Claimed Mate by Roxie Ray
1
Liv
The door swung open and my head jerked up. “Cal?” He didn’t reply, but the door thudded shut behind him. I got to my feet, slipping off the bed and hurried through the bathroom back into the living space. The cottage Corin had led us to was small, but I had no room to complain. We’d basically shown up at the farming cooperative unannounced, and they’d still found somewhere to put us within a matter of hours. Someone had moved in with a cousin, or something? The witch hadn’t exactly been forthcoming on the details, but I’d look into it later. Find out who gave up their cottage for us.
The sound of a cabinet door hitting a wall shook me out of my thoughts and I rounded the corner. There was no real divider between the L-shaped living space and the kitchenette. I’m not even sure you could call a countertop with a sink and a hot plate a kitchenette, but now wasn’t the time to argue semantics with myself. My wolf whined.
“Cal?”
He was hunched over the sink, knuckles pale as he clutched the edge like it was holding him up from tumbling off a ledge. I padded over carefully, brushing my fingertips against the small of his back. He startled and I flinched, drawing my hand back with a small frown. “Cal, talk to me. What’s going on?”
“It’s nothing,” he muttered, still staring holes into the sink basin. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. My wolf did not; her entire head rolled with the effort, huffing softly through her nose.
“Well, considering Corin and I left you so you could talk to your father in peace, and it’s been, like, what?” I pulled my phone out to check the time. “Ten minutes? Fifteen? I’m going to have to call shenanigans.”
It was enough to make him snort. The trance seemed to break and he turned partially to face me, releasing his death grip on the poor counter to fold his arms over his chest. The corner of his mouth lifted and my heart flipped over on itself. “Shenanigans, Liv? Really?”
I frowned, brows knitting together. “Shut up,” I muttered, a bit mulish. “You know what happened that time I swore in front of my mo— Lisa. When I swore in front of Lisa.” The story died on my tongue, my throat suddenly feeling thick. I tried to swallow down the lump. When I tricked to blink away the sudden prickling sensation in my eyes, I saw only her body exactly where I’d left it on the floor of the Burns’ mansion.
“Hey, hey. Liv. Look at me.”
I opened my eyes and looked up; Cal’s face had softened. He closed the small gap between us, placing his broad hands on my shoulders as I hugged myself. He gave a gentle squeeze, dark eyes studying my face. When my gaze fell, his hand found my chin, fingers gently tipping my face back towards his. “Liv. Whatever you’re telling yourself right now, you have to stop, okay?”
“Cal…” I couldn’t find anything to say. I shook my head and tried to look away.
“Uh uh,” he tutted, taking my chin a little more firmly. “Liv, look at me.” It was not a command. I felt in no way compelled, but… But I wanted to, in some strange way. I tipped my head back in his direction, looked up through my lashes. “What happened was not your fault. None of this is your fault.”
“I…” I didn’t believe him. Sure, I hadn’t set out with murder in my heart, but maybe I could have controlled the situation when Lisa started to escalate. And even if I couldn’t…none of this would have happened without the prophecy? Real or not, Ben and Lisa and my dad believed in it, and maybe they wouldn’t have— I shook my head, struggling to push onwards. “What are we going to do about Ben?”
“What do you mean?” Cal narrowed his eyes, head tipped slightly to one side.
I exhaled through my nose and looked up at him. “He’s not going to leave us alone,” I reasoned. “I mean, he’s still in charge of the pack for now, but if he’s not the real alpha…or he doesn’t think he’s the real alpha, he’s going to come after us.”
Cal shrugged. “So what? He’s not going to be able to find us. We’re in the middle of nowhere, and Maren drove. He doesn’t even have a trail to follow.”
It was a fair point, but it didn’t make me feel any better. “We can’t leave the rest of the pack with him. He’s…he’s not good, Cal.” If Ben was willing to risk taking suspicious brews from witches on a near daily basis to uphold whatever image he thought he needed to maintain leadership over the pack, then he was willing to take risks. He was willing to break the rules. He never seemed to care for the pack outside of his personal friends before he was alpha, and I hadn’t seen any of that change once he’d taken over the role. He hardly seemed to like me sometimes; while it hurt then, at least it made sense now. But if he hadn’t liked me before, when there was just a prophecy… Imagine how much he disliked me now. He had seen Lisa’s body.
A harsh shudder ran through me as the memory blossomed in the forefront of my mind again. I must have made a strangled noise, because Cal was suddenly giving me a funny look. “I’m fine,” I muttered, out of breath. My eyes stung. I couldn’t look at him. Honestly, I couldn’t even blame Ben for wanting to come after me. I didn’t have any control over the prophecy, but I did… But I did…
“Liv.” Cal derailed my train of thought by pulling me forward into a kiss. I almost stumbled, but he caught my elbow, keeping me steady. The kiss wasn’t searing as it was…sweet. Kind. Warm. It was the sort of embrace I wanted to wrap myself up in and stay forever. Stay where it was warm and it was safe, and I never had to think about what had happened, or what I was going to need to do next.
