10. Claire

CHAPTER TEN

CLAIRE

I trudged through the front door of Briar House. The quiet of the place, normally so welcoming and comforting, pressed in around me. My skin felt too tight. My throat constricted. I could barely breathe.

I hadn't felt this on edge since my brother's dealer knocked on my door and welcomed himself inside.

Heavy footsteps trailed after me. He didn't say a word. He didn't have to. The dark cloud over his head spoke volumes.

"So that's what you meant about your world not being gentle," I tried to joke.

Kai didn't laugh. He just kept staring at the ground. His eyes were haunted. Haunted and cold. He'd been like that since we left the abandoned cabin. No smiles, no quips. His warmth that made the chills in the air disappear was nowhere to be found.

"I've done nothing but put you in danger from the moment we met," he started. His voice was soft. Familiar, but not.

Hollow.

"Kai, what are you doing?" I asked, feeling dread settle in my gut. "What are you saying?"

His face twisted in an expression of pure anguish. I moved forward to cup his jaw, but his hand around my wrist stopped me. A foot of empty space now felt like a canyon between us. "I'm not good for you. I'll only keep dragging you through the mud and down rabbit holes you shouldn't be anywhere near."

I jerked free of his hold. "Bullshit."

His jaw tensed, and he looked away. "It's true. You nearly froze in the blizzard. I could have mauled you when my wolf stole my form. And now this?" His voice grew ragged. "I put a target on your back the moment I laid eyes on you."

I reached for him again and was rewarded with another rebuff. My heart squeezed. "Stop this. It wasn't your fault."

Kai's shoulders slumped, defeat written in every line of his body. He moved towards the door, each step hammering home his resignation. "I'll stay away," he promised. "Just... don't go throwing cheese at random dogs, okay?"

His attempt at a smile was more of a grimace. The humor fell flat, landing between us with a thud.

Without thinking, I lunged forward. I planted myself between Kai and the door, my hand reaching out to stop him. "Don't you dare."

His head snapped up, surprise flickering across his face.

"You think I'm some damsel who needs protecting?" I challenged, anger rising to combat the fear still thrumming through my veins. "I've seen my fair share of shitty things in life. This isn't that different."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I was about to share. I didn't like talking about my brother or his problems. But if I had to drag all my skeletons out of the closet to get through to Kai, I would.

"Would you believe this isn't my first time being held hostage?" The words tumbled out, my voice steadier than I felt.

Kai stilled. The bright green of his wolf bled into the warm brown of his eyes. "What?"

"It was about two years ago," I began, clenching my fists to hide the tremor. "Derek, my brother... he'd gotten mixed up with some bad people. Drug dealers." I swallowed hard, memories flooding back. "One night, they came looking for him. Found me instead."

I could still smell the stale cigarette smoke, still feel the cold metal of the gun pressed against my temple. My eyes must have betrayed my fear, because Kai instinctively reached for me, pulling me closer. His warmth enveloped me, grounding me in the present.

"He held me for hours," I continued, my voice barely above a whisper. "Kept demanding to know where Derek was, where the money was. I didn't know. I couldn't tell him what I didn't know. It'd been six months since I'd talked to Derek."

Kai's arms tightened around me, a low growl rumbling in his chest.

"I was terrified," I admitted. I grabbed for the kernel of anger resting at the very bottom of my fear. I'd spent months not answering calls or leaving my apartment. Goodbye, career networking, hello depression and anxiety. "And you know the worst part? Derek has never apologized. Not once."

Kai's fingers flexed against my back. He tilted his head to look at me, eyes searching mine.

"You were there, Kai. You fought for me. You protected me. And when things looked bleakest, your pack came for us both." I squeezed his arm gently, willing him to believe me. "That's not putting me in danger. That's keeping me safe.

"So don't you dare walk away thinking you're protecting me," I said firmly. I cupped his face in my hands, forcing him to focus solely on me. "Because the truth is, I've never felt safer than I do with you."

His resolve was crumbling; I could see it in the way his shoulders sagged, in the way he leaned into my touch. "I'm no good for you."

"Maybe. But leaving now? That's what would really hurt me." I swallowed hard, and gave voice to the truth that might have been too much, too soon with anyone else. With Kai? With my fated mate? They came just when they were needed. "I don't want to lose you, Kai. I... I don't want to lose my mate."

The air between us crackled with tension. Kai's gaze dropped to my lips, his breath coming faster. "Claire," he whispered, a plea and a warning wrapped in one.

I leaned in, eliminating the last bit of space between us. "Stay," I murmured against his lips.

His grip tightened, his eyes fluttering shut. For a moment, I thought he might push me away. But then his lips were on mine, rough and bruising. Desire washed through me, hot and sweet, chasing away the chill in my blood.

