Blood of the Wolf

  When Jaime returned to earth, panting and heaving, she saw that he was leaning over her, looking at her body while tracing a hand over her curves. He paused to play with her breasts for a moment, weighing and squeezing them, rolling them in his hands. His mouth traveled to her neck, then to her lips where his teeth sunk down, his kiss sharp and demanding, making her head light and her heart flutter.

  “Sirus...” she moaned, unable to breathe.

  He hushed her with another kiss, then took one of her hands and pressed it against his crotch, making her feel the long, hot length of him. She looked down, eyes wide, to find a giant cock standing fully erect, the biggest she had seen thus far... it had to be well over eight inches, thick and long and perfectly straight. It was burning in her hand, silky smooth yet rock hard. Her fingers itched to stroke it.

  She tried to pump it in her hand, moving her grip along the surface, but he moved over her, pressing her backwards, shaking his head. “There will be time for that later,” he murmured, gathering her in his arms, cushioning her against the ground. He pressed himself between her legs, rubbing his length against her small, wet opening. She groaned, thrusting her hips against him, eager and throbbing. Her skin was so sensitive that each touch brought tears to her eyes, and her body hummed; all she could think about was his hard length deep inside of her, opening her, stretching her like his fingers....

  He kissed her neck as he began to rock against her, teaching her hips the rhythm, making her gasp and groan against him. Each shiver of her body brought an answering kiss or lick, and he cradled her close, holding her gently yet firmly. She was so wet that they were slipping against each other, her hips sliding back and forth, back and forth, until....

  His cock slid into her, finding its way naturally to her hole, pressing against her small opening until he pushed his head through. He started to rock against her faster, his rhythm becoming disjointed, his breath growing fast. She felt his hands tighten on her arms. When she looked up, she found his yellow gaze focused down on her, bright and perfect in the moonlight. The intense expression on his face made her breath catch. She was entranced, on fire, consumed.

  And then he slid in deep, sinking past her barrier — she barely felt the burst of pain. She gasped as her muscles stretched, as he opened the pathway inside of her. His arms grew tight, practically suffocating, and she could tell that he was holding back tightly. He didn't want to hurt her.

  “It's okay,” she murmured, rocking her hips against him more, trying to get him to move freely. “It's alright if you hurt me. I need you.”

  He shook his head, biting into her shoulder. “I can't. You don't know.”

  Her hand landed along the side of his face. “I want to know.”

  He glanced up at her. Their eyes met briefly. After a moment of silence, he suddenly surged over her, trapping her with his arms, clamping her close to his chest. Then he began to move, pumping into her fast and smooth, moving his cock deep. She cried out, moaning with each thrust, her lips parted and her face flushed. She couldn't believe the sensations; they were unlike any she had ever experienced before. Her body craved more — like a drug. She could still feel the desperate ache in her core, pressing her onward, deeper and deeper until she couldn't think, until she was overcome with sensation.

  He grabbed her, tilting her hips upward slightly, shifting his penetration. He rubbed her more fully now, rough against her clit, and Jaime's eyes flew open, her mouth opening. She saw him staring down at her, his face hard and focused, studying her reactions. He saw the hooded look of her eyes and moved faster, harder....

  The wave hit her without warning. One moment she was thrusting against him, panting, whimpering... then she was screaming, crying out, lifted higher and higher until she couldn't feel her body anymore. Every nerve exploded in pleasure, tingling and shimmering; she momentarily saw stars, her head growing dizzy. And he kept moving, the pleasure going on and on....

  Suddenly his body tensed. She felt his arms harden, his breath catch; he grunted low in his throat... and then he was pounding into her, as deep as he could, pinning her hips to the ground as he spilled his seed deep in her womb. She could feel it pumping through his thick cock, coating her inner walls, hot and thick. She grabbed him hard, holding on as tight as she could, her body contorting around him — his orgasm brought hers, and then she was screaming, pleasure overcoming her, wave after wave. She move wildly, out of control, thrusting to meet him.

