Accidentally Wolf (3 page)

“No, I got this.” Zayn knew he was
growling, his beast reacting to her scent, her heat, the feel of her soft lips,
and tongue moving along his jaw.

Zayn killed the unwanted need and
carried the object of his desire back inside his home. If she would just keep
her tongue to herself, maybe, just maybe, he could get her back to his suite
and run her a nice cool bath and order her to take a long soak.
Fuck. Alone

“I’m so hot. Why am I so hot?”

Each word was asked against his
neck, her hot breath had licks of desire rushing over him.

“It’s the fever. We need to get
you cooled down. I’m going to run you a bath. Do you think you can get
undressed and in the tub by yourself?”

He prayed she said yes. He hoped
she said no. He feared she’d say no.

* * * *

Cora had heard Zayn talking to his
brother when they thought she was sleeping. He’d said he didn’t want her, that
she wasn’t his type and knew he wouldn’t be overcome with desire at seeing her
naked, but she wanted him—with every fiber of her being. It had been a long
time since she’d been with a man, a really, really long time. She ached to feel
Zayn’s hands on her body. She wondered if he would be as rough as he looked or
gentle. His callused hands running over every inch of her were surely something
every woman should experience at least once in their lifetime.

Hearing him say he didn’t want her
hurt at first, but she didn’t want him, either. Not for the long haul. When she
settled down it would be with a nice, well-mannered man. Nobody could call Zayn
Malik anything other than wild. Cora wasn’t sure why that word came to mind
when she thought of the man.

Twenty-four hours ago she’d have
said she was fine with her no sex life. That was before she was faced with over
six feet of
good-god-all-mighty
they really do make them this fine
. She
got her first look at Zayn Malik in the flesh and wanted him. She wanted to
lose herself in him. She wanted him to do all the things she knew he could do,
and she wanted to scream his name in ecstasy while he did it. The best way to
accomplish that goal was to unsettle him, seduce the big man set on not wanting
her.

“I think so, but could you just
stay to make sure I don’t fall? I’d hate to bust my head on
all
this
tile.” It took all her self-control not to smile at the low growl
that came from Zayn.

Earlier, she could’ve sworn the
brothers had mentioned something about wolves and mates, but her mind kept
going back to the fact she needed Zayn.

Determined to get under his skin,
she didn’t wait for him to turn his back. She pulled her shirt over her head,
dropping it to the floor with little care. Her breasts may be on the small
side, but they were high and firm. The men—okay, the two men she’d been with,
one in high school and one in college—didn’t seem to mind. In fact, they both
said they loved them.

The snap on her shorts came undone
with a loud pop. She pulled the sides apart, did a little shimmy to help the
denim fall to the floor. If the little devil in her put a little extra wiggle
in her hips, well, it was his fault for saying she wasn’t his type. Of course,
that extra movement made her world spin
a little too much,
making her lose her balance. Luckily for her, she had a big strong man to catch
her.

“Stop shaking your ass and get in
the tub, woman.”

Pressed up against him, she felt
the unmistakable proof that he did indeed want her. He may not, but his body
did. She loved the feel of his muscled chest against her already oversensitive
nipples. His arms felt like steel bands wrapped around her, making it hard to
move the way she wanted.

“This tub is big enough for two.
You wanna get in with me?” Cora stood on her tiptoes, stared up at eyes so blue
she could get lost in them. For a moment she thought he was going to agree, but
then a look of tension fell over his face, there one moment and gone the next.

“In you go.”

Cora squealed as Zayn lifted her
up and deposited her into the cool water without further ado. Before she could
sputter a word, he spun on his heel and practically ran from the bathroom. A
laugh bubbled up at the absurdity of the situation. There she sat in water too
cold to be considered comfortable, in a pair of sheer panties that did nothing
for modesty, while the big bad wolf ran from her. The last thought made her
laugh. She sank further into the cool water. It really did feel wonderful on
her overheated body.

A shiver wracked her frame
sometime later, followed by another and another. Her teeth began to clatter,
but she’d be damned before she yelled for help from the scaredy cat Zayn.

She sat as long as she could in
the cold water with her knees to her chest, hoping it would help while time
ticked by at a snail’s pace. By the time her fever was either down or she was
close to hypothermia, she pulled herself out of the water.

The sopping wet underwear joined
the rest of her clothes on the floor. Her stomach growled
,
reminding her she hadn’t eaten in what seemed like forever.

Not one to hide, Cora wrapped an
extremely large towel around herself and headed back to the kitchen, a little
upset to see it empty. The whole house had an air of emptiness.

