Chapter 14 - Devon

"How much farther?" Beth asked, swiping at the cloud of bugs circling her head.

They were deep in the forest now. Pine trees lined the narrow path, and a stream snaked beside them, rushing along at a pace they couldn't hope to match. The sun was high overhead, lending a pleasant warmth through the pine needle canopy, and Devon felt at ease. Beth walked a few steps ahead.

"We're a little over halfway now, I'd wager." He peered up the trail, searching for a marker.

He carried the supplies on his back, though Beth had insisted she could manage half of them. Devon wanted her to enjoy the views and the journey without worrying about lugging their stuff along.

"We could've gone to a hotel, you know," she said, flicking him a look over her shoulder. Her cheeks were pink with the effort of their last climb, and she looked radiant in the sunshine, her hair a little wild.

Devon held his arms out wide to encompass the entirety of the forest around them. "And miss all of this? Besides, you said you wanted to be alone, just the two of us, remember? We couldn't do that if we were in a hotel. There'd be people everywhere. Humans, no less."

Beth twisted her hair up and secured it with a clip, revealing a delicate strip of neck. Devon was quite enjoying hiking behind her. She'd worn a pair of shorts that hugged her curves in just the right way, and he"d tripped more than once when his eyes had lingered too long on her, rather than the trail in front of him.

"I mostly meant away from the White Winters," she muttered. "People, in general, are okay. They don't all want me dead."

He couldn't fault her for that. His pack had exactly made her feel welcome. Emma had done her best to make her feel the opposite. And then one of his own had assaulted her or attempted to. Mixed in with the rage and indignation he felt at that, was a deep shame.

It was his pack. His responsibility. If they acted out, it was a reflection of him. Small as his pack was, he'd had no hesitation in exiling one. He'd get rid of every last one if he had to and start from the bottom up, start over again.

"Jonah doesn't want you dead," Devon protested. "He's fond of you. Probably because you'll read the same trash books that he does. Anyone who shares his tragic taste of literature is in his good graces."

"They're not trash," she argued, "they're pulp. It's like tasteful trash. Curated trash. Really, you're showing your lack of culture with this."

"You sound just like him now. I'm changing up your guard duty. It's going to be Caleb's turn to watch your door," Devon said, catching up to walk beside her.

The path widened, weaving through the trees that changed from pines to hemlocks and maples. Here, they began to climb again. Loose rock was scattered over the trail, and they scrambled up a cragged rock together.

"Does Caleb even know how to read?" She asked.

Devon laughed. "Oh, come on, he's not an airhead. He just has other interests, other talents. Like the gym."

"And eating." Beth gripped Devon's arm and boosted herself up a steep face of rock. He followed, navigating more slowly to counterbalance the pack.

Wildflowers burst from the patches of dirt between the rocks, splashes of purple and yellow with fat, sleepy bees orbiting the blooms. He took care to step around them.

"Wow," Beth gasped when she reached the top of the climb. Devon followed a moment later, smiling at the look of awe on her face.

It was an impressive view. They'd reached the cliff walk, a stretch of trail that rose above the treetops and wound along a cliff's edge, giving them a view down over the valley. Up there, the sun laid down an even golden glow and the flowers that had been sporadic down below were a blanket here, perfuming the air with sweetness.

"There's the river," Devon said, pointing at a silver twist cutting through the valley. "And there's the house."

From there, it was nothing more than a dark rooftop sitting centered in a manicured plot.

"We're high as the birds," Beth exclaimed, as a hawk wheeled by of a height with the cliffs, its wings outstretched, effortless in an air current.

He slung his arm around her shoulder. "Worth waking up early for?"

She stood on tiptoes and kissed his jaw. "To be decided. We're not at this cabin yet, and let me tell you, I've seen enough horror movies to know what a cabin in the woods looks like. Dark, creepy, full of spiders."

"I'll be there, though," he said, puffing up his chest. "What else do you need?"

"Oh, I don't know, hot showers, down blankets, a bathrobe, slippers," she said, ticking them off on her fingers one by one. "Caviar, wine, a chocolate on my pillow."

