“You’re so perfect, aren’t you?” I don’t think I can control the words as they spill out, “Coming around me and I haven’t even played with your pretty little clit yet.”
Something shifts in the bushes near us, an unfamiliar whiff of tobacco drawing an unholy yowl from my throat. Arms wrap around my neck, pulling me down to meet satin lips at last, but my eyes roll up to watch the circling wolves. Shadows prowl through the woods, the reflective eyeshine glowing as they close in around us. I need to get my knot in her before they decide she’s still available.
“You’re going to come again, aren’t you? And this time I’m going to let you have my knotamorzhino,but I need you to earn it,” My hand snakes between us, my Omega squealing as I double down on my thrusts, driving her into the leaf litter. My other arm scoops under her hips, and I rock back on my knees. I’m going to need the leverage. She’s so damn tight, and I’m already half swollen. Skye’s hips wiggle, drawing me deeper with each push until we both feel the strain. She lets out a sharp whine, my fingers circling a little quicker, a little rougher until she’s writhing, and I catch at last, my knot sinking halfway before she tightens around me for a final time. Her muscles clench, drawing me that final inch. White blankets my vision, ringing in my ears as the pressure in my spine explodes, balls drawing up as I lock inside her, cock kicking with each spurt of hot cum.
Collapsing forward onto my forearms, I nuzzle her sweaty cheek, heaving in breath and shifting my hips. The last thing I need is to crush her beneath, whilst I catch my breath after she’s completely blown my mind. I can’t go back to a life without this now, knowing how perfect it feels to be buried in my scent match.
I wish it could last forever, but the danger around us is lurking, and it’s only a minute before the first of the wolves steps out of the dense leaf cover. They’re going to attack us regardless, because, like an idiot, I assumed they would leave us alone if they thought she was claimed. I should really know better than to think that bad guys follow the rules. Now we’re stuck together, vulnerable and without any protection until Fury can find us. Even then, it’s just one wolf against a whole pack. Leaning down to Skye, I disguise it as affection as I whisper in her ear, “I need you to hold onto me, as tight as you possibly can. Do not let go, no matter how much this might hurt us both.”
My muscles burn as I lift us both to sit back on my haunches. Skye is whimpering as it pulls at my knot within her, the barbs prickling, and I grimace at the discomfort. I will have to trust in her little monkey grip here, all but strangling me as I feel her tremble at the effort of holding on. Now, for a little party trick that I am hoping they won’t expect, just in time for the first wolf to come barreling in a flash of brown fur towards us. Shifting my hands and feet into a sort of half-form, I scale the tree behind us, wincing as the added weight grates my pads against the tree and my claws strain to pull us up. A dull thud sounds below us as the wolf hits the trunk, but we’re well out of reach by the time the rest join in, yipping and calling from the ground. A few try to jump or scramble with blunt claws against the bark, but the relief that none make it more than a few feet before crashing back down takes some of the tension from my body. Reaching a split in the branches that is wide enough to hold us both comfortably, I try to settle us somewhat, cradling my Omega against my body with my bare back against the rough wood, though I keep my claws out to score the face of any wolf that comes within biting distance of us.
“Lucas Amberwood,” A deep voice calls from below, and I can see just enough to note the thick, bulging form of Brynn Blackclaw, Cardinal of the pack, “Of course, you’d be the cat getting caught up in wolf business, how’s a third Omega treating you?”
Skye clutches at me, feeling the tremor that shakes me with the pain of memories. Tightening my grip around her, I note the goose flesh breaking out across her arms and back, the little whimpers despite the relative safety of the height. Terror has well and truly pushed her heat flare back up, and I wish my knot got the message too, so we could at least shift and remain warm whilst four big dark-coated wolves close ranks around their Cardinal below us. Pressing my nose against her hair, I busy myhands with grooming her, plucking leaves from the strands, and mumbling what are definitely useless placations.
Fury needs to hurry his ass up.
