CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Alex watched as her body went unnaturally still. Her brow furrowed, as if she couldn’t quite process his words. He could almost see her replaying his declaration in her head over and over, unable to decide if she’d heard him right.

She honestly thought he’d walk away? The woman was whacked.

Waking up to the realization that they wore each other’s scents had completely blindsided him—he wouldn’t lie about that. Even with the irrefutable evidence right there on his skin,he hadn’t been able to wrap his head around it. Hadn’t been able to process it.

Alex liked control in his world. Liked to be in control of his world. The beginning of the imprinting process had swept that right out from under him. It left him off-balance; made him panic. But the deep sense of male satisfaction that flared in his belly massively overshadowed every other emotion.

His possessive instincts were on fucking fire—urging him to touch her, stay close to her, and strengthen their connection so that the bond could form. The drive to be near her was that strong, it had been hard to leave the bed. And now, as she stood in front of him, he could almost feel the metaphysical threads of imprinting stretched taut in the air between them.

Her tongue swiped over her lower lip. “Say again?”

“You heard me.”

She gave a fast shake of the head, as if trying to shake herself out of a stupor. “But … you left the bed.”

“To call my mother and let her know we’re gonna be late for work. I plan to officially claim you before we go anywhere. I didn’t want you to wake to the sound of me talking on the phone. I wanted you to wake to the feel of my tongue on your clit.”

Her breath caught. “Claim me?”

“I held back from you for a long time because I knew deep down to my bones that I’d never let it be temporary. I knew that if I made a move on you, I’d keep you. My kind aren’t so good at settling down or committing. But when we do, that’s it.” Alex squeezed the side of her neck again as he drank in the cautious hope etched into his mate’s face. His mate. Masculine satisfaction blazed through him. “Did I expect imprinting to happen so soon? No. Did it shock the hell out of me? Yes. But it’s not a bad surprise. I want this, Bree.”

“You’re sure this isn’t just a case of possessiveness muddying your thoughts? It has to be riding you hard right now.”

It wasn’t riding him, it was hammering at him to be near her; pumping him full of a bone-deep territorialism he hadn’t known it was possible to feel. But … “That possessiveness has always been there. It’s just a lot more intense now.”

“What about your beast?”

“All he wants is you. Which is good. It means me and him are on the same page. You want this, too, Bree. I know you do. Just accept it. Let it be.”

Bree let her eyes briefly drift closed. Oh yes, she wanted it. Wanted it more than she’d wanted anything in a long time. She didn’t fear it. Didn’t fear the depth of commitment she’d be making. She feared losing it, losing him. “You need to be sure, Alex.”

“I would not commit to something as serious as a mating if I was not one-hundred percent certain about it. This is it for me. You’re it for me. I’m not going anywhere.”

Bree swallowed. He no doubt meant to sound reassuring, but there was a steel in his voice that reminded her who and what she was dealing with. A dominant male wolverine. His kind were tenacious fuckers. They never backed down, never quit. They fought for what they wanted, and they fought to win.

What was it that Valentina had once said to Bree about him? “My Alex holds tight to what is important to him. He does not give up on things. He likes to have what he wants when he wants it, but he will be patient if it means he’ll eventually get what he seeks. And he will get it. Mark my words on that.”

Now, looking back, it almost seemed like Valentina was forewarning her.

Alex slipped his hand around to cup her nape and tugged her closer. “I want this, you want this. So let’s be done chewing on it, yeah? Let’s both commit to this here and now.”

She swallowed and then took a deep breath. “I’m all in if you are.”

The corner of his mouth hitched up just a little. “Oh, I’m definitely all in this, baby girl.” He kissed her. It was a soft, deep, drugging kiss that felt much like a vow. A kiss that was full of reassurance and promise. Nonetheless, taking her by surprise, need zipped up her spine and made her moan into his mouth.

Growling, he delved his fingers into her hair and slanted his head to take the kiss deeper. He consumed her mouth. Dazed her thoughts. Dragged her into a vortex of sensation. Made her blood heat and her body roar to life. God, she needed to fuck. There. Then. Rough.

He bit her lower lip hard. “Take off that fucking robe.”

