Bound to the Pack (Bound to the Pack, #1) (8 page)

I sat up with a groan, my
everything
hurt. I felt filthy and I couldn’t even brush my teeth. I disgusted myself.

Standing up with a grimace, I folded the blanket and packed in the bag. The movement helped relieve some of the soreness. After a few pieces of cold venison I was as ready to continue this crazy journey as I would ever be. “How far ahead are they?” I asked, wincing as I followed Liam down to the trail.

“If they continue at the same pace they have been setting, we should catch up to them before evening. Too close for my taste but it is what we have.”

Great. Another full day of trying to keep up.

“And if they speed up?” My legs forcing me to ask the question.

“I would prefer not to think about that possibility.”

We progressed in silence for the rest of the morning. Surprisingly, once I had begun moving, most of the soreness left my body. I was able to keep up even better than I had expected. Maybe I should start exercising. I grinned.
Yeah right.

Just after sunrise, a turn in the path left me with a sudden view of a valley below. There was a massive hill, maybe a mountain, across from where we stood. When does a hill become a mountain? Are there rules for that? “Is that where they’re heading?” Looking at it, I decided that if I had to hike up it, it was definitely a mountain.

“Yes. There is a sacred site somewhere on the mountain that will serve their purpose.”

“What exactly are these sacred sites? How do you choose where they are?” In every direction, as far as I could see, was beautifully pristine nature. It all looked to me as if any spot would be able to be called sacred.

“Chosen? Sacred areas just
are
. We do not create them as you humans do. Either a place is sacred or it is not.”

“Well, what
makes
a place sacred then? How do you know?” The thought of scouring a mountain for a place I had no idea how to identify was not at the top of my list of things to do.

“Humans,” he shook his head in annoyance, “though I won’t hold you to fault for your species' lost ties to nature.” He sighed and turned to face me. “Sacred sites are areas that occur naturally which exemplify that particular aspect of nature. A stand of trees, a pond, an outcropping of stone. When you are in, on, or even near one you cannot help but feel a profound connection to the natural world and your place within it.”

“That sounds beautiful.”

“Nature is beautiful.” He stared at me for a moment before turning back to the trail, starting off again. “I spoke of my story yesterday. If I may ask, what is yours?”

“It’s not very interesting. You don’t want to hear it.” And I wasn’t really sure I wanted to tell it.

“And yet, I asked.”

“Fair enough,” I sighed. He
did
tell me his story yesterday. “But I warned you that it’s boring, remember that. No magical beings dancing in the moonlight.” He grinned back at me and gestured for me to start.

As if his movement had opened the flood gates, my story began to pour out. Slowly at first, then before I knew it I was telling him everything. I told him in a way I had never told anyone before.

My awkward childhood that turned into my awkward teen years, never quite fitting in. The few friends I’d had before meeting Kris.

How drastically my life had changed for the better when she had entered it. She had broken down most of my defenses, bringing me out of my shell, to let me actually live life for the first time.

I talked of going down to D.C. to attend George Washington University, and meeting Mike in a class we had together.

How odd I had felt at first, and then the new feeling of the unbridled passion of a late bloomer’s first love. I spoke of Mike’s betrayal, every detail, something I had never told anyone and had even been avoiding in my own mind. Talking about it relieved a pressure I hadn’t know was even there.

For his part, Liam was an excellent audience, though he often responded differently than I would have expected. He laughed at parts that weren’t meant to be funny, had no reaction to parts that were, and was generally just offbeat.

Until it came to Mike’s infidelity.

“And when I walked into our apartment, there they were. Completely naked, fucking on our couch.” I walked right into Liam’s back. Surprised, I looked up.

He was looking back down at me, noticeably upset. “He betrayed his bond to you with another?” His voice dripped incredulity.

“We weren’t married, just engaged...”

“He
betrayed
his bond to you! He is no
man!
” Liam was definitely angry.

“It’s ok, I’m over it now.” And, surprisingly, I wasn’t lying about that anymore. I really was over it.

