A Wolf's Bargain Read online

  Chris grinned, the fine age lines crinkling at the corners of his eyes, giving him a more rugged appearance. Be still my beating heart.

  “Nope. I have a good feeling about this.” He made one more trip to the kitchen then grabbed the bottle of wine sitting on the table. “I thought we could…celebrate a little.”

  “This is all too much, Chris. I’m a simple girl. You’re treating this as though we’re millionaires.”

  “Not quite millionaires. But I have been working a long time and saving the majority of the money I made. I don’t charge the pack large sums of money, but the ranches and patrons surrounding us make up for what I do here.” He plated up some of the salad. “Besides, spoiling you will be my pleasure.”

  “I don’t want to be spoiled.”

  “Not even a little?” He added some of the pasta he’d made for them onto her plate.

  She shook her head. “Momma always told me a woman’s job is to take care of her mate. It’s our duty to be there for you. It’s an important part of the pack dynamic. In return, our mate is supposed to be loyal and loving.”

  “Spoiling and being loyal aren’t two mutually exclusive terms. There are several different meanings, in fact. Plus, every mating is different. Just depends on the couple.”

  Lily tilted her head to the side in contemplation. He had a point. She’d seen the differences in her family’s matings. “Do you honestly want to spoil me?”

  “Sometimes, like now.”

  She took a sip of the wine. The sweet tartness of the berries had a bit of a dryness in the aftertaste. She took another sip. “Okay.” She placed the glass back on the table. “Will I get to do the same for you?”

  “Spoil me?”

  She nodded.

  “Of course. I’d never turn you down.”

  “Can I be honest with you?” Lily stabbed a few noodles with her fork.

  “I’d expect no less.”

  “Why do I feel like the other shoe is about to drop?”

  He laughed. “Eat. You’re going to need your strength tonight.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.” She took a bite of the food he’d prepared and moaned. “My compliments to the chef.”

  He raised his glass. “As to your question, relax. There are no other shoes tonight, it’s just us.”

  She cut her gaze to him but did as he requested. “What did you want to talk about?”

  “I think it’s self-explanatory, isn’t it?”

  “You tell me.” The cat-and-mouse game they played only served to make her more nervous about their encounter.

  “We’re mates. We’re destined by fate to live a long, loving life together.”

  “Potential mates,” she corrected. “You’ve not made it clear about our situation. To tell the truth, we’ve kissed a total of one time. After which, you never pursued anything else.”

  “Because you’ve been too stubborn. I’ve put myself in your way since last Christmas, and you’ve rebuked me every chance you got.”

  Neither completely true, nor a lie. She took another bite of her dinner, giving her time to formulate her answer. “You have other women. I’ve heard the females talk.”

  “Women will always talk. They get jealous. As a matter of fact, I haven’t had anyone in my bed since I returned home.”

  “No, you take them to someplace called the Dungeon.”

  Chris placed his fork on the edge of his plate and sat back. “What do you know of the Dungeon?”

  She shrugged. “Not much. I know you go there a lot. According to some of the women.”

  “Are you jealous?”

  She snorted then laughed. “No. What do I have to be jealous of?”

  He grunted. “Your potential mate screwing around on you, for starters.”

  “I already told you. Nothing is set in stone yet. If you’d rather seek the comfort of some hussy’s open arms, go for it. More power to you.”

  Chris couldn’t believe what he heard. Though the words came out of her mouth, it was as if someone else were saying them. Her slate-blue eyes cooled, as had her temperament.

  He held her chilly stare. “I’ve never sought comfort from any hussy.”

  “And I’m a virginal, mystical wolf.” Sarcasm dripped from her words.

  “I’ll bet you are. Tell me, Lily, what has your pretty panties in such a twist? Why are you trying to destroy this evening?”

  “I’m not.” She huffed. “I think we both deserve to have all our cards on the table before we take this to another level.”

  “Okay. So why are you throwing all my supposed indiscretions on the table as ammunition against me, when I’ve not done the same to you?”

