Chapter 16

16

IRENE

B eck's eyes flashed with a primal hunger as he turned Irene and pushed her against the wall, his hands forcefully pinning hers to the slick surface.

"You're mine," he growled possessively, nuzzling her neck and trailing his hands down her trembling body. One hand caressed her nipples, while the other explored the heat between her thighs. Irene's mind raced with fractured thoughts, telling herself to resist but unable to deny the desire coursing through her.

With a swift kick, Beck spread her legs wider. Feeling his engorged cock nudging the cleft of her buttocks made her heart race even faster. Beck was not some tender lover who would take her gently the first time. No, he was a primal wolf taking and claiming what was his. This was far more like her dream than she had ever imagined, and it thrilled her in a way that she never could have imagined. Steadying her hips, he entered her with a powerful thrust; she cried out in surrender and ecstasy.

The intensity of his pounding and the rough grip on her hips left no room for coherent thought. All she could feel were the raw physical sensations and emotions overwhelming her. His grunts and groans echoed in her ear as he claimed her body and soul.

"You belong to me," Beck seethed, driving himself deeper inside her.

Irene could only nod in agreement, lost in a world of pleasure and surrender to his relentless assault. Her body bumped against the cold wall as Beck's grip tightened, marking her skin with bruises that would remind her of this moment for days to come.

"Say it," he demanded.

"Yes, Beck... yours," she cried out, giving into his primal dominance.

She capitulated to his touch, her body igniting with a fierce desire that consumed her. A second climax overtook her in a wild frenzy, the ferocity and fever of it shocking even herself. But she had no time to recover before her insatiable body demanded more, craving the ultimate release she knew only he could provide.

Every inch of her responded to him. No part was left untouched by his powerful presence. Her nipples throbbed for his touch, her pussy ached for every hard stroke that rasped against its walls.

As another wave of pleasure crashed over her, Irene screamed and shook with an intense orgasm that rocked her to her core. But still, Beck remained motionless within her. She could feel his knot pressing against her entrance, and she wriggled back against it desperately, craving his ultimate possession.

"Please, Beck," she moaned breathlessly.

He chuckled and growled simultaneously, the sounds blending together like thunder and lightning in a turbulent sky. Beck nuzzled her neck and trailed a tantalizing finger down her body, leaving a trail of goosebumps and unbridled need in its wake.

"This is neither the time nor the place, but rest assured you will feel my knot lodged deep inside you," he crooned.

Slowly, he withdrew from her dripping core, causing Irene to whimper in frustrated need. Beck spun her around and devoured her mouth once more, his hands gripping her hips as he lifted one of her legs and drew it over his hip. Moving back between her legs, he rubbed against her intimately before plunging two fingers inside her, his lips trailing down her throat.

Irene had never experienced such complete and utter bliss with any man before. All she could do was give in to the pleasure he bestowed upon her, his skilled fingers bringing her to another mind-blowing orgasm that still left her craving more.

Beck lifted her effortlessly and mounted her, driving deep into her slick sheath as she moaned in ecstasy. He ravaged her mouth and body with equal intensity, growling and groaning in unbridled pleasure.

Then, suddenly, Irene felt Beck's hand cupping her face and pulling it away from him, exposing her throat. There was a sudden recognition of what he was about to do—mark her as his own.

"No, Beck," she gasped, trying to resist even as he continued to thrust into her relentlessly.

“And who is to stop me, Irene? The other she-wolves in your pack? You are mine, and you will bear evidence of that.” Beck's voice was low and menacing, his grip on her chin tight and unrelenting.

With a primal growl, he claimed her lips in a forceful kiss, silencing any protests she may have had. Finally capable of rational thought, Irene knew that what he was about to do could never be undone. She began to push against him, trying to resist, but he was too strong, too dominant. As he lowered his head towards her neck, she knew what was coming.

She screamed as he entered her without hesitation, his powerful thrusts causing her body to respond with raw pleasure. He marked her neck with sharp teeth, claiming her as his mate in the most primal way possible. He bit down savagely, she knew to ensure the mark would be a prominent reminder to all that saw it that she was the mate to an alpha wolf.

There was no escape from the intense pleasure coursing through Irene's body as Beck continued to ravage her. With each thrust, she could feel his seed filling her, marking her as his forever. Her screams turned to moans as yet another orgasm ripped through her system, leaving her trembling and gasping for air.

Beck held onto her tightly as his own release overtook him, spilling everything he had into her. In that moment, they were one, bound together by their primal desire and need for each other. And as they stood there in a tangled mess of limbs and passion, all Irene could do was revel in the intensity of their connection.

They finally broke apart, their breath mingling in the narrow space between them. “Mine,” he purred.

Her heart ached at the raw emotion in the word, the vulnerability that lay beneath his strength. “And you’re mine,” she whispered, her voice steady despite the storm raging within her.

But before the moment could settle, a distant noise reached their ears—the unmistakable sound of voices and footsteps echoing down the passageway. Beck and Irene swore in unison, the reality of their situation crashing back over her like a wave.

“They’re coming back,” Beck said, his tone grim as he pulled her close.

