Love Bound in Ice: 3 (Werewolf Sentinels) (6 page)

Once they reached the ice cave, they stopped just inside the entrance and had a drink from the bottles of water they had in their backpacks. Haven pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head and watched Ketah drink. He had yet to say why he’d decided to come to this particular spot.

After he put his bottle away and she’d done the same, Haven said, “I’ve been here more than a few times.”

“I figured you would have but I doubt you’ve seen what I’m going to show you.”

He led her farther into the cave. She noticed the large hole about waist height in one of the walls that hadn’t been there the last time she’d gone there. Ketah handed her a flashlight. Haven bent and aimed the beam of light into the hole, then jerked upright with surprise.

“There’s another cave in there,” she said.

“I know. We can go inside. You’ll have to go headfirst through the hole.”

Haven didn’t hesitate to do just that. Holding the flashlight out ahead of her, she climbed inside the only entrance and pulled herself through. It wasn’t as large as the outer cave, but it was big enough. And who knew how old it was. It could have been hidden from sight for thousands of years.

“How did you find this?” she asked as she swept the flashlight around the cave once Ketah had climbed through the hole and stood beside her.

“I didn’t.”

Haven turned to look at him. “Did one of your friends?”

“No.”

Haven stared at Ketah. He looked as if he felt hesitant about something. His gaze flitted around the cave, then settled on her before jerking away again. She remained silent and waited for him to finally speak.

He looked her right in the face, and said, “I didn’t have to find this cave or have someone show me where it was. This was where my wolf brothers and I slept for ten thousand years. My alpha’s mate found the six of us and she was the one who widened the hole enough to get inside.”

Haven blinked, not sure if Ketah was pulling her leg. The expression he wore was serious without a hint of a smile. “You slept here for ten thousand years with five other guys?”

“Yes. I know it’s hard to believe, but I’m a Tlingit hunter from the Ice Age. I’m also an immortal werewolf, one of the sentinels.”

Okay, Haven didn’t have to worry about Ketah leaving her being the biggest problem she’d have to deal with when it came to him. After what he’d said, he had to be a nut job, or he was very good at pulling a prank.

“You’re joking, right? You can’t be serious.”

Ketah shook his head. “No, I’m not. I’d hoped to hold off on telling you all this until you’d gotten to know me better, but the dark wolves we were created to protect against are growing in number. If they find out you are my mate they could use you against me. Once I’ve claimed you, I can keep you safe.”

“You do realize you sound a little bit crazy, right? What you told me is coming across as a big, made-up story. Werewolves, mates and Ice Age hunters are not found in the normal, everyday world.”

“I know this is hard for you to believe but it’s all true. I’ll prove it to you.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. “All right, show me I’m wrong.” Not that she thought Ketah would be able to do any such thing.

“Just don’t be afraid. It’ll still be me.”

“Are you going to change into your werewolf form for me? Be some kind of half-man and half-wolf that stands on two legs and howls at the moon?”

“No. That’s only in the movies. But I will shift into a wolf.”

“Uh-huh. Okay, I’ll try not to freak.”

Haven was all prepared for nothing to happen, to have Ketah admit he was trying to get one over on her. She stared at him intently, ready to tell him to give it up, when his body blurred and shimmered. Her arms slowly dropped to her sides as her gaze remained transfixed on Ketah. It all happened rather fast. One minute he was a man, and the next, he’d become a wolf with black fur. And he didn’t look like the timber wolves that were native to Alaska. He looked like the long-extinct dire wolf. His legs were a little bit shorter, his head a bit wider, and he was stockier than the ones she was used to. Plus, his teeth were bigger too. As part of being a guide, she’d had to learn what animals would have roamed the glacier during the ice age.

That’s when Haven’s heart beat faster and her fight-or-flight kicked in. Flight won out. She backed away from the dire wolf as quickly as she could, only to have her back slam up against one of the ice cave’s walls. She shot her gaze around the space, looking for the only way in and out. A small whimper escaped her. It was behind the wolf, and to reach it she’d have to work her way around it.

Breathing fast, her heart thumping wildly, Haven kept her back to the wall as she slowly walked in the direction of her only escape route. She could do this. She’d get close enough and then make a run for the hole. So far the dire wolf didn’t act aggressive. In fact, he sat on his haunches and stared up at her, following her movements with his gaze.

