Taken: True Mates Book 2 (BBW Wolf Shifter Romance) (A Craggstone Paranormal Romance) (12 page)

The rustle of fabric, then the familiar sound of shifting. I waited, gritting my teeth, counting for sanity.

A forced cough behind me, smothering another giggle. This time, a nervous sounding one.

“I’m ready, Sean,” she whispered.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Sean

Slowly I turned around, nervous as hell. Why? I didn’t know. All that I knew was this woman meant everything, and suddenly butterflies were dancing in my stomach.

And there she stood, one arm draped over her chest, the other shielding her groin. Gloriously naked. I couldn’t help it — I stared, my eyes drinking in miles of soft skin, hungrily following the dips and peaks of flesh.

“Well, are you just going to stand there?” she said, winking at me, slowly placing her hands on her hips, teasing me with a stern frown.

My heart stuttered, fighting in my chest to catch a rhythm. Her breasts, full and ripe, swung free, tipped with dusky pink nipples. Not fighting it, my gaze swung low, zeroing in on the scattering of dark curls nestled between her plump thighs. Her scent saturated the air, thick with the spice of citrus, laced with the delectable smell of female arousal. It wrapped around me, tugging at my cock, thrilling the blood in my veins.

Deliberately, I unsnapped the top of my jeans, watching as her eyes widened a fraction, her nostrils flaring in anticipation. Yanking the remaining buttons apart, I kicked off my boots, shoving the denim down and off. My cock sprung out, abruptly released from its confines, virile and aching with need.

“That’s better,” she murmured, her eyes rooted on my cock, lips parted.

My beast pawed the ground inside my head, his ears pointed, tail cocked. He was ready for the mating hunt — and so was I.

“There’ll be no going back from this mating,” I warned her. “Once I have claimed you — you’ll be mine. Always.” Jeez. Way to put a woman in the mood, Sean. I kicked myself mentally. I’d never been any good at pillow talk.

But her eyes widened even more, a shiver running down her spine. “No going back, for either of us…and you’ll be
mine
too, don’t forget that, sugar,” she said in a breathy voice.

As if I could forget. This petite woman
owned
me. Lock, stock, and barrel. Whether she realized it yet, or not — she controlled me. With a single glance, she had tamed me.

I took a step toward her, muscles bunching, eagerly anticipating the chase.

She mirrored me, taking a step back.

I growled, the sound low and filled with heat.

“Come catch me, sugar,” she said, turning on her heel and darting off into the forest.

I took another slow step forward, silently stalking my prey, watching with appreciation the way her rounded backside jiggled and flexed with each step. Teasing me, tempting me, calling me.

I threw back my head, releasing a deafening howl into to the darkening sky, then leapt forward.

The hunt had begun.

***

Lisa

Adrenaline flooded me as a deafening howl echoed through the silent forest, the sound declaring his intent to the world. Leaping over uneven ground, I circled to the right, eyeing the tall trees, looking for the perfect one. No need to make this easy for him, it would spoil the fun. And he was mating a cat, after all.

Grabbing a low lying branch, I threw myself up, landing lightly and then climbing up two more, balanced in a crouch. I could go higher, but then my wolf wouldn’t stand a chance. And I wanted to get caught, eventually.

I couldn’t hear him stalking me, but I could feel him — scent him coming closer — the air thickening with pheromones, causing my breath to hitch with every delicious inhalation. My fingers trailed down my chest, skirting the heavy weight of my breasts, and glided down my rounded stomach. I took another deep breath, taking him inside me, tasting him. My fingers threaded through my already damp curls, unconsciously seeking out the place between my legs that throbbed with need. My pussy was swollen, begging out for his touch, for the feel of him sliding deep, deep inside.

A loud moan from below snapped my eyes back open, but I kept my hand where it was, rubbing, building the ache.

His eyes devoured me, locked on the movement of my hand. Nostrils flaring, his mouth fell open on a silent groan, then he stalked to the bottom of my tree, never breaking eye contact.

“Come and get me,” I whispered, my other hand reaching up to cup the heavy weight of my breast, my thumb stroking over a stiff nipple.

Liquid gold flared, as claws sprung out.

With a feral growl, he grabbed the low lying branch, clawing at the bark, and pulled himself up. Looking up at me, he grabbed the next branch. “Spread yourself for me, I want to see what I’m getting,” he ordered, pulling himself up inch by inch.

Unable to resist his command, I parted my legs, my finger brushing my outer lips.

“More.” The command came out a hoarse plea.

I did as he asked, powerless, yet his immediate reaction told me that I held all the power.

“Nirvana,” he exhaled, and then he was there, throwing himself up the last couple of feet, pushing me back against the branch, caging me in his arms.

Skin met skin, as he claimed my lips with his, devouring my breath, and sending my mind reeling. I parted my legs, the thick weight of him nestling between my thighs, probing, finding my entrance—

The branch let out an ominous creak, protesting our combined weight.

Not breaking contact, Sean rolled, cradling me to his chest, and with a thud we met solid ground, Sean absorbing the blow.

In a flash he rolled me over, driving his cock deep inside me in one smooth movement. My back arched off the ground, pleasure careening through me, as he drew back, then thrust forward again.

Coming up to brace on his hands, his chest strained, sweat glistening, as his hips swiveled in movement, abs flexing and jaw clenched.

Shit! I was going to die by orgasm if he kept this up. Every cell in my body felt alive, as I greedily accepted him deep inside, his cock filling me, thick and—

A moan spilled from my lips, the sound seeming to spur him on, as he picked up the pace, tilting his hips to hit that secret spot, deep inside me, rubbing, back and forth, building the heat, the friction nearly unbearable.

