Chapter Thirteen

I spent as much time as I dared with my mom—aware of the council degree hanging over me, the one that meant I hadn't even been able to visit her at Christmas—but she slept the whole time. I guess Kallan tearing up the closest thing she'd had to stability in a lot of years had taken it out of her. And I was going to make him pay for that. We went our separate ways when we made it back to the academy, Jax heading to the common room to put a stop to any rumors about the Iron Shadow pack hiding before they could start, and Ling making for the library to get a jump on the research, despite the late hour. The buck moon fell in late summer—less than six months away.

Normally, I'd join her, but right now I had more important things to take care of. Cole's hand around my wrist yanked me to a halt.

"Where are you going, princess?"

"Where'd you think? To find Kallan."

He shook his head. "Not a smart move."

"Smart? You think I give a damn about smart right now?"

His eyes hardened. "No. And that's exactly the problem. You burst in on Kallan like this and not even I will be able to protect you."

"Protect me?" I yanked my arm free from his. "Who says I want your protection?"

He stepped quickly, putting himself in front of me. "This isn't about wanting, this is about needing."

"Yeah? Well I need to show Kallan what happens to anyone who gets close to my mom. And you need to get the hell out of my way."

"No."

I made to shove past him and he stepped with me, blocking my path.

"Cali, you're not thinking straight."

"You promised me," I hissed. "You swore you would let me get my revenge."

"I swore I'd give you whatever you need."

I gaped at him. "So this is you going back on your word? Because I thought you were a shifter, Cole, not a fae."

And my mate, not my enemy.

I felt heat prickling at the back of my eyes and tried to shove past him again, and again, he blocked my way.

"I am not going— Dammit, Cali, would you just stop and listen to me for a moment?"

I stopped trying to shove past him—it wasn't like it was working, anyway, stupid strong stupid shifter.

"Kallan will pay for what he did, okay? And we will make sure of it. But not like this. Do you think I could stand it if you got hurt?"

"And what about me?" I snapped. "I'm supposed to just stand back and do nothing while you risk your life fighting your own father? While you paint a giant target on your back for anyone who doesn't want to follow you? Damn you, Cole Bryant, how can you ask that of me?"

He sucked in a sharp breath. "Cali, I—"

He reached for me and I jerked away.

"I'm sick of your stupid double standards, Cole," I said, my voice shaking with emotion, and I knew he could see the unshed tears that were blurring my vision. Could probably smell them with his stupid shifter senses.

He reached for me again and I didn't bother to pull away this time. His thumb smoothed a tear from the corner of my eye.

"You've spilled too many tears tonight," he said. "Because of me, because of my pack. I want to make this right, more than anything, I do."

"Then don't challenge your father. Not yet, not ever." I knew the words were unfair the moment they left my mouth, and Cole jerked back like I'd slapped him, shaking his head slightly as he searched my face.

"Please don't ask this of me, Cali." His voice broke on a whisper. "Ask me anything but this."

I blew out a breath and my eyelids slid shut, trapping the unshed tears behind them. For one moment, just one moment, I wanted to ask him. Ask him to leave the pack behind, to come and be with me, just me, and leave the shifter world to fight its own battles.

But those battles were our battles. That pack was our pack, and I could no more ask him to abandon it than he could ask me to forget about my mom. I blew out a slow breath and opened my eyes to meet his.

"Just promise me you'll be careful."

"Always," he vowed. "But you have to promise me the same."

"No hunting down Kallan?" I ventured.

"Not tonight."

I sighed. It was probably for the best, anyway. Kallan would kick my ass in a fair fight…which, honestly, wasn't a whole lot of incentive to fight fair. He certainly hadn't been when he'd terrorized my mom in the one place she was supposed to be safe.

Still, if there wasn't going to be ass kicking, and I had my strong, stubborn, perfect mate all to myself…

"Got any other plans for how to pass the time?" I asked him, and a possessive gleam colored his eyes.

"One or two."

Our lips found each other's and I growled into his mouth, demanding all of him, some inner part of me needing proof that no matter what crazy shit happened in the world around us, we were solid, and nothing could tear us apart, not even each other.

He pulled me closer, encasing me in his protective grip as he devoured me, his tongue sending sparks of delight through me as it tasted mine. His powerful arm wrapped around my waist and I yelped as he plucked me easily from the floor, quickly wrapping my legs around his hips.

"Our dorm?" I asked hopefully.

"No," he growled against my lips. "I need you now."

A shiver ran the length of my spine and heat pooled in my core at the thought of him taking me out here, where anyone might find us. His nostrils flared and he chuckled darkly.

"Shall I claim you where everyone can see us, princess?" he rumbled. My breath caught in my throat and I clenched hard as some primal part of me thrilled at the image. The sane part of me raised some valid objections—like having to look Jax in the eye again if he stumbled across us, or worse yet, Kallan. Or Thaden.

The thought of his cold, mocking face sobered me and I forced it away. He'd taken enough from me. He wouldn't take this moment.

"The woods," I murmured, glancing over his shoulder at the swathe of woodland just a few hundred meters away. Cole rumbled his impatience and the sound made my pulse spike. Knowing this stunning, incredible man wanted me, needed me that badly was almost enough to send me over the edge. I pressed myself against him as he carried me into the woods, basking in his strength and the heady scent of his closeness. He lowered me to the ground, leaning my back against a tree trunk, and I whined at the loss of contact, drawing a chuckle from him.

