When The Fur Flies (6 page)

***

Allison knew it was a bad idea to let her body rule her mind, but as his fingers tunneled into her hair to tilt her head for his total possession, she threw caution to the wind. A growl rumbled through his chest as she dug her nails into his scalp. She wrapped her strong legs around his, locking him in her embrace. One hungry kiss lingered into another as their hands began to explore areas of the others’ body that hadn’t been touched before. She gloried in the hot kiss he placed on her shoulder, his tongue coming out to gently lave the wound he’d imprinted upon her flesh.

“I never should have bitten you.” Remorse filled his blue eyes as he lifted up to inspect the wound. She felt rejected as his thoughts bounced around inside her head, uncontrollable and unwanted.

“No shit!” she hissed as his teeth once more scraped her shoulder. “You’d think a century of living would have given you a little more restraint.” His head arched back as he gave her a look that made her shiver.

“As I recall, you were the one who begged me to keep going.” He moved fast, catching the curled hands with her claws out. “Easy, Kitten. You should put the daggers away before you hurt yourself.”

“The only one who is going to get hurt is you. Stop that!”

“Stop what? I haven’t started anything, yet.” His sexy grin made her toes curl and her girlie parts sit up and beg for her to shut up and let him do the things he was thinking about. Maybe just once more wouldn’t hurt anything...

“I don’t think we should talk. We fight when we try to communicate.”

“What should we do instead?” At her suggestion, Reginald’s head cocked to one side, seeming to consider her. Allison smiled, sending him, what she hoped was a hungry look. His blue eyes darkened with desire as she slowly moved her bare foot up his ankle beneath the hem of his jeans.

They acted as one, pulling and ripping material to remove his clothes. Laughter bubbled up out of her as he growled and threw the remains of his shirt only the Goddess knew where. Giggles turned to moans of pleasure as his bared flesh met hers. He hungrily kissed her everywhere as he touched her with an expertise she couldn’t deny. Ragged cries escaped her as he drove her mad with wanting his possession. It seemed no matter how many times she arched herself to him, he ignored her body’s pleas to push her lust even higher.

“Alpha!” She pulled his head up from her left breast with a determination born of desperation. “Stop playing—”

“Easy, Kitten.” He grinned as he placed a soft kiss on the tip of her pert little nose. “I want to make this good for you.” He nudged her lips with his, blue eyes locked with amber as he teased her to return his kiss. She smiled as she felt him rock his hips against hers.

They came together like a blazing storm of emotions. Allison found her hands linked in his by her head as his body set a teasing pace with hers. She finally found what she’d been missing all her life, craving with every breath she’d taken since the night she ran into him.
He is my completion
. Pleasure heightened as his thoughts echoed through her mind, his hunger turning to possessive ecstasy as he moved above her.

You’re my mate! You will submit to me. I will take you into my keeping, mate. I will protect you as mine, breed you with my pups, and keep you until death.

Allison’s eyes flew open as she took a shaky breath to deny the voice in her head that belonged not only to him, but to the wild beast within him. A cry escaped her lips as she felt the velvet rope of a strong magic wind around her body and his. Words held power. Words spoken by the soul formed spells so powerful that it would take her ages to break them. If she ever tried. Her heart burst with emotion as she felt complete.

Above her Reginald cursed out loud as he immediately stopped moving.

“You stop and by the Goddess I’ll kill you!” Her words shocked him. She heard his Wolf as it howled within his mind, the fierce sound of animalistic achievement. Why not? The beast rejoiced at tying her to him. She felt his slow acceptance as he relaxed against her. Grasping her hips, he greedily pushed himself deeper. Her mouth opened as he slid a hand up to cup her breast. She cried out with pleasure as he began to move faster against her. Her legs widened farther as she struggled to better meet each thrust of his pelvis. He went impossibly deeper inside her, fusing them together and cementing the bonds of their mating as they both climaxed with ragged cries.

He collapsed on top of her, pressing her deeper into the mattress, a delicious weight she didn’t mind. There wasn’t any pain now, only a sweet euphoria that was a warm haze for her to fall into. She closed her eyes and let the exhaustion roll over her.

