Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

A res had dried River and himself off, and then she'd gone into the bedroom and found some dry underwear and a cami while he went to the closet.

Her mind whirled at what they'd done. Every inch of him was as hard and ripped as she'd imagined a Lycan to be. When he'd slipped a finger inside her, it had stretched her. Just one finger. She imagined what it would be like having other parts of him inside her. And if he knotted her… the thought scared her.

She'd had a few one-night stands in her life with humans. They weren't built anything like Ares.

Her wolf had wanted her to bite Ares so badly and make him hers, but in the heat of the shower, River hadn't been able to concentrate enough to be able to. Thank the Goddess.

She met him back in the bathroom, where she re-wrapped his wound, then picked up all the bloody things and piled them in the corner.

When she finished, she walked out to the bed where Ares sat on the edge, hiding something behind his back.

"Come here."

She did as he asked but paused instead of sitting.

He patted the bed. "I promise I'm not going to bite." He smiled.

"Then what are you going to do?" She narrowed her eyes as he continued to smile.

She gave in and sat next to him. He turned her away from him, and the first tug pulled the ends of her hair.

He was brushing her hair. No one had ever done that before except Bianca.

"Ares, you don't have to."

He bent and nipped her shoulder. "And you didn't have to wash me in the shower."

Fair enough.

They sat in silence, and the magnitude of the day pressed down on her shoulders. He'd found her. Her attacker had found her, but not only found her, he'd known where she lived all along. But Ares had saved her. Santiago had saved her. Lachlan and the others had saved her as well. River couldn't wait to go to Canada if it meant she'd be safer from her would-be attacker. She had to be safer there, didn't she?

"Ares?"

He kissed her shoulder. "I won't let him near you again. I vow it on my life."

Her chest squeezed, and she lay against his hard body and breathed him in. He wrapped his arms around her torso and pulled her against him for a long minute.

"For the first time tonight, I felt something I'd not felt since being bitten. And something I never want to do again."

"What, Beloved?"

"Vulnerable and weak."

"You are neither, and as my mate, I will make sure it never happens again."

She peeked up at him. "But I didn't feel it only for myself. I felt it for you as well. I wanted to stay and help you. Protect you. But I couldn't."

He stared down at her. "I love that you wanted to protect me, but that's my job. To protect you. I failed you tonight. It won't happen again."

He kissed her and then began brushing her hair again. They sat in silence for several minutes, but the silence wasn't tense or uncomfortable- it was peaceful.

"Coffee or tea?" Ares asked.

"What?"

"Do you prefer coffee or tea?"

"Soda."

He chuckled.

"What about you?"

"Water."

She smiled. "Sweet or savory?"

His breath caressed her skin. "I always like a little bite with my sweetness." He playfully nipped her shoulder, sending sparks shooting straight to her core.

Mate. Alpha. Mine.

She turned over her shoulder and brushed her lips against his. His tongue swept into her mouth, and she turned around and reached for him, but he pulled away.

She lifted her eyebrows.

He turned her back around. "As much as I'd love to, I'm only halfway done with your hair."

River wanted to protest but if she didn't get her hair brushed, she might as well shave her head in the morning. It would be a thousand times easier.

As he began detangling the next section of hair, she relaxed.

"Movies or books?" she asked.

"I prefer books but rarely have time to read anymore. I do listen to audiobooks, though. What about you?"

"I prefer movies. Books are awesome, but like you said, there is not much time for reading."

"I can give you access to my audio library," he offered. "I listen to the books at about two times the normal speed and can finish two on a long plane flight."

"Impressive."

He moved on to the last section of her hair.

"So, what was your favorite class in college?" he asked.

"I liked art history a lot. Getting to learn about different masters and periods and movements and everything. What about you?"

"I don't know that I had a favorite class. I took what was required to graduate."

"You didn't take any classes for fun?"

"Didn't want to waste the time."

Her gut clenched. "That's so sad."

"My parents made it clear I was there to be educated. So that's what I did."

"Did you have friends in college?" she asked.

"Did you?"

They were a lot more alike than she would have ever imagined.

He pulled her hair back, brushed through it one more time, and put down the brush. "Done."

River ran her fingers through her hair and smiled. "Thank you, Ares."

"My pleasure."

River yawned, and Ares lifted her to her feet and walked her to the side of the bed. He pulled down the sheets and tucked her in. He kissed her forehead and took a breath of her hair before standing.

"Goodnight, River."

River smiled at him, and as he walked toward the door, her smile turned to a frown. "You're leaving?"

Her wolf whined.

He stopped. "Do you want me to stay?"

Did she?

Yes , her wolf demanded.

"Do you mind?"

"Never."

Ares walked to the bed, pulled back the covers, and slid in behind her. She turned off the lamp, and he moved closer and sat his hand on her hip. River scooted back until his warm body spooned against her. He wrapped his arm around her, and she relaxed into him.

Mine. My Alpha. My mate. This time, it wasn't her wolf thinking it. It was her.

* * *

Ares awoke the next morning to find that River no longer curled next to him, but sometime during the night, she had turned over, and her body entwined with his. One of her legs lay between his, and her body pressed against him. Even one of her arms draped over his waist. He couldn't describe the sensation of having her so near. Her warm breath tickled his skin as he took in her scent.