She almost shivered as that soft growl played over her skin, making it prickle and tingle. Bree untied the robe and let it slip from her shoulders to puddle at her feet.

He drew in a breath through his nose, dragging his gaze down her body. “Perfect.” His mouth swooped down and claimed hers again. His tongue tangled and warred with her own, bold and sure and clever.

She splayed her hands on his solid back and dug her nails into all that hard muscle. She wanted to rake his flesh. Wanted to brand him as hers.

“Go on,” he growled. “Do it.” Alex snarled as the tips of her claws slashed his back, leaving a trail of fire and drawing blood; branding him so deep he knew they’d scar. His dick went impossibly thicker. His beast let out a growl of sheer male satisfaction.

Fuck, just knowing he was about to claim Bree as his mate … Alex had never been so hard in his goddamn life. Never needed anything as badly as he needed to make her his. But he wouldn’t rush this. He wanted it to be a morning they’d both remember.

Alex snapped his hand around her throat and put his lips to her ear. “I’m going to fuck you, Bree. I’m going to fuck you so hard. But first, I want your mouth wrapped around my cock.” She’d denied him it up until now purely to tease him.But he couldn’t wait any longer—not while the primitive urge to have her swallow his come beat at him. He needed it. His beast needed it. They both longed to mark her in every possible way.

Alex sat on the edge of the bed. “On your knees.” He didn’t fail to notice the way her nipples tightened at his order.

She slowly knelt between his spread thighs. As her eyes dropped to his long, thick shaft, they flared with pure feminine hunger. She fisted the base, her grip firm and tight.

“Good girl. Take me in your mouth.” He groaned as the wet heat of her mouth surrounded his cock. Using his grasp on her hair, he held her in place for a few seconds, just relishing the moment; loving the sight of her lips stretched around him. “Good. Now suck.”

And, God, did she suck. Alex watched, transfixed, as she absolutely owned his cock with that lethal mouth. She kept the suction gorgeously tight as she took him deeper and deeper. Deeper than any other woman ever had.

Bree didn’t suck him as if she was trying to race him toward an orgasm. She just settled in and worked him hard, confident and decisive and teasing. And, shit, every time she moaned, hummed, or purred he came closer to losing what little control he had left.

He’d had a lot of good blow jobs, but none had ever had him so close to coming so fast. It was the way she somehow combined carnal, innocent, dirty, and playful. Even as she expertly and hungrily licked and sucked, her glazed eyes occasionally met his and lit up with a shy, impish smile.

He loved that she was totally in the moment. Loved that she had her attention solely focused on him, cataloging his every response; learning and repeating what made him groan, curse, tug on her hair, or buck his hips.

The heady scent of her need laced the air and made his mouth water. He wanted her taste on his tongue. That delectable mix of sweet and spicy was a pleasure all on its own.

Alex groaned as the head of his cock bumped the back of her throat. Her eyes flicked to his, dazed and alive with mischief. And then she deepthroated him. Fuck. His balls tightened almost to the point of pain.

Without losing her mouth, he rose to his feet and fisted his hand tighter in her hair. “Keep sucking hard for me.” Alex pumped his hips fast, fucking her mouth. Feeling his balls draw up tight to his body, he snarled.“I’m going to blow my load right down your throat. I want you to feel it. Taste it. Drink it.” Sharp claws dragged down the back of his thighs. The burn added to the pleasure pounding through him and, that easily, he was gone.

Staring right into her sex-drunk eyes, he punched his cock deep and exploded in her mouth as his orgasm swept him under. “Fuck.” His thighs shook as his pulsing dick shot bursts of hot come down her throat.

More than a little smug by how fast he was breathing, Bree let him slip out of her mouth. She sure hoped he was planning to return the favor, because she badly needed to come.Her clit pulsed. Her pussy throbbed. Her nipples felt so tight they ached.

“Come here.”

She rose to her feet and loosely curled her arms around his neck. Humming, he gently stroked her hair and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. Then he tossed her onto the mattress, making her chuckle.

