Chapter 15

Tak stripped me out of my shirt and bra before he could bring a blush to my cheeks. He worshipped me with his mouth, drawing in my taut nipple and circling his tongue until I moaned. Tak made me feel like a goddess, as if my curves and imperfections were everything he craved.

I needed to be with this wolf. He awakened a hunger in me that made my heat spells pale in comparison.

When he reached for the lamp, I captured his wrist. "I don't want to be in the dark. I've only ever known the darkness. I want to be in the light. I want to see you."

His breath was hot against my skin as he circled his tongue around my other nipple, his hands unfastening my pants and tugging them free.

Tak pulled me to my feet and then peeled back the comforter. His eyes were ravenous, like a man who hadn't eaten a meal in forty days. "Get in."

Those two words sent a lick of desire through my body, his alpha power pulsing against my skin like a heartbeat. I crawled beneath the covers to the center of the bed while he leisurely stripped out of his pants. Tak struck me as a wolf who took what he wanted, when he wanted, so I couldn't figure out why I was beneath the covers instead of beneath him.

Despite the torment of waiting, I liked the way he took his time undressing, his smoky eyes trained on me. It gave me a chance to admire his impressive physique—his bronzed body; broad chest; strong legs; and the scars that peppered his knee, shoulder, and torso. Battle scars were common among males, but some of these looked older. I wanted to trace my fingers over each one and learn their stories—offer him the understanding that other women hadn't.

I averted my eyes when he faced me, his impressive erection aimed like an arrow seeking its target.

He eased between the sheets to my right, resting his face on the pillow so our noses touched. "You can look at it if you want."

"Don't be silly. I've seen plenty."

He chuckled, his eyes like crescent moons as he smiled. "There's a difference between seeing packmates naked after a shift and seeing a man who's hard for you. I'm hard for you, and I want you to touch me."

This had always been my worst fear—being with an alpha who would consider me too inexperienced for his needs.

He guided my hand down to his shaft. "Like this."

I'd never touched a man. My previous lover liked me on all fours, and that was as far as we'd ever gotten. Curious, I peered down for a closer look. Tak's wasn't pink and curved like the man I'd slept with years ago. It was thick and enormous up close. I let go, suddenly ashamed for putting him on the spot like that.

Tak caressed my cheek. "I don't think I've ever made a woman blush before."

"Not even your mate?"

A rueful look flickered in his eyes as he brushed my hair away from my shoulder. "We were never intimate. She was twenty but hadn't gone through her first change yet. It's not right to take a woman until she's one with her animal."

It struck me how respectful Tak was to have honored that tradition. While he'd loved her, she still wasn't an adult in his eyes.

"Mood killer," he muttered.

"Not at all. She was an important part of your life. I wouldn't ask if I didn't care." I stroked his cheek, the inked side buried against the pillow. He looked so normal this way, and it bothered me for some reason. "Can we switch sides?"

His eyebrows gathered in a frown. "Why?"

"You're always hiding your face from me. Why do you do that?"

"Because you didn't know the story behind it. Now that you do, it's ugly in a different way. Anyhow, it's not exactly my best asset," he said, humor edging his voice. "Would you like to see what that is again?"

When he started to lift the sheet, I playfully slapped his hand. "Switch sides with me."

Tak didn't hop over to the other side; he took his time sliding over me. Our naked bodies brushed together sensually, and I sucked in a sharp breath. My breasts rubbed against his thick chest as he gazed down at me with invitation swimming in his eyes. Tak finally nestled beside me, his unmarred cheek against the pillow.

I rolled on my left side to face him, unable to steer my eyes away from his scars. I traced my finger over one on his left pec. "What are these from?"

His mouth turned down as his chin touched his chest. "Different things. That one's from an enemy tribe when we were battling for land many years ago. The arrow nicked me, and I didn't bother healing it. I've got one on my leg from a snakebite when I was a kid, and another on my hip from falling off my first horse after passing out drunk. The one on my knee and shoulder are from the accident. Same goes with the one in my hairline."

Since his hair was unbound, I reached up and threaded my fingers through it until I found the four-inch scar. I wondered if the reason Tak inked his face had less to do with teaching youngsters a lesson so much as driving women away. Women might sleep with him, but how many would take a mate with such an ominous mark on his face—especially when the symbols identified him as a wolf who had strayed from the pack?

"May I look at yours?" he asked.

I put my hand down.

Tak traced his finger along my temple where the teeth had scraped down until they reached bone. Then he circled over the puncture marks on my lower jaw.