***

Reginald instantly knew when she slipped into sleep. Rolling off her to lay on his back, he covered his eyes with shaking hands. By the Gods he’d given her his pledge! He felt like the lowest of the low, yet his Wolf was prowling with a sense of accomplishment. She was his now.
A Witch
. He’d tied himself to a Witch for the rest of their lives. In which case, his life expectancy had probably just been cut in half when her Coven and his pack found out.

He turned his head to stare at her pretty face in relaxed sleep. She was a classic beauty with creamy skin covering high cheekbones. Her lips, slightly parted in sleep, were naturally dark pink and looked silky soft. Her eyelids fluttered as she dreamed, and he wondered what she was seeing behind those cat’s eyes.

She looked so peaceful compared to his own turbulent emotions. He was the Alpha, leader and hope of his pack. They looked to him for direction, for their protection, and all their needs. Here he went and did the one thing that would put his pack in a danger they didn’t deserve. He should leave her, ignore their bond, and run as far as he could from her. He would have better luck jumping over the moon. He was tied to this willful Witch no matter how he wished he wasn’t. He wanted to blame his impulsive Wolf for tying him to the worst possible mate, but he’d chanted the binding ceremony right along with it. It was bound to be the biggest mistake of his life.

A sob caught in her throat, the sound filled with grief and sadness. Reginald immediately reached out for her. His Wolf urged him to protect and comfort his mate. He mentally pushed the animal’s instincts down as he gathered her naked body against him, feeling how cold she was to the touch. Rubbing her back, he pulled blankets over them. It was nearing dusk. His pack would be wondering where he was, but this wasn’t the first time he’d stayed away from the Den with a woman. He could allow her to sleep for a little while before he needed to get her back to his pack. She’d definitely need her rest to face that; so did he.

Chapter Five

Allison woke with a gasp as the memory of the night before came to her in sharp clarity. She sat up feeling cold and exposed, her instincts going into panic mode as she frantically searched for and found
him
standing at the windows. His back was to her, yet he knew she was awake and his mind told her he was dreading facing her. Guilt wore on him for the way he’d taken her last night. She regretted being able to hear his thoughts as he viciously cursed himself for tying her to him. Pain sliced through her as she remembered his turbulent thoughts from the night before. He couldn’t even stand to look at her in the harsh light of day. She bit back her pain and allowed her anger to brace her for the horrible day ahead.

“Don’t give me that guilt shit!” He did turn then, his dark gaze no longer troubled, but surprised. “You wanted me, you took me. I’m not complaining about the outcome, but your
mistake
is in thinking I’m going to make this mating easy on you.”

“Do you read everyone’s thoughts, or am I the only lucky one?” He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans as his gaze traveled over her exposed chest. She immediately pulled the rumpled blankets up to her chin. “It’s a little too late for modesty, wouldn’t you agree, mate?” A dark brow rose sarcastically as he studied her.

“I didn’t choose you, Wolf. I don’t want an attachment to anyone, least of all the one species that still keeps their women barefoot and in the kitchen.” She slid to the edge of the bed and stood. Her dark curls bounced as she turned to look at him over her shoulder. “Does the Den even have individual kitchens?” His expression didn’t even change at the sarcastic insult she tossed at him. She heard her teeth grind in frustration as she wrapped the blanket around her body. “I’m too sophisticated to be mated to a backwoods beast.”

Reginald frowned as he watched her, his thoughts bouncing around her mind with wry humor. He hated to admit it, but to be perfectly honest, the Den didn’t have multiple kitchens. The pack shared a huge kitchen with modern conveniences. There was no need for any of the female mates to have a kitchen. All members of the pack ate together to promote the feeling of community. Allison sighed and shook her head with a humorless laugh.

“You forgot the part where we keep them pregnant as much as possible.” Reginald leered at her with a Wolfish grin.

Allison’s breath lodged in her throat as his teasing grin made him look too virile and sexy for any woman’s peace of mind. She was suddenly very grateful that he couldn’t read
her
mind at that moment. All she wanted to do was take his scruffy face in her hands and taste his mouth. No wonder their women stayed pregnant without complaint! She, however, could not do that, would not do that. She had never figured on breeding with anyone, much less a Wolf. Her life plan was definite. Save as many humans as she could before Alexa’s prophecy came to pass.

“That will not happen to me. I will not be a broodmare for you, Leclair.” Her defiant spirit made him smile at her.

