Wolf's Capture (22 page)

But no pajamas.

She shivered with delight, not cold, his body covering hers, the skin-to-skin contact scorching.

“So when are you going to admit it?” he asked in between kisses.

“Admit what?”

“That you love me.”

“Do not.”

“Liar.”

“Why don’t you say it first?” she countered.

“Oh ho, challenging me, are you? Fine. I’m not a coward. I love you, Bait. I think I have since that first freaky moment when I saw you sitting on that rock like some sort of animal-whispering goddess.”

“And I think I fell in love with you when I saw your floppy pink bunny.”

“Um, Johnson is not too crazy about you referring to him as floppy.”

“I wasn’t talking about that part of your body. I fell in love with your ass.”

“Really?” Brody craned to peer over his shoulder. “It wasn’t my charm?”

“You weren’t initially very charming.”

“My hair?”

“Is in need of a major trim.”

He growled. “Woman, my hair is perfect, and you know it.”

Layla laughed. “Okay, I’ll admit I like it especially since it’s long enough to do this.” She gripped his wild locks and drew him down for a kiss. Then another.

In no time at all their breathing came in shallow bursts, their tongues were hopelessly entwined, and he was grinding against her.

When he said, “Roll over,” it took her a moment to filter his command.

“Why?”

“Because we’re going to try something new, unless you’re chicken…” He purred the words against her earlobe before tugging it with his teeth.

A new experience? Layla didn’t need to be asked twice. She hungered for new. Needed to experience and try everything she’d been denied for so long.

Onto her stomach she flipped. She gasped as he drew her hips upward, positioning her so her buttocks rose in the air, exposing her to his gaze.

It should have embarrassed her, but this was Brody, Brody who murmured almost reverently, “You are so bloody perfect, sweetheart. And mine.”

His possessive words made her sex clench and moisten. How she wanted him, needed him, and yet he seemed content to toy with her, rubbing the head of his shaft against her moist core. She peered over her shoulder, a come-hither glance she hoped conveyed her fervent need. It proved all the invitation he needed.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he anchored her before he nudged deeper into her wet slit with the tip of his rod. A shudder rocked her as anticipation almost boiled over. She might have commended his attempt to take it slow as he eased himself into her tight channel, but Layla was too aroused for such a measured pace. She rocked back against him and sheathed him deep.

Her wolf threw his head back and emitted a short howl. “Mine,” he growled. “My woman. My mate.”

“Yes, yours,” she whispered. But his because she wanted to belong to him. Because she
chose.

It seemed he liked her reply because he slammed into her willing flesh, fast and hard. Layla clawed at the sheets and moaned with utter abandon. Each thrust drew forth a cry. Each pump struck a sensitive spot inside. Each time he pounded in, she drew closer and closer to the edge.

His body curved over hers, cradling and heating. His lips caressed the top of her shoulder as he continued to thrust, and when she finally came, her sex convulsing around his pulsing shaft, he bit her. Not a gentle nibble, but a firm chomp that broke skin.

She might have protested, except it launched her into a second orgasm, one more powerful than the first, and for a moment, just a moment, their minds touched and she could see his love for her. See it. Feel it. Know it.

It was the most intense moment of her life.

The start of her new, free life.

A life with no more torture or fear or cages. Only love.

And ice cream, which he fetched for her, along with chocolate sauce. Damn was that stuff good on everything. And she meant
everything.

“We only found two bodies in the plane wreckage.” Reid’s stark announcement hung in the air of the meeting room—also known as Reid’s garage, where Brody, the other boys and their clan doctor—also known as their voice of reason—had gathered to discuss recent events.

“Two? Not three?” Brody frowned.

“Any idea who they were?” Boris asked.

“One was definitely human, the other some kind of avian shifter.”

But no snake. Not in the wreckage, nor in the environs. The one who called himself master still lived. And so long as he did, they weren’t safe.
Layla is in danger.

Fuck.

Totally unacceptable.

Brody wasn’t the only one to come to that conclusion.