"I wish I could be the warrior people expect me to be," I said quietly.

He lifted my chin with the crook of his finger. "Why do you see yourself as weak?"

"Others have suffered so much more than I have, and they're stronger for it. My tragedy was just a wolf attack, and my scars aren't severe or disabling. Yet I feel disabled."

"It's not the scars on your skin that matter. They're not the ones that do the most damage. You're not weak. You're just on a different path than everyone else, so walk that path with your chin up." He cupped my face, his thumb stroking my cheek. "We're kindred souls, you and I. We both live under the long shadow of great leaders."

I nuzzled against him. Maybe Tak wasn't a notable businessman like his father, but he exuded the tenacity of a fighter and the bravery of a protector. No one else in that bar had shielded me with their body like Tak had. Not once had he left my side—not once! He knew what I needed to feel safe, and that mattered more than dashing into the fray and showing off his prowess. Being around Tak made me feel less crazy and more understood.

He sheltered me with his embrace, his rough hand sliding down my back and putting goose bumps on my arms. I felt so much life when curled up against him. His pounding heart, the breath in his lungs, the warmth of his touch, and the tantalizing scent that lifted off his skin.

"What history do you have with my brother?"

"Do you know about Lakota's job?"

I scooted back to see his face. "A retired bounty hunter? Yes."

His brows arched. "Retired, huh?"

"Is that how you know him?"

"One day I'm up at the bar, and Lakota walks in. We sometimes get people passing through, but not many Natives. We bonded, and I considered him a brother. I didn't know when I invited him onto our land that he was working undercover and using us for information. Then he accused me of murder."

"Why would he do that?"

Tak traced his finger over my shoulder, but his thoughts were distant. "I stole food from my people to feed families living in abject poverty near our land. Since I'd kept it a secret, I didn't have an alibi. And just in case you're wondering, they found the murderer. It wasn't me." He flashed a playful smile, which made me laugh.

I pinched his chin. "I thought as much."

"When my father told me why Lakota was really there, I wanted nothing more to do with him. He left town, and that was that. But the more time that goes by, the more it eats away at me. I don't like unfinished business."

"Lakota is a good man. Friend or not, you can't expect someone working undercover to give up their identity before the case is closed. He took that job seriously, and he didn't even tell his own family where he was from one week to the next. It's not because he didn't trust us. Give him a chance to explain and let him know how it made you feel."

His brown eyes drifted upward. "He knows."

I smoothed my palm down his side. As we held each other and bared our souls, we were more naked inside than out.

He cupped my breast, and I arched into his palm. Tak's callused hands were undeniably strong, and yet his touch was tender. "I don't deserve such beauty."

Stripped by his ardent gaze, I found myself vulnerable. Tak wasn't rushing into anything, and the foreplay between us was body and soul.

"You think I'm beautiful? I'm all right."

"All right?" He ripped the sheet away with a swift jerk of his arm, the material floating to the floor at the foot of the bed. Tak gripped my backside and then smoothed his hand over my thighs. "You're what men dream about," he said against my lips.

His reverence was something I was unaccustomed to hearing, and I scooted closer until our bodies met. Heat penetrated my skin so exquisitely that I moaned. Tak's blood ran hot—ancient and filled with alpha power. His expressive face could reveal humor or desire in the subtlest shift of his mouth or brow, but there was nothing subtle about the way he looked at me.

I shivered when his fingers danced down my spine, and he squeezed my backside again. I'd always been self-conscious about certain parts of my body, hiding them beneath loose clothing.

But not now.

I draped my leg over his hip, an open invitation.

"I want to kiss your lips," he said gruffly.

When I raised my chin, he put his mouth to my ear and said, "Not those."

The thought of his mouth anywhere on my body made my mind race, but between my legs? I nearly melted in his arms.

Tak kissed the crook of my neck, working his way all around. I nibbled on his earlobe before letting him win.

My God, he was intoxicating.

"Put your mouth on me," he demanded.

I kissed his Adam's apple, and he reclined his head to let me explore every inch of his jaw. His hand grazed my nipple, and I dragged my mouth to his ear and licked the fleshy lobe.

A sharp groan settled in the back of his throat. "I like your mouth on my body."

When I lightly bit his neck, his breath hitched, and he pulled me against him.

My wolf spirit and I converged, her strength mixing with my desire. His skin was so smooth and brown, the taste like summer on my tongue. I kissed his tattoo from the corner of his eye down to the edge of his mouth. The moment our lips met, he scorched me with a deep kiss, his tongue dancing with mine. I was so wet… so ready for him to take me.

