Chapter 39

39

I was never leaving this bed.

“We need to get up soon,” Remy told me, his voice full of regret as his lips trailed kisses across my bare shoulders. His hand caressed the curve of my ass, coasting over the dips and swells absently. I wasn’t even sure if he knew he was doing it.

I glanced over my shoulder at him from where I lay on my stomach in our bed. “Your words say one thing, but your mouth and hand seem to have other ideas,” I laughed.

The hand in question lazily exploring my backside dipped lower, teasing the seam of my entrance before one finger slipped inside of me.

I sighed, my eyes closing as I moaned softly into the pillow.

The slight twinge of discomfort was quickly washed away by a cascade of want and need, my legs falling open wantonly to give him better access.

Our first time together had been fast, driven by our wolves to complete the bond. I had damn near blacked out after the orgasm to end all orgasms tore through me. Remy had gently cleaned me up, his soft strokes and mouth pressing kisses against my damp skin until I was a writhing mess on the bed.

The second time, Remy had taken his time, dragging out my pleasure until I was pretty sure the whole resort heard me begging and moaning for release.

The third time had been after we had fallen asleep. He had woken me up with his head between my legs, his mouth coaxing a rolling orgasm out of me before I was barely awake. I returned the favor an hour later, waking him up with my mouth.

Exhausted, we had fallen asleep, curled around each other until morning, where my body was more than ready to go a fifth round. Exhaustion be damned. I could sleep later.

I bit the corner of the pillow as he added a second finger, curling them to hit some magic spot in my body that had my vision blurring every time he did it. It only took minutes before my body splintered apart again.

Remy grinned as he lay back down beside me, lifting his hand to his lips to lick them clean.

My breath caught, the sight indescribably erotic and sending fresh waves of want pulsing through me even as my stomach growled.

Screw food. I could feast on my mate.

He chuckled, a hand smoothing my hair away from my face. “You need to eat.” His stomach growled. “Okay, we both need to eat.”

“What time is it?” I mumbled, not wanting to roll over and look at the clock.

“Almost eight,” he replied.

We had been in bed for almost eighteen hours, only getting up to use the bathroom and grab a drink. That had to be some kind of record.

I rolled over onto my back, grinning impishly when his eyes dropped to my bare chest.

“I think we should stay here all day,” I said, reaching up to touch his face.

I wanted to stay in this moment forever. I was happy. More than happy. My wolf was at peace, and I felt closer than ever to Remy.

He kissed the side of my breast, a finger gently tracing the mark he had left on me last night. I winced as a small thread of pain pierced the happy fog I was in.

The bite was healing, but, judging by what I had glimpsed in the mirror in the middle of the night when I went to the bathroom, I would have a hell of a scar. I was definitely a claimed mate.

My eyes studied the mark I had left when I bit into the hard muscle of his shoulder. It wasn’t as deep as the one he had given me, but it was still there.

Remy’s lips found mine, his tongue sweeping into my mouth like he owned it. Which, he did. Completely.

“I think you should stay in bed,” he said softly, his eyes warm and full of love. “I have a meeting I can’t miss this morning. You can be lazy for both of us.”

“It’s more fun when you’re in the bed with me,” I said with a huff as he sat up.

He stood up, unabashedly naked as he headed for the bathroom.

“I could always join you,” I offered, raising up onto my elbows.

He glanced over his shoulder with a chuckle. “Yeah, that’s a good way to make sure I’m late. I have ten minutes to get ready.”

I flopped back against the mattress and stared up at the ceiling. “Fine. I guess I’ll take care of myself.” I splayed a hand low on my belly, making the intent clear.

Two hands grabbed my ankles, jerking me down the bed until my butt reached the edge. I squeaked in surprise as Remy stepped between my spread knees and cupped me between the legs boldly, his thumb easily sliding through my slick folds and tracing my opening before stroking the side of my clit with unerring accuracy.

I bit my lip to suppress a groan as he did exactly what I had hoped my little threat would entice him to do.

“You don’t fight fair,” he said, shaking his head before pulling his hand back and heading into the bathroom.

I groaned, frustrated in more ways than one. “You suck!” I called.

His head appeared in the doorway, his eyes glittering with mirth as he smiled. “Yeah, but you like it when I do.”

My jaw dropped open a second before a giggle slipped past my lips. I rolled onto my side as I laughed while he shut the door and turned on the shower.

I was still being lazy, laying in bed and studying dust motes floating in the air when the door opened and he appeared dressed with wet hair. He grabbed his phone from the dresser and slipped it into his back pocket before coming back and sitting on the edge of the bed beside me.

“I’ll order you something to eat before I leave,” he said, his fingers sliding through my hair.

“Waffles?” I asked hopefully, wanting carbs and sugar. I adored the way butter and syrup would pool in the tiny pools the waffles provided.