She led the way along the cliff walk, following his directions. The sun warmed his shoulders, and as he looked down at the valley, he imagined what it would be like if he had always felt that way. Sometimes, he wanted to shrug the title of alpha off like an old coat on a warm spring day.

"We're close," he said, pointing to a trail that branched off from the main path, which had turned to go back into the woods, away from the cliff. "Just through here."

He took her hand and they climbed down a steep path.

"Imagine if we did this on four feet instead of two," Beth said tersely, slipping on the loose shale.

"I've got you." Devon held her, kept her from sliding down the rest of the path. "And like I said, this is part of the adventure. We have to do it like this."

"Did you come out here with your parents?" She grabbed a tree, and another, using them to guide herself down the steep path. She didn't like to rely on him, but he wasn't sure yet if a streak of independence or mistrust kept her from reaching for him. He hoped it was the former, but feared for the latter.

"My mom, yeah. When my dad would go away for work, she'd bring me and Emma out here. We'd fill out little packs with snacks and toys and my mom would do the bulk of the work, carrying all the stuff we actually needed." He smiled at the memory. "When I got older, I insisted on carrying the big pack even though it meant we had to stop all the time to rest. It made me feel like I was taking care of her. More than Dad ever did."

"You're a protector," she said. "It's what makes you a good alpha."

"You think I'm a good alpha?" A burst of pride warmed his chest.

"Your pack doesn't make it easy. Obviously, you've made a lot of mistakes. A lot. But I think you have potential. With the proper teacher." She gave him a smug look.

"And that's you, is it?" He rolled his eyes. "We've made it. Just through these trees."

They pushed through a dense line of trees and came out to a cabin set at the edge of a lake. Dragonflies buzzed by, darting from reed to reed. It was a modest log cabin, nothing like the expansive home that house the pack.

"What do you think?" He asked, gesturing to the cabin. Its red roof was blinding, reflecting the sun. The deck jutted out above the water. As a kid, he'd sat at the edge and dangled his feet into the lake, watching the tiny fish come and go.

But he already knew from her face that she loved it. She kicked off her shoes and dipped her toes into the clear water.

"It's so clear," she exclaimed. "Can we swim in it?"

He nodded. The water was tested regularly and was safe enough for swimming and drinking after filtering.

"I brought swimsuits," he said, lowering the backpack to the ground.

Beth pulled her shirt off, slipped out of her shorts, stripped down to just her bra and panties in broad daylight. His shorts tightened, but she wasn't done. She was turned away from him, teasing, denying him what he wanted to see as she unhooked her bra and tossed it backward. Then she shimmed out of her panties.

Devon bit back a growl. He wanted her, right then and there, and she knew it. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and smiled at him, cocking one eyebrow.

"Coming?" She asked. She stepped into the water, goosebumps peppering her skin, and he drank in the sight of her wet body, wishing he could capture the image with more than his imperfect memory.

He wasted no more time, throwing his own clothes into a pile and following her into the water. The pebbles were smooth under his feet, and the water was warmer than he'd expected, as it was heated by the sun. She was deep enough that her feet didn't touch the ground, the water coming up to her neck.

But the clear water didn't hide her body from him. It showed it in tantalizing glimpses that made his cock strain for more.

"I would have put up less of a fuss if you'd told me there was a lake involved," she said. She leaned back to float, water beading off of her breasts.

He wanted to trace the drops, wanted to take her then and there. She was driving him mad, and she was doing it on purpose.

"Beth," he said, more growl than words.

"Hmm?" She asked, full of mock innocence, her eyes closed. "What is it, Devon? Is something the matter?"

"Come here," he said, his hand on her lower back, drawing her toward him.

She batted her eyelashes, keeping up the innocent act. "Wouldn't you like to swim a bit?"

He pressed himself against her, letting her feel how hard he was for her, how badly he wanted her. She bit her lip, wrapping her legs around his waist, trapping his cock between them with a delicious pressure. Buoyed by the water, she was light in his arms. He could have lifted her there and impaled her on his dick. But he wanted to take his time. Wanted her to beg him for it.

