The Alpha Takes a Mate (14 page)

“Also, we want to fuck, a lot,” Christine said.

Elle chuckled even though she blushed. Every wolf she’d come across was crude.

“Once we mate, we mate for life, Elle. When you make your mind up you should know that. I don’t know how this works for
a human, but for us, we’re lifers.”

She gazed out of the window and saw
Brandon walking toward her. “Can I talk to you some more?” she asked.

He nodded.

Leaving the booth, she grabbed her notebook and started scribbling down their order.

Chapter Fourteen

Brandon
waited out in the chilly night for Elle to finish. He’d spent most of the night inside the diner eating and watching her work. When she bent over he got so many sinful thoughts that he’d spent most of the night rock-hard. Lewis stood waiting with him. Darcy and Drake had left several hours ago. Their disapproval filled the air around them. The pack were slowly finding out about Lori taking Elle’s place by his side for this visit. He’d need to have a meeting to explain his decision.

The scent of disapproval came off Lewis.

“Go on, spill,” Brandon said, folding his arms.

“I’m not saying a fucking word. I’ve said everything that needs to be said. You know my position
, and I’m not backing down from it.” Lewis was waiting for Layla to finish.

The other man helped her home safely. With the creatures of the
Otherworld present the humans were not safe. In the next twenty-four hours the vamps would turn up. Brandon didn’t like the blood suckers, and the humans would have a curfew of when they could leave home.

“I’m doing this to save her,” he said.

“Keep saying that line, and then maybe one day you might believe it. I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t think we should have human mates, but they’re there, and we do. You shouldn’t use them to suit your needs. She’s not a toy for your amusement,” Lewis said, getting up into Brandon’s face.

“Your views of humans have changed.”

“I was a fool. We’re all fools. I accept Elle as my queen. She’s a much better person than Lori. I can see a difference inside you. She makes you happy, and that makes me happy.” Lewis stopped as the door opened.

Elle went to him. She smiled wrapping her arms around him. “Hello,” she said.

“What’s all this?” he asked. Even though her gaze didn’t meet his, Brandon felt important to her.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I missed you.”

Their connection and the mating were the factors. Layla moved beside Lewis. “Are you taking me home?” she asked.

“Yes. Come on. We need to get inside.”

Lewis and Layla wished them good night and then turned away.

“Wow, what was that about?” Elle asked.

“Pack business. Nothing to concern yourself with.” He took her hand in his.

“You’d tell me though if it was important?”

“Of course.” He lied too easily.

She pressed closer against him. Her soft
curves called to him to touch and to do other, more sinful, things with her body.

He cupped her cheek then bent down brushing her lips with his. She tasted like vanilla, something precious and beautiful.

“I could become addicted to your kisses.”

“I’ll make sure you do.”

Stroking her lips with his tongue Brandon waited for her to open up. She gasped as he caressed her stiff nipple. He was hard as rock.

“I can’t think when you do that,” she said, breaking the kiss.

“Come on. I’ve got something to show you,” he said.

Taking her hand,
Brandon helped her onto his back.

“Are you going to give me any clues on what you want to show me?” she asked.

He shook his head. “No, you’ll know it when you see it.” He took off into the forest. The night air was filled with noises of insects and birds rustling. He inhaled the scent of the forest loving the smell of the earth and sky. The combination was addictive. Elle clung to his body. He’d gone without a shirt because of the heat. The urge to turn was too strong.

“You look good without your shirt on,” she said. Her fingers caressed the tattoo down his arm. He groaned but didn’t stop until he was at the lake.

Putting her down on the ground, Brandon pulled her close.

“You brought me to the lake?” she asked.

“I thought you’d like to swim with me,” he said.

Nibbling on her lip she stared at him. “How deep is it?” she asked.

He stepped back from her, removed his jeans, and jumped into the water. During the summer he swam with Darcy, Drake, and Lewis to cool down. Breaking the surface he smiled at her. “Come on. I won’t let you drown,” he said.

She slowly pulled her uniform from her body. Elle kept her underwear on as she made her way to the water.

“Be careful—” he said. Brandon didn’t get to finish his warning before she disappeared in the water. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her up. The lake was deep, but his senses meant he was able to sense danger.

Elle took a huge inhale as he pulled her up from underwater.

“I was going to say be careful and just swim from there. That’s where the ledge falls.” Brandon held her close.

Her arms went around his neck. “I don’t like it in here,” she said.

He chuckled. “Nothing is going to happen to you.” Moving farther out to the centre of the lake, he kept Elle in his arms. She held onto his shoulders in a death grip.

“Please don’t let me go.” She kept staring at the water then at his face.

“The moment I bit you, Elle, you were mine. You’ll be one of the most protected human females around. I’ll be assigning some of my pack for your protection for the next couple of weeks,” he said.

“Why will I need guards?”

“For my peace of mind. I worry about you, Elle. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He pushed the wet hair off her face.