In the fridge she found the steaks
and baked potatoes, along with the salad all wrapped up like they were put
there for her. She pulled them out and made herself a heaping plate after
warming the steak in the microwave and carried it out to the back patio. The
sun had set some time ago, but she felt safe, even though she was basically
naked and sitting on a stranger’s deck—a man who said she was not his type. And
didn’t that hurt? She sniffed back a tear, refusing to let him or any man ruin
her meal.

The sound of leaves crunching off
to the side brought her gaze up to see Zayn staring at her from the side yard.
She narrowed her eyes, remembering the way he’d dropped her in the water and
left her. Something told her he was running. From what, she didn’t know. He
gave off
a
don’t
touch me
vibe that suited Cora just
fine.

She waved what was left of the
T-bone steak she held in her hand, which was basically just the bone. When she
realized she’d been chewing on the bone like a dog, she tossed it back onto the
plate.
Gross. What is wrong with me?

“Out for a run, Mr. Malik?” Cora
asked with a bite.

“You could say that.” Zayn bounded
up on the back deck. “I’m glad you found the plate I left you.”

“Yep.”

“Why are you mad at me?” Zayn
stood with his hands on his hips in a pair of jeans and nothing else, glaring
at Cora like it was her fault that he was angry.

“Why am I mad at you? You’re the
one standing over me like a bull with smoke coming out of your ears. You’re the
one who dropped me in a tub of subzero water.”

“No, you’re mad because I didn’t
fuck you. Isn’t that right? If that’s what’s got your panties in a snit, then I
can fix that. All you gotta do is
ask
.” Zayn rubbed
his crotch.

“Fuck you.” Cora jumped up from
the table. “Oh, by the way…I don’t have panties on.”

“That’s not asking, baby.”

His mocking words had Cora wanting
to smack the smug look on his face. Only the fact she was scared she really
would climb him like a bitch in heat, kept her from turning back to face him.

* * * *

Emerson Glade got up from his
favorite chair to stare out at the landscape of the Black Hills. He could hear
his mate stir in their bedroom, missing his warmth, but the feeling of
impending change was in the air. He may not be the leader of the pack any
longer, but he was still a dominant. He’d given up being the alpha without a
fight to a man he knew deep in his soul was right for the position. He’d been
ready to hand the reins over to his own son when he’d become a man, but that
time was snatched from them. Emerson, Jr. had made too many foolish mistakes.
His son and heir had died during a fight with another shifter, and because it
was a fair fight, Emerson could do nothing but bury his son.

His daughter, Emma, had been his
last hope for their line to continue. When she fell for a shifter not of their
pack, there were many who had protested. Niall Malik had proven he was more
than worthy of his baby girl and every bit the alpha they needed. Emerson
credited the increase in their numbers to Niall and his men. They had moved to
Mystic River, and within a couple years their pack had grown by leaps and
bounds. Now he had his grandson, Nolan, who was so much like his beloved Emma.
Sadness gripped him at the thought of his daughter, who died so foolishly. A
hunter, illegally hunting on pack lands, had shot and killed his beautiful
girl.

He wiped impatiently at the tears
streaming down his cheeks. An alpha who didn’t cry was not a man, in his
opinion.

A warm body stepped up behind him,
wrapped him in a tight embrace. “Why are you up so late?” His mate Payton
rested her chin on his shoulder.

“I feel something in the air.” He
pulled her around to stand in front of him. The big picture window faced the
moon, bathing them in its rays.

“Me too, although I believe it’s
my fey-half telling me something. Maybe I’m rubbing off on you.”

The humor in her voice relaxed him
like nothing else. Like most shifters Payton was close to six feet tall, even
though she had fey blood in her, she took after her father’s people. Her
mother, Magdelyn, was fey and even though she was tiny in comparison to a
shifter, Emerson was even more scared of her than he’d been of her dad, Archie,
who was all
wolf
.

“My mother would never have hurt
you.”

He snorted. “Bull crap.”

“Well.” She laughed. “She only
hurt those who hurt her babies.”

Emerson turned his mate around in
the circle of his arms. “I’d never hurt you intentionally. You know that,
right?”

“Of course I do. That’s why you’re
still a functioning man, my love.” The twinkle in her whiskey colored eyes sent
blood surging south of his waist band. He began walking backwards, careful of
the furniture. Without pausing, his wife used her abilities to turn off the few
lights that were on, as he fused his mouth over hers. His only wish was they
could still have cubs, but at close to eighty, that ability wasn’t in the cards
for them, even though they didn’t look a day over fifty. No matter their age,
he suspected they’d be making love well into their hundreds. The lifespan of a
typical werewolf could be hundreds. He pressed his lips to his mate’s mouth,
claiming her all over again. Their bodies moved together, reaching the heights
of pleasure as if it was new.

