As I was lost in my thoughts, Calla’s hands found mine. “Coal?” She whispered to get my attention.
My eyes snapped to hers. I forced myself to refocus and tried to keep the gruffness out of my tone, but still, my voice lowered, “Calla, I need to know what you’re up for. Obviously, we already know the situation with my mate.” I could barely say the word without grimacing in pain. “You haven’t found your mate yet. I understand if you would rather cool things off between us because I need to start thinking long-term.”
She frowned, her face crinkling in confusion. “What does that mean...’thinking long-term’?”
“It means I’m going to be Alpha one day, and I need a suitable Luna.”
The hackles on her back rose. She stood. Her hands found her hips. Her voice rose in agitation, “And what makes you think I’m not a suitable candidate?”
I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. “You are not suitable because you still have a mate out there you haven’t found yet.”
Her eyebrows rose in understanding. She returned to her seat, a smile radiating from her face. “Coal, I love you! I’m never going to want anyone more than I want you, regardless of whether or not they are my mate.”
I held back a scoff. Calla had no idea what the mate bond felt like, the impossible pull it was to ignore. But it would be easier for her to deny her mate if I marked her first. We’d been together for two years. I could make this work. I told myself, repeatedly.
I sighed...
...maybe eventually I would believe it.
And once I marked Calla, I desperately prayed my addiction for Brinley would diminish. It should, the bond should wither and fade once I claimed another, but it wouldn’t entirely disappear until Brinley did as well.
The thought of that, her lips on another Wolf’s neck, biting into his flesh, made my Wolf roar savagely inside of me.
I growled, pushing him back harshly, reminding him we couldn’t beat the Alpha, so we had no other choice. It was either deny ourselves or forfeit her life. The decision was a simple as that, no gray area, only black and white.
He whimpered again, pacing and restless in my head.
I inhaled and released the air from my lungs slowly. I could make this work. Calla and I had been together for nearly two years. I just had to stop thinking. Being with her was like breathing.
Planting her hand against my chest, she bit her lip and looked up at me seductively through her lashes. It was a look I’d seen hundreds of times. And every time, my groin tightened, eliciting a throbbing awareness of exactly where I wanted to bury my cock.
Except for now.
Now there was only one shewolf I wanted to lose myself in. Only one shewolf I thirsted to sink my canines into.
Brinley.
Calla’s hand ran down my stomach until she reached my pants. She palmed my less-than-hard manhood and looked up at me in confusion. “Don’t you want me, baby?”
I wanted to scream no from the rooftops. I didn’t want her. But I was going to take her. I was going to fuck her senseless if that’s what it took to get my mind off of Brinley and back in the game.
A part of me felt guilty. With each new word that came from Calla’s mouth, I saw more and more how shallow she was, but even she didn’t deserve a wolf fantasizing about another female while fucking her.
But it couldn’t be helped, not right now. I was afraid my fantasies were the only thing that would get me through until we completed the mate bond. After that, I should be able to make love to Calla like I’d done so many times before.
A part of me wondered if she was using me too. We’d never discussed her being my Luna before because we both understood we had other mates in the future. I was surprised she’d so quickly tossed him away. Was she more interested in becoming a Luna than finding the man the Moon had destined for her?
I couldn’t contemplate it further, because she slid to the floor on her knees, and pushed my legs apart so she could wriggle between them. She undid my belt and pants, revealing me.
I watched as her lips slowly wrapped around me. My head fell back. My eyes fluttered shut.
But now, in my mind, I could only see another mouth wrapped around me -Brinley. Her succulent lips, soft and wet and moist. I shuddered hard at the image.
Calla drew in a sharp breath, thinking my reaction was to her. And in part it was. She knew everything I liked, and she was checking all the boxes.
My hands tangled in her hair. I held her head still and took over the motion, thrusting my hips, pushing myself even deeper.
I kept my eyes closed. I didn’t want to break the illusion-Brinley, kneeling, moss green eyes looking up at me while she eagerly accepted everything I had to give her.
