Claiming His Prize (Bad Boy Alphas) (Feral Breed Followings Book 2) (7 page)

Jane stared, the wheels in her head almost visible through her big, dark eyes. Without preamble, she rushed into my arms and kissed me, a desperation on her lips that nearly made me grab her up and fly off with her. Made me want to protect her. Made me ready to die for her.

“Thank you,” she said, and then she was gone.

A
s I’d done too
many times before, I stumbled out of the cave like a woman running from a monster. Which, technically, I was. This time, though, I was also holding my arm. The bones didn’t seem to be broken, but the bleeding was excessive. I’d need to bandage the cut and soon. Mick still hadn’t said a word about how Saern had manhandled me, hadn’t even attempted to help me while that…thing held me against my will and rubbed himself all over me. I was disgusted, angry, hurt, but most of all, fucking done.

“You have to do something.”

Mick grunted but refused to look at me. He’d been slowly growing more agitated as I’d been voicing my fears and complaints. I don’t think he liked my not bowing to his every whim, but I wasn’t backing down this time. Saern could not be controlled. He was playing Mick like a fiddle, but the man was too stubborn and arrogant to see it. Unfortunately, I was the one stuck in the middle between the wolf and the dragon, with the dragon having a considerable size advantage. It wouldn’t be long before Saern took what he wanted from me, and I wasn’t going to stand around and let that happen.

Mick drove us back to The Pack House, silent the whole way. I didn’t initiate conversation either, though. I was too tired, too worn down from a week’s worth of being harassed and threatened, of being terrified of what might happen the next time I had to walk into that cave, to focus on anything else.

Except Piers.

It’d been two days since our…event in the exam room. Two days of me obsessing over him, wondering what was happening, wishing I could run to him for guidance. Wishing I could make a choice to be with him. Saern assumed he could take my choices away from me just as Mick had been doing for years. But while Mick would rule my life, I knew Saern would end it. I couldn’t have that. I needed to keep my dad safe, and I wanted to spend more time with him. Plus I had another dragon stealing my attention away from my wretched life. For once, I hoped that maybe, just maybe, I had a chance at something outside The Pack House. Doubtful, but there was a chance. A tiny one. Minuscule even.

“We’ll be bringing Saern to The Pack House tomorrow,” Mick said as he parked his truck behind the building.

I whipped around in my seat, that tiny bit of hope extinguished with a single sentence. “You’re insane.”

Mick growled, threatening me with his wolfishness, something I was beginning to fear less and less. “I’ve put up with your attitude regarding Saern for too long, girl. He
will
be coming to The Pack House and fighting. I
will
have two dragon shifters in the ring.”

I hopped out of the car and slammed the door. “He doesn’t have control of his dragon, Mick. You can’t just toss him to the wolves while you’ve got the pheromones in the building pumped as high as they are and not expect him to lose control.”

“The wolves will be fine.” Mick huffed and strode to the door. “Brush up on your dragon physiology, though. I have a feeling Saern might do some serious damage to Tidal. At least, I hope he does.”

I froze, my heart dropping. “You’re going to let Saern kill him?”

Mick laughed. “Not kill, child. Just knock him down a peg or two. The humans love a good falling-from-grace story. Tidal’s fall will bring more bettors into the crowd, which means more money. And money solves everything.”

“You’re an idiot.” I clenched my hands in my hair, pulling. This was a mess—an absolute mess—and it was only going to get worse.

“Saern will be fine,” Mick said, almost to himself. “He made a deal with me. If he doesn’t, or if he steps out of line, well…we have firepower.”

I shook my head and sighed. Firepower. Right. “Get a flare gun.”

“What?”

“All the bullets in the world won’t stop him. Find a flare gun and keep it on you.”

Mick didn’t answer. Instead, he turned and headed for the entrance to The Pack House. The door slammed behind him, the sound practically reverberating in my chest. He was insane. There was no way bringing Saern into the ring would solve anything, let alone letting him fight. I’d been slowly healing his wing, taking my time and not advancing his care to keep him out of here. But, apparently, my time was up. As was Tidal’s.

Piers.
His name is Piers.

I shivered as the reality of the situation wove through me. Piers and Saern were going to fight, and I couldn’t stop it. If I opened my mouth, my father died. If I didn’t, Piers likely would. I was trapped.

