Chasing The Moon (8 page)

No longer able to hold back, he continued to work her ass as he guided his cock to her pussy.

He entered her slowly, withdrawing his cock and fingers in unison, then working both back in. After a few times, she began to move backwards to meet him, and he let her set a slow rhythm that steadily increased. He threw back his head and gritted his teeth, reining in the need to ram into her. She moved faster.

“Yeah, baby,” he moaned. “Just like that.”

When her pussy started to twitch around him, he withdrew his fingers and gripped her hips with both hands. He pounded into her, and she met him thrust for thrust until her body went rigid with her orgasm, her cry loud in his ears. Her cunt clenched around him, reluctant to release its hold on him as he stroked his way to his own finish. He threw his head back and howled as he came.

He felt a quiver in her thighs and not yet ready to move, wrapped one arm around her waist and set a hand against the tree keeping both of them from falling to the ground. Sighing, she reached one hand up to rub along his arm, and the other around to squeeze his butt. The move filled him with a sense of rightness.

“Jackson, I have to stand up.”

“I have you. You won’t fall,” he whispered against her ear and kissed a line down the back of her neck. She shivered.

“Okay. I want to stand up.”

Reluctantly, he straightened and released her, watching as she pulled up her jeans.

Embarrassment crossed her face, and she looked away. He wondered if it was because they were outside or because she’d enjoyed the anal play. Taking care not to spook her, he pulled her into his arms.

“Summer,” he said, waiting until she met his gaze. “Whatever we do together is perfectly natural.”

She caught her lip with her teeth in the nervous gesture he found sexy as hell. His cock responded. A response, judging by the widening of her eyes, she noticed.

“It’s not natural to…want this much.”

He grinned at the almost admission. “It is,” he said, bending over to nibble the spot he’d bitten to claim her. “When you’re mated to a werewolf.”

When he checked again, her expression was mutinous and wary.

“It won’t ever go away, Summer. I’ll want you as much—you’ll want me as much—in ten years, as today. What we make of the rest of our lives is up to us.” He searched her eyes for any softening, but found none. “God, please give us a chance, Summer,” he whispered. He cupped her face in his palms and dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “I don’t want to live the kind of life your grandfather did. Whether we do or not is up to you.”

“How can I when you don’t trust me? You’re asking me for all this faith, but where’s yours?” Surprised by her question, he asked, “What are you talking about?” She reached a hand between them and gripped the small disc on the chain around his neck. He’d forgotten all about it.

“I’m half blind with you wearing this.”

Half blind? He wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but the thought of limiting her abilities to protect herself filled him with dread. “I can take care of that. ”He pulled the chain over his head and threw it into the woods. He hoped she wouldn’t ask for freedom from the house.

She eyed him suspiciously. “And you’ll let me leave the house?” So much for that hope. He sighed. “It’s not safe right now. Let me find out who’s trying to undermine my control, and then you can go wherever you want.” Pulling out of his arms, she stepped back and put her hands on her hips. From a distance of three feet, she glared at him. “Surely, it’s safe in the village in the middle of the day. And I’m not entirely defenseless, you know.”

What did she think she could do against a full-grown werewolf? He growled his anger, determined to prove a point, and pounced at her. He braced an arm under them, catching the fall, careful not to hurt her as he pinned her under him. Her naked breasts pressed against his bare chest, and she gasped. At the contact or the demonstration, he had no idea. Shaking his head, he reminded his cock he was proving a point, not taking her again.

“I don’t know what you can do. Probably because you won’t talk to me, you think?” He continued before she could answer. “But you can’t take on an adult werewolf. I’ll be damned if you get the chance to try.”

Glaring, she pushed at him until he rolled over. She jumped up and found her sweater, pulled it on and reached for the jacket. When it was zipped, she turned to him. “I’d like to go back to house now,” she stiffly.

He nodded and they walked back to the house in an uncomfortable silent. There were people waiting for him inside one of the front rooms, and he stopped her at the bottom step before she could disappear for the next few hours. He kissed her with as much passion as he could put into it.