Liquid fire raced through me, as I blindly reached for that peak, the ultimate relief that lay just out of reach, getting closer, and closer…

A wet tongue trailed across my nipple, swirling and tasting, then, sucking the sensitive bud into his mouth, he flicked his tongue, matching the driving rhythm of his hips.

I teetered on the edge, my nails digging into his firm ass, hips tilted to accept all of him, wanting him to consume me.

Releasing my nipple, he growled, “I take you, Lisa Shadowpaw, to be my true mate. I will run with you, live with you and love you — only you. I swear by the Mother of All!” His words were punctuated by his thrusts, as he continued to drive me toward oblivion.

“And I take you, Sean—?” I faltered, mortified that I didn’t know his full name!

He laughed loudly, cupping my heat stained cheek, before answering, “Colstone, I took the pack name.”

I laughed, my mortification fading on a moan, as he thrust forward forcefully.

“Starting again,” I gasped out. “I take you, Sean Colstone, to be my true mate. I will run with you, live with you and love you — only you. I swear by the Mother of All!”

And then he bit me, on the soft skin where the collar bone dips and the neck starts, sinking his teeth into the tender flesh, sealing the bond. A flood of emotion hit me, sinking into me, joining with my soul. The colors of Sean, I thought with wonder, closing my eyes and seeing the dancing rainbow of reds, blues, and the slightest tinge of green. Red for anger, hurt, and betrayal. Blue for his control, icy, and strong. Green for acceptance, blossoming hope, and calm. And, love. So
this
was what it meant to be
true
mates.

Turning my head, I reached up and sank my teeth into his neck, wanting to complete the bond more than anything I had ever wanted before. I wanted him to feel what I felt, know that he would never be alone again.

On a roar, his eyes squeezed tight, Sean tensed above me, his jaw clenching, hips thrusting even more wildly.

And I tipped over the edge, or rather I was forcibly shoved, hurtling into free-fall, the ground rushing toward me, back arching, as every nerve in my body clenched and shuddered, orgasming violently.

Sean let out garbled groan, his whole body tensing, muscles rigid like stone, then slamming forward one more time, he tipped over the edge with me, his cock twitching inside me, heat filling me as he came.

He collapsed on top of me, careful to brace on his elbows.

“I never knew,” he murmured, looking at me with open worship in his eyes. Worship that came spiraling down the fully formed bond, sinking into me, holding me tight.

“Neither did I.” My mate. My love. I sent the thoughts down the newly formed bond, the bond that now entwined us, heart and soul.

He grinned, face open and relaxed. “You make me lose control. Completely. Utterly. But it’s okay, because you’ve touched that part of me, buried deep down inside, the child my father destroyed—” his lips curled in disgust, “—and, you’re healing him. And his beast. I can’t explain…”

He broke off, his eyes full of wonder.

Lifting a hand, I smoothed the scar on his cheek, my heart breaking for the confused and angry boy he had once been. That boy had needed a father who loved him, not the angry bully he had been given.

He lifted my fingers to his lips, feathering the tips with kisses. “
You
negate the need for control, uniting me with my beast. I can’t promise it will be easy, I’m not used to letting him roam free, just below the surface.”

“You’re not alone in this, never alone. I love you
and
him. He just needed a bit of love, that’s all.”

Understanding dawned on his face. “So, all the hate?”

“Yeah, not so good for building a working relationship.”

“I can’t promise to give up my control all of the time. It wouldn’t be good for the others, and you can’t always be around to—”

I silenced him by laying my finger over his lips. “You can continue to be the dark, tightly wound wolf around the others, as long as you promise to lose control with me, my-big-bad-beta-wolf. Then we’ll be
juuuust
fine,” I drawled, quirking an eyebrow at him suggestively.

He grabbed me, rolling so I straddled him, his cock already swelling again, thick and hard between my legs. “Now
that
can definitely be arranged.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Lisa

Creeping up the steps to the packhouse, I hugged the memories of the night to myself, reliving each touch of Sean’s hands on my skin, the feel of him moving inside me, joining, connecting.

“Keep thinking thoughts like that and we won’t make it inside,” the man who played the starring role in my fantasy growled from behind me, pulling me back against his hard body, his enthusiastic response tucked against my backside.

I sucked in a breath, lust pooling in my belly. This mating bond was going to take a little getting used to, but I could see already there would be certain
benefits.

I groaned, pressing back against him, swaying in his strong arms.

“Ahem.” An amused chuckle sounded from the porch swing.

Sean’s arms tightened around me, tense and wary.

But, I would know my twin anywhere — even if I
still
couldn’t scent him. I’d have to ask him to get a hold of some of uncle’s suppressor for the pack. It might come in handy, especially with Gary and Bert still on the loose.

“Luis! What are you doing hiding out here?”

“Not hiding — waiting for you two, making sure you got back alright. But, I can see that I had nothing to worry about.” He wiggled his eyebrows comically. “Good. You deserve happiness, sis, after everything you’ve been through.”

“So, you approve?” I hadn’t thought I’d care, but surprise — I did. Just a little.

A low growl sounded in my ear, my mate staking his claim. A little part of me thrilled each time I called him that, even inside my head — my
true
mate!

“You don’t need my approval, you never have. But since you asked, hell yeah! You’ve claimed yourself one hell of a hot-hunky-wolf there, sis.”

“Glad you approve,” Sean drawled sarcastically.

“Hey, man. How could I not…” Luis pretended to check out the parts of Sean he could see, whistling through his teeth. Then he grinned, completely unrepentant. “They’re waiting for you inside, for your update. Macey and Cole have already gone. Macey was all mysterious, saying she might know of a way to pinpoint the last location of our mystery coyote, so they headed out, but the rest are still here.”

“Give us five to grab a shower, and we’ll be right down?”