Thankfully, Cal seemed to sense some of my desire; or if he didn’t, he was just damn good at reading the signs. The hand on my elbow slowly slid down my arm until he could tangle our fingers together, and he started to lead us back out of the kitchenette and through the L-shaped living space. Even though he hadn’t taken off his sneakers when he returned, his footfalls were gentle against the tile of the bathroom; they were almost silent against the old bedroom carpet.
I followed him easily. I could barely think; hell, I didn’t want to think. Every time I let my thoughts wander, I started to hash over how we got here, what had unfolded in the last…what? Twenty-four hours? Forty-eight? Somewhere in all the chaos, I’d started to lose my sense of time. It didn’t even seem to matter here. Who was going to miss me? Certainly not my older-brother-slash-cousin, Ben. He might be looking for me, but it definitely wasn’t for my own well-being. I shuddered at the thought and Cal turned, brows furrowed.
“You really need to stop thinking about that.”
“I can’t,” I whined, knowing how pitiful that sounded. I shook my head. “No matter what I think about, it all leads back to—”
Cal leaned in and pulled me into another kiss; it was just as effective as the first. Where he was kind and soothing in the kitchen, however, he was insistent and warm now. My wolf rumbled in the corner of my mind, clearly satisfied with the attention our mate was paying us. I had to admit, it was a lot nicer to focus on the hand settled on my hip than just about anything else.
“Are you sure?” I asked, pulling back to search his face. Whatever storm was brewing there earlier seemed to have dissipated. “I mean, there’s a lot going on, and…” I trailed off, running out of things to say.
Cal gave a nod before pulling his tee over his head. “I could use a distraction myself,” he admitted, dropping the shirt on the floor. He looked like he wanted to say more, but when I tipped my head to one side, he simply reached for me instead. Deciding I didn’t have the energy to chase down whatever was still eating at him, I accepted his hand and allowed myself to be pulled back towards the bed. He sat back into the mattress and pulled me down onto his lap. I went easily, framing his hips with my thighs. I cupped his face in my hands and pulled him into a soft kiss. Emotional. Like I could tell him everything I was feeling without ever saying a word.
He accepted my offering with a hum, teeth dragging against my lower lip, tongue pushing against mine. His hands slipped from my sides down to my backside, gripping me hard even though I was in no danger of slipping off his lap. I was finally forced to surface for air, sucking in a sharp breath. I nuzzled my cheek against his. “You’re getting stubble,” I panted.
My observation was absurd enough to make him laugh, his dark brown eyes twinkling. “Yeah? That’s what happens when a man doesn’t shave, Liv. The beard starts to make a comeback.”
I jutted my lower lip out in a small pout. “It’s only been a day! Or two.”
Cal rolled his eyes fondly. “Two days or not, I’m still a wolf, woman.”
It was my turn to laugh softly, shaking my head. I wouldn’t go so far as to say wolf shifters were hairier than other supernaturals, but... Well, okay. They sort of were, on average. Who was I kidding? More impressive still, most shifter men grew in facial hair like it was their damn job.
Clearly aware I was getting lost in my train of thoughts again, he leaned in, rubbing his stubble against my cheek. “Hey!” I gasped, trying to jerk back. A little laugh bubbled up anyways; my wolf rumbled with the contact. Finally, she seemed to think. Finally, the man is acting like a mate is supposed to. (And honestly, I couldn’t disagree with her.)
I was distracted enough that he was able to pull my shirt over my head, making a triumphant noise as I reached back to unclasp my bra. It joined out shirts in an unceremonious pile. There was more I wanted to say. More I wanted to ask him. Words completely failed me as he shifted, one hand on the small of my back to keep me supported as he delicately placed me on the sheets. “Cal!” I squeaked. By the time I managed to prop myself up on my elbows, he’d stripped out of everything except for a plain pair of black boxers and was well on his way to removing my jeans as well.
My face was so hot, I worried I might spontaneously burst into flames. “Cal…” I bit the inside of my lip.
“What?” When I didn’t answer right away, he set his hands on the bed to either side of me. “Liv, if you don’t want to… I mean, look, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, just…”
I shook my head wildly, reaching down to pull his hands back to my waistline. “I, uh, very much don’t want you to stop,” I confirmed. The human part of my hind brain was a little touched; I had no intention of stopping, but he would, if I asked him to. And that meant something. What, I wasn’t entirely sure, but certainly something. “I was just…feeling…a little shy,” I finally confessed, trailing off lamely.
He snorted. “I’ve seen you naked.”
“I know.”
“We’ve had sex before.”
