The Wolf’s Forbidden Mate by Layla Silver

Chapter 15 — Waverly

The gate guarding my home stood tall and strong, the sight of it inspiring a sense of peace instead of the prison it had initially become. When my sister, Hailey, had left, I compared myself to a princess locked in a castle—and though it was silly to think, and even more silly to think of it now, it was somewhat true.

But it wasn’t my family that had hidden me away. It was me. I had forced myself to block everyone off, to become as hardened and isolated as my sister, Laurene. I had allowed my experiences with my family and my previous boyfriend to cloud what could have blossomed with Travis which nearly kept us apart forever.

Approaching the house now with my mate at my side in his panther form granted me the liberation I had always desired. When we darted down the mountain and around the edges of the ski resort, we had frolicked around each other, howling and purring in between loving pounces that reminded me of how I used to spend my days as a child.

I could have that again if only I allowed myself to fully trust Travis. As we pawed up to the porch, Aunt Evangeline swung the door open and squeaked, motioning for us to quickly run inside where we could shift safely from the elements. The cold was making its way down the mountain and filling the area with a grayness that threatened to drop the temperature even more.

“Waverly!” Aunt Evangeline shouted. She looked at Travis and yelled, “Whoever you are, there are clothes! Go! Living room! Change!”

I chuckled internally as I ran to the living room and eagerly shifted back to my human form, groaning as I collapsed on the rug near the coffee table. I lifted my head in time to be nailed in the face by a pair of jeans and a black sweater. When I removed the obstruction from my vision, Travis had been treated the same.

He gave me a devious look as he stood up. “Better get dressed, sweetheart.”

“Please, hush. I don’t want to think about the fact that my aunt might have seen you naked.”

Aunt Evangeline’s voice echoed from the kitchen, “I didn’t!”

I closed my eyes in embarrassed defeat and dressed quickly, the heat in my cheeks burning to my neck and my chest where it settled like a fever. I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed as I shrugged. My muscles were sore from being stuck in that chair. As though knowing my pain, Travis’s hand joined my upper back, applying a confident pressure that nearly made me dissolve.

“I made hot chocolate,” Aunt Evangeline called again. “It’s going to get cold if you don’t get in here!”

“Is it too late to get kidnapped again?” I whispered to Travis. He shot me a concerned look that made me grin. “I’m just kidding. I swear.”

“You better be.”

When we wandered into the kitchen, we found two mugs of steaming hot chocolate on the table. I grabbed one immediately and held it close to my lips, inhaling the heat repeatedly. My insides were cold. My skin was frozen. Even the strands of my hair were stiff with the ice from the mountain. This heat was so delightfully comforting, nothing could have stopped me from enjoying it.

“Laurene, I need you to go to the alpha!” Aunt Evangeline barked.

My eyes widened. Okay, maybe there was one thing that could ruin the moment.

Once again, Travis’s hand joined the space between my shoulder blades. He massaged rhythmically, pushing away the tension that had quickly formed there. I studied my sister who was standing in the doorway of the kitchen with a stupefied look on her face. Whether she was shocked to see me or shocked to see Travis, I wasn’t sure.

But that shock died when she lunged into my arms. “I was so distraught for you,” she claimed as she clutched me tight. “Waverly, I wasn’t sure we were going to find you.”

“I’m...Well, I mean...I’m right here.”

She squeezed me. “I see that, you dumb idiot.”

“I don’t…” I trailed off as I wiggled out of the hug, suspicion returning.

I stared at my sister, her red hair a mess around her face just as my hair was a mess and her eyes so wide that I thought they might pop from her skull.

She took a deep breath and said, “I know we always fight, and I’m not the nicest person—far from it. But you’re my sister and I love you.”

I blinked blankly. “What?”

“I’m glad you’re home,” she said while backing away from the table, “I’m heading to Kaia’s now. I’ll see you later.”

She was gone before I could question her. The sentiment had warmed my heart in all the icy spots where Laurene had stabbed me with an ice pick, undoing so many years of harm that I wasn’t sure I had any resentment left. Though I was sure we would talk more about it later, her genuine emotion while she was speaking to me was striking.

My sister loved me. She meant it. And she had been concerned about me being taken.

