Scarred Wolf by Charlene Hartnady

34

Jaxon

“Jaxon.”

I sit bolt upright in my bunk, eyes wide in the darkness. I don’t know what time it is. I’ve been dragged from the depths of sleep. The silence is thick around me, and I strain, listening. The air is empty now, yet I’d heard it as clearly as if someone had whispered my name in my ear.

Not my ear.

My soul.

It’s her.

I’m up and out of my bunk before my next breath. I’ve moved back to the barracks since…since it all happened. Resigned myself to living like this, with only the company of the team. Out at dawn, patrolling, tracking game, looking for signs of intrusions. It’s a simple life, but important, so I focus on it.

I tug on crisp combat pants and reach for the plain white t-shirt hanging over the back of a nearby chair. Around my neck, dog tags jangle in that strange, half-metallic way that they do, when I lean forward to lace up my boots. We all wear them on the team. The guys joke it’s so we don’t end up in the pound if we get lost. It’s more for the connection, I think. Our band of men. Brothers. It’s all I have now. I haven’t spoken to my father since that night. To his credit, he’s kept his distance. I don’t relish facing off against him in front of the pack. But the sight of him turns my stomach. When I think of all he’s done…

My hair bristles against the snug fabric of my T as I tug it over my head. I’ve cropped it short again. it’s easier this way. Besides, feeling it longer reminds me of how Evie ran her fingers through it.

Everleigh.

I’ve thought of little else these past weeks. Weeks? Fuck. It’s been close to two months. The days have dragged like thick molasses. The only way I made it through was to fill each minute with mind-numbing activity. Every training exercise, every scouting party, every damn thing I could do to keep my mind off of her. Yet in each spare moment, in the quiet minutes before sleep, and as I wake, I still find myself trying to reach her.

If she can do it, why can’t I, dammit?!

“Jaxon.”

There it is again. I didn’t imagine it. I’m out the door and sprinting through the compound. If someone spots a truck missing later, I don’t give a fuck. I’m an alpha. We’ll deal with it later. And I will win.

I drive like a crazy person and then I’m parking where it all happened that day. If I look closely, I can still see the discoloration where they tried to scrub out the blood. Through it all, I kept my security keycard and I wonder if she’s changed the code when I stride to the elevator to go in. The light on the security console flashes green and the door clicks open, and then I’m in the mirrored interior surrounded by myself. I rub a hand through my hair, for a second, wondering if she’ll like what she sees. The constant physical activity has honed me harder than I’ve ever been. New muscles have formed, bulked up. Though my cheeks are gaunt and my eyes hollow. The pain of pushing myself has been cathartic, but it’s taken its toll. Dammit, should I even be worrying about what I look like? She called to me.

For what?

While my body is surging in anticipation, a part of me is panicking. She’s only ever called me in distress. Is something wrong?

“Fuck, Skau,” I mutter beneath my breath. I got caught out like that once before when I let my dick lead my head and ended up losing her. If things had gone differently, she could have been gone for good. Or maybe not. That power of hers is unthinkable.

The elevator doors have dinged open and I shake my head and walk through, about to reach for my key, when I push the door to her apartment. It’s slightly ajar. I stop sharply.

No!No fucking way I’m making this mistake again.

I listen intently, senses sharpened. Reaching for a scent…all I get is orange blossoms…cinnamon...something elusive, but not threatening. This is her home, after all. I’m not armed, but I don’t need to be. Not much out there that would take me down.

Apart from a pack of wolves and a silver bullet?

The door swings open silently.

And I suck in air.

Everleigh is standing naked in the moonlight, silver shimmering off of her pearlescent skin. Blonde curls cascade over her shoulders and onto her chest, where pink-tipped breasts peek out from between the waves. She’s all sweet curves and sweeter promises. The honeyed strip between her thighs is a fucking homing signal.

Jesus!

“Come in, Jaxon,” she says. “I’ve been waiting.”

I step over the threshold and watch her warily. She’s everything I’ve been dreaming of, but after all that’s happened, I’m afraid to dive straight in. I shut the door behind me and hesitate there.

