Pretty Baby [Wolf Creek Pack 7] (16 page)

“More than you trust me.”

“No!”

“Then why?”

“I told you, baby, until I could talk to Nate and find out what he meant by not touching you, I didn’t know if it would harm you or not, and I’m not about to do anything that puts your life in jeopardy. You mean too much to me.”

Elliot leaned his head back against the rock wall. He concentrated on his breathing, in and out, in and out. Anything else was simply beyond him at the moment. Too much of Elliot wanted to believe Tommy, to grasp what he had felt before and never let go, and that could be more dangerous than anything.

“Elliot, please, you have to believe me. I swear on my life that I never meant to hurt you. I was just trying to protect you the only way I knew how. I never meant for you to think I didn’t want you.”

Elliot tilted his head so that he could look at Tommy. The man really didn’t look all that good. Tommy’s lips were pulled tight, his jaw clenched. The normal sparkle in his dark silver grey eyes that Elliot was used to had turned to a dull grey, almost like the color of everything around them. But mostly, Tommy looked heartbroken.

“What happens if I come back?” Elliot murmured. “How will it change anything? Everyone still hates me. They still think I’m going to destroy the pack. I can’t live somewhere where everyone hates me or thinks I’m a bad person, Tommy. I just can’t do it.”

“Then we’ll go somewhere else, Elliot. There are a lot of packs out there that would take us in, and even if they don’t, I know of a vampire coven we can join.”

Elliot blinked. “Vampires are real?”

Tommy chuckled. “Yeah, vampires are real. I have a good friend, Devlin, who is actually mated to Prince
Zacarius
Ivinovav, a vampire.”

“Prince?”

“He’s the leader of his coven. That makes him a prince or something like that.” Tommy shrugged. “I know we’d be welcome there if we asked.”

“How would being there be any different than with your pack? My father is still a threat no matter where we are.”

“Elliot, I don’t care who your father is. I’m not giving you up.”

“Tommy—”

“Just come home with me, Elliot.” Tommy held out a hand to him but didn’t try to force the issue. “I promise I will prove to you that we belong together and that you can trust me. I won’t let you down, pretty baby.”

Elliot stared at Tommy’s hand for the longest time, trying to weigh his options. He was currently in hell, but he was in hell alone. If he returned, he might still be in hell, but Tommy would be there, maybe.

Was that enough to make him go back? Could he trust in what Tommy was saying after everything that had happened? Elliot had trusted before and been disappointed every single time. Would this time be any different? Nothing in Elliot’s past said it would. He really had no reason to trust Tommy’s words beyond his desire to believe in them.

“Please, Elliot,” Tommy whispered.

Almost against his own control, Elliot saw himself reach out for the hand Tommy held out to him. He had just a moment to soak in the overriding joy he felt at touching Tommy again before agony unlike anything he had ever felt swept through his body.

Elliot’s eyes closed and his head fell back on his shoulders as his entire body seized, waves of pain filling every cell of his body. He opened his mouth to scream but no sound came out. He distantly heard Tommy shouting his name, but it was quickly drowned out by a loud rush of white noise.

Then suddenly, silence. The pain was gone and Elliot felt nothing. Once again, he wasn’t cold or hot. He wasn’t thirsty or hungry. He wasn’t anything. Elliot felt like he floated in a bubble, no sound, no feeling, no nothing.

Elliot opened his eyes slowly, frowning quickly when the world around him appeared in shades of grey still. He wasn’t in the cavern of hell anymore. Even he could tell that. He was in someone’s bedroom.

“Hey, pretty baby, how are you feeling?”

Elliot could feel Tommy’s hand stroking him, but it felt funny, like not quite real. He glanced down then whimpered. Dread filled him when all he could see was white fur under Tommy’s fingers. Elliot tried to back away. He felt more frightened than he had been when he found himself in the cave, but the fur just followed him.

“Elliot, baby, calm down,” Tommy said. “It’s okay.”

But it wasn’t okay. Elliot opened his mouth to tell Tommy that, but all that came out was a high pitched bark. Elliot scrambled away, pushing with his… with his… Elliot’s eyes widened when he realized he had paws where his feet and hands should be.

