38. Crimson Wolves

38

Crimson Wolves

" A re you sure this isn't over the top?" I ask as Cameron opens the passenger-side door, his face warming up into a full grin. "Are you kidding? You look fucking fantastic," he says, extending his hand to me.

I roll my eyes. "Well, I know that, but I'm wearing a ball gown." I stare at my red floor-length dress as I shift my weight to Cameron. He wraps his arm around me, twirling before setting me on the ground. "And I'm wearing a tux."

I look over his shoulder at the building behind him. "Is this the Moose Lodge?"

"Where else would we have a banquet in Dayton?"

I smack his arm. "Cameron! I am most certainly overdressed!"

"I think you look delicious. I could swallow you whole." He plants a kiss on my exposed shoulder.

I grunt with a smile. "Let's just get this over with." I walk toward the entrance, dragging Cameron behind me.

He pulls me backward. "On second thought, let's just go home. I don't know if I can wait hours to get you out of that dress."

"Cameron!" I stop, spinning to face him and slap his chest. "There are people!" I look around to assess who's nearby. If I thought I was overdressed before, now I'm worried we're completely out of line. Cloaked figures pass by, making their way toward the entrance.

I turn to Cameron, confusion riddled across my face.

"Their identities are a secret, remember? I'm the only one who's known by the public."

"So I will be in a red ball gown, and everyone else will be in dark cloaks? Got it. Let's go home." I start toward the car, but Cameron grabs my wrists. "Once they make it through security, they'll de-robe. I can't promise everyone won't be staring at you, but it won't be because they're displeased with your outfit. Maybe jealous, but I promise you look perfect. "

I grunt. "Fine, but only because it took me like an hour and a half to do my hair."

He kisses my lips, and I wipe the red lipstick off his face before we turn and head toward the front door.

Two burly men in black suits and dark sunglasses stand at the front, their arms crossed over their chests. They nod, moving to the side and opening the door for us. "Cameron, Mildred, welcome."

"It's just Red," I call over my shoulder as we step inside. They ignore me.

"Wow." I gasp as we step into the banquet hall. Candlelight illuminates white linen tables covered in red roses. A string quartet plays in the corner of the room. Waiters in fitted suits pass around glasses of champagne on silver trays. I peer at the attendees entering, shedding their cloaks and handing them to the coat check at the front of the room. My nerves about being overdressed melt away until we walk further into the room, every head turning toward me.

"Um, should I be worried I will end up in a werewolf prison again?" I ask, not lifting my gaze from the people around me but folding into Cameron.

He laughs, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. "News travels fast in the werewolf community. Nobody can stop talking about the newcomer who killed one of the most dangerous Hunters. "

"But I didn't kill him," I whisper.

"I mean, your powers did most of the work. Besides, I didn't think it would hurt to embellish the details of your victory to the board members. You did escape their prison, remember? You needed some points in your favor."

"Ms. Hoodsman." A handsome man in his forties with dark hair and a clean-shaven face appears before us. "I'm glad to see you could make it to our Blood Moon Banquet tonight." He extends his hand. "I'm Minister Grimm."

"Nice to meet you," I say, flashing a smile and shaking his hand.

"Oh, we've already met," he says before sipping his champagne.

A waiter comes from my side and offers me a drink. I grab it, thank him, and take a sip before addressing Grimm. "We have?"

"I must admit, it's not the best circumstances to meet our new Lady Liaison by throwing her in a dungeon. My apologies, but I promise we would have given you a fair trial if you had only waited until after the Blood Moon. The time leading up to it can get a bit hairy for us—we don't always act most rationally." His cheeks heat.

I offer a soft smile. I can't be too angry since I understand what he's saying. There was no way I could have controlled my primal needs on that Blood Moon night, and I wasn't fully into my powers yet. Goosebumps pepper my skin as I think about that night, and I lean into Cameron, who grabs my arm and squeezes it as if he can read my mind. He can't. I'm still the only one who seems to have that power, although I've only been able to demonstrate it during sex with Cameron. Maybe with more fucking it would become more powerful. There's only one way to test it.

"May I introduce you to my nephew, Jeremy." Grimm's words knock me back to the moment.

"Hello," the freckled teenager says with a wave. His eyes shift nervously.

"Hey! I know you!" I exclaim with a laugh. His shrill voice puts me right back in that dungeon. "Sorry about tricking you. I hope you didn't get too much heat." I say, slapping his arm.

