Chapter 32: Lottie

When Hunter returned from town, he looked pissed beyond belief. Strung tight as a bow. Coming to me the moment he returned, he pulled me close and held me tight. It seemed to ease him. Wrapping me in his arms and breathing in my scent. His deep inhales buried in my hair until they finally subsided into normal shallow breaths.

He told me about Vincent having the photos, that none were posted online, and that all the paparazzi were gone. Or so he believes. Just to be safe, we moved most of my stuff from the cabin to Hunter's place. I'll be staying here for the time being.

His house isn't as minimalistic as the cabin but it's still cozy. There's a large fireplace in the living room that he keeps lit. He puts my things in his bedroom, and I don't complain. His bed is large, and I look forward to cozying up under the covers with him.

We don't plan on leaving his house for a few days. Just in case there are other paparazzi in town who don't work for Vincent waiting to take my picture. Our picture. If it were just me on my own in a town filled with nobodies I didn't care about, it wouldn't matter. I would just get in my car and leave. But I do care. I care about them more than I probably should after so short a time. The pull growing stronger between me and Hunter, and I don't hate it. I like it. It makes my insides all warm and tingly. Feels like home when I'm with him.

The rest of the day goes by in a blur, and the night is filled with bare skin, hot kisses, and talented tongues. Hunter shatters my mind, body, and soul into a million tiny shards over and over, distracting me so thoroughly from the paparazzi that I fall into a peaceful, deep sleep.

Today, we spend most of the time talking. I make us breakfast with my newly acquired cooking skills. Hunter shows me his workshop and wood carvings in progress. He's making a new pillar support for a broken one on his porch. I try to convince him to go for a run with me, and he almost gives in, but his paranoia and protectiveness win out, and we only take a leisurely stroll around the clearing behind his house.

Ryder decided to give us our space and went to stay at the cabin. Guess he doesn't like listening to his brother make me scream or the rhythmic knocking of the bed frame against the wall. We don't see him much, but Hunter did invite Ginger over for dinner.

Sitting out on the back porch after dinner around the fire pit is nice. We talk about simple things, like how we need to convince Dottie to add sushi to her menu and how cute Ginger was as a pup. We also talk about how she always forgot to remove her clothes before shifting as a kid and would run around in wolf form wearing pink princess underwear with her tail sticking out a rip in the back.

They tell me about the upcoming lunar eclipse which will be a blood moon. How many shifters come to run in the forest on their land. Many of them locals, some visitors that they've befriended. In just three days, these woods will be teaming with shifters in their true forms running, hunting, and apparently fucking. I guess the moon does have an effect on them, even though they aren't actual werewolves. It doesn't control them but sparks a need and desire. I get a knowing gaze from Ginger after that revelation.

After Ginger leaves, Hunter wastes no time getting me naked and moaning beneath him. Tangled in his bed sheets and digging my fingers into the meaty muscle of his ass and through the soft strands of his short hair.

We lay in his bed, still naked, slightly sweaty, and blissfully sated. At least I know I am, my body soft and pliant draped over Hunter's strong but peaceful one. His hand mindlessly stroking through my hair down my back anywhere he can reach. Unable to stop touching me even though we were just touching quite a bit.

With every passing caress, I feel the touch deeper than skin only. I feel it steadily stoking the ember in my chest that feels more and more like love. A heated coal thar will turn into a raging inferno that once ignited will never deplete.

"There's something I've been thinking about that I wanted to ask you," Hunter begins, breaking the sex-induced silence we've been lying in.

Tilting my head, I look up to him but don't rise. I'm far too comfortable where I am, and Hunter's hand stops roaming and settles on my waist, holding tight. So, I take that as he doesn't want me to move either.

"What's that?" I ask, interested to know what's rolling around in his head that he wants to ask me.

"There are these rules that all non-humans abide by. Most are about keeping our kind secret, protecting our anonymity, and staying out of the news. But a few have to do with dealing with other non-humans. How we treat each other and interact with other packs and groups.

"There's one that states if one or more non-humans were to make threats or attack any member of a pack, the alpha of that pack has the right to respond. To protect their pack by whatever means they see fit."

