13. Caja

Chapter 13

Caja

A big black wolf stares at me through the rubble, its head cocking to the side.

The gray wolf that was digging through the rocks has disappeared. He was almost through, the hole he's created more than big enough for me to squeeze through.

But I don't move.

Because that big black wolf is still studying me.

It smells different from the others. Less hostile. I frown. Feminine.

I've never met an Alpha female, but I'm pretty sure that's what this wolf is.

She confirms it by changing back into her human form, her skin the same color as her wolf's coat. "Caja?" she asks.

I swallow. "Who are you?" my voice comes out scratchy.

"Francesca," she says. "An old friend of Enrique's."

I blink at her. She knows Enrique?

I can see him just beyond her, his eyes closed, his throat covered in blood. Is he okay? I wonder, then whimper as my stomach clenches with discomfort.

Everything still burns.

Terror overcame me for a few minutes when that gray wolf almost made it through, helping to allow sanity to take hold. But it's slipping again.

Gods…

"Enrique," I breathe. He's my anchor. My Alpha. My… my choice. He's been so kind to me.

And he came back.

But he's no longer conscious.

"Caja," Francesca says again. "Can you come out of there? We can't stay here."

I blink at her and shake my head. I'm not leaving this lagoon. Not until Enrique is… is… Not until he tells me to.

"Please?" she presses. "Enrique is going to wake up any minute, but he'll need you ready to run. Can you shift?"

I shake my head. There's no way I can let my wolf out right now. Not in this state. Not when everything is so hot.

The second I leave the water, I'll be on fire again.

"It's… okay," I hear Enrique grate out, his voice scratchy. "Fran… won't hurt you, tesoro."

I perk up at his nickname for me, my wolf practically sighing inside.

"He'll be good as new in a minute," Francesca adds. "He just made the mistake of forgetting how to be a wolf."

Enrique makes a strangled sound that I think might be a grunt.

I'm not sure where he found this Alpha or how well they know each other. But Francesca seems rather fond of him. A little too fond.

My wolf grumbles inside, sensing potential competition.

I don't like it.

I don't like it at all.

"Did you just growl at me, little wolf?" Francesca asks, sounding amused.

I narrow my gaze, not at all appreciating her condescending tone.

"You did," she says with a laugh. "That's cute."

I snarl. It is not fucking cute.

She chuckles again. "Chill, little wolf. I have a lock, not a knot."

"I don't think that's why she's growling," a new voice muses from nearby. "You're competition, thereby a different kind of threat."

Francesca snorts. "Trust me, there's no competition. Enrique's positively enamored with this one. Fucking went through the waterfall without even checking for potential threats, all because he heard her scream. I was super impressed with his skills… until that moment."

A face appears in the hole, the owner of it male and very much an Alpha. "Hi, sweetheart," he says to me, making me flinch away from him. "Don't worry, Omega. I'm happily mated. I just came by to give you all a ride."

"X sent you?" Francesca asks. "I told him we'd meet him at the compound in an hour."

The Alpha shrugs. "He said you might need a lift back to the compound."

Francesca grins. "He's always worrying about me."

"It's his job," the male drawls.

"So he says," she replies, standing up. "By the way, Enrique, this is Hawk. He's from Cusco Sector. Hawk, the shy beauty in there is Caja."

I shiver as he looks at me again, his eyes seeming to shift color with every movement. Or maybe it's the flickering light above.

Another tremble works through me as my stomach convulses, my insides stirring a fresh wave of heat. I swallow a moan, my eyes falling closed.

I hear Hawk rumble out something, but the words are lost to the roaring in my ears.

My forehead falls to my knees as the tang of blood hits my senses. I've bitten my lip. Yet I don't even feel the residual ache. All I sense is the growing inferno inside me. The… the intense need clawing at me from within.

"Caja." Enrique's dominance surrounds me in a warm caress, the command in his voice demanding my attention.

I lean toward him, my gaze opening to find his.

Only, he's behind that wall of rocks.

"Crawl to me, peque?o tesoro," he purrs. "Crawl to me and I'll give you what you need."

My wolf whines.

He's teasing us. Making us work for his affection.

Mean Alpha.

But a growl from him has me longing to obey.

Gods, I'm on fire again. I need him. Want him. Crave him.

I'll crawl anywhere he demands so long as he'll touch me.

I must say that aloud because he replies, "Show me, Caja. Show me how good you are."

His words inspire a desire to please him. To win him.

He wants me to show him how good I can be? Oh, I'll show him. I'll make him want me as much as I want him. Make him lose his mind the way I'm losing mine.

The rocks bite into my palms as I pull myself out of the water, but I barely feel the sting. My knees are next, the ground no doubt scraping my skin.

Yet all I can focus on is Enrique's darkening gaze. He's watching me like a predator observes his prey. Like he wants to devour me.

I quiver, liking the way he's staring me down.

