Chapter 20

20

Kane

M y wolf strains to burst out after hearing that Julian is looking for Tami. And Angie? Her voice was filled with nothing but jealousy and envy. She wasn’t happy for Tami at all. Whether Tami noticed this, I don't know.

Frustration boils within me. Knowing that Julian is searching for my mate makes me want to hunt him down right now. I let the shattered pieces of her phone spill from my hand onto the floor as I watch Tami’s eyes widen in fear.

“You broke my phone. Why?” She snaps at me.

“Anger,” I answer simply, then stand, ready to go on a hunt. “I need to call on Kade. I’m going to look for Julian myself. I have his scent imprinted. It shouldn’t be difficult to find him once I catch it.”

Tami immediately stands from the sofa, shaking her head. I smile when her hand moves to her claim mark, her fingers brushing over the scar. She doesn’t realize she’s doing it. The pull has really taken hold of her, and I don't think she understands the changes happening in her body right now.

“No!” she shouts, making me pause. I need her to tell me. The pull is strong in her, but she still hasn’t gotten the urge to claim me. Earlier, she was so close, so close, yet she still hesitated. She doesn’t understand what’s happening, so she won’t know how to answer if I ask.

“Why not?” I ask, then start to move around her. She grabs my arm, trying to pull me back. I pause and look back at her.

“You go onto human territory and kill for me, that’s not good. Let’s wait and see what Kade finds,” she insists, running a hand over her forehead.

Her scent keeps shifting from confusion to fear. That’s a scent I normally smell when someone is hiding something. I glance down at her shattered phone, then back at her, narrowing my eyes. She saw something on it, and she’s not as upset as I expected.

“Baby, you saw something on your phone. I can smell it on you.” She gasps, backing away slowly.

I grin and follow her. Tami likes to hide things from me, thinking it’s for my protection, but it’s not. She doesn’t need to protect me. I wish she’d stop trying.

I continue to stalk her, matching her steps backward. She eventually trips, hitting the end table, but I catch her, gripping her nightdress and pulling her back against my chest. She moans, frustrated, and puts her hand on my chest. I press my palm against her back, steadying her on her feet.

“First, I’m taking you to my village, then I’m going to hunt down the asshole looking for you,” I tell her.

“No, please! I’ll talk,” she says quickly. I gesture toward the sofa, and she nervously sits down. I go into the kitchen to grab a broom and dustpan to sweep up the mess.

“Start talking, Tami,” I tell her. Her heartbeat quickens, but I also detect a hint of arousal. Damn, this woman really is turned on all the time.

I’m one lucky shifter.

She snaps her legs shut when she realizes where my eyes are going. There’s no need for her to worry; I won’t be using my dick this time. I’ll use my tongue instead, something I know she’ll enjoy.

“Julian texted me,” she murmurs, avoiding my gaze. “But I couldn't make out what he said.” A menacing growl escapes me, causing Tami to nervously jump off the sofa. She's lying; I can sense it in her scent.

“I need to talk to Kade,” I mutter.

“Please don’t leave me in your village alone,” she begs.

Why not? My village is the safest place for her right now. Safer than here. I stand from the sofa and try to grab her, but she just runs off, trying to get away. My hand is on her waist before she can reach the stairs, pulling her back to me. She’s so adorable, stubborn as she is. She kicks and fights me until we’re back on the sofa with her plopped down on my lap.

“You’re scaring me!” she yells, slapping at my chest.

I feel nothing but gentle caresses. Her feistiness is only making me hard, but now is not the time for that. I take my hand and gently press it against her throat, smoothing it over her claim mark. Her body goes limp immediately and she submits, her eyes rolling to the back of her head.

“What are you doing?” she mumbles incoherently.

“Calming you down,” I tell her, moving my hand from her claim mark to her breasts.

Her arousal hits me like a tidal wave, and I think my dick might burst through my sweatpants. She should be happy to see my village, meet my brothers and the sister mates.

Once her body relaxes, I grip the back of her neck and pull her into a sweet, loving kiss. She moans between my lips, but I keep the kiss brief, moving my hand to gently stroke her back while my other hand cups her ass.

“Oh,” she breathes, looking into my eyes, dazed. “How? How did you do that?” I brush my fingers over her claim mark again.

“You’re mine now, Tami. You’ll submit to me even when you don’t want to. You could hate me, but your body will always submit. I don’t want my mate to hate me.” I gently stroke her cheek. “I need you to tell me why you don’t want me to leave you with my village.” She answers quickly, and I smile, happy that my claim on her is working.

“Someone is always dropping me off somewhere and leaving me. I’m tired of it.” Her eyes well with tears, and I can see the pain there. I sigh, hating that I made her feel this way. Tami is deep into this, and I suspect she’ll claim me soon. I keep my thoughts calm before I speak again.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry for being so aggressive and scaring you. My wolf won’t tolerate another man hunting you. I’m afraid I can’t control that.”

“You can’t leave me,” she demands, clutching my shirt. It’s then I realize she doesn’t need to claim me. Tami already owns me, and she owns my wolf too. I groan and lift her off my lap, gently placing her on the sofa.

I stand, looking down at her, and let out a frustrated sigh, then dash upstairs to our bedroom. I pull a shirt and a pair of thick leggings out of the drawer, along with some socks, then dart back down the stairs. She narrows her eyes at the clothes, wondering where I’m going with this .

