Chapter 7

7

Raelynn

I t's a long, long journey. We only speak for me to ask Kael if he's okay, and him to grunt out that he is. I'm so freaking worried about him.

I watch the minutes tick by on the clock on the dash. It's two forty-seven a.m. by the time he slows up and pulls abruptly off the highway.

We enter onto a dirt road, the flashy limo bouncing along in rutted tire tracks. A couple of pained groans escape his lips. Sweat is pouring down the sides of his face, and his skin is ashen.

At last, the car lurches to a stop. He yanks the door open, and…

It happens so fast I'm not exactly sure what I see. But the next thing I know, a huge, furry figure is bursting from the car.

I stare at the scraps of fabric on the driver's seat, trying to make sense of it all.

Kael has shifted. Of course, he has.

I blink, trying to see better in the darkness. I make out a pair of fierce, animal eyes; a flash of white fangs. As I watch, transfixed, he tips his head back and roars .

It's a bellow of agony. It echoes through the forest and connects directly with my heart. He's been hurting so much. I can't stand it. I need to help him.

I leap out of the car. But he's gone already, plunging into the forest.

Beyond the light cast by the headlights, it's freaking dark. I can't see a single thing. I take a couple of steps in my ridiculous shoes and trip on some undergrowth.

What's he doing, where is he going?

Back at the car, I pick up the shredded clothing. There's a lot of blood. Wet and dark and sticky. My heart is hammering. Is he going to die out there?

Tears spill down my cheeks. "Come back to me, Kael," I whisper. "I need you. And I care about you, so much."

Minutes pass, and my limbs burn with frustration. I feel so helpless out here. I've got to do something. I take my phone out and scroll to my dad's number. I'll tell him to contact the security company. Surely, they'll know what to do. I hit dial.

But the call doesn't connect. Zero signal out here. Fuck.

I try again, and again. But nothing. I glance at the driver's seat. The engine is still running. Should I drive back to the city? Try to find someone?

I'm not even sure if I can get out of here by myself.

And how can I leave Kael here alone?

I can't even get out of the car and pace around, thanks to these darn shoes.

Instead, I sit there uselessly and hope.

At long last, there's some crashing in the undergrowth. I jerk upright, looking around wildly.

A dark shape burst out of the trees. I make out the green glow of animal eyes.

It's him! Relief pours through me as I go to get out of the car.

Then I freeze.

Or is it?

Maybe it's some other grizzly bear who scented a tasty snack. With a screech of panic, I slam the driver's door shut.

The beast comes closer and closer. Is it him? Those eyes look familiar. And they don't look feral. They look soft, and kind. There's an intense tingling in my chest. I feel like my heart is reaching out of my body.

To him.

Of course, it's him.

My mate.

The word sears across my brain.

My mate has come back to me.

And something is happening. Something incredible.

The beast's body is thrashing and its fur is receding.

And there's Kael. Massive and naked, his ripped body illuminated by the headlights. My eyes dart to the bullet wound in his torso. It's not bleeding. It looks half-healed already.

He opens the driver side door, and leans in. "Raelynn, are you okay?"

I don't hesitate. I scramble over to him and throw my arms around him. "Oh my god, I was so worried!"

"I'm so sorry I left you, Raelynn. I just needed to deal with this darn bullet."

"Is it okay?"

"Yeah. It's out, don't worry."

"But—" I don't finish the sentence.

Because he draws back and I'm caught up in the headlight stare of those gorgeous eyes of his.

I'm his.

The thought flares in my brain. I'm his.

And suddenly, he's kissing me.

He pulls me in close, his fingertips caressing my face, while his lips sear mine.

Wow. They're so fierce, but so soft at the same time. I get dizzy, breathless, and I cling to him helplessly.

When he angles his jaw and kisses me deeper, I open for him. He slips his tongue in, and the velvety softness lights a fire inside me.

My pussy is aching for him. Aching for that big, thick rod that's pressing against it. My short skirt is all hitched up around my thighs, and his cock is shoving at the front of my panties, like it's trying to get them out of the way.

"Raelynn," he groans, pressing burning kisses along the side of my neck. "You're so sexy, baby girl." His massive hands go to my shoulder straps and he slides them off. Then he pushes the entire top half of my dress down. I'm not wearing a bra, and my boobs spring out, exposed to his gaze. No one has ever seen them before, and I feel shy, but there's no mistaking the naked lust in his gaze.

He gives a ragged groan and cups them gently in his hands. When he chafes my nipple with his calloused thumb, shivers of pleasure run through me.

I run my hands over his shoulders, his pecs. I'm dizzy with how much I want him.

After a while, I realize I'm rubbing my pussy up against his big rod. "Oh, god—" I pull away, embarrassed.

"Don't hold back. I want all of you," he growls, and he slides his hand down and cups my pussy through my panties.

I let out a wild moan. I can feel how wet I am. How ready for him. I never thought my first time would be like this, but I want this to happen more than I've wanted anything in my life.

He pushes my panties aside. I gasp at the first contact. When his light fingertip circles my aching bud, my hips make little jerks. I swear his touch is electric. And I want more. Much more.

That deft finger presses at my entrance, and I hold still, not daring to breathe.

"So tight," he growls. "Still a virgin."

My cheeks flush. Still a virgin, and I'm so glad I saved it all this time.

For him.

For my mate.

When he eases his finger into me, I cry out. It's like liquid fire. He slides in and out, his thumb pressing against my clit as he fucks me with his finger. All I can do is cling to him, burying my face in his shoulder.

An intense feeling builds, deep in my core. My pussy starts to spasm… and… I explode . I come around his thick finger, crying into his ear.

"Fucking incredible, baby," he growls. "That sweet virgin pussy."

Hardly know what I'm doing, I take hold of his massive cock. It surges in my hand. It's so hard and hot. I can literally feel it throbbing. I'm scared it's gonna break me in two, but I want it inside me so bad.

I run my hand up and down the shaft a couple of times, and he groans.

Fuck.

It's so hot, having this big, fierce man at my mercy like this. I go faster and faster, watching the pleasure building in his eyes.

Suddenly he grabs my wrist. "Stop, baby."

"Why?"

"When I come for the first time, it's gonna be deep inside you."

"Okay." I maneuver myself so my pussy is right over the tip of his cock.

He lets out another epic groan. "You're killing me, Raelynn. I want to mate you so bad. But not here."

I bite my lip. His frustration is so darn sexy. It's giving me a confidence I never knew I had. "Again, why?"

He strokes my face with his thick fingers. "When we mate, it's gonna be perfect. Because we're gonna remember this forever."

My breath catches. "Forever?"

He grins. "When our cubs are grown and they've gone off to build their own cabins. We'll still be talking about this. Now, come on."

He lifts me up, out of the seat. My head is spinning as I loop my arms around his neck and cling to him. This morning I didn't even know if he liked me. But now he's talking about us… having cubs together?

I imagine it. Me and him, and three little ones running around, while a fourth is growing in my belly.

That's what I want. More than anything.

Still holding me in his arms, he carries me into the dark forest.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to my cabin."

"Is it close?" I peer into the unfathomable night.

"Just through the trees."

To his home , I think.

And the thought glitters in my mind like a hundred fireflies.

He's taking me home .