“This is far from ‘ok,’ though you will be fine. You are free to choose another as you will. But him! He will have to live with himself for the rest of his life.” Liam turned back to the path, growling under his breath.

“Um... thanks?” I didn’t need, or even want, some White Knight charging in to ‘save me,’ but it
was
somewhat comforting in a Giant Werewolf Wants To Tear Up My Ex kind of way.

My smile was the most genuine I’d worn in a month.

Liam

L
ooking towards the sun, I realized we were quickly running out of time. If I shifted... No. I glanced towards Jen, sitting on a boulder to rub her feet. She smelled of contentment, undercut with a hint of pain and exhaustion.

She also smelled strongly of my own scent. It was the scent of possession. I hadn’t even taken her, yet. Still, she was covered so strongly, marked as mine to any shifter who came across her. That brought new problems, ones I wasn’t ready to face yet. I hadn’t received permission.

Can I continue the pursuit of my sister while having thoughts of transgressing in an even worse way than she was? It was a troubling concern.

I will continue on as I have been, properly addressing this situation after I find Kris. I must.

“We will make camp part way up the mountain.” I was distracted, thoughts tumbling through my mind faster than I could keep up with. There should be a suitable camp well before sundown. I could then shift to race up the mountain and hopefully find my sister before she completes the rite. It would be cutting it close.

Too close. All I could do was try.

Movement beside me said that Jen was ready to continue, so I started off, leading the way forward. The rest of the afternoon passed quickly as we crossed the valley. An easy comfort had settled between us, the hike spent with small talk about everything and nothing.

I marveled at our differences, the stark reality of how at odds our worlds were. Things I took for granted as just common knowledge would widen her eyes, yet she could talk easily about the way humans flaunted their disconnect from nature.

She had, apparently, flown half way around the world in a single day to an island I’d never even heard of. She had then swam under water and was able to
breathe
. All to look at some fish! Human machines were truly unnatural.

The land began to tilt upward as we climbed well onto the base of the mountain, giving us an ever expanding view of the valley and hills around it. The power of the place thrummed around me, Jen seemingly unaware of the energy.

A suitable camp presented itself with plenty of time still left before dusk, I set about making it ready for her. There would be no fire tonight, fortunately it was unseasonably warm and we had not gone far enough up the mountain that the trees had thinned. There were thick stands all around us that sheltered the camp from the worst of the wind.

She was already wrapped in her blanket and I felt her eyes on me as I worked. Somehow managing to ignore the distraction, I was able to prepare a small camp within minutes.

“I will hunt after I stop Kristen. You still have some of your food remaining, I believe. I will return as soon as I am able. Do not wander, not that you have yet, particularly here. I only stress this for your own safety.”

I removed my shirt, prepared to shift. I turned towards her for one final warning but the words died on my lips. She stood close, staring at me, mouth parted slightly. The wind shifted, I was filled with the scent of her, her arousal, and the scent that claimed her as my own. Unbidden, I dropped the shirt and moved closer to her. The wolf fully in control.

And I couldn’t build up any desire to fight back.

I
stood transfixed as he approached me, a predatory gleam in his eyes. I was his prey and we both knew I wasn’t going to say no this time.

The blanket fell to the ground, forgotten, as I lifted my hands to touch his chest, tracing the well-defined muscles there as he slowly closed the last few inches between us.

His eyes shone brightly in the light as he reached up and traced my jaw softly with a finger, slowly moving his hand back behind my neck before pulling me into a kiss so full of raw desire I felt my legs grow weak.

Our tongues darted back and forth, tasting each other, exploring our desires. His free hand reached up and unbuttoned my coat, a faint growl escaping him as he found a zipper beneath them. Wrapping my arms around his neck I grinned against his lips. “Stupid human inventions,” my mouth whispered against his own, coaxing out a smile as he unzipped the coat.

“Perhaps. But I shall greatly enjoy unwrapping my gift.”

I let my coat fall to the ground, heedless of the cool air since a fire had been lit within me. My sweater followed shortly after, Liam pausing his mouth’s ministrations only long enough for the fabric to pass over me before attacking my neck with gusto.