  Then he collapsed, spent, a low groan dragging from his throat. He sank down on top of her, his muscles loose, letting out a slow sigh. Jaime let him collapse on top of her, rolling slightly to one side, both of them cushioned in a bed of grass and leaves. She felt sated, full, every inch of her tingling and warm. The smells of the forest were dense around the, gentle and soothing, and his arm found its way around her waist. The heat from his body surrounded her. His lips pressed against her temple.

  “Sirus...” she murmured quietly.

  “Jaime.”

  “I....”

  “Shh, tomorrow,” he said quietly, his hand brushing the hair from her face.

  Jaime let herself slump against him, enjoying his closeness, his security. She turned her face into his chest and felt the whispers of sleep tugging at her senses. She was exhausted from the past twenty-four hours, from fighting off Magnus and fending for her life. She just wanted to collapse into his arms, for once feel safe and protected.

  He held her close, his presence firm and stable. Slowly, darkness clouded her vision, and she drifted into unconsciousness.

  Chapter 21

  Jaime couldn't help but feel sick while picking through the carnage of the ruined house.

  Sirus hadn't let her in through the front door — he had said there were some sights she really shouldn't see. She didn't mind. Instead she stayed to the back rooms, witnessing only a few dead wolves. Thankfully they had died as animals, not humans, and the flies were only just starting to gather. Blood was everywhere, though. It was enough to make her gut churn.

  Finally she found the staircase. She could hear Sirus and Gareth in the front room, the two Alphas finally meeting up after the long night. They were gathering with the rebel wolves, outlining a treaty and deciding boundaries.

  Maddy had turned up as well and was a few feet behind her, moving slowly, not quite as affected by the violence but still very quiet.

  Jaime climbed the stairs, everything somehow surreal in the light of day. She reached the top, looking around in sick curiosity, noticing bloody footprints on the carpet. The door in the ceiling was smashed open, and they climbed through it slowly. She felt goosebumps prickle across her skin as she entered the room where she had been held captive.

  It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the light, but soon she was able to see the stains of blood across the floor, the wood bludgeon, the body of Debora across the floor. Apparently the woman had never recovered from the blow to the head. Jaime didn't want to check if she was alive, so she hesitated, then turned to Maddy.

  “Could you...?” she murmured, nodding to Debora's body. Maddy followed her eyes and paled slightly, then nodded, hollow and distant. The redhead climbed past her.

  Jaime went in the opposite direction, floorboards creaking under her feet. She was looking for one body in particular, one she hoped not to find... but she could already see the still shape crumpled in the corner. She dashed to the girl's side, kneeling down next to her, ignoring the pool of blood that stained her clothing.

  “Christine?” she murmured, shaking her gently. “Christine, are you...?”

  She stirred, moaning something, but then went limp against the floor. Jaime's eyes widened. “Maddy, quick! This girl is alive, we have to help her. Go get Darren and Aiden.”

  The girl nodded, leaving the still body of Debora behind on the floor. Jaime didn't need Maddy to tell her the truth — she could sense the stillness in Debora's muscles, the stiffness in her neck, the coldness of her skin. She was long gone.

 
Maddy disappeared and Jaime turned back to Christine. The girl had tried to rescue her — she didn't deserve to die like this, not in this abandoned place, surrounded by wreckage and gore. Jaime put a hand on her shoulder, wishing there was more she could do. “Hold on,” she said softly, straightening the girl's clothes. “We'll get you to the hospital.”

  Aiden and Darren arrived minutes later. Both men looked ragged and tussled from the long night. Aiden knelt next to her, his brown hair mussed, face obscured by a five-o'clock shadow. A cigarette hung from his mouth, the third one she had seen him light. His shirt was ripped and dirty.

  “This is her?” he said, gazing at her bruised face, the blood smeared down her arms.

  “Yeah,” Jaime nodded softly. “You should take the truck, get her to the emergency room. Those cuts look bad.”

