Stolen and Forgiven

  She gave a snort, sternly refusing to admit how fiercely touched she was that he’d remembered so much about their time together.

  “Liar. You complained I was OCD.”

  “Princess, I adored everything about you.” Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. “Your beauty. Your intelligence. Your frisky love for play.” He moved to nibble at the corner of her mouth. “Even your stubborn independence.”

  “Smooth-talker,” she murmured, her hands lifting to stroke over the sculpted planes of his chest. His skin felt like warm satin beneath her palms. Delicious. “You’re just trying to get into my pants.”

  “I’ve already been in your pants.” He swiped his tongue over her lower lip. He had a tendency to show affection by licking her. Sometimes he was such a wolf. “And it was fabulous.”

  Her lips twitched. Soren was truly irresistible in this teasing mood.

  “It was nice,” she conceded.

  “Nice?” He regarded her with pretend outrage. “My mother’s pot roast dinner is nice. Hunting beneath the full moon is nice. The first snowfall is nice.” He kissed her, his lips hot and demanding before he pulled back to study her with a piercing intensity. “Fucking you is breathtakingly spectacular.”

  She released her claws to allow them to press against the skin of his chest.

  “Are you fishing for compliments, Soren?”

  A low growl rumbled in his throat. “You just can’t admit it, can you, princess?”

  “Admit what?”

  “You belong to me.”

  She hid a grimace at the stark possession in his voice.

  The human part of her might remain stubbornly determined to deny his claim, but her animal was much more basic.

  This wolf had captivated her from the second he’d entered her father’s home ten years ago. And even when he’d betrayed her, she’d still ached for him with a primitive hunger that refused to leave her in peace.

  Today she intended to allow her cat to rule.

  “Have I ever told you that you talk too much?” she muttered.

  He chuckled, then without warning, he was moving with a fluid speed.

  “I’m a wolf of many talents. I can multitask.” Cora gasped, finding herself pressed into the mattress with a wickedly amused male perched on top of her. Her eyes widened, excitement exploding through her at the smoldering intensity in his gaze. A hunter who was focused on his prey. No other male had ever made her shiver with such fierce anticipation, his sensuality a physical force that brushed against her. “I can whisper sweet nothings, and at the same time, give you enough pleasure to make you scream out my name.”

  Her breath was wrenched from her lungs, but she struggled to disguise her violent response.

  Soren was arrogant enough without knowing that he was the only lover who could make her heart thunder and her knees weak.

  “I’ll give you full marks for talking smack,” she drawled, her hands grabbing his shoulders to allow her claws to dig into his skin. “But are you more than hot air?”

  He leaned down to nip her bottom lip, his hot breath scorching over her cheek.

  “Let’s find out, shall we?” he husked, his tongue tracing the line of her jaw.

  “What...oh.”

  Cora shuddered as his lips blazed a path down the curve of her shoulder, pausing to nuzzle the bite mark he’d left earlier. His lips traced the sensitive bruise before he was exploring downward.

  Pleasure cascaded through her, his lips creating tiny sparks of excitement as he skimmed over the top of her breast, pausing to tease her nipple to a gloriously hard nub that tingled beneath his expertise.

  Oh, yes.

  Just a few minutes ago she’d been so sated she could barely move, now her body was sizzling back to life with a vengeance.

  Perhaps not entirely surprising.

  It’d been far too long since she’d had a lover who could excite her to this point of pleasure-pain.

  Giving her nipple a last, lingering suck, Soren planted a trail of kisses between her breasts, his dark hair brushing over her skin like a caress. Cora groaned, savoring the rich scent of his musk that filled her senses.

  His fingers grasped her hips as he continued to sweep his lips downward, skimming over the clenched muscles of her stomach before he was firmly settling between her legs. Shocks of pleasure raced through her. Lifting herself onto her elbows, she studied the male kneeling between her legs with smug assurance.

  She wanted to watch this wolf who’d haunted her dreams for so many years.

  As if sensing her need, Soren held her gaze as he lowered his head and slowly licked her gathered cream.

  Her heart thundered as she watched his eyes shimmer with a silver fire, his rough tongue teasing over her clit before it was sliding back down to push deep into her body.

  She hissed, ecstasy darting through her.

  Good lord, he was a talented wolf.

  Her hands clenched the sheet beneath her as he continued to arouse her with his tongue, his slow, deliberate strokes designed to take her to the edge without going over.

  “Soren,” she at last pleaded. “Enough.”

  To hell with pride. She needed to feel him inside her.

  “It will never be enough,” he growled, pressing his lips to her inner thigh before retracing a delectable path of kisses back up her body. His wolf glowed in his eyes as he reached for her hand, pressing it against his cock. “I need you.”

  Not even trying to resist temptation, she wrapped her fingers around his erection. He groaned in approval, tilting his hips to encourage her to pump her hand down to the heavy testicles.

  Her lips curved in smug satisfaction.

  She liked knowing that she could make this powerful male tremble with need.

  Slowly skimming her fingers upward, she circled the broad tip that was already damp with his seed.

  “What happened to those sweet words, Mr. Multitasker?” she teased.