“I spoke to your father today,” she says, and I set my jaw. He’s the last person I want to think about right now. “He said some things that…made a lot of sense,” she goes on. It might seem strange to humans that we’re having this conversation with Everleigh buck naked, but it isn’t such a big deal to us wolves. It looks like Everleigh is getting used to the new her. It’s sexy as fuck!

I don’t want to think about my father. Or talk about him, but I answer anyway. “That would be a first,” I say, not hiding my bitterness.

“He told me that we’re destined to be together…you and I,” she says.

Okay, maybe the old bastard is right about that one thing.

“He said that you’re not to blame for what happened to my family, and that I need to hold that hatred toward him and not you. I need to forgive you.”

That would be a good start.“Okay,” I draw the word out. Is there some sort of catch? I’m still hovering at the door, though my wolf is straining at the leash. As far as he’s concerned, all that matters is that she’s standing right in front of me, naked, for fuck’s sake. Why are we still talking? Good thing he isn’t in charge.

“I’m so sorry, Jaxon,” she murmurs. “I was wrong about you. I was just…so fucking hurt…and angry. I wanted to lash out at those who shattered my world. And I picked you.”

“I’m sorry too,” I say brokenly, somehow feeling like I don’t know what to do with myself. And then she holds out her arms and everything becomes crystal clear.

If I had dressed quickly, I’m stripping quicker. My shirt doesn’t make it beyond the door. Unbuckling my belt, I realize my fucking boots are still laced up. Who the hell came up with such a damn fool idea?

“Leave them,” she says, and I’m half-dressed as I reach her. Just the simple contact of her bare breasts against my naked chest has me hard in a second. She presses her pelvis toward me, the pressure against my cock making me groan.

“Thank god that hasn’t changed,” she says lightly.

“Why would it?” I respond. My arms encircle her, and I lift her slightly, holding her up against my body, as close as we can get…aside from being in her. Nothing in the world has ever felt as good as this moment. Ever. I’m certain of it.

I lower my head and bury my face into the curve of her neck, inhaling her fragrance through the silk veil of her hair. And there it is again. That elusive scent. Familiar, but not her. Not…me.

It’s both.

I choke out a groan and drop to my knees, arms still locked around her waist. I hear her laugh from above me, but I’m not burying my face into her sweet pussy.

I’m nuzzling her navel. Breathing in deeply, I tip my head back. Her eyes are on mine. Glowing. She nods, and I know. I know…

My wolf howls his approval and I rub my cheek against her belly. She laughs in earnest now, and I drop back on my haunches, my hands on her hips as I examine each perfect curve.

“You look the same,” I say. I’m not disappointed, but I want to see the swell of her belly. She runs her hand over my head in that way that I love.

“I only found out not so long ago.”

I do the math in my head. It feels like my whole life has been lived since we met.

I run my hand up her smooth inner thigh, stopping as my fingers reach the softly furred folds of her. “This feels the same too…” I murmur, watching her expression change. Jesus, if I could only tell her how many times I’d imagined this. My fingers slip deeper and she makes a sound in her throat, dropping a hand to my shoulder as she reaches to support herself against me. I keep my eyes on her face, watching her expression change as I explore each inch of her, the wet silkiness there, the little hood above the spot that I know can take her to the edge. Still watching her, I lean forward and dip my tongue into that tight little corner of happiness. She jerks her hips forward, grinding against my chin. I tease her clit more insistently, then slide my fingers into her. Her pussy clamps around them like a vice.

Oh, to be inside there…

Maybe my psychic skills are improving because she seems to hear me, and she’s sliding down my body. She flattens her palm over my chest, over that scar that is still there, beneath the new one made in her honor; neither holds pain anymore. Not like before. I’m still on my haunches, but a slight nudge from her has me sitting flat on my ass. I lean my back against a chair behind us, watching as she spreads her thighs wide over mine. The gates of heaven lie beyond there, and I’m about to get a free pass.

I reach down to fumble with my fly, because for some reason, fatigues weren’t designed with fucking in mind. Who would’ve guessed?

