Wolf in his Heart (Salvation Pack) (25 page)

“Undetermined as yet. A lot will depend on Jacque, and if I’m welcome.” Rina’s brother looked very alone standing off by himself. The two siblings were more alike than they knew. Sage figured Mikhail was also testing the pack.

“I think you’d fit in quite well around here,” Sage told him. He ambled over to the next raised bed and started pulling weeds. “You want to help?”

Mikhail laughed and shook his head. “Better that I don’t. You’d probably lose half your crop.” He pushed away from the tree. “I’m going for a run.”

“You might want to check with Jacque to see if there’s a perimeter that hasn’t been patrolled today.” That would do two things. It would let the alpha know what Mikhail was doing and also show Mikhail’s willingness to step in and be a part of the pack.

Mikhail started down the path toward the houses. “I just may do that.”

Sage went back to work knowing he couldn’t force the older wolf to do anything. All he could do was suggest. “You can come out now,” he called to his brother.

Reece stepped out from behind several large pines. He was in wolf form and trotted over. Sage rubbed his hand over his brother’s head. “What’s on your mind?”

Reece shifted, his body contorting and changing. Fur receded and skin appeared. His jaw shortened and his muzzle disappeared. Naked, his brother pushed to his feet. “I figured I was better off not interrupting.”

“You were protecting me.” Sage knew his brother like no one else did. Reece was a born protector.

“That too.” Reece went to the cooler and helped himself to the large jug of water. He unscrewed the cap and tilted the container until water flowed into his mouth and over his face. “Damn, that feels good.” He shook his head, sending water droplets flying. At times, his brother was all canine.

“Is she going to stay?” Reece asked.

Sage decided to call it a day. He grabbed the handles of the wheelbarrow and moved it off to the side. “I think so.” He hoped so.

“If she doesn’t?”

“You know the answer to that,” he told his brother. “She’s it for me.”

Reece caught him by the back of the neck and they touched foreheads. “Then I pray she stays.”

“Me too.”

“Just like old times,” their uncle said as he strolled up to them.

Sage reluctantly pulled away from his brother. “Everyone wants to talk, but I notice no one wants to work,” he complained. He propped his tools against the wheelbarrow. He could leave it all there for tonight as he planned to be out here again early tomorrow.

Elias slapped Reece on the shoulder. “I didn’t raise any fools.”

Sage cocked an eyebrow. “What does that make me since I’m the only one working up a sweat?”

“Dedicated,” his uncle told him. “Hardworking and responsible.”

“Damn, I sound boring as hell.”

Uncle Elias shook his head. “No. That’s something to be proud of.”

Sage’s heart swelled at the pride in his uncle’s voice. His parents couldn’t be here, but Uncle Elias had helped fill the void in his life. “Thanks.”

“Your woman is with Sue. I think they’re nearly done for the day. Thought you might want to go up to the house with me to collect them.”

Sage grabbed his tank top off the branch he’d slung it over earlier and tugged it on. He desperately needed a shower, but it could wait until he had Rina by his side. If he was really lucky, maybe he could talk her into a shower too.

Elias turned to Reece. “You here for much longer?” Sage hated to think about his brother leaving, which was why he hadn’t asked him.

“I have to leave tomorrow.” Reece rubbed the back of his neck. Sage frowned, not liking the vibes coming from his twin.

“You don’t want to go back, do you?” Sage was suddenly positive he was right.

Their gazes met in understanding. “I don’t want to, but I have to.”

Whatever Reece felt he had to do in Chicago, he wasn’t done yet. “Any idea when you’ll be back again?” Better to concentrate on that instead of his brother leaving.

“Hopefully, soon. If not for Thanksgiving, then Christmas for sure.”

Sage hated that it might be months before he saw Reece again. Sure, they talked almost every day and their unique connection made sure they always knew how the other was feeling, but it wasn’t the same. Not in the slightest. He wanted Reece back living in the pack.

“Maybe you can come visit. Bring Rina with you,” Reece suggested.

“Maybe.” He didn’t know what was going to happen with Rina and couldn’t make any promises.

Uncle Elias slapped them both on the back. “Let’s get going. I think I heard Jacque mention a barbecue again this evening. No one wants to cook inside because of the heat.”

Worked for him. Sage didn’t care what they ate as long as there was food. That was the beauty of being part of a pack—you didn’t have to do everything on your own. There was always someone there to help or to do a job you weren’t especially good at.