She came so close to making it, but the dire wolf stopped her from bolting. He stood and placed himself directly in front of the hole just as Haven tried to make a run for it. She whimpered and backed up again.

Relax, Haven. I can hear your heart racing. I told you there is nothing to fear. It’s still me inside this wolf’s body.

Haven let out a shriek as Ketah’s voice filled her mind. She shook her head. “No, no, no. This can’t be happening. This isn’t supposed to be possible. And I can’t have a damn dire wolf telepathically talking to me.”

So you know what kind of wolf I am. We sentinels were the very first werewolves, and dire wolves were alive during the time we were turned. Modern-day werewolves become timber wolves.

She ended up with her back against the ice wall from where she’d started. The more the wolf “talked” to her the more fearful she became. Her whole body shook, especially when he slowly stepped toward her. She whimpered again and slid to the cave’s floor as her legs finally gave out on her. The wolf Ketah had become came even closer. Haven held out her hands to ward him off. Her heart beat so fast she was surprised she didn’t pass out. Somehow she had to get out of the cave but she had a feeling the wolf wouldn’t let her.

Chapter Six

Ketah smelled the bitter scent of Haven’s fear in the air around them, burning his nose. She sat on the cave’s floor and looked at him, wide-eyed. She was scared of him, not by a little but by a lot. He knew if he allowed her the opportunity she’d run for the hole and try to get away from him. Even though his blocking her attempts was only increasing the fear she felt, he couldn’t let her leave until she accepted what he was, what they were to each other.

Try to slow your breathing, Haven. You’re safe, I would do nothing to hurt you
, he urged, speaking in her mind as all werewolf sentinels were able.

She rapidly shook her head. “I don’t think I can handle this. Seeing you like you are now is just too scary. You need to shift back.”

No, not until you stay calm around me in this form. You have nothing to fear from me. You are my heart, my mate. I’ve waited so long to find you. Touch me.

“I can’t.”

Yes, you can. Even though I would normally consider this an insult, think of me as a dog. Pet me like you would one.

“You expect me to think you’re a dog? There is no way I can do that while I can see you.”

Then close your eyes. Just feel me.

Haven slowly lifted a shaky hand in his direction as she closed her eyes. Ketah ducked his lupine head and brought it under her outstretched palm. He rubbed against it until he felt her make the first tentative move to pet him herself.

The scent of Haven’s fear receded bit by bit, but didn’t totally go away, as she ran her hand through his fur along his entire body. He angled his head to look at her and saw she no longer had her eyes closed. Her gaze followed her movements while she stroked him.

Are you okay now?

“Not totally, but I don’t feel as if I have to worry about you ripping my throat out.” She met his gaze. “Can you shift back now?”

Ketah took a step back and reached for the spark of magic inside him to bring on the change. He took on his human form, willing on his clothes at the same time. He reached down to Haven, and once she placed her hand in his, he pulled her to her feet. He ran the back of his hand down her cheek. Haven flinched a bit but didn’t jerk away.

“Are you ready to believe what I have to tell you?”

“Yes. I saw you shift so I can’t say you aren’t a werewolf. And you being a dire wolf, they only lived during the Ice Age. I guess I have to believe you actually were from that time and that you slept in this cave for ten thousand years. What more is there besides you claiming I’m your mate?”

“I’m not just saying it, Haven. There is no question that you are mine. The first time I saw you trapped in that crevasse, I knew it the instant I caught your scent and it set off my mating urge. Only the woman meant for me could do that.”

“So what does that mean for me? I’m not exactly an immortal werewolf like you.”

“It means I want to claim you as my mate. Once I do, our souls will join and the mating bond will snap into place. After that, we’ll be tied, bonded, together by something stronger than any marriage. We literally won’t be able to stand to be apart from each other or we’ll suffer separation anxiety.”

“You’d never be able to leave me once it’s done?”

“No, never. I wouldn’t want to. I know you say you don’t believe in love, but I fell in love with you the second after I realized what you were to me.”

“You truly mean we’d always be together? I would never have to worry about you dumping me for someone else?”

“There will never be anyone but you. Even now I have no interest in another woman. I only want your hands on me. I wouldn’t be able to tolerate anyone touching me but you.”

