Ellora's Cavemen: Tales from the Temple II (5 page)

After today, he would belong to another. As a human, she was allowed to witness all but the most private ceremonies. As Luc’s friend, she would be expected to attend his Bonding Ceremony.

25

Tielle St. Clare

The Mate Bonding was a ritual similar to a human wedding but with fewer restrictions. It allowed for the wolves involved to take lovers, so long as the children produced from the union came from the mated pair.

She found the ceremony simple and elegant. But that was before she knew she would be witnessing Luc’s.

A deep snarl broke free, creeping out between her tightly clenched teeth.
His mate
wouldn’t mind if he hopped into a pretty werewolf’s bed, but for some reason that thought made Caitlin want to rip someone’s throat out. Preferably Luc’s.

“What’s wrong?” Luc asked, watching her with concerned eyes.

“Nothing. Glad to see you’re still easing the wolf’s needs.” The words came out prissy and uptight but Caitlin couldn’t stop them—or the tone.

Confusion streaked across his face. Then he looked down the hall, following the female with his eyes. He smiled. “Don’t worry, baby. I showered because I was hot from the drive. Not to wash off another’s scent.”

Caitlin told herself she didn’t care, but that didn’t stop her from taking a deep inhale to see if she could detect any foreign smells—any lingering traces of perfume.

“The Alpha will see you now.” The Secretary’s announcement stopped any further conversation. Or analysis on Caitlin’s part. It shouldn’t matter to her if Luc slept with every female in the Pack. It wasn’t any of her business.

When Caitlin didn’t move, Luc put his hand on her back and nudged her forward.

This audience was supposed to be his final preparation for the Mate Bonding, but instead, Luc was going to have to tell his Alpha that he couldn’t Bond with the lovely werewolf from the other pack. And that he’d taken a human for a mate. Fallon wouldn’t be happy with the change of plans.

They entered the room and Luc immediately went to the Alpha Wolf. With a movement that had little to do with humbleness and much to do with respect, Luc dropped to one knee and lowered his eyes.

“Greetings, my Alpha. I renew my vow to protect your Pack, your mate, and your person, and I bow before your wisdom.”

“Arise.”

Luc followed the command and came to his feet.

“Those words just stick in your throat, don’t they?” Fallon asked with a smile.

Luc accepted the offered hand with a chuckle. “Only when I get to the ‘wisdom’

part. I grew up with you, Cousin. I know exactly what sort of wisdom you gained.”

The twinkle in Fallon’s eye calmed Luc. Fallon was the Alpha Wolf. He was also a friend. He would understand.

“You and I need to talk.”

Confusion and a touch of concern marked Fallon’s expression. Then he nodded. He turned to Caitlin and held out his hand. “You have once again delivered your charge safely home. Thank you, Caitlin.”

26

By Moon Rise

He greeted her with a polite kiss on the cheek.

“I’m glad I was able to assist the Pack.” Caitlin politely bowed her head.

There was that phrase again. Luc felt his upper lip curl back, but cautiously pulled it down. He did the only thing he could—clung to the words she’d screamed when he’d been pounding inside her body.
I love you, Luc.

“If I might have a few minutes of your time, Alpha, when the ceremony is done?”

“Of course, my dear.”

Luc couldn’t help rolling his eyes. Fallon was barely three years older than he was and that made him only six years older than Caitlin. The fatherly tone and attitude didn’t suit his age.

“Fallon, I need to speak with you now,” Luc announced, using a commanding tone that few would dare direct toward an Alpha. Fallon raised his eyebrows in question.

“It’s important,” Luc added, knowing Fallon would recognize the seriousness. Fallon nodded.

“Oh good, you’ve arrived.” Everyone in the room turned as a unit to greet the Luna. Her pale hair was draped casually down her back. Luc bowed respectfully, but quickly, anxious to drag Fallon away. “How are you, Caitlin? You look lovely. You always look lovely of course, but still…have you done something different to you hair?”

Caitlin shook her head.

“Well, there is something different about you. I just can’t put my finger on it.”

She spent the weekend fucking a werewolf…

Luc kept his snide response to himself.

“Fallon,” Luc said with clenched teeth.