  Darren nodded as Aiden reached for the girl's body. He glanced at her, frowning. “The wolves are going to burn the bodies of their fallen comrades tonight. There will be another hunt and a feast to celebrate the new Alphas. Sirus and Gareth seem to be cooperating on good terms.”

  Jaime nodded, letting out a breath; she was thankful for that. But she didn't know what else to say. It didn't seem right to be happy for all of this carnage. She just wanted to leave the house, go somewhere far away, maybe a tropical island where nobody would remind her that she was a wolf.

  They lifted Christine's body and followed Aiden back downstairs. Jaime made sure they were taking her to a car, then she left the house, heading out the back door and into the pine trees. She needed the forest right now — needed the fresh air and calm breeze. Maddy trailed after her, then paused at the doorway, watching her walk into the shade. The girl didn't follow.

  Jaime didn't know where she was going — no place in particular. But she found a large tree stump and sank next to it. It was old and broken, snapped, gnarled and overgrown. The pine needles were soft and she sank to her knees, touching the rough bark. It was over. Everything was finally over.

  It felt as though a wave was rising inside of her. She couldn't fight it. Jaime shut her eyes tight and felt the tears squeeze out, sliding down her cheeks, hot. It was over. She didn't have to fight anymore, she didn't have to run. A new day.

  She cried. The tears came faster and suddenly it was like a gaping hole, like a cavern that could never be filled. She cried and cried and cried.

  * * * *

  “You should go say something to her.”

  Sirus looked up from the table where a map and a piece of paper sat, one outlining his new territory, pen marks covering the page. Two full cities at his disposal. From nothing to everything. It was a day of victory.

  “What?” he said, staring at Maddy.

  “Your lifemate. She needs you.”

  He glanced at the other wolves around the table, a mix of males and females, his new pack. They were watching him, then looking at Maddy, surprised to find a human amidst all of the wreckage. Maddy ignored them and stared straight back into his eyes.

  “What do you mean? Is she hurt?”

  “Well yeah... but not physically. Look, you have to do something. She needs you.”

  He looked back to the paper on the table. “In a minute.”

  “Now.” Maddy slammed her hand down, startling everyone.

  Sirus raised an eyebrow and glanced at Gareth. The tall man looked back, stoic, as usual. He didn't want to leave the other Alpha at the table... but he could remember Gareth's words from back at his house. He had to make things right.

  “Fine,” Sirus finally said, trying to remain calm. He didn't like interruptions — especially at a time like this. But Maddy didn't seem like the type to raise a fuss for no reason. It must be important. “Where is she?”

  “Out back. In the trees.”

  Sirus wondered what this was all about. Jaime could take care of herself — she was strong, independent. What could she possibly...?

  But Maddy sure looked pissed, and Gareth folded his arms — he would back up his lifemate. Sirus suddenly felt the urge to have Jaime close, to have her stand by his side. He grew curious. Concerned.

  Without another word, he left the room.

  * * * *

  His presence wasn't exactly welcomed... but then again, Jaime wasn't used to crying, especially in front of people... and especially not in front of him.

  “Getting weak on me?” he said, and knelt next to her.

  It was the wrong thing to say. Jaime didn't look up or meet his eyes. She was too busy fisting the ground, trying to control the pain that kept welling up inside of her. Didn't she deserve to be weak right now? Hadn't she earned it? What the fuck did he know? She couldn't tell him what was wrong if she tried. Only that it was all over. Done. Finally she could feel something... something other than hate and rage and revenge.

  “Are you... are you alright?” he asked.

  The uncertainty in his voice made her look up. Sirus met her eyes, his brow furrowed in concern. He hesitated, then put his arms around her, and she leaned into his embrace — it was too hard to keep eye contact.

  “I don't know,” she mumbled.

  “Well — aren't you happy? Aren't you glad for all of this?”

  “Yeah... I guess so,” she replied. Another wave of tears choked her and it was a long moment before she could get her voice to work. “Just... what now? What do we do now?”

