SHADOW
“I’m sorry. I know things won’t be back as they used to be, but I will wait until you’re ready. Just don’t shut me off. I can’t take it any longer, Shadow.”
One thing I noticed in him when he came yesterday was that Califf lost some weight, and I saw dark circles under his eyes. And it hurt a lot when he suffered like this because of what I did.
“Zack said a wild goat is coming our way.”
“Finally.”
“Take it.” He gave me space.
“Don’t be a pussy. Do it.”
His body shook to laugh. Why were we hunting if we couldn’t conceal ourselves, although their scents were already good bait?
“You should stop laughing, or you will miss it,” I whispered. “You got this. Just take a breath.” Then I saw the mountain goat. “Damn, she’s pretty.”
I only heard a whoosh. Then, the goat fell.
“Damn. I owe you a dinner.”
“In Southampton. But the goat is only a few yards.”
I patted his back before I got up. “Take the win, big guy.”
Once we were done hunting, Zack gave the goat to Alpha Frye, and then we headed back to the cabin.
“Are we lost?”
“Nope, Zack. Technologically speaking, the shield is a biometric coded to my DNA. Only mine and Zarah can activate and deactivate the cloaking mechanism.”
“That’s awesome.”
“You two should talk,” Califf said.
“I will.” Zarah was right. I was selfish. I knew Califf was hurting, and his wolf was suffering, and here I was, trying to prove myself valuable to them.
We got in the cabin. Zack and Califf brought back my things up. I went to the fridge for something to drink when Zack was already behind me, startling me.
With my hand on my chest, I chided him. “Seriously? Are you trying to give me a heart attack? I’m human now, remember?”
“You’re still young to have a heart attack.”
“What do you want?”
“I eavesdropped.”
I cringed and hit him on his arm. “That’s not funny.”
“I know, but if you’re doing this to make him happy, leave him after that. Don’t do it. You’re going to kill him slowly, Shadow. Please? He’s my Alpha. We need him. We need you, but don’t play games with his heart.”
“Are you done?”
He stepped back. “Yeah. I got to go.”
My brows furrowed. “Where are you going?”
“Hang out with the Alaskan men. They seem cool.”
“Yeah, they are. How are you going back there?” I drank the OJ I found.
“They’ll be here in a minute.”
“Did you tell your Alpha?” I studied him. I felt like he had a plan or something.
“Of course. He’s cool with it. I’ll be back in the night.”
“Okay. Take care.”
“Laters.” He went to the door and walked out.
After I locked the door, I went upstairs and found Califf in my bed with my book.
“Zack left.” I took off my outer gear and socks.
“He asked permission.”
“Are you hungry?”
“Not really.”
I went to the bathroom to freshen up. I didn’t know why I suddenly felt nervous with my husband around. I took off my clothes, just undies, and then I joined him in bed.
“It’s a very interesting book.” It was a self-help book that I bought last week.
“Shut up.” I grabbed it from him and put it on the nightstand. The next thing I knew, I was underneath all his hardness, but he didn’t kiss me. He stared at me, piercing me with his intense gaze, unmoving, without a single word, like memorizing every freckle on my face and counting my lashes.
“Are you just gonna stare at me or what?”
“I miss you, but I don’t wanna make a move until you’re into this.”
“If you won’t kiss-” His lips were already pressed against mine. The moment our lips locked, I instantly moaned. My heartbeat went haywire.
I kissed him back.
Our kiss was an open-mouth, savage, hungry, bone-aching kiss. It was a hard kiss but soothing, reassuring me that he wasn’t going anywhere.
I quickly took off my bra, and he pulled down my panties, leaving me completely naked under him. My breasts were sensitive. My nipples were hard and started to ache.
“Why am I nervous?” I asked with a chuckle.
“I feel your heartbeat.” He kissed me again, flexing his hips, and I spread my legs apart for him. “I want you, but you can say no.”
His erection felt like a pipe sheathed in silk pressed against my aching clit.
“If you’re not inside me in five-” I shivered, groaned, and threw my head back as he thrust his cock inside me.
He kissed my jaw down my neck, sucking the skin where he last bit me. He rocked his hips, loving how he stretched me with every thrust.
“I thought I wouldn’t have felt this again. Baby, you don’t know how much I fucking miss this, how much I miss us.”
I spread my thighs further. “Fuck me.”
He gave it all to me, growled, and made an animal sound so sexy and carnal as he fucked me, giving me what I craved for weeks.
I moaned and writhed beneath him. With deep strokes, I felt every inch of him, his touch, his kiss, and his breaths against my neck. Our mating bond may be gone, but what we felt for each other was real- everything that happened between us was real, and no cosmic play could break us apart.
Then he fucked me hard over and over again, kissing me hard, holding me tight until I moaned into his mouth.
I groaned out to break free. “Claim me again. Mark me. Take me. Own me, Califf.”
He stopped. When I opened my eyes, he was staring at me without blinking. The world seemed to stop spinning. Everything around us just went freezing.
“Why?”
Panting and shaking, I groaned in frustration. “Because I want us.”
“Is that why you wanted me to come with you to Southampton?”
My heart stopped pumping.
I was glaring, my emotion thawing, cold, and frozen instantly. One moment, I was so aroused. The next second, I was burning with rage, and every bone in my body quivered angrily. “Get off of me.”
“Baby, calm down. I’m just asking.”
“No. Your tone was accusatory. I don’t want to go on a date with you. Now pull your dick inside me, or I will stab you with a silver knife in my drawer.”
“Goddess.” He got off with me, breathing hard as he stared at the ceiling. “Why it has to be this way?”
I got up from bed and put my panties back. “Go home, Califf, or I will reject you.”
He was suddenly sitting on the bed, chest heaving as he stared at me, eyes in shock, tears welling, filled with pain. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“You don’t trust me. I can’t be with a man who doesn’t trust me and always question my decisions because I’m a fucking human!”