“Yes, I know.”
“So what’s there to be embarrassed about?” Cal questioned, pulling my jeans off and depositing them as well. My socks were the final pieces to be removed, and with those gone, he joined me on the bed, framing me with his arms and legs as he leaned in for another kiss.
I squinted. “I didn’t say embarrassed. I said shy.” He pinched one of my nipples and I gasped, unsure if I wanted to arch towards him or squirm away. It didn’t matter in the end, because there was nowhere for me to go. I bit his shoulder in retaliation. The groan I earned was deeply satisfying, sending a little shiver down my spine. He rocked against me; if his growing interest wasn’t obvious a moment ago, it certainly was now.
It was my turn to groan, arching my back as I rolled my hips, relishing the sensation of his erection rubbing against my clit. I did that. I did that to him, arguably one of the hottest men I’d ever met. The thought sent another blossom of heat through my middle, my folds slick as I squirmed against him. Suddenly, the thin pieces of fabric between us were entirely too much.
Thankfully, we shared the same thought. Cal reared back to start pushing his underwear away. The sound of ripping plastic soon followed; had he really been carrying a condom in his jeans?
Well, whatever. I’d ask him later. I took the opportunity to hook my thumbs into the soft maroon fabric of my panties and slid those down my thighs. Getting them off entirely was a little more work, what with Cal crouched between my calves; I managed to free one leg, then the other. “Maybe I should take up yoga,” I huffed, as much to myself as to the man sitting with me. I was pretty sure I’d undressed with all the grace of a stork.
He quirked a brow and leaned back over me. “Nothing wrong with an extra bit of flexibility,” he agreed. Before I could make a quip about my current degree of flexibility, Cal grabbed me by the hips. I was jerked close and he positioned himself, pushing between my folds with one steady thrust. It stole all the air from my lungs in a sharp gasp. My toes curled; I wanted to ball up as much as I wanted to stretch out and rake my nails across his strong shoulder blades. “Liv?” he murmured, drawing kisses down my throat.
I lifted my chin. “Don’t you dare stop now,” I murmured back, breathless. “Finish what you started, wolf.”
That little bit of encouragement was all Cal needed. With a low growl, he began to rut against me in earnest; our words were replaced by the sound of skin on skin, by harsh pants and pleased noises. I crooned and whimpered, unable to stop myself as I writhed in the sheets. Every time Cal bottomed out, I ground my hips down, trying to grind my clit against him. I could feel his smile against my skin as he mouthed at my shoulder. Heat was coiling tighter in my gut with each slide of his cock. Each thrust. “Liv. Liv, I want to bite you,” he murmured, his voice rough. He almost sounded uncertain.
I was about to make a wise remark about leaving a hickey, but my wolf had taken notice; it was unusual. She usually let me be during intimacy. She whined and bowed forward, neck arched as she preened. My wolf knew what she wanted, and she wanted it now. Trusting her, I did the same, tipping my chin to one side. I knew exactly what she was asking for; she wanted to finally seal the bond that had been like an exposed nerve between me and Cal. She wanted to be claimed.
The thought sent a thrill through me, something warm and electric dancing through my veins. I shivered in anticipation.
“Liv,” Cal huffed, licking and nibbling at the exposed skin as if it was all he could do to keep from marking me right there and then. “Let me. Please.”
I groaned softly, tipping my head to one side as far as I could. “Do it, Cal. Mark me. Claim me.”
Cal paused for a moment, his breath ghosting over the place he had just worshiped with tongue and lips. My pulse quickened. I squirmed and whined, tipping my chin as I shifted, trying to meet his eyes. Our gazes locked and my pussy clenched around him. Cal shuddered and groaned, bowing his head. Finally, finally, he bit hard enough to break my skin. I muffled the startled noise as I squeezed my eyes shut, hips bucking wildly as I writhed. A bite was supposed to seal a mate bond, but I felt nothing. A spark, maybe, the hint of a fire. Was something wrong with me? What the hell was wrong with me? An alpha’s bite—
Oh.
Oh.
Maren’s words popped back in my head. The prophecy. What I was; what I could be. Maybe…maybe I was the alpha she said I was, after all. I growled softly when he pulled away, almost frantic underneath him. “Let me,” I demanded, already reaching for his arms to prevent him from moving any further. When Cal only looked a little confused, I nodded at his neck. “It’s my turn. Let me bite you.”
I knew it wasn’t typical, but I needed it. My wolf huffed and arched her neck, so intensely focused on Cal that I had no doubts in that moment. I needed to bite him.