“You coming?” he asked his brother.

Reece shook his head. “You two go on. I’m going home and hitting the shower. I’ll join you later.” With that, he shifted back to his wolf form and trotted off.

“I worry about him,” Uncle Elias muttered.

“Me too.” He could only hope that whatever was driving his twin to stay away would end so Reece could come home.

“Come on. Let’s go find the ladies.” Sage followed his uncle but took one last look over his shoulder in the direction his brother had gone.

He was still worried about Reece when he followed his uncle into the sewing room. Then Rina smiled at him and all his worries fled.

“Look what I made.” She held up several colorful squares. Her eyes sparkled, and she looked not only pleased but happy.

“Let me see.” He went to her side, and she immediately began to show him all she’d done. Sage glanced over Rina’s head and found his aunt. “Thank you,” he mouthed the words instead of saying them out loud.

She nodded and smiled. “Rina is a very fast learner.”

Rina beamed at the praise, and Sage dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Show me everything.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Rina was tired, but pleasantly so. It had been such a good day from start to finish. She’d enjoyed spending some time in the gardens with Sage, but she’d had an absolute blast sewing with Sue. She still wasn’t quite sure that she liked either of those things enough to want to do them full-time, but they were both definite possibilities. And the barbecue with the pack had just capped off the day.

She stopped brushing her hair, set her brush down on the top of the bathroom vanity and studied her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing a light blue nightgown with thin straps. Her face was slightly tanned from her time in the sunshine. Mostly, she looked content. Happy.

Her comb, lotion, and toothbrush were set out next to Sage’s personal grooming gear. She knew her clothes were tucked into several dresser drawers he’d emptied out for her use. And several items hung in the closet alongside his shirts.

For all intents and purposes, she’d moved in. For the first time in her life, she was even considering a career.

Sage had given her a home.

“Rina?” Sage stood in the bathroom doorway, his hands gripping the top of the doorframe over his head. He looked so big and handsome wearing only a pair of jeans and nothing else. His chest was bronzed from the sun and heavily muscled. He was so solid and dependable. This was a man who wouldn’t run at the first sign of trouble. Not only would he stand and fight, but he’d also put himself in front of her and defend her with his life.

He’d already done that for her. From the moment they’d met, he’d been protecting her. She knew it plagued him that she’d gotten shot. But that was on her, not him. She knew he’d have taken that bullet for her in a heartbeat.

This wasn’t a man who’d change his mind on a whim. He’d told her he loved her and he meant it.

“Baby?” He hesitated before entering the room. He stopped in front of her and cupped her face. She turned her head so her lips grazed his palm. “I know I keep asking, but is everything okay?”

Everything was perfect, and it was time for her to accept the gift that had been given her, time to stop letting the past control her. She nodded. “I’m fine.”

“You must be tired after today?”

“Not too much. I had fun.” She walked into the bedroom and went over to stand in front of the patio doors. They were open but the screen was across. Insects buzzed and chirped, their calls creating a symphony of sound.

Sage turned off the bathroom light and came to stand behind her. He slipped his arms around her waist, and she leaned against him. He kissed her temple. “I love the night.”

“It’s different here than it is back in Alaska.” She couldn’t really call it home. Not anymore.

Sage’s arms tightened slightly. “I imagine it is. Not as many trees.”

“No, not as many trees. The mountains are jagged and majestic. The ones here are beautiful but not as stark. There are so many different kinds of plants.” She turned so she was facing him. She put her hands on his chest. He was so warm and hard. “I like it here.”

He relaxed, and when he did, she snuggled closer, feeling the firm ridge of his arousal though his jeans. She leaned inward and ran her tongue over his flat nipple. His skin was salty and warm.

“Rina.” He slid his hands down to cup her butt. “Maybe we should talk.”

“Why?” She ran her hand down over his washboard abs and he sucked in a breath. She took advantage of the opportunity to slide her fingers past the waistband of his jeans. As usual, he wasn’t wearing any underwear. Most werewolves didn’t. Made things easier if they needed to shift in a hurry. Sage couldn’t shift, but there were other benefits.

The tips of her fingers grazed the damp head of his cock.

He grabbed her wrist and eased her hand out of his pants. She tilted her head to one side. “Is there a problem?”

He shook his head and led her over to the bed. He sat on the edge of the mattress and pulled her between his spread thighs. “I know I’ve been rushing you.”