  He muttered a curse, his claws digging into the mattress as he crouched above her.

  “I might have overestimated my ability to concentrate,” he muttered. “You...destroy me.”

  She forced herself not to reveal her intense reaction to his soft words. Not even when something in the center of her chest seemed to melt.

  Was it her heart?

  No. No. No.

  Not again.

  Deliberately distracting herself from her dangerous thoughts, she tightened her fingers around his hard arousal, pushing her fist downward with enough force to wrench a groan from his throat.

  “Yes,” he rasped. “My clever cat.”

  Continuing to pump up and down, she concentrated on her command over his lean, perfect body. His breath rasped through the air, his back bowing as he neared his climax.

  Of course, the pushy wolf couldn’t allow her to finish him off in her hand.

  Lowering his head, he claimed her lips in a savage kiss before his hands were tightening her on her hips and he was rolling onto his back in one smooth motion.

  Caught off guard to discover herself lodged on top of him, she gazed down at his lean, fiercely male face. Planting her hands in the center of his chest, she gave a small wiggle, sighing at the sensation of his large cock pressed against her clit.

  Ah, yes.

  This was nice. And unexpected.

  Soren might be a Beta, but he liked being in control.

  Her lips twitched. “You’re going to let me be on top?”

  His hands moved to cup her breasts, his gaze locked on her flushed face.

  “I’m prepared to make you happy, princess,” he murmured. “Whatever it takes.”

  “Soren—”

  Her protest was cut short as his fingers strummed over her nipples, sending tiny jolts of ecstasy through her body. She assured herself that she would remind him later that there was nothing between them but sex.

  For now, however, all that mattered was the exquisite passion that scorched between them.

&nb
sp; Sinking downward, she pressed her nose to the curve of his shoulder, sucking in a deep breath of his musky scent. Then, without warning, she sank her teeth into his flesh.

  Soren growled his approval, rubbing his hard erection against her tender nub.

  “Is it your turn to be lost for words, princess?” He molded his hands over her hips, sliding the tip of his cock until it rested against the entrance to her body.

  In answer, she arched back, allowing her claws to scrape over his chest.

  He hissed in pleasure, his head lifting so he could run his lips over the curve of her breast, at last latching onto her aching nipple.

  Cora groaned as anticipation exploded through her. She might tell herself this was just sex, but her body knew the difference.

  It responded to Soren’s touch with a shuddering intensity that wrenched the breath from her lungs.

  His mouth moved to torment her other nipple, lapping and pleasuring her with a raw intensity that made her stomach clench.

  God almighty. She felt as if she were being burned alive.

  As if sensing she was swiftly reaching the point of no return, Soren lowered his head to study her flushed face, his brooding gaze holding more than a little male possession.

  Then, reaching up, he grasped her face and pulled her down to cover her lips in a slow, utterly tender kiss. Cora sighed.

  During their early flirtations, Soren had enchanted her with his soft, heartrendingly affectionate caresses. They’d been more than just passion. Or lust. They’d been filled with joy, and friendship, and promise.

  With a compulsive motion, her hands explored the chiseled planes of his chest. She liked the feel of him. Hard muscles covered by warm, satiny skin.

  A true hunter.

  Her cat stretched beneath her skin, and with a low purr of pleasure, she dipped her head down to spread kisses along the bottom of his collar.

  “I love to hear you purr, princess,” he muttered, his hands cupping her ass.

  “I bet I can make you purr too, wolf,” she whispered, moving ruthlessly lower.

  “Shit.”

  “Do you like?”

  “Cora,” he rasped as she reached the rigid muscles of his lower stomach. “I’m not sure I can last.”

  She ignored his warning as she kissed her way to the tip of his massive erection. He’d halted her play earlier before she was done. This time she intended to have some fun.

  Holding his gaze, she caught a glimpse of the wolf deep in his cognac eyes as she took the broad head of his cock between her lips.

  He cried out in pleasure, his musk spicing the air. She stroked her tongue over the length, pausing to lick the seed at the tip before she sucked him deeper into her mouth.

  Soren’s hips arched upward, his breath hissing through his clenched teeth as she explored him with her tongue before scraping her teeth down the thick shaft. He released a tortured moan, tugging her by the hair to urge her up his body.

  Cora allowed herself to be pulled upward with a pout.

  “You are supposed to be making me happy,” she murmured. “I wasn’t finished.”

  “I intend to make both of us happy,” he rasped, holding on to her hips as he adjusted her over the fierce jut of his cock.

  She breathed a harsh sigh; the aching emptiness in her pussy easing as he slowly penetrated her damp channel.

  Cora made a sound of fierce approval at the ruthless invasion. She enjoyed playing as much as the next kitty, but there came a time to get down to business.

  Widening her knees, she angled herself to sink even deeper onto his cock. Soren hissed, lifting his hips to meet her, his balls pressed against her ass.

  They both froze in pleasure, then he tilted back his head, his howl vibrating deep inside of her.

  Lifting herself until just the tip of his cock remained at her entrance, she sharply plunged downward. His fingers pressed into her hips, his snarls of pleasure sending goose bumps over her skin.