His wolf is very much present. I see him lurking in his eyes, observing me with undeniable interest.

Mate, my inner animal seems to pant. Ideal mate.

Francesca says something, her feminine voice an unwelcome interruption that causes me to growl.

I swear she laughs again.

But Enrique doesn't even acknowledge her. His gaze is solely focused on me. I preen, pleased with his attention, and make my way through the small opening in the wall in an attempt to reach him.

He growls as I succeed, his hands instantly finding my hips as he yanks me up into his body. "You're so fucking beautiful, Caja," he tells me. "And so fucking mine."

My body tingles in response to his vocal claim. But I need more. So. Much. More.

"You can't knot her here," that female says, making me want to claw her eyes out. She has no part of this discussion. No part of this anything. This is my Alpha, not hers, and I proceed to demonstrate that by sinking my teeth into his neck.

I only belatedly realize he's covered in blood.

His blood.

Because his throat…

Oh, Gods. I recall watching that wolf attack him earlier. I couldn't see much through the small hole, but Enrique's essence is all over his neck and shirt.

Tears well in my eyes.

He was hurt.

And now I bit him.

What is wrong with me? I wonder, shuddering against him. "I… I…" A pang shoots through my lower body before I can form the apology I meant to voice. Instead, a moan escapes me, one Enrique silences with his mouth on mine.

He's kissing me , I marvel. Oh, moons, he's kissing me .

And for the first time in what feels like a lifetime, I can breathe.

I wrap my arms around his neck and cling to him as he explores my mouth with his tongue.

He's growling. Purring. Vibrating .

All Alpha male.

All mine.

His strong arms band around me, holding me to him as those vibrations tremble through both of us.

But it's his mouth that truly captivates me. His tongue. His lips. His teeth . He's kissing me to my very soul.

Gods, I've never experienced anything like this. Never even knew it was something I wanted.

I've seen Alphas kiss Omegas before, but never like this. Enrique is tender. Giving. Sensual .

The Alphas of my past took . This Alpha gives .

Those other Omegas always looked lifeless when my Alpha kissed them, like they were dolls, not wolves.

But this Alpha— Enrique— makes me feel alive. Animalistic. Feral .

I want more.

I want him .

And I tell him that by squeezing my legs around his hips.

I have no idea when he lifted me or how I found myself wrapped around him, but I don't care. All that matters is his touch. His mouth. His skilled tongue.

His purr intensifies as he moves his lips away from mine to press a series of kisses to my cheek all the way up to my ear. "You're being such a good girl for me," he whispers. "Just hold on a little more, okay?"

I blink, confused by what he means.

Then my eyes widen at the change in scenery.

We're no longer in the cave.

The vibrations I felt… they must have been from him carrying me out of the cave. Because we're outside and the waterfall is nowhere to be seen.

H-how?

My throat works as I try to figure out where we are and what we're doing.

"How far away is the compound?" he asks, his mouth still by my ear.

I frown. What compound?

"Fifteen minutes," a male replies. Hawk , my memory supplies.

"You'll need to mark her before we arrive," the female adds, making me growl inside. "Otherwise, you'll start a riot among the unmated Alphas. We might be mostly civilized on our side of the island, but your Omega is a beacon for chaos right now."

My growl rumbles through my chest. I'll show you chaotic , I think, ready to challenge the female. Because how dare she speak to my male. My Alpha. My mate.

"Shh," Enrique hushes me, pressing a kiss to my raging pulse. "You're the only one I want, tesoro."

I rub myself against him, causing his hands to tighten on my hips.

"Keep doing that and I'm going to knot you in the back of this car," he tells me.

Car? I think, my eyes having fallen closed again. I open them once more and take in the massive vehicle beside us. It's a four-by-four like my brothers used to drive out in the country. Just seeing it sends a chill down my spine.

But that chill is quickly replaced by heat as Enrique climbs up into the back while holding me against him with one arm wrapped around my lower back.

So much strength , I marvel, sighing inside. An ideal Alpha .

He sits down with me astride his lap and releases his hold on me. I whimper at the loss, then lean firmly into his touch as he cups my cheek. "I need to bite you, Caja."

There are no words necessary. No form of acceptance I could possibly utter. I simply arch my neck and offer every inch of me for him to claim.

I'm his.

I have been since he pulled me out of that cage.

My wolf knew her mate. I recognized him, too.

And now… now he's going to accept that bond. Confirm it. Solidify it.

The vehicle roars to life, but I ignore it, my focus entirely on the Alpha beneath me.

"Gods, I can't believe you're about to be mine," he says, a hint of wonder in his voice. "I don't deserve you, peque?o tesoro, but I'm going to spend the rest of our existence ensuring I'm good enough for you."

He leans forward, his mouth finding my neck. Then he moves lower to my breasts, causing my nipples to harden in expectation.

