CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER NINE

The whistle was blown, signaling the end of the game. Along with the rest of the spectators, Eli jumped to his feet with a cheer. On the field, the Hounds hugged each other, patted backs, and slapped asses.

Adrian blew out a breath. “That was a close game. For just a few minutes there, I thought the Hounds might lose.”

Eli tossed the last of the popcorn into his mouth. “Ye have so little faith.”

Adrian narrowed his eyes. “You were counting on Casey to swoop in and save the day with a kick-ass goal.”

“Which was exactly what she did.” The Arizona Sharks had played exceptionally well and given her team a run for their money. The Hounds were simply better.

“Casey’s team might have scored sooner if one of them hadn’t been unfairly sent off the field,” grumbled Roni. “That ref is a goddamn joke.”

“Unfairly?” echoed Marcus. “The player in question rammed the goalkeeper’s head against the goal post. Four times. While roaring ‘bitch’ at the top of her lungs. And her reason? The keeper stopped the ball from hitting the net, which is sort of her job.”

Roni shrugged. “It’s not as if the keeper passed out or anything. She only bled for, like, five minutes.”

Marcus stared at his mate. “Then I guess that makes it okay.”

Shaya snickered. “To be fair, the ref is a joke. It’s amazing how many fouls he just overlooked. Some of the Sharks should have been red-carded.”

“Yeah, but if he’d given a red card to every player who committed a foul, there’d have been no one left on the field before the game even reached half-time,” said Nick.

“Yeah, that can’t be denied,” Shaya allowed. “It has to be said that watching minks play soccer truly is entertaining. Oh, here comes Casey.”

Eli had already noticed her jogging across the field toward the bleachers. As usual, he lifted her and pressed a kiss to her mouth. “Congrats, baby. You delivered yet again.” He nuzzled her neck and breathed her in. “Hmm, there it is.”

“What?” Casey asked.

“The scent I’ve been missing all day. I’d get a little whiff of it sometimes when my shirt rustled, but it would always fade too quickly.” He studied the gash on her temple, and his wolf growled as he remembered one of the Sharks “accidentally” clawing her. Only two things had stopped Eli from losing his shit—one, it didn’t bleed much; two, the ref gave the Shark a yellow card, since unsheathing claws was never overlooked. “How’s your head?”

Casey flapped a hand. “Fine. I was more pissed by the blonde bitch that kicked my ankle so hard she almost broke it. The ref didn’t even foul her.”

A growl rattled Eli’s chest. “Yeah, I saw that. For a minute there, I thought you were going to elbow the ref right in the face.”

“He would have deserved it.”

“I agree,” said Adrian, patting her shoulder. “Good game, Casey.”

She smiled. “Thanks.” She looked at Eli’s pack mates. “And thank you all for coming.” Once they were done congratulating her and praising her performance, Casey turned to Eli and said, “Just need to go take a quick shower. Meet me in the parking lot?”

“Of course,” Eli told her, setting her back on her feet. He said his goodbyes to his pack mates, who then headed off. But Eli didn’t move until Casey was gone from the field. Maybe it was stupid that he needed to be sure she was safely inside the building before he was willing to leave the bleachers, but whatever.

“You know, she showed a natural aptitude for soccer even as a toddler,” said Adrian as he and Eli headed for the exit. “Whenever she’d come here to visit her grandparents, she’d kick a ball around with her friends or grandfather. She’s always loved playing, so I figured she’d end up on the team if she put in the hard work. She did. Casey never does anything by halves. I think the team gives her a sense of belonging.” He sighed. “It’ll be a shame to see her leave it.”

Eli felt his brows draw together. “Why would she leave?”

Adrian tossed him an impatient look. “Come on, Axton, we both know you’re hoping she’ll agree to move to your pack.”

“She could be part of my pack and still play for the Hounds.”

“You’re not considering every angle. You’re thinking that, hey, the competitions only occur over a short period once a year. But there’s also the ten weeks of training they do running up to the games. During the competition and run-up to it, she’d be coming here daily, neglecting other aspects of her life—including you and any pack duties she might have. And she’d be investing all that time, energy, and hard work into representing a pack she’s not even part of anymore.