Lying with his mate in his arms,
Emerson should be sated, should be ready for sleep to claim him, but a nagging
sensation that something was coming, something that was going to change
everything, and they needed to prepare, pounded at his head.

“You can feel it too, can’t you?”
Payton rubbed her hand over his chest.

“Do you know what it is?” He laid
his much larger palm over his wife’s.

“I get a glimpse of a young woman
running, being chased by a pack of wolves.”

“Could be the doctor,” he
murmured.

“No, this woman will come to mean
something to Niall.”

“Our grandson did bite her. Maybe
his father will turn her?” Even though he said the words, he didn’t believe it.
He couldn’t see things the way Payton could, but his gut wasn’t telling him the
good doc was his son-in-law’s. No, she was meant for someone else, the other
man just had to get his head out of his ass and realize it before it was too
late. That was something that Emerson planned to tackle in the morning.

“You need to rest. Tomorrow will
take care of itself.” Payton yawned, a jaw cracking yawn.

“I know you’re right,” he agreed.

“I’m always right.”

He pinched Payton’s still firm
backside and settled more firmly into his pillows. His mate was always right,
but he wouldn’t tell her that. Her husky chuckle let him know she was aware of
his thoughts. As a mated shifter pair, telepathy was as normal as breathing.

Chapter Three

Cora woke up screaming. The dream
seemed so real she could feel the sharp teeth tearing into her flesh, ripping
into her, shredding her apart as they feasted on her like she was their last
meal. Her throat felt raw, and she was soaked from head to toe with sweat.

After she had run from Zayn, she
had found the bag with her clothes and put on a pair of basketball shorts and a
tank top with a built in bra, not that she needed any. Still a girl wanted a
little protection. Now she needed a shower, but a cold glass of water was first
on her list of must haves.

She turned her ear towards the
closed door to listen for any sounds, like she could pick up any noise. She
shook her head at the absurd action, before flinging the damp sheets off and grimaced
at the thought of climbing back into the bed with distaste.

On silent feet, she tiptoed into
the kitchen, happy when she didn’t encounter her unwanted host. No, happy
wasn’t the correct word if she was being honest. When she thought of Zayn, she
was intrigued, horny, and angry. For the most part she was horny. All she had
to do was picture him and her body went hot—well, hotter than from the fever—and
wet. God, she was wet and ready.

Cora held the cold glass to her
forehead and imagined what it would feel like to have Zayn want her like she
wanted him.

After several glasses of cold
water, feeling marginally better, she looked across the kitchen counter. The
large leather sectional in the living room looked a lot cooler than the damp
sheets she’d just left in the room she was allocated. With a quick study of the
clock, she decided she’d take a quick nap for the remaining couple of hours
before sunrise and be up before Mr. Asshat even knew she was there.

A sigh escaped her lips at the
feel of the cold material beneath her. It felt so good against her overheated
flesh. She knew she probably should’ve taken a shower before lying back down,
knew she’d rest better not being all sticky with dried sweat, but the leather
was soft like butter. Another sigh escaped her lips as her eyes drifted closed.

She was on fire again. The bite on
her arm throbbed. Everywhere her clothes touched irritated her flesh. With
impatient hands, she shoved her shorts off, sighing when an immediate sense of
relief washed over her. The leather couch hugged her, welcomed her, or maybe
that was her imagination. Her pussy throbbed, and her nipples ached. The top
chafing, making her want to take it off, only a sense of modesty kept her from
acting on the impulse.

No stranger to touching herself,
Cora needed relief. For every beat of her heart, she felt an echo between her
legs. She sucked two fingers into her mouth and swirled her tongue around each
digit before reaching under her lace briefs. Her body jerked as she unerringly
touched her swollen clit. “Oh, yes,” she whispered.

Trailing her fingers down farther,
she gathered more of her own juices and rubbed in small circles, not wanting to
come too quick.

A male groan shattered the
otherwise silent room. Cora stilled her fingers, and her head turned toward the
hallway leading to the bedrooms. Standing in a pair of loose sweats was Zayn.
His eyes seemed to glow from the moonlight shining through the huge picture
window, but his gaze didn’t meet hers. No, they were focused on where her
fingers were.