  She sniffed then turned her face away from his and looked out the dining room window. “Did Stacy show you a good time?”

  He could lie and say yes, however, it would only add fuel to her fire. “What do you want me to say?”

  “Why don’t you start with the truth?”

  “Which truth? Yours or mine?”

  Lily crossed her arms and glared at him. Anger radiated off her in suffocating waves along with jealousy and a hint of curiosity. “There is only the truth.”

  Chris’s hand curled into fists as he fought to control his temper. The stubborn set of her jaw coupled with the way she lifted her chin just so had his palms itching to spank the bullishness out of her.

  She flipped his switch. The Dominant wolf inside him bristled at her tone and demanded he take her to task. Make her submit to her mate. “Stacy and I had fun.”

  “So you fucked her.”

  He made a noncommittal noise while lifting his shoulder. “Doesn’t matter anymore.”

  “You did.”

  “You’re jealous, she-wolf.”

  “No, I’m not.”

  Chris cocked a brow. “This time, when you say it, don’t lie.”

  Lily pursed her lips and placed her napkin on the table. “I don’t have patience for this nonsense. I believe it’s time I leave.”

  He didn’t move. For all her posturing, he’d hit the nail on the head. She’d known who he was meant to become at a young age and insomuch couldn’t reconcile, even today, why they were in the position they were in.

  “No, you aren’t.”

  She snorted as she hurried out of the dining room. “Watch me, wolf. I don’t need this, and I certainly don’t need you.”

  “Careful, she-wolf.” He growled, coming up behind her. “If you run out the door, I won’t be responsible for what happens next.”

  Arousal tinged with a shred of fear wafted from her. His dick thickened behind the fly of his jeans as anticipation coursed through him.

  Run.

  He wanted her to. He craved chasing her through the hills before catching her and mounting her. The hedonistic, predatory thought did nothing to cool his already amped-up condition. In fact, it turned him on even more.

  Lily hesitated. Her hand hovered inches over the doorknob.

  His wolf pushed to the surface. His teeth elongated. His fur brushed at the back of his neck. “Run,” he growled, his voice more of a wolf than of a man.

  The erratic beat of her heart called to him as she licked her lips and glanced between him and the door. Do it. He willed her. The run would do both of them good. The other stuff could wait. Right now, his wolf needed her wolf’s submission, and the only way to get it would be to give chase and give over to their basic needs.

  Lily swung the door open, gave him one more curious look then took off, shifting mid-stride, and headed straight for the hills.

  His wolf howled in triumph.

  Chris gave chase, shifting as his foot hit the top step of his front porch. When he caught his little hellion, he’d show her what challenging the beast got her—mated and fucked properly.

  Chapter Eight

  The soft plods of paws hitting packed dirt led Chris in the direction of his mate. Her subtle wild scent spurred him on. When he caught up to her, the things he’d do to her….

  Keep it cool. No need to freak her out. Too late. She’d messed with the bull, and the time had come to show her the horns. Anticipation raced through him. In the last several weeks, the weather had turned decidedly colder. The below-freezing temperatures at night had left the ground hard and unyielding. Soon, snow would cover their trails, leaving them in a winter wonderland. Crazy how two years could change a person’s perspective. Having Drew as their alpha had brought a lightness to their pack, something he never thought he’d get a chance to experience when he left all those years ago.

  As he darted in and out of the brush, the aroma of her arousal grew thicker. He could taste it. Fuck. Lust pounded through his veins.

  Chris kicked it up another notch and pushed through the thicket. There Lily stood, on a small ridge, her brindle-colored muzzle lifted toward the sky, steam rising off her back.

  His breath caught.

  Red with patches of black and light-tan fur sparkled in the moonlight. Her light-blue eyes glowed when a cloud covered the moon momentarily. Lily yipped then ambled down the rocky ledge. Her tail swished back and forth, teasing him as she went.

  He snarled, crouching low. Whatever she’d planned for him, he’d be ready. He inched forward, sniffing the air as he went. When he got to the ledge, he followed the small path down to a clearing then waited.