I reveled in the heat of Kai's body against mine. The memory of those cold, dank woods, and the lingering fear that had plagued me for hours, disappeared. My senses were full of Kai—his scent, his taste, his touch.

Kai growled, the sound rumbling through both of us. His hands slid down to grip my ass, pulling me tighter against him. I moaned at the feeling of his hardness pressing into my hip, already aching for more.

We broke apart, gasping for air. Kai rested his forehead against mine, his chest heaving.

"Are you sure?" he asked. His voice stroked over me, igniting a fire in my veins. "This isn't something you can take back. I will never let you go."

His words were a vow. A promise. I nodded, pressing another kiss to his lips. "I don't want to take it back. I want to be your mate."

The last shred of his control snapped. With another growl, he claimed my lips in another searing kiss. His hands were everywhere, roaming over my body, exploring every curve and valley. I gasped as he lifted me, my legs wrapping around his waist as he carried me upstairs.

He laid me down on the bed, caging me in with his muscular arms. His lips trailed down the column of my throat, teeth nipping at the sensitive skin. I tangled my fingers in his hair as he ground his hips into me, eliciting another moan. My core throbbed with need, desperate for relief.

Kai seemed to read my mind. His hands dipped under the hem of my sweater, teasing across my stomach and higher. In one swift motion, he tugged it off, tossing it to the floor. His fingers found the clasp of my bra and had it off in seconds.

His eyes raked over me, pupils blowing wide. He ran a hand up my ribs, brushing his thumb against the swell of my breast. My head kicked back as he captured my nipple between his thumb and forefinger, squeezing lightly.

"Fates, Claire, you're beautiful." The words were a soft rumble. His gaze flickered back to my face as his other hand cupped my chin. "So fucking beautiful."

Kai brought his lips back to mine as he pinched my nipple, swallowing my cry of pleasure. He kissed a path down my throat, across my collarbone, and lower.

When his lips closed around the hardened bud of my breast, my entire body arched off the bed. His tongue swirled around me, flicking and sucking until I thought I might lose my mind. His hands continued their journey lower, finding the button of my jeans and making short work of it.

His teeth dragged down my ribs as he yanked my pants off my hips. My breath hitched as he nudged my thighs open, his stubble scraping against the inside of my legs.

Kai groaned as the first swipe of his tongue parted me. Pleasure surged through me, my body humming with need. "Fuck, Claire. You taste so good."

His mouth was on me, his tongue devouring me like he was a starved man. I rocked my hips, chasing the high he offered. Kai growled, the sound vibrating through me, and he pinned my hips to the mattress.

Every swipe of his tongue pushed me closer to the edge. My legs trembled as he slid two fingers into me, stroking that bundle of nerves with unerring accuracy. I was a live wire, every nerve ending on fire. My hands fisted the sheets, my cries echoing through the room.

Kai crooked his fingers, pushing me over the edge. A scream tore from my lips as I came undone, wave after wave of pleasure crashing over me. My body pulsed around his fingers, milking every last drop of ecstasy from the moment.

I slumped back onto the bed, boneless and sated. I blinked, trying to bring the room back into focus. But Kai was already standing at the foot of the bed, peeling off his shirt. His eyes never left mine as he tossed it to the floor, followed by his pants and boxers.

My heart pounded in my chest at the sight of him fully nude, every inch of his body on display. The hard lines of his abs, the curve of his ass.

The thick, hard cock bobbing between his legs.

"I want to taste you, too," I breathed.

Kai smiled, slow and sexy. He gripped his shaft in one hand, stroking himself as he dragged an appreciative look over me. "Crawl," he growled. "Taste what you do to me."

Heat coiled in my core at his command. Slowly, I rose to my hands and knees. I crawled across the bed, holding his gaze, the thrill of power mixing with my arousal. His hand stilled, the head of his cock glistening with precum.

When I reached him, I placed my hands on his hips and looked up through my lashes. I nuzzled the muscled planes of his stomach, kissing along the ‘V' of his hips. Kai's hand caressed my cheek before tangling in my hair. "Open your mouth," he ordered in a husky voice.

I obeyed, my lips parting to accept the thick head of his cock. I lapped at the salty droplet with my tongue, enjoying the groan that escaped from his lips. He tugged on my hair, encouraging me to take more of him into my mouth.

Kai's fingers dug into my scalp as I began to move. I dragged my tongue up the underside of his shaft, tracing the heavy vein from root to tip. His hips jerked, pushing him deeper into my throat. I swallowed, taking him down to the base before slowly drawing back.

"Fuck, Claire." Kai's hand fisted tighter in my hair, the sharp sting of pain adding to my pleasure. He thrust forward again, driving deeper into my mouth. The sounds of my moans sent vibrations through both of us.