“Her loyalty would be divided during those times. I don’t mean to say that you’d ever be anything other than her number one priority, Eli. But—and take it from someone who was once in a relationship with a female who used to play for the team—there will be times when she’s so focused on the training and games that you won’t feel her priority. Your wolf sure wouldn’t like that. He’d begin to see the team as a threat to the mating bond. Tell me he isn’t already jealous of the attention she gives to it.”

Eli couldn’t claim the wolf wasn’t jealous, but … “He’s not resentful of it.”

“Because she’s part of my pack. But if she were part of his, he wouldn’t be so understanding. He’d feel that the team had no right to her time or attention.”

Possibly. “Doesn’t matter. If she needs soccer and the team in her life, she’ll have it. He’ll deal.”

“I admire your optimism, but I can’t say I share it. Think on it some more. Ask yourself whether you and your wolf would really be okay with it in the long-run. Be sure of your answer, because Casey needs that certainty.” He walked through the exit and then patted Eli on the back. “Now take her home, make her rest. I’m sure we’ll see each other at the next game, if not before.”

Eli gave the Alpha a nod and then stalked through the parking lot to where his SUV was parked. Leaning against the vehicle, he pulled out his phone and skimmed through the photos he’d snapped of Casey as she’d played on the field. Her passion for soccer was clear to see, and he admired how dedicated she was to her team.

He’d meant what he told Adrian: He’d be fine with Casey continuing to play for the Hounds if she moved to his pack. But the Alpha was right; Eli would need to be positive that he’d stay fine with it and—

The click of heels on the pavement.

Lifting his head, Eli saw a skeletal female with very short pink hair slowly striding toward him, casually swinging her arms forward and backward. The same female he’d once caught glaring at his mate from the bleachers. Sherryl.

Calling on every bit of self-control he possessed, Eli kept his expression neutral and his stance relaxed. He’d scanned the crowd of spectators earlier, but he hadn’t spotted her among them, and he’d hoped she hadn’t attended the game. Clearly, there was no such fucking luck.

“You’re Eli, Casey’s mate.” She cocked her head. “It’s cute that you come to her games. I’m Sherryl, by the way. A friend of hers. We go way back.”

His wolf snarled, unsheathing his claws. Friend? The bitch had been anything but.

“She told me a lot about you and your pack,” Sherryl went on. “I hear your territory sure is a beautiful place. She’s not so keen on moving there and leaving her pack or team, but I figure it’s the best thing for her. Preston might not like it, considering he’s a little possessive of her, but that’s his problem. You’ve met Preston, right? He’s one of the coaching staff. She and him once had a—”

“I know who he is to Casey,” Eli cut in, sensing where this was going and quite frankly pissed that she thought she could play little games with him. “More importantly, I know who he isn’t to Casey. I also know all about you and the petty threats you’ve made. Not sure why you look so surprised that she told me.”

Cheeks reddening, Sherryl took two steps toward him. “It doesn’t bother you that she slept with her cousin’s mate? You’re okay with that?”

Eli pushed away from the SUV, gratified by the glint of unease in her eyes. She wasn’t quite as sure of herself as she liked to appear. “What bothers me is that you think you can fuck with mymate. Why you’d think something so damn stupid, I haven’t a clue. But if you have any sense of self-preservation, you’ll quit your games and stay away from her.”

Sherryl jutted out her chin. “You think you scare me? Touch me just once and I’ll have my entire pack crawling all over your territory within the hour.”

“I know I scare you. And I know Casey does, too.”

Sherryl shook her head. “She might think she’s hot shit, but she’s a nobody.”

“If you really thought that, you’d pity her, laugh at her. Instead, you feel compelled to fuck with her life and piss all over it—and you don’t even care who might get hurt in the process. That’s because you know that the ‘nobody’ is you.”

Her face twisted into a bitter scowl. “Bastard.”

“You reek of envy. Do you know that? It’s true. You know Casey’s better than you—a better player, a better person—and you hate her for it. You’re rotting on the inside, and it shows on the outside.”

They both stilled at the sound of footsteps coming toward them. Eli knew the rhythm of that purposeful walk; knew it was Casey. Apparently, so did Sherryl, because she grinned and tried to plant a kiss on his mouth. He shoved her away with a growl.

Laughing, she turned to Casey. “Sorry. I can’t help wanting to get a taste of that mouth. I’ll bet it’s got some skills.”

“She’s baiting you, Casey,” warned Eli. “She wants you to attack so she can go cry to her Alphas and set her pack on yours.” He gave her a look that said, “Don’t fall for it.”