  It didn’t take long for him to find Lily’s scent, and he went for her. Bounding through the shrubbery while dodging trees and stumps, he searched for her. A few feet ahead of him, he caught a glimpse. She trotted down another path, almost as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Crazy she-wolf.

  Chris eased closer, watching where he put his feet so as not to make a sound. He c
ame up behind her and growled before taking her to the ground. They tussled, fighting for dominance. Her little mouth grabbed at his front legs while she scratched at his belly.

  Strong, for her size, she packed a punch. They rolled again, and his mouth wrapped around her throat. He added pressure. Little by little she relented until she stilled. Her soft whimper of acquiescence had him pulling back. Forcing her shift, he followed suit. Naked, he braced himself with his hands on either side of her arms.

  Fire burned bright in her eyes. Her pulse hammered at her throat. “I’ve caught you.”

  “I let you,” she replied.

  “Sure, she-wolf.”

  She made a move to sit up, and he bared his teeth at her. “Let me go, Chris.”

  Watching her for a second, he grinned. “As you wish. Run, she-wolf.”

  She took off like a flash, back toward the house. He gave her a five second head start then hurried after her. She shuffled down the trail back to the house, her tail wagging back and forth as she balanced on the narrow path. Once she hit the even ground of the trail, she kicked it into high gear, putting distance between them.

  She cut a swath through the woods and came out at the clearing near the back of his house then nimbly climbed the stairs. Chris made a running leap for the porch and shifted. Lily followed suit, and he caged her to the door. The need to claim her, to mark her so there’d be no doubt who she belonged to, filled him.

  He leaned into her. “I’m trying to get some control here.” Rubbing his cheek across hers, Chris sighed. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Do you know what you do to me? How much I crave you?”

  “No, I don’t.”

  He took her hand in his and lowered it to his straining erection. She wrapped her palm around his cock and gave a squeeze.

  “Fuck.” He grunted. His hips shifted, pushing into her grip. “This is what you do to me. You make me wild. You make me crave your touch in a way that scares me.”

  “Then maybe we shouldn’t.” She stroked him from tip to base.

  His head fell back on his shoulders. “Oh I think we should, she-wolf. You’re really good at teasing me.” Pushing open the back door, he shuffled them farther into the warm space. “Don’t stop touching me.” Her hand returned to his length, stroking him as he ran his hands over her flesh. “You’re a treasure.”

  Her lips parted. A pink flush covered her chest, drawing his attention to her hard, strawberry-colored nipples. Small, and delicate, they called to him, tempting him to take a taste. A light dusting of freckles covered her flesh. He took in every curve and dip of her toned body, as he picked her up and carried her to the couch. Sitting down, he nipped her chin while breathing her in.

  When he raised his gaze to hers, his nostrils flared. Desire curled in those beautiful blue orbs. It mingled with a timidness he coveted. “Am I your first?” he hedged while she continued to explore his length.

  Crimson filled her cheeks, and she looked away. “No.” She shook her head. “Not really.”

  This shy, demure Lily intrigued him. “Not really?” He skimmed his fingers down between her breasts and watched goose bumps form in his wake.

  “Well, I’ve fooled around,” she answered, squirming under his touch. “Why are you doing this to me?”

  “Doing what?” he murmured, tracing the curve of her hip. She shuddered under his touch, her eyes dilated with arousal.

  “Stop doing that.”

  “What?”

  “Making my wolf feel like a bitch in heat,” she grumbled. “It’s disconcerting to say the least.”

  “She-wolf, we are in heat. Mating heat.” Trailing his finger over the juncture of her neck and shoulder, he stilled her hand. “I’ll mark you here. Everyone will see it. They’ll know my wolf is yours and yours is mine. “Then”—he touched her inner thigh—“I’ll mark you here because I’m a possessive son of a bitch, and if anyone ever thinks of coming near your pussy, they’ll know I claimed it and they’re shit out of luck.”