He wanted nothing more than to lay with her forever, but he had work. He had to settle dinner so he could take her home and prepare for their mating ceremony with the council.

As he turned to roll out from under her, she murmured his name, and his wolf flipped over and begged for more.

Every idea flew from his mind, and everything he needed to do faded away as he pulled her closer and kissed her head.

Ares closed his eyes and savored her in his arms. He'd never slept in a bed with a woman before. Never held a woman through the night. Never awakened to her body tangled with his. And that was how he'd liked it until her. River had changed everything. He wanted her with him, on him, around him, every single second. The sensation was so foreign to him, but right at the same time. How had the feisty little wolf become such an essential part of his life in such a short time? And not only for his wolf but for him as well.

He relaxed back into her when a knock sounded on the bedroom door. He grumbled but didn't respond. Again, the knock sounded, and Ares' wolf snarled. If it weren't life or death, he would rip someone's head off for disturbing him and his mate.

Ares slid from under River's tangle of limbs, padded to the door and opened it a crack. Theo stood waiting.

"What?" Ares barked.

"Sorry to bother you, Boss, but the caterer needs the menu for tonight so they can start prepping, or it won't be ready in time."

Ares groaned. He should have told Vanessa to handle it. No. He shouldn't have.

"Let me put something on."

Theo nodded, and Ares tiptoed toward the closet.

"Are you leaving?" River asked, not opening her eyes.

"I have some things to do before this evening."

She nodded. "I should get up too. Bianca will be at my studio soon."

"I won't be long. If you need anything, Santiago and Drew are here. They can obtain anything you want or need."

"Can they get me you?"

Ares smiled and stepped toward her, but River made a soft noise that told him she was already falling back asleep.

When Ares walked out of his closet, River lay curled on his side of the bed with her face smooshed into his pillow. He smiled and wondered if she had consciously gone to his side of the bed or had done it in her sleep. He wanted to go to her and kiss her, but he didn't want to wake her again, so instead, he turned and quietly left the room.

Ares returned an hour later to River standing with an iPad, talking into it and pointing things out to Bianca to pack up.

"Hey," he said.

She turned exasperatedly. "This is ridiculous. It would be much easier if I went to my studio and got the things I need."

Ares's wolf snarled, and he loosened his tie. "I have to finish the dinner plans, and I have a couple of meeting calls I need to make, so I can't. I'm sorry."

"I can go alone."

Ares growled.

"I didn't mean alone, alone. I meant with Lachlan and Theo. And everyone else if you want."

"River-"

"Ares, you want to leave tomorrow, right?"

He clenched his jaw. "Yes."

"And you want me to be comfortable in my new home, right?"

Ares knew where the conversation was going and had no idea how to derail the train. He didn't want her out of his sight. He wanted her back at his estate. But he had a job to do and couldn't let an all-out war start because of his negligence.

"You can go. But you are taking Lachlan, Drew, Theo, and Santiago."

"Not Zeke and Isaac as well?" She smirked.

"Zeke is already there."

"Oh yeah. I forgot. While I'm out, can I-"

"No." Ares's voice came out stronger than he'd meant it to. "Your studio, and straight back. Too many Alphas are coming into town in the next few hours, and I don't want you out and about. And I had four more of my men come in early this morning. You will take them with you as well."

River's eyes narrowed, and to his surprise, she nodded. "Fine."

Ares blinked. "Fine?"

"Fine."

He studied her. "You aren't going to fight me?"

"Nope."

He didn't believe her.

She walked to him and touched his arm.

"What are you up to?" he asked.

"Nothing. You said no, and I said okay. That's all."

"Not with you, it isn't."

She reached up on her toes and kissed him. "Well, this time, it is. Maybe it's your Alpha charm working on me."

He snorted. "Yeah, right."

She laced her fingers in his hair and pulled his mouth to hers. Ares couldn't help but relax into her. Though his brain said she was up to something, the rest of his body couldn't care less.

"Honestly, the thought of all those Alphas being all over the place makes me nervous," she said. "Plus having what? A dozen of your men with me doesn't make me want to go traipsing about town."

Ares cupped her cheek. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

She smiled. "I know."

He thought for a moment. "I should go with you. If there's any chance that… rogue knows where you are…"

"No. You need to do what you came for. I will be fine. If anything remotely seems off, I'll come straight back. Besides, they can park in the alley outside my shop door. There's no way in or out of the building beside my door. I've always been thorough about my security."

"If anything-"

"It won't."

He kissed her firmly as their tongues mingled. He pulled her closer, his body hardening at the memories of their shower the night before.

A knock sounded on the door, and River broke the kiss.

"What?" he called.

"Your phone meeting starts in five," called Theo.

"Coming."

He kissed River again, wondering if he would ever want to do anything but be in bed with her once they were mated.

"Do you promise not to do anything more than go to your studio and come back?" asked Ares.

River nodded. "Promise."

A memory stirred, and his eyes narrowed on her.

"What?"

He let his erection press into her. "Don't bring any of the toys in your nightstand. You won't be needing them anymore."

River's mouth dropped open, and her cheeks flushed.

Ares smiled and pressed his lips to hers.

Before she said a word, he turned and left the room.