The lake water was sweet on his tongue as he kissed her neck, his fingers finding the peaked mound of her nipple. He flicked over it softly. She pressed forward into the pressure, silently asking for more, gasping when he pinched it.

"More," she said in his ear, her arms tight around his neck. She moved her hips against him, rubbing her pussy up and down the length of his cock.

Bringing his mouth to her nipple, he licked and teased it before biting it, gently at first, then harder. Her fingers wound into his hair, tugging hard at the base even as she pushed forward against his mouth. She liked the hint of pain with her pleasure, his Beth, and he'd oblige her.

She was slick. He could feel her wetness even submerged in the water, and he ached to angle his cock, to sink it deep inside her and feel her envelope him. But he waited. She was moving faster against him now, grinding on his length, moaning each time she made contact with her clit.

"Do you want to cum, Beth?" He asked, pulling his mouth from her nipple.

She nodded, eyes closed, robbed of speech.

His fingers teased her clit, barely brushing against it, as she rocked the head of his cock against her entrance, parting the lips there but never enough to slide him in. It was all he could do to hold back. A single thrust and he'd be buried inside of her.

He focused instead on her. On the flutter of her eyelids and the little gasping breaths she made each time, he circled her clit with his fingertip. It wasn't long before she was coming undone, clutching him as she shuddered and cried out.

"I want you," she said when she could speak again. She reached down and guided him to her entrance.

She was so hot and wet. He could sink the entire length of his cock inside of her in one. But she was tight, and the bliss of feeling her stretch to take him was a sensation he wouldn't rush for anything. Inch by inch, he moved deeper. She pushed forward, seeking more of him, trying to hurry him.

He was having none of it. "Now we're on my terms, darling," he said, halfway now.

"Please, Devon, I need you, all of you," she begged, biting hard on his earlobe.

Who was he to resist her begging? He sheathed the rest of himself in one thrust until he could feel her stretched around the base of his cock. She gasped, fingers tightening in his hair. Devon lingered there, waiting for her to adjust, before starting to move slowly in and out, a few inches at a time.

His fingers found her clit again, rubbing it as he thrust. She was rocking against him, looking for more, his greedy mate, and he wanted to give it to her. But first, he needed her to come again.

"I'm close," she moaned, "don't stop, don't stop."

"I know." He could feel her tightening around him, squeezing him tighter and tighter until, at last, her orgasm raced through her. She cried out, head flung back, as he let himself go. His hips bucked forward, driving harder and deeper into her, from tip to base. She was all he could see, her perfect breast cupped in his hands, his fingers sinking into the pale mound as he lost himself inside of her.

"Beth, I'm—"

"Come for me," she whispered in his ear. "I need you to fill me."

He obliged; how could he say no to his perfect luna? He filled her, thrust as deeply as he could inside of her, and felt every last drop drained.

They held each other in the water while the sun-dried their shoulders, catching their breath. Her hair was a sweat-tangled mess, stuck to her forehead, and he found her resplendent.

Now, they were one. Properly mated. He had a luna and a mate; she was his as he was hers.

When her skin prickled again with goosebumps, the heat of the moment whisked away by the breeze, he carried her out of the water and into the house. He was pleased when she laid her head on his shoulder and didn't protest. Her eyes were closed, long lashes dark against her cheek,

"How does a shower sound?' He asked, heading for the bathroom.

"Mm, perfect," she said, voice muffled against his skin. "Do you have hot water here?"

"I'm not a masochist." He set her down on the edge of the bathtub and turned the water on.

"No?" She blinked up at him, stretching like a cat before sticking her feet in to test the water.

"I'd never hurt you," he said, suddenly serious. "Is it warm enough?"

By way of answer, she got to her feet and stood beneath the streaming water, giving him a coy look over her shoulder. "Come find out."

He joined her. Her lithe form, bared to him in full as it had not been in the lake, stirred an immediate interest in his dick.

"Not too old for a second round?" She said, teasingly, wrapping her hand around his stiffening length.

He growled, catching her chin and tugging her into a rough kiss. "With you in front of me, I'll always be ready for more."