Skye
There doesn’t seem to be a good ending to this situation. Even if we do make it away from the damn vultures circling below us, I’ve just… Oh, my goddess, Lucas is still buried to the hilt, his knot blown and pulsing as he holds me. Despite the slow rise of his chest, his heart is galloping, and his scent is less seaside and more pure salt now, a tinge of copper, almost like blood tainting the air from his concern. Like the good Omega that I am—even with the danger below us—a quiet stuttery purr starts up as I attempt to comfort my Alpha. Part of me worries, because Lucas made it clear that he never wanted this, didn’t want another Omega to rely on him, to love and bond—only to be lost. But I’ve pieced together in my weeks here from snooped conversations and the way he watches me that maybe he’s not really sure about what he wants. With the gentlest of brushes through my hair, he shifts my whole world on its axis when it comes to him. He hadn’t even finished his damn orgasm and had already somehow managed to climb a tree with me hanging off him like a jiggly dead weight, and to my Omega's delight, he barely broke a sweat doing it. Apparently, the lithe lines of his muscle pleases her, and my purr amps up as I let a finger trace across the veins on his bicep. The muscles bunching and clinging me to him begin to relax, and he lets out a stuttering breath over my shoulder, hands stilling in their work. Voices below don’t disturb our quiet moment together in the chaos. Ignoringthe snarling and rumbling of a fight, I softly wind my fingers through his long hair and tug it back until he’s looking at me, golden-eyed and furrowed brows as he carefully contemplates.
“Tell me about our date tonight,” I demand in a harsh whisper, “what are we doing?”
There’s a sharp, amused exhale and a thump as he tips his head back against the tree, “Honestly? Not much different from this.” At my snort, he continues, “Okay, maybe fewer wolves involved, but I'm going to take you out to the cliff. There is a picnic and stargazing planned, so we can just sit and get to know each other properly.”
I can’t contain the smile that stretches my cheeks, and the ribbing that follows. “Damn, Doctor Amberwood, you’re a soft one, really.” A giggle breaks out as his eyes narrow to slits and he raises his lip in what would probably be threatening any other time, but with our lives possibly in danger now, it just serves to amplify the hilarity of this situation. “Why are you a surgeon anyway? Seems like a bad career option for someone who clearly hates everyone.”
Rolling his eyes at me, Lucas slides his hands through my hair and brings them down to rest on my hips, sinking his weird finger paw claws into the softness and kneading at it with the heel of the pads on his palms.Who knew that big cats made biscuits, too?“Who needs bedside manners when patients are rarely conscious? I’m a trauma surgeon, and the patients are usually too busy bleeding or dying to backtalk me… It keeps me busy and using my hands. Suits me just fine, I think. It’s the other doctors that are the problem; being cornered for invitations to barbecues and bar nights is a little much.”
“Hey, maybe you could take me, I’d love to know more about you from your colleagues… Maybe they’ll give me hints to annoy you.” I laugh again, only to feel the uncomfortable slip of his knot finally loosening enough to drop free. My cheeks heat as hisrelease immediately begins to leak out, and there is… There’s a lot, having been blocked up there with my slick, it's practically a floodgate, and my face screws up as I look at him. We both cringe a little as a heavy drip of liquid hits the floor beneath us, and the pack below seems to dart towards it, sniffing at the combined release. The human Cardinal of the pack, his back against the trunk below us, thick arms crossed over his chest, watches with some amusement as one of his Alphas darts their tongue out to lap at the fluids. Lucas makes a sound of disgust in his chest at that, glancing away from the scene below and back at me, ignoring the rising cacophony as the scent and taste drive the Alphas into a state.
“A cat would never,” he deadpans at me, and I try to muster another grin for it, but even I can feel the flatness of it. Our situation is becoming more dire. We can’t stay up this damn tree all night, and I don’t fancy our chances running for it. Even for a wolf-shifter, I’m on the smaller side, and I don’t think I could outrun any of the Alphas below me. Lucas might get back to the others, but then I’d be left alone… There are no plans that sound particularly successful or give me much hope, and my throat closes a little with the fear-tears that I know will hit any minute now.
