Chapter 5

Ryan

The tantalizing aroma of beef and potatoes wafts through the dining room as we gather for our evening meal. My gaze drifts to Jenna, seated across from me. Even in simple jeans and a sweater, she exudes a natural beauty that captivates me. I can't tear my eyes away from the gentle curve of her lips as she laughs at something Hannah says.

My wolf stirs restlessly beneath my skin, its instincts warring with my human rationale. Ever since the incident when I found her crying on the path, my wolf has become utterly consumed by her presence. Her vulnerability that day awoke a fierce protective urge within me, the primal need to shelter and comfort her. Yet even then, simmering beneath that tender impulse, the fire of a deeper, more carnal hunger raged.

A hunger only she can sate.

I tear my gaze from the gentle curves of her face, cursing the insistent tug of attraction that seems to draw my eyes back to her like a magnet. My grip tightens on the fork in my hand as I struggle to maintain control.

"...don't you think, Ryan?" Hannah's voice cuts through my preoccupied haze.

Blinking, I lift my stare to meet her expectant green eyes. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

She rolls her eyes in that playfully exasperated way only a little sister can manage. "I was saying that Jenna needs a night out on the town." A mischievous grin tugs at the corners of her lips. "The Howling Wolf is always a fun time."

The Howling Wolf. The very idea of Jenna stepping foot in that bar of shifters sends a possessive growl rumbling through my chest. My wolf rebels at the thought of exposing our mate to the leers and advances of others.

Before I can voice my objections, Jenna's soft laughter drifts across the table like a siren's call. "You make it sound so ominous," she teases Hannah. "But sure, a night out could be fun."

The words are barely out of her mouth before I find myself speaking without conscious thought. "I'll drive." The gruff declaration slices through the comfortable conversation, my tone leaving little room for argument.

Four sets of eyes turn my way, but I'm solely focused on Jenna. Her hazel gaze meets mine, sparking with surprise. Then, with a slight nod, she breaks the spell. "Okay. That works for me."

Beside her, Hannah's brows have lifted in silent question, but she knows better than to voice it aloud. Instead, she exchanges a loaded glance with our grandfather before plastering on a bright smile. "Wonderful! Ryan can be our designated driver. Let's go get ready."

Rising from her seat, she grabs Jenna's hand and practically drags the bemused woman toward the exit, their soft laughter echoing back to me like distant bells on the wind. Only then do I become aware of my grandfather's penetrating stare. "Just be cautious out there," he warns. "The Howling Pines pack has been growing bolder lately."

A growl rumbles low in my chest at the mention of my cousin, Theodore. The mere thought of him near Jenna is enough to set my blood boiling. But I force the anger down, reminding myself that tonight is about letting Jenna have a reprieve from the chaos that has consumed her life.

Thirty excruciatingly long minutes later, the soft click of heels against hardwood announces Hannah and Jenna's arrival. I brace myself, but nothing could have prepared me for the sight that greets me.

Jenna has traded her casual attire for a figure-hugging red dress that clings to her body like a second skin. The deep neckline teases glimpses of the soft swell of her breasts, and the hem falls teasingly mid-thigh, revealing legs that seem to go on forever. Her auburn locks tumble in waves over her shoulders, and her lips are painted a tempting shade of crimson.

I can scarcely breathe, let alone form a coherent thought. Every instinct within me screams to possess her, to claim her as mine in the most primal of ways.

Hannah's light laughter breaks through the heated daze fogging my mind. "You about ready there, bro?" Her teasing grin speaks volumes of her understanding, her perception honed by a lifetime at my side.

With an effort of sheer willpower, I tear my ravenous stare from the tempting sway of Jenna's hips to meet her mirthful gaze. "Just waiting on you two."

Hannah arches one perfectly sculpted brow, amusement dancing in the green fire of her eyes. "Well then, we best not keep his majesty waiting any longer." Looping her arm through Jenna's, she shoots me a saucy wink before leading the way toward the door.

The subtle, mocking lilt to her tone isn't lost on me, yet I find myself powerless to muster the indignation to call her on it. Not when my entire being is focused on the tantalizing sway of Jenna's hips as she moves.

My wolf snarls possessively, every fiber of my being aching to claim her, to press her against the nearest wall and taste those ruby lips. It takes every ounce of self-control I possess to tear my gaze away, to keep from devouring her right then and there.

To mark her as mine for all to see.

???

The Howling Wolf is alive with the raucous laughter and clinking glasses of my pack members when I arrive with Jenna and Hannah. The dim, smoky interior embraces us, mingling scents of stale beer and woodsmoke with the earthy musk of my kind. I scan the crowded space, my wolf immediately on edge amidst the chaotic energy.