“Merina,” Fallon addressed his mate. “Would you visit with Caitlin while Luc explains to me what is so blasted important?”

Merina nodded and Luc was finally able to lead Fallon to the far corner of the room.

“We have a problem,” Luc began.

“So I gathered. What?”

“I can’t go through with the ceremony.”

“What?!”

The harsh question was like a shot through the room. Luc glanced over to Caitlin and Merina. Both women were looking their direction.

“Going to tell me why you’re backing out of a mate bonding that both packs have agreed to and that has great potential to increase the strength of both bloodlines?”

Though Fallon kept his voice down, there was no mistaking the intensity.

Luc stared directly into Fallon’s eyes, almost daring the other wolf to challenge him.

“Caitlin’s my mate.”

He watched Fallon’s mouth fall open. And Luc couldn’t stop his smile. It wasn’t often that one caught the Alpha Wolf unaware.

27

Tielle St. Clare

“How did you not notice this before?” Fallon demanded after a moment’s hesitation. “A true biological mate is supposed to be
obvious
to the werewolf in the pair.

How did you miss this?”

“I kept myself away from her. You were the one who told me not to mess with my staff. And I haven’t. It wasn’t until this weekend and we were fucking that it became crystal clear.”

“Is there any chance you’ve made a mistake?”

Luc understood Fallon’s reluctance, but he knew the truth. “No.”

“Maybe it’s just residual lust from the moon—combined with your appreciation. It could make you…”

Luc shook his head. “When we got here, I went to my room, Angelina was waiting for me. Naked.” Every male werewolf in the Pack understood the significance of that invitation. Angelina was known for her oral skills. She could suck the chrome off a bumper. “I sent her away.”

Fallon’s eyes widened. “Wow.”

“Exactly.”

“I hate to interrupt—“ Merina said. Both men jerked. They hadn’t noticed her approach. “But I was eavesdropping and I thought you should know—you’ve got one other issue to deal with.” She leaned closer and dropped her voice to a whisper. “Your little mate is newly pregnant. Her body’s just kicking into overdrive.”

It was Luc’s moment to be stunned beyond speech.
Pregnant?
They’d made a baby?

Though
he
had no doubts about it—a True Mating could be proven only by the birth of offspring. That she’d already conceived would go far in having the Pack accept her.

This was direct proof she was his destined mate.

All three werewolves turned and looked at Caitlin. As if sensing their appraisal, she looked up.

“Is something wrong?”

“Uh, no,” Fallon answered after a moment. He left the little group and walked back to her side. “You had something important you wanted to discuss with me as well.”

Caitlin thought about putting it off, but she had Fallon’s attention. “Yes.” Knowing Luc’s superior hearing would make it easy for him to eavesdrop but relying on the wolf’s natural courtesy, she lowered her voice and spoke. “When the Ceremony is over, I’d like to discuss a transfer.“

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Caitlin spun around at Luc’s furious question. He all but pushed Fallon to the side and took Caitlin’s shoulders in his hands. “You’re my mate and that’s my child you’re carrying so don’t get any ideas about going anywhere but home with me.”

“That was subtle,” Merina muttered.

Luc ignored her. So did Caitlin. “What did you say?”

28

By Moon Rise

“You’re heard me. And don’t try to change the subject. A woman’s place is with her mate.”

There was a wildness in his eyes she’d never seen before—and it had nothing to do with the wolf. She stepped back and glared at him. “What are you talking about?

What’s this about mates and…” Her mind caught up with the conversation. She slapped her hand across her stomach. “Did you say child?”

Fallon stepped in and placed his arm around her waist. Caitlin didn’t know if it was to comfort her or to stop her from lunging at Luc.

“Yes, my dear, it seems that you and Luc are fated to be mates. True Mates. You’ve conceived.”

“Bu-bu-but—“ Surprise locked the words into her throat. ”I thought humans couldn’t mate with werewolves. I
thought
,” she said, regaining her composure and glaring over the Alpha’s shoulder toward Luc, because he had given her this information, “that children couldn’t result in those unions.”

“I told you it was rare but that if the human and wolf were destined to be mates, then it could happen.” Luc leaned forward, staring down at her. For a moment she almost pulled away but stopped. Luc wouldn’t hurt her, no matter how intimidating he wanted to appear. “I don’t see what the problem is,” he continued. “You love me. You told me so.”