He knelt on the bed. “That’s one talented little mouth you have.” He curled his hands around her thighs and slowly pulled them apart. “I’ll be using it a lot.” His eyes followed the path of his warm, strong hands as they smoothed over her skin, stroking and squeezing and tantalizing. Making her wait for what she wanted.

“Bree,” he breathed, leaning over to lash her nipple with his tongue. “My Bree.”

Then … well, he essentially tortured her. Played havoc with her senses using his teeth, tongue, and mouth, leaving her nerves raw and her skin hypersensitive. He neglected her pussy, the teasing bastard, but left no other part of her untouched. Anticipation rode her so hard she thought she might just explode with the force of it.

“Has anyone ever taken your ass?” he asked far too casually.

She licked her dry lips. “No.”

Satisfaction glimmered in his eyes. “I will.” And then he finally turned his attention to her pussy. He touched, licked, nipped, and finger-fucked it until she was a trembling, mindless, pathetic mess who was practically sobbing with the need to come.

She hissed and tugged on his hair. “Alex.”

Sliding up her body, he paused to lick the upper curve of her breast. “Need to mark you right here, so you remember these tits are mine. Just like every other fucking inch of you is mine.” He sank his teeth down hard and sucked.

She punched the mattress, so close to coming she could almost taste it. “Will you just fuck me already!”

He soothed the sting of his bite with a swipe of his tongue. “What was that, baby girl?” His dark tone advised her to rephrase her demand.

“You can’t tease me like this and then expect politeness. It doesn’t work that way.”

His eyes dancing, he breezed his mouth over hers. “You need it bad, don’t you?”

Well, obviously.

He tugged at her lower lip with his teeth. “Hook your hands behind your knees and pull your legs up but keep them bent and spread for me. Got it?”

Well, now. Nodding, she got into position.

“Yeah, that’s what I want.” Still kneeling, he lodged the head of his cock in her opening. “Eyes on mine.” He splayed one hand on her stomach and, jaw hard, begin to ever so slowly sink inside her.

His dark eyes blazed down at her, snaring her gaze, warning her she was about to be ruthlessly fucked. Awesome.

He stilled his hips. “Tell me where this cock belongs.”

She swallowed. “In me.”

“In you, that’s right.” He fed her another inch of his dick. “Sometimes it’ll be in this pussy. Sometimes it’ll be in your mouth. Sometimes it’ll be in your ass.”

“You’re crazy if you think I’ll let you have my ass.” He’d split her in half. She frowned when he pulled back a little—a clear punishment for arguing with him.

“Oh, I’ll have it,” he promised. “I’ll take it slow and easy at first, until you get used to it. Then it’ll be slow and hard. Very, very hard. And then, when I’m sure you can take it, I’ll pound into that ass like it exists purely for me to fuck it.” He brutally slammed home.

Spine arching, Bree gasped. Jesus. His long, fat cock always filled her so fully she had wonder how she’d taken all of him. And just like that, she felt utterly possessed. And she could see that he wanted her to feel that way. She could see that he wanted her to feel owned. Dominated. His.

“Keep those eyes on mine. And don’t come until I say you can.” He reared back, slow and smooth, and then roughly punched his hips forward, stuffing her full. He did it again. And again. And again. The whole time, he stared deeply and intensely into her eyes. It was painfully intimate. Like he was trying to see all the way to her soul. Like he wanted to claim whatever he found there.

She loved the look of pure unadulterated hunger that was stamped into his face. Loved that she could feel every beat of his heart through his cock. But she didn’t love the slow pace he had going on. “Faster, Alex.”

“You want it faster?”

“And harder.”

“How much harder?”

“Hard enough to hurt.”

A growl rattled in his chest. Alex swiveled his hips, grinding his teeth as her hot, slick pussy contracted around him. Fuck, she was tighter than anything he’d ever felt. “Then offer me that pretty throat; show me how bad you want me to brand it.”

Her eyes flared with defiance. Unsurprising. No female shifter wanted to give anyone their throat.

“I’m waiting, Bree.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and licked her lips. When her lids lifted again, the defiance was gone. She tilted her neck, offering him her throat. That was when his control left him.

Alex savagely fucked in and out of her body. Possessed her. Claimed her. Used her. Relished every moan, whimper, and whispered demand to let her come.