“How would you claim me?”

“Making love to you fully for the first time would do it.”

“Then let’s do it. Now.” Haven shrugged off her backpack and dropped it to the ice cave’s floor and unzipped her jacket.

Ketah watched her tug it off. “What are you doing?”

“We’re going to do this right here and now. You’re going to make love to me and claim me as your mate. Then I want to test this separation anxiety and see how tied to me you’ll be.”

“I haven’t finished telling you everything you need to know to make the decision to accept me as yours.”

Haven bent and untied the rolled-up blanket from the bottom of her backpack. “Then get on with it.”

Ketah watched her spread the blanket out on the cave floor. Now he was the one feeling confused. She’d gone from being terrified of him to wanting him to make them mates.

“Once I’ve claimed you, in the very near future, I’ll want to turn you, make you a werewolf and as immortal as I am. I’ll have to bite you while I’m in my dire wolf form.”

Haven stood and looked at him. “Really? So not only you wouldn’t be able to dump me, we’d also have forever together?”

“Correct.”

“Even better.” She stepped closer, then pulled the zipper down on his jacket, spreading the two halves aside to run her hands along his upper chest.

He brushed her hands aside. “I don’t think we should be doing this here, not now. You’re not in the right frame of mind for it. You haven’t even said whether you can let yourself love me or not.”

She took hold of the straps of his backpack and slid them down his arms. Once he was free of it she placed it next to hers. “I’m already falling for you, Ketah. And now that I don’t have to fear that you’ll break my heart, it will only be a matter of time until I’ll be able to tell you.”

Haven closed the small space between them and went on tiptoe. She wrapped her hand around the back of his head and pushed it down so his lips met hers. She kissed him hungrily and pushed her tongue into his mouth. Ketah’s cock rose to the occasion, but he still didn’t feel that this was right. He’d never planned on their first time being in the ice cave where he’d slept for so long.

He lifted his head and looked at her. Haven’s cheeks were flushed with her arousal, and the scent of it filled his nose. “This isn’t the romantic place where I wanted to do this.”

“I don’t need romance. I just need you.”

Haven reached for the top of Ketah’s jeans and managed to undo the button before he grabbed her hands. She attempted to tackle the zipper but he stopped her. “That’s very nice, but I think you’re going too fast.”

“I don’t think so. Enough talking. Make love to me.”

Ketah took a step back and Haven followed him. They did this a few more times, all the while he had to keep her hands from getting to his jeans. And each time she managed to make contact his cock jerked in response, getting even harder.

Then in a move he totally didn’t expect, she grabbed him by the front of his t-shirt and swung him around. She somehow was able to trip him almost at the same time so he ended up falling onto the blanket on his back. She landed on top of him a few seconds later.

“You really are trying to make this difficult,” she said as she reached between them and finished opening his jeans. Her hand shoved inside his underwear and wrapped around his hard cock. “I don’t know why since you appear to be very keen on the idea.”

She stroked him, and Ketah couldn’t hold back a moan that leaned more toward a growl. With his mating urge riding him and Haven taking things into her own hand, literally, his will to resist melted like ice left out in the warm sunshine. He rocked his hips, pushing his erection tighter into her fist.

“All right,” he said in a husky voice. “You win.”

Haven sat up on him, straddling his hips. “Your eyes seemed to have taken on a muted glow. They did that for a bit when you shifted as well.”

“They are now because I’m extremely turned-on.”

“Oh, goodie. Then I can expect to get your big cock inside me very soon.”

She might have pushed him into doing this now, using his own need for her against him, but he wasn’t going to do it in a hurry. Ketah wrapped his arms around Haven’s waist and rolled with her so she ended up under him.

“You will but not yet,” he said. “There’s something I want to do to you first.”

He pushed up onto his knees and made quick work of undoing her jeans. He removed her hiking boots and shifted to the side to drag her pants and panties off, then returned to kneel between her spread thighs.

He leaned forward so he braced himself on his hands as he took her lips in a heated kiss. He licked and sucked, exploring her mouth with his tongue. Once he had her squirming, he kissed down the side of her neck. Since it wasn’t exactly warm in the cave, he left her shirt in place and continued downward until he was level with her pussy, his shoulders pushing her legs even farther apart.