“And extra bacon,” he added with a knowing smile. He leaned over and kissed my forehead. “If you want to come to the afternoon meeting, they’ll be doing a group session. Let me know and I can come back and get you.”

“I’ll see what Tate’s doing,” I replied. “I need to call my mom at some point today. We haven’t really talked since I got here.”

“Sounds good,” he agreed. “Call me if you need me.”

I blinked at him slowly. “I always need you.”

His gaze heated. “Same.” He kissed me again, his mouth slanting over mine. The kiss ended too soon and he was getting up and leaving the room.

I waited until I heard his footsteps on the stairs before getting up and heading into the bathroom myself. I flipped on the light and studied myself in the mirror.

“Whoa,” I murmured, bracing my hands on the counter and leaning forward to inspect my seriously messy hair. I tried to finger comb it into submission, but it was a disaster from Remy’s fingers and rolling around in bed.

My gaze dropped to the bite on my shoulder. I winced as I touched it, gently probing the bruised and red skin. The muscle under it ached where Remy’s canines had pierced muscle as well as flesh.

I smiled at myself, proud of the mark and what it represented.

I took my time showering, letting the hot water ease some of the soreness from my body before I stepped out in a cloud of steam thick enough to hide the door.

My skin chilled as I stepped into our bedroom, and went to the dresser to decide what to wear.

Jeans were an easy choice, but I hesitated before selecting a white scooped-neck tank top. I pulled on my underwear, struggled to get the jeans on over my damp skin and finally pulled on the top.

The low cut perfectly showed off the claiming mark.

I smirked at myself in the mirror, already imagining my uncle’s face when he saw he was wrong.

Fuck you, Linden .

I braided my wet hair to the side, making sure there was nothing blocking the view of the bite mark. The silver chain of my necklace rubbed the broken skin, but I relished the reminder that the mark existed.

“ W hoa,” Tate said, eyes huge as I stepped out of the cabin and met her outside.

I had decided after eating and trying to call Mom, who didn’t answer, to go to the afternoon session. I wasn’t hiding from Linden or anyone else. I had texted Remy to let him know I would be there, but he was stuck in meetings.

“I take it things with Remy went well?” Tate’s eyes sparkled as a smile spread across her face.

I couldn’t stop my grin. “Yeah. We’re good.”

She bit down on her lip, trying to hide her spreading grin. “Like... how good?”

I smirked, meeting her gaze so the meaning was clear. “Freaking amazing.”

“Fabulous,” she remarked with a giggle, her gaze focused on the mark on my shoulder. “Does that hurt? It looks like it hurts.”

I shrugged. “Not really.”

She smiled, impressed. “Damn, girl. You realize that the second we walk inside that meeting, everyone is going to know what you two were up to last night?”

My smile grew. “Exactly.”

She gave a low whistle as she fell into step with me. “You’re a badass, Skye Markham.”

A few people were on the main path heading to the lodge. I kept my head up, ignoring the whispers and stares as people saw the healing mark engraved in my neck. But it seemed that as quickly as they registered the bite mark, their eyes immediately looked away.

“You’re claimed,” Tate murmured to me. “You’re a bonded mate; it can be viewed as a challenge to Remy if they look at you for too long.”

Tate and I stepped through the open front doors, and into a crowd of Alphas.

It was hard not to react to conversations dying off as eyes snapped to us. I scanned the crowd, smiling when I saw Remy and Dante talking to Griffin.

Remy’s eyes lifted, his wolf searching for mine before he even realized what he was doing. Our gazes connected, and I saw the flare of surprised appreciation flash across his face. He grinned when he saw me, stepping around Dante to cross the room to me.

All the stares and whispers faded into white noise as soon as he pulled me into his arms, kissing me soundly in front of a room of Alphas.

“You should’ve texted me. I would have come and gotten you,” he told me softly, his look serious as he pulled back. “I don’t want you wandering around here by yourself with Linden and Preston around.”

“I hardly see myself as a threat to my own niece,” Linden drawled beside us.

We turned to see Linden hovering beside us.

His green eyes studied the mark on my neck, the lines around his mouth tightening.

Remy angled his body in front of mine, making sure to put himself between Linden and me.

“What do you want, Markham?” he demanded.

We had the attention of everyone now, all conversations ceasing to study us with open fascination and interest.

I shifted my weight forward, unable to stop myself from touching Remy’s back.

Linden changed his focus to Remy. “Forcibly marking my niece in a pathetic attempt to stake your claim on her is childish. Like a dog pissing on its favorite toy. The Council will see through this.”

“Forcibly?” I echoed, tilted my head to the side. “I can assure you that I was a willing participant all,” I pretended to count on my fingers, “five times.”

A ripple of nervous laughter swept the room, and Linden actually flushed. Remy’s massive shoulders shook as he tried holding in his own chuckles.