Yes, I think. Oh, yes…

Everything is so sensitive.

I want his mouth on me. His knot inside me. His teeth?—

I scream as he bites down just above the areola of my right breast, his claim searing and overwhelming and so amazing .

My blood hums in response, my wolf sighing at the fullness touching our soul. Claimed. Owned. Possessed. Protected.

This Alpha is ours.

This Alpha chose us.

This Alpha desires me .

I can feel his knot pulsing beneath the zipper of his jeans, his body primed and ready to take mine. The notion of it terrifies and excites me at the same time.

I've seen Alphas rut.

I know how dangerous they can be.

But I trust this Alpha not to hurt me.

His mouth finds mine, my blood a lingering taste on his tongue. I suck it off, then kiss him with a vengeance. I have no idea if I'm doing it right. I don't even care. He's mine . He'll teach me if he feels I need to be taught. He'll make me his in every way.

His palm leaves my cheek, going to my nape as he deepens our kiss. I press myself more firmly against him, needing more. Demanding it. His opposite hand travels between us, making me shudder with that strange mix of excitement and fear.

But rather than free himself from his jeans, he cups me between my thighs.

I jolt as his finger enters me, the sensation so foreign yet so good that I can't hold back my moan.

Someone curses from behind me. I ignore them, too focused on my Alpha to care about anything or anyone else.

My sensitive bundle of nerves throbs against his palm, eliciting a cry from me. It's not enough. Yet it feels so, so good .

"Fuck, tesoro," Enrique breathes against my mouth. "You're killing me."

I'm not sure what he means, and he doesn't give me a chance to ask because he's kissing me again, his grip on my nape harsh and demanding.

I arch into his touch between my legs, seeking more. Seeking him. Seeking bliss .

It's instinctual, my body just seeming to know how to move while my inner wolf drives my desires. I don't fully understand what I'm searching for, what my animal craves. But I'm moving. Chasing the sensation. Feeling it building.

Gods, whatever it is, it's intense.

It's right there.

So, so close.

Enrique must sense it too because his movements change, a second finger slipping inside me to join the first.

I pant, his touch making me feel so full , yet not nearly full enough.

He gently bites down on my lower lip, then licks away the pain before kissing a path to my ear. "I'm going to knot you for days once we're alone," he tells me. "Fill you with my seed. Take you in every fucking way possible."

Gods, that sounds like a threat and a promise at the same time.

I know what he's saying—that he's going to rut me. I know from watching others that it's going to hurt. But right now, I don't care. I want him to take me, just like he said. I want him inside me. Filling me to completion.

A whimper leaves me, and that female from the front says something. I can't understand her, but Enrique rumbles in response. Then his palm covers my mouth.

"Focus on me, tesoro," he murmurs. "Focus on my touch. My mouth. My teeth ."

I'm not sure what he means until I feel him nip my pulse.

Then he clamps down, claiming me again, and my world falls apart. It detonates. Shatters. Leaving me writhing and screaming in his lap.

Only, his hand muffles the sounds.

Every part of me burns and shakes, the euphoric sensation ripping through my very being.

An orgasm , I realize. My first time…

I thought I experienced bliss when I finally touched myself in the water, but this… this is so much more. It's insanity. Pure ecstasy.

And it leaves me quivering on top of Enrique, my body begging for more.

More of what, I don't know.

Him. His knot. His seed .

Gods, this is all foreign yet incredibly intrinsic.

I want to mate him. I want him to breed me. Rut me.

"Please," I beg against his palm.

"Soon," he promises, his fingers working me into a frenzy once more.

He's added another digit. I don't know when it happened, but I feel it down there, stretching me, completing me, taunting me.

I combust once more, my back bowing as he keeps his palm firmly over my mouth. It's maddening It's rhapsodic. It's blinding .

Everything is dark. Then light. Then dark again.

I feel limp. Replete while still strung tight. It's the most bizarre of combinations.

And suddenly we're moving.

Did I pass out ? I wonder, confused as I open my eyes once more. We're outside again. Then inside. Surrounded by metallic structures. A building .

And suddenly inside a steel box.

It whirs upward, causing my stomach to clench.

Then a masculine voice explains something about codes.

Enrique rumbles a response, his words a blur in my head.

Am I dying? I wonder, my eyelashes fluttering. Drugged?

No.

It's my heat.

I… I can't really focus.

I know Enrique is carrying me. I feel him. Smell him. Know him.

But there are so many foreign scents filling my nose now. Linen. Food. Is that coffee ?

A cloud suddenly engulfs my being, and Enrique is hovering over me, his dark eyes reminding me of a starless night. "Still with me, tesoro?" he asks, making my lips curl upward.

"I like that name," I tell him groggily, my voice sounding distant to my ears.

He smiles down at me. "I like it, too. It's fitting. Because you truly are a treasure, Caja. My treasure. And I'm about to worship every fucking inch of you."