Chapter 23 - Killian

No one had ever been able to get to me like my mate could, and the sight of her tight ass walking away from me into the forest after completely obliterating her competition was a new high. One I needed to chase.

The moment she got past the tree line, I saw her form shift into Destiny’s brown fur and dart away. I hustled after her, determined to take her the moment I caught up to her. But I hadn’t expected her to be so fast. Apparently, the last time we ran in the forest, she had been taking it easy on me.

Our game of cat and mouse was exhilarating. One second, she was right in front of me, about to be mine, and the next, she had completely disappeared, leaving me frustrated and eager. With each passing moment, my senses became more heightened.

Faster, Rocky.

If I could go any faster than this, don’t you think I would, my wolf growled in frustration.

I knew he was just as eager to catch Destiny as I was. I shouldn’t have goaded him, but her scent was driving us both insane. Her smell led us around a small hill, where we spotted an enclosed area of pine trees. Some had fallen over, creating a kind of wall.

There , Rocky said excitedly.

But before we reached it, Leah stepped out from behind one of the trees. “Finally caught me, huh?” she teased.

Rocky pounced on her, gently tackling her to the ground and pinning her beneath him. She giggled as he nuzzled into her neck, licking her cheek with his tongue.

“Hey, now,” she protested. “Is that really fair?”

I shifted and grabbed her by the wrists, raising them above her head. “Is this better?” I asked.

“Mmm, much better.”

Leah’s brown hair created a halo around her head against the backdrop of the forest floor. Our eyes locked as I reached down with one hand, keeping my other one firmly on her wrists, to unbutton her pants.

“Let me go, and I can help you with that,” she said.

“No,” I responded. “You made me chase you all around the forest. What makes you think I would let you go ever again?”

I lowered her pants just enough that I could insert my free hand inside and watched as her eyes widened. Slowly, teasingly, I began to caress the outside of her underwear as she panted. Every time I motioned like I was going to take it further, I could see her eyes glimmer with excitement, only to cloud over when I resumed my caresses.

Finally, I felt her panties begin to saturate with her desire. I moved them aside and placed a finger inside her, grinning as she gasped.

“More,” she begged.

I shook my head, removing myself from inside her and circling her clitoris. She wiggled her hips in frustration as she tried to move out from under me.

“Are you getting impatient?” I asked.

She growled in response. The low rumbling from her diaphragm reverberated through her body, heightening my desire.

I plunged my finger inside her once again but was almost immediately overcome with a need to be closer. Unable to withhold any longer, I released her arms and yanked her pants down to her ankles. With a swift movement, I turned her onto her front and lifted her rear into the air, until her ass was touching my pelvis.

She let out a moan of pleasure as I caressed her opening with my fingers. The view of her backside made me quiver with anticipation of what was about to come next.

“You’re so wet,” I observed gruffly.

“I want you, Killian.”

I freed my erection from my pants, not bothering to fully remove them, and plowed into her roughly. She gasped at the sudden entrance, and my eyes closed as I threw my head back in rapture as our bodies became one.

“Yes,” she moaned, curling her fists.

My strong hands grasped her hips firmly, feeling the soft flesh in my palms. I placed one hand on her lower back to serve as a brace and began to thrust my pelvis slowly and steadily. The chase had made me impatient to be inside her, but I was determined to ensure that she reached orgasm before me.

As my cock moved in and out of her, we both began to pant and moan as sweat dripped off our bodies, mingling together. I moved my hands to her shoulders, lifting her torso towards mine so I could access her front.

Leah’s head tilted to the side, resting against my shoulder. As I felt her body begin to shudder, I reached one arm around her, holding her against me firmly so she could focus on her pleasure.

My other hand found the soft nub of her pelvis. Her moans became louder, more animalistic.

“Don’t stop,” she ordered.

As I rubbed her clit, she began to bounce against me. I halted my movements, allowing her to take control of her own penetration, and focused on keeping myself contained for a few moments longer.

Her speed increased, and just as I thought I wouldn’t be able to hold out any longer, I felt her climax. She screamed as waves of pleasure coursed through her.

Finally, I allowed myself to reach the pinnacle as well. My arms tightened around her, holding our bodies close together as I ejaculated.