Instead of being embarrassed, she
decided to give him a show. With her free hand, she pushed the lacy fabric
down, exposing what she was doing to his rapt attention. She used one hand to
open herself up, showing him how wet she was, then retraced her fingers to her
opening, plunging two fingers into her pussy. She couldn’t hold back the cry
from how good it felt to be filled by anything, even her own fingers. Her eyes
slid closed, unable to watch to see if he enjoyed the show. She pumped in and
out with one hand, using the heel to rub her clit.

“Fuck,” she panted. She was on the
edge of orgasm when her hand was removed to be replaced by Zayn’s tongue.

“What are you doing?” Cora asked,
near the edge.

“You taste so good.”

Even though he didn’t answer, she
didn’t care. She wanted to come. God, when was the last time she needed to come
this badly? She ran her hand through his hair, amazed at how soft it was.
“Don’t stop, please, don’t stop.”

A rumble was her answer, and then
he pressed two of his fingers into her. She forgot all about his hair or hers.
She was all about sensation. She screamed as she came harder than she’d ever
come in her life, but it wasn’t enough. She wanted, no, she needed, more than
his fingers filling her.

“Zayn, I need you. Please, please,
don’t leave me. I’m begging you to fuck me.
Now.”

In the bright light of the day,
she knew she was going to kick her own ass for the whining and begging, but at
that moment she didn’t care. Her body was like a living flame, ready to burst
into a million pieces if he didn’t fuck her.

“You don’t know what you’re
asking. It’s just the fever. Here, let me take care of you.”

When Zayn rubbed his fingers on
her oversensitive clit, Cora tried to pull away. With strength that shocked
her, she flipped their positions, sitting astride Zayn with only a thin pair of
sweats separating their bodies.

She grabbed the hem of her tank
and jerked it above her head, loving the way his blue eyes riveted to her
breasts. Her nipples had always been sensitive to the touch, but with his gaze
tracking her fingers as she pinched them into tighter points, they became hard
peaks. She ground her wet core against his extremely hard erection, an erection
that would’ve scared her if she was in her right mind, but she was hornier than
she’d ever been.

“If you don’t want to take care of
me, then I will just go out and find me another man who wants me, Zayn.” With
each word she rubbed up and down his shaft.

He growled and reversed their
positions so fast her head swam. “Mine,” he growled.

The deep rumble had her pussy
quivering in need. The impatient way he shoved his sweats down and kicked them
off had excitement flooding her system. The vision of a naked and erect Zayn
made Cora wetter, if that was even possible. She spread her legs wider in a
display of wanton need. “Then take me, Zayn.”

She wasn’t sure what she’d
expected. Being flipped on her stomach and onto her hands and knees wasn’t it.
Again, she didn’t care as long as he filled her.

The sound of foil ripping open
almost made her whimper at the loss. She wanted to have his seed bathing her
insides and shook her head.

“Are you changing your mind?”

Cora looked over her shoulder.
“What?
No, hurry for the love of God.”

With that, Zayn wasted no time,
and for that Cora was pleased. If she had more time to think on her irrational
thoughts, she wasn’t sure she’d have wanted to continue. Of course that was
before he began.

Zayn surged into her in one
thrust, filling her to the point of pain.

“Damn, you’re so fucking tight.
Don’t move.”

That was a truly laughable thing
for him to say. Cora felt like someone had shoved a two by ten into her. She
literally froze, hoping he’d back out slowly without ripping her in half. Her
arms shook from the strain of holding herself up. How long would it take for
him to go soft and get out?

“I’m sorry I hurt you. Just hold
still. Your body will adjust,” he grunted.

“You’re not the one with a fucking
baseball bat shoved up your hoo-ha.”

Zayn laughed. “Relax, baby. I
promise to make you feel good.” He reached between their bodies and touched
Cora’s clit, but she jerked away. “Don’t do that, honey.”

The endearment made Cora feel
special and eased some of her tension even though she knew it was silly.

“That’s it.” Zayn strummed her
clit.

He was so much larger than her,
his body blanketing her much smaller one, she felt sheltered. His hand between
her thighs, his cock inside her, waiting for her to be ready for him to move,
and she was ready. Her hips swiveled, pulled away enough to feel the slide of
his cock against the swollen tissue of her inner walls.

Two of his fingers traced where
his dick was buried inside her and then his body seemed to shake all over, he
sucked in a breath. Just as she opened her mouth to question him, he pulled
back and slammed back inside. She straightened her arms, her body more than
ready for the pounding Zayn was giving it. She met his thrust with one of her
own,
climbing the peak of bliss she was coming to recognize
only Zayn could give her.