“Get dressed. There’s something I want to show you.” I help her pull on the clothes.

When she’s dressed, I walk to the door, grab her coat and boots, and drop to my knees to help her slide into them. She pulls her coat over her shoulders, and I help her button up. I open the front door and step outside, pulling her onto the porch with me. She looks at the dim sky for a moment, then back at me.

“Are we going to your workshop?” she asks, looking toward the shed. I shake my head.

“No, baby.” I answer, then pull off my clothes. She puts her finger to her lips, going quiet.

“You’re the only person who’s ever tamed my wolf. And the way you just tamed me in the cabin tells me you can handle him. You’re going to ride my wolf and let him take you through the forest. Can you do that for me?” She nods eagerly, an adorable smile on her lips.

I leap from the porch, shifting mid-air. Its paws land on the snow, the cold invigorating. My wolf turns and growls softly, then drops to a sitting position in front of the porch. Tami looks around nervously for a moment, then slowly steps down. My wolf lowers himself to the snow.

“Hi, Kane’s wolf,” she says warmly. “Kane said you are going to take me through the forest.” She brushes her fingertips against my wolf's snout, and my wolf closes his eyes, a low moan escaping.

Tami owns my wolf. She walks around me, gripping his fur, and climbs on top. Once she’s settled, my wolf stands, feeling her grip tighten.

My wolf moves slowly at first, turning away from the cabin and heading toward the forest, making sure she’s comfortable. He looks back at Tami, and our eyes meet. She smiles and gives a nervous nod .

“I’m ready… Well, I think,” she says. My wolf barks in response and takes off into the forest.

The air rushes past us as my wolf maneuvers through the trees, its paws barely making a sound on the ground. Tami holds on tightly, but there’s no fear in her eyes—just excitement and joy. The cold wind bites at us, but it’s refreshing. I can feel her laughter vibrating through my wolf's fur, and it fills me with happiness.

We jump over fallen logs and weave through the dense forest. The moonlight illuminates the path. The forest is alive with sounds, but all I can focus on is the feeling of Tami on my wolf's back, trusting me completely.

After what seems like forever and yet only a moment, he brings us to a smooth stop. My wolf’s paws slide slightly as we leap from a small hill, landing perfectly with Tami. We arrive at the edge of the waters where the lakes connect, overlooking lower Michigan and Mackinac Island.

My wolf sits down, and Tami climbs off, taking in the view with wide eyes. The sight before us is breathtaking.

The icy lake glistens under the dim daylight, and the distant lights of Mackinac Island twinkle like stars. Tami’s breath catches, and she turns to me, her eyes full of wonder.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispers, awed.

I shift back into human form, sitting naked on the cool ground, which doesn’t affect me. Tami starts to pull off her coat, but I stop her.

“I’m fine, baby. I just wanted you to see this.” Tami looks around, still amazed.

Nightfall will be here soon, as winter days are shorter. I reach out for her, but her eyes are focused on the scenery. We can’t stay here long; the cool temperatures will be too much for her. I can simply shift into my wolf form to keep warm. I stretch my arm to grip her coat, pulling her into my lap.

“You did so well, letting my wolf carry you.” She wraps her arms around my neck and snuggles against me.

“That’s it! You win the best first date award!” she jokes. I chuckle in response. First date? How do I tell her that now that I’ve claimed her, we are practically married? I bite my tongue, holding back that comment. We are having a beautiful moment. I don’t want to scare her.

“It was fun, like riding a rollercoaster. I knew I was safe with your wolf. He was so careful with me the entire ride.”

“My wolf loves…” I pause, clearing my throat. She pulls back and stares into my eyes with a bright smile.

“Go on,” she taunts. I shift her focus to the lake.

“Look,” I say, pointing at the small cruise ship heading our way. I wasn’t expecting more tourists; I was hoping for a quiet moment. Tami tries to stand, but I pull her back into my lap.

“Unless you want everyone to see me in my birthday suit,” I joke, and she quickly nods, understanding, but wiggles her ass against me to taunt me.

Does she not think I won’t take her right here in this weather? My body heat would keep her warm. But she rests her back against my chest while I keep my arms wrapped around her.

“I used to dream of coming here. I even used to buy lottery tickets before I gave up,” she murmurs, staring at the ship. It’s a cruise liner that sails from Detroit to Mackinac Island multiple times a day, but it only docks in Detroit.

“Why did you give up, baby?” I ask, curious.

“It felt like a fairytale. Like I was hoping for something that was so far out of reach.” I smile and shake my head.

“It was closer than you knew. ”

“What was your life like after the curse? Did you have a girlfriend? Did you love her?” she asks, and I laugh at the question.

“I slept with women sometimes, yes. But I could never love. I could never make a baby either. You are the only woman who can provide that to me.” I say, moving my hand first to her heart, then slowly down to her belly, pressing my palm against it. I’ve bred her well enough for my seed to take root in her. I hope it does. Tami surprises me, placing her hand over mine, giving me hope that she feels the same.

“I don’t need any of my old stuff from my apartment. Tell Kade to throw it out. I want to start new memories with you.” Her words make my heart pound, and my hand tightens against her.

“You’re lucky we have an audience, baby,” I tease, and she giggles.