A Wolf's Pride (49 page)

Her hand
moved slowly, creeping up his length to reach the buttons on his
jeans. The obstacle was quickly dealt with and her hand delved into
his pants, coming into contact with hard, hot flesh. A harsh breath
whistled through his teeth at the feel of her soft palm wrapped
around his shaft, moving slowly up and down his length before she
pulled him from the confinement of his trousers.

He felt as
though a fire had been lit in his veins, heat coursed through him
like nothing he had ever felt before. The delicious friction of her
soft palm against his hard flesh filled him with indescribable
pleasure and yet he found himself questioning her actions, he
couldn’t afford to jeopardise the claiming. If all went well, then
in less than eighteen hours he would be buried deep within his
mate’s body, taking her again and again. He thanked god for short
days. “Angel, what are you doing?” he hissed.

“
I would have
thought that was obvious,” she purred, running her fingers over the
engorged head. “A relationship is all about give and take. So far
I’ve only taken, I’m giving back now.”

Her pace
changed suddenly, catching Ryan off guard as her slow movements
became quick, frantic encouraging a corresponding desperation
within him. Suddenly it was no longer important why she was doing
what she was doing, all that mattered was that she finish. He could
feel his seed rising, moving up his shaft. His breath hitched, low
growls slipping past his lips as he approached his limit. Her lips
pressed hot, open mouthed kisses against his neck and a contented
rumbled rose from his chest to fill the small space. Her tongue
darted out of her mouth to taste his hot skin and she moaned in
contentment. He tasted slightly salty from his exertions but
beneath that there was a taste that was unique to Ryan. Much like
his scent it was potent, raw and wild, perfectly suited to the man
himself. Animal-like urges began to wrack her, demanding she take
more. She had to have more.

The kisses
stopped abruptly but before he could question the change, she
nipped his skin with her small blunt teeth, sweeping the abused
area with her tongue before doing it again. He roared, long and
loud in response. His mate was marking him; claiming him as hers
and he loved it. His thoughts became murky as pleasure built within
him until there was only Chloe. His muscles tensed as his release
inched closer and closer but her hand stopped suddenly and he
snarled in frustration. He turned to look at her, the amber in his
eyes more apparent than the last time their eyes had met, a silent
question banked in the depths of his gaze.

“
What?” she
shrugged innocently.

“
You’re killing
me,” he groaned.

Her smile
widened mischievously as she tucked the short strands of her hair
behind her ear. “Am I?” Her head lowered, her warm breath
feathering over his hot flesh. He stopped breathing as he watched
the pink tip of her tongue leave her mouth, running over her plump
lower lip before it swept over the rounded head of his throbbing
erection, collecting the moisture that had gathered there. She
glanced at him from beneath her eyelashes, her alluring smile
causing his heart to beat frantically. Between his erratic
heartbeat and lack of air, Ryan was surprised that he hadn’t passed
out but as he was slowly engulfed in the heat of her mouth, he was
sure he came close. Her mouth was hot, wet, and perfect as she took
him deeper and deeper. If her hand had felt amazing, her mouth was
mind-blowing. Her strokes were sure, fast and as she moaned around
his length, Ryan realised that his mate enjoyed pleasuring him. The
intoxicating scent of her arousal was beginning to fill the small
space causing him to groan in frustration despite the pleasure
coursing through his body. How he wished he could take her mouth
from him and plunge deeply into her wet core, taking her over and
over until he was properly sated.

Tomorrow,
his wolf reassured, it’s
tone lazy and content.

“
Chloe,” Ryan
growled in warning as his climax edged ever closer.

Her smile
widened but she didn’t take him from her mouth, her pace quickening
instead. He gave another, half-hearted, warning growl,
disproportionately pleased that his mate was willing to take all of
him. “Chloe. Angel,” he murmured before his body went tense, the
force of his release stunning even to him. He fell back against the
floor, his body weak. When Chloe pulled away from him, she was
smiling, licking her lips as though trying to seduce him. She
should have known better, she didn’t have to try to seduce him.
Already his shaft was hardening in preparation for another bout.
Reaching for her, he frowned when she moved out of his
grasp.

“
No Ryan. No
touching.”

“
Why?”

“
Because
anticipation makes things even better. I want to wait until we can
finally be together before I let you touch me. We just have to make
it through tomorrow and then we can both be satisfied. Can you wait
that long?”

“
It isn’t as
though I’ve much of a choice now is it?”

****

Taking a
final look at her watch, before turning to the sky to confirm the
time, Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a very, very
long day, one where she had literally counted down the minutes
until the day was over. The day had started reasonably enough, odd,
but reasonable. When she had woken, Ryan, the man, was gone and in
his place was Ryan, the wolf. Waking up to the sight of a very,
very large wolf should have scared her and for a moment her heart
had sped up in trepidation but when the wolf ran it’s thick tail up
the length of her arm, making her body shiver in response, her
fears had died instantly. Only Ryan could elicit such a strong
reaction from her body with so little contact. Her body had been
greedy for more since that moment, making her want darkness to fall
that much quicker but the entire day had lain stretched out before
her. She had run her hands over his thick fur, reassuring herself
that the day would end quickly before he’d led her outside and it
was there that the real problem had emerged.

Ryan had led
her down to a cool stream to bathe and despite his lupine
appearance, he’d once again prepared for her in advance. Towels and
clothes had been waiting for her when she walked out of the water,
dripping wet. Even as a wolf Ryan’s gaze was hot, searing as he
watched her dress. She had frowned; baffled by the lack of
underwear in the clothes he’d brought for her and had initially
shrugged it off as a man’s ignorance. However, when she’d gone
looking for the underwear she’d worn the previous day only to find
it missing she had known it was all planned. The wolf had smiled in
eager satisfaction when she had donned her clothes minus any under
garments. The soft cotton of her shirt had rubbed relentlessly
against her nipples making the already sensitive peaks even more
so. She had cursed Ryan’s highhanded ways all the way to their next
destination but stayed by his side. She wanted the claiming to go
well, lecturing him could come after he’d satisfied her.