Love for Sage swelled up inside her. Sometimes she still had to wonder if he was real. He was always worried about her. That made him do stupid things sometimes—like now, for instance—but she couldn’t complain because she knew she was just as guilty of the same crime. As imperfect as they could both be on occasion, they were perfect together.

She tugged her hand, and when he released her, she walked around the bed to the nightstand and turned on the lamp. The light illuminated the bed, leaving the rest of the room in shadows.

Sage swiveled his head to watch her but stayed seated. His eyes were dark with worry. She was about to change that.

Rina walked back to the end of the bed to stand in front of him. Satisfied she had his full attention, she slid her fingers under the straps of her nightgown and eased them down her arms, exposing her breasts to him.

He swallowed heavily and his chest expanded.

She shimmied her hips and the loose garment fell to the floor. A muscle ticked under Sage’s left eye, and his gaze narrowed as he skimmed it over her body.

Her breasts felt heavy and swollen. She lifted her hands and cupped them. Sage gave a low growl, but he kept his hands resting on his thighs. The muscles in his shoulders bunched with the efforts of his restraint. She wondered why he was holding himself back.

She didn’t doubt that he wanted her.

“Why?” she asked.

“I’m too close to the edge.” He rubbed the side of his neck, the spot where she’d bitten him. The mark had mostly faded. It was almost impossible to tell she’d marked him. His werewolf healing powers had kicked in. It wasn’t fair that when a male claimed a female, the mark remained, but it obviously didn’t work the other way around.

“You want to claim me.” It wasn’t a question. She knew that’s what he wanted.

“Yeah.” He dropped his hand back down to his lap. “It didn’t last.” She heard his underlying fear. The mark hadn’t lasted so maybe her promise to remain, to give their relationship a chance wouldn’t either.

“I wish it had.” She’d liked the idea of him wearing her mark.

“Me too.” He dragged his fingers though his hair, tousling the thick mass. His biceps bunched and rippled. His torso looked like some talented god had carved it, lovingly crafting each line to perfection. In reality, he was a hardworking, half-breed werewolf. A man. A man who wanted and needed her. A man who loved her. In the end, that was the only thing that mattered.

She took a deep breath and slowly released it. This was the moment of truth. What did she really want? Whatever decision she made, there was no going back. If she was going to leave, she’d have to do it tomorrow. Hanging on if she had no intention of staying was just wrong. It was too hard on all of them. And if she was staying, she needed to commit to Sage. Time wasn’t going to change how she felt about him.

Rina walked around to the side of the bed, climbed onto the mattress and positioned herself on her hands and knees. The bed shifted as Sage turned to watch. “Rina?”

She looked over her shoulder at the man who’d captured her heart and smiled. “Claim me. Make me yours.”

At first, Sage was sure he must have misunderstood Rina. Then he thought maybe he was dreaming. He’d worried he’d been pushing her far too much too soon, and he’d talked himself into backing off for a bit, giving her some room.

Now here she was naked in his bed and offering herself to him. Even more than that, she was offering to mate with him.

His chest swelled until it hurt. “Be sure, Rina.” It was painful to ask, but he needed to be sure this was what she truly wanted. “It can’t be undone.” He rubbed the tiny mark that remained on his neck from her claiming. Unlike her bite, his wouldn’t fade. Or at least he hoped it wouldn’t.

“What if it doesn’t work?” He hated to bring it up, but the fact was he was a half-breed.

She turned and scooted over to kneel beside him. “We’ll know it’s there.” She lifted his hand and placed it over her heart. “It will work here, where it matters most.”

He snaked his hand around to the back of her head and dragged her close. He covered her mouth with his and tasted her eagerness when she slipped her tongue past his lips.

He groaned and pulled her onto his lap. Hands on her cheeks, he held her gently as he devoured her. She was the light in his darkness, the only one who could fill the empty spot inside him.

She wrapped her hands around his wrists and simply held on until they finally parted. She blinked several times and gasped for air. “Wow.”

Her response made him smile. “Yeah, wow.” He rubbed his nose against hers in a playful gesture, then buried his face in her hair and inhaled her scent. She smelled like honey and oatmeal from her soap. Underlying it was the scent of her warm skin and the sweet perfume of her arousal.

“I love you, Rina.” It was important to him that she truly understood how much she meant to him.

“I know.” She dropped a light kiss on his lips, crawled off his lap, and positioned herself on her hands and knees in the center of the bed. She turned her head and smiled at him. “I love you too.”

