“I’ll be your girlfriend, but I won’t be your damsel in distress.I’m not helpless, and you need me.”
He needed her, but not for this.This was too dangerous.But he knew the look.The hard, cool look that said he was flirting with disaster if he pushed the issue.He didn’t want to start his new relationship in the doghouse.It wouldn’t hurt for her to accompany him to the hospital, although there was no way in hell he’d allow her anywhere near Nickelova.
“Okay.Get ready.We’ll go together.”
She stood up, allowing the covers to fall from her body and giving him an unobstructed view of her lithe figure.Although his body was sore from last night’s activities, he hardened again at the sight of her, the round curve of her ass and sway of her hips.His wolf growled, and his skin rippled with a desire to own her, to mark her, to claim her.
When she saw the look in his eyes, she squealed and ran for the shower.He caught up to her in three long strides, snagging her around the waist.His hands explored her body, her hair, her perfectly round ass.His wolf surged inside him.Pressing his lips to the soft skin behind her ear, he growled, “Mine.”His eyes flashed yellow in the bathroom mirror, that part of his soul that was the wolf joining the party.He was done fighting this.
“Yours.”She panted, her pulse hammering against his lips.
Without a word, he wrapped his hand in her hair and tugged, watching her reflection as she braced herself on the pedestal sink, arched her back, and spread her legs wider.She was ready for him, the scent of her arousal a sharp tang in his nose.He entered her from behind in one slick thrust, a growl rending from his throat.
She gasped, her eyes fluttering closed.Holding back was torture, but he forced himself to wait for her grip on the sink to relax.The hungry look she cast over her shoulder at him then was all the encouragement he needed.He pulled out, almost to the tip, and then thrust into her hard and fast.She moaned and arched, lifting her ass so he could get a better angle and moving against him.Quickening the pace.Fuck, she was wet and needy.He wasn’t going to last long with her bucking against him like this.
Reaching between her legs, he stroked circles around her clit, his thrusts becoming more and more urgent, the sound of flesh slapping flesh bouncing off the tile.The feel of her inner walls tight around his cock, her flushed face in the mirror, drawn from pleasure, eyes hooded and breath coming in pants, it was everything he’d wanted from the first time he’d touched her.
His wolf surged.
Shoving her head to the side, he folded over her and bit down on the place her shoulder met her neck, unleashing himself and claiming her with a possessive growl that was purely animal.
“Silas!”Her body convulsed, her inner walls pulsing around his cock, Breathlessly, he gave in to his own orgasm.Goddess, she was a drug, pure ambrosia.Precious.His vice.His mate.How had he refused this for so long?
When he finally came down from the high, he pulled back and licked the mark he’d left in her flesh.Still deep within her, he brought his lips to her ear.“I’ll protect you if I want to, Meredith.It’s my prerogative.A wolf protects hismate.”
Goddess help him if she had a problem with that label.The deed was done.As far as he was concerned, she was his.But he needn’t have worried.She turned in his arms and kissed him like there was no tomorrow.
When Silas reachedLaina’s room, Meredith at his side, he was relieved to find his sister sitting up and eating lunch and Selene tucked into Jason’s side, completely recovered.The color was back in both their cheeks.If he hadn’t known better, he wouldn’t have guessed his sister had been in a coma less than twenty-four hours ago or that Selene had coughed up a frightening amount of cursed powder.
“It’s about time,” Jason said.“For a detective, it took you long enough to catch on to what was happening here.”
Silas ignored him, crossing the room to give Laina a kiss on the cheek.“Welcome back, sister.”
Laina pulled him into a hug before glancing behind him.“Is this the legendary Meredith?I don’t remember meeting you, but Jason and Selene told me you were here before.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better.”Meredith shook her hand.
“I’m glad my brother finally has a partner,” Laina said.“I’ve always worried he didn’t have enough backup.”
Silas was tempted to protest the partner remark out of habit but stopped himself.Meredithwashis partner and more.“Laina, I hate to pressure you, but we need to know what happened.You said something about a dragon.”
She nodded.“I was coming out of Four Paws, still in the parking lot.It wasn’t even fully dark.Nickelova appeared out of nowhere and stabbed me three times with a dark black blade.She was gone before my head hit the pavement.”
Silas furrowed his brow.“It wasn’t Nickelova.”
“It was!”Laina scoffed.“I think I know what she looks like by now.We were face-to-face when she stabbed me.I was close enough to smell her hair.”
“She doesn’t have a heart,” Selene said.“Jason and I watched her seal herself into a cocoon at the top of her mountain.She was mortal and miles away from any help in one of the most brutal environments on the planet.”
Laina met his gaze.“I know what I saw.She’s here, in Carlton City, and she stabbed me.”
Meredith gripped the bedrail beside him and squinted at Jason and Selene.“Isn’t it possible?You said she put herself in the cocoon.She might have taken herself out.She’s more vulnerable without a heart, but if she’s willing to take the risk, she could be the one helping Alex.”
“He ripped her heart out of her chest,” Jason said.“Why would she help the man who tore out her heart?”
Meredith shrugged.“I don’t know.But I believe your sister.”
“Why would I lie?”Laina said.
