Authors: Carrie Ann Ryan
Tags: #Science Fiction & Fantasy, #Paranormal Romance, #Paranormal, #Romance, #Fantasy, #Werewolves & Shifters, #Paranormal & Urban, #Literature & Fiction
he thought he was important, far from it, but he knew he was part of something far greater than
anything he could have ever hoped for.
He was now an enforcer for the Alpha. He’d protect not only Cailin with every fiber of his
being, but Kade as well. They were his two main goals, and his wolf prided itself on that.
Logan had a purpose.
He just had to live up to it.
He also had to tell Cailin about the darkness and extra power from the moon goddess. He should
have done it ages ago and surely should have before they mated, but he’d been scared. He was
dominant enough to admit that. Logan couldn’t lose her. Not when he’d just found her in his heart and
he in hers.
“Hey? What’s wrong?” Cailin asked, tugging his hand.
He squeezed hers back and lowered his head. “I have something to tell you before we start the
hunt. Okay?”
She furrowed her brows but nodded. “Okay, big boy,” she whispered.
Logan closed his eyes, fighting off the smile. He heard snickering around him, so he had a feeling
her brothers had heard.
“What did we say about that nickname?” he grumbled.
His eyes shot open as Cailin pinched his ass. “What?” She laughed. “You still haven’t helped
me come up with a new name, so I’m going with that. Plus, I wanted to see you smile.” She tugged on
his arm. “We have a few minutes before we all strip and shift for the hunt, so we can talk over here.”
She led him to a group of trees close enough that they could hear if anyone shouted, but far
enough away that he could talk with her privately.
“What is it?”
“You know that I’m a stronger wolf than others, right?”
She nodded, a frown on her face. “Of course. I’ve always known that. Your wolf is closer to the
surface than most. But you have great control, Logan. If you’re worried about hurting me or
something, don’t be. I trust you.”
He let out a sigh, her words filling him with hope, but he needed to tell her everything before she
could truly trust him.
“That’s part of it. The other part is…damn it. Okay, remember when Lexi told us she heard the
moon goddess when she was fighting Caym?”
Cailin nodded. “Of course. That’s why she was able to scar him in the first place. I can’t believe
the moon goddess actually had the power to help then though.”
“That’s because Lexi’s an Anderson.”
She tilted her head. “What? What does that mean?”
Logan licked his lips. “The Andersons are said to have come from the direct line of the first
hunter. The hunter the moon goddess made into the wolf to teach him about the souls of others less
than him.”
Cailin’s eyes widened, and she took a step back. “You…you’re saying you’re of the original line
of wolves?” she breathed.
“That’s the legend anyway. I’m not sure if that’s true, but we’ve always had extra…gifts in each
generation.”
“Is that why Lexi was latent? That doesn’t make sense.”
Logan shook his head. “No, that was a genetic defect. That has nothing to do with the moon
goddess. She found her wolf eventually because she had North to help her, as well as the bite of two
Alphas.” He shuddered at the memory of Edward and Gideon ripping into his sister’s flesh so Lexi
could find her wolf and live without pain.
“So what does that mean? What gifts?” Cailin rubbed his arm, and he leaned into her touch.
Needing her more than she knew.
“Some of us are stronger than other wolves. Others have special powers that I’m not sure of, but
I know they’re in the legends of my family. As for me? I’m closer to the moon goddess. While Lexi
got the light. I got the darkness. I’m stronger than others because my wolf hunts and knows dark to
dark. That’s how I found North in the forest that one time. That’s how I’ve been able to hide my
family for so long. I was able to track when someone out to get us was getting closer. I’m not pure,
Cailin. I have control because it was forced upon me at an early age, but I’m not a good wolf.”
“Bullshit.”
He blinked, meeting her gaze. “Excuse me?”