Then, a ray of hope in the distance, a howl, furious in its pitch, not as far as last time. Below us, the pack all jump to attention, watching the direction that it’s coming from with ears flicking and hackles rising as they prepare for the fight. There are four down there, plus the Cardinal in his human form, and I just can’t see it going well for us at all.
“Luc…” The sound in my throat is a whimper before I throw my head back, the howl rasping through a human throat. It’s not the mating call of earlier, but a panicked cry, a plea for them to help, and I know they’ve heard it when a strange call echoes from closer again.Atlas.He’s gotta outweigh any of the wolveshere by twenty pounds, and maybe, just maybe, that will tip it in our favour. Swallowing hard, my fingers clutch around Lucas’s shoulders, nosing into his throat where the scent is strongest. With the approaching Alphas, he’s gone back to the clean salty waves, confident as he watches the sharks below.
Turning to me, my Alpha watches me, his skin glowing under the moonlight, his eyes bright and reflecting. His face is set like stone now, his expression almost completely neutral. But he takes my face in his hands, cupping my cheeks as he starts to shift, golden fur pouring through his bronze skin, rosettes darkening across his flesh. There's a delicate press of those curved talons to my cheekbone, so close to my eyes, and I know that he could blind me before I get away. But he won’t. Because despite it all, he’s my Alpha, my pack, and my scent match. To hurt me would tear him to pieces.
“How do you do that?” I whisper, raising a hand to stroke across the smooth fur, “I’ve never seen anyone else partial shift, but I don’t have much experience with shifters, I guess.”
“Only some Alphas can do it. Fury has a full half-form like those movie werewolves, I’m sure he’ll show you sometime.”
“Not Omegas?” I know the answer before I even ask.
“Not that we know of. But shifter Omegas are rarer than unicorns. Did youravónever tell you this at least?”
“Avó?My grandmother? She told me stories, sure, but she was an Omega shifter too, so I never really thought much about it.” I’m going to tell him more, but a wailing howl below takes us both by surprise. Atty flies into view, the dashing white saddle against his black and gray coat flashing as he charges through the others, bowling over the smaller wolves. My gentle giant of an Alpha is all but frothing at the mouth, snarling with his head low and dark ears pinned.
Rolling his shoulders, he snaps at one of the wolves he knocked over, turning just as another tries to bite him, then all Ican see is the flurry of fur on the ground. Barking and growling, I watch my Alpha fight for me, taking on four himself until Fury comes barreling in seconds later, his blood-red and black harder to see in the night.
A loud whistle breaks apart the strange pack, circling behind their Cardinal as he finally leans away from the tree, taking a step towards Fury.
“Anthony. Good to see you again.” My Alpha snarls so fiercely that I wince, feeling the power and dominance rolling from him as the shift begins to creep and shudder across him. Tanned skin pulls the umber fur back, and I can finally see him a little easier in the dark. Ignoring the other Cardinal, he looks at me, blue eyes icy and focused as he glances between Lucas and me, nodding quickly.
“You okay, Firecracker?” There’s a rumbling beneath his voice, so contrary to his usual playfulness. This is not the time to act up. I dip my head quickly, tucking myself further into Luc.
“I’m okay, Alpha, thank you.” It’s a respectful address and part of it still kicks and writhes in my stomach, but this pack won’t hurt me… They really, truly want me, and want to spoil me, so maybe, just maybe, fighting them isn’t necessary. Especially when they’re currently fightingforme, it’s only once I’ve confirmed my wellness, and with a subtle head bob from Lucas that Fury finally returns his attention to the Alpha. Atlas is still in wolf form, putting his big body between Fury and the other pack. There’s blood on him, I think, marring the silvery pale of his saddle marking, and both my wolf and Omega long to go down and check him over for injuries, but I force it down like a bitter pill, settling for watching the exchange.