His senses were drunk on her. On her scent, her taste, the cock-hardening sounds she made, the tightness of her inferno-hot pussy, the gorgeous sight she made beneath him.

Alex put his mouth to her ear, still pounding hard. “Do you feel owned yet?” He felt her deep groan all the way to his balls. “Then say it, and I’ll let you come.”

“I’m yours,” she rasped, clinging to his back. “But don’t forget that you’re mine.”

“Only ever going to be yours.” Alex gripped her hips and yanked her to him each time he thrust forward, fucking her brutally. Then he slipped his thumb between her folds and pressed on her clit just right. “Come.”

Her breath seemed to get trapped in her throat as her orgasm hit, making her back bow and her head fall back. Feeling her pussy clamp down on his cock and ripple around him, Alex slammed harder and faster, driving as deep as he could possibly go.

He bit the crook of her neck hard, tasting blood. He licked and sucked, leaving a mark that could never be mistaken for anything other than a claiming bite. That was when sharp teeth sank into his shoulder—a blaze of fire that shot straight to his swelling cock.

Pleasure burst over him in waves so shocking in their strength and intensity that they stole the breath from his lungs and made his vision dim. He exploded like a fucking volcano, ramming deep as he emptied every bit of his come inside her.

He collapsed on top of her, breathing hard, but she didn’t complain. It was a few minutes before he could move. Reluctantly withdrawing from her pussy, he slumped beside her on the mattress. She snuggled into his side, struggling to catch her breath. He trailed his fingers up her back, doodling lazy circles here and there. “You good?”

Her eyes closed, she let out what could only be described as a dreamy sigh. “Yeah. Do the claw marks hurt bad?”

“No. They sting, but I like it. I like that reminder that they’re there. How’s your cat?”

“More relaxed than she’s been in a while. How’s your beast?”

“Smug as all shit. He would have fought me if I’d tried to leave you, which I never would have.” Skimming his fingertips over the globes of her ass, he added, “You know something?”

“What?”

“I think you were right in what you said about ravens. They’re onto something when they say a person’s destiny doesn’t have to be intertwined with their true mate. Because I always felt like you should be mine, and now you are.”

Bree’s chest squeezed, and she swallowed hard. He leaned down and took her mouth, sipping and nipping and biting, no doubt totally unaware that—with those words—he now had her soul in the palm of his hand.

The staring started pretty much the moment they stepped out of the building’s elevator, where some pride mates waited. It wasn’t just the fierce territorialism so blatantly evident in Alex’s body language that snatched people’s attention. It was the brands they were both sporting.

Her claiming bite was perfectly visible. Although Alex’s bite was concealed by his tee, the claw marks on his upper arms sure weren’t—marks she’d given him during their second round of sex in the shower, along with the bite on his jawline. So, yeah, people stared.

Casual as you please, Alex breezed down the street paying no attention to the gawkers. He was too busy scanning his surroundings, including the rooftops. But he didn’t miss her discomfort, because he gave her hand a soothing squeeze and brushed his thumb over her knuckles.

Catching sight of a familiar figure standing among a group of youths, Bree said, “There’s Kye.” It was no surprise that the girls were staring at him all gooey-eyed—something he seemed to take in his stride. Hell, he wasn’t even paying them much attention.

She could see why he appealed to the girls. He was a good-looking kid. He might only be eighteen, but everything about him screamed alpha—his assertive posture, his powerful build, his astute gaze. “He looks bigger every time I see him.”

Right then, Kye glanced their way. He tipped his chin in greeting. Bree gave him a smile. Alex only grunted.

“It wouldn’t kill you to say hi, you know,” she said.

“I know.” But Alex didn’t say it. “The kid’s going to have to leave his pack in a few years to start his own. More than one natural-born alpha pallas cat can co-exist just fine in a pride, but it’s different for wolves.”

She nodded, feeling sad for the kid.

As they reached the jewelry store, Greg opened the door for them, his mouth curved. “Mated, huh?” He looked at Alex. “I figured that’d eventually happen if you ever made a move on Bree. Glad you got your shit together instead of hesitating like a pussy.”

