26

Ranger

Perfection.

I leaned against the doorframe, taking this picture in and memorizing it. I almost wished I had a camera to snap a photo and frame it, but I wouldn't want anyone else to see what was mine.

Wood dust danced in the soft beams of sunlight shining through the glass window in the back of the nest. Aspen was an hourglass silhouette, sitting on her knees naked with her ankles tucked under her perfect ass and long braid hanging down the middle of her back.

I'd never seen a woman more beautiful.

She looked like a submissive. But I knew better than to think she truly was.

"Is my brat going to play as a good girl?" I folded my arms over my chest, just enjoying the sight. Something told me I wouldn't see it very often.

Aspen hummed a little moan in response. The sound went straight to my cock, making it twitch as if it could get any harder.

Take her. Claim her.

I yanked on my beast as he snarled and paced, retaining control of my urges. The rut had been riding us hard all day. I relaxed my shoulders and inhaled deeply, calming myself as I stalked forward.

My mate wanted to play submissive.

I wouldn't deny her this game.

I didn't think I could deny her anything.

The back of my neck still tingled where her lips pressed against it and the sound of her voice was still in my ears as she whispered random things throughout the day. Feeling her luscious thighs in my hands, her body rubbing against mine. Torture. Wicked teasing torture. This afternoon was a taste of paradise and I couldn't wait to indulge.

I came to a stop just behind her shoulder, fighting the overwhelming urge to break the scene and drop to my knees beside her. Never once had these urges been so intense. I knew I was gone beyond repair. Fucked up. In love.

Make her ours. Seal the bond.

"Safe word," I said because I planned to do dirty, sinful things to my mate, to ruin her for anyone else except me, but I needed her permission first.

"French toast." Her voice was strange, deep and throaty. It took me by surprise. I moved to stand in front of her.

There were beads of sweat on her upper lip. Pupils were so blown they looked black as they glowed with the strength of her wolf. Her thighs were shaking as her fingernails dug into them, spread just slightly enough to reveal her swollen sex glistening with cream.

I rolled the tip of my tongue over my lips, tasting her hormones that filled the air. Like a punch to the gut, I hit my knees to the ground beside her.

This is it. My wolf howled.

I bit back my own desire, panicked now. No female in heat should be kept waiting. She should have demanded I come to her, not torture herself as she waited for me.

"Aspen, are you still with me?" I cradled the back of her head as I drew her up off her knees and into my arms.

"Touch me," she whined on a breathless whisper. "It hurts. I need you."

"I know, beautiful." Selfless fucking woman. I would spank her for this later.

My hand slid down her sweat-coated body, cupping her pussy and massaging her clit to give her some relief. She slammed herself against my hand, growling in frustration.

Slick coated my fingers as I pinched her clit hard enough to shock. She growled again, sinking her teeth into my shoulder as I gathered more wetness and rubbed her clit faster.

Aspen started panting as her wolf pressed closer to the surface and her thighs squeezed around my arm as I carried her to the mattress on my knees.

"Is my mate going to come for me?"

Another gush and a feral growl were Aspen's response. Her labia swelled with extra blood, creating a cushion she'd need over the coming days. I looked to the door as I curled my fingers inside her, rubbing her g-spot, and made sure I had enough water stocked.

The orgasm crashed over her hard and fast.

"It's not enough," she screamed as her claws raked down my back. "You need to fuck me."

"I know." I pressed her against my chest. My wolf rumbled within as he tried to offer comfort and I spread her lips, gathering lubricant before I slid my fingers in. "We're working up to it."

My cock throbbed when her walls clenched around my fingers as I worked her g-spot slowly.

"Screw working up to it." She panted as she rocked against my fingers.

I moved my other hand to her breast, pinching and rolling her nipple before moving to the other. "Patience love." I slid a third finger into her greedy cunt.

"No patience." Aspen shook her head frantically, even as I felt her walls start to spasm. "I want it to hurt," she cried out as she arched her back and gushed over my fingers.

My balls tightened painfully as I rocked her through her orgasm, but it didn't satiate her for long.

She bent over, pulling herself off my fingers, and presented her pretty pink pussy. "I want you to lose control. I need my mate to fuck me."

Give her what she wants.

She doesn't know what she wants. I dragged my hand down my face, trying to decipher how much of this was Aspen and how much was the heat making decisions.

I ran my hands up the back of her thighs and used my fingers to spread her lips so I could lap up her sweet taste with my tongue.

Her heat soaked into my pores. My beast let out a primitive howl, urging me to give in.

An Alpha provides for his mate.

Screw it. I never said I was a good man.

I spread her legs wider and held her in place, eating what was my new favorite meal until she started to shake, cussing and spitting and thrusting against my face.

"Ranger, please," Aspen begged.

"Please what?" I released her, fisting my cock as I lined it up with her entrance. She responded with an animalistic moan as she dropped her head to the mattress.

I rubbed my hand over her perfect ass. "This is what you want."

"Yes," she hissed.

I notched in the head as she cried out, gripping the blankets in her fists.

"That's it." I eased in another inch. "Open up and take me."

"More," she cried in a tone garbled with her wolf. My beast and hers were on the same page.

I slid back out, feeling the tight suction of her core tug at the base of my soul, and then pushed in.

Aspen screamed, spreading her legs wider. I grabbed her hips and slammed in again.