  Refusing to dwell on the sweet intimacy that was weaving a spell of enchantment between them, she concentrated on the sensation of Soren’s quickening thrusts; her soft purrs rumbling in the air and her muscles quivering as her orgasm thundered toward a rapturous peak.

  Soren muttered something beneath his breath, pumping into her at a furious pace. Squeezing her eyes shut, she sank her claws into his chest, unconsciously marking him as she was thrust into a cataclysmic climax.

  Cora trembled in ecstasy, convulsing around him as he gave one more driving plunge of his cock and howled out the pleasure of his own orgasm.

  ****

  The day passed in a sensual haze. Not only were there delicious hours of exploring each other’s bodies, re-discovering how to give each other the greatest pleasure, but they’d snuggled on the couch, watching old movies and eating a huge pot of her favorite chili that Soren had insisted on cooking, as well.

  It was nearly dusk when they’d tumbled into an exhausted nap, both making up for the past week of sleepless nights.

  Cora woke to discover herself tangled in Soren’s arms, the shadows in the room warning her that she’d slept longer than she’d intended.

  Just for a moment, she allowed herself to savor the feel of the warm male body pressed against her and the scent of musk that clung to her skin.

  She’d missed this.

  The warmth. The intimacy. The absolute knowledge she wasn’t alone.

  Torn between the desire to kiss Soren awake and the need to put some distance between them, Cora reluctantly slid out of the bed and pulled on her clothes. After writing a short note, she forced herself to leave the cabin.

  Any decisions she made concerning her wolf wouldn’t be made when she was still tingling from the pleasure of his touch.

  Slipping out the back door, she headed directly through the thick woods that separated the Packs. It was late enough that most shifters would be home with their families, eating an evening meal. However, it was possible there were still a few at the communal area.

  Soren’s suggestion of casual competitions had been a stroke of genius. It not only allowed the more aggressive Pack members to release their frustrations, it also gave the submissives an opportunity to use their instinctive ability to nurture their people. Soren’s efforts along with a few suggestions from her had eased the tensions and promised to build relationships that would hopefully lead to a peaceful future.

  But the reduction of potential hostilities meant that shifters felt comfortable mingling in the public areas, and tonight, Cora preferred to avoid being seen. Her thoughts were too muddled to share polite chitchat.

  She didn’t realize just how muddled they were until she caught the unmistakable scent of humans only a few feet away.

  Shit.

  She came to a sharp halt, her cat stirring with unease.

  It wasn’t astonishing that a group of humans had invaded their private compound. The bastards assumed they had the right to make surprise inspections whenever they felt the urge.

  But she’d never seen them without an Alpha with them to act as an escort. Or at least that’s what the humans had claimed when they’d demanded her father go with them. She privately knew there was a decent chance they would get mauled if they were ever caught alone in the compound.

  “Who’s there?” she called out, her stomach clenching as she heard the crack of branches and three of the humans circled behind her so she was effectively surrounded. “Show yourself.”

  A tall male stepped from the shadows dressed in camouflage pants with a matching coat that did nothing to disguise his muscled bulk. His face was broad with heavy jowls, and his hair was buzzed military short.

  “Cora Wilder?” he asked.

  Her mouth went dry. How the hell did they know her name?

  “Who are you?”

  He shrugged. “You can call me sir.”

  Jackass.

  “What do you want?”

  “You.”

  She glanced over her shoulder at the men who were
blocking the path behind her, acutely aware of how isolated she was in the thick woods.

  “Why?”

  The man planted his hands on his hips, the gesture emphasizing the gun that was holstered at his waist.

  “That will be explained at HQ.”

  She blinked in shock. HQ. He had to mean the headquarters of SAU.

  Every shifter knew that the secretive organization had several nerve-centers spread throughout the world, but only a rare few had ever visited.

  Or rather, only a rare few lived to reveal they’d been inside an SAU building, she silently conceded. Who knew how many had been taken, never to return?

  The thought made her break out in a cold sweat. She had to get away, but there was no way she could overpower six men. Even if they were human.

  Especially when they were carrying weapons.

  She could either attempt to keep them distracted long enough to try and make a break for it, or hope that a shifter might come close enough to sense that she was in trouble.

  “I think there must be a mistake.” She pasted a stiff smile on her lips. “I have no position in the Pack. If you need to speak with someone, then you should contact my father.”

  “I’m sure your father will be contacted,” the man said, glaring at the soldier behind her that had sniggered at his words. “Once we have what we need.”

  Cora swallowed the lump in her throat. So, this had something to do with her father. No big surprise. There was no reason for the humans to even know her name if she weren’t the daughter of Jonah Wilder.

  “What do you need?”

  “As I said. You.” The male nodded his head toward the nearby fence. “We have your transportation waiting.”

  Cora took a covert step to the side. There was a large tree just a few feet away. If she could shift fast enough, she could be in the top branches before the guards could catch her.

  The trick was going to be turning into her cat before they could shoot.

  “If you have questions for me, you can ask them here,” she said, taking another step to the side. And then another. “I’m not leaving.”