  Lily’s heart lodged in her throat. How had she gotten into this mess? “Chris I….” She swallowed whatever she’d been about to say when his hand cupped her sex. His deep, throaty groan did things to her. Naughty, delicious things. Things she didn’t have a name for.

  “You’re wet,” he crooned. Sitting forward slightly, his breath caressed her sensitive flesh, before his tongue swiped at her nipple.

  Sparks ricocheted through her body, setting off mini orgasms. Her hips lifted of their own volition, desperate for his touch. His dark, rumbling chuckle startled her in the most sinful of ways.

  What the hell is wrong with me?

  “Please,” she murmured.

  No, wait. She hadn’t meant to say please, had she? Didn’t she mean stop? Let’s talk more? Her breath hitched as he speared her with one of his broad fingers.

  Chris cursed. The muscle in his jaw twitched. “Shit, you’re tight.” In a slow, methodical rhythm, he fingered her, opening her. “I’m never going to get enough of you, she-wolf.”

  She cried out and began pumping the hard flesh in her hand. His dick jumped. Lily ran her thumb over his slickened tip. She used the wetness to rub his glans and was rewarded with more of the sticky substance.

  “Answer my question, Lily. Tell me the truth before I do something we’ll both regret.”

  Regret? Right about now she’d ride him until the cows came home for all she cared. “Once. A long time ago before we came home. A-a boy from school.” It had been more groping and fondling than the actual act of sex. Once he’d gotten inside of her and the initial pain disappeared, he’d only lasted long enough to gain his release. “It happened after Momma and Dad—”

  “Shh. We’ll take this slow and easy.” He helped her straddle him. “You’re going to sit on my lap.”

  She arched a brow. “Excuse me?”

  Lifting her with ease, he placed her exactly where he wanted. The head of his erection slid through her folds and tapped her clit. “Like this.” He groaned and palmed her ass, pulling her snug against him. “Then, I’m going to do this….”

  He rolled her hips, before moving her up and down his cock. Pleasure fluttered low in her belly. Her eyes shut as she placed her hands on his shoulders. “Oh,” she cried. Everything inside her tensed expectantly. “Feels good.”

  “It’ll feel better when I’m in you.”

  “Do it,” she whimpered.

  “Not yet. I’m a big wolf, and I won’t hurt you.”

  Up and down she went while he controlled the tempo. The maddening pace threatened to destroy her. How the hell did he expect her to keep going this way? Lily gasped and shivered in his arms. “Please.”

  “Almost.” His breath brushed her sensitive nipples before he drew the stiff peak into his mouth and sucked.

  “Chris!” she sobbed. Her hips bucked against his as everything inside her detonated, shattering her.

  “Now.” He lifted her a bit then brought her back down on him. Her eyes went wide as he filled her.

  Chris stretched her to capacity. With each thrust, he impaled himself more. Pleasure and pain mixed together in a heady cocktail. For long moments, she didn’t know which way was up or her name. The intense feeling of coupling with her mate overwhelmed her.

  When their thighs touched, he stilled. Every inch of her had been possessed by this man. Her gaze locked with his. It steadied her. The same violent emotions waging war inside her, reflected back at her. “I didn’t know….” The husky quality of her voice surprised her.

  “Neither did I,” he murmured before kissing her. His tongue pushed into her mouth at the same second he began to rock her.

  She moaned.

  Tangling her tongue with his, she deepened the kiss, clinging to him as she swiveled her hips. The depth of her passion grew with each shift of their bodies. One of Chris’s broad hands pressed to the middle of her back, holding her in place.

  The wild animalistic sounds they made added to the heady atmosphere surrounding them. This is mating. This is our souls combining. Instinct told her, after today, things would change. Instead of being afraid, she wanted it.

  Their cadence became erratic, his thrusts uneven. Bliss twined with lust and rushed through her system. The knot of pleasure in her lower belly grew, intensified, until she could only hold on for the ride and hope she’d garner some kind of relief.