Irene nodded, her resolve hardening as she stepped back and grabbed her pack. “Then we keep moving,” she said, her voice steady and determined.

Irene knelt beside Beck, her hands steady despite the chaos still crackling in the air around them. His blood glistened against the pale skin of her fingers as she worked to clean the wound on his flank. The gash wasn’t as deep as she had feared, but the sight of it still made her heart twist painfully in her chest.

“Are you all right?” he asked, looking pointedly at the bite mark.

“I’m not the one who’s bleeding,” she muttered, reaching up to tentatively touch the wound on her neck. “Okay, so I’ve got a little blood, but you’ve got more.” Her voice was softer than she’d intended. She knew she should be angry with him, but she couldn’t muster the energy or the emotion.

Beck chuckled, the sound low and gravelly, though his eyes betrayed the weariness he was trying to hide. “Not going anywhere without you. But tell me something—what else is in that magic backpack of yours? Bandages, disinfectant, snacks… What are you, Mary Poppins?”

Irene shot him a look, though the corner of her mouth twitched despite herself. “That would make you what, exactly? My cocky, oversized chimney sweep?”

He grinned, his teeth gleaming even in the dim light of the cavern. “I prefer ‘rugged and heroic partner,’ but I can see why you’d settle for ‘chimney sweep.’”

“Beck, if you don’t stop talking, I’m going to accidentally pour antiseptic directly into this wound.”

“Accidentally, huh?” he teased, though he winced when she applied pressure to the bandage.

“Hold still,” Irene said again, but her voice was softer now, her gaze flickering to his. “I mean it.”

The joking ebbed, replaced by an energy that hummed between them like a live wire. She finished wrapping the wound, knotting the fabric securely. For a moment, she let herself linger, her fingers brushing his skin as she pulled her hands away.

“Done,” she said quietly, straightening up and forcing herself to put some space between them.

Beck flexed his muscles, testing the bandage. “You’ve got a real talent for this, you know. If the whole treasure-hunting thing doesn’t work out, you could open a clinic.”

“Or,” she countered, standing and dusting off her hands, “I could not have to deal with reckless shifters who think they’re indestructible.”

Beck stood as well, towering over her in that infuriating, commanding way he always did. “I’m not reckless. I’m resourceful.”

“Debatable.”

After pulling on their clothes, Irene’s eyes turned to the carvings on the wall, the intricate symbols partially obscured by the damage left behind from the fight. Scorch marks from stray bullets and claw marks marred the surface, obliterating parts of the delicate patterns.

“This…” she murmured, stepping closer to the wall, her voice tight with frustration. “This is the next part of the clue, but some of it’s gone. The fight must’ve destroyed it.”

Beck stepped beside her, his blue eyes scanning the markings with a frown. “Can you make out anything?”

Irene bit her lip, her fingers tracing the faint lines still visible on the wall. “Some of it,” she admitted, “but not enough. It’s like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing.”

They spent the next several minutes combing the chamber, searching for anything else the fight might have revealed—or hidden. Irene’s hands moved with practiced precision, brushing away dirt and debris, but frustration clawed at her the longer they searched without answers.

“This doesn’t make sense,” she muttered, shaking her head as she crouched near the base of the wall. “We should be closer. The journal—everything—led us here. This has to be it.”

Beck placed a steady hand on her shoulder, his touch grounding. “We’ll figure it out,” he said, his voice calm but resolute.

Irene looked up at him, her chest tight with a mixture of gratitude and anger—anger at herself for feeling so lost, for not being able to see the next step. “What if we’re too late?” she whispered. “What if the hunters already found it, and this was just… what’s left?”

Beck crouched beside her, his expression softening. “Then we’ll find another way,” he said simply. “But I don’t think they’ve found it yet. If they had, they wouldn’t still be sniffing around.”

She nodded, though the knot in her chest didn’t ease.

They continued searching for what felt like hours, the cavern growing colder as the night stretched on. They never encountered a reason for the voices or the sound of the footsteps they’d heard earlier. Irene’s flashlight began to dim, its beam flickering against the walls like a failing heartbeat.

“Let’s call it a day,” Beck said finally, his voice cutting through the oppressive silence. “We’re not going to get anywhere like this.”

Reluctantly, Irene nodded, standing and brushing the dirt from her hands. “We’ll come back,” she said, more to herself than to him. “There has to be something we missed.”

Beck didn’t argue, though the tension in his jaw told her he was just as frustrated as she was.

As they made their way out of the cavern, the air grew heavier, and the sense of being watched was like an omniscient presence. She glanced over her shoulder more than once, her hand instinctively moving to the hilt of her knife.

When they emerged into the open air, the cool breeze was a relief—but it did little to dispel the feeling of unease.

“We need to move,” Beck said, taking her hand and pulling her deeper into the forest.

Irene didn’t argue, her trust in him absolute as they disappeared into the shadows. But as they fled, her mind raced with unanswered questions, her determination burning brighter than ever. They were close—so close—but the treasure, and the danger that surrounded it, remained just out of reach.

And somewhere in the darkness, the hunters were closing in.