"Let's get drinks!" Hannah's voice cuts through the din, her excitement contagious. Jenna follows her with a smile as they head to the bar.

I spot Marcus leaning against the scarred oak counter, a bottle of beer dangling from his calloused fingers. He offers me a subtle nod of greeting, his hazel eyes narrowing as he picks up on my inner turmoil. I know he senses the struggle to keep my baser instincts in check around Jenna. A part of me bristles at the unspoken disapproval in his gaze, but I can't entirely blame him.

Chloé, one of the younger, more submissive members of our pack, approaches with a drink in her petite hands. She dips her head respectfully as she sets a tumbler of amber liquid in front of me. "Alpha," she murmurs, her voice barely audible above the throbbing bassline.

I offer her a curt nod of acknowledgment, already distracted by the way Jenna's hips sway as she walks toward a booth. Hannah links arms with her, the two of them laughing conspiratorially.

"Thanks for the drinks," Marcus nods to Chloe. "Go ahead and have some fun." She offers a shy smile and heads toward the dance floor.

The thumping bass of a new song fills the air, and I watch as Jenna, Hannah, and Chloé take to the small dance floor, their bodies swaying in sync. Jenna is a vision, all tousled auburn curls and bright smiles, utterly unaware of the effect she has on me.

Jenna's movements are fluid, graceful. She's a vision, all softness and light amidst the harsh angles and shadows of our world. The wolf claws at my insides, aching to pull her flush against me, to mark her as ours in the most primal way possible.

The beast rumbles its approval, a low, possessive sound that seems to reverberate through my very bones. Yes, this woman will be ours, no matter what stands in our way.

A low, appreciative whistle from somewhere behind me has my hackles rising. I whirl around, lips peeled back in a feral snarl as I search for the source of the offensive sound. A pair of human males, likely college kids out slumming in the supernatural part of town, are leering openly at Jenna's swaying form.

Before I can take a single step in their direction, a firm hand clamps down on my shoulder. "Easy there, Alpha," Marcus rumbles, his deep voice cutting through the red haze of possessiveness clouding my vision.

I shrug off his restraining grip, a wordless growl of warning vibrating in my throat.

"Well, well, if it isn't the great alpha himself, slumming it with the humans."

The mocking voice comes from behind me, and I turn to find a trio of shifters leering at me with undisguised contempt. At their center is a wiry blond kid I recognize as Liam Blackwood, Marcus's little brother and a low-level member of my pack with a chip on his shoulder the size of the Appalachians. Flanking him are two burly males whose scents mark them as members of Theodore Waverly's pack – my cousin, the deserter who turned his back on our pack years ago.

"I don't remember inviting Waverly's dogs into my territory," I growl, fighting to keep the wolf at bay as its hackles rise. The last thing I need is an all-out brawl with these mutts, no matter how satisfying it might feel to put them in their place.

Liam sneers, taking a bold step forward as if he has any right to challenge me. "Last I checked, this was neutral ground, Thorne. Or are you too busy playing puppy dog with your new human bitch to remember the rules?"

My wolf snarls, outraged at the blatant disrespect. It takes every ounce of restraint to keep from lashing out, from asserting my dominance over this insolent pup. Only the thought of Jenna's presence holds the raging beast at bay.

One of the burly males beside Liam lets out a crude guffaw as his eyes latch onto Chloe. "Well, lookie here boys. It's a little Whispering Pines bitch all dressed up." He leers openly at her petite frame.

My wolf bristles, hackles rising at the crude insult directed at one of our packmates. The urge to rip out this fool's throat is nearly overpowering.

Chloe shrinks back, her pretty features pinched with discomfort as the other male steps up beside his friend. "Don't be shy, darlin'," he drawls with a lecherous grin. "We all know submissives like you live for a big shifter's attention."

A vicious snarl rips from my throat, the sound feral and menacing. I can feel my restraint slipping, the wolf straining to tear free and put these disrespectful curs in their place.

"Everything okay over here?" Jenna interrupts.

The soft lilt of her voice instantly cuts through the bloodlust fogging my mind. My wolf calms, soothed by her mere presence as I turn to face her.

I find her standing with her arms crossed over her chest, hazel eyes alight with a quiet strength that momentarily steals my breath. Even with her petite frame and delicate features, there's an undeniable aura of power about her – a quiet, unshakable resilience that calls to my very soul.

"They were just leaving," I growl, the words little more than a guttural rumble from deep within my chest. I allow my gaze to linger on Liam for a beat, silently conveying the consequences should he choose to escalate the situation further.

With a disdainful snort, he gives a curt nod to his packmates before brushing past me, his shoulder connecting with mine in a final show of disrespect.