He dragged his tongue along her wet opening and Haven moaned, her hips lifting. Ketah lapped at her again, loving the taste of her. He turned his attention to her clit, sucking and licking. His mate had her hands buried in his hair and yanked on it as she rode his face.

He pushed a finger into her pussy, pumping in and out, then added a second. Haven’s strong inner muscles clamped down around them. His cock ached. He couldn’t wait to plunge inside her and feel her wrapped around his shaft while he took her.

Haven’s breaths became ragged and she couldn’t seem to hold back her moans. Ketah knew she was close to release, but didn’t want her coming just yet. He pulled his fingers free of her body and gave her clit one last lick. She whimpered and tried to tug him back.

Ketah pushed his jeans and underwear down past his hips, then surged up between Haven’s thighs. He grasped his cock and led it to her slick entrance. He rubbed the head in her wetness and pushed forward. He rocked his hips, slowly seating himself to the hilt. She fit him like a glove, and he groaned at the pleasure of it.

He pulled almost all the way out and slid home once again. Ketah set a steady pace, one that was guaranteed to have both he and Haven coming soon. She wrapped her legs around his waist and matched him stroke for stroke. His cock grew harder as he plunged deep inside her pussy.

In and out he pumped, his dick growing harder still. His balls drew up closer to his body as his orgasm inched nearer. But then a piece of his soul reached out for Haven’s. The first light brush had him sucking in a sharp breath. And when they joined, became one, the mating bond snapping into place, Ketah couldn’t hold back the howl of pleasure that tore out of him. He sank into Haven one final time as she held tight on to his biceps, her pussy rhythmically clutching his cock in release. He followed her with an intense climax. After it ended, he collapsed on top of his mate.

“That was the mating bond, wasn’t it?” Haven asked breathlessly.

“Yes. I’ve claimed you. We’re mated.”

“And you’re still hard.” She shifted beneath him and he slid deeper inside her.

“Part of being a male werewolf. I can stay hard for hours at a time, even after coming more than once.”

“Another plus side to all this.” Haven pushed his shoulders until he rolled onto his back. She followed him, keeping his cock buried inside her pussy. “Now it’s my turn to ride,” she said as she gave him a sexy smile.

She leaned over and placed her hands on his chest as she kissed him deeply. Haven sucked his tongue into her mouth while she rode his cock, lifting up onto her knees, then sinking back down once more.

Haven kept the pace slow and steady, which drove Ketah’s arousal even higher. He lifted his hips to match her strokes, letting her have complete control over their lovemaking this time. He lifted his hands and palmed her breasts through her shirt. Nothing felt better than being buried inside his mate, watching as she took him while the pleasure she felt showed across her face.

Haven moaned. “I’m going to come again already. God, you feel so good.”

“I’ll be right behind you,” he said.

She rode him faster, her inner muscles squeezing him in a tight grip. Ketah reached between their straining bodies and found her clit with his fingertip. He circled it as he watched his cock slide in and out of her pussy. It was a beautiful sight.

Haven’s movements became choppy, then she fell into her orgasm. As her body clamped around his, holding and releasing his shaft, it pushed him into climax. His cock pulsed deep inside her, filling her with his cum. It seemed to go on and on. Another howl of pleasure pushed out of him.

He wrapped his arms around Haven as she lowered herself onto him, her head resting on his chest. There was no going back now. She was well and truly his. His mating urge no longer rode him, and he felt as if there was nothing bad in the world.

* * * * *

Haven pulled on her panties and jeans, feeling well-loved. Ketah had made her come twice more before the coolness of the ice cave started to get to her. He’d still been hard, proving just how long he could last.

She looked over at Ketah as he yanked up his underwear and pants. She smiled when her gaze dropped to his hiking boots, which still had crampons strapped to them. They had been in kind of a hurry, or at least she had. Haven didn’t regret not exactly playing fair to get Ketah to claim her as his mate. Once she’d managed to get her fear under control, and he had shifted back to his human form and explained everything, she’d known what she wanted—Ketah. He offered her something she thought would never be possible. She could give him her heart and she would never have to worry about him breaking it. Nor would she have to go through what her mother had. He would stay with her, quite literally, forever.