Irrepressible need, to finish what she’d started, wound through my belly. I thrust harder and heard Calla gag slightly, but I couldn’t stop. The fantasy in my head had taken over. I shoved myself deeper down her throat. Again and again.
Even in her discomfort, Calla purred, sending shooting vibrations along my shaft.
Suddenly, I was there.
Contract and release, pleasure washing over me. I held still for a moment as Calla swallowed, and then pulled out.
Calla smiled up at me and licked my remaining release from her lips. Her expression was naughty. “What do you want to do to me now?”
It was at that exact moment that I remembered the time and shot to my feet in a panic. Calla stared up at me in confusion. I reached a hand down and pulled her up to her feet, muttering, “I want to, but we need to go. I told Ryder we’d be there in ten minutes.”
Her lips turned down into a frown.
I looked at my watch. Fuck. It was even later than I realized. My anxiety level rose. Brinley arrived to clean the suites around mine at 10:00 am. I always made it a point to be gone before 9:00 am, making sure I never crossed her path.
It was already 9:30 am.
I zipped my pants, grabbed Calla’s hand and tugged her out the door.
Only to come face to face with Brinley!
My stomach hit the floor.
She was early. She wasn’t supposed to be there until 10:00 am.
I was so surprised to see her, I forgot to breathe through my mouth, and her seductive and alluring scent slammed into me full force, almost knocking me off of my feet.
What the hell was I supposed to do?
Sweet floral lilacs and moonlight incandescence washed over me, drowning me in her essence. I mumbled, "Brinley? What are you doing here?"She looked equally stunned, mossy green eyes wide, flecks of gold swirling in their troubled depths. "I was working early today...I have...to go into town," she trailed off, her gaze now firmly on the floor. Her lip quivered. My Wolf paced in my head. His urge to comfort her was almost overwhelming."Oh," I muttered through clenched teeth, careful not to inhale through my nose again. I stared at her, mesmerized, frozen. I had no desire to move from the place I stood. I would have been happy just to sit and watch her succulent lips and the way her auburn hair fell over her shoulders.I hadn't seen her in two weeks.I'd assumed all I needed was time to get over her.I realized the depravity of that lie now.I was a fool.No amount of distance or length of time would lessen my captivation with her. It was preposterous to think I could overcome the Moo
It took every ounce of my strength and determination to keep him at bay. There was no doubt he could end the conflict, exacting the punishment he deemed deserved. But his actions would start a war, a war we couldn't win, a war that would end in Brinley's demise. Tension ran through my entire frame, causing me to shake. Brinley wrenched free, bucking Calla off. She spun around and lunged forward, her canines finding purchase in Calla's shoulder. How quickly the tables turned. Now, Brinley held the position of power. She stood over Calla, who writhed and fought beneath her. Brinley shook her head viciously, her teeth sinking deeper into Calla's flesh. Calla stopped fighting, whining out her submission. My Wolf puffed out his chest as we watched, pride in his mate flowing through us. Brinley was shockingly fast and strong. She lacked training. Her strength and speed were a gift from nature. He moaned out his pleasure at seeing her dominating the other she-wolf. Heat burned inside of
BRINLEY’S POV I was numb. I'd gone into town, as required, and returned with the list of supplies Lena had given me. It was dark. I trudged up to the two bedroom rundown house. Lena stood in the little kitchen and barked, "Once you put away the supplies, strip and be on your way. Your clothing will remain here. Each morning, you will report to me, get dressed and go to work. When finished, you will return, get undressed and get out of my sight." "Yes, ma'am," I mumbled. I kept my head down. I didn't have to look at her to know she was smirking. She was thrilled not to have to deal with me anymore and even more excited at my suffering. She took special satisfaction in my pain. Silently, I put the supplies away and walked into the small bedroom I used to call mine. Tears washed down my cheeks as I realized there wasn't anything in there that I cared about losing or leaving behind. Except one... I reached under the bed and pulled out a small teddy bear. It was a gift from my mothe
