throat. His arms convulsed, caging her up as she nipped him. “Yes.”

Suddenly, her feet weren’t on the floor. Ryker moved. She landed on a bed a moment later, blinking. How the hell had she not known he had one of these?

“You made me sleep in a chair?” It was huge, comfy, and covered in the softest fur blanket—which she realized had probably been an animal at some point.

Just go with it
.

Ryker stripped off his shirt, and she forgot all about the chair. The blanket. The wolf thing.

He was cut—everywhere—densely packed muscle that rippled with every movement. The bronze skin stretched taut, and when he stripped out of his jeans, she forgot to breathe. The man was gorgeous. She was—

He didn’t let her complete the thought, sliding onto the bed after her.

With a kiss to her ankle, he made a slow ascent until his lips brushed the soft skin on her inner thigh. She fell back onto her elbows. The ends of his long black hair teased her skin. She gave into temptation to run her fingers through it. He made a low sound in his throat—not quite a growl, but it turned her to putty all the same.

After pressing a long, lingering kiss to the inside of each thigh, he nudged her legs apart and set his mouth right against her clit. One hard stroke of his tongue had her seeing stars. The second one pushed her right to the edge. He laved at her like she was some kind of sweet treat. He teased at her pussy, tongue rasping, delving past the folds of flesh, and tasting. His hands were everywhere, stroking, caressing, teasing— every touch set off explosions of pleasure.

It was too much. Her thoughts dissolved into a groan of desire, spiraling higher with every stroke of his tongue. When she tugged at his hair, he caught her wrist, shackling it, and continued until pleasure ripped through her. When an embarrassing rush of dampness flooded through her, he growled again then locked his mouth onto her clit with one fierce tug that tossed her right over the edge. She was still riding the wave when he finally continued his ascent.

Ryker kissed a path up her navel before pausing at her breasts. The cool air mixed with his hot breath, adding to the torment of her already aroused nipples. His teeth grazed the sensitive tips. She arched up, gasping. She writhed, trying to touch him as he did her, but he didn’t let her go, pinning her hands over her head while he played with her breasts.

And that’s what he’s doing
—the knowledge came from the same place as the burn in her chest. He wanted to play. His little nips, licks, and growls were driving her mad.

Damn near frantic with need, she wrapped her legs around him and arched her hips. The hot length of his cock slid against her labia. He bit down on her nipple, the sharp pain adding another level to her pleasure.

He was killing her, the passion tearing her apart and pulling her back together again only to drown her once more. She inhaled, tasting him everywhere—snow, pine, male—and hers.

“Ryker,” she begged. “Ryker.”

His mouth came down on hers. There was nothing tentative in the kiss. It was an invasion, a conquering of the senses, and a brand all rolled into one. His tongue thrust against her lips, demanding access. She opened to him. The blaze in her chest spread out to every nerve ending. The slick slide of his sinewy muscles against her amped up the burn.

Ryker broke from the panting kiss, burying his face into her neck. His weight pressed onto her, his thigh firm between her legs. He stilled, the only noise that of his harsh breathing against her throat.

Her body ached with need, a need she was hard-pressed to define. She barely knew Ryker, but she wanted him.

Tired of waiting for him, she bucked, earning another groan as his cock rubbed against her pussy, sliding on the wetness. He rose above her. With her arms pinned and her legs spread, she was even more vulnerable than she’d been in the other room with his hand at her throat, but not one ounce of fear filled her.

She gloried in it. In the low light of the room, his wolf eyes seemed to take on an unearthly glow. Saja tilted her head back, baring her throat to him. “Yours,” she declared, damn near ready to beg to get him moving again.

“Mine,” he agreed, then his cock was pushing against her, thrusting inside in one long, hard, continuous movement that had her screaming. He stretched her, every drag of him against her sensitive flesh an overload to her system. Still he continued to move. Every drive brought his balls slapping against her ass. She thrust her hips up to meet him, eager to take him. When he latched onto her shoulder again, this bite she felt as it broke the skin, and the world splintered.

The wildfire burning through her branded her soul. His shout of pleasure chased her over the edge.