“It would destroy me if something happened to you, Summer,” he said in a low voice that wouldn

’t carry to his guests. “Just give me some time to deal with this.” Some of the anger faded from her eyes, and she nodded before turning and leaving him to face the pack.

Chapter Six

Chloe awoke in an instant, cautiously edging a hand out to her side to insure she was alone.

When she was sure her straining ears picked up nothing but silence, she opened her eyes and looked around. Sometime during the night Wyatt had undone the restraints tying her to the bed and left her free.

If she was any judge, the house was empty and this was her only chance for escape. He’d kill her as soon as he thought she was no longer of use to him. Sometime over the last week, she’d decided she could live with his death, too.

Gingerly, she stood and made her way to the bathroom. Careful not to look in the mirror, she turned the hot water tap on in the shower and stepped in. Giving into the tears, she scrubbed herself, wondering if she’d ever be able to wash away the feel of his hands, if she’d ever feel whole and safe and sane again. Hiccupping, she turned off the water and stepped out, and looked into the mirror. Anger stirred through her and she met her gaze in silent promise.
Never again
. She was not the wimp who’d lived in her body the last nine months, and she was taking her life back. She knew one man, one werewolf, she was certain could take on Wyatt, and she was going to him. If she could get her hands on one of her father’s guns, she’d do it herself.

Ignoring the purpling that covered her body, she dried off and went in search of clothes. In a fit of rage the night he’d found her outside, he shredded almost everything. She finally found a pair of corduroy pants and an old red sweater faded to orange that had seen many better days.

She searched the house for her keys and grinned when she came up short, feeling more herself than she had in ages. He really was an idiot if he thought lack of keys would keep her around. She grabbed her purse, stepped out the back door, and sighed with relief when she saw her car. She’d left it unlocked, and since he had the keys, he apparently hadn’t though he needed to lock it. Snorting her derision, she climbed in and hotwired it.
Thanks for being a paranoid SOB, Dad
. It was something he’

d insisted she learn when she started dating.

Glancing at the clock, she peeled out of the driveway. Jackson’s house was only about twenty miles north, but driving out of town and up the mountain would probably take an hour. She wanted to have a good head start on Wyatt.

She reached for her cell phone on the passenger seat, thinking to call home, but it was completely dead. She considered stopping at the diner to retrieve Billy’s number. Deciding it would take too much time, she drove on. The urge to call him was strong, but she ignored it. After her experience with Wyatt, she didn’t think she would ever be able to stand a man’s touch again, and she shuddered with the knowledge that Billy would expect it of her.

No. She would go to Jackson and explain what was going on. He wouldn’t be able to not challenge Wyatt, and he’d win that match. If he didn’t, she would stick around long enough to do the deed herself. She hoped she could avoid her father and Billy long enough to get that done. Then she would disappear.

The road wound further and further up while she thought it through, while she made plans. She had an aunt in Pensacola. She would go there for as long as possible. Eventually her mother and father would tell Billy where to find her—probably sooner rather than later—but it would give her a little space, some time to plan. Once she was free of the mate bond, she would be okay. She had a trust fund from her grandmother. It wasn’t a lot, but it would get her a new identity. It would be enough to hide her.

Finally she pulled into the Alpha’s driveway. She glanced at the clock. One hour and five minutes. The sun was setting and the sky looked ominous. She’d made the drive in silence, ignoring the distraction of the radio, but she bet the forecast called for snow. One hell of a storm if her experience was right. Turning off the car, she took a last long look around and lifted the door handle.
Now or never,
Chloe
.

Somehow, despite the shaking that had taken over her limbs, she made it to the front door and rang the bell. She’d heard Jackson had a screener. He took one look at her and ushered her into an upstairs library. Telling her sternly to wait, he disappeared. Seconds later she heard pounding on the stairs and braced herself for the reaction. Despite what she’d gone through with Wyatt, the logical side of her brain knew werewolves didn’t condone this kind of treatment of bonded mates.