The boy's face reddens, but his uncle speaks for him. "We cut him a break since his brain wasn't working fully due to the Blood Moon. We're just happy that it's over, and we are all back to our full, cognitively functioning selves. That's what this Banquet is to celebrate—the end of the Blood Moon."

"Gotcha."

Grimm sighs. "Well, I'll let you two get back to your night. Enjoy yourselves, and thank you both for all you've done to keep our people safe. "

I smile, and he turns to walk away but stops, turning on his heel. "Oh, Ms. Hoodsman. I was a friend of your father. I know he would be so proud of you. I can't wait to see what you do next here in Dayton."

My eyes well, and I nod, biting back my tears. Cameron spins me around, taking the champagne glass from my hand and placing it on a nearby tray. He studies my eyes. Understanding fills his own before he leans in to kiss me softly. "Dance with me." He doesn't give me time to answer, wrapping one hand around my waist and leading me with the other.

I giggle as I fall into step, resting my head on his shoulder and breathing in the smell of him—the smell I could bathe in.

My eyes trail around the room, catching the faces of people I swear I've seen my whole life. There's the butcher. There's the lawyer with his face plastered over every park bench. I pop my head up. "Carmen's here!" She's wearing an emerald-green dress and looks breath-catchingly beautiful.

I wave to her, and once her eyes meet mine, she squeals and barrels toward us. "If it isn't my kinky brother and his mate!" she yells, slapping Cameron on the back.

Cameron releases me, his eyes hardening and his voice in a harsh whisper. "Would you keep it down! "

"Calm down, lover boy. No one cares what weird prisoner roleplay games you both enjoy."

Cameron huffs, and I can't help but giggle. God, I can't wait to watch her get under his skin and bring him back to his childlike self more often. "Hey, we weren't roleplaying. I was very much his prisoner, and you abandoned me." I push her arm. "So much for girl code."

She waves away the notion. "Yeah, yeah. I could see what was about to happen. Don't act like you didn't appreciate me leaving you with your mate once you gave in. Clearly, you're here with him tonight on your own accord, but if he's still trapping you, just say the word. I'd pick you over him any day."

"Hey!" Cameron whines.

"Oh, you know I'm only kidding, big bro." She pinches his cheeks. "Well, sort of. Not really." She pats his chest, her eyes scanning around the ballroom. Her brows furrow. "Excuse me, I just saw an annoying pest I must attend to." She places her champagne glass down and marches toward the other side of the room. She takes a few steps before turning back to us. "Oh, Red, let's get coffee this weekend, okay? Love ya!" she says before twirling away.

I trail her, watching as she plants herself in front of an enormously tall gentleman wearing a grey suit. She points her finger at him, not caring that she's yelling at the man in a room full of people. He rolls his eyes and looks down at her with disdain. Wait. I know that man.

"Sergeant Brick?"

Cameron nods. "I invited him. I thought it would be good for him to see our community. For him to understand we're people, not just monsters." He pulls me close to him again, swaying me to the music.

"So is he…."

"I don't know. I can't sense it off him."

I place my head back on his shoulder. "Well, I guess it's good to have the police on our side now. Even if Carmen and him don't get along."

Cameron picks up his gaze to watch the two fighting before laughing and shaking his head. "Hopefully, she doesn't scare him away."

"I don't know. I think he likes it." I watch as he looms over her, his gaze flicking from her lips to her eyes.

I sigh. "Hopefully with the cops on our side, it will mean the end of the Hunters."

"I doubt that."

"Why?" I furrow my brow, meeting his eyes.

"It's going to mean a lot of work. We've been in the shadows for too long. It's time we show people who we are and that we can't be erased. Besides, your mother was a Hunter. People's minds can be changed."

I nod. He's right .

An idea pops into my head. It involves me staying here and using my reporter skills to give my people a voice. The idea doesn't scare me anymore. Dayton and Cameron are my home. "I think I know how I can help."

Cameron smiles. "I knew you would." His eyes trail my lips, and all my plans dissipate from my mind. He presses his body closer to me, and our dancing becomes more of a sway. He leans into my ear. "What was I thinking letting you leave the house like this without being properly fucked. How am I supposed to survive this night?"

I smile, whispering into his ear. "Maybe shmooze some more council members. That should get your mind off it."

His grip tightens around me. "No, I can't wait." His breath is hot against my neck. He pulls away from me, grabbing my arm. "Follow me."

I don't have time to protest as he drags me toward the opposite end of the banquet hall. We turn a corner after the bathrooms, and Cameron wiggles the handle of a utility closet, swinging it open and pushing me inside.