Another long week passed. My new schedule was becoming routine. Alpha had decided I would no longer clean the packhouse, thus eliminating me from Coal's presence altogether. Instead, I was sent into town on a daily basis to gather supplies, clean homes or run errands for pack members who lived there. It was a ten-mile trek each way, but I didn't mind the walk, and I was thrilled to be away from the pack.I was weak, but thankfully, my Wolf had been successful in hunting a few rabbits. We didn't eat every day, but it was enough to keep us alive.Today, the last house on my list, belonged to a member of a neighboring pack, Onyx Moon. Frankly, I'd been surprised to get the assignment, because relations between Ravenswood and Onyx Moon were not always the best, aggravated by a fierce rivalry for land. And their alpha, Alpha Wilder, was known to be a ferocious man. Of course, I couldn't imagine a man worse than Alpha.I pulled the address out of my pocket, checking it again and turned righ
BRINLEY’S POVMy head hurt. My world was a haze. I struggled to bring myself to consciousness, but couldn't quite grasp it. I was lying on my stomach, but my body was limp, I had no control. Abruptly, hands from behind lifted my hips. I startled in the strange male's grip, but my effort was pitiful as the drug-induced haze pulled on me. With shocking horror, I realized I was naked with a gag in my mouth. My heart pounded in my chest. No, no, no!! Rough fingers invaded my body, entering where no one had ever been before. Pain shot through me. My back arched of its own accord. A scream ripped from my chest, but no sound came out, muffled by the gag. His fingers withdrew, and claws dug into my sides as he pulled my hips back, thrusting himself into me at the same time. Red hot searing pain tore through me. My insides felt ripped apart. Torture so intense, I couldn't even scream. I desperately willed my body to work, trying to scramble away from the monster behind me. But it was n
CoalI had to stay away from her. I told myself that a hundred times a day. And a hundred times a day, it was just as hard as the last time to keep from seeking her out. My muscles ached from the constant tension in my body.I turned up a beer, letting the cold liquid slide down my throat. It did nothing to quench my thirst for the one thing I couldn't have- Brinley.Daylight was waning. Vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows followed the sun over the horizon, fading away into the dusk of night.Another day without her.My Wolf whimpered in my head.She should be returning from work right about now. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to see her from a distance......I just wanted to smell her sweet scent. That was all. I told myself. And then I would leave.I pushed up from my chair and stealthily made my way toward Lena's, careful to stay in the line of trees, covered in shadows. I didn't want to catch that old bitty's attention.When Brinley came into sight, I sucked in a deep breath, my gaze trans
Her tears finally ended. Still, we didn't move. She lay completely relaxed beneath us. After several minutes, he began to lift. She whined and rolled onto her back to face him, her fingers twining into his fur to keep him close to her.He froze, entranced by both of them as her Wolf surged to the surface, mossy green eyes darkening into deep pine.She slid her fingers through his thick fur.He'd never been touched by a female in skin.He shuddered, deeply affected by her tender ministrations. He tolerated other females when we were in my skin, but he had no use for them when he was in control. But not so with Brinley. With her, he craved her skin side to touch every part of him.She continued to stroke his face gently, gazing up at him. The transparent love in both her and her Wolf's eyes tore through me.Because she loved him......not me.I would never get to see her gaze at me with the same softness. She would never show me the vulnerability she gave to him, laying beneath him nake
CoalI walked away from Brinley in the woods. There wasn't anything else I could say. Shoulders hunched forward and footsteps heavy, I trudged back to the house.My thoughts tumbled over and over with the story of her assault. I'd demanded details, and she'd given them to me, not holding back. It was what I'd asked for, but now the images of what that bastard did to her, rolled through my mind on repeat.I entered my room and slammed the door shut, the hinges shuddering with force. I needed to take a shower, and then I wasn't sure what I was going to do. My Wolf was equally on edge, pacing back and forth in my mind, growling his desire to hunt. We both wanted to taste the coward's blood.Making my way into the bathroom, I stepped into the shower and let the liquid rain down on my flesh. The water was cold. There was no other option. I scowled.My horndog of a wolf just hadn't been able to contain himself, licking the heat between her legs. Between the scent of her arousal and tasting