It was some time before they left the shower, scrubbed clean and pleasantly aching. Beth toweled off beside the sink while he fetched their things from outside, wrapped in a robe. She twisted her hair up and pulled on one of his T-shirts and a pair of panties.

"I could get used to this," he said, taking in her new look. He was kneeling before the fireplace, coaxing the flames to life. A stack of chopped wood waited in a basket beside the fire, dried and ready.

"Were you a boy scout?" She sat down on the sofa near the fire, curling her feet up under herself. "Oh, this is comfy."

"There's a blanket here if you're cold," he said, pulling one from the trunk that served as a coffee table.

She took it, eyeing the quilt carefully before settling it over her lap. "This looks like the one back at the house."

He glanced over his shoulder, tossing another log onto the flames. "My mother made them. She learned from her mother, I think. One of those rooms was always laid out with her sewing machine and piles of fabric. On the weekends, if she wasn't in the garden, she'd be in that room. I think every one of our relatives got one for their birthday."

Beth smiled, running her finger along the seams of the quilt squares. "How special. She was a talented woman."

"And a complicated one," he said, coming at last to sit beside her. The fire had taken hold of the logs, and a pleasant heat filled the room. He draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. "And to answer your earlier question, no, I was never a Boy Scout. My dad considered that sort of thing a waste of time."

Beth traced circles on the back of his hand, noting the scars on his knuckles. She wondered where he had gotten them.

"Strange, most fathers encourage their sons in it, don't you think?"

"He wasn't most fathers." Devon caught her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it.

"You don't like to speak of him," she noted.

Devon shook his head. "I'd rather look forward to the future than dwell on the past."

Beth was silent for a time, eyes fixed on the fire. Outside, the sun was sinking lower, splashing the sky with gold. The lake shimmered with it, dancing lights of crimson caught on its surface.

"I'm afraid of your pack, Devon," she said at last, voice small, still looking at the fire, not at him. "I'm supposed to be their luna. Their leader. They want me gone, dead, humiliated, how can they ever look to me with respect? Or come to me for guidance?"

His chest tightened at the pain in her voice, and the knowledge that he couldn't just reassure her by telling her everything would be all right, not when the same doubts kept him up at night, when he had the same fears of not being the leader they needed. He squeezed her hand.

"It's terrifying, isn't it? Leaving behind what you know and taking on something new, trying to find your way over unfamiliar ground. But you won't be alone, darling. I'll be here, every step of the way."

She squeezed his hand back, resting her head on his shoulder. "Even when your pack wants me gone?"

"You're my pack now." He hesitated, afraid to ask what was on his mind. It had troubled him since their mating in the lake, a fear that had crept in during the afterglow when his heart had felt entirely bared to her. But he forced himself to ask it. "Do you want to go back to the Rosewoods?"

He wouldn't have believed an immediate no, but the moments spent waiting for her response had him dying inside. Focusing on the fire, he watched a tentative orange flame grow to consume the log above it.

"I miss my friends," she said, turning away from the fire to face him. She waited for him to meet her gaze. "I miss home. I worry about them, how afraid they must be for me."

Devon couldn't face her eyes any longer. The pain in them threatened to undo him, and it was reflected in her voice. But she went on.

"But, I've found something here." She lifted her free hand and dropped it. "Purpose, maybe. Something I didn't have when I was with the Rosewoods, something I didn't even know I was looking for."

Devon's heart picked itself up off of the floor and began to beat again, somewhere in his chest. "And the White Winter pack, we're your purpose?"

She bit her lip, thoughtful. "I believe people can change. I want to show your pack that there's meaning in doing good, in being good. And I think we can do it. Even though I'm scared, we can do it."

He knew she was thinking of the wolf that had threatened her, of Emma and her violence, and the stories of the White Winter pack's deeds. He knew she had more than enough reason to worry.

"I'll be here. I'll protect you," he said, bending to kiss her.

"And, Devon," she went on, holding his chin, forcing him to look in her eyes, "We're mated now. That means no matter what happens with your pack or mine, it's you and me against it all."

She was being brave. He could see the glint of unease in the crinkle of her eye that said this was more plea than threat. "I wouldn't have it any other way, darling."