The kiss fell apart as he moved down to my breasts. They were pushed together, making it easier for his mouth to travel from one nipple to the other.

"You taste like sweet nectar."

I held the back of his head, my breath heavy. "Don't stop doing that."

He growled, one hand gripping the back of my thigh. I became dizzy from all the sensations. The sharp sting as he sucked on my nipple, the dull scrape of his teeth, the air cooling my skin whenever his mouth pulled away, the hard length of his erection pushing against my thigh, the softness of his hair in my hands.

"I'm going to touch you," he whispered.

Tak slid his hand between my legs, and I jerked in surprise. He lowered his head, his tongue circling my nipple as his fingers slipped inside me.

I stopped worrying about what to do and gave in to the dark hunger of our wolves. I reached down and grabbed hold of his shaft, and I'd never seen him look so startled. It was as if time stopped, and he fell completely still.

"Do you like this?" I asked.

His eyes hooded. "I'm undecided. Keep doing it, and I'll let you know."

When I twisted my wrist, he withdrew his hand and grabbed my ass.

"I like touching you," I whispered.

His lips twitched.

"Is this how you like it?"

Maybe I was being too rough with an alpha—too domineering.

"I don't know, but it feels damn good," he said, kissing my shoulder. "I'm used to doing all the work. That's what women expect with an alpha."

I stroked the length of him faster. His body stiffened like granite, and he made a guttural moan as his fingers bit into my skin.

The urge to turn my back to him became strong. When I moved to roll over, Tak captured my wrist.

"Wait," he said, looking me in the eye. "I want you astride me."

My mind flooded with images of Tak beneath me—a powerful alpha giving me absolute control. It hardly seemed natural, so I hesitated. "Maybe we shouldn't."

"I think we should," he said, his tone raw and needy.

I'd heard stories about alphas taking charge in the bedroom. Tak didn't have a submissive bone in his body, so why would he allow a female wolf to dominate him?

"I thought you were used to doing all the work?"

His roving hand made me forget the question. "Beautiful, I'm tired of rules."

Tak rolled onto his back, taking me with him. He looked at me in awe, excitement stirring in his eyes. My long hair curtained my body like a veil, shading my breasts from his view.

"Touch yourself." He brushed my hair behind my shoulders.

I circled my fingers around my nipples, watching how his eyes hooded and his breath caught in his chest. When I rose up on my knees and allowed my hand to travel between my legs, Tak licked his lips. What did he want to see? How far did he want it to go?

Then I noticed he couldn't move his head since his hair was pinned behind him. "Lean up." When he rose up on his elbows, I pulled his handsome mane free and draped it behind the pillow as he lay back down.

I saw no flaws. Only a selfless man who hid behind humor and a scary tattoo. Tak was the most magnificent alpha male I'd ever laid eyes on, and not just for his physical traits. His character outshone everyone else.

Empowered by my new position, I splayed my fingers across his torso and watched his eyes close. He gripped my thighs, pushing me down his legs until I could see his masculine form.

"You make everything so easy," I whispered.

His eyes remained closed. I had once believed that an experienced man could teach me how to please an alpha. What a foolish notion. I'd never known an alpha could have such patience and understanding. It only fueled the passion between us to know that he was mine to touch, to look upon, to master.

Curious, I looked down at his throbbing erection. The taut skin revealed engorged veins. When I touched the tip, he hissed through his teeth as if I'd hurt him, so I snapped my arm back.

He put his hands beneath his pillow. "Do that again."

I brushed my fingertips over the sloped head and it jerked up.

A sly grin hooked up his cheek, and he made it jerk again. Tak's eyes remained closed, allowing me to admire how amazing he was. Every inch of him.

I gripped his thick shaft in my hand, the skin smooth and warm against my palm. I enjoyed petting him, so I held his erection against my belly and stroked it with my other hand.

Tak's hips surged beneath me, his head thrashing from left to right.

His tortured reaction left me bemused. Maybe he didn't like foreplay half as much as I did. When I rose up on my knees and leaned forward, stroking him against my slick entrance, he nearly bucked me off the bed.

The pillow twisted within Tak's grip as he continued… not touching me. And the longer he withheld, the more I craved his hands on my body.

I flattened my palm against his shoulder, using my other hand to position the blunt head of his shaft inside me. Afraid he was silently judging my every move, I anchored both hands on his chest and slowly lowered myself.

Tak looked like a man unraveling at the seams. He turned his head to the side, his teeth biting into his flexed bicep. It was a wild image—one I knew I'd carry in my mind for years to come. When he was deep inside me, all the way to the hilt, I draped myself over his chest like a blanket and nuzzled my face in the crook of his neck. I'd never felt so connected to anyone.