The hand not buried in my hair reached up to tweak my nipple. I squeaked, surprised at the added stimulation, and Kai's rhythm faltered.

"Play with yourself," he demanded, his eyes flaring bright green. "Let me watch you fuck yourself while I fuck your pretty little mouth."

I slid a hand down to find my clit. The moment my fingers touched the sensitive bundle of nerves, my eyes fluttered shut and a moan escaped my lips.

"Look at me." The authority in Kai's voice made me shudder. "Those fucking lips wrapped around my dick are the hottest thing I've ever seen. Fates, Claire, I could come just from watching you."

His words lit a new fire inside me, building higher and hotter with each stroke of his cock. I redoubled my efforts, swirling my tongue around the head of his shaft.

"But I'm not going to come in your mouth." Kai's voice was a possessive growl that had me clenching around nothing. "Crawl back up that bed and spread your legs for me."

I released him with a soft pop. He shuddered as I licked him from root to tip one more time before backing away. I chuckled as I climbed back across the bed, lying back on the pillows.

I dragged my hands from one knee to my hip, then let my leg fall open.

"That's a good girl," Kai purred. He gripped his length, pumping slowly, the muscles in his forearm flexing. "Show me that dripping cunt. Let me see how wet you are for your mate."

My whole body flamed as I spread my legs wider. His eyes traced over me, the green of his wolf bleeding into the soft brown. "So beautiful. So perfect."

I watched with rapt fascination as Kai climbed on the bed. His knees bumped against mine as he positioned himself between my thighs. He ran a finger through my folds, circling my entrance. The light touch was electric. "Look at you, so ready for me."

He notched himself at my opening, sliding in an inch. His mouth crashed against mine in a punishing kiss as he thrust home, filling me in one smooth motion. I cried out against his lips, the sensation overwhelming.

My head kicked back, and Kai took advantage of my exposed throat. His lips and teeth moved over the sensitive skin as his hips moved. His hand tangled in my hair, holding me close.

Every stroke of his cock inside me hit that delicious spot deep within. My hips rolled in time with his, seeking more friction, more depth. A pressure built, spreading out from my core.

Kai's free hand snaked between us, finding the bundle of nerves that needed the most attention. He circled his thumb over my clit, setting my nerve endings on fire. I arched into him, desperate for more.

"You gonna come for me again?" Kai asked, his voice ragged. He released my hair and lifted my leg, changing the angle of his thrusts. My nails scored his back as he slammed into me, again and again. "You're so tight, so wet for me. Fates, you're perfection. I could fuck this perfect pussy for hours."

My walls clenched at his words, already so close to the edge. A flush crept over my chest, my heartbeat roaring in my ears. He pressed down on my clit, and I came undone.

The orgasm ripped through me, tearing a scream from my lips. Kai captured it with a kiss, swallowing my cries as he pounded into me. Stars exploded behind my eyelids, and I could feel myself spiraling down, down, down into pure bliss.

But Kai wasn't finished with me yet. His grip on my hip tightened, and he urged me to my hands and knees. I moaned as he entered me again from behind, the new position driving him even deeper. His hands gripped my hips, pulling me into every thrust.

His pace was punishing, pushing me right back to the brink. I bit my lip, clutching at the sheets to keep from collapsing on the bed. Each snap of his hips sent bolts of lightning up my spine. My skin prickled with sweat, and I knew I was going to come again.

Kai reached forward, burying a hand in my hair and tugging me against his chest. His lips found the sensitive skin just below my ear, nibbling at the flesh. I ground my ass against him, desperate for release.

His hand slid around my front, his thumb brushing against my clit. "Come for me. Need you to come on my cock and I'll mark you as mine."

"Please," I begged, unable to form any coherent words.

"You're mine, Claire. Forever." His teeth sank into my neck and the sharp burst of pain was all it took to send me tumbling over the edge.

Wave after wave of ecstasy washed over me. Kai's thrusts became erratic, his rhythm faltering as he chased his own climax. His teeth released their hold on my neck as he grunted, the sound almost feral. His hand clutched my hip tightly, anchoring me against him as he slammed home one last time.

I collapsed onto the bed with a satisfied sigh, Kai following soon after. His arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me against his chest. His heart thudded against my back, slowing gradually, its beat matching mine.

Kai brushed a soft kiss against the back of my neck. "Thank you," he murmured into my hair.

"For what?"

"For not giving up on me."

I turned in his arms, needing to see his face. His eyes were heavy-lidded, exhaustion and contentment written on every line of his face. The sight warmed me to my bones.

Reckless, he named himself. And yes, he hopped, skipped, and jumped before thinking. But he didn't aim to harm. The opposite, in fact. He had so much care packed in his body. For his sister. His pack. Friends looking to escape their circumstances.

He was my reckless wolf.

"Never," I vowed. "I'll never give up on my mate."