Sherryl laughed again. “Oh, she won’t do that, Eli. No. Casey doesn’t want my Alphas asking questions that might lead to me telling them about her night with Preston. That news would get back to dear ole Mallory. And oh, that would be bad. Very, very bad. Isn’t that right, Casey?”

Eli watched his mate carefully, impressed she was able to leash the ferocious anger that rippled down their bond—especially since her mink was no doubt tugging at the reins, wanting to lunge and maul the female who’d touched her mate. Casey stood unnaturally still, her gaze eerily blank and so disturbingly cold it could chill a person right down to the bone. And that stare was fixed intently on Sherryl, whose smile began to slip from her face.

“Come on, Casey, I’m just having some fun,” said Sherryl. “No need to be so serious. It’s not like I haven’t kissed any of your other boyfriends, jeez.”

Again, Casey didn’t respond. Just stared at the other female, utterly still. The air thickened with tension and suppressed anger.

“So serious,” Sherryl mocked, but she nervously combed her fingers through her short hair.

Casey ever so slowly tilted her head. Her words came out just as slowly when she asked, voice flat, “This really seemed advisable to you? You didn’t have a single moment where you thought, hey, trying to kiss someone else’s mate will be the height of stupidity?”

“Well, it’s not like I can kiss my own, is it?”

“You know, a part of me used to feel sorry for you. No one should have to bury their true mate—especially when they’re just a kid. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

Sherryl’s nostrils flared. “Bitch, I don’t need your sympathy.”

“That’s good, because you no longer have it.” Wicked fast, Casey closed the gap between them and pushed into her space, going nose to nose with her. “I’ve had enough of your shit to last me a lifetime, and I’m absolutely done dealing with it. You don’t get to mess with my life just because you hate your own—I’m no one’s whipping boy. And if you think I’ll tolerate you offloading your brand of bullshit onto my mate, you’re out of your freaking mind. Never again, Sherryl,” she snarled, eyes flashing mink. “You never again even try to touch him.”

“Or what? You’ll smack me down?” Sherryl snickered. “Like I told Eli, you won’t risk me telling my Alphas your precious little secret.”

“Since the dead can’t talk, I won’t have that worry.”

Sherryl’s eyes flickered, and she took a shaky, involuntary step back.

“You touch, bother, or fuck with Eli again,” Casey went on, “I’ll kill you. You go telling tales to Mallory and hurt her just to be a vindictive bitch, I’ll kill you. I will, and I won’t lose a second’s sleep over it. That’s not a threat, it’s a promise. A promise you need to heed, because I won’t just kill you, Sherryl, I will shit motherfucking fury all over your goddamn bony ass—and you won’t even see me coming.”

Sherryl swallowed and took another step back. Casey knew it wasn’t so much the threat that had rattled her, it was that Casey had dared to threaten her. Sherryl hadn’t been trying to bait her as Eli thought. No, she’d simply believed she could do whatever the fuck she liked, certain that Casey wouldn’t attack. Sherryl had been sure she had the upper hand and that possessing Casey’s secret gave her power. Now the bitch was realizing that that wasn’t so true after all.

Her mink’s muscles quivered as she glared at the other female, back arched, claws out, scraping the ground with her feet. She wanted to dive at the little bitch and rain fresh hell on her. “If you push this, Sherryl, it will only end one way,” Casey cautioned.

“Yeah, with Mallory kicking your ass,” Sherryl spat, backing up again.

“No, with you dead.”

Sherryl shot both her and Eli a snarl before pivoting on her heel and striding away.

Once they were alone, Eli slowly crossed to Casey and splayed his hand on her back. “You okay?”

She took a long breath. “Yeah.”

“I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but I have the feeling that you will have to take her down one day—and not in a way where she gets back up.”

“So do I.” Rolling her shoulders, Casey turned to face him. “But I’m going to hold out hope, however pointless it may be, that she chooses to heed what I said.”

“There’s nothing wrong with hoping.”

Casey gave his hand a little squeeze, silently thanking him for his support. “I appreciate that you stood back and let me deal with her—I know that wasn’t easy for you.” She’d sensed how hard his protective instincts had hammered at him to intervene.

“I won’t lie, baby, if she’d made even one aggressive move toward you, I’d have been on the bitch before either of you could blink. You’re thinking I never would have hurt her because she’s female. You’re wrong. I’m capable of more fucked-up things than that.”

