Howl My Name (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (Grayslake Book 5) (10 page)

So she bled and then healed and then she cut again.

No one stopped her. No one spoke to her. No one came near her.

Until Asher reached for Reid’s neck, earning a snarl and snap from her. No one was hurting Reid. No one. And if Asher thought he could become Itan by snapping Reid’s neck now, she’d make sure he didn’t live past Reid’s last breath.

“I’m checking his pulse, Evelyn,” he lifted his hands and murmured low. “Just checking.”

He didn’t smell like subterfuge or hate, not like someone else in the office. Who was it? Who was happy…

“Evelyn?”

She jerked her head in a brisk nod. “Check him.”

Another cut, another squeeze, another stream…

“Heartbeat is strong.”

Movement to her right, the rustle of clothing and low groan told her the doctor was moving. “Wounds are healing. Time to stop, Evelyn.”

Stop. Stop? But there were still…

A large hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping her from making another fist. She followed that arm to meet the owner’s gaze and snarled at him—at Asher.

“It’s time to stop. He won’t want you killing yourself to save him. Ever.”

Evelyn’s throat tightened, squeezing her and cutting off her air. She wheezed as she tore her gaze from his and focused on Reid once more. “Can’t lose him.”

In a day he’d become necessary to her survival.
Necessary
. There was no living, no breathing, without him.

He was an asshole, slightly crazed, but her asshole.

“And you won’t. His body will do the rest.”

“I can’t lose him.”

“And he can’t lose you. Sit back. Take care of yourself now. You lost a lot of blood.”

Asher helped her—urged her—to lean against the wall while he issued orders to the other males. He organized transport for their small group. Doc Hill and Trisha would be dropped off at the human hospital to a few trusted bears. Those who would keep their eyes closed and mouths shut when it came to treatment.

You lost a lot of blood.

Evelyn didn’t lose it. She knew where it went. Into the other half of her. Into Reid.

Waking up with a warm woman in his arms wasn’t the worst thing in the world. Realizing it was his mate made it a damn good thing.

Reid shifted in place, carefully lifting his head and glancing around the room. He spied a few things that belonged to him and more than a few that looked like they might be Evie’s. Because he sure as hell didn’t own a pile of makeup or any bras he’d decided to leave draped over the end of the bed. He drew in a lungful of air and sorted through the scents, confirming his thoughts. The space was imbued with Evie’s flavors.

He was in her room. In her bed.

He lowered his head and carefully moved his legs to shift into a more comfortable position.

He was in her room. In her bed. Naked.

That was damn fine. He felt fabric against his side, telling him that Evie wore clothing, but if she was game, he could fix that. Quickly.

At least, that’s what he thought until he tried to lift his arm and was assaulted with a piercing pain.

All right, he could fix it slowly.

He tried again only moaning with the move this time. “Dammit,” he hissed.

What happened?

Oh. Right.

Anger at the old man, him ready to tear the dick to pieces for giving Evie a hard time, and then the familiar pop of guns.

Pop, pop, pop…
He knew he took at least five bullets—he’d counted—and he remembered the scent of the human blood from Doc Hill and the receptionist. And damn, his mate was fierce when it came to digging out bullets.

He didn’t have much after that. A haze of pain, the lure of sleep, his vision going fuzzy.

The pain though… He pulled that specific memory forward. It wasn’t normal. He knew the feel of gunshots and it’d been… more. Stingy rather than harsh. A continuous burn with a prickly edge instead of fierce and fast.

It reminded him of one thing, one drug he’d encountered and hoped to never experience again.

The question became how’d it get to Brookfield and who mixed up that shit?

From what he remembered, it’d been something cooked up by someone in his sister’s best friend’s family. The relationships in Grayslake, the battles for survival, were convoluted, but it ended with discovering
Carvrix
and its uses. As well as who released the drug to shifter scum. Well, it seemed shifter scum had its tendrils in Brookfield too.

He shoulda expected it though. With an inner-circle and Itan like the Archers, he should have known.

Now he
definitely
did.

He just needed to figure out who was using it and where they’d gotten it. Then he’d kill ’em. Quick and easy.

