Alpha Instinct: A Moon Shifter Novel (21 page)

Once he’d had her, oh, a hundred times, he’d want to take it slow. Savor kissing and teasing every inch of her delicious body. Now wasn’t the time for slow and sensual. And it seemed she didn’t want it that way either. As he thrust again, a flood of emotion burst inside him and he tried to ignore it. A kaleidoscope of colors flashed before his eyes as he came.

He couldn’t hold back any longer. Grasping her hips, he thrust, emptying himself inside her in long, hot streams. Her hips continued to meet his stroke for stroke, until finally her ankles unlocked and her legs loosened their death grip around him.

His cock had a mind of its own, though. Blindly, his hips made small jerking motions until he gained control of himself.

Panting, he propped up on his elbows and stared at Ana. A soft smile lit up her face. Since he’d been back he’d found her smiles to be a rare, wonderful thing. When he’d first met her, she’d given them out all the time. As if she’d had plenty to spare. Now she had more responsibility. More sorrow in her life. Sometimes it showed so clearly in her eyes.

And he wanted to take away her pain any way he could. He leaned down, closing the short distance between their faces, and lightly kissed her lips. She still tasted sweet.

When he gently tugged on her bottom lip, she smiled and traced her fingers down his back until she reached his backside.

He chuckled when she grasped him. “You seem to like that part of me.”

She grinned and clutched tighter. “You have a very,
very
nice behind.”

Hearing her praise—however small—caused his erection to lengthen again. It had been at half-mast and now it was quickly rising to full salute again.

Her eyebrows rose as she felt the change.

“We’re not finished yet, love,” he murmured against her soft cheek. Reaching between their bodies, he rubbed his thumb over her clit, and she jerked against him. Her inner walls trembled around him in response. He didn’t bother to hide his groan. “Not finished by a long shot.”

Chapter 11

A
na opened her eyes and rolled over. Connor’s side of the bed was empty but it was still warm. Smiling, she ran her hand over his pillow and inhaled his earthy scent. Then she frowned. She shouldn’t be smelling him like some lovesick cub. It was pathetic.

Angry at herself, she shoved off the tangled sheet. The sound of running water in the bathroom greeted her ears.

After their first time last night Connor had woken her two more times. He’d tried to wake her up a third but she’d feigned sleep. The man was a damn machine. Not that she was complaining. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept so peacefully. Certainly not in the past couple months. The orgasms he’d given her had the ability to knock her out. Unfortunately her hope that she’d get him out of her system hadn’t exactly worked. She wanted more of him.
It’s just physical,
she thought.
Nothing more.

She swung her legs off the bed. The wood floor beneath her feet immediately cooled her. She brushed her teeth in one of the other bathrooms, then started to head downstairs. At the last second she grabbed Connor’s discarded shirt from the floor and slipped it over her head. Since she and Connor had revealed their intent to mate she figured pack members would announce themselves before coming over, but she wasn’t taking a chance. Most shifters didn’t mind a little nudity, but she knew Connor was dominant and possessive, and it would grate on his nerves if anyone else saw her naked. And she wasn’t keen on the idea of anyone else seeing her in the buff either.

As she ascended the stairs, she scented a familiar male. “Liam?” she called out before entering the kitchen. She found him leaning against the counter, coffee mug in hand. And a scowl on his face. “I take it you didn’t sleep well?”

He set his mug down with a thud and a bit of coffee sloshed over. “And I can tell you did,” he grumbled.

Despite the fact that he was family, she could feel her face flame. Now no one would have any doubt about the unification of her and Connor. His scent covered her, and any male who came near would know she was marked. If they didn’t bond it would fade with time but only if they stopped sleeping together. Ana knew that wasn’t going to happen. “Connor’s in the shower, if you want to wait for him.” She grabbed a cup.

“Actually I wanted to talk to you.”

“Really?” Her eyebrows rose.

“You’re a woman.”

Ana bit back a grin. “Uh, yeah. Thanks for noticing.”

“Remember the woman from Sunday?”

