My Friend, My Buddy

The scent of garlic and rosemary fills the air, but I can't get excited for the combined culinary delight of the Shultz siblings while under fire from my friends and mentors.

Instead of just shooting off a text message like I wanted to, Haut had taken my punishment a step further and invited everyone over for dinner. With so many people in town, the seats at the local eateries have hour-long waits, so they all swarmed to our quiet abode to pass judgment.

"Rowe, I brought two different types of pie crust. I need you to?—"

"La la la!" Grabbing the stack of plates from Haut's hands, I run for the back porch. "Busy now! Be right back!"

I almost trip over the cord that crosses the hall and leads out the screen door, but I deliver the dishes to the table without dropping them.

Tris kneels in front of the tall space heater he'd dragged up from the basement workroom. "This should cut through the chill coming from the ocean."

"The wind blockers will help, too." Owen moves around the porch, pulling down solid screens. It blocks out the last of the fading light, but also helps to trap in the heat.

Grandma's house might be large enough for the five of us, but not for all of us and our friends. Once the construction is complete upstairs, we plan to convert the formal living room into a dining room so we're not stuck out here when we have large gatherings.

In the meantime, though… I tip my head back to admire the lights Haut had strung across the ceiling in the shape of a star.

I spin in a slow circle, admiring the twinkles, and my feet tangle together. Arms pinwheeling, I fall backward, crashing into a warm embrace.

The scent of woods and warm man surrounds me, distinctly Owen, as he pulls me closer. "I've got you."

A shiver runs through me at the low rumble of his voice in my ear. "Good catch."

He nuzzles my throat. "I don't want you to go."

My stomach tightens with anxiety. I don't want to worry Owen, but going to Silver Hollow could help him and the other werewolves.

If Rodney could have controlled his curse, would Bryant have been able to manipulate him the way he did? Would the paranormal council be so quick to kill first and not ask questions if werewolves weren't driven mad by the full moon?

"Owen…"

"I know you need to go." He kisses my pulse. "But I'm going to miss you."

Tris rises and places a hand over his heart. "Hey, what about me?"

"I'm so going to miss you, Rowe." Owen growls against my skin and play bites me. "You and only you."

Giggles escape at the ticklish sensation, and I push at his head as the screen door bangs open.

Jesse comes stomping out of the house, a plate of pie in his hands and a wild look in his eyes. "Rowe, I really need a verdict on this."

Barron follows his mate. "Can't it wait until after dinner?"

"No. Her tastebuds will be ruined by all that Italian food." Jesse thrusts the pie at me, the fork wobbling on the edge. "Please, Rowe."

Looks like I can avoid it no longer. With a deep breath, I step out of Owen's arms and walk over to Jesse.

I take the plate from him and pass it to an eagerly waiting Tris, then clasp Jesse's hands and gaze up into his face. "My buddy, my pal, my lumberjack dream, I will literally puke on you if I take another bite of pie."

The whiskers of his beard ripple as he goes through the gamut of shock, offense, then disbelief. "But…you love pie."

"And this is one of your best yet," Tris mumbles around a mouthful of syrupy apples and flaky crust. "The winner."

Hope returns to Jesse's eyes. "You really think so?"

Tris shovels in another bite as he nods.

Barron grips his shoulders and squeezes. "Didn't I say this one was it?"

"Okay, good." Jesse lets out a long breath. "Maybe it's for the best that you don't try this one, Rowe, so you won't be biased at the judging in a couple days."

I fidget with the hem of my sweatshirt. "About that…"

His smile slips. "What's going on?"

"Dinner's ready!" Ambros sweeps through the door, an enormous pot of spaghetti held between two mitten-covered hands.

Delilah comes in behind him, carrying a breadbasket with fragrant garlic steam rising from it, and Haut joins us with two giant bowls of salad.

Mel, Aspen, and Abony bring in the rear with glasses and bottles of wine.

Tris licks the crumbs from the pie plate as he takes a seat, and I claim the chair beside him, with Owen on my left.

Jesse ignores my mate to lean past him. "Rowe, what's wrong with the pie judging contest? Did Mrs. Smith file a complaint? Because I know she's been passing around samples of her pies for the last month."

Better to just rip off the Band-Aid.

I take the sparkling pear juice that Abony passes me, grab the fork from next to my plate, and stand.

The gentle ting of metal against glass quiets the conversation, and all eyes turn to me. "We have an announcement."

"Adventure!" Tris shouts.

I kick him. "Not yet."

"Sorry, got ahead of myself." He grabs a piece of hot garlic bread and shoves it into his mouth. "Go on."

"First of all, I want to thank everyone for their hard work on the festival." I smile around the table. "You all have done a wonderful job. Without your efforts, we wouldn't be able to take in all these new people in such an excellently organized way. It shows how special Hartford Cove is, and how big of an impact it makes to the paranormal community."

Abony covers half her plate with salad. "Stop buttering us up and get on with it."

Chuckles rise from the others as they fill their plates.