“Bullshit. You’re a good wolf, baby. You’re a fucking amazing wolf. You don’t use your powers
for evil or whatever a comic book villain would say. You protected your family. You’ve protected
your Pack. And you protect me. So what if you have a wolf closer to the surface? You’ve only used it
to protect those you love. You’re an asset. You’re not like Corbin and the rest. Stop making yourself
feel like less because you’re not like others. I love you for who you are, Logan, not what you think
you’re missing.”
He smiled softly then. “You love me?”
His mate blinked, covering her mouth with her hand. “Uh…”
“You said it. You can’t take it back.”
She lowered her hand, licking her lips. “I was waiting to say it in a more romantic setting. Not in
the middle of the forest with my brothers lurking about.”
“I love you too, princess. And the fact that you’re taking me, all that I am? Makes me love you
even more.”
He crushed his mouth to hers, collaring her throat in the process. She moaned beneath him, her
nails digging into his ass.
“Glad we got that settled, big boy,” she whispered when they pulled apart.
“What did I say about that name?”
Her hand brushed against his cock before squeezing. Hard. “What can I say? You’re a big boy.
Now, if you’re done being emo, we need to go hunt. Then you can show me just how much of a big
boy you are.”
His already hardening cock filled even more, and he cursed. “Do realize how hard it is to shift
and hunt with a hard-on?”
She grinned. “Then we better get to it.” She cupped his face, her expression becoming serious.
“I’m not making light of what you told me. I’m just saying it doesn’t matter to me the way you were
afraid it would. I’m taking all of you, Logan. You’re mine, and I’m not letting you go. If you ever feel
that your wolf is becoming too much, then you tell me. Tell your Alpha. That’s what a Pack is for. We
won’t let you falter, the same way you won’t let me stumble. We’re a team, Logan. Never forget that.”
He brushed his lips to hers once more, a weight lifting off his shoulders.
“You two ready to hunt?” Kade called from behind them.
“Ready as ever,” Logan whispered.
“We’re on our way!” Cailin yelled out then gripped his hand. “Come on, I need to feel the
ground beneath four paws, and then, when our wolves are spent, you can fuck me hard into the ground
so we remember we’re wolves and not human.”
He groaned and walked beside her. “Stop turning me on, woman.”
She fluttered her eyelashes. “Like I can help it.”
He lowered his head and nipped at the fading mate mark. “I’ll have to mark you again, princess.
Show you who’s boss.”
She shuddered in his hold. “Fine, but then I get to mark you as well.”
“Deal.”
“If you’re done molesting my sister, we’re ready to shift,” Kade said dryly.
“Don’t tell me you’re not going to get all up on Mel when we’re done with the hunt, brother
mine.”
“She’s got a point, honey,” Mel teased.
Kade closed his eyes, and Logan had a feeling the man was praying for patience. “If we’re
done…” He rolled his shoulders and opened his eyes, looking every bit the Alpha he’d been groomed
to be.
“We’re here to hunt as a Pack,” the Alpha began. “We’re not full yet, we’re not complete, but
that doesn’t mean we’re not Pack.”
The others, including Logan, howled.
“We will hunt as one. We will live as one. We will fight as one. We are the Redwoods. We do
not fail!”
Logan howled louder, Cailin’s tone blending into his in perfect harmony. Everyone began to
strip, tossing their clothes to the side. It wasn’t sexual. It was freeing. It was wolf.
He went down on all fours beside Cailin, letting his wolf come to the surface. It brushed along
his skin, ready to come forth. He tugged on the bond he held with his wolf and shifted, bones
breaking, tendons snapping. His body altered, his face elongating, fur sprouting.
Soon he stood on four paws rather than kneeling as a human. He threw his head back and
howled, the others joining him as they shifted. As it was, he was third in line when it came to shifting,
Kade and North the only two faster than him.
Once Cailin shifted into her beautiful pure-white wolf form, he took off, ready to burn off the
adrenaline in his veins.