"Is this okay?" I asked, feeling his strong heart beating with mine.

He wrapped his thick arms around me and kissed my forehead. "More than you'll ever know."

Being with Tak was so different from my first lover, who'd criticized me for making noise or not moving the way he wanted. Tak didn't bark orders, and it made me want to take my time and savor him. I kissed his neck, listening to his soft grunts as I worked my way up his jaw.

Tak moved beneath me like a gentle wave, his mouth against my ear. The intonation and dialect was a familiar sister language to my own, and though his words were foreign, my body became the interpreter. He caressed the planes of my back down to the swell of my hips, and when I rocked against him, he growled deep in his chest.

Pleasure spiked through me. I moved to sit up, but he caught my wrists and held me to him.

"I'm not finished." Tak traced his tongue from the base of my neck to my chin before our lips met.

His kiss demanded that I move, riding him fast and hard like a wild mustang. Unable to stop, I placed my hands on his shoulders and pushed myself up.

"That's it," he said. "Let your wolf show you what you need."

A primal urge overtook me, and it felt as though my wolf was about to break free. Heat flooded my veins, my hips rocking so fast that Tak sat up and clutched me. When he pulled my hair, I shattered.

Pleasure hit me in erratic waves.

Before it ended, Tak looked me in the eye. "Do you trust me?"

I nodded.

He lifted me off him and set me down on all fours. My legs parted as he positioned himself behind me. At first he teased me with shallow pumps. My wolf raced beneath my skin as if she were running through the woods on a moonlit night. I felt the heat of her blood pulsing in my veins and the animalistic desires rekindling the inferno within.

Tak grabbed my hips, and the sound of skin slapping together filled the quiet room. When I released a moan, pulsing waves of pleasure filling me up, Tak roared. Each time I cried out, he rewarded me with harder thrusts.

I peered over my shoulder at him, and his eyes went wild. Tak fell across my back, his long hair spilling forward as he found his release. I rocked backward, drawing out more guttural moans until he finally pulled out.

I fell onto my right side, muscles trembling. All the troubles of my past melted away, and I wanted to live in this moment forever. Tak had freed something inside me, and for the first time, there was no guilt. No shame. No insecurities or worries about public opinion. Tenderness and trust had made me a woman, not sex.

Tak made the entire bed bounce when he collapsed beside me.

I stirred with laughter at the serious look on his face.

"So that's what it takes to make you laugh?" he asked. "Making love to me? Nothing about that crushes my pride. Nothing at all."

Tak held my hand, and we gazed into each other's eyes. How could I feel so at ease with someone I barely knew? It was as if we'd experienced a lifetime together in the short time that we'd known each other.

"I'm just glad I could make you laugh," he finally said, out of breath. "When I saw you sitting with that man at the bar, I was jealous that he could make you laugh like that."

I thought about Dutch but drew a blank on what he'd said that had me chuckling. "Why should something like that matter?"

Tak wiped his glowing face. "Men are born with a natural ability to make women cry, so every smile is a gift. When you laugh, I can see the very best part of your soul."

My heart clenched, and I squeezed his hand. "Do you talk so sweetly to other women?"

"I speak the truth. Is that sweet talk?"

I tucked his hair behind his ear so I could see his ruggedly handsome face. Behind the strong lines, the ink, his warm gaze, and even the humor he used as a shield, I saw a glimmer of a broken soul. How any woman in his tribe could have not seen his flawed beauty was beyond my understanding. If he were a gemstone, I would have priced him high.

"Do you think you'll travel more, now that you've had a taste of it?" I asked.

"I live in a paradise. What purpose would it serve to look elsewhere?"

I clasped his hand, my thumb brushing over his hard knuckles. "People like seeing the world. There's so much beauty out there."

"You'll never have a content heart until you can see the beauty right in front of you."

Tak had a way of looking into my soul. He possessed so many layers that I couldn't quite figure him out, only that each side of him was honest and true to his character. His words and touch were absent of ambiguity, and perhaps that was what bridged the gap between two strangers.

I wanted to ask about his tribe, his family, his memories, but I was afraid it would remind him of his dark past and conflicts with packmates. This moment between us was too fine to spoil with the wrong words.

"Can I braid your hair?"

When I realized he wasn't joking, I giggled. "Is it blocking your view?"

"No. I… I just want to see what it looks like." He patted my behind. "Come on."