"Needy little princess, aren't you?"

"Yes," I agreed readily, my breath hitching as he devoured me with hungry eyes, and his face promised a night of carnal perfection. He ducked his head closer and I reached for him. His eyes narrowed and he tutted, nipping at my throat in reprimand. I got the message, and let my hands fall into the leaf litter as he trailed kisses down my throat until he reached the neckline of my shirt.

"Don't you dare…"

His eyes gleamed wickedly and his teeth shifted to fangs for just one second, shredding the fabric. I reached out to smack his shoulder and he plucked my hand easily from the air, turning his head to deliver a sharp nip at my pulse.

"Naughty princess. Stay."

He lowered my arm softly, reverently, to the ground, and ducked his head to capture one of my nipples, flicking his tongue over it in a way that made me squirm as the rest of my shredded shirt fell away, revealing the sensitive skin underneath.

"Tonight, you're mine," he whispered, his hot breath making me shiver as the reply—yours—burned to be released from my throat. I pressed my lips together and he chuckled darkly at my stubbornness.

"You'll say it before we're done," he vowed.

He trailed hot, wet kisses down my stomach, making me arch up against him wantonly.

"Moan for me," he commanded, and I couldn't help but do so, wanting him to know how much he affected me, how much I needed him. He licked and sucked my belly button, and then paused at the waistband of my pants.

"These are in my way. I'll give you one chance to remove them."

I scrambled to undo the button—walking butt naked back to our dorm was not my idea of fun—and my hips rose obediently to let him tug the pants loose and toss them aside, and my panties quickly followed.

He sat back on his heels, drinking me in with a feral need that echoed within me. My gaze began to trail his body, and then I narrowed my eyes.

"Hey!" I protested. "How come I'm the only one who's naked?"

"Because I'm in charge tonight, princess." He bent his head and delivered a sharp nip to my inner thigh that sent arousal spiraling through me. "Don't forget that."

"Like hell are y—"

My protest cut off with a sharp gasp as his tongue flicked across my sex and he grinned wickedly up at me, his eyes promising a ride full of pleasure and pain. A small whine of need slipped from my lips.

"Be patient," he murmured huskily, his tongue swirling across my upper thigh, and then downwards to where I ached for him. My heart pounded in anticipation and I squirmed under his ministrations.

His powerful hands found my hips and gently tugged me from the tree until I was flat on the ground and utterly at his mercy. His hands traced the shape of my body as they moved down, opening my legs wider, and then his head was between them again. His tongue lashed across me in one long stroke from my pussy lips to my clit, and my hips bucked off the ground, but he kept me pinned with one strong hand on my stomach.

"Please," I begged breathlessly, needing more of him already. He chuckled softly and lifted his head to meet my gaze with smug confidence before diving back in with his wicked tongue again.

He continued his assault on my body, alternating gentle licks with sharp nips until I was sure I was going to explode with sensation, with need for my mate. He lapped at my folds, teasing and tormenting me, every touch sending shivers of pleasure through me.

I squirmed against the restraining hand on my stomach, my hips bucking with the need for more, for him, and he tutted softly.

"Stay," he reminded me, and I pouted but tried to resist the need to push myself against him, to draw his sensuous tongue inside me. His tongue flicked across my entrance again before retreating, and a growl of frustration bubbled from my throat.

"Cole…"

My fingers dug into the soft forest floor, clawing shallow groves into the earth as his tongue flicked over my entrance again, this time dipping inside to tease the sensitive bundle of nerves deep within before circling around it again…and again, until I was a puddle of need and desire beneath him. The cool night air brushed my exposed skin in sharp contrast to the growing heat between my legs.

His fingers trailed up my inner thighs, tracing patterns that made goosebumps rise along my skin as I clenched with pleasure. His finger brushed across my pussy lips and an incoherent sound slipped from my lips. With a soft chuckle he pressed the digit inside and my hips bucked against him, arching into his hand wantonly. My body craved him, needed him inside me, filling me up completely.

His free slipped to his pants and undid the top button, and I swallowed as my eyes tracked the movement. He freed himself, his gorgeous cock illuminated by the sliver of moon that hung above us, and my tongue darted out across my lips.

"Say you're mine, princess," he commanded as he pumped his fist along his length. The word was on the tip of my tongue, but I clamped my lips down and shook my head, teasing him as he teased me in a game neither of us could win, and neither us would lose.

He moved closer, positioning himself at my dripping entrance, and pressed his tip against me, then stilled. I moaned with need and tried to push myself onto him, but his powerful hand was back on my stomach in a heartbeat, pinning me.

"Who do you belong to?"

His strong thumb stroked the flat of my stomach, smearing the proof of my arousal across me and another soft whimper slipped out.

"Whose are you?"

I shook my head again, and he rubbed his tip against my clit. My eyes flew wide open as sparks raced through my body.

"Yours!" The word burst from my mouth in a ragged gasp, and his eyes gleamed yellow with satisfaction, then he slammed home inside me, sending raptures through my whole body. He rode me hard and I reached up to cling to him, meeting him thrust for thrust as our bodies found ecstasy in each other.

I threw my head back and screamed as my orgasm crashed down on me with brutal intensity and as the echoes bounced around us I felt him stiffen as he reached his own high, and spilled himself inside me, filling me with the proof of our love.

We sank back to the ground, still joined, and lay panting together beneath the moonlit canopy.

"Mine."