Evie snuffled and squirmed, pressing closer to him, and her warm breath fanned his neck. She buried her face against his throat, cute nose rubbing his skin.

He’d kill ’em later. Right now he had a mate in his arms.

A delicious smelling mate. One he wanted to tease for hours. He didn’t give a damn about pain or his injuries or anything happening outside the room.

Outside the room… He shot a quick look at the door, thankful it was shut. Good. No one could just walk by and peek in while he explored his mate. As much as it pissed him off to admit, he wasn’t strong enough to sink into her and claim her.

But he could… taste her.

His mouth watered and cock hardened with thoughts of lapping up her cream. Of having her straddle his head and lower her pussy onto him. He’d lick and nibble, take as much as she could give and then demand more.

Nothing he liked more than eating a girl for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

His dick throbbed, twitching as his arousal grew and anticipation increased. Shit yeah, that’s what he wanted.

Reid eased over onto one shoulder, propping himself up as he nudged her to her back. She rolled easily, snuffling and whining as she drifted toward wakefulness.

He took a moment to look at her, act like some lovesick bitch, and stare at her when she wasn’t awake to see what kind of pussy she’d turned him into.

That brown hair had his fingers itching to touch, that nose that sloped up at the adorable tip.

Who the hell was he to say her
nose
was adorable?

The thought didn’t have him stopping though. He continued to her plump, bow-shaped lips that he wanted to kiss and sample.

He ignored the scarring on her face and the path they took down her neck and others across her chest. He knew pain, had his own dozens of scars on his body. She’d healed. She’d survived. She was a fighter and… all his. The rest of her body was hidden by a t-shirt and when he lifted the sheet, he realized it was one of his. Hell, one of his from the day before; sweaty and filled with his scent. She’d wanted him to surround her.

Damn he was lucky. He didn’t deserve her, not after the shit he’d pulled over the years, but he’d take her anyway. Take her and run, hide, and claim her before someone else could.

But based on the aches still plaguing him, that wasn’t gonna happen anytime soon. So he’d placate himself—and the wolf—with a taste.

The animal was all for that. He vaguely remembered her giving him blood. Or someone told him as he’d drifted in and out of consciousness. They’d sampled her, in a way, but he wanted her flavors on his tongue.

“Evie,” he whispered her name and leaned down, nuzzling her neck. “Evie,” he murmured against her skin. “Evie, wake up.” He lapped at her flesh, savoring the sweetness that slid into him. Damn, she was delicious. “Evie?” She moaned and he scraped a fang along her throat before he whispered once more. “Evie, wake up.”

“Hmm…” She shook her head, her hair teasing him with the move and spreading more of her scent on him. He wanted that, wanted it everywhere.

“C’mon, baby.” He pressed a soft kiss to her vulnerable skin.

“Huh, Reid?” She was slightly slurred, voice groggy and filled with sleep. “You’re okay?” Small hands pushed and nudged, sliding over him and the flavors of her worry and panic filled his nose. “You’re awake.”

He eased to his back, pretending he did it for her and refusing to acknowledge just leaning over her for that short amount of time tired him out. “I’m awake.”

“Oh, God,” she sobbed and propped herself up. “I thought…” She stroked his chest and rested her palm over his heart. “I mean, I knew you lived. I watched them put you in an SUV and Asher carried me and cleaned me—”

“He
what
?”

She froze and then she lifted her eyes from his chest and met his gaze. She glared at him, those milk chocolate eyes narrowed. “He helped me into the house and got me into the bathroom.”

“No one is to touch you but
me
. He better not have—”

“I won’t let another male put his hands on me.” Her voice was soft and soothing.

He grunted. He did know. Mated females, even if they hadn’t completed the mating, shied from the touch of other males. She’d endure it if necessary, but she’d always prefer her mate.

“Simone helped me. I was weak and could hardly keep my eyes open. I checked you before I crawled into bed, but I was so weak.”

It was his turn to glare. “What d’ya mean, weak?”

She sighed and fell silent for so long he wondered if she’d answer. “I had to give you blood to save you.”

“I… think I remember some of that, but your bear should have…”

Evie shook her head. “I gave you a lot. Almost too much. I was only half awake by the time Simone got me in bed.”