I rolled over and sat up, leaning on my left arm. "I never thought I would be in bed with a man while doing each other's hair. Do you want to have a tea party when we're done?"

"Ah, so you do have a sense of humor. I knew it was in there somewhere."

Tak sectioned off my hair and began weaving it together. "This is a sacred tradition among my people. The men in my tribe wear a single braid as a symbol of unity."

"So now I'm just one of the guys?"

He chuckled. "You're a warrior."

"Of what?"

"Your demons."

I glanced up at a cheap picture on the wall. "I'm not doing a very good job."

"Every day you wake up is a battle won." When Tak finished with my hair, he rubbed his hands across my shoulders and then down my back. "You have a fine shape. Why do you hide it?"

"I'm not hiding it."

"I meant with your clothes. Overalls?"

"They're comfortable."

"Hmm." He blew a cool breath against my back.

"Would you rather I wear a low-cut top and tight shorts?"

Tak pulled me against him and softly kissed my nape. "Only for me. No one else." When his kisses tapered off, he ran his fingers through my braid and loosened it. "I like the way you wear it better."

"Do you think I'm a slut?"

Tak's head appeared to my right, and when he spoke, anger clung to his words. "Why would you ask me that?"

I pulled my hair to the front, curtaining my breasts. "When we first opened Moonglow, someone wrote slut on the window. Were they just using that word to offend us, or was it meant for me? What if that's how people in this town really see me?"

"Is that how you see yourself?"

I looked up at him. "No. But it doesn't matter how I see myself. People talk, and secrets get out."

Tak caressed my arm. "Keep me warm under the covers. My ass is getting chilly from the air conditioner."

I crawled up to the pillow while Tak pulled the covers over us. His eyes danced with amusement while he tried to find a comfortable snuggling position.

Somehow, even when he wasn't trying, Tak found a way to make me smile.

Our legs tangled and untangled, and no matter what we did, no position was close enough.

"I've never been in bed with a woman," he confessed.

"I find that hard to believe."

Tak kissed my nose. "I meant to sleep."

We turned a few more times and finally cracked up laughing.

"Why don't you spoon me?" I suggested, rolling onto my right side.

"I always did like that utensil best."

Tak pressed up behind me, his mouth against the shell of my ear. "I could get used to this." His arm crossed my chest and gave me something to hold. Now I finally understood why couples enjoyed this position so much.

"Here's something I've learned," he began in earnest. "You can't do anything about gossip. We all make mistakes. It's what you do after that matters. If anyone's to blame, it's the wolf who had the balls to seduce the Packmaster's daughter behind closed doors. Even if you wanted it, you were too young to understand the consequences. He used his position to coerce and mislead you. It's not easy being the Packmaster's child. That much I know. People take advantage and judge you harder for every mistake."

When I shivered, he held me close until the heat from his chest warmed me.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Fifty or so."

"You look it."

I giggled when he tickled my ribs. Tak appeared in his thirties since wolves age slowly. A number really didn't matter in terms of compatibility in relationships or friendships, but it was a way to find out how seasoned they were. One could tell a lot about a man's life choices based on his age.

"What are you going to tell your father about my store?" I asked.

"I'm going to tell him the truth."

"Which is what?"

"That I've never seen anyone honor his gemstones the way you have. You don't cheapen them. I noticed how you carefully arranged each piece in and around the counter. His name is prominently displayed, and I know that's not in your contract. I'm also going to let him know that you're stingy about who you sell them to."

I laughed. "You didn't really want that necklace."

"Didn't I?"

I traced the lines in his large wrists. He was a giant, and I should have felt small in his arms. But Tak had a way of making me feel important and valued. "Thank you for sharing your story with me," I said respectfully. "It means a lot that you trusted me with the truth."

Tak had probably shared that story a dozen times with his tribe, but something told me he'd never broken down and revealed his suffering. His anguish didn't make him weak in my eyes, and his tears revealed his strength of heart, allowing me to see his courage and fortitude.

Tak didn't answer; he simply hugged me tighter against him and kissed my head. I also appreciated that he'd given me the truth about the conflict between him and Lakota.

"How long are you going to stay in town?" I dared to ask.

"I'll stay until Lakota returns, but only if you scratch my back."

I smiled and didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer.

Though I had only known Tak a short time, I wanted to spend the whole week in his arms… just as we were. But my thoughts were drifting, and I realized I couldn't even stay until dawn. My car was still parked outside Howlers, and I had to open the store early, which meant going home to shower and change.

But for the next few hours, I allowed myself to be a woman held by a man who thought me brave and beautiful.