“Elliot, look at me.”

Elliot’s eyes riveted in on Tommy when the man grabbed his face and held it still. His heart thundered in his chest as he tried to figure out what in the hell was going on.

“It’s okay, pretty baby, you’re in your wolf form.”

Elliot started to shake his head, to tell Tommy he was nuts. He didn’t have a wolf form. He was human. And then, as he shook his head, his eyes caught the white-furred muzzle going back and forth as he shook his head.

Elliot froze. This wasn’t possible. He wasn’t a wolf.

“Elliot, look at me.” Elliot raised his eyes to meet Tommy’s, whimpering softly. “I want you to think about being in human form. Think about having legs and arms, smooth skin instead of fur. Come on, pretty baby, shift back for me. I promise as soon as you do, I’ll answer all of your questions.”

Elliot had to believe Tommy. The man was born a wolf. Surely he knew what he was talking about. Elliot closed his eyes and concentrated on being human again. He thought about what it felt like to walk and talk, to stretch his arms over his head and wiggle his toes.

He felt his muscle stretch and contract. Bones popped. But strangely enough, it didn’t hurt. It just felt really uncomfortable and incredibly weird. When Elliot opened his eyes again, the color was back, the room seeming almost too bright.

Elliot lifted his hand and held it out in front of his face, grateful to see each long finger. He flexed them, watching the knuckles bend and straighten. Next, Elliot felt over his face, finding the same old nose, high cheekbones, and plush lips.

“Hey, pretty baby, it’s good to see you back.”

Elliot turned toward the voice that spoke, finding Tommy smiling down at him. There was a suspicious glint in Tommy’s eyes. Elliot opened his mouth to speak but only a croak of a sound came out. He inhaled quickly, panic starting to set in again until Tommy’s hands stroked down over his arms.

“Sshhh, Elliot, it’s okay. Your voice might be a little hoarse for awhile. That can be a side effect of shifting sometimes.”

Elliot frowned and shook his head. He didn’t understand what was going on. He was even more confused when Tommy took a deep breath and reached down to hold his hand.

“Listen to me, Elliot, this is very important. You’re a shifter just like me. I don’t know how it happened or why it happened. I don’t even know how long you’ve been able to shift, but you are a wolf.” Tommy grinned suddenly. “And one of the most beautiful wolves I have ever seen.”

Elliot shook his head. He wasn’t a wolf. Despite what had happened a few minutes ago when he had been covered in fur, Tommy had to be wrong.

“Come here, Elliot,” Tommy said as he gestured for Elliot to come closer with his hand, “I want you to do something for me.”

Elliot frowned and did as Tommy asked, sitting up and leaning closer to the man. He felt a small ache between his shoulder blades that made him wince a bit, but it wasn’t too bad. Just kind of uncomfortable like he had slept wrong. And maybe that was the answer to all of this. Maybe he had been dreaming and none of this was real?

“Come closer, pretty baby, I want you to put your face in my neck and sniff me.”

Elliot quickly leaned back and cocked an eyebrow at Tommy.

The man chuckled. “I know, it sounds odd, but please, just trust me. I know what I’m talking about.”

Wary, Elliot leaned forward at the same time Tommy did, pressing his face into the man’s neck. He paused for just a moment then inhaled deeply. The strong heady scent of man and earth and musk filled Elliot’s senses, overwhelming him instantly.

Elliot whimpered and pressed closer, inhaling over and over again. He couldn’t get enough of the masculine fragrance. He needed more. He needed to roll in the exquisite scent, rub it all over his body. He wanted to bathe in it, to never smell another thing. Nothing on earth could smell this good.

Elliot didn’t realize he was growling and grabbing at Tommy’s arms, trying to pull himself closer, until he heard Tommy’s groan in his ear. “That’s so fucking hot, pretty baby. I can hear you growling.”

“Tommy,” Elliot cried out. He dropped his head back, baring his neck when Tommy started sniffing at him. It was one of the most erotic things he had ever experienced in his life. It made him feel hot, achy.