She pushed toward the ecstasy, the
orgasm so close she shook with the need to let go. When it finally struck, she
let free a keening cry, feeling so liberated with him it increased her
pleasure. She turned her face into the arm so close to her head, the urge to
bite the roped flesh riding her, one she was unable to resist.

The man behind her howled his own
pleasure, or possibly from pain, she wasn’t sure. She tasted the copper taste
of blood, not a lot, but enough to let her know she’d broken skin. Zayn’s grip
on her hips tightened moments before his hot breath fanned her neck, and his
own teeth gripped her shoulder. He bit down, making another orgasm washed over
her. The contractions of her pussy squeezed him, milked him, his hips continued
to thrust long after he should’ve stopped. They were locked together
physically.

Her foggy brain tried to work out
the irregularities of the situation, but exhaustion claimed her. The last thing
she remembered was the feel of Zayn finally slipping out of her body and away
from her neck. She thought he murmured something about accidental wolf, but
wouldn’t swear on it. She was just happy to sleep.

* * * *

Zayn carefully slipped from his
mate’s body, wincing at the word
mate.
He should’ve let her go to his brother’s house when he’d offered, but just the
image of her in Niall’s arms sent a red-hot rage over him. Now, there was no
going back, not for him or her. She was his mate whether he wanted her or not.

The memory of her tight, wet heat
enveloping him sent fresh blood to his recently softening cock. The knowledge that
he’d been too rough with her kept him from joining her on the sofa, that and he
now needed to tell his brother what he’d done.

He lifted Cora into his arms and
carried her to his bed. The sight of the twisted sheets told a story of her
fitful sleep. “Damn it.” He detoured to the room he’d been sleeping in with the
standard king bed. At least it had clean sheets. He hadn’t slept in it after he
brought Cora to his home.

She made a soft sound that brought
out his protective instinct as he laid her in the middle of the bed, leaving
the comforter off until he was able to wipe her down. After he made quick work
with the use of a cool wet cloth over her body, between her thighs, he found
semen. When a shifter mated, their wolf would also mate, knotting them together.
Obviously a condom can’t hold up under all that strain. “Fuck,” he rumbled. He
didn’t sense her wolf yet. Would they have a full bond if only part of her
mated him? He needed answers.

Now he had to face his alpha, not
as a man, but as a wolf. He stepped off his back deck naked and faced the moon
letting the change take over. Unlike in the movies, his bones didn’t pop and
crack. One moment a man stood, and then next a wolf was in his place. It was
the same for a human who was turned wolf, only they had to be shown how to
complete the change.

He went through the woods
separating their homes, taking his time like a prisoner being led to the
gallows.

The larger wolf met him in the
clearing made for pack meetings, the sacred circle where marriages of sorts
were performed, sentences, and even punishments were meted out. Now it was
where he would tell his brother, his alpha that he had taken a mate. Although
it wasn’t strictly against the rules and he wasn’t the first to bite her, Zayn
still worried there would be some elders on the council who wouldn’t be happy
with what he’d done.

Niall stood tall on four legs,
waiting for Zayn to enter. Behind him the other members of the pack had
gathered. Zayn should’ve known his brother would’ve called a pack meeting. Their
bond was strong, and as alpha he had to have sensed a shift when a new member
joined their ranks. It was up to the council to decide if Zayn and Cora would
be welcomed or outcasts.

Whatever their decision, he would
not cower like a pup. He jumped over the ring of boulders and faced Niall like
an equal, causing a chorus of growls from the council. He wasn’t challenging
the alpha. Zayn proved this by turning his head to present his throat.

Their old alpha Emerson and his
mate Payton were the first to take a place around the center fire in human
form. That seemed to be the signal for the rest of the council members. While
Zayn respected most of them, there were several who still didn’t believe Niall
was the right choice for alpha. When Niall’s wife Emma had been killed, the
council wanted Emerson to resume the position. Niall had to prove in this very
circle that he was top alpha, defeating several of the enforcers and killing
one of them. It wasn’t a job Zayn envied, but he had his brother’s back then,
and knew Niall would have his now.

Zayn waited until the last of the
council shifted, until just he and Niall were the only two wolves, and then he
shifted, followed by Niall.

“As alpha, I felt a shift in the
fabric of our pack. As many of you elders, I’m sure, felt also.” Niall looked
around the gathering. “You all have been informed about my cub biting the local
vet, Cora Welch, yesterday.” Niall waited for the murmurs to quiet down. “She
was brought to my brother’s home for safety reasons and has since become his
mate.”