Alex cursed at him in Russian and then, ignoring a laughing Greg, guided her inside with a hand on her lower back.

Alone on the showroom floor, James looked up and did a double-take. “Well, well, well, this has certainly improved my morning.” Crossing to them, he kissed her cheek and then patted Alex on the back. “Glad you got your shit together, son.”

Alex scowled. “My shit has always been together.”

“I wouldn’t say so.”

High heels clicked along the marble floor. Valentina appeared from behind the drapes. She took one look at Alex and Bree, and then she shot her husband a smug look. “There. Did I not tell you years ago that he would claim her one day? You do not listen, even though you know I see all. Then you are always so surprised when I am right. Why is this?”

James sighed. “Well—”

Valentina waved a dismissive hand his way and then crossed the space to Bree. She pulled her into a hug. “I considered you family before. I am glad you are now officially part of it.” Breaking the hug, she frowned at Alex. “Why you took so long to claim Bree, I do not know. It is good to see you are done being foolish. No mother wants an idiot for a son. Tonight, you will join both me and your father for dinner. I will cook. We will celebrate.”

The front door opened, and Elle strolled inside. It took all of five seconds for her to notice the claiming bite on Bree’s neck. Her eyes darted from Alex to Bree, taking in all the brands. She squealed. “You guys imprinted on each other? How fucking amazing is this?”

While Elle demanded all the details from Bree, James turned to Alex and said, “I’m guessing you’re staying here all day today.”

“You guessed right,” said Alex. His protective instincts were on overdrive. Plus, honestly, he just plain wanted to be with her. He’d never liked being away from her, and he liked the idea even less now.

His mother had long ago warned him how hard it was for a wolverine to be separated from their mate; that their need to be with them was something close to a compulsion. But he hadn’t imagined that would apply to him, given that he didn’t have a high need for social contact. But being apart from Bree … yeah, he didn’t even like the thought of it. She was easy to be around, though. She didn’t feel compelled to fill a silence or load the atmosphere with so much bubbliness that he felt exhausted by her.

It was still a little strange to be partially mated, but it didn’t unsettle him. Instead, it gave him a sense of fulfilment he hadn’t realized he was missing.

“Just do not stand around brooding,” Valentina told Alex. “Your scowls will scare people away.”

He frowned. “I don’t brood.”

His mother gave him a droll look. “Have we not discussed this before? You know I do not like to repeat myself.”

Seeing that Bree was still deep in conversation with Elle, he moved closer to his mother and said, “Maybe we could move the celebratory dinner to tomorrow. She’s still a little fatigued after the memorial yesterday—it took a lot out of her.”

“Bah. She will be fine. Our Bree is strong.”

“Yes, she’s strong. But she also looks—and probably feels—hungover. Have a little compassion.”

“Compassion? What is compassion? I not know this word. Sounds like weakness.”

Alex sighed. Whatever.

As the hours went on, he kept himself busy. If he wasn’t in his office, he was working on the door with Greg or helping the others with various things.

The day was pretty uneventful, if you didn’t count the amount of times a pride mate stopped by to see if the imprinting rumors were true. It was shortly before Pot of Gold was due to close that Vinnie, Ingrid, Tate, and Luke showed up.

Smiling, Ingrid strode over to Alex and caught his face with her hands. “I’m thrilled for you. I really am. Bree’s a keeper.” She released his face. “I will admit you had me worried that you’d live your life alone—I didn’t want that for my favorite grandson.”

Luke frowned at her and whined, “Hey.” Tate only rolled his eyes.

Vinnie clapped Alex on the back. “I’m happy for you. It’s good that you got your shit together.”

Alex pressed his lips together. “You’re the third person to say that.”

Vinnie shrugged. “Well, we were all thinking it.”

Assholes.

Before heading back to Alex’s apartment after work, he and Bree went to the communal yard at the rear of his complex and gave their animals freedom.

The wolverine gently butted the cat, who playfully swatted his muzzle with her paw. They chased each other through the long, wild grass. Climbed and explored the trees. Lapped at the small pond.

They tussled and rolled and played until tiredness set in. Only then, satisfied that each wore the other’s scent, did they shift back to their human forms.