Gene drummed his fingers on the armrest of his seat. “We should mount up a hunting expedition. Now that we know we’re looking for a reptile shifter, maybe we’ll be able to find a trail.”

“We already did. It seems our
friend
somehow managed to escape the crash unscathed.”

“And you know this how?” Brody asked.

Kyle spoke up. “My contacts in the city reported that an aircraft was hijacked midflight and redirected.”

“What makes you think it’s our dude?”

“No one remembers what he looked like. And guess where the plane landed?”

Overseas. Back to the land where the desert gobbled land, sand wedged itself in tender places, and war still waged. A war they thought they’d left behind.

“What do we do?” In other words, should they remain tucked in their haven on the other side of the ocean or—

Reid stood, and his eyes sparked. “Fuck waiting to see if the bastard comes back. I say we get our asses over there and show him why you don’t screw with our fucking clan.”

All in favor?

Unanimous.

More details were hammered out, but they didn’t waste a ton of time on them. The flight was a long one, which meant plenty of time to plan. Besides, the naga already had a head start. Before it could find reinforcements, they needed to catch up and end his life once and for all. End it before he could try and take Layla back.

The meeting broke up, with the guys and the doc heading off to pack.

Brody dreaded breaking the news to Layla.

How do I tell her that psychopath is still on the loose?

As he pulled into the driveway of his place, he noted the geese perched on the roof, keeping watch—and shitting on the shingles. Pesky birds. It drove his neighbors nuts that they couldn’t eat them.

Other signs his life had changed?

The grass didn’t need mowing. It hadn’t since he’d brought Layla home, the wild goats she’d adopted doing the job for him.

Brody barely batted an eye when he walked into the house and found a hedgehog rolling on the shag carpet in the living room, fluffing the strands.

He didn’t flinch when he heard the hum of bees in the pantry, making honey. Honey Reid kept his paws off, given Layla’s stinging rebuke—administered by said bees.

Brody, however, drew the line at any pets in the bedroom—it took only one set of big kitty cat eyes staring, and judging his technique, for him to ban her nighttime foot warmer permanently.

As he trekked through the house, he noted all the places she wasn’t. His mate wasn’t in the bedroom or the empty kitchen. Nope. Not his special lady.

Forget cooking and cleaning. His sweetheart didn’t have the knack or patience for those. Instead, he found Layla out in the backyard, practicing knife throwing.

What a beautiful sight she made, her long hair loose and her expression intent. Slim fingers wrapped around the hilt of the sharp dagger he’d given her—and he knew well that grip. At least his cock did, and it hardened in remembrance.

She whipped the blade, just like he’d taught her, and nicked the edge of the bull’s-eye. Nice shot. Not that he said it aloud, not in his mischievous mood.

“If it isn’t my domestic goddess hard at work keeping the house tidy and her man happy.”

He ducked just in time and only lost a few strands of hair.

No, not the hair!

She knew how he loved his furry locks. But he didn’t get an apology.

“What have I told you about sneaking up on me?” she huffed, hands on her hips.

“What have I told you about drafting the wildlife to do chores?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I know. It’s immoral. It freaks folks out and all the rest. But, Brody, I have to. I suck at cleaning and cooking and all that other stuff the women do.”

“You don’t suck at it.” Actually, she did. Layla wasn’t June Cleaver when it came to housekeeping. “You hate chores. There’s a difference.”

The pout on her lips was utterly adorable.
“Why can’t I have a more exciting job? And don’t you dare suggest I go work at the diner or the store again. You know I hate being cooped inside and serving people.” A flurry of knives went flying as she drew and flung them rapid-fire at the target. She’d learned a lot the last two weeks. Enough that she deserved a break from domestic hell.

“I know you hate the idea of a regular job almost as much as housework, which is why you and I are going on a trip.”

This time he sidestepped the missile, which barely missed his ear.

“Oops. Sorry about that. You took me by surprise because I thought I heard you say something about a trip.”

“I did.”

“Where to? Not that Walmart the next town over. I thought we were banned.”