His.

The lazy stroke of her foot against the back of his leg roused him. Claiming her had demanded every measure of his self-control—he was stronger than she, and he’d worried he could really hurt her and focused on her pleasure. Still, it had damn near undone him when the bond snapped into place as though it had always been there.

Saja’s scent filled his lungs, coated every breath he took. He lay in the cradle of her body, face tucked against her throat and aware of her breathing, the beat of her heart. Overlaying her scent was his. The development pleased him on a level so primitive only another male would truly comprehend it. Over time, their scents would blend, but even if he were not allowed that long with her, she’d carry his mark.

No one would ever touch her.

Betting on the kindness of his Alpha’s heart—the same compassion that had him offering a second chance to wolves that didn’t deserve it—may prove a fool’s errand, but Drew’d told Ryker to use his judgment, and he had.

The moment she’d fled, he’d known Drew’s earlier accusation to be true. The little human was his mate, and he’d ignored all the warning signs because she was human. After sixty years, he’d given up on the idea of ever having a mate. Now that her heart burned next to his, he never wanted to be without her. Claiming her could get him killed.

His wolf roused at the thought.

They would fight to keep her.

Rising slightly, he inspected the mark he’d left on her—the skin had been broken and turned a mottled color, but no one who saw it would mistake it for anything else. That alone would buy her enough time to leave Black Hills territory if necessary. The last thing he wanted to do was leave his mate, but if he was to secure her future, then he needed to move.

Levering himself off the bed, he gave her cheek a light caress. “Sleep.”

The bed had thicker blankets, and he drew the bearskin around her. If he built the fire up, it would warm the cabin so she could sleep here.

“Hey.” She struggled to sit. “Where are you going?”

The sight of her swollen lips and the tumble of her tousled dark hair clinging to her damp skin sent a pulse through him. His cock stirred. Somehow, even he’d forgotten how quickly he recovered from a bout. A tight feeling constricted his chest. If their time was limited, he wanted at least one more night with her—a whole one. But to have that, he had to take care of matters now.

Dragging on his jeans, he wasn’t prepared for the pillow to wing over and strike him in the back of the head. Swinging around, he stared at his mate, who’d pushed out of the blankets to glare at him. “Mate or not, you do not get to just walk out after sex, no matter how amazing it was.”

When she launched a second pillow at him, he dodged the missile then picked her up off the bed. Warm, soft, and supple, she wrapped her arms around him. He gave her a long, tender kiss before slipping her back under the blankets. Then he gave her wiggling ass another smack. “Stay.”

Her nose scrunched, and her eyes narrowed. The challenge filled him with the desire to grin, but he schooled his features, glaring in return.

“Stay.” As an afterthought, he added, “Please.”

Flopping back against the pillows, she stuck her tongue out. “Only because you said please.”

Dragging the bear skin and blankets over her, he tucked her in and touched a finger to her cheekbone. “Thank you.”

A vulnerable shadow chased across her expression. “You’re coming back, aren’t you?”

“Soon.” Tonight, yes. Tomorrow? They would deal with that after the sunrise. But her expression remained troubled. Crouching, he brought his face level with hers. “The body in the woods. It must be dealt with.” He’d left the other wolf after he’d torn out his throat. The invader shouldn’t have been on pack land to begin with—Drew had exiled him. Another of Magnum’s cronies.

Attacking Saja had merely sealed his fate all the sooner. He’d allowed his little human a head start; it had seemed fair at the time. But no sooner had he released the Wolf to chase his mate than he’d caught the scent of the invader. It had chilled him to the marrow.

“I’m sorry you had to kill him,” she said, her sorrow deep and genuine.

“I’m not.” He stroked the hair away from her face. “I protect what is mine. You. The pack. Our land. He did not belong here.”
You do
. But he kept the last part to himself for now.

He had to make sure.

“Rest,” he told her, then smiled. “I want to play when I return.”

“Play? Oh. Oh!” Her cheeks went red, and her desire filled the air. It was almost enough to tempt him to forgo burying the body, but they would all be better off with the bodies in the ground.

“Stay inside.” Another reminder for his stubborn mate.