Tomorrow would be bad. No, horrible. Tomorrow could very well be the worst day of my career at The Pack House, and I didn’t want to participate. I wanted to run. But that would mean leaving my father behind for Mick to do with as he pleased, and I couldn’t have that. It would also mean leaving Piers here to fight without his knowing what was coming, something else I refused to do. The wily dragon had gotten under my skin, and I had feelings for him. Deep feelings. More-than-friend type feelings.

“Shit.” I kicked the ground, letting my thoughts spin, trying to work out a plan. Mick’s moratorium on telling the truth was my Achilles’s heel. If I told and he found out, he’d kill Piers. Or worse, my dad. If I didn’t tell, Saern would kill Piers. Either way, I was pretty sure I was dead—whether from a wolf or a crazed dragon was yet to be determined. Not that Piers’ dragon was that much safer. Though I hadn’t seen him yet. Hadn’t been introduced to his other side. He may not be as scary as Saern, or he may have terrified me. Guess I’d never find out.

I kicked the ground again. Frustrated and completely unsure of what to do.

“What’d that dirt ever do to you?”

I was in motion before I could blink, racing toward the man I’d been craving. Piers stood twenty feet away, tall and dark and so damned perfect, I couldn’t resist any longer. I never even slowed, simply ran right into him. Confident he’d catch me.

And catch me he did.

His hands slid immediately to my ass, holding me up as I jumped at him. As I once again wrapped my legs around his hips. My lips met his in a fiery kiss. Teeth and tongues mashed, hands slid under clothes, and within seconds, I found myself with my back against a tree and a very hard Piers between my knees.

“Jane, what—”

“Please,” I hissed, biting his neck, giving in to the desire taking me over. “Please just be with me. Want me.”

“Fuck, Doc.” Piers growled and pressed his arousal against me, making me shiver. “I want you. Of course I fucking want you.”

“Then take me.”

Piers didn’t wait for more. He raced through the trees, carrying me deeper into the forest and away from The Pack House. When he found what must have been the perfect spot for him to hide us, he pushed me up against a tree trunk and attacked. He had my pants undone and around my ankles in a breath, had my panties torn off in the next. I rocked and kissed and bit, trying to get closer, trying to take a part of him into me. Wanting to get all of him.

With one hand under my ass, he lifted me, his other fumbling with his shorts. Pushing them down his legs. His skin was cold but warming quickly, his movements jerky and rushed. But then he was free, and skin met skin. Wet and swollen against hard and velvety. I rocked my hips against him, cursing under my breath. Spreading my wetness from base to tip.

“Fuck, Doc. You sure?” His words came out on gasps, his desire plain. His lust a tangible thing. I nodded and pulled him closer with my ankles. Wiggling impatiently as I tried to line us up. Thankfully, Piers wasn’t a patient man. He reached down and placed the head of his dick at my entrance, rubbing it back and forth just twice before he thrust up.

I nearly screamed.

The stretch of him inside me was more than I had imagined. And I
had
imagined this. In the dark of my room at night, when I was all alone and wanting. With my hand between my legs and my face pressed into the pillow to stay quiet. I’d imagined it plenty. But my imagination had been lacking.

“That’s it,” Piers said, hissing his words, moving his hips into mine. “Take it. Every inch.”

My head fell back against the tree, my hand grasping at his shoulder. He was so deep. So thick and hard inside of me. Stretching me in ways no other lover ever had. I loved it. I needed more.

“Harder,” I begged, yanking on his hair. “Fuck, Piers. Make me come.”

“Yes.” His word was a solid hiss, his movements speeding up as he responded. He moved his arms underneath my thighs, lifting me higher, spreading me wider.

“Look at me, Jane.”

I met his heated gaze, my eyes half-lidded. I was so close. So ready to come. It wouldn’t take much. Not long.

“I know, Jane. I know you’re close. But trust me, okay? I want to make it so good for you. Will you let me?”

I nodded, unable to speak. Too strung out on the feel of him sliding in and out to focus on silly things like words. He pressed into me harder, keeping his eyes on mine, lifting me with each slide out. The rhythm was hypnotizing, the movements more extended and slow. He kept me right on the edge, kept teasing me with his hands on my ass and the pressure of his body rubbing against my clit.