I trip back, catching myself on the shelves as he shuts and locks the door behind him, hurriedly peeling off his coat and white button-down. It's dark, but my eyes quickly adjust to his form before me from the strip of light at the bottom of the door.

"Cameron, people could hear us!" I keep my voice low as I push him away .

He presses forward, covering my mouth and leaning to my ear. "Then stop talking and fuck me. I promise I'll be quiet."

Arousal rolls through me at his orders, his tight grip, and the urgency as his hands palm my breasts over my dress. He removes his hand from my mouth, and I gasp for air, rolling my shoulders back and letting my thin straps fall.

"Good girl, giving yourself to me like I know you want to. I bet your cunt is already dripping." He hikes up my dress, grinning on my lips. "Not wearing any panties? Dirty little, Red."

I moan, unable to control myself, and his hand slaps back over my mouth. "Are you sure you don't want people to hear? Do you want an audience, little one?"

I reach for him, trying to unbuckle his jeans, needing him more than I need the air he's currently cutting off.

"Slow down. I'm not finished with you." He swats my hand away, bunching up the rest of my dress, and grabs my legs. "Hold on," he says, giving me just enough time to grab the shelf behind me as he brings my legs over his shoulder, his hot mouth at my core. "Oh fuck." He growls, breathing me in. "So good."

His fur brushes against my thigh, and I look down to see his face has transformed, a beast between my legs. His tongue darts out through his fangs, running along my seam. It's warm and rough, sending shivers down my spine as he pushes deeper, lapping me up with increased effort.

I lean into him, jerking my hips as he plunges his tongue inside of me. The sensation teases me, making me desperate for his cock—his knot. "Cameron, fuck me," I beg, but he just tightens his grip, grunting as he slides his long tongue to my clit.

His eyes bore into mine, and I notice blood coating his fur. "Oh my God, is that my blood." My cheeks heat—wholly embarrassed, and I strain to pull away, but his nails slightly turn into claws as he holds on tighter to my legs, not letting up on his grip. The pain mixes with the pleasure of his tongue—the thought of him enjoying the taste of me so much that he doesn't even care that I'm menstruating.

I focus my powers, tuning into his thoughts. Pleasure doubles inside of me. He's enjoying this as much—if not more than I am. I've never felt so wanted—so desired. He doesn't care what state he takes me in. I can't hold back any longer—my body shutters, folding in on itself like melted butter. He doesn't bring his mouth away from me until my body stills.

He only gives me a moment before gripping my ass and directing me to flip over. I don't hesitate, turning back to catch a glimpse as he frees himself from his slacks, gripping his length and lathering himself in the precum that's formed on his tip. His muzzle is covered in my blood, his face fully animal, and his fur trailing over his shoulders and pecs. I brace myself as he positions at my entrance.

He thrusts himself into me, and I cry out, completely forgetting about keeping quiet. His body folds over me, his face back to his human, clean-shaven form. "So loud and so tight," he murmurs into my ear. "You need to be quiet, or the other wolves will find you." He doesn't stop his strokes, pounding into my cunt from behind.

"My God!" I cry, my body tightening around him, my second orgasm crashing around me.

"That's right. Your god is here, fucking you—worshiping you." He grunts before pulling himself out of me, pumping his cock as he comes over my ass.

"Cameron," I gasp, looking back at him. "I wanted you to come inside of me."

He picks up a cardboard box beside him, removes a clean white rag, and wipes himself off me. "I know, but we have a party to get back to. We couldn't go back out on the dance floor with my knot engorged inside of you." He takes another rag, wiping the blood from me.

I turn around, glimpsing his knot growing, wishing it was inside of me. My mouth waters. I bring my eyes to his, his stare hungry as he wipes the blood—my blood from his face. He stalks toward me, leaning down to capture my lips. "You're disappointed. "

"It just seems like such a waste," I murmur into his lips.

He chuckles. "A waste? I promise, my mate, there's much more where that came from."

I wrap my arms around him, pulling back and yawning. "I don't know about you, but this party is getting awfully boring."

"Oh, I agree." He smiles, putting my straps back over my shoulders. "I mean, look at this place." He motions to the supply closet around him. "What a dump."

"Yeah. We should just leave now."

"Yes, definitely." He kisses my lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," I murmur, barely removing my lips from his.

We slip out of the closet and slide through the back door, laughing and stumbling as we run to his truck.