Elliot could feel his cock filling. He wanted to rub himself against Tommy in the worst way. He was just afraid to. Tommy’s family had interrupted them so many times Elliot didn’t want to start something they couldn’t finish. He just… he needed so badly.

“Tommy,” he cried out again.

“Ssshh, I told you I would take care of you, pretty baby,” Tommy said as he pushed Elliot back against the pillows then leaned over him. “Everyone has left, the door is locked, and no one will disturb us. It’s time for me to make you mine.”

“Yours?”

“Yes, Elliot.” Elliot leaned into the hand Tommy cupped against the side of his face, the man’s skin warm against his. “You belong to me, remember? And I promised you we would always be together.”

Elliot nodded even though he wasn’t quite sure what exactly he was agreeing to. His mind felt like mush, unable to grab onto any one thought, and so many were floating around in his head.

He wanted to know more about this shifting thing and why it had happened to him, if indeed he wasn’t dreaming. He had questions and he wanted answers. He just… Tommy’s hands felt so good rubbing against his skin and…

“Tommy,” Elliot groaned.

“I’ve got you, pretty baby,” Tommy whispered close to his ear. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Elliot knew he should be protesting or at least waiting until he knew more about what was happening, but he needed so bad. His body ached and the only thing that seemed to make it better was the feeling of Tommy touching him, kissing him.

Elliot cried out in protest when Tommy moved away from him. He clutched desperately at the man’s arms, refusing to give up the euphoric feelings coursing through his body. He didn’t want reality to return.

“I’m just getting undressed, Elliot,” Tommy said as he pulled away and stood up.

Elliot’s eyes devoured every bit of flesh that Tommy revealed as he stripped his clothes off. While they had been intimate a few times already, Elliot had never actually seen all of Tommy’s naked body, and that was a damn shame. The man was breathtaking. Elliot couldn’t tear his eyes away.

His breath hitched in his throat when Tommy grinned, and a very sensual grin at that, then climbed up onto the bed between Elliot’s legs. Elliot felt like prey to Tommy’s predatory nature. He couldn’t understand why that sent a thrill of excitement racing through his body. Shouldn’t he be scared?

The feeling of Tommy stroking over his naked skin made Elliot forget all about what he should or shouldn’t be feeling. All he could think about was how wonderful the gentle caresses felt, and what he needed to do to get more.

“I love how soft your skin is, pretty baby.”

Elliot lifted his head to look down his body to Tommy. His eyes widened in surprise. Tommy looked mesmerized as he stroked his fingers over Elliot’s skin, he eyes intently following every caress of his fingers. Every few inches, Tommy would lean down and kiss the flesh he’d touched.

“Such beautiful skin,” Tommy whispered, “just as beautiful as your white fur.”

Elliot dropped his head back onto the pillow, unable to hold it up under the onslaught of Tommy’s caresses. It just felt so damn good. Elliot just laid there and wallowed in the overwhelming sensations, unable to do more.

When he felt a feathery light touch across the head of his engorged shaft, Elliot almost came off the bed. He cried out, arching into the air seeking more as his hands dug into the blankets.

“Tommy!”

“I’ve got you, pretty baby,” Tommy replied. “Gonna make you feel so good.”

Elliot had no doubt Tommy spoke the truth when the man continued to caress him, kiss him. Every touch was exquisite but Elliot quickly knew he needed more. He just wasn’t quite sure what that something was.

When two lubed fingers pushed into him, Elliot cried out and rode the feeling as far as it would go. When he canted his hips, needing more, Tommy was there to answer his silent plea, pushing in another finger.

“To–Tommy!”

“Mate,” Tommy crooned softly in Elliot’s ear.

Elliot gasped in delight when Tommy began a steady rhythm, pushing his fingers into Elliot’s tight entrance then pulling them out, slowly stretching Elliot. He might have had sex before, but he didn’t remember it feeling this good.

Between the fingers in his ass, the soft caresses, and the kisses Tommy placed against his hot skin, Elliot’s world narrowed down to the man loving on him. Nothing else existed outside of his little world. And Elliot never wanted to leave.