“You don’t eat people, fuck animals, go on killing sprees, or rape and pillage—that’s good enough for me.”

“We’re back to that?”

“It would seem so,” she said, feeling her anger drain away. Just having her mate—so solid, dauntless, and unflappable—right there, filling her senses and emanating a warm yet dark protective energy, was enough to steady and soothe Casey. His supreme air of unshakable cool always rubbed off on her and settled her mink. “By the way, don’t think I don’t know you’re hard as a rock right now.”

A smile tugged at his mouth. “Watching you shoot that bitch’s shit down, owning your strength and defending our mating … I ain’t gonna lie, it was a total turn-on.”

She rolled her eyes. “You ready to go?”

“I’m ready.” He kissed her forehead, draped his arm over her shoulder, and led her toward his SUV. “Come on. I’m taking you back to my lodge so I can feed and fuss over you.”

She felt his need to cosset and take care of her; to tuck her away somewhere safe, away from Sherryl and anyone else who might threaten her. And although her highly dominant nature bristled at the thought of being mollycoddled in any way, she didn’t fight him. Knew he needed this. “What are you cooking this time?”

“You’ll see.”

As he drove them to his territory with one of his big hands splayed on her thigh, Casey found herself marveling over how quickly and effortlessly he’d become part of her everyday life. Really, he’d slotted into her world like an Eli-shaped spot had been waiting just for him to come along and fill it. Which was sort of the case.

Maybe it was because they had similar duties and responsibilities that their worlds seemed to just fit together seamlessly without disrupting the other’s schedule. Of course, she didn’t doubt that he’d take up more of her time if he could. She knew he didn’t like sharing her attention with even a soccer ball. It was kind of cute.

She also knew they needed to have a long conversation about which of them would switch packs. But each time she broached the subject, he gave her that “there’s no rush to decide” speech. She recognized it as a stalling tactic, of course. He was buying himself time, hoping he could make her fall for his territory. Her mate was sneaky that way.

She hadn’t complained, though, because he’d also done things such as work enforcer-shifts with her on her territory and explored every inch of it, getting a taste of what his life would be like if he were to switch to her pack.

Although he seemed content enough while there and she believed he’d fit in her pack just fine, one thing bothered her—if he transferred there, he wouldn’t be able to keep the position of Head Enforcer. Adrian had told her that he’d be more than happy to have Eli as an enforcer but that he couldn’t bump aside his present Head Enforcer without good reason.

Eli wore his dominance in a very subtle way, but there was no missing how close to an alpha he was. Although he had no aspirations to lead a pack, he’d need a position in the hierarchy that provided him with some level of leadership and authority. His wolf would need it. They’d never have that in her pack, which meant she couldn’t foresee either man or wolf being truly happy there.

The thought of transferring to another pack made her chest tighten, especially as it might mean leaving the Hounds. While she believed Adrian would allow her to remain part of the team, she wasn’t so sure that Eli or his pack would like it.

She frowned as he grabbed his phone when they stopped at a red light. His thumbs were deft and fast as they tapped the screen. “Everything okay?” Because he had a very serious look on his face.

“Fine,” he said, placing the phone back in the cupholder. “I was just texting Nick. My pack mates are now under strict orders not to call, text, or visit us tonight so you can get the rest you need. Don’t tell me you’re not that tired. I can sense how exhausted you are.”

Chest warming, Casey smiled. “You’re good for me, you know.”

He squeezed her thigh. “Just as you’re good for me.”

“So … after I’ve eaten and rested, are you up for fucking me into oblivion again?”

“That can definitely be arranged.”

Her nipples tight, her pussy throbbing, Casey eyed Eli warily as he stalked around the bed wearing nothing but a wicked smile. Let’s play a little game, he’d said. Whoever breaks first has to submit to the other, he’d said.

And what had he meant by “break?” Well, they each had to sit in a chair and remain still for an entire minute while the other teased and tantalized them—if they did move, they lost the game. If no one moved, they kept on going until someone did.

Simple. Easy. Fun. She’d figured he’d break in no time at all.

During the first round, she’d not only kissed, licked, bit, and stroked every sensitive spot he possessed, she’d worked his cock with her hands and tongue … but she hadn’t sucked him off, and she’d known the torture of that alone had killed him. But he’d held out, the bastard, and subjected her to some torture of his own.