I hummed as I lifted the mug back to my lips and took a much-needed sip. The rich chocolate slithered down my throat and settled in my gut, causing it to growl.

“You need to eat,” Aunt Evangeline claimed while setting a plate next to me of freshly fried bacon and eggs. “Please, eat. And then go to bed. I’ll get blankets for the panther.”

“His name is Travis, Aunty.”

“Right, Travis.” She beamed as she patted his shoulder. “Travis, I’ll get you some blankets.”

He raised his eyebrows in my direction after she left. “She’s nice.”

“If you mean she’s loud, you’re right.”

He chuckled as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “I’ll sleep on the couch, okay?”

“You don’t have to.”

“It’s your family’s home. I want to be respectful.”

I nodded. “Alright, that’s fine. But don’t let Aunt Evangeline tell you about her plants.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because then you’ll never sleep.”

***

The next morning brought rays of sun like no other day, the long streams of white light shimmering through the open curtains and splashing across my face. My consciousness returned and with it the events that had led to me laying in bed by myself.

I popped up from the comfortable tangle of sheets with a gasp. “Travis.”

I darted from my room and descended the stairs, skidding to a halt in the living room to find the couch where I had left Travis clear of the sheets he used and hosting my alpha in his place. I blushed as I bowed my head and whispered, “Good morning, Alpha.”

“Good morning, Waverly. Did you sleep alright?”

“I slept okay.”

She nodded and invited me to sit next to her. I hesitantly sank into the cushions beside my alpha, inhaling the faded scent of my mate left from him tossing and turning on the cushions. How had he slept? Was he okay without me? The fraught feelings I felt over not being by his side all night were overwhelming.

And where had he gone?

“I owe you an apology,” Kaia said. When I frowned and started to speak, she smiled warmly and held up her hand to silence me. “I am, in fact, the secret investor who wanted to help with the cat shelter.”

I frowned. “Why does that mean you’re apologizing?”

“Apparently, it wasn’t secret enough because Allegra found out about the investment.”

I sighed. “So I heard.”

“But that’s not the end of the shelter. I’m going to build a new, modern shelter here in pack territory.”

“What?”

She grinned wider, her eyes turning to slits as she replied, “I’ve already put Caelum on designing the place. It’s going to be spectacular.”

“Alpha, I can’t thank you enough.” I paused for a second. “Wait, what about Travis?”

“I’ve given him one of the empty houses here since he joined our pack.”

I blinked rapidly. “He...joined the pack?”

“He pledged his allegiance yesterday before we went searching for you. The man certainly seems to love you.”

I smiled weakly. “Yeah, he...Wait, where is Travis?”

She placed her hand on my shoulder. And with that motion came a wave of relief, my tension and fear melting with her assuring touch. “You’ll find out soon.”

That should have been a cryptic response. It was so vague that it should have set me on edge, but it was my alpha speaking and I trusted her beyond reason. I spoke with Kaia for a bit longer until she left, the house feeling empty and strange without my family bustling about.

Aunt Evangeline would usually be tending to the garden and Laurene would typically be picking a fight with me. My mother, as quiet as she was, would be sitting in the kitchen with her laptop, the only sound coming from her the clack of the keys on the keyboard.

But none of that was around.

A few hours later, the front door opened, prompting me to rush into the foyer where Travis wandered inside with a devious grin on his face. I hopped into his arms, happily kissing his neck as he carried me into the living room.

“Where have you been?” I pressed eagerly. “Okay, I don’t care. You’re here now. Just hold me.”

“Let me put these bags down first.”

He was carrying bags? I hadn’t even noticed. I dropped from his arms and turned to clear the pillows from the couch, my entire body vibrating with the overwhelming need to cuddle with my mate. When I turned back around, Travis was on one knee with a velvet box held between us.

I whimpered, “Travis?”

“Waverly,” he said softly, his eyes welling with emotion. “I never want to be separated from you again. You’re my mate. I’ve known that for a while now. And I want everyone to know that. Will you marry me?”

I stared at the ring nestled in the black satin fabric. The twisting silver band hosted a humble diamond and winked daylight when he turned the box. My breath was caught in my throat. I could hardly even think. The growing silence didn’t bode well for my mate who was looking less confident by the second.