The door flew open and she couldn’t help the cringe. Jackson, her father, Billy. Thankfully she was standing in front of a chair. She sank down, barely registering when her ass hit the seat. Billy got to her first. He dropped to his knees in front of her, his hands creating a gentle cradle around her face.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She nodded yes, afraid to trust her voice. His thumbs lightly traced the bruises over her cheeks while he searched her eyes. “He’s as good as dead, Chloe. I promise. You’ll be free to make you own choices.”

She forced the need to beg and weep away. It wasn’t good to beg for someone’s death, was it?

Her father pushed Billy out of the way and he looked as close to crying as she felt. She cupped his face in her palms. “It’s okay, Daddy. It’s okay.”

He did weep then, but she managed to keep herself in check. Last, Jackson knelt before her. He reached up and caught the one tear she lost. His smile was soft and gentle, completely at odds with the hard look in his eyes.

“We’ll fix this, Chloe,” he promised. And him she believed. Maybe because she didn’t have a personal stake in his life.

She nodded. “There are things I need to tell you.”

He sat back on his heels, staying at her eye level, and she appreciated his concern. She didn’t think he’d still express it when she told the whole sordid tale. She forced the whole thing out, from her first meeting with Wyatt when he claimed she’d teased him into claiming her to now. She talked about Wyatt’s determination to force Jackson out by threatening Summer, and her own escape.

By the time she finished, all three men were silent. Her father and Jackson were grim-faced and determined. Billy scared her. His gaze was so remote, she cringed. If her behavior disgusted him, it was better to know now, right? It would make it easier to cut his tenuous hold on her life.

Finally she rose, and they stood in a semi-circle around her. She met each one’s gaze, even Billy’

s, and he smiled at her when she didn’t shrink. Her jaw clenched. She had no idea what he expected from her.

“I need to go,” she announced.

A chorus of voices rose in protest, but it was her father’s that finally dissuaded her. He shook his head. “There’s a bad storm coming and we both know you can’t drive in it. Stay here and we’ll talk again in the morning.”

Finally she nodded, and Jackson led her down the hall. Just inside the room, he pointed to a panel on the wall. “The top button is an alert. The bottom is the intercom. It will ring in the kitchen first. If it isn’t answered, it’ll page me. Use it if you need it, Chloe,” he said sternly. He turned to walk out the door but stopped, meeting her gaze. “Billy lives in the house, too. If I don’t answer, he will.” A knot formed in the pit of her stomach. She needed to make a plan to leave. The last thing she wanted was to involve anyone else.

* * * * *

Jackson left Chloe in her room and let his civilized mask slip. He prided himself on being a modern werewolf, a modern Alpha. He planned to take them into the future, not ground them in the past.

He’d struggled the last couple of days over whether he should let two of his pack members go after an outcast, or force them to comply with his wishes. One look at Chloe, though, and he reverted to the primitive nature of his ancestors. The abuse of a woman was not something he could ignore. Especially not if the woman rightfully belonged to his friend and Beta.

And when the outcast in question posed a threat to
his
mate? Well, he had to be dealt with.

Chloe hadn’t been able to give him names, but he knew who was most likely to plot with Wyatt. They would all be dealt with. He returned to his office to make a plan with Nolan and Billy. The challenge would be his as the senior wolf on the totem pole. The trick would be to get Wyatt onto his territory.

That shouldn’t be difficult. He would just let it be known he had offered Chloe protection. There was no way Wyatt could ignore that and save face.

He returned to the study to find Nolan and Billy in the middle of a heated argument.

“She’s mine, Nolan. I’m not letting her get away.”

“I’m not saying you should. But right now, she’s fragile and scared and she needs some space.”

“She’ll get over it,” Billy growled.

They stood inches apart, both on the balls of their feet and ready to pounce. Nolan bared his teeth. “No. I didn’t protect her when I should have, but I won’t make that mistake again. She can’t handle one of us right now.”

Billy came down on his heels hard, an incredulous look on his face. He ran a hand through his hair and paced across the room. “Jesus, Nolan. I’d never hurt her. I’d never push her into something she isn’t ready for. But I can’t let her
go
. You understand that.” Nolan shook his head and sighed. “You’d try
not
to, Billy. But it’s in your nature to claim. How long do you think you could fight that?”