His hands traced over my body, leaving lightning in their wake. Every touch left my flesh burning with desire for more, a pale imitation of the blaze growing between my thighs. Reaching behind myself I unclasped my bra, saving him the frustration of figuring it out. Plus, frankly, I needed to feel his well-muscled body crushing against my tits and I wasn’t going to let him tease me there.

Liam’s mouth left my own to kiss a trail down my chin to my neck and collar bone, his hands caressed my now freed breasts as the bra joined the growing pile of discarded clothing. His light touch skirted around my nipples but never quite reached them. They grew firm with desire and impatience as I squirmed to get even a glancing touch.

Liam’s fingers deftly avoided all of my attempts, eliciting a growl of my own, and he chuckled against my neck. About to take matters into my own hands, literally, he closed his palms around my breasts. He pinched both nipples and bit down on the join of neck and shoulder at the same time, sending jolts of ecstasy throughout my body.

“Oh fuck! Yes, yes!” Words were being ripped from my mouth as he worked me over.

He may as well have just been playing with my clit directly with the way it was reacting to his touches above. Every pinch, every twist, every bite sending pulses to my pussy, stoking the fire and making me even wetter with every clench of my muscles.

He brought his delightful mouth away from my neck and watched me with a mischievous grin before making a show of breathing in deeply. “You smell delicious. Ready.” His eyes twinkled. “But I had better check. Just to be sure.”

Quicker than I could follow, he had grabbed me tightly, pressing me to his chest with one hand and guiding us to the ground with the other to set me down on the stray clothing.

Slowly he traced my sides, kissed and ran his lips across my chest, teasing around my nipples even more before finally sucking one into his mouth. His tongue darted lightly across the sensitive nub and his teeth bit down around it just at the threshold of pleasure and pain. Moans escaped me under his ministrations, which slowed only when he switched to give my other nipple the attention it craved.

I felt ready to come and my pants hadn’t even been removed yet.

That was clearly on his mind as well. Leaving my well-loved breasts behind, he licked a trail lower, the rough stubble on his chin grazing my stomach, his hands going to the top of my jeans. He unbuttoned them slowly as I kicked off my shoes carelessly, wanting nothing more than to be bared to him.

He pulled off my jeans, but left my panties—my soaking wet panties—on. Another moan escaped me, knowing he wasn’t done torturing me with my own desire yet. His wolfish grin widened. “What’s wrong, beautiful? Impatient?” His voice held all the lustful desire I felt.

I shot him a glare and opened my mouth to tell him to just fucking take me already, but was interrupted by the sight of him lowering his face to my heat.

Kissing me lightly through the thin fabric that separated his delightful mouth from my swollen lips, his eyes stared up at me hungrily. His hands were back, lightly caressing my legs and coming tantalizingly close to my aching pussy.

“Fuck... Liam...” The rest of my words were lost in a moan as he ran his teeth lightly down my panties.

“Soon, sweetness. Very soon.”

I could only gasp in reply as he set to work. His warm breath blew over my thighs, tongue teasing the light fabric over the source of its wetness, hands tracing and teasing around my core. An eternity later his fingers tugged at the sides of my panties, pulling them down, then off.

He held them up to show me how soaked they were, looking at me with a raised eyebrow. I should have been embarrassed, but I just grinned back and reached for him, wanting him even more.

Placing them reverently aside he leaned back in and kissed the skin surrounding my pussy, teasing me further as I reached down, entwining my fingers in his hair, hoping to steer him where I needed. He was far too strong though, even with my writhing around he was still clearly in control and I was only going to get what he gave me.

I spread my legs further apart as his tongue finally found my slit, wanting nothing more than to give him full access. Pleasure washed over me as he lapped up my juices, alternating the flat of his tongue with just the tip, making more wetness and cleaning up his mess as he went.

His hands joined his mouth, spreading my lips with one and lightly touching the silken smoothness of my opening with the other. I needed him in me, any part of him, and he finally obliged. A finger slowly penetrated my depths as his mouth and tongue skirted around and over my hood, electrifying my body.