And again.

Balls deep, my girl took each thrust like a champ. I set a frantic pace, feeling her go boneless under my grip as her pussy clenched around my shaft.

Her ass jiggled and bounced against my hips as I took everything she had to give, feeling the tightness gather and her slick soak us both.

"Hurts good. So, so good." She lost all sense of language as she fluttered around my cock and came, taking me over the edge with her.

My balls tightened as the ropes built. I roared my release, pumping into her with a few powerful strokes as I rode out my own high.

My knot began to swell.

Aspen grabbed my wrist.

"Leave it," she demanded.

"Bossy little thing." I smiled, thrusting deeper and delighting in her gasp.

"I'm learning from the best." She bit down on her next moan as my knot continued to swell.

I adjusted, pulling her back so we were laying side by side, and draped her leg over my thigh so she was exposed to the air and at the mercy of my fingers.

Slowly, I stroked her clit as I lowered my lips to her ear. "I've been waiting to knot you since I first laid eyes on you."

Aspen gasped as my knot swelled to its full width, locking us in place.

"Does it hurt?" I used my claws to trail down the inside of her thigh, trying to distract her with a new sensation even as my brow furrowed with worry. This was one time when she couldn't use her safe word without physical damage, but I could reposition her body if needed to lessen the tension until it subsided .

She whimpered.

"Use your words, beautiful." Panic squeezed my chest. "Tell me what you need."

"I feel so full," she whispered, closing her eyes as her fingers reached for mine. Aspen dragged our conjoined hands on top of her pubic area where the distention of my knot held her firm.

"Is it always like this?"

"Like what?" My hips thrust involuntarily as she wiggled her ass back against me.

"Knots," she moaned. "I've never taken one before. Do they always last this long?"

My beast howled.

Enough. I cut him off with a stern command. This was no time to gloat. Had I known, I would have taken things slower.

Any slower and we'd be dead.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I tried to keep my voice soft, but an Alpha's protectiveness laced my tone.

"It's not like I'm a virgin." She wiggled again, causing me to bite down on her shoulder to keep her still.

"Let's not talk about your past lovers right now," I growled against her skin.

Or ever.

Aspen giggled and traced her fingers down my arm as she snuggled closer. I held her tight, breathing her in. She was so warm, so comforting in my arms.

Pure dumb luck . That's what this was. Despite all the bullshit of the show, I'd somehow found my fated mate. Even without the mating mark and claim sealing us together, I knew without a doubt she was the one for me.

Get ready.

Aspen growled as my knot started to retract. Hot fluid gushed between her legs and she reached down to touch her own clit.

"That was good," she purred when my knot slipped out. Aspen pushed herself up, rotating so she straddled my lap. Lust clouded her eyes as she rubbed her core over my cock. "Let's do it again."

*

I staggered out into the daylight, not at all sure what day it was. There were more mated reinforcements from my pack guarding Aspen's perimeter–the line she'd established on the other side of her traps. She wouldn't let me take those out.

And I wasn't planning on testing that dominance, especially not with the heat riding her the way it was.

"Things are quiet in a good way. Everyone has enough to eat and the show hasn't sent any more camera crews up. There was a weird bush fire, but we stomped it out." Beau refilled my water jugs at the base camp my pack set below Aspen's traps. She and her wolf didn't want anyone near her nest this season. My mate's wishes were my command.

"Are the teams I asked for ready?"

"They're already working on it, Alpha."

"Did Ivan get the footage he needed?" I looked over the camp. Jones and Foster were running patrol. Jenna's scent was fresh but I didn't see her around. More shifters from other packs had been here, but the smell of McCaw was dominant.

It helped ease my beast.

"He said he got it right before the season began. Thankfully you all started a day early up here so he could send the drone over and get the footage before his rut. I'm sure we'll know more after everyone is done." Beau scratched his beard, silently laughing. "I can't believe that girl ate Chad. The Tulia family must be losing their minds."

"His fault for pissing off the she-wolf." I took a small sip of the water, saving the rest for my mate. She was losing bodily fluids at an alarming rate. I was eager to get back to her, but I had a few minutes before I was needed.

She really enjoyed her naps.

"Is Fallon okay?" I didn't want to use our pack link to intrude on whatever may be happening.

"She's still occupied," Beau said.

"That's all I need to hear."

Beau laughed out loud as I grabbed a cooler of meat. If we ran another season, I'd be hunting fresher game for my mate.

We won't have to run if we claim her. My wolf grumbled, still pissed.

I'm not going to rush her. We had time. I scented the air again, relaxing in the familiar scent of pack. Once, I may have bitched about them always being around, but now…

"Thank you, Beau. For everything."

"Alpha, you've done more for this pack than anyone else ever has. The least we can do is return the favor." Beau busied himself with restocking the food crates for the other nests.

"Is Jenna okay with you being here?" I asked. The older, mated shifters weren't driven by the same biological urges to chase and run, but they still went through a muted version of the season each year.

"Jenna and I are well past our breeding days." Beau chuckled. "But I remember each heat well. As will you. Enjoy this time while you have it."

"Ranger!" Aspen's voice echoed down the mountain, frantic in her need.

I shot Beau an apologetic look before I took off running. His laughter and words followed me as I raced through the forest, leaping over wired traps.

"Don't you dare keep our Luna waiting!"