“Alarm is set for five. I’ll make us breakfast after a long, hot shower,” he murmured into her ear, enjoying the way she hummed her satisfaction and pressed into him closer.
He lay there, her body against his, curved into him like she was made to be there and a sense of totality broke over him. Things in his life were right in a way he’d never felt before. Even with the uncertainty about the whole mating thing and Tegan being a relative stranger, he still felt as if things were going to be all right.
Pride warmed him at how she’d finally submitted fully. How she’d trusted him with her emotions as well as her body. Now he had to be careful to always be worthy of that trust.
Chapter Six
Tegan actually found herself humming as she changed her clothes after showering. Ben would be arriving to take her to a movie in a few minutes.
A movie! And he promised they’d make out and he’d buy her the big bucket of popcorn too. It was breathtakingly normal. And wonderful. Two weeks of wonderfully normal dating stuff.
During the day, he called her just to say hello. He sent her flowers. They rented DVDs and watched them, parked on the couch at his house. She hadn’t dated since before Lucas. It had been a very long time and she found she liked getting to know Ben bit by bit. They did have their struggles. A man like Ben, despite saying he only wanted control in the bedroom, constantly tried to exert control out of it. Not in a creepy, woman-hating way, but because he liked to be in charge. He pushed, she pushed back. It was sexy sometimes.
She knew without a doubt he was her mate. It wasn’t in question but she also realized he was human. He hadn’t grown up with mate bonds as a reality. Even though she wanted him to simply accept it as she had, she worked at giving him the space to do that himself and hoped over time he would see it as clearly as she did.
She’d just put her lipstick down when he rang her doorbell and she went to let him in.
“It’s my favorite redhead.” He handed her a bottle of wine. “I thought we could have some after the movie.” His eyes darkened as he pulled her close and his warmth stole over her. “Before you suck my cock and I fuck you.”
Her breath stuttered and her eyelids dropped halfway closed. The man was so sexy. He walked the line between sweet boyfriend and super-scorching-hot sex god quite well.
“Okay. We could skip the movie and get to the cock sucking.”
He caught her chin, nipping it lightly and laving the sting with the flat of his tongue. “Both. We’ll do both.”
The way he walked with her, holding her hand, opening her door and taking care of her with small things made her feel cherished and special. It was taking a while to wrap her head around, but aside from the physical and spiritual mate bond they shared, they genuinely enjoyed each other.
In the darkness of the theater, he took her hand and massaged it. Every inch of her hand was treated to a sensual caress, a kneading, and God help her, he made such an innocent thing feel like he touched her pussy instead.
She felt like a teenager as he’d kissed her. No tongue even, just a brush of lips here and there.
By the time the movie was over she was primed to be fucked and dragged him to his truck as he laughed.
“I like this side of you, Tegan,” he said against the skin of her neck once they’d gotten inside his house and stumbled to the bedroom.
“What side of me?” How did he expect her to think when he did that thing to her earlobe?
His wicked laugh stirred the tendrils of hair at her temple. “Carefree. You’re a very serious woman. Driven. I like that. But I like the woman who lets me smooch up on her in the movies and won’t share her popcorn even though she had eight gallons of it.”
Oh, her shirt had been removed and she hadn’t even noticed. She’d keep the part about how she listened to Madonna’s Rain and thought of him every time. There was only so much a woman needed to let her man know about her inner girl.
“Knees. Now.”
And just like that, the sweet man disappeared, replaced by the hot, hard dominant who set her panties on fire.
Dropping to her knees, she made quick work of his jeans, shoving them down and grabbing the bounty within. Oh hello, penis.
Breathing deep, she took his scent into her lungs, the elemental musk of his body, of his sex, tightened her nipples. Nipples he had between his fingertips, twisting and pulling just shy of pain.
With a grunt, he flexed his hips forward, bumping his cock against her lips and she opened up to take him inside. Her tongue slid across the slick, salty eye, dragging over the crown and down the heavy stalk of him and down to his sac.
Those clever hands moved from her nipples to her hair, grasping, guiding but not hurting. His dominance was subtle, not cruel or painful, he took control and used it well. He played her body as well as her brain.
Nothing sexier than a man who understood the key to a woman’s cunt was between her ears.
There was something so comforting about being there on her knees, pleasing him. She turned off the warrior in her head, let go of the control she had to exert every other moment in her life and gave it all up to him.
As he came, his taste filling her, he said her name so tenderly it brought tears to her eyes and a tiny bit of fear rose along with the love. Fear of losing him now that she’d found love again.
* * *
Tegan awoke refreshed and relaxed. For one brief moment she didn’t know where she was but Ben’s scent reassured her, and she opened her eyes to see the outline of his bedroom. Sleeping over took some getting used to, but she was slowly growing accustomed to it.
Carefully, she eased out of bed and threw on clothes to quickly run to his truck to grab her duffel bag. The air was frosty and crisp as the quiet of the pre-dawn hour wrapped around her senses.
It was then she felt it. Being watched. Feigning nonchalance, she went back into the house and closed the door, locking it. On swift feet, she went to Ben’s side and leaned over to whisper into his ear.