“The only people who ever forced me to do anything came from your pack,” I added.

A new wave of whispers swirled around the room, but this time the stares were focused on my uncle along with several suspicious looks.

Linden glared at me before cutting his eyes to Remy. “She speaks for you, alpha?”

Remy’s lips curved into a smirk as he stepped back so we were side by side. He folded his muscular arms across his broad chest.

He was an alpha— my alpha —but he was showing Linden, and all of the men in the room that we were equals in his eyes.

“Skye is my mate. She absolutely speaks for me.”

A loud gong signaled the start of the afternoon session, and people began heading for the doors until it was just the three of us standing outside the room. Dante and Tate had hesitated by the doors for a second before Remy gave them a dismissive nod.

Linden’s eyes were full of venom. “I suppose you’re pleased with yourself, Skye.”

My fingers floated up to touch the scarring flesh. “You said it yourself, Uncle,” I started, my tone biting, “a bond isn’t recognized by Pack Law until it’s consummated. I’m just playing by your rules.”

His lips curled into a snarl. “My dear girl, you have no idea what game you’re playing or what the rules are. But I look forward to educating you.”

“Watch yourself,” Remy said softly, his tone deceptively calm. “Skye’s my mate. If you threaten her, you threaten me and my pack, including our allies. That’s a fight you can’t win, Markham, and we both know it.”

Linden’s eyes narrowed. “We’ll see about that, boy.” He spun and stormed into the meeting room.

Remy sighed and turned to face me. “That was exciting,” he muttered. “You definitely got the attention of every Alpha here.”

I stepped closer to him, sliding my arms up and around his neck. “That was kind of the point.”

He raised his brows, his hands settling on my hips.

“Linden needs to know he isn’t controlling this,” I explained. “I’m tired of letting him think he has all the power here.”

“I get that,” he replied, “but don’t underestimate your uncle. I’ve watched him at the Summit for years. He’s dangerous.”

“He’s a monster,” I retorted.

“All the more reason to tread lightly,” Remy advised. “He’s planning something, I can feel it.”

That made me pause. Remy was right; Linden wouldn’t let something like me being claimed by Remy stop him from getting what he wanted. My uncle was many things, but he was also smart and manipulative.

“We should get in there,” I said.

Remy nodded, taking my hand and leading me into the room as the doors started to close. He left me in the gallery with Tate and Daniel. I slipped into the seat between them as the meeting began.

“Damn,” Daniel whispered, eyeing me as Remy headed towards the front of the room where Gabe waited.

Gabe looked back, flashing me a big smile before turning his attention to an Alpha complaining about boundary lines.

“Does that hurt?”

I bared my teeth at Daniel when he moved to touch the mark.

He held up his hands innocently. “Sorry.” His innocence melted into a shameless smirk that made me think he acted more like Sam and Dax than someone who was a few years older than I was.

Tate leaned around me with a frown. “No touching the newly bonded mate, idiot.”

Daniel rolled his eyes as Vincent stood up to speak on behalf of the Council.

“We will look into these boundary disputes, Alpha.” He cleared his throat, his gaze moving around the room before landing squarely on... Linden.

I sat up, my gaze narrowed.

“Is there any other business to be added?” Vincent asked.

Linden stood up. “There is. If the Council will permit me, I must speak up on behalf of Alpha Damien and the Norwood pack.”

“And where is Alpha Damien?” Vincent had mastered the art of looking simultaneously bored and curious.

“Retrieving two pack members from the airport who felt the need to testify,” Linden explained calmly, turning to address the room. “My brothers, it is no secret that I have made my grievances known with the Blackwater pack, but I must further impress upon you how long their reach is. It would seem that their allies follow the same vile, reprehensible ways.”

“Someone was hitting a thesaurus when he practiced this speech,” Daniel muttered beside me, but even he was leaning forward with interest.

“Explain your words, Alpha,” Vincent said, his voice booming.

“Females are becoming more endangered by the day,” Linden went on, causing several heads to nod in agreement. “I have lost four from my own pack this year. A pair of mates from Norwood lost their only daughter years ago. Stolen from them by an Alpha. They feared speaking out against him as he is closely aligned with Blackwater.”

The side doors opened and Damien entered first, followed by a smaller man and woman.

A few scattered conversations started around us, but it was the gasp immediately to my right that caught my attention. Across the room, Gabe and Luke were getting to their feet.

Tate’s face was ashen as she stared at the newcomers.

“Tate?” I reached for her hand.

Damien stepped up beside Linden. “This is Grant and Karen Brandon,” he said, his voice rising above the confusion. “Their daughter, Tatum, was kidnapped at age seven by the Brooks Ridge Alpha. We demand justice for them, and all the daughters these two packs have stolen.”