“Wrong species, Kitten.”

“That is exactly why I won’t let you breed me. Find another woman to produce an heir for you. Preferably, one of your own species.”

“If only I could. Don’t think for one minute I relish being tied to a spitting Witch who hates my species,” he growled in an aggressive way. Allison was aware she was pushing the Alpha past his limits, but she couldn’t stop herself from going one step farther.

“Release me, then. Let me go. No one need know what you’ve done...”

“What
we’ve
done, Kitten.” He arrogantly folded his muscular arms over his hard, bare chest. “You were the one who threatened my life if I stopped fucking you.”

“You are s-so crude!” She wanted to spit at him, dig her claws deep into his flesh. “I don’t want you, I don’t want to be your mate, and I will not let you touch me, again.” She felt like stamping her foot, but realized how childish that would seem wrapped as she was in a cheap motel sheet.

“I’m the Alpha. You’ll do as I say, mate.” He tilted his dark head at her suggestively. “And you’ll like it.”

She was at a loss for words for a second. Then her anger flared as her stomach began to clench once more. She hissed through her teeth before spinning for the bathroom. “I’m taking a bath, Alpha. If you don’t like it, you can chase someone else’s tail.”

“But I like the looks and feel of your tail, Kitten.” His laughter followed her into the small bathroom as she slammed the door behind her.

***

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Allison stood her ground, dressed in a white shirt and jeans. She’d tied her long hair back in a braid in the hopes of making her look, and more importantly, feel strong. The curly tail at the end ruined the effect entirely. Conversely, Reginald had somehow acquired a gray T-shirt that hugged his muscular shoulders and chest like a well-acquainted lover. He’d also come across a box of yummy smelling fresh doughnuts while she was in the bathroom trying to wash his touch of ownership from her skin. Unfortunately, the more she scrubbed, the worse the pain in her gut grew. Even now she was trying to keep the one doughnut she’d forced down to stay there.

“Read my mind, Kitten.” He bit into a filled long john, his fifth doughnut if she was counting. Which she was.

“I’m not going to the Den with you. You are crazy if you think I want to face your furry family.” She glared as he gave her a careless shrug and reached in the box for another sugary pastry.

“Our furry family, mate,” he corrected her with a toothy smile. “And we’ll be leaving right after you eat the last doughnut.” He shoved the box toward her as he spoke.

“No way. And I told you, I’m not going. I’m staying here. Don’t even think about it, Wolf boy! I’m not above using magic on your flea-bitten ass!”

“Then, if you don’t want to be tied up and tossed in the trunk of your car, you’ll eat the last doughnut, and we’ll be on our way.” He popped the last piece in his mouth and leaned back in the chair.

“I don’t want the damn doughnut!” She hit the box with the back of her hand, and it flew off the table. He moved with a supernatural speed, one hand easily catching the box before it hit the ground. He set it back on the table and pushed it toward her.

“You can curse me, even turn me into a toad if you will it, but I will turn back eventually, and I will hunt you. You now carry my scent markers, so eluding me is not an option. It would be better if you just do as I’m suggesting. At the Den, you will be under my protection from—”

“I don’t need your protection!” She was up and out of the chair, rubbing at her arms where the itchy irritation was forcing her to move. “The Elder can’t hunt me in the light of day, and at night I have my own kind of protection.”

“Candles and herbs?” He picked up a white candle with runes carved into the base. “Really, Allison? I didn’t believe Alexa when she told me you had a death wish, but this confirms it.” He tossed the candle on the table and stood up to face her. She stepped back as he watched her. “I won’t leave my mate out in danger’s way. I’m responsible for you now. I take that seriously. Let’s go. Grab your things.” He growled as she stubbornly stayed where she was and dared him with her eyes. “You have five minutes before I take you as you are. I sure as hell won’t mind you walking around my quarters butt naked.”

“You’re going to regret this.” She spun and grabbed a tote bag out from under the bed. She started pulling clothes from the dresser and shoving them in the bag.
No doubt
. Allison caught his thought and glared up at him. “Do you honestly think the Elder is going to avoid the Den when he realizes that is where I am? It will be war, Reginald. The end of times brought about because you’re thinking with your little head instead of the one on your shoulders.”