Savage Urges (27 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

S
tanding in the forest outside the caves, Ryan watched his mate roll back her shoulders for the tenth time in the last fifteen minutes. “You’re nervous.”

“Well . . . yeah.”

At least she was admitting it. “You don’t need to be.”

“This is a big thing, okay.”

Fair enough, but . . . “So was our mating ceremony. You weren’t nervous then.”

“Of course I wasn’t. I was one hundred percent sure about you and how much I wanted the ceremony.”

Warmth radiated through Ryan’s chest. Their mating ceremony was short, sweet, and understated, since neither of them had wanted a huge party. Ryan wouldn’t have coped well with one, and he did not—under any circumstances—dance. Besides, he hadn’t wanted to share his mate on the night of their ceremony. He was too selfish and possessive for that.

He’d invited Garrett and the other enforcers from Ryan’s old pack to visit the next day. They all fell hard for Makenna, which probably had a lot to do with the verbal smackdown she’d delivered to his parents when they tagged along with Garrett. She’d told them in no uncertain terms that they were shit parents and even worse people, that if they couldn’t see how special Ryan was, then they were even dumber than they looked. Strangely, they hadn’t argued with that.

Feeling another spurt of anxiety rush through his mate, he said, “I know you want answers and closure, but you don’t have to do this now.”

Makenna set her jaw and planted her feet in a wide stance. “I do.” It was time to face it . . . even if her muscles were tight with tension and a part of her was dreading what was to come.

Ryan grunted.

“Well, I like being stubborn. It keeps you on your toes.”

Everything about his unpredictable, quirky mate kept him on his toes. “If they do or say anything to upset you, they’re gone.”

“I know.” She rubbed at her arm. “I’d prefer it if we didn’t have an audience.”

He frowned, glancing around the empty clearing. “You have privacy.”

She snorted. “No, I don’t. Our pack’s scattered around the forest to keep a close watch on things.” Even Zac.

“They’re protective of you.”

She knew that. It was a good feeling for both her and her wolf. Good to be a part of something. And good to know they were just as protective of the shelter as they were of her. Being equally protective, Madisyn was also hanging around the forest, even though she was still mad with Makenna for getting shot. She pretty much blamed her for it.

Makenna knew she was seriously lucky to be breathing right now. Ally was officially one of her favorite people in the world. There had sadly been some fatalities in the battle. There would have been more if Taryn hadn’t arrived—too late to heal Makenna, which had pissed her off and made her feel bad—and healed those with serious injuries. The Phoenix wolves had also helped repair the cafeteria.

At the sound of low voices, Makenna and her wolf stiffened. This was it. The moment was finally here. It was time to face her past. She licked her dry mouth. Maybe she should have waited a little longer and—

Ryan briefly squeezed her hand. “You’re safe. No one can harm you here.”

She didn’t believe her visitors would physically hurt her, but she believed the information they possessed quite possibly could. Without thinking, she hooked her finger in Ryan’s belt loop. Moments later, Trey and Taryn entered the clearing with five unfamiliar wolves. The Phoenix Alphas stepped aside, allowing the visitors to move forward.

The male in the center exuded power and confidence. He was definitely an Alpha. He tilted his head as he studied her and released a shallow sigh. “You look a lot like your mom. It’s uncanny. I’m Harlow Gannon, your uncle.” He quickly introduced his Beta and enforcers.

It took a moment for her to respond. Uncle. He was her uncle. She’d never before met any of her family, hadn’t even known that she
had
an uncle until Ryan told her. And now the guy was standing right in front of her—a guy who was also a part of her mother. She cleared her throat. “I’m Makenna. This is my mate, Ryan Conner.”

At Harlow’s nod, Ryan grunted. If he hadn’t tracked these wolves himself, he wouldn’t believe this guy was her uncle. They shared no resemblance whatsoever. He’d gotten a message to Harlow from Makenna, which had very simply read that she was sorry to inform him that her mother had died many years ago after a vicious attack. The male had very swiftly replied, asking to meet her. She’d taken a few days to think about it before agreeing.