She looked so pale. The water was warm to him
, but he saw her shiver.

“You’re cold,” he said.

“Not all of us run a high temperature. I don’t mind. I like you holding me.”

“I can do more than hold you.” With his free hand,
Brandon removed her underwear. She gasped. Her naked breasts were crushed against his chest.

Now the real action could start.

****

Elle was fucking freezing.
Brandon looked so happy that she didn’t want to spoil his fun with her freakish human ways. With his arms wrapped around her she didn’t care about the cold. This was how she’d started feeling around him. The attraction she felt towards him kept building. Running to him and hugging him was compulsive and something she
needed
to do.

His hand moved down to finger her nipple.

“You’re taking advantage of me now,” she said. His fingers tweaked her bud. The answering pulse between her legs made it hard for her to fight him. She wrapped her legs around his waist holding onto him. Elle wasn’t about to tell him she was terrified of heights. How deep was the lake?

Cutting the thought off
, she closed her eyes as the hand at her breast moved between her thighs.

“This isn’t fair. You’re touching me
, and I can’t touch you,” she said.

“I’ve got you at my mercy. I bet you’ll agree to do anything.”

She shook her head. He fingered her clit. The touch made her groan.

Holding on tight Elle fought the reactions of her body.

When she opened her eyes she was shocked to see Brandon climbing out of the lake. “I don’t want you at my mercy.” He laid her on the dry grass next to the water. Staring up into his face, she could not bear to look into his eyes. The impulse to turn away was still strong.

“
What do you want?” she asked.

“I want you, naked, underneath me.”

“You’ve got that.”

“There is so much more I want,” he said.

“What?”

He cupped her cheek, his hand moved down, stroking over her breast and then down farther to cup her pussy. “I want to fuck you. I want to claim you as my mate, Elle. Please, don’t say no.”

Her pulse pounded. She knew what he was asking. Her body wanted him, and so did she. What was holding her back?

Nothing. Give in to him. You know you want to.

Elle opened her legs and nodded. “Yes, I want you to.”

“Do you know what you’re asking for?”

“I’m agreeing to be your mate.”

“No, you’re giving me your virginity.”

“How do you know I’m a virgin?”

“Baby, I’m a wolf. I’ve got a really good sense of smell.”

Licking her lips, she chuckled. She’d asked such a silly question.

“I want to give you my virginity. No other man has ever left me feeling like you do,” she said.

“No man will leave you feeling anything. This is not a one-time deal, baby. This is a lifetime deal.”

She nodded. “I know. I’m happy with that.” And she was. She couldn’t imagine spending her life with anyone else.

You’re giving yourself to him too easily.

What am I waiting for?

Confessions of undying love? Sanity?

Stop thinking
, and get it over with.

Elle caught hold of his face and pulled him down. She slammed her lips up to his and took over the kiss. She pressed her tongue into his mouth. “I want this. I want this. I want this.” She chanted the words
over and over again.

He laughed. “Okay. I’ll make you feel so good. I promise.”

Brandon pulled back to gaze down at her. She stared down his naked chest. He was so hard and strong. Running her hands up his chest to his shoulders, she brought him down to kiss.

He kissed her then pulled away. “I’ll take control now, baby. I know what I’m doing. Leave it to me
, and I’ll have you screaming in no time.”

She smiled even though nerves gripped her. The thought of pain dulled her arousal.

Brandon moved off her to lie beside her.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“I’m going to warm you up. I’m not going to climb on, slip in, and fuck you without getting you all juiced up first.”

She blushed at his words. He sure had the strangest ways of describing everything.

Staring up at the sky she waited. Her body was tense waiting for him to take her.

“Calm down,
and relax. I’m not going to fuck you with you being this tense.” He took her hand pressing the palm against her body. “Nothing bad is going to happen. We’re two people exploring each other.”

She gazed at where her hand touched his body and then watched as his hand moved over her.
Brandon’s touch settled around her neck. He cupped her neck before moving down slowly to her breast. She gulped as the heat of his touch seemed to burn through her. Her body was like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

His fingers circled the first bud and then moved to the next.
Brandon used the tips of his fingers, gliding them down her body. He caressed her stomach then moved down to either thigh. He skipped past her pussy. His touch was intent on her body.

Her pussy was out of bounds. She waited for him to thrust her legs open and fuck her roughly. It didn’t come.
Brandon took his time stroking her. All the time he stroked her body, her hand lay against his chest.

“See, I’m touching you. There is nothing to be afraid of. I’ve touched you before
, and you liked it.”

She found his words comforting.
She glanced at his eyes and turned away. Elle really wanted to know what he was thinking and feeling. Biting her lip she forced herself to stare at him.

“Don’t worry about it, baby. Don’t force yourself to do something you’re not ready for.”

“I’m ready for you. I want you. I don’t know why. I need you, Brandon.”