“Mmm, morning.” His arms encircled her and pulled her back to bed. “You’re dressed. And cold.” Perceptive blue-gray eyes opened and she pressed a finger to his lips, shaking her head.
His body went on alert, tensed, coiled up and ready for action. Her wolf responded and she had to push that aside for the time being. In a very quiet voice she whispered, “There’s someone out there. Does your garage have a door into your backyard?”
He nodded.
“I’m going to go out there and change. Take a look. I can sense a lot more as a wolf. Stay here. You may be able to see something if you’ve got binoculars or night vision goggles but be careful that they don’t see you when you look out the windows.”
“The hell you are! You’ll stay here. I’m a cop, I’ll deal with it and you’ll keep safe,” he hissed.
Her head whipped up and one eyebrow rose. “This isn’t sex. You can’t tell me what to do. I’m not a fragile flower, Ben. I’m a werewolf bodyguard. I’m perfectly capable, in fact more qualified to do this than you are. I just did you the courtesy of telling you so you didn’t walk out to see a werewolf in your garage and get spooked.”
She pulled away and peeled clothing off as she walked out of the room.
With a muttered curse, he opened the drawer next to the bed and pulled out his handgun, removing the trigger lock. Quickly, he pulled jeans on and followed her.
Nothing could have prepared him to see her transform. He’d seen werewolves in wolf form before but he’d never watched a human change into a wolf. He stood there in his garage and watched, speechless as she knelt and a sharp, electric feeling whipped through him, making his eyes water and his teeth hurt. When it eased, a wolf, a red wolf that on all fours came to his chest, took a look back over its shoulder and eased out the already opened door to his backyard. She was beautiful. Otherw
orldly, fierce. It made his chest constrict to see her there, so not human but his.
“Be careful,” he whispered softly.
He’d wanted to argue with her but if they spooked the watchers, it would have been his fault for blowing it. He’d kick her ass when she came back. He just had to trust she’d be all right.
For a big wolf, she was surprisingly stealthy. Tegan put her nose up, scenting the air. Dogs, cats, garbage, perfume and cologne, motor oil, coffee—all normal things to smell in a neighborhood at that time of day.
But gun oil, that wasn’t normal. She knew what Ben’s gun smelled like, and what hers did. This was different, distinct. The man who carried it was nervous and smelled of stale sweat as he sat up the street in his late-model sedan.
Running, she went down the block behind the house, circling around to approach the car from the rear before going back to the house.
Ben waited for her in the living room, looking first relieved to see her and then pissed off. She held her hand up to stall his tantrum. “Two blocks down, dark late-model sedan. License number one, four, seven, Charlie, Echo, William. One man, he’s carrying. Nervous. He’s not healthy. Didn’t seem to have any special equipment. I didn’t sense or see any electronics. I say we head out there and ask him what’s what.”
He stood. “You say? What the fuck? Tegan, you could have gotten yourself killed! I’ll go out there after I call his plates in. Sit that pretty ass down right now.”
He picked up the phone and called the plate in while she laced up her boots and strapped on her underarm rig, holstering her weapon and waiting.
“Car is stolen. They’re sending over an officer now. I’m going to go make an arrest. You stay—Is that a fucking gun? Tegan, do you have a permit for that? Sit down!”
“You did what?” She moved to the door. “I’ve can’t believe you’re bringing cops into this. Ben, does the phrase, you’re not the boss of me ring any bells for you? This is my job. I am a trained bodyguard and if I have to be, a killer. No, I don’t have a permit. The ammo is not legal, or well, it isn’t even on the human radar. You gonna arrest me? Humans don’t want Weres to have guns. Your laws are pretty clear about that. But I don’t want to have this argument now. We have to get this guy and bring him in. I want to know who he is and what he’s doing.”
“Of course I did. I’m a cop! And I said, sit your ass down! This is my territory and my damned job. I’m not only a cop but the liaison between the Packs and the human authorities. If this is one of Pellini’s people, he needs to be handled correctly.”
“He’s human and you don’t tell me what to do. This is my territory too. And my damned job as well. I’m going out there before your temper fit ends up making us lose him.”
Without another word she headed back out toward the garage and he followed her, grabbing her arm but she shook him off and turned on him, a growl trickling from her lips. “You do not manhandle me, Ben Stoner.”
“I’m not manhandling you, Tegan. I’m trying to protect you.” He followed her out the back door and they both hopped the fence into the next yard easily and quietly.
“Fuck off,” she hissed and stalked out into the alley and headed up, moving to circle around behind the car.
She was fast, much faster than he was, and he watched with annoyed awe as she practically ripped the car door off and hauled the dude out.
Tegan tossed him against the hood. “Who the fuck are you, human?” Her voice was a growl and the hair on his arms and the back of his neck rose as he reached them both.
“What? What’s going on? I was just resting here!” The man’s voice trembled a bit but he shut up quick when she pulled her weapon and pressed the muzzle into his temple.
“I will blow your fucking head off. You’re nothing but meat to me. Understand? Whoever sent you isn’t here now but I am. And I’ll maim you and take you to someone who makes me look like the fucking fairy godmother. You’re not a Were, so your kneecap won’t heal up quick when I blow it off.”