His paws pounded into the ground as he ran beside Kade. The others followed them, their
wolves on the prowl. He vaulted over a fallen log, loving the feel of the wind in his fur, the soil
between his toes.
This was why he loved being a wolf. The freedom to enjoy the forest in a way humans never
could.
Animals scattered around them, and others darted after them. Some needed to hunt in truth that
night, but right then, all he needed was to protect his Alpha until it was time to take Cailin off in their
own private corner and mark her as his.
Again.
After an hour of running, Kade looked over his shoulder and nodded before turning to nip at
Mel’s heals. He chased her to a secluded area, no doubt about to mate with her just as Logan was
planning on with Cailin.
He turned on his heel, facing Cailin’s white form. Goddess, he loved the color of her fur, the feel
of her wolf beside his. He rubbed his body along hers, and she stood still. The woman might be his
equal, but his wolf powered over hers—something they both loved and craved.
He opened his jaw wide and gently bit her neck, not breaking skin. Her wolf shuddered under
his, and he growled softly, needing.
He pulled back then nudged her toward a nearby clearing. She padded away, and he followed,
taking in their surroundings and his mate.
Once they were there, they each shifted, leaving two very naked, very sweaty humans in their
place.
Cailin bared her neck, and Logan howled, almost coming at the sight.
He growled, and they were on each other in an instant. Teeth, mouths, and bodies, pressing and
grinding as if they couldn’t get enough of each other.
Honestly, he knew he’d
never
get enough of her.
Ever.
He backed her up to the nearest tree, lifted her legs, and thrust into her. They both stilled for a
moment, catching their breaths.
“Your cunt is so fucking wet, Cailin.”
His mate gripped his shoulders then rocked her hips, taking more of him in. “Of course I am,
Logan. You’re mine. Now fuck me. Now.” She winked. “Please.”
“Far be it from me to leave you wanting.” He pulled out slowly, her tight pussy gripping him
hard, then slid back in. They both panted as he kept pushing deep inside then pulling back out. He
gripped her hips hard and pummeled into her, his mate pushing right back, taking and giving as much
as he was.
“Damn it,” Cailin cursed, “the bark is digging into my back.”
He pulled out quickly, took them both to the ground, and got her onto all fours facing away from
him in the next instant.
“I’m sorry, princess,” he said as he ran his hands up and down her back. They hadn’t broken the
skin, but there were scratches nonetheless.
“It’s okay, just get back inside me, Logan. I need to come.” She wiggled her ass so he slapped
her cheek. Hard. “Jesus!” she panted, tilting her butt back for more.
“I see we’re going to have to have more fun with this in the future,” he teased as he gripped his
cock, placing it at her entrance.
“Only if I get to spank you too.”
Logan paused then nodded, forgetting she couldn’t see him. “Anything you want, Cailin. As long
as I get to do it to you too.” He slid into her wet heat, and they both groaned.
“I like the sound of that,” she gasped, her fingers digging into the soil beneath her.
Logan lifted so he was on one knee then thrust into her over and over again, his balls tightening.
He didn’t want to come, not then. He wanted to see her blush first, feel her clamp around his dick
once or twice before he came.
She always made such beautiful little noises when she came.
Cailin arched her back, taking him deeper. Needing more, he lowered himself then picked her up
so her back lay against his chest. He angled his dick, rotating his hips upward so he could fuck her
and still keep touching her in as many places as possible. With one hand on her hip, he gripped her
chin with the other, forcing her gaze over her shoulder.
He took her mouth in a passionate kiss, fucking her with his tongue, mimicking the movement of
his dick within her pussy. When he pulled back, they were both out of breath and on the edge.
“Play with your tits then your cunt,” he ordered, a low growl that vibrated through both of them.
“I want to have you come on my cock, and then you can ride me in the moonlight.”
“Dirty, dirty, man. I love it.”
He kept his hand on her chin and throat as she pinched her nipples. Each movement made her
pussy clench around his dick, and he had to suck in a breath so she could come first. When her hand