Our bodies relaxed, and I helped Leah untangle herself from me before we clothed ourselves. I sprawled on the ground to catch my breath, and Leah plopped down next to me. I wrapped my arms around her, drawing her close to my chest.

“I could stay here all night,” she said contentedly.

“No one’s saying we can’t,” I pointed out. “Give me about fifteen minutes, and we can go for another round.”

Leah slapped my chest lightly at my teasing. “As much as I enjoyed you taking me in the forest, I think our next round should be in our bed at home.”

I rubbed her arm in agreement as we continued basking in the aftermath of our coupling. The night was peaceful as we held each other and looked at the moon.

“It’s really quiet out here,” Leah said.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Actually, does it seem a little too quiet to you?”

Leah sat up and looked around the forest, and I was suddenly on alert. The forest was still, but something didn’t seem right.

“Follow me,” I said, getting to my feet.

Leah and I ran quickly and quietly back toward Pinedale.

“What do you think is wrong?” Leah asked.

“I don’t know if anything is. It’s just a feeling.”

As we reached the outskirts of town, everything seemed normal. The packs appeared to still be in the clearing, continuing the skirmish event. Only those who couldn’t shift—the children and those too old to fight—had remained in town.

At first, I thought that I had made a mistake and all was well, but as we approached the community center, I smelled something out of place. There were wolves in town—and they weren’t ours.

And then I heard it. The sound of crying and shouting was unmistakable.

“It’s coming from inside the community building,” Leah whispered.

I nodded at her and tilted my head toward the back entrance. Whatever was happening inside, we needed to find out what it was.

We ran in a crouched position until we reached the back of the building. A hedge surrounded the backyard, and I motioned for Leah to disguise herself in the branches while I went to get a closer look. A crease appeared between her eyebrows as she shook her head vigorously, placing her hand in mine. We were too close to the building to speak without giving away our position, but her message was clear. Where you go, I go.

I held her hand to my heart and looked at her pleadingly, hoping she would understand my message in return. I can’t do this if I don’t know you’re safe.

She sighed, nodding her head as she understood what I meant. After a moment, she hurried away, hiding in the hedge to watch.

With my back to the wall, I shuffled around the perimeter and located the back door. It was already cracked open slightly, so I peeked inside.

Every member of the packs who had remained in Pinedale—from the smallest infants to the most venerable elders—was seated on the floor inside. They clutched each other in fear as they hunkered down, occasionally glancing fearfully at the figures that prowled around them.

My blood ran cold at the sight. I barely had a moment to analyze what was happening when the door opened with a swift bang that shook the wall, revealing my hiding place.

“Big brother,” Franco said. “I thought I smelled you skulking around here. Would you like to come inside?”

“Franco. Let them go,” I seethed.

“Oh, I don’t think I can do that,” he said. “My pack is here with me, and I promised them this territory. You know how it is, right?”

Indeed, now that the door was open, I saw that he had nearly twenty men and women—the very same violent and destructive shifters who had been following him for years—waiting inside.

“So that’s how it is?” I asked. “You saw me in town and thought you’d bring your posse to destroy what we’ve built here?”

“No, no, you’re mistaken. I’ve been looking for you for years. Ever since you ran away and turned your back on me, I’ve been plotting my revenge against you. Imagine my surprise when I heard the name Alpha Killian Stone a few weeks ago. Finally, you were within arm’s reach. All I had to do was pretend that I wanted to catch up with you so I could scope out your territory, infiltrate your pack, and voila !”

Franco finished with an interjection, twirling his hand as if he had made his plan magically appear in front of my eyes.

“So, everything you said to me was a lie?” I asked.

“You sound surprised.”

In honesty, I wasn’t surprised by Franco’s lying or scheming. The violence and disregard for life were par for the course as well. What I was surprised about was that I had fallen for his plan for even one second. My idiocy had jeopardized the lives of not only my pack but the packs we were in alliance with. Now I stood here, alone and severely outnumbered, trying to come up with a plan to stop him.

As Leah waited, hidden somewhere behind me, I realized that I had let her down as well. I refused to have my last moments be those of defeat or cowardice, especially witnessed by my mate. It was my duty to defend the helpless people in front of me. I only wished I had time to say goodbye to Leah before it was all over.

Run, Leah , I thought.

If she could escape, then I would gladly accept my fate.