I don't so much as flinch, my focus solely centered on the woman at my back. Jenna, my fierce little mate who has managed to capture both my heart and the unrelenting obedience of my wolf without even trying.

"What are your orders, Alpha?" Marcus' rumbles, his deep voice cutting through the lingering tension like a knife.

I take a moment to consider my words, acutely aware of the weight they carry. "Get everyone home," I say finally, meeting Marcus's gaze meaningfully.

He gives a curt nod, understanding my unspoken meaning. "Hannah, Chloe, let's go."

As the two women move to follow him, Marcus pauses and glances back at Jenna with a questioning look. Before he can voice the thought, a deep, rumbling growl builds in my chest - a clear warning for him not to suggest Jenna leave with them.

Marcus's lips press into a grim line, but he doesn't argue. With a slight dip of his chin, he simply turns and leads Hannah and Chloe toward the exit, leaving Jenna and I alone.

"Let's get out of here," Jenna murmurs, her soft voice like a soothing balm against the raging wolf within me.

I nod, my body thrumming with the need to be alone with her.

Without a word, I turn on my heel and start for the exit, trusting her to follow. I can no longer be surrounded by the chaos, the noise and stench of the lower beings who would dare defile her with their presence. No, what I require now is solitude. Privacy to revel in the scent and taste of her without interruption.

The cool night air is a balm against my heated skin as I stride out into the parking lot, my wolf practically vibrating with the need for release. I've made it no more than a dozen steps when her soft voice drifts out behind me.

"Ryan? Ryan, wait!"

I freeze in place, every muscle in my body pulled taut as her gentle hand closes around my forearm. The simple contact is like a bolt of lightning, searing through me with an intensity that leaves me breathless. Slowly, I turn to face her, drinking in the radiant beauty of her features in the dim glow of the parking lot lights.

Those full lips are parted, pupils blown wide as she stares up at me with a mixture of concern and... curiosity? Yes, curiosity laced with a tantalizing hint of desire that has the wolf preening within me. Her scent, rich and floral, washes over me in intoxicating waves, and it's all I can do not to crush her against me and drink deeply of her addictive essence.

"Are you okay?" she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper as her fingers trail down the corded muscles of my forearm.

The simple touch threatens to shatter what little remains of my restraint. A harsh growl rumbles up from the depths of my chest as I capture her wrist in one large hand, holding her in place as I take a single step forward. Then another, forcing her to retreat until the solid metal of my truck is against her back, caging her in with the hard planes of my body.

"No," I rasp, bending until our faces are a hairsbreadth apart. Her sweet breath caresses my lips, and I can't resist leaning in to brush my nose along the delicate curve of her jaw, drinking in her scent like a intoxicating elixir. "I'm not okay, Jenna."

A tiny whimper escapes her as I nuzzle the throbbing pulse point just below her ear, my tongue darting out to taste the salty tang of her skin. She tastes of sunlight and honey, a flavor so rich and intoxicating that I can't resist taking another sampling. And another, trailing scorching kisses down the slender column of her throat.

"Ryan..." My name is a breathless entreaty on her lips, at once a plea and an invitation to continue my sensual assault.

The wolf snarls its approval, every instinct roaring to claim this woman as our mate, to bind her to us in the most primal way imaginable. With a harsh groan, I tear my mouth away from the siren's call of her flesh, resting my forehead against hers as I fight for control. When I finally find my voice, it's a low, gravelly rasp laced with the desperation I feel clawing at my insides.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me?" I grate out, holding her gaze with an intensity that would make a lesser woman quail. "The things you make me want... the things you make me need?"

Her pupils are blown wide, those lush lips parted on a shuddering inhalation as she drinks in my words. Slowly, almost unconsciously, she gives the barest shake of her head.

A savage growl rumbles up from the depths of my chest as I capture her other wrist, pinning both of her hands above her head against the cool metal of the truck. I lean in until our bodies are flush, caging her in with the heavy weight of my frame as I brush my lips against the delicate shell of her ear.

"I want you, Jenna," I rasp, letting the stark truth of my words sink in.

A full-body shudder wracks her slight frame, her chest rising and falling in rapid, shallow bursts against mine. The rich, heady scent of her arousal surrounds me, stoking the already raging inferno in my veins to dizzying new heights.

Releasing her wrists, I trail my hands down the soft, feminine curves of her body, committing every lush swell and delicious dip to memory. When I reach the hem of her skirt, I bunch the silky fabric in my fists and slowly, torturously inch it higher, baring those endlessly long legs to my ravenous gaze.

"I want to bury myself so deep inside you, you'll never forget the feel of me," I growl against the fragrant skin of her throat. "I want to make you scream my name until you're hoarse, until every fiber of your being knows who you belong to."