Although, this isn’t fucking. This is more. This is everything.

As my pulsing flesh bursts free, she looks down and licks her lips. There’s a small smile there. God, I love her. What the fuck was my world like before her?

Her hand is firmly around my shaft, guiding me along that sweet place down there and then she tilts her hips and I’m lost in her. It takes a minute to find my breath again. It seems like it’s been too long and I’m afraid I’m about to bust my load. Not that it matters. I can keep going all night.

We settle like that for what feels like an eternity, her forehead resting against mine. Her eyes are glowing as she looks into my eyes. And then she begins to grind. Slow, agonizing circles…when all I want to do is throw her down beneath me and ram into her. Possess her. It’s taken so long to reach this point.

Get a grip, Skau, it’s been weeks.Surely I can wait another minute.

“Fuck!” I bite out. “You’re killing me.”

I grasp the lush globes of her ass and raise her, then lower her, taking over and setting the speed. She arches her back and I look down the smooth line of her, imagining how that will change as she swells with our pup. I dip my head and take a pert nipple into my mouth, feeling the answering clench around my dick as I do it. It really isn’t going to take too much more of this to get me there, and I remind myself that we have all the time in the world. I hope.

She called me here.

“There’s something else…” her voice breaks in.

How could there possibly be anything else?

She sweeps her hair back over her shoulder and I run my eyes over the curve of her shoulder up to her throat.

“I have to tell you, as far as I’m concerned, this is just a formality, but you said it before…we’re not mated until we’ve exchanged blood.”

I can’t help myself. I growl deep and low. I didn’t think it could be possible, but my dick hardens even further.

“I’m not really sure…what convention is…” Her voice is hesitant. Convention? That would have her on all fours with me burying my fangs in her shoulder as I take her from behind. Alphas take. Somehow, things are different with my female. If she chooses this way…to consume me…there’s not a chance in hell I’m going to complain. She slides back down onto me, as if settling comfortably, and then tilts her chin to the side, baring her throat.

“Here…” she whispers, “do it…”

Instinct kicks in and I inhale and then nuzzle at her, flicking my tongue. I’ll eat her before the night is out – big bad wolf that I am – but for now I press my lips against her, graze my teeth slightly as I feel my fangs extend, and then sink in.

Everleigh jerks as if shocked, her body goes rigid for a second, and then she all-out screams. If I wasn’t what I am, I’d be fucking horrified. But I know exactly what this is. Every sense heightened, all rushing and tingling, as if your entire body is turning into one scorching erogenous zone. I know it, because I felt it before…with her. Is it any wonder that I’ve been obsessed since that moment?

Her scream has lowered into a throaty, animal howl, and I know what she needs now. I tangle my fingers into her hair, guide her face down to my neck…and then it’s my turn. The sharp nick as fangs find purchase and then the pull in my groin as her hot mouth closes, and she sucks at the warm gush of blood. It’s everything I remember and more. Every moment of my existence crashes into this one single second, and I swear I see the beginning of time. Her ankles have locked behind my waist, arms wrapped around my neck, she’s clinging to me like a life raft. I’m guessing that’s what she’s feeling because right now, I’m also in danger of being swept away. Our moment of climax seems almost incidental when it arrives. I’m moaning against her throat, feeling her sucking at my skin. Just minutes ago, I’d told myself I’d never felt a better moment than holding her.

I was wrong.

This is better.

As it all finally settles, our chests still heaving, she puts her forehead against mine again, nose to nose.

“So that’s what it’s all about,” she says, her voice hoarse.

“Yeah,” I reply. “It kind of is.”

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me that before?”

I chuckle and feel a sense of satisfaction when the movement makes her squirm. She hasn’t released me yet, ankles still locked behind me. She cups her palm over my scarred, healed heart and gazes into my eyes. “Welcome into my life, Heart Mate,” she whispers, and I swallow hard.

“Welcome into mine, my Queen,” I whisper back.

Tomorrow is going to be another day of revelations when we return to our pack together. But that’s something to think about in the morning. Right now, the night is ours. Along with the rest of our lives.

And everything is going to be okay.