“Piers,” I whispered, biting him on the shoulder. I couldn’t keep my teeth off his skin, couldn’t resist egging him on. I was a writhing, desperate mess, needing him to just fucking pound me again. He seemed to understand my desires. With a grunt, he jerked forward, slamming into me, pulling me down with his hands on my waist. And my God, was it good. The pressure built, the tingling inside of me growing with every rock. With every curse. With every wet slap.

“I want to see you come, Doc. I want to feel you squeeze my cock. C’mon, love. Let me see it.” His deep voice only accented his words. Making me crave them. Making me feel them. I wrapped one arm around his neck, the other dangling as my legs began to shake. As my entire world dropped to a pinpoint I could no longer avoid. Until I bit down hard on Piers’ neck in a moment of complete abandon, breaking the skin. Sending shocks and sparks all through my body. I came with a shout, feeling something more than sexual satiation rocking my body. Feeling a complete bond with the man I was wrapped around, a closeness. Something I’d never experienced before.

Piers bucked and growled, practically shaking the tree with the force of his thrusts. Chasing his own bliss in a wild sort of way as I shuddered from mine. He found it moments later, pressing deeper and groaning out his pleasure. I loved watching him come, seeing the way his eyes closed and his lips pulled back in what looked almost like a snarl. Knowing I gave him that. That I was the reason for his release.

But reality didn’t let me out of her claws for long. As our bodies cooled, as Piers leaned against me, holding me, supporting me, my situation stole my good mood. There were too many things wrong to truly enjoy the one right thing I’d found.

Hating myself for what I knew I needed to do, I pushed on Piers’ shoulder. He backed up, and I wiggled out of his hold. It was time to stand on my own two feet again. To be alone.

“You should get back before they figure out you’re outside.” I bent to pull up my pants.

Piers chuckled as he grabbed me and lifted me off the ground. “Not that I don’t love the fact that you’re coming around to my charms, but what was that about? And what’s with the kiss-off?”

I shrugged, avoiding his eyes. “We both know this can’t be anything.”

“Wow,” Piers said, the jovial tone in his voice making me look up. “You’re a really bad liar. Quit trying, Doc. It won’t work.”

I tried to hold firm, but he was right. I was lying, to him and myself. And I didn’t want to do that.

“Oh God, that was so bad, wasn’t it?” I shook my head, snuggling into his chest. Trying to steal a few more moments as I hid my embarrassment. “It’s been a long week, and I don’t know what to do.”

He hummed and held me tighter. “Can I help?”

I was about to say no when an idea struck me. I might not be able to save everyone, but I could try to save him. Perhaps that would be my penance for working with Mick for so long. Save the dragon, and Mick wouldn’t be able to put on his fight. Saern would still need to be dealt with, but Piers would be safe.

I dropped back to the ground and tugged Piers by the hand. He stumbled, yanking up his shorts as he tried to follow.

“Where are we going, Doc?”

I ducked under some low branches, looking back to make sure he was keeping up. “You asked if you can help.”

“Yeah?”

“Well, you can’t really, but your dragon may be able to.”

He stopped, pulling me to a stop as well. Forcing me to turn toward him. “You need my dragon?”

I nodded and held out my arm. The injured one. The one with a gash I knew he might recognize the origins of.

His face turned angry, his eyes cold. “Where’d you get that cut?”

I ran my fingers over the slice on my arm. “I’m not allowed to say.”

He huffed, a small growl building in his chest. “Doc—”

“I can’t tell you.” I walked into him and rose on the balls of my feet so I could whisper in his ear as he growled louder. “I can’t
tell
you, but your dragon would know. He needs to know. He needs to figure this out so he can leave.”

“Leave?” Piers stared at me for a long moment. The heavy darkness around us gave me no indication of his expression, but I knew he’d listen. Somehow, I understood that he would do anything I asked. And right in that moment, I was going to ask him to fly away. To leave. To disappear so Mick and Saern could never find him.

I was going to save him.

Without a word, Piers grabbed my hand this time and dragged me deeper into the woods. His steps were sure, but unlike Mick, he kept a careful hold on me so I didn’t stumble. It was a quiet moment of seeing what I wanted, wishing for it. Knowing I couldn’t have it.

When we reached the riverbank, I backed away from him. Giving him room, even though I knew from Saern that he wouldn’t really need it.

“Go.”

Piers cocked his head. “Go?”

I waved my hands and huffed. “Do your thing. Strip. Shift. Bring out the beast.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You want me naked.”