Sassy Ever After: Bite My Sass (Kindle Worlds Novella) (6 page)

A
low rumble
comes from Roman, and I jerk myself awake from a semi-alert state. But when I glance down at him, I see he’s still unconscious. Dean’s nails click as he comes over to the bed to sniff at his alpha. He, Byron, and Alex shifted into wolf form to stand guard in the RV. Alex is by the door, and Byron is in the front cab as Alisha, Jayden, and Chelsea sleep on the pull-out bed.

I say, “He’s still out, but the wounds are finally healing.”

Dean steps back, and his bones thud as he lies down on the floor.

The RV park floodlights are bright as they shine in the rooftop window, and I tug the open flannel shirt Alisha gave me to wear. I hear the soft cough of a security guard. A team of armed men are perusing the park in case the wolves come back. I expect the scenting ceremony has been cut short and most clans are deep into the woods right now to stay away from human danger.

Roman’s fur is soft under my fingers as I stroke his face.
This is all my fault.
He tried to get me to go in the RV because he knew the wolves were after me, but I had to be my own form of alpha and deny his order. I grimace as I replay Roman jumping in front of me to keep me safe from Regina. He was already hurt, and the way he was swaying makes me think she managed to get poison in the gash on his side before she came after me. He knew she’d kill me.

My throat thickens, and I blink back tears. Roman sacrificed himself to save me.
Oh God. How could I have been so stupid?
If I had just trusted my mate and gone in the RV, this wouldn’t have happened. I whisper, “Roman, I’m so sorry.”

I don’t have a lot of experience with poison in werewolves, but I recall a wolf I met that had been attacked. He had a scar that took up half his back, and it was an ugly red patch that looked as if it still hurt. It was the worst thing I’d ever seen on our kind. We have incredible healing abilities and can withstand almost anything with only a bit of shiny skin to show for it. My beautiful mate is going to bear a nasty scar on his shoulder because of me.

I stretch out my legs to adhere myself more fully to my mate’s body, and I touch my nose to Roman’s. His snout is wet and cold on my skin, and I let it comfort me as the heat of my shame rolls down my face as I cry myself to sleep.

Something hard presses against my bottom as soothing warmth envelops me, and I sigh as a hand strokes my hair before reality slaps me in the face. I try to bolt up in bed, but a strong arm holds me back. Roman slides a hand up to cup my breast. “Don’t leave me.”

I twist to face him—and break into a grin as I let out a whoosh of air in relief. “You’re awake.”

He thrusts his hips toward me to press his erection into my belly. “I believe I am.”

Sun is streaming in through the top window, and it makes me think it’s close to noon. “What time is it?”

I try to sit up again, and Roman says, “Woman, would you please for once do as I say?”

“But—”

Roman silences me with a kiss, and it’s so delicious it would be easy to lose myself in him. I pull away because I need answers. “Where is everyone?”

“I told them to get lost for a while.” He slides a hand between my legs and wiggles his fingers into my folds. “There’s something I need to do to keep both of us safe.”

My shame of what happened rises in me, and my cheeks burn. “Roman, I’m so sorry. I was so stupid.”

“You were, but I get it, my stubborn mate.” He rubs my tender nub, and I let out a small sound of appreciation. “If I could have communicated with you telepathically, things would have been different.”

I’m having trouble focusing as desire drowns me, but I ask, “How are your wounds? Is there a lot of pain?”

“Does it seem like I’m in pain?”

I reach for his cock and grip it. “Not really.”

He nips at my neck and lets out a low growl. “We’ll talk later.” He thrusts his fingers into me hard and says, “Right now I need to claim you once and for all.”

I arch my hips up to him as I say, “Yes.” I know I’m asking him to bite into my flesh and mark me as his.

He rises up over me, and I gaze at the man I’ll spend the rest of my life with. Tears fill my eyes as I think about how I almost lost him. “I love you so much, Roman.”

His cock is hard as he presses it against my entrance and slides in slowly to seat himself deep. “I love you, Juliet.” He pumps in and out of me with a steady purpose as I rock to meet him with each thrust. As my orgasm builds, I’m careful to hold onto his hips and arms to avoid his wounds, but he’s moving as if there isn’t a thing wrong.

I let out small cries when I’m about to come, and I tilt my head back to offer Roman my neck. He latches onto my shoulder, and the sharp sting of his teeth entering my flesh is swept away as my release takes me. The combination of his mark and my climax is an experience like no other, and I’m sure my scream of ecstasy can be heard throughout the park, but I don’t care. Roman clutches me tight to his chest as I quiver in the aftermath.

He begins to move again so he can come too, and this is where I should take over, because usually the female returns the bite. It’s not necessary for our bond, but it’s a way to exhibit that the male doesn’t have complete control over the female. One would think I’d be all for it, but I realize my need for control isn’t always a good thing. Alisha taught me how to trust a friend to show me the truth. I think now I need to learn to trust my lover and mate for life. I whisper, “Roman, I can’t bite you.”

My mate pauses to ask, “Why not?”

“When I’ve proven I’m worthy of being your mate, I will.”

“Juliet, you’ve always been worthy.”

I smile as I place my hand on his cheek. “Let me be submissive for once and learn how to let you take control. Who knows? I might actually like it.”

Roman’s eyebrows rise up with mischief. “This might be fun.”

I dig my nails into his butt. “Weren’t you doing something?”

He chuckles as he rolls his hips to create friction on my sensitive flesh. I tremble beneath him as he says, “That’s right. I was going to make my mate scream my name this time.”

I arch up into him and let him do just that.

T
he earth is
cool beneath my bare feet as I step out of the forest with Roman by my side. He holds my hand as I gaze at the waterfall before me. A fine mist coats my skin, and the moisture cools me.

“This is amazing.” I turn to my true mate and look into his dark-brown eyes that warm my heart as he gazes at me with love. Our girls’ RV vacation in Blue Creek was cut short by the attack of the Oak Ridge Pack, and it was necessary for Roman to return to Smokey Falls in order to arrange for Regina’s assassination. She might have been spared in a jealousy plea had she bitten me, but when someone attacks an alpha with the intent to kill, the punishment is crystal clear.

Roman and I ran here as wolves, but we shifted so we could swim in the river as humans. His grip is tight as he tugs me toward the falling water. I notice the glaring red scar on his shoulder where he was bitten and poisoned. While it could be a constant reminder that I was foolish enough to almost get my mate killed, I know that it’s better for me to let it be a sign that Roman is a powerful alpha who would do anything to save his true mate—me. When he signals for me to jump, I don’t question him for a second. I leap into the river, completely trusting him.

The water is cold but not in an unpleasant way, and I swim out to the middle of the large pool of water. I turn to see Roman is still on the bank, and I call out, “Romeo, Romeo! Where are you?”

He dives into the river and stays submerged until he grips my ankle and tugs before he pops up in front of me. He pulls me into a slippery embrace I could squirm out of easily, but I don’t need to. I no longer feel trapped by the confines of a mate. Roman says, “Right here with you, Juliet. For the rest of our lives.” And when he kisses me, I know there’s no place I’d rather be.

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V
. Vaughn lives
in New Hampshire and spends winter weekends in the woods of Maine. She might have seen a bear, or two….

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