"So, the thing is, Hartford Cove isn't the only special town." I shift from foot to foot before pressing my leg against Owen's to steady my nerves. "There's another one called Silver Hollow."

The announcement draws surprised murmurs, and Aspen leans forward. "Is it nearby? How did you find out about it? Is it just like Hartford Cove?"

"It's a couple of states away. About two days driving time. It has a different mix of paranormals, but basically the same. Like…super similar." I take a sip of my sparkling pear juice and resist the urge to sneeze when it tickles my nose. "So similar, in fact, that they have a protective barrier that's failing."

"Oh, no, that's not good." Mel pulls out her cell phone. "Does the council know? Do they need help?"

"They do…" I take a deep breath. "They actually asked me to come take a look, and I agreed."

"But, you're not trained." Aspen shakes his head, his blond bangs sweeping forward. "They should get assistance from professionals."

"They don't trust the council." I grimace at Mel. "Sorry."

"No, I get it." She sets her phone down. "I guess we can go take a look after the festival."

"That's the thing." With another deep breath, I spit out the rest. "I'm leaving in the morning and will be gone for a minimum of five days."

"What?" Jesse shouts. "You're going to miss the pie contest!"

Shock fills Aspen's voice. "We can't abandon the others to run the stall on their own!"

"What about the blessing before the run?" Delilah asks with soft reprimand. "There are so many wolves who came just for that."

"Right." Announcement made, I drop into my seat. "So, let's figure out how we can make this happen with the least impact to Hartford Cove."

The last person filters out the door, and Haut closes it before glancing back at me. "Why don't you head to bed. We can clean up the mess."

"Are you sure?" I feel bad that I don't cook and rarely do chores.

"Yeah." His gaze moves past me. "I'll join Tris and Ambros back on the porch to finish off the wine."

"Okay, goodnight." On tiptoes, I pull him down to kiss his cheek. "See you in the morning."

Turning, I find Owen lingering near the stairs, and he holds out his hand to me. "I'll help you pack."

I let him lead me up to the second story, but when he heads toward my room, I steer him across the hall to his closed door. "Can we talk first?"

"Sure." He releases my hand to step ahead and open his door, then motions me inside.

I enter the familiar space. Owen had claimed the room my parents used to share as his own, filling it with trinkets and memories collected over the years. The scent of forest that fills the air reminds me of our childhoods spent traipsing through the woods in search of adventure.

The second the door clicks shut behind me, I blurt out my concerns. "Will you really be okay if Haut goes to Silver Hollow with me?"

Owen pauses, his hand still on the knob, hurt flashing across his face. "Do you think I'm such a weak Alpha?"

"No, nothing like that." I rush over to wrap my arms around him in a tight hug. "I'm just worried. What if they gang up on you? Even the strongest Alpha can be taken down by overwhelming odds or betrayal, you know? I mean, look at what Horace tried with the loggers."

Cradling my cheeks, he leans back to look at me. "There are no guarantees, the same as there are no guarantees you won't be hurt the second you step out of my sight. We just have to do our best to stay safe so we can be together again."

I bury my face against his chest. "I don't like taking Haut away from you. You guys have been protecting each other's backs for so long."

Owen cups my ass, pulling me close, and his hard length nudges my stomach, making my pulse quicken.

Head dipping, he nuzzles my throat. "I'll be fine without Haut for a few days."

"I know, I just don't like the thought of you being hurt when I'm not here." Pulse quickening, I kiss his cheek, near the corner of his mouth. "I'm going to miss you, too."

"Yeah?" Emotion thickens his voice, and his head turns, his lips brushing mine.

My hands move down Owen's firm chest "Yeah."

His muscles bunch beneath my palms, his body heating. His head lifts, and red glows in his pupils, flickering with a hunger that has my stomach dipping like I'm in free fall.

Owen brushes my cheeks with his fingertips. "Stay with me tonight?"

Desire pools between my thighs, and my legs tremble. "I already planned to."

He licks his lower lip, his eyes falling to my mouth. "Is that so?"

Giving in to my weakening knees, I sink to the floor and reach for his belt. "Can I?"

A rough laugh escapes him. "Like I would ever tell you no."

Heart pounding, I work open his fly, and his boxers tent out, straining for release. My fingers hook in his elastic waistband, and I carefully pull them down, along with his pants, to release his beautiful cock.

My mouth waters, and I grip the base, his black curls tickling my skin. Leaning forward, I inhale the woodsy musk of my mate. I rub my cheek against his velvety-soft skin and nuzzle the tapered head, a pearl of pre-cum coating my lips.

His hand cups the back of my head. "God, Rowe, you're killing me."

My tongue sweeps out, savoring the salt of his desire, and hunger shoots through me. I take in his tip, then push down, his shaft a heavy slide across my tongue before he nudges into my throat.

"That feels good." His hips flex, pushing a little deeper. "Your mouth is so sweet."

Emboldened by his reaction, I suck around his hard length as I pull back, then follow the direction of his hand in my hair for the best rhythm. I gently squeeze his balls, massaging them as I bob my head up and down, wet, slurping sounds mingling with his groans.