On edge due to his mate’s anxiety, Ryan’s wolf wasn’t comfortable with these strangers on his territory. He also didn’t like that this male claimed to have a connection to her, even if it was familial. Typical of his very jealous wolf.

Harlow cleared his throat. “If I’m honest, I wasn’t sure you were who I’ve been looking for all these years until now. I guess I didn’t want to believe my sister was dead. There’s no denying that you’re hers.”

In his position, Makenna wouldn’t have wanted to believe it either. Pushing past her dread, she asked the question that had haunted her for a very long time. “Do you know what happened to my dad?” Watching the Alpha’s face fall, Makenna was almost sorry she asked. Her stomach knotted.

“The old Alpha hunted your parents. He found them two years later. Your mom got away with you, but he caught your dad. Killed him.”

The news was like a hammer to the chest. “You know for sure he’s dead?” She tensed when he averted his gaze. “Tell me. I need to know.” It would be worse than not knowing, even if it would be a painful truth.

Harlow lifted his chin. “Conrad brought back his head.”

Makenna’s eyes fell closed, and she was glad that Ryan moved closer. She needed his strength right then. Be-fucking-headed . . . and all because he’d loved her mother. Her parents had both suffered awful deaths they didn’t deserve. Her wolf howled in mourning.

“If I’d been old enough to take him on, I would have.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“No, but it doesn’t take away the pain of knowing what you and your parents went through.” He did a double take as something caught his eye. “Is that a child hanging upside down from a tree branch?”

Makenna looked up at Savannah and sighed. “Yes.” The viper waved. She and Dexter were now official Phoenix Pack members. Riley wasn’t yet sure if she wanted a permanent place there, but she’d agreed to stay until the children were more settled. Greta wasn’t happy about that, which delighted Taryn.

Harlow shifted his gaze to Ryan. “How long have you and my niece been mated?”

In Ryan’s mind, they had officially been mates since he first realized what she was to him; he’d known he wouldn’t let her go. But, in reality, as Madisyn once put it . . . “She led me on a merry dance.”

Harlow grinned. “I’m glad to hear it. What happened to your head?”

Makenna inwardly rolled her eyes at Ryan’s “I didn’t want to talk about it” grunt. “It was a Frisbee. He jinxed himself by walking under a ladder.”

Harlow frowned at Ryan. “Why would you do a fool thing like walk under a ladder? It’s bad luck.”

Ryan turned to Makenna. “He’s definitely your relation.”

She laughed.

That night, Ryan sat on the edge of his bed in only a towel, watching his mate putter around in nothing more than a white partially buttoned shirt and hot-pink panties. She was talking about how nice it had been to hear tales of her mother’s childhood, to know about her deceased grandparents. She wasn’t fooling him for a second. Deep inside, she was hurting; mourning the father she couldn’t remember.

He wanted to say something, wanted to somehow make it better. But he was pretty sure that whatever he blurted out would be far from sensitive. He was—

“What did you just say?” He had to have misheard her.

She sent him an enigmatic smile. “What do you think I said?”

“Repeat it.”

“Or . . . ?” she drawled. He snagged her shirt and pulled her to stand between his legs, accidentally tugging it open. “Hey!” she whined.

“Don’t play with me. What did you say?”

“You’re no fun.”

His heart was pounding and his wolf was stock still.
“Kenna.”

She slid her hands over his broad shoulders. “I said, we’ll have to move to a bigger room when the baby arrives next year.”

That was what he’d thought she said. “You’re not pregnant.” He’d smell it if she were.

“According to Ally, it’ll happen sometime soon.” Makenna was pretty happy about it. Her mate, however . . . all she was sensing from him was shock. His wolf was smug. “You okay?”

Mouth dry, he swallowed. “Yeah.”

“It’s okay if you’re a little spooked.”

“I’m not spooked.” He splayed a hand on her flat stomach. “I just never thought about having kids.” As such, hearing he’d soon be a father was like a sucker punch. Yet, he wasn’t unhappy or scared. He oddly felt a strange urge to possess his mate so completely that neither knew where he ended or she began.