  She didn't know how he would respond. She expected harshness, viciousness, a sneer. Maybe sarcasm. Sirus held her for a long moment, as though deeply considering her words. It was a different side of him, something she had never seen before. He seemed closer, somehow. Open.

  “Let's go,” he finally said.

  “What?”

  “Let's go.” He took her hand and tried to pull her to her feet. She resisted automatically; she didn't want to go back into the house — anywhere but there. He finally swept down, picking her up easily, holding her under her legs and lifting her into the air. He turned and started through the forest, heading for the road, towards the long line of cars and trucks.

  “We can't just go!” she choked. “You're in the middle of deciding your territory, and we have to stay for the celebration--”

  “Fuck it,” he said.

  “Fuck it?”

  “We can do that tomorrow. I don't want to stay here.”

  “You don't?”

  “No. Do you?”

  She didn't have to answer. He carried her down the long driveway to the red truck. Somehow he had gotten hold of the keys and he opened the passenger side door, settling her into the seat. He even buckled her seatbelt.

  Jaime watched him, wary, uncertain. Was it a trick? He was showing her gentleness and it was unexpected. “Where are we going?” she asked, and wiped her nose on her sleeve. She didn't want to look in the mirror, see the disaster staring back at her.

  “On a date.”

  “A what?”

  Sirus jumped behind the wheel and turned on the car. He was pulling onto the road before she could stop him, before he looked at her. When he did, she saw an unfamiliar glint in his eyes — warmth?

  “I'm taking you on a date. And then we'll get drunk. And maybe tonight we'll go on a hunt — if we feel like it.”

  “B-but what about the pack? Isn't this Gareth's car?”

  “No, it's Isak's.”

  They were at the border of the trees, heading toward the freeway. Jaime still couldn't believe her ears. She thought she was dreaming.

  “You're going to take me on a date?” she asked again, and she suddenly wanted to laugh.

  “Yep. Isn't it your birthday soon?”

  With a start of surprise, Jaime realized it was. Tomorrow. Or was it today? She counted back the days, amazement widening her eyes. How had he known? He must have found out somehow over the years, all of that time following her across the country. All of that time, running away. Suddenly she wanted to cry all over again.

  She almost did. “Did you get me a present?” she asked with half a sob.

/>   He grinned. It was a wide smile, spontaneous, perhaps a little crazy — but maybe, just maybe, she liked that about him.

  “How about a family? A new pack?”

  It was perfect. Suddenly she didn't have to speak anymore. A new pack. A home. Some place to belong. They were leaving the house, but not their life. She was escaping... and she was doing it with him. She wanted to kiss him — to launch across the seats and push her mouth against his. He reached over and took her hand, holding it as he entered the freeway, darting her another glance.

  “I think there's something I need to say to you,” he said.

  “What?”

  He was silent for a long moment. When it finally came out of his mouth, it sounded like he was coughing. “Iloveyou,” he rushed.

  “You... you what?”

  “Oh god, are you going to make me say it again?” he groaned. He turned to look into her eyes. “You're my lifemate. I love you.”

  Jaime was shocked. Where had this come from? She wondered if Maddy has said something to him — if she had, then she deserved a reward. Jaime grinned, the tears gone just as suddenly as they had arrived. Suddenly, she was as light as a feather. As clean as the air outside the window. She could breathe — and she wanted to.

  “I-I like you too,” she said.

  He laughed — laughed! It was a shocking sound. Jaime felt the grin spread on her face, wishing she could laugh with him, but it was still too soon, too raw. But she could hold his hand. And look out the window. And breathe.

  They drove onto the freeway, heading into Paxton, away from the horrible stinking house and the dead bodies, away from Magnus, from all of the horror. She was safe. Safe and secure, no chains, no collars, no cops — nothing holding her back anymore. Life was the road ahead.

  And a date. A real date. Somehow he had understood her perfectly... but it wasn't a surprise. He was her lifemate, after all. He always had.