She’d also held out, though, and so they’d moved on to the second round. And the third. And the fourth.

During the fifth, as she’d finger-fucked herself right in front of him, he’d looked so close to losing control and reaching out to touch her … but he hadn’t, the awkward fucker. And when he’d then had his turn, she’d realized it had been completely dumb to finger-fuck herself, because she’d made her body so desperate to come that she hadn’t been able to resist gripping his hair and pulling him closer when he fluttered his tongue far too lightly over her clit.

So, yeah, she’d lost. Lost. That was bad enough. Worse, as part of the whole submission thing, he’d wanted her wrists tied to the bed.

Every cell in her body had said, hell, no. Obeying him was one thing. Letting him tie her down and make her completely vulnerable to him was something else altogether.

But he’d given her that hurt face and asked, “Don’t you trust me?”

“Well, yeah,” she’d replied.

“Then lie on the bed, relax, and let me make you feel good. You know I’d never do anything you didn’t want.”

She did know that, which was why she’d conceded her loss of the game and done what he’d asked. To her surprise, it hadn’t dampened her arousal in the slightest. In fact, there was something almost heady about being unable to move; about being able to take only what he chose to give her. Still … “I feel like a pagan sacrifice.”

“You look hot as hell.” His gaze raked over her. “I am a lucky son of a bitch. So much to taste. Touch. Mark.” He moved to kneel on the bed between her thighs. “There are so many things I could do to you right now.”

Oh God, he was gonna drag this out, wasn’t he? “Why do you want me tied up?” she asked as he planted his hands either side of her head, bracing himself over her.

He nipped at her lip. “I want you to feel owned. Helpless. Mine.” He traced her mouth with the tip of his tongue. “I want to use you. Like you’re my very own personal toy.”

And then he was kissing her. Hard. Wet. Rough. He consumed her mouth with so much hunger and possessiveness that it sent her thoughts scattering and wound her body even tighter.

He trailed kisses down her neck and then bit her claiming mark. “I’ll bet I can make you come within five minutes.”

“Obviously.”

“But I’d be sitting all the way over there in that chair near the wall. I wouldn’t be touching you.”

Casey’s brow creased. “What, you think you can talk me into coming?”

“Maybe.”

She narrowed her eyes. “If it doesn’t work, you have to let me go, and then I get to tie you up.”

He thought about it for a few seconds. “All right. But if it does work, you stay right here like this … and you suck me off.”

Not seeing how he could possibly make her come without touching her, she said, “Go for it.”

Smiling, he slid a hand between her breasts, along her stomach, and down to cup her pussy. “All mine.”

She sighed happily as he slid two fingers inside her and … Her eyes widened. “What’s that? Seriously, what the hell is that?”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention the vibrator. It’s inside you now. Not sure if you can tell, but it’s egg-shaped. And this here in my hand is a remote control. See, that little silicone device inside you pulses and vibrates at different levels of intensity and speed. So, yeah, this is gonna be fun.”

“You are such a fucking asshole! This isn’t fair!”

Eli’s lips twitched. “I’ll just be over there.” He left the bed and repositioned the chair near the foot of the bed. He sank into the chair, humming at the perfect view he had of her pussy—so pretty and plump and pink, it glistened with her juices. His full, hard cock pulsed, aching to be inside her.

He switched on the vibrator and smiled as her body did a little jerk. “Relax, baby, just enjoy it. Feel good?” He already knew the answer to that, because a throaty moan slipped out of her. And another. And another.

He played with the different vibration patterns until he found one that had her squirming, groaning, and struggling against her binds. All the while, he fisted his aching cock, wrestling with the urge to join her on that bed and suck on her clit. “We’d have so much fun with this in public. Maybe at a restaurant. I could make you come right there at the table, and no one would even have a clue.”

Feeling that she was close to coming, he upped the intensity level on the vibrator. “Let me see you come, baby. Do it for me. Now.” She arched. Moaned. Shook. And then she imploded, and an echo of her orgasm hit him through their bond, making his dick impossibly harder. “That’s my good girl.”

Eli switched off the vibrator, rose from the chair, and placed the remote on the dresser. He kissed his way up her quivering body as he climbed on the bed, pausing to lash at her nipple with his tongue. “I figured you’d like this,” he said, carefully pulling out the vibrator. “You came within five minutes. You know what that means.”