He grinned as he recalled that excursion. When Layla had said it wasn’t fair only children got to ride in the carts, he took her for a jog through the store with her giggling madly—until management kicked them out. He shook his head. “Nope. We’re going farther than that. Like over-an-ocean far.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What happened to staying in Kodiak Point where it’s safe? Keeping me out of temptation’s path and all that blah, blah, blah.”

“The blah blah blah part is why we’re going. I think it’s time we both admitted it. We’re not cut out for the domestic life. You want adventure. I want adventure. There’s an evil villain still at large that needs capturing.”

“Excuse me? Rewind. What evil villain?”

“So it turns out our snake friend isn’t quite dead. But don’t panic. He’s also not on this continent anymore.”

“Where is he then?”

“Overseas, somewhere. Which is where the travel part comes in. Reid is mounting a strike force to go after him. What do you say we go with the others and find him?”

“You want me to go with you?”

“Why wouldn’t I? You’ve proven you can take care of yourself.” And he’d be by her side if she faltered. “You know the land. You know what to expect. I can’t think of a better partner than you. That is if you want to go?”

If she’d had shifter strength, she might have crushed him with her enthusiastic yes.

In between rib crushing she asked, “We’re going to my homeland?”

“Yes. Me, you, Boris, Travis, if his mother lets him, and a few others.”

“You aren’t afraid the master will recapture me?”

“Let him try. We’re together now, which means if he messes with you, he messes with me.”

“I like the sound of that. However I’d prefer the sound of him screaming as we take care of him once and for all.” Her evil smile held a hint of bloodthirsty that he loved.

“You say the sexiest things,” Brody growled. “I love you, Bait.”

“And I love you, Thud.”

While he could have done without his nickname, he never got tired of hearing her say she loved him and, even better, knowing she trusted him. They might have started out their relationship both expecting the worst, but it turned out his capture was the best thing to ever happen to him.

Who would have thought a wolf’s capture would lead to rapture?

*

“I’m going and that’s final, Ma.” Travis finished shoveling clothes in his duffel bag, ignoring his mother and her wooden spoon, which wasn’t easy. Instinct screamed to not turn his back lest she tan his hide.

But he was a man now, not a cub. And, as a man, it was time he cut the apron strings she insisted on keeping, starting with this trip.

More like a mission. A real one. Overseas and everything!

“But who will keep you safe?”

“I can keep myself safe. Not to mention, the other guys are going with me. Brody’s coming, along with Boris and Gene.” Poor Reid couldn’t, not with so many of the clan already volunteering to go. Someone needed to keep Kodiak Point running. The joys of leadership, something Travis most definitely did not crave. He had his hands full enough trying to keep his mother from running his life.

“But I’ll miss you.”

He relented a little and hugged the woman who’d raised him. He loved his ma, even if she was violently overprotective and scared all his friends—actually anybody who knew her.

“I’ll miss you, too, but it’s time for you to let me go.”

“Don’t you go falling for any of those local girls.”

Not likely. Travis already had an eye on a woman, problem was she barely seemed to notice he was alive. But he planned to change that on this trip.

Hold on tight because I intend to show you a grizzly kind of love. Rawr.

The End

Next book in the series:
Grizzly Love

Author’s Note:
I hope you enjoyed this story. If you did, I’d love it if you took a moment and left a review. To find out more about my next book or upcoming specials, visit
my
website, EveLanglais.com
or join my
mailing list
. Thank you for reading.
~ Eve

Kodiak Point Series:
Kodiak’s Claim, Outfoxed By Love, Polar Bared, Wolf’s Capture, Caribou’s Gift
, Grizzly Love

More Shifter stories you might enjoy:

Freakn' Shifters Series:
Delicate Freakn' Flower, Jealous and Freakn', Already Freakn' Mated, Human and Freakn', Jungle Freakn' Bride, Freakn' Cougar

Pack Series:
Defying Pack Law, Betraying the Pack, Seeking Pack Redemption, New Pack Order

F.U.C Series:
Bunny and the Bear, Swan and the Bear, Croc and the Fox, Lion and the Falcon, Doe and the Wolf