Sage ripped open the front of his jeans. There wasn’t time to take them off. Rina’s admission had brought his wolf nature to the fore. He might not be able to shift, but in this it seemed he was all wolf.

Rina was his mate, and he had to claim her. Now.

His cock throbbed and his balls were so heavy they ached. He wanted to just mount her and fuck her. He settled between her spread thighs. The long, slender line of her spine and her neck were bare.

He placed his hand in the center of her back. It was large and dark against her pale skin.
Slow down
, the voice in his head cautioned. He had to take his time. There was no need to take her like a marauding Viking.

He wanted to make this right, make it special for her.

He was panting hard with the effort it was taking to hold back. He leaned down, covered her smaller body with his, and lightly kissed her shoulder. She shuddered and her entire body seemed to sink into the mattress.

She’d been as tense as him and trying not to show it.

He licked and nipped at the sensitive skin at her nape. He ran a hand down her side and then around to her front so he could cup her breast. Firm and full, it filled his palm. He massaged it, enjoying Rina’s whimpers of pleasure when he finally thumbed her nipple.

She reached behind and grabbed his hip, urging him to take her.

Sage slid his erection between her thighs. The hot, moist folds of her pussy felt like heaven as he rubbed against them. He didn’t enter her. Not yet. A part of him wanted the moment to last, even as he feared it would be over all too soon. He teased her clit with the head of his cock, stroking back and forth.

She moaned and bucked her hips. Sage felt his eyes almost cross and knew it was time. Rina was so aroused there was barely any resistance when he positioned himself and pushed. Her slick channel rippled around him as he thrust to the hilt.

She arched her back and gripped the sheets with her hands. He clamped his hands around her hips and slowly started to thrust.

They’d made love before, but it had never felt this emotional. There was intention this time beyond just giving each other pleasure. They were joining their lives together. Even if Sage wasn’t able to mark her like a full-blooded werewolf could, they were making the commitment.

She’d never thought she’d find a man she could commit to, not after the betrayal of her pack. And she’d certainly never believed it would be to a half-breed, not given the way she’d been raised.

But Sage was perfect for her.

Her skin still tingled where he’d touched and kissed her entire back. Her breast still ached from his touch. Now they were joined as intimately as a man and woman could be. She was in a vulnerable position, one she’d put herself in. It showed both of them just how much she trusted him.

Sage withdrew his erection until only the tip remained. Then he slowly pushed back in. He did that over and over until she thought she might go mad. Rina retaliated by squeezing her inner muscles tightly.

He groaned and began to thrust faster.
Yes
. That was what she needed. Heat built inside her as he drove harder and deeper.

“Now,” she demanded. She wanted his bite, needed it to come.

Sage growled, and she felt his hot breath on the back of her neck. He dragged his teeth over her vulnerable nape and stopped just where her shoulder and neck met. There was a sharp bite of pain when his teeth broke the skin.

Rina cried out as Sage’s lovemaking grew fast and furious, almost animalistic. She loved it. She bucked against him, wanting him with everything inside her. Tension coiled and heat built until she thought if she didn’t come she’d burst into flames.

He withdrew his teeth from her neck and licked her skin. He’d truly claimed her. That sent her over the edge. The orgasm struck her like a bolt of lightning. She cried out his name as the entire world exploded with pleasure. She shivered and shook, her body spasming.

She heard him yell and felt the hot pulses as he came inside her. He wrapped his arms around her and laid his head against her shoulder as his big body shuddered. His cock swelled at the base, locking him inside her.

Rina collapsed onto the mattress with him on top of her, covering her like a large, heavy blanket. She sucked much needed air into her lungs. Eyes closed, she drank in every sound, smell, and sensation. She felt different, more sure of herself and her place in the world.

She and Sage belonged together.

Sage knew he had to be crushing Rina, knew he had to move. He finally found the strength to heave himself to the side. His dick was still too swollen for him to attempt to pull out. Not that he wanted to. He wouldn’t mind staying buried in her sweet warmth forever.

He rested one hand against her chest and felt her heart racing against his palm. He was no better. He kissed her shoulder and studied the mark he’d put on her neck. It was still there.

Against all odds, at the very second he’d started to mark her, to claim her as his, his fangs had grown, and this time it hadn’t been just his imagination at work. He’d felt the punch of them as they’d lengthened and penetrated her skin and the muscle beneath. It hadn’t lasted beyond a few seconds, but it had been long enough for him to mark her.