Page 16 of Come for Me
Our plan’s working. Caleb hasn’t sensed his mate this Hunt if he’s choosing to pursue me. Soon, he’ll mark me, making him eligible to assume his birthright as the pack’s alpha to appease his parents. Jemma will be happy I found someone to start a family with, and Taya and I can still see each other.
Everything is falling into place. I pick up the pace when Caleb’s paws pound behind me, instinct taking over. I’ve always been the fastest in the pack, and I like reminding the future alpha of this any chance I could get.
There was never any indication from Jemma of my mother being unnaturally fast for a wolf, and I don’t sense my abnormal speed as a power. Chalk it up to my small size, I guess.
I weave through the trees to lose him. The low branches up ahead spark an idea: let Caleb get close enough to let him think he almost has me. He nips at my tail. When we get closer, I dodge to the side, causing Caleb to get a branch to the snout.
Caleb chuckles.“You’ll pay for that.”
“Oooh, I’m soooo scared.”
“Come on, babe. Why delay the inevitable?”
With his question, the flight response subsides, allowing me to slow my pace as the logic returns. The sooner he marks me, the sooner I can access pack records. Another thought crosses my mind, invoking panic that my mate may soon realize I’m here and come for me before Caleb does.
My decision whether to end the cat-and-mouse game is quickly made for me as a boulder comes into view. I skid to a stop. Caleb’s pattering paws tells me he’s too close behind to run in the opposite direction.
Turning, I see Caleb’s wolf licking his chops and stalking closer to me while baring his teeth.
“Shift,”Caleb demands.
Giving into his command, I change into my human form. Caleb does as well, leaving us naked and vulnerable.
His reddish-brown fur recedes into his muscles, his tall frame rising. Everything about him is hard and powerful. He’ll be a good mate, an honorable alpha, and I’ll be his luna.
I raise my eyes to his and lift my brow in a challenge.It stops now.
Caleb is on me in an instant, one hand pulling me to him by the waist, the other caressing my cheek. His touch attempts to soothe me and my wolf. However, when his skin touches mine, it burns and crawls.
My wolf howls, raging a war inside of me, knowing our mate is here. She’s revolting against the idea. But I will be stronger.
His touch is a transgression. My wolf’s howls and threats to take over my body cause my human form to shake. I clench my teeth as I fight against my wolf.
We can’t lose our home and my family. The chance to know who we are. Don’t you want that?
My wolf growls,We can’t lose mate.
Once we mark each other, my wolf will stop fighting me, and his touch will elicit pleasure through our bond. I have grown to love him, and with the mate bond in place, I will fallinlove with him.
But as his hand glides over my hips, encircling my waist, things are changing. His fingers linger above my ass, pullingmy soft curves and large breasts against him, no longer eliciting moans from my lips.
I think about last night, when his embrace thrilled me. Now, in the same position, my nipples harden against his chest. Caleb is familiar, his hands having explored every inch of my body. Yet his touch feels like a violation. Only my mate can bring me such pleasures until the bond is erased and until Caleb’s mark claims me.
“Alaina,” he whispers, nuzzling himself into my neck.
Ignoring my unease, I tilt my head to allow him more access to my sensitive spot.
His toffee hair and hot breath tickles my ear, hands grasping my curves and pulling me into his hard form. His large erection throbbing against my lower abdomen stirs heat and pleasure.
Growling in appreciation, he says, “My luna.”
My gut churns at his words.
When I gasp in realization, Caleb misinterprets it as encouragement. As his wolf revels in the idea of claiming me against this boulder, his cock jerks against my stomach.
As he sucks the spot between my neck and shoulders, softening the skin in preparation for his mark, trepidation washes over me. The pressure would likely form a hickey, as if we were love-drunk teenagers. His lips coax moans from mine before he kisses me deeply. Just like he will in our future. I want this, but my heart aches thinking of another marking me.
Shaking the thought from my mind, I force my hands up his arms and caress his biceps. I hold still, keeping command of my wolf as Caleb prepares my flesh for his taking.