A choked whimper slips past her lips, her nails digging into the taut muscles of my shoulders as she clings to me. The scent of her desire is a thick, intoxicating cloud surrounding us now, and it's all I can do to keep from ripping that tempting dress from her body and taking her right here against the unforgiving metal.

Somehow, I find the tattered remnants of my control and force myself to take a step back, putting a sliver of space between us. Jenna's eyes are glazed, lips swollen from the assault of my kisses as she gapes at me with a look of pure, molten desire.

"Get in the truck," I growl, the words laced with the full weight of my alpha command.

For a moment, I think she might disobey, might try to push me over that razor's edge of restraint. But then, slowly, she nods and moves to obey, her movements unsteady and dazed. I watch, fists clenched at my sides, as she slips into the passenger seat, her trembling fingers smoothing the rumpled fabric of her skirt.

The second the door closes behind her, I'm rounding the front of the truck, every nerve ending in my body thrumming with a singular, driving need – to claim this woman as mine in every sense of the word. I wrench open the driver's side door and fold my large frame behind the wheel, the confines of the cab seeming to shrink around me as the scent of Jenna's arousal envelops me in a thick, intoxicating haze.

I don't bother starting the engine. A harsh growl rumbles up from the depths of my chest as I turn to face her, the wolf in me straining against the last vestiges of my control.

Jenna's chest is heaving, her lips parted and eyes wide as she watches me with a combination of trepidation and blatant longing. "Ryan..." she whispers, her voice a sultry murmur that fans the flames of my desire.

Without a word, I reach out and trace the line of her jaw with the back of my knuckles. Her skin is soft, like velvet beneath my touch. Slowly, I trail my fingers down the column of her throat, feeling the rapid flutter of her pulse against my fingertips. The scent of her arousal is maddening, a siren's call that I can no longer resist.

"I need to taste you, Jenna," I growl, my voice barely recognizable to my own ears. "Every. Inch."

Her breath hitches, eyes darkening with desire as she nods her consent. Empowered by her trust, I slide closer to her on the bench seat, my hands skimming up her thighs to grip the hem of her skirt. With deliberate slowness, I inch the fabric upward, baring her to my hungry gaze.

A low, appreciative sound rumbles in my chest at the sight of her, clad in nothing but a scrap of lace that does little to conceal the evidence of her arousal. I hook my fingers under the flimsy material, tugging it down her legs and tossing it aside with a growl of impatience.

"So beautiful," I murmur, drinking in the sight of her. I trail my fingertips along the delicate skin of her inner thighs, spreading her open for me. "So perfect."

Jenna whimpers, her hands fisting in my hair as I lean in and run my nose along the soft mound of her sex, inhaling deeply. "Ryan, please..."

The wolf within me howls in triumph as I finally give in to temptation, pressing a hot, open-mouthed kiss to her core. Her taste is exquisite, sweet and musky and utterly addictive. I flick my tongue out, teasing her sensitive flesh as she squirms beneath me.

"You taste like heaven," I groan, my voice vibrating against her. I delve deeper, exploring her folds with an insatiable hunger as she cries out my name, her body bowing off the seat.

I slide one finger inside her, then another, stretching her as I continue to worship her with my mouth. Her inner walls clamp down around me, her body undulating in time with the rhythm of my fingers and tongue.

"Oh God, Ryan... don't stop," she pleads, her voice ragged with need.

"Never," I rasp, locking gazes with her as I curl my fingers, seeking out the spot that will send her over the edge. Her body tightens, an exquisite tension coiling within her as I work her higher and higher.

With a keening cry, Jenna shatters around me, her release pulsing against my fingers and tongue. I lick her through it, drawing out her pleasure until she's limp and spent, her breaths coming in shallow, trembling gasps.

As the aftershocks subside, I withdraw my fingers and press a gentle kiss to her inner thigh. Her scent and taste are imprinted on me now, a brand that sears into my very soul. My wolf is sated, for the moment. But as the haze of desire begins to clear, reality comes crashing back.

With a harsh sigh, I pull away from Jenna, my movements jerky and abrupt. Her eyes flutter open, confusion clouding their hazel depths as she registers the shift in my demeanor.

"I... I need to take you home," I grind out, the words tasting like ash on my tongue. I can't—won't—entangle her further in my life until I have a better handle on things.

Jenna's brows draw together, a flicker of hurt crossing her features before she masks it with a nod. "Okay," she murmurs, her voice small as she adjusts her skirt and smooths back her tousled hair. "If that's what you want."

The uncertainty in her tone gnaws at me, but I ignore it, reaching for the ignition and starting the truck with a roar that does nothing to drown out the howling of my wolf.