My brow pulls down in confusion. This is all very interesting, but what does it have to do with me? I don't interrupt and let Hunter continue, far too intrigued to see where this is going.

"As such I cannot act against Vincent for his actions against you since you aren't officially part of my pack."

I cock my head as best I can while still laying on Hunter's shoulder. An action I can't control with my inability to understand what he's trying to say.

"What do you mean? You are doing something to protect me," I argue.

Hunter's fingers curl into my side, and a small smile pulls at the corner of his mouth, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"Thank you for thinking that, Lottie. But in the non-human world, what I'm doing wouldn't be considered taking action as I see fit. There are other things I could do to keep him away from you, to make him leave. Permanently. But I can't because, to them, you're only a human who isn't under my protection or part of my pack. An outsider who doesn't fall under the umbrella of my protection, officially."

I push up on my elbow to get a better look at him. To me, he's doing everything right. What more could he do?

Scooting up, he props his shoulders against the headboard, keeping me secure against his side.

"We deal with things differently than humans do," he explains. "We're more hands-on, and if you were part of my pack, I could force Vincent to back off without repercussions."

"You said you wanted to ask me something. Does this have to do with that?" I ask.

"Yes. I want to make you part of my pack so I can make Vincent leave in the way I want."

Make me part of his pack? Would that mean staying in Snowberry? Staying with him? I wonder if becoming part of his pack means becoming part of his family or, I don't know, just paying an annual fee and getting a membership card. I'm unable to voice my questions or ask if what he's saying is that he wants me to stay. To become his. Would I agree to such a thing? I haven't even decided whether I want to return to music or not. Haven't even thought about where I want my future to go. Could my future be here with Hunter? Is that even possible? If Vincent figured out who I am, then someone else could. Events like the other day will happen again and again.

Then my thoughts take a different turn down a dark alley that makes my insides twist.

"Do you only want to make me a member of your pack so you can make a move against Vincent?" I ask a bit incredulously.

"What? No, that's not the only reason. And you wouldn't just be part of my pack. You would be my mate. My bonded mate," he says slowly, emphasizing his words carefully.

"Bonded mate. You want to bond with me?"

He gives me one sharp nod without hesitation. How can he know so soon that he wants to bond his life to mine? This isn't like a human marriage. There's no annulment or divorce. This would be permanent. For the rest of our extremely long lives. Because once we bond, I'll live as long as Hunter does. I would hate for Hunter to bond with me and regret it because he went on instinct instead of getting to know me first.

We've only been together for a few days, and I've only known him for maybe two weeks. Could it be that easy? That fast?

"Do you want to bond with ME? Or do you want to bond because your inner whatever says I'm your mate?"

"Both. The mate pull drew me to you, but it's because of you that I want it."

He pauses, seeing my reluctance as I shift out of his arms and pull the blanket up to cover my nudity. I like Hunter—a lot. I may even love him. But to tie our souls together in such a permanent way requires a little longer than a handful of days to decide. A better reason than the mystical pull told me to. Right?

"I know we've only known each other a short time, and you've just discovered this entire new world hidden within your own. I know you're concerned about the media finding you here and exposing us. I promise that won't happen; Ginger won't let it. But I don't need more time to know that if I were to bond with you, I would be the happiest male in the world. I know you are my perfect match because you wouldn't be my mate otherwise. We may disagree or even fight, but we'll work through it because no one else out there will understand and love you as deeply and fiercely as I will.

"I once heard the saying that good things come to those who wait, but great things happen all at once. People will wait and delay and put things off for fear they may not be the right choice and, in the end, kick themselves for wasting all that time when they could have had something great all along.

"I don't like wasting my time. I like schedules and being efficient. If I want something, I don't question it or worry that it might not be perfect. I grab on with both hands and take it."

He sits straight and turns to face me, reaching out to cup my cheek and turn my face to his.

"I know I want you, Lottie. I know we'll be happy. I don't question that. Shifters live off instinct, and mine's telling me that you're it."

Leaning in, he brushes his lips against mine. The kiss is soft and loving, drawn out. The pull tightening in my chest—and my clit.

Hunter breaks the kiss and speaks into my lips, brushing his nose against mine.

"Think about Lottie. The full moon is in three days. You can tell me then. If your answer is no, that's okay, too. I'll be here either way; nothing will change. It'll just take me longer to convince you."