“I promise,” she said. He scented no lie on her. Leaving proved more uncomfortable than he’d expected—but then, he’d never had a mate, so what did he know?

It took time to retrieve the wolf’s body, carry it off pack land, and bury it deep beneath the snow and the frozen earth. With that one taken care of, he ran a circuit by the cabin to check before covering the distance to where he’d left Garrick. The snow had kept the body from predators, but he’d returned to human state, which made for an unwieldy disposal. He buried him where he lay; it was far enough off pack land. Fortunately, the earth wasn’t so hard frozen yet.

With Garrick dealt with, Ryker paced out of the woods and across the field to where Saja’s car sat—the snow having been dusted off it—Gee waited for him on the hood. He’d scented the Bear earlier.

“You could have helped,” he said by way of greeting.

Gee shrugged. “I didn’t kill him. You break it, you bury it.”

“Is it fixed?” Because why else would Gee be sitting on Saja’s car?

“No. Drew mentioned it was here. I cleaned it off, so the road crew can tow it to town. We’ll have it fixed in a couple of days.” Gee gave him a sidelong look. “Or I can scrap it.”

He didn’t scent the ethylene glycol anymore. No fluid leaked from the vehicle. Either it was frozen, or Gee had fixed it. Considering the snow had melted from around the tires and warmth came from the engine, he bet on the latter. Not commenting, Ryker folded his arms, waiting.

He didn’t have to wait long. Gee rubbed a finger against the side of his nose. “You’ve mated a human?”

“Yes.” Pride for his mate filled him; she was bright and cheerful, quick and intelligent. Then remembering her temper, he smiled; she had teeth, too.

“Does Drew know?”

Ryker shrugged.

“He does now.” His Alpha’s arrival from downwind was too coincidental. They’d planned it. Ryker accepted the knowledge of the ambush. The location was as good as any. They’d repaired her car, which meant the chances were strong if his mate kept silent on the matter, they’d let her go no matter what happened to him.

His Wolf paced restlessly.

Pivoting, Ryker kept both Gee and Drew in his line of sight. Gee, as always, was a wildcard. He wouldn’t interfere—directly. But his presence suggested support. For who? Only the old Bear knew.

Drew mirrored Ryker’s posture, arms folded. “I don’t know whether to congratulate you or kill you.”

Refusing to make excuses or apologize, Ryker met his Alpha’s gaze without remorse. “She’s mine.”

“I can scent her all over you, which means you claimed her.” Drew sighed. “Fuck, Ryker…you broke the law.”

“Youthful rebellion,” Gee suggested. “He was overdue.”

Both wolves ignored him.

“I did.” Ryker nodded.

Drew threw his hands up. “Really? That’s what you’re giving me? I call you out on breaking the law, and you say you did it. That’s it?”

“Would you prefer a lie?” Ryker asked mildly.

“No, I’d prefer we didn’t have to deal with humans knowing.” The Alpha shook his head. “She’s really you’re mate?”

“Yes.”

“She can’t leave. She can’t tell others about us.”

“No,” he agreed.

“If she does….” Drew didn’t have to finish the sentence.

“She won’t.” He hadn’t known her that long, but he
knew
her. He’d sensed a great deal about her when the mating bond had branded her in his soul.

After a lengthy silence, Drew let out another sigh. “Fine. She’s
your
responsibility.”

“Agreed.”

“I
mean
it, Ryker. If she betrays us, it’s you who is betraying us. She’s your mate, you’re bringing her to us, you’re vouching for her, you’re responsible.” The cool power of the Alpha filled those words. The compassionate heart had a backbone of steel. He met Ryker’s gaze, Wolf to Wolf.

“Accepted.” Ryker dropped his gaze first, acquiescing to his Alpha.

“So, Los Lobos gets its first human,” Gee said into the long silence. “When’s the party?”

“Party?” Fortunately, Drew echoed the same sentiment, and they faced the Bear together.

Gee rubbed his hands together and chuckled. “You have a new Alpha, lost wolves are beginning to come home, and now we have a pet human. You need to have a party and introduce her to everyone at once.”