“The sheriff’s sister?
Oh yeah
. I think even her brother could smell your intent toward her.”

“Did Connor say anything about her … ?” He trailed off.

She shook her head.

Liam cleared his throat. “She’s my mate.”

She couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped. “But she’s human.”

“It doesn’t matter. She’s
mine
.”

Good Lord, he got the same intent expression on his face as Connor when he wanted something. They were definitely cut from the same cloth. It wasn’t impossible for humans and shifters to mate, but it was rare. Ana didn’t actually know any shifters who had mated with humans. “So what’s the deal, then?”

His lips pulled into a thin line. “She doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

“I don’t know about that.” She’d noticed the way the redheaded human had stared at him. It had been hard to miss. She’d been a little fearful, but Ana had also sensed curiosity and blatant lust emanating from her. Humans didn’t hide their emotions as well as shifters, and the redhead was no different.

“No, she
wants
me and she doesn’t even deny it. That’s not the problem. She just doesn’t want a relationship with me because of what I am.”

Ana bit her bottom lip. If he was coming to her for relationship advice he was out of his damn mind. Even at her age, her experience was limited. And right now she had no clue where she stood with the sexy wolf showering upstairs—and they were mated. They might have had hot sex—lots of it—but her mind and body warred with each other. The closer she let Connor get to her, the more she opened herself up for heartache.
Talk about relationship-challenged.
“So?”

His scowl deepened. “So help me out. How do I change her mind?”

“If I’m your only hope you’re out of luck, Liam.” The frustrated growl he let out sounded so much like his brother’s, she smiled.

“What’s funny?” he demanded.

She shook her head. “Nothing. She’s interested in you, right?”

He nodded.

“Then give her time. You two are from different worlds. We might know a lot about humans but she likely doesn’t know anything about our kind.”

“I don’t want to give her time.” He looked like a young cub pouting because his favorite toy had been taken away.

“Spoken like a true Armstrong,” she muttered.

“What’s like a true Armstrong?” Connor appeared in the doorway wearing only a pair of worn jeans. He raked a heated look over her face, then dipped lower, drinking in her entire body, straight down to her toes.

An involuntary shiver curled through her. He’d asked a question but all she could think about was the heat growing in her belly. After last night she should be too tired. Should be too sated. All it took was one look from him and her temperature ratcheted up about a thousand degrees. And it didn’t hurt that he’d strolled in without a shirt on. She wanted to run her hands over all that muscle.

“You two are disgusting.” Liam set his mug in the sink and stalked past Connor. The front door slammed behind him a few seconds later.

Silence descended and she hated the sudden awkwardness that threatened to take over her. “Hi.” The way she said it sounded as if she were talking to a stranger and not the man she’d just spent hours making love with. The man she’d just mated with. She knew how much he wanted her physically, but after last night their relationship had most definitely changed.

His lips curved up slightly as he crossed the room. “Hi, yourself.” Placing his hands on the counter behind her, he ran right into her personal space and leaned down to kiss her.

Not a hot, searing, claiming kiss, but a sweet, lazy, good-morning one. She ran her hands up his chest and locked her fingers behind his neck. The area between her legs dampened as his tongue flicked over hers.

When he sensed the change in her, the kiss went from sweet to scorching in an instant. He fisted the bottom of her shirt and started tugging it upward. Air rushed over her, but her nipples were already hard.

Suddenly he jerked back. “Son of a …” He shook his head.

“What?” She stared at him in a daze.
Why did he stop?

He tapped the side of his head. “Liam just informed me we’ve got company. We better get dressed and check it out.”

She didn’t bother hiding her sigh. He was right, of course. They also needed to check on Teresa, and she needed to go shopping for backup cases of water. And she still needed a shower. Still, disappointment forked through her like a bolt of jagged lightning. After last night their relationship balance had shifted. She’d given up all her control to him in the bedroom, and while she knew he’d never hurt her, she felt as if she needed to gain back some of that emotional control.