Maybe his wolf got the picture. Maybe he just trusted me. In a perfect mirror of my actions a moment before, Cal tipped his head to one side and I wrapped my fingers around the nape of his neck, dragging myself up to meet him. I leaned in and inhaled deeply; I could lose myself in the scent of him. It was more intoxicating than any drink. I nuzzled his dark skin, noticing distantly just how soft it was in that place. My wolf growled and I echoed her, something primal and deep rattling in my chest. I licked the junction between shoulder and neck, smiling softly as Cal gave a little shiver. Every time I remembered I could excite him the same way he did me, it felt like my world lit up a little. “C’mon, Liv,” Cal panted, moving urgently above me. “Bite me.”
I grinned and sunk my teeth into the space he offered me. A soft noise escaped Cal as the taste of copper bloomed over my tongue, but before I could process it, something sharp unfolded in my chest. It enveloped me like a warm blanket made of the most exquisite silk. Cal shivered against me, clawing me closer against his chest as he bucked his hips. He must have felt it too and I whined against his skin, high and reedy as I licked the mark I had just left on him. He was mine now. “Mine,” I whispered. Mine, and no one else’s.
My mate groaned as he came, head bowed down. He shoved a hand between us, expert fingers quickly seeking out the sensitive nub at the peak of my pussy. I fell back against the sheets with a needy whine, squirming against him wildly. I was so close. The power of the bite, the unfolding of the bond...it wasn’t just in my head. It felt like every single nerve in my body was alive and singing with my love for him. My desire for him. Cal’s touch was like a thousand little fires littered across my skin. It barely took a few touches before I followed him over the edge, spasming around him as I shook and whimpered, clinging to him like my life depended on it.
I openedmy eyes a few moments later, exhaling softly. “Cal?”
The bed dipped a second after that as he slid back beside me, pressing a kiss to my shoulder. I could already feel a bruise forming where he’d bitten me. My wolf wagged her tail in approval. When Cal settled against my side, I turned and nuzzled into him. I could feel the pleasant hum of satisfaction, as if my boyfriend — no, my mate — was literally radiating it from where he lay. “Yeah, Liv?”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
There was a momentary pause, and then he nodded to himself. “Yeah. I’m glad, too.”
When I stirred again,the sun seemed lower, the rays streaming into the bedroom a golden color. I yawned and stretched out a limb with a gentle groan. Beside me, Cal was starting to show signs of life as well. He caught a yawn and rubbed at his face, staring up at the ceiling. “I need to check on my mom,” he said quietly.
The thought caught in my throat and I nodded. Yes, right. His mother. “Of course,” I murmured, sitting up. I reached for my phone. No battery charge. “Of all the things we packed…” I sighed. Of course we didn’t bring a charger. Hopefully, someone in this community had one.
“Yeah, mine’s dead too,” Cal sighed, tossing his phone back on the floor. He swung his feet out and stood, starting to collect the pieces of clothing he’d shed. “Someone’s gotta have a phone around here, right?”
I nodded, watching him with a small smile. “Maybe ask Maren. Or Corin?”
He dressed in silence, pausing only to kiss my temple. “I shouldn’t be long,” he said, and then Cal stepped out of the bedroom. A moment later, I heard the front door open and close again.
I sighed and looked around the room. I wasn’t really up to a meet-and-greet with the new neighbors, yet, so… My gaze fell on the bathroom. A shower, that seemed like a good idea. Actually, a really good idea, given everything that had happened in the past…twenty-four…forty-eight hours. I’d stopped counting. It didn’t really matter; it had been a hot minute since my last wash, and the last thing I needed was to offend my hosts with a dirty dog smell, or something. I had no idea how wolves smelled to fae, but if their sense of smell was anything like ours, I didn’t want to risk it.
Once in the bathroom, I fiddled with the knobs until I figured out the shower. The shower was as hot as it seemed it was going to get and I slipped in. The previous resident had kindly left some shampoo and soap along with the furniture; I was going to have to think of a really great thank you for that person. Later, though. For now, I was relieved to scrub my skin and suds up my hair, letting grime and sweat and stress swirl away down the drain.
My eyes prickled, unbidden. My throat got unbearably tight. There was no blood running off of me, but I could still imagine it. Lisa’s blood. My mother’s blood. I’d always felt like second fiddle compared to Ben, but the woman had still raised me. I was fed and clothed, I went to a good school. My parents made sure I had good manners and could navigate society; I knew how to run with the pack and handle wolves. I wasn’t hers, but she’d taken care of me when my father hadn’t been able to.
And how had I repaid that? By killing her.
Tears rolled down my cheeks, clouding up my vision. I sank down, curling up at the bottom of the shower as the hot water poured over me. I killed her. I killed her. I couldn’t apologize, I couldn’t take it back; I couldn’t ask her anything ever again. She was gone, and it was because of me. A hoarse sob escaped as I pressed my face against my knees; my shoulders shook. My hands trembled. I didn’t know if I even liked her, but oh, hell, I was sorry, I was so sorry, and I could never, ever tell her that.