His words are what every girl wants to hear. The words of happily ever after's. But are they real? Everything in my life has been so fake for so long that it's hard to tell the difference anymore.

But this is Hunter. He has nothing to gain from lying to me. He doesn't want to become famous; he doesn't want my money. There's no reason for him to lie to me about such a thing. This has to be real.

His hand trails down my jaw and neck, over my shoulder, and down the swell of my breast, gently pulling the blanket away, revealing my tight nipples and aching breasts to him. He cups one in his large hand, rubs a thumb across the pebbled peak, and pinches it between two fingers. His lips trail in the path his hands just took, ending in the same position.

I grow wet between my thighs and squirm under his attention, needing more. He knows what I need and rolls us until I'm under him, his already thickening cock rubbing against my swollen clit and throbbing pussy as he wedges his hips between my legs. I widen for him and wrap my heels around his ass.

"Is this you trying to convince me?" I ask between kisses, our breaths mingling as our heart rates increase and our breathing becomes labored.

"Is it working?"

Kisses pepper my throat, chin, lips.

"Maybe. Perhaps you should try moving more than just your lips."

Hunter chuffs against my skin, his breath hot but creating goosebumps in its wake.

"You mean like this?"

He rocks his hips, the length of his erection sliding up and down my pussy. I groan at the friction against my sensitive core. We already went two rounds tonight, but my body is well and ready for a third.

"Yes. Just like that. Do it again."

And bless him, he does. He does more than just grind against me. Much more. With the first thrust inside, I'm lost to the pleasure, putty in his hands. My body is electrified and singing with every touch.

Hunter threads his arms under my knees, taking handfuls of my ass.

"Hold on to me, Nightingale," he commands in a soft whisper that I can't deny.

My arms wrap around his neck and hold on, rubbing my sensitive nipples against his hard chest. Hunter growls in approval. I like it when he growls; it makes me shiver.

With little effort, he lifts me, sitting back on his heels, and the new angel drives him deeper inside at an angle that has my eyes crossing.

"Fuck you feel fantastic," Hunter groans as he lifts and lowers me on his hard cock.

I use my well-toned legs to help the movement. Picking up the pace and pressing down hard on the swollen knot at the base of his cock. I really want to know what it feels like to have that inside me. I bet the stretch and fullness would be phenomenal. But he won't let me have it. Not until we fulfill the mate bond. One more thing to add in the pro column for mating.

Grinding down as far as he'll let me, I whimper into Hunter's mouth. Pressing hard demanding kisses against his willing and responsive lips.

"That's it, little bird, ride me. Use me. Make me yours. You want my knot, don't you?"

"Uh-huh," I moan, biting my lip and bouncing on his cock harder. That torturous knot rubbing my clit and backside with every slap of our bodies.

"When we bond, I'll give it to you. Push it inside that tight little pussy of yours. Seal myself inside you and come so hard, filling you to the brim. You'll shake like a leaf in a tornado with the force of the orgasm I'll give you."

My body shakes in response, the impending orgasm growing in my core, swirling tight and causing my inner walls to clench down on Hunter's shaft.

"You like that? Like hearing what I'm going to do to you? I want to hear you say it, little bird. Tell me what you want me to do."

Forming words isn't the easiest thing to accomplish at the moment, especially with his cock buried so deep inside. But I try as best I can.

"I want you to bend me over and fuck me until you can't stand it and thrust that fat knot inside me. I wanna feel it stretch me, and I want to make you fracture and break because of how good it feels."

Normally, my wordsmithing is more eloquent, but my brain can barely knock two cells together to form a coherent thought. I just open my mouth and let the words fall out of their own volition.

After that, there are no more words. Just heavy breathing, loud, unhindered moans, and the sound of our bodies sliding together. When I come, I nearly fall out of Hunter's arms, but he holds me tight. Riding out my orgasm with me as my body shakes and shivers, exploding with hot ecstasy. Hunter follows soon after, shoving his cock as far in as possible without allowing his massively swollen knot in.

When we've both allowed our releases to subside enough to move, Hunter carries me to the bathroom and gives me a long introduction to his large soaking tub.