As he slipped his hands inside her shirt to span her rib cage, Makenna moved a little closer. She
felt
the change in him. Felt the shock slip away to be replaced by the primal drive to take and own. She closed her eyes as he swirled his tongue in the hollow of her throat. Considering she liked sex rough and wild, it surprised her that the gentle, sensual move fired her desire. “Ryan.”

He licked along her collarbone as her soft fingers skimmed over his shoulders and chest. “I need you to get on your knees for me, Kenna.”

Her stomach clenched. “Now why would I do that?”

Ryan nipped her lip. “So you can wrap this pretty little mouth around my cock.” Her pupils dilated and her fingers dug into his shoulders. “But first . . .” He raked a hand in her hair and closed his mouth over hers, driving his tongue inside. He’d never get enough of her taste. He loved her mouth. Loved kissing it, biting it, fucking it. Loved knowing nobody else could ever have it. “On your knees.”

Makenna thought about fighting him just for the hell of it. Instead, she curled a hand around his cock and said, “I’ll get on my knees . . . but only because I want to.” She slowly knelt, stroking his cock.

With his hand bunched in her hair, he drew her mouth close. “Open.” He didn’t have to warn her not to tease him. She never did. She just sucked him deep. And she was fucking good at it. Especially when she did that swirly thing with her tongue. “That’s it. Get me nice and wet, Kenna, because you’re going to ride me.”

Moaning at that, Makenna sucked harder and faster. She loved tasting him, but she needed him in her. Needed his cock to ease the ache that was building and building. She winced as the hand fisting her hair tugged.

“Stop. I don’t want to come in your mouth tonight.” Slipping a hand under her arm, Ryan helped her stand. Her lips were swollen and her eyes were languid, making his cock throb. He pulled down her panties, waiting while she stepped out of them and kicked them aside. “Come here.” She straddled him, rubbing her pussy above the head of his cock. “Who do you belong to, Kenna?” Fingers digging into his shoulders, she began to lower herself on his cock. Ryan wrapped his hand around the base, stopping her from taking it all. “You didn’t answer my question.”

No, Makenna didn’t, because it wasn’t good to always give her mate what he wanted. The defiant streak in her wouldn’t allow her to anyway. So she ignored his demand and slowly rode as much of as cock as she could take. But it wasn’t enough. “Ryan.”

“You want more?”

“Yes,” she ground out.

“You can have more. You can have it all. It’s yours. But first you have to tell me who you belong to.” Free hand palming her breast, he raked his teeth down the column of her throat. “Tell me.” He wasn’t surprised when she just continued riding him. He gave her ass a sharp slap, which made her pussy clamp down on him. “Tell me.”

She snarled. “Maybe I’ll just go finish myself off.”

He gripped her hip. “No, you’re going to make me come before you go anywhere.”

“Then move your hand.”

“Then tell me who you fucking belong to.”

She really wished that dominant tone didn’t make her pussy clench. “You, you fucking asshole.”

“Good girl.” Ryan moved his hand and slammed her down on his cock, forcing her to take every inch. “Now ride me.”

She did. She rode him hard. His hands palmed her ass, but he didn’t help her. Just held her as she furiously slammed herself up and down his cock. Friction built inside her, winding her body tighter and tighter. But no matter how hard and fast she rode him, she couldn’t throw herself over the edge.

Makenna gasped as the world abruptly tilted and she found herself flat on her back. Standing at the foot of the bed, Ryan pounded into her, yanking her to him with every thrust. One of his hands splayed over her lower stomach, feeling his cock push in and out. She fisted her hands in the bedsheets, arching into him.

Ryan curved over her and parted her folds so that he hit her clit with every rough, possessive thrust. Feeling her pussy getting tighter and tighter around him, he knew she was ready to come. “Now, Kenna.” He clamped his teeth over her pulse and bit.

A scream tore from Makenna’s throat as her back bowed and her release slammed into her. She dug her claws into him as he jammed his cock deep and erupted; she felt every hot splash, and she couldn’t help wondering if this would be the night she conceived.