When I look up at him through my lashes, I find his blazing red eyes fixed on me, his lips parted on quick breaths. Seeing his pleasure ignites mine, and tingles race through my body, liquid heat pooling between my legs.

I redouble my efforts, sucking, licking, and stroking, dragging more delicious sounds from Owen.

"Wait." His hand moves from the back of my head to my shoulder. "I'm close."

I moan and take him in deeper, pumping his base.

With a growl, his cock jumps, and cum pulses down my throat, hot and salty. I swallow greedily, before pulling off of him with a long suck.

"Damn, you're beautiful." Owen tugs me back to my feet, and grips my chin to open me up.

As soon as my lips part, his mouth slides over mine, his tongue thrusting inside. A whimper escapes me, and I rise onto my toes, my arms winding around his neck, my body melting against his.

His hands slip under my sweatshirt, caressing up my waist to my ribcage, his thumbs sweeping at the underside of my breasts. A thrill goes through me, and I press closer, wanting to give him everything he desires.

His head tilts from side to side in a lazy exploration of my mouth, drawing more whimpers and moans from me each time we part.

Warmth rushes through me as he finally cups my small breasts. My nipples harden painfully beneath his palms, and I push into his touch, needing more.

He pulls back long enough to tug my sweatshirt and chemise over my head and drags off his own shirt before pulling me back against him. A gasp escapes me at the heat of our bare skin pressed together, and when he draws me forward, I follow, chasing his kiss.

My heart pounds as he sits on the edge of the bed, his lips circling my nipple as he pushes my leggings down. Pleasure tingles through me from chest to center, and my head falls back, my fingers tangling in his soft, black hair.

With a smooth move, he scoops me up and twists, planting me in the middle of the mattress. My thighs part, and as he crawls over me, I grab his ass to pull his body down.

His semi-hard cock rubs my slick folds, and I move with him. We both groan at the friction, and Owen's lips find mine once more, his tongue thrusting in the same lazy swirl as his hips.

Desire pools between my legs, and I wrap them around Owen's trim waist, needing more. He grinds against me, sending a jolt of pure heat through me.

His mouth moves down to my throat, peppering kisses onto the skin over my pounding pulse.

"Need you." My fingernails sink into his shoulders. "Owen, I need you."

He slips down to my breasts, capturing one hard nipple with his lips and flicking it with his tongue.

My hips move faster, pleasure tightening my body, driving me toward release.

Owen lifts away from me, leaving me thrusting at air, seconds before completion.

"What…?" Whining, I dig my heels into his ass, trying to pull him back down. "No, don't stop."

His smile forms over my breast. "Patience."

"No." I reach between our bodies for his cock.

"Hey, that's cheating." He grabs my wrists and presses them to the mattress. "Let me take care of you the same way you took care of me."

"I didn't tease you." My legs drop to the bed, feet flat on the mattress, and I lift my hips to rub against his hardening length. "Knot me, Alpha."

A growl drags from his throat. "That's not fair."

His weight drops on top of me, and not giving him a chance to pull back again, I drag his head down, slotting our mouths together.

He kisses me deeply, searching out all of my crevices until my mind turns fuzzy with pleasure, and I melt beneath him, my body soft and pliant.

Our hips rock in rhythm, his hot shaft slick from my desire as it slips through my folds to rub against my clit.

Despite my demands, Owen kisses me like he's savoring a final meal before a long fast.

His mouth drags away from mine, traveling back down to my throat, sucking bruises into my skin, leaving his mark behind to remind me I'm his even when I'm gone.

My head falls back, exposing more of myself. He can paint a hundred kisses on my body if that's what he desires.

Teeth scrape over my pulse, then return to the same spot, nipping hard enough to sting. I bury my fingers in his hair, urging him on with desperate pants, chasing that sensation of pleasure that borders on pain.

My muscles begin to stiffen, tingles spreading through my body.

Owen's hands flatten on the mattress, and he lifts onto his arms to stare down at me, coals burning in his eyes as he pushes inside.

Pleasure shocks through me, and I moan as my inner walls pulse around his shaft. His hips rock slowly, prolonging my release as he watches me.

Then he leans down, capturing my gasps with his lips in a deep, slow kiss that steals the last of my breaths.

The lazy pace continues, rebuilding that bone-melting bliss until I need more, and I writhe beneath him, fingernails scraping down his back and digging into his flexing ass.

His pace quickens, his thrusts growing shorter and harder, with swirls of his hips to massage my clit. Gasps fall from my lips, and I wrap my legs around him, lifting to meet his as I barrel toward my next release.

With a groan, Owen grabs my waist, holding me still as he drives in deep, and pressure builds as his knot swells within me. The burning stretch blazes through me, white hot with intensity. Then cum floods my channel, his cock pumping against my womb.

Another orgasm quakes through me, my body convulsing around his swollen shaft, and I black out with Owen's name on my lips.