Her eyes fluttered open. “Tricky little shit, aren’t you?”

Chuckling, he pressed a kiss to her throat. “Yeah, I am.”

“I’m gonna shove that thing up your ass one day, and then we’ll see how much you still like it.”

“My ass? Sorry. Doesn’t appeal to me. But your ass? Ah, that could be interesting. Thanks for giving me that idea.”

“Because your filthy mind would never have thought of it all on its own.”

He chuckled again. “Well, you lost the bet. Now it’s time for you to pay up.” He shuffled up the bed until his cock bobbed in front of her face. Slipping his hand under her head, he lifted it just right. “Open your mouth.”

Instead, she blew over the head of his cock. It twitched in response, and a tiny shiver wracked his spine.

Growling, he dug his fingers into her scalp. “Open.” The moment she did, he surged forward and thrust into her gorgeously hot mouth, just as he’d been aching to do since the night he first found her. He groaned. It felt better than he’d imagined and, fuck, just the sight of her plump lips wrapped around his dick was enough to make his balls tighten.

He wasn’t going to last long. Not when he was already so close to exploding, thanks to the game they’d played earlier. But he’d damn well relish every second he could hold out for.

“Now I’m going to fuck this pretty mouth I own. And I’m not going to stop until you can feel my come dripping down your throat.”

He pumped his hips, riveted by the sight of his cock sliding in and out of her mouth. She kept the suction tight, gliding her tongue along the underside of his shaft. “Yeah, that’s it, suck hard for me. Fucking beautiful, aren’t you, baby? My baby.” His cock hit the back of her throat, and he groaned. She didn’t try to pull back, she swallowed him deeper. Fuck.

Feeling the light prick of his claws in her scalp, Casey moaned. He must have liked the sensation, because his cock throbbed in her mouth and he gave an extra hard thrust. She sucked even harder, determined that it would be the best blowjob he’d ever had.

Spike after spike of carnal pleasure rippled down her bond as she sucked and licked, tracing every ridge and vein with her tongue and swirling it around his long shaft. His whispered praise sank into her bones while every hungry growl hit her in her core.

“So fucking good,” Eli rumbled, feeling his orgasm creep up on him. Her eyes—glazed over with need—locked with his, and he felt that sex-drunk look all the way to his balls.

Spiced with arousal, her potent scent twined around him and filled his lungs. He could almost taste it, and that only made him and his wolf more crazed for her. They needed to claim her mouth just as they’d claimed her pussy—it was a primal thing, and there was no fighting it.

Fisting her hair, he drove faster into her mouth and slipped his other hand around her neck. “I want to feel your throat work as you swallow my come.” Tightening her lips, she sucked even harder, and the breath slammed out of his lungs. Then she hummed, and the vibration seemed to shoot along his dick and zip up his spine. And like that, he was gone.

Heart pounding, he exploded with a growl. “Fuck, yeah, take it.” His thighs quivered as his dick pulsed inside his mate’s mouth over and over, claiming it with his come. And, yeah, that had been the best blowjob of his fucking life.

Throat dry, Eli pulled back. “Open. Show me.”

Understanding, Casey opened her mouth wide, showing him that she’d swallowed every drop. She wasn’t gonna lie, she got a little kick out of how hard he was breathing. His eyes went all lazy with satisfaction, which never failed to make a delicious warmth bloom in her lower stomach.

He stroked the tips of his fingers down the column of her throat. “Good girl. Now you get rewarded.”

“Untie me first.”

He gave her a mock frown, sliding down her body. “You said you trust me.”

“I do.”

“Then just lie back and enjoy.”

His mouth clamped around her pussy, and Casey arched into him with a gasp. His fingers dug into her hips as he held her still, feasting and growling and making her burn from the inside out.

“I don’t like that other men have had your taste on their tongue,” he rumbled. “Don’t like that they’ve played with my pussy. And it is mine. It was always mine.” He went back to eating her out. That blessed tongue licked, flicked, lapped, and thrust, driving her higher and higher.

She didn’t know why being tied up made it all so much hotter, but it did. Feeling so vulnerable … Something about that seemed to make every nerve ending in her body so much more sensitive. “Eli.”

“Right here, baby.” He pumped his tongue inside her and closed his hands around her breasts. He gave them a possessive squeeze that was just shy of painful—that rough touch was all it took. Her pussy rippled around his tongue and she came with a choked cry.