He peered inside. “Is it...not big enough?”

“Baby, it’s perfect.”

He beamed. “So, what do you say?”

“About what?” I played coy, twirling a lock of hair around my finger.

He groaned. “About marrying me?”

I giggled. “I say yes...Yes!”

He shot up from the ground and scooped me into his arms, chuckles erupting from his lips as he kissed me. I giggled as I relaxed into his embrace with my arms around his shoulders. I closed my eyes, honing in on the sensation of his lips dueling with mine. A soft purr vibrated in his throat, sending shock waves of desire to the apex of my thighs.

I broke the kiss and smirked. “Travis.”

“Yes, darling?”

“Take me upstairs.”

His eyelids fluttered. “Yes, ma’am.”

My thighs tensed as he ascended the stairs, pausing every few steps to steal my lips again. I huffed between kisses as I became acutely aware of the warmth growing in my gut. How could I have ever doubted him? His urgent mouth marked my throat, skimming over my main artery as he turned left at the top of the stairs and headed in the wrong direction.

I squeaked. “Baby, other way.”

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.”

I traced circles into his scalp, listening to his delighted sighs as I massaged my fingers through his hair. I craned my neck to see where we were going.

When we reached my door, I fumbled with the knob, eager to have him all to myself in an empty house. News would soon break out about our engagement, but I wanted to have him alone for a while before we had to talk to anyone. This was our time. We had been apart for way too long. I had a lot of intimacy to catch up on.

As soon as the door was shut, my back was pressed to it with Travis causing the ache between my thighs to double. My slit twitched when I felt his erection, his length throbbing as I rolled my hips to hump him. He propped me against the door and dropped his hands to my waist, lifting the hem of my sweater to explore the skin beneath. The tips of his fingers trailed over my curves and up to my breasts where he paused, drawing back to peer into my eyes.

“I love you,” he whispered as he nuzzled the tip of my nose with his lips. “I love you so much, Waverly.”

“I love you, too.”

He bucked into me, pushing a squeak from my lips that I had no chance of controlling. He watched me with heated intensity as he continued to tease me, his thumbs dancing over my nipples and causing them to pebble. He traced my nipples slowly in wide circles that caused me to gush. God, if he did anymore of that, I would burst right here.

A mischievous look flashed in his eyes as he set me on the ground. He shucked my jeans off and pried away my sweater, working his clothes away next. Seeing his rigid erection made my mouth water, instinct taking over as I clasped his shaft to stroke him. He hissed as my fingers drifted over his length.

“Wav,” he whispered as he swept his fingers over my slit. “You first.”

“I won’t argue with that.”

He dropped south and nuzzled into my mound, fluid gushing from my entrance as he buried his tongue between my slit. Soft, feathery laves shortly followed and caused me to arch against the door, my fingers naturally tangling into his hair. I whimpered and bit my lower lip. Sure, the house was empty, but I didn’t want to take that chance. I didn’t want to be too loud.

But when he smoothed his palm up my torso and gently twisted my left nipple, a groan broke from me that I couldn’t prevent. To hell with being quiet—Travis was my mate and I wanted to hear every noise, every word uninhibited. I wanted to drown in the heat of our love, to join my body with his in a way that would never allow us to separate.

Another dart of his tongue split my slit apart, my folds opening to him like a flower blossoming in the light of the morning sun. I whimpered as he traced a path from my entrance up to my clit, flattening his tongue over the engorged bud and soaking it with saliva. I could barely breathe between licks and my legs threatened to give out, a vicious shiver taking over my body as I struggled to stay upright.

While his tongue persisted its invasion, he swept a finger toward my entrance, nudging gently into my channel with short thrusts that electrified my body. The deeper he sank, the more moans flew from my mouth, a rolling wave of curses ensuing next. I gripped a chunk of his hair as my hips urged me into action, friction from his mouth creating a wave of heat that splashed over my shoulders.

I shivered again. “Baby...bed...now.”

He slurped as he surfaced. “Yes, ma’am.” And when he lifted me once more, I didn’t doubt his love. I didn’t wonder about our future. I knew exactly what was going to happen.

We were going to be together for the rest of our lives.