Caitlin straightened, trying to remember when she would have spoken those words. She’d been so careful to keep her feelings hidden. Or so she’d thought. But it seemed, at some point, she’d told Luc. Probably when they were fucking.

Not that it mattered.

“I’m not going to be your mate just because that animal inside you likes to fuck me,” she snapped, forgetting for a moment that Fallon and Merina were listening. Then she decided—
what the hell?
Fallon knew what had happened this weekend. It had been his suggestion. And obviously Merina knew as well. “I deserve more than a man who marries me because of a biological urge!”

Luc shook his head and stared at her like she was speaking Russian. “What?”

All the anger slipped from her body and she shook her head sadly. “Luc, you and I both know that it wasn’t you fucking me all weekend. It was that damned wolf. But that’s not a reason to be together. For the other twenty-nine days of the month, you’d be stuck with me.”

“But that’s what I want.”

“No, you don’t.”

He placed his hands on her shoulders, holding her steady beneath his stare.

“Caitlin, the wolf was urging me on but I was in complete control of him all weekend.

From the first moment my mouth touched your cunt—”

Caitlin choked, then was relieved to see that Fallon and Merina had stepped away.

29

Tielle St. Clare

“—I knew precisely what I was doing. Baby, the wolf just gave me the strength to fuck you all weekend. The desire was all mine. You’re the woman I want.”

Caitlin tried to slow the thoughts swirling through her head. “You’ve never thought so before,” she pointed out.

He lifted her hands to his lips. “I always knew you were someone special. I couldn’t let myself have you knowing I would have to bond with another woman. But then the wolf chose you as his mate and I knew there was no one else for me.”

Her heart ached to believe him.

“Perhaps you two would like to continue discussion…in private,” Fallon suggested.

“I’ll go make our explanations to the other pack. A True Mating takes precedence over a typical bonding.“

Caitlin let herself be led away, down the hall to Luc’s bedroom. The huge four-poster bed that dominated the room caught her attention. An elaborate carving of wolves running across a meadow decorated the headboard. She pulled out of his arms and stepped away.

“Are you sure about this? You’re giving up a lot. You’ll never be Alpha, not with a human mate. And it’s probable that our children won’t be able to change.”

Luc smiled and reached out, brushing her hair away from her face. “I have no desire or anticipation of being the Alpha. Fallon’s too healthy and too damn strong to give up that position before he’s old and gray. And as for our children…” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter to me if they can change or not. They’ll be perfect just as they are. Just like their mother.”

Her heart melted. “Oh Luc.”

He bent down and kissed her. It was soft and gentle. Nothing like the deep commanding kisses he’d given her throughout the weekend. There was something sweet and decidedly sensual in the light press of his lips to hers. He opened his mouth but didn’t attempt to push his tongue inside. The delicate kisses made her heart ache.

He sampled her mouth as if he’d never tasted anything so delicious and wanted to linger over the flavor.

Their bodies moved together, her legs automatically opening to cuddle his erection.

His hands smoothed down her back and hips, retracing the territory he’d claimed. He spread hot kisses across her neck and chest, still soft and gentle–the light touches equally as arousing as the hard, driving caresses from before.

“I need you,” he whispered against her skin. “It’s been too long since I was inside you.”

He lifted his head and looked at her. The silent question hung in his eyes. He was letting her know this wasn’t the wolf needing comfort. This was the man asking for her to be with him.

“Make love to me, Luc.”

30

By Moon Rise

In the heavy silence of the room, he stripped off her clothes, caressing each inch of skin as it was revealed. When she was bare, he ripped off his own clothes and carried her to the bed.

He placed her in the center and arranged her limbs, spreading her legs, massaging the tired muscles inside her thighs, easing the knots from her calves with his magic fingers. Caitlin watched him as he touched her. His movements were slow and dreamy.

And focused solely on her.

And when she was relaxed and limber, he lay down beside her and licked the peaks of her breasts, soothing the sensitive tips with his tongue before gently biting down on the pert nipples. He kissed his way down her body, trailing his tongue across her rib cage and belly.