They stopped
walking in an orchard, trees of all shapes and sizes surrounding
her, their leaves varying shades of red, orange and brown. Away
from Alex’s influence the plant life grew normally reflecting the
emergence of fall. The branches hung heavy with fruit and after a
few minutes of Ryan jerking his head in the direction of the trees,
she’d understood that this was her breakfast. Her stomach grumbled
and she dug in with gusto, eating her fill of the sweet fruits. The
fragrant aroma of the fruits had however attracted unwanted
visitors. Insects eager to find food had swarmed the area and Chloe
had panicked. Wolf Ryan might be able to protect her from big
predators but his ability to defend her from small insects was
significantly reduced.

They had
returned to the cabin, Chloe rushing inside to the safety and
protection four walls offered but Ryan hadn’t come in with her. He
had stared at her with longing in his amber eyes but didn’t cross
the threshold to join her. She had tried to coax him into joining
her but after he continued to shake his head she realised he
wouldn’t be joining her. The cabin might not seem like a cage to
human Ryan but to the wolf it was impossible for him to spend
prolonged periods with her indoors. He had lain beside Chloe for at
least an hour before she woke in wolf form and was at his limit.
The walls had seemed to press in on him the longer he’d stayed
within them but he had remained, determined to be there when his
mate woke. Now she was awake, he needed to be outside in the fresh
air for a while before he could return.

The day had
passed slowly without Ryan’s constant presence at her side. He
would occasionally return, looking at her with desire in his feral
eyes. At those times she loathed his lupine form. Her body was on
fire with need for him, a need he couldn’t sate as a wolf. She had
quickly come to associate his amber eyes with an all consuming
desire as when he looked at her, lust as she had never known beset
her. Her over sensitised nipples were desperate for the heat of his
mouth, her naked core was wet with need and dripping with desire as
fantasies of her and Ryan locked in heated embraces ran through her
mind. Just when she thought she could take no more, he would leave,
leaving her alone with nothing but mind wracking fantasies that
consumed her every thought leaving room for nothing else. As time
continued to tick on, she came to resent two things. The wooden
walls that kept them separated and her own ridiculous fears that
prevented her from sitting outside with him and so it was with a
sigh of relief that she welcomed the coming of night. Dusk had
fallen, the moon was rising, the claiming could finally
begin.

Chapter Forty
Two

The door flew
open, slamming against the wall under Ryan’s strength as he strode
into the cabin. The potent scent of his mate’s arousal had been
driving him crazy all day and it was finally time to act on his
desires. Chloe would never know what hit her. She stood from her
place in front of the fire and walked towards him, standing a mere
few inches away from him. His eyes were that dazzling shade of
amber she was beginning to associate with unrepentant desire and as
he looked her over from head to toe, a throbbing ache began again
in her core. She groaned softly, rubbing her thighs together trying
to relieve the pressure. She needed him, what was he waiting for?
He walked around her slowly, touching her with nothing but his
eyes.

“
Chloe,” he
growled. “You’re soaked angel, what have you been doing all
day?”

“
How would you
know?” she taunted, trying to force his hand. “You haven’t even
touched me.”

“
I don’t need
to angel. I can smell how ready you are. It’s driving me crazy.
Have you been thinking of me?”

“
Driving you
crazy?” she scoffed. “You aren’t the one that’s been in this
condition since morning. Ryan, help me. I need you. If it’s really
driving you as crazy as it is me, then do something about
it.”

Her goading
seemed to have worked as he pulled her back against him, rubbing
his heavy erection against the soft cheeks of her ass. “I intend to
angel, I intend to.”

A string of
kisses were planted against her throat, his lightly whiskered
cheeks deliciously abrasive. His hands cupped her breasts through
her shirt and she gasped as the material pushed against her
sensitive nipples. He smiled against her neck pleased that his plan
had been a success.

“
You’re very
sensitive today,” he commented casually as though he’d had no hand
in making her so.

“
It’s your
fault, you –” Her attempt to scold him trailed off on a loud moan,
pleasure racing through her as he pinched and pulled at the
distended nubs through her shirt. “Ryan!” Any thoughts of scolding
him fled, thoughts of joining with him taking their place and the
place of any other thought she might have had.

“
I know angel.
Let me help you.” He spun her round to face him, gazing at her
flushed cheeks with masculine satisfaction. “I love you Chloe, let
me show you just how much.” Their lips met in a kiss so searing it
were as though electricity had struck them and welded their feet to
the floor. Hands that had been desperate for skin to skin contact
roamed over the other’s body, pulling them close as their tongues
met, clashing with the need to taste more, to take more. Moans of
pleasure filled the air as it became ladened with the potent scent
of desire.

His mouth
never left hers as Ryan walked Chloe backwards into the bed. When
her calves came into contact with the hard wood, he pushed until
she fell, landing heavily atop her frame. Her hard nipples stabbed
his chest through the layers of clothing that they wore but it
wasn’t enough. Ripping his mouth from hers on a rough growl, he sat
back tearing the clothes from her body with deadly claws and
pinpoint accuracy. She shivered slightly as the cool air touched
her skin but her body quickly heated under Ryan’s gaze. His hands
lifted to his shirt preparing to shred the material from his body
but she stopped him, quickly placing her hands atop his and
stilling his movements.

“
No
Ryan.”

He looked at
her confused, the desire in his eyes warring with his anger at what
he interpreted as a rejection. “Don’t you want this? Have you
changed your mind?”