“Evie…” he stroked her face, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Never do that again.”

“I couldn’t just let you—”

“I mean it. Me? I’m not worth hurting yourself like that.” He cupped her face and ran his thumb over her cheek. “Not even a little.”

“Reid, you don’t understand.”

“I understand that you’re the most important thing to me. Can’t lose you. So if the only way to keep me alive is to risk yourself, you don’t do it. Me living and you dying? That shit’s not happening. If there’s a chance you could die trying to save me…” he shook his head. “Don’t bother. Because I can’t live without you and if you make me… I’ll kill everything—everyone—and the only way to stop me would be a bullet to the heart. You understand me? My wolf will lose it and others will suffer. Period.”

She swallowed hard, tears springing to her eyes and he hated the pain that lingered there. “I couldn’t watch you die.”

“And I can’t live without you. You are necessary to me now. You are the reason I breathe, Evie. You get me?” He drew her closer, urging her to lower her head until he was able to brush his lips across hers. “You hear me, baby?” he murmured against her lips, breathing deeply when she released a soft sigh.

“I hear you.”

“Good.” He kissed her again, unable to have her close without his mouth on hers. He pressed gently, gradually drawing out what he wanted rather than demanding and taking. She needed to choose to come to him, to open and give herself to him.

Reid lapped at the seam of her lips, teasing her until she opened for him. She surrendered. And he took over, showed her that she’d mate an alpha and not some pushover. He lured her gently, beckoned her into his trap, and now he’d never release her.

Which sounded a little psycho.

He never claimed to be sane.

He slipped his tongue into her mouth, sliding past her parted lips and he gathered her flavors to him. He savored each bit of sweetness and each hint of her natural tastes. He sneaked in and out of her mouth, showing her exactly what he’d like to do. He’d slide in and out of her wet heat and pleasure her with each stroke.

That image locked in his mind, he kept his eyes closed as he made love to her with his lips. Their passion simmered, slowly heating with each passing breath, and he pulled her closer. He wanted her body aligned with his, those curves snug against him as he plundered her mouth. His cock pulsed and throbbed, aching to sink into her pussy over and over again.

He sank into the passion of their kiss, drawing in the scents that surrounded him as he lapped at her lips and gathered more of her on his tongue. Damn, if her lips were this sweet…

His dick pulsed, anxious to find out how hot and sweet her pussy would be.

And he’d get that. Soon.

He just needed her to come on his mouth first. Then, when he could breathe without being in pain, he’d fuck her. Claim her.

Mouth then dick. There, he had a plan.

One that was shot to shit when one of those hands snaked down his body. It slipped beneath the sheet that rested across his hips and then delved farther until that hot little hand encircled his shaft… then stroked him. She pumped his dick, fingers tightening as she rubbed him. Up and then down, slow and sweet and in time with the flick of her tongue.

He moaned into her mouth, enjoying the feel and taste of her. His balls ached, drawing high and tight against him as he fought off the urge to come. He wanted to fill her, bathe her in his scent until everyone knew she belonged to him and him alone.

But first he’d let her jerk him off.

His wolf—and dick, coincidentally—thought that was a fantastic idea.

Except he… had… a… plan…

Wait, she squeezed the head of his dick gently and then swiped her thumb along the slit before retreating to the base of his shaft once more.

“Shit, Evie,” he gasped and arched into her hand. He ignored the aches and focused on the pleasure. She did it again, that tight fist stroking him in slow, even caresses. God, he wanted more. Wanted to come all over her hand and then watch her as she licked herself clean and…

That wasn’t the
plan
.

Okay he’d let her jack him a little more. Just… one… more…

“Shit, baby, you gotta stop.” He rushed out the words, abandoning his hold to grasp her wrist and stop her movements. “If you don’t, I’ll come.”

His wolf—and dick, coincidentally again—thought he was an asshole. Then he reminded the beast they were gonna taste their mate, so he was only left with a pissed off dick.

“Why?” she whimpered and just because he stopped her from stroking him didn’t mean she stopped tormenting him. Nope, she still rubbed him gently with her thumb and rhythmically squeezed his shaft. Shit, that little bit was gonna send him over the edge.