“That’s enough. Sir, why don’t you tell me why you’re casing my house and whether you’ve got a permit for the weapon you’re carrying.” He tried to move Tegan out of the way but she wouldn’t budge.
Fortunately, the officer he’d sent for pulled down the street and with a sigh of frustration, Tegan moved back, taking care to conceal her weapon and let him be in charge.
“I’m going to follow to question this bozo. You can borrow my other car, all right? I’ll see you later?” Ben turned to her after the cop had loaded the guy into the back of his car. A tow truck arrived and would take the car to the police impound.
She didn’t speak, instead turning on her heel and stalking off toward his house. Her anger and hurt assaulted his senses through their link.
He expected her to slam inside but she was mainly silent as she gathered her things.
“I have to go down there now to talk to him. If he requests an attorney I’ll never get anything out of him. I know you’re mad but I have to do this by the book.”
“You’re not going to find out shit. He’s already got an attorney alerted. You’ve put my family in danger.” She grabbed her bag and headed for the front door but he intercepted her.
“We’ll work this out tonight. I can’t let you beat suspects up and threaten to kill them, Tegan.”
“I’m just—” she sighed angrily “—done talking. I’m not borrowing your car, I’ll catch a ride with someone.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“I mean you have just let the man go who could have given us answers! You undermined me and went macho but had nothing up your sleeve but his Miranda rights. Which is great and all but do you think Warren Pellini cares about the Fifth Amendment? The Pellini Family is trying to harm my Pack! They tried to kill my sister-in-law and brothers. They have a potential bio weapon that could threaten my entire race and yours too. I’d have gotten that information out of him in less than twenty minutes and you will never get it now.”
“So I should act like a thug?”
“No! I should act like a werewolf! I am a werewolf. You should have let me handle this our way. I don’t get involved in human affairs, I trust you to do your work. But you threw your dick around and it may very well get one of my family killed.”
“I have to go, Tegan. I’m sorry. I want to continue this but I need to get to the station. I will talk to you later.”
Her two worlds stood in opposition to the other. How could she choose? If she made a mistake could she bear to lose him? But her mistake in telling him had just put her entire Pack in danger. Maybe it was better if she just kept to herself. “Don’t bother.”
“I will bother, Tegan. It’s not that easy to walk away from me. Even if I believed you wanted to. Which I don’t.”
“Don’t threaten me, Ben.”
He couldn’t help it, seeing her so passionate and deadly turned him on. Made his heart race and his cock throb. He wanted to push her to the carpet and rip her clothes off, fucking her until they both wept with completion. But her change there at the end, as her voice had gone flat and remote, it tore at him.
“It’s not a threat. I’m stating a fact. Now—” he opened the door and went outside “—you can lock up behind yourself if you want to stay. If not, I will see you tonight after you get off shift. I’ll be at your place at five.”
“I said don’t bother. I won’t be there. I’ll be at Lex and Cade’s. You’ve put them in more danger—I’ve put them in more danger. They’ll need round the clock protection.”
“Whatever. I’ll see you there then,” he called over his shoulder as he walked away.
“We’ll see about that,” she muttered as she grabbed her phone and called Lex to arrange a ride.
* * *
“He did what?” Lex exploded, slamming a fist down on the table
.
“I’m not going to repeat myself. You heard me. I couldn’t stop him once the other cop got there and they took the human into custody. I’m sorry.” She kept her eyes down.
Nina watched, a frown on her face. Seeing Tegan so hangdog bothered her. “You couldn’t have stopped him, Tee. He’s a cop. There’s no way he would have let you go all werewolf on that human. It’s not in his makeup.”
“It doesn’t matter now. His makeup has put my family in danger, and I didn’t stop him.”
“You’re a werewolf, not a superhero, Tegan!” Nina stood and went to her. “Honey, you can’t be anyone but who you are, right?”
“I should have just gone out there myself. Not told him. I should have known.” The remoteness of her stance went into anguish, tearing at Nina. She knew what it meant to blame yourself that way.
Nina took Tegan’s hands. “He’s your mate. You shared with him. That’s what mates do. Tee, you cannot make this about you failing. That’s not what it is. You are who you are. He is who he is. You have to accept that or you’ll constantly have problems with him.”
“There is no he and I. Not anymore. I told him that this morning.”
Lex had been looking out the window but whipped his body around at that. “What do you mean?”
“What is up with that question?” Tegan threw her hands up in the air. “It’s made up of six words, all one syllable. What’s not to understand? He and I are over. I can’t be with a man who puts my family in danger. I was willing to let him mince around and find himself or whatever the hell he needed to do to deal with the mate thing. But this is different. He totally overruled me. At the expense of everyone I love. I can’t abide that.”
Lex shook his head. “Tegan, as angry as I am at Ben right now, he didn’t do this to harm you or me or anyone in the Pack. He’s a cop. A human cop with human sensibilities. He did what he thought was right. You can’t punish him for that. It’s not right and it’s not you. You’re not thinking about this correctly. Give him a break.”