Eli draped his body over hers, pressing his throbbing cock against her clit, and almost shuddered at just the feel of his skin settling over hers. “Can’t seem to get enough of your taste.” He scooped some of her cream out of her pussy and idly painted her nipple with it.

“Eli—”

“You know what I want,” he said. She gave him her throat. “Good girl.” He sucked her wet nipple into his mouth and slammed his cock into her pussy, forcing his way past swollen muscles that rippled and contracted around him. “Fuck, baby.”

Casey wrapped her legs tight around him as he rode her hard. “Rode her” wasn’t really the best term. Exuding pure male power, he ferociously rammed in and out of her like he was caught in a frenzy. Brutal. Frantic. So impossibly deep she should have felt him in her throat.

After so many orgasms, her body should have been spent. It wasn’t. The friction began to build again fast, making her arch and writhe and pull half-heartedly at her bindings—there was no give in them, which only fired the carnal need coursing through her.

He groaned. “Every time you struggle, your pussy squeezes my cock.” He paused, hooked her legs over his shoulders, and started slamming into her again. “You ready to come for me?”

She moaned her assent, more than ready.

He slipped his thumb between her folds and circled her clit. “Then come.”

Her body, trained to respond to him, gave him exactly what he wanted. Casey’s back bowed, and a hoarse scream tore out of her throat, almost drowning out his growl. He sank his teeth into her shoulder as he slammed home once more and exploded deep inside her.

Casey lay there, shuddering, her eyes closed, drifting in a blissful fog … until her mink started shoving at her, demanding her attention; demanding she acknowledge something important. Opening her eyes, Casey took in a deep breath. And froze. “You smell that?”

Eli’s nostrils flared. “Our scents have mixed.”

“The bond … it’s more intense. More there.”

“It’s progressing,” he said, feeling a smile tug at his mouth. His satisfaction ran soul-deep.

“What do you think triggered it?”

Eli thought about it for a moment. “Maybe it was that you trusted me and submitted, despite how hard it was for you.” She hadn’t just allowed him to tie her up, she’d sucked him off and swallowed his come, which furthered his claim on her on a sheer primitive level.

Speaking of her being tied up … Eli withdrew his cock, intending to release her, not wanting her uncomfortable. “I don’t like seeing my come leak out of you. I want it to stay inside you. Want it to mark what’s mine.” Maybe even put a baby in her, though it might be considered too soon. He freed her wrists and then massaged her arms until they were as loose and languid as the rest of her.

As they then lay on their sides facing each other, he pulled her close. “Love that you wear me on your skin now. Love that everyone will know just by your scent alone that you’re taken.”

Casey might have rolled her eyes if she wasn’t feeling the same way. She’d never been possessive until Eli. Hadn’t known she could be this possessive of anything or anyone. Maybe the intensity of it would tone down once their bond fully snapped into place and made her feel more settled and secure in their mating. Then again, maybe not.

“My mink is very happy with this new development, by the way.”

“So is my wolf.” Little bumps rose on Eli’s skin as she nuzzled his neck. He held her tighter. She smelled of him, sex, and their bed. Smelled of home.

She’d appeared in his life when he’d least expected it and, in no time at all, had become an integral part of it. He hadn’t had to adjust to her presence, because it was like she’d always been there. Everything had clicked into place the moment they mated.

Despite that they’d never met prior to that night, there had never been any awkwardness between them or any hesitation to invade the other’s space. In fact, they were so perfectly in tune with each other that it should have been scary.

Bringing her into his life had been effortless. It was like she was written into his soul and inscribed into his bones. And it gave him a whole new understanding of just what his mother had gone through.

Staring at his mate, Eli genuinely didn’t think he’d be able to survive losing her. He wouldn’t care to. Wouldn’t want to exist without her. Wasn’t even sure if he could. And he knew for a fact that if he did somehow manage to survive the loss of her, he’d be a shell of a man. An absolute fucking wreck. He wouldn’t be able to find any enjoyment in life, because his world would lose color and warmth and vibrancy.

“Nothing can ever happen to you,” he said.

She splayed her hand on his chest. “Nothing will, because you’d never let it.”

Damn fucking straight. Pulling her closer, he kissed her forehead. “Sleep, baby,” he said softly. “Dream of me. Then you’ll be nice and wet when you wake up, ready for me to take you again.”

She smiled. “I’ll see what I can do.”