When she was younger she’d been able to brush off her heartbreak as puppy love when he’d left. This was different. The foreign feelings blossoming inside her were more. She wanted him so much it frightened her. She was thankful for his presence and his support at the ranch, but she knew she could grow to depend on him so easily. Too easily. She couldn’t allow that to happen. He’d left once. What was to stop him from doing it again? The reality was sobering.

“Where’d you just go?” Connor’s voice was low, guarded.

She shook herself. “Sorry. I spaced for a second. You’re right. We need to get dressed.” She quickly sidestepped him and hurried out of the room.

Connor glanced down at Ana as they headed across the yard toward the main house. He wasn’t sure what had happened in the past few minutes to make her turn back into herself and shut him out, but he didn’t like it. After last night things had changed between them.

He was sure of it. Each time they’d made love he’d seen her emotions clearly in her eyes. Each time he’d pushed deep inside her and each time she’d called out his name—

Ana gave him a curious look. “Do I need to hose you down with a fire extinguisher?”

“I was just thinking about last night.”

“Yeah, I kinda guessed that. If you don’t want everyone else to know that, then tone it down,
Alpha
.” There was a trace of humor in her voice.

He’d been in control of his emotions since he was a pup, but now that he’d actually tasted her, held her, been inside her, it was hard not to think about it. Fantasize about doing it again. “It’s hard when all I can think about is what you looked like last night as you rode me. I don’t even have to close my eyes to picture the way you rose on your knees and—”

“Jeez, Connor. You weren’t very talkative last night, so let’s not talk about that
now
, when we can’t do anything about it.” She nudged him with her hip and grinned.

The last thing he wanted to do was talk about it because it only got him that much hotter. And she was right. He didn’t talk much in the bedroom and neither did she. It was like their bodies were already attuned to each other.

Reaching out, he grasped her hand and held it as they walked. It was a small thing, innocuous, but he’d never done it with another female before. Never wanted to.

Her eyes widened in surprise. For a brief moment she tried to pull away, but he held tight.

As they neared the main house, the front door opened and Carmen stepped out with a man Connor didn’t recognize. His long, dark hair was pulled back in a clip and he smelled familiar.
The man Ana must have seen at the hospital.
Connor’s inner wolf growled protectively.

Next to him, Ana dropped his hand and hurried forward. “Matt, is your mother okay?”

“She’s fine.” The dark-haired man embraced her lightly.

It was a quick hug. He didn’t hold Ana too long or inappropriately, but the beast inside Connor wanted to lunge at him for touching what was his. The violent urge shouldn’t have surprised him, but the intensity of his need to assert dominance was almost overwhelming. As Alpha he knew how to control himself, but this feeling was entirely new. He’d heard how newly mated wolves reacted if others got too close to their mates, but he’d never imagined such a burning need. He actually wanted to hurt this stranger and protect Ana. Clenching his fists at his sides, he savored the pain of his nails digging into his palms. Anything to distract from the sight in front of him.

Ana gave him a sharp look—no doubt because she scented the change in the air—as she stepped out of the man’s embrace.

“Hi, I’m Matoskah Dunlauxe. You can call me Matt.” He held out a friendly hand.

Connor paused for a moment before grasping it. He experienced the juvenile urge to squeeze with more pressure than necessary but stopped himself. He nodded once. “I’m Connor. The new Alpha.”

“He’s also my mate,” Ana said.

The man’s dark eyes widened as he turned back to Ana. “Congratulations. It’s about time you found someone.”

“I know, right? Now Noel and I can settle down,” Carmen interjected, and shot Matt a shy but flirty smile. There were no rules about the oldest having to settle down first, but obviously Carmen was interested in Matt and was not so subtly trying to let him know she was available.

Ana rolled her eyes at her sister’s statement. It soothed Connor that she’d told Matt they were mated, but it didn’t stop him from wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders.

Matt glanced back and forth between Ana and Connor. “I’d like to speak to you privately, if possible.”

Carmen cleared her throat, and it was hard to miss the disappointed look on her face as she took a step back. “I’ll be inside.”

Once the door shut behind her, Matt spoke. “What’s going on at your ranch?”

Beside him, Ana stiffened. “What do you mean?”