Page 81 of Hunted

He snarled with willing frustration, letting her tease him, stoke the fire higher and higher until he couldn’t stand it. He tightened his grip, immobilizing her so he could thrust into her, hot and hard and deep. She threw her head back, reveling in every stroke, and then he pulled her down against his chest, one hand wrapped around the back of her neck, fingers in her hair, the other still pressed against the small of her back.

“I missed you so much,” she whispered. “For so long.”

That pushed him over the edge. A few more thrusts and then he exploded inside her, pushing her into another climax more intense than the first, his teeth on the skin of her neck…

Only this time he bit down. Hard, deep, into skin and muscle, blood and iron in his mouth. Life. Soul. All of it.

And he hung on.

Blue light exploded from their joined bodies, spreading out through the bunker walls, through the floor. It raced through the territory like a flash flood, through every rock and tree and blade of grass, through every wolf, even through the Big House, and into the well of mystery at its heart.

It stopped at the edges of their territory, glowing in curtains of blue light, rising into the sky like northern lights.

Gunn could feel each and every wolf, the way he had when he first bonded them, only even more intensely. Their hopes, their dreams, their needs, their resentments, their longing to belong.

Then he was back in the underground room. Mikey lurched underneath him, taking a deep shuddering breath, and opened her eyes. He released his jaws, and Changed back to human.

As he watched, the bite on her shoulder closed up and healed over, leaving only a faint scar.

“Gunn,” she murmured, raising her hand to his cheek. “That was fucking awesome.”

He pulled her into his arms, holding her close, laughing. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Michelangela stood shakily, still woozy from the drugs. Apparently the mating bond didn’t heal that. Good to know it wouldn’t keep her from getting drunk in the future.

She was glad Gunn was there to support her. Somehow, someway, he’d gotten here just in time. Her mate.

The bubble of magic around them dissolved, and they faced Thanatos. Gunn was naked, but it didn’t make him the least bit vulnerable. Power radiated from him.

“I should kill you right now,” he snarled.

“No.” She hadn’t even known she was going to say it, but the minute it came out of her mouth, she knew it was the right thing. Her mind was still wide open, and she sensed… something…

She said slowly, “I don’t know what he is, but he has a spirit that goes all the way down into the earth, rooted into this territory. And rooted into the pack bond. He needs to be here.”

“He tried to kill you.”

Thanatos said, “That was not my intention.”

“But you still did it.”

She could feel Gunn’s fury. All his wolf knew was that someone had put his mate in danger, and might do it again.

Michelangela put a hand on Gunn’s arm. “We can deal with him later,” she said. “Right now, the pack needs us.”

She could feel them gathered outside the house. Angry. Confused. Not understanding what had just happened.

From behind her, DB said, “She’s right. Go talk to the wolves.” She swung around to see him leaning against the wall, tossing lightning back and forth between his hands. “I’ll keep Thanatos company.” He grinned wickedly.

Waving his hand, he dissolved the magical barriers in the doorway. Gunn turned to Thanatos. “This isn’t over,” he growled.

Mikey kissed him, then Changed to wolf. Gunn did the same, and they walked out, shoulder to shoulder, to meet the pack.

Chapter 36

As they passed through the hallway to the elevator, dazed wolves staggered to their feet, all in animal form.