Animal Heat: A Paranormal Romance (The Animal Sagas) (3 page)

Chapter 6

The rest of you may leave now. Lynda and I have much to discuss.” The statement was clearly not a suggestion when delivered in his authoritative tone. The rest of the werewolves quickly filed out of the cabin, and soon the two were alone in the room. Wilder carefully placed Lynda on his couch, and then drew a warm blanket over her. Lynda could not overlook his tenderness, which was in opposition to the power he exuded. Then he knelt in front of her, so that their heads were on the same level.

“Tell me, why are you here, Lynda? Really?” The werewolf asked her quietly, his eyes seeking hers. “I realize you need help, but why come to me, specifically? Was it only because of our previous conversation? You don’t even know me.”

Closing her eyes, so she wouldn’t have to watch his head spin around her, Lynda answered. “You are the alpha of a powerful pack. You have the resources I need to help my sister. All my contacts tell me you are an honorable man, and that once you give your word, you don’t go back on a promise.”

She paused for a moment, drew in a long breath and then continued to speak, her words muffled by her exhaustion. “Plus you are unmated – you have no young, her younger sistere sister? though pack dynamics will soon require you to have them. As for myself, I need a sire for my own children. I will not allow my lineage to die off.”

She opened her eyes and stared directly into his. “I absolutely cannot allow my line to die off. I will not! Please, Alpha Wilder, help me.” The pleading blossomed beyond her voice, to fill her eyes with tears waiting to overflow their boundaries. Lynda was a proud woman, there was no question about that, but for the sake of her sister she was willing to beg if that would sway Ben to accept her offer.

“Call me Ben.” He told her. Closing her eyes again against a mixture of emotion and dizziness, Lynda sighed and nodded her head slowly. “Does that mean you are going to help me, Ben?” she asked him, her quiet voice weighted with her desperation. Instead of answering her, he asked her another question. “Who has your sister?”

Lynda took a shaky breath before telling him. “Jonathan Anderson declared fuitina and kidnapped her last night from our house just outside of the town.” She waited, hoping against all hope that the name would not deter him.

“The son of Jonas Anderson, leader of the Dark Fang?” he asked quietly. Lynda, worried about his response to this new information, nodded to confirm his words. She forced herself up into a sitting position and began to explain exactly what had happened.

“Sonya met him at a local bar a few weeks back. Rumors had been floating around about who we were,” she sighed with a shake of her head. “Jon got Sonya drunk, and she accidentally showed him what she really was. Our power is harder to control when we aren’t sober sorry to say, but that is one weakness which we possess.”

“A woman of Yukonia lineage was much too large of a temptation for Jon to pass up. Cowardly little cur, he knew he couldn’t take me on, so he waited until I was out asleep. Then he and a few of his cronies broke into our house and took Sonya while she was sleeping. He warned me if I tried anything, his father would return for me to finish our “business.” She clenched her jaw with the fury that rushed through her at the idea of a man taking her sister while she was so vulnerable, and all because she had not been there to protect her in the first place.

“No wonder you came to me. I actually suspected that you might be too proud to come.” Ben snorted and for once it was easy to detect his frustration. “James owes me big, and Jon should know better than to try to kidnap any bride this close to my territory. It should take him most of a day to get her back to the fang’s land. Even more if she fights him, and he won’t claim her until his father sanctions the match.”

The werewolf sighed then rubbed his hands, palm against palm, as if preparing himself for the adventure. “You are right though, a mate with that sort of power is hard to turn down or give up. He won’t let her go without a fight, unless I can lay down a lot of pressure.”

“Pressure you can’t exert on our behalf, unless Sonya is considered under pack law to be part of your family.” Lynda spoke clearly, demonstrating that she already understood their laws. “If you take me as your mate, then Sonya is your sister in law. She falls under your protection at that time. Jonas Anderson is intelligent and won’t risk war between the two packs for one woman, especially when she is being held against her will.”

Ben was silent as Lynda studied him, trying to gauge his reaction to her words. He stared off into space as though he were frozen momentarily. He was nearly impossible to read, as if he had created an art out of indifference. Lynda continued in a more persuasive tone. “I realize that a mountain lion may not seem like an ideal mate for an alpha w?mime=image/jpg" width="600" height="4 c, prerewolf. But if you just give me a chance…”

Ben’s sudden and stern voice cut her off. “You’ve made your point, Lynda,” he said. He looked over at her, and the myriad of emotions in his gaze surprised her. Was there more beyond that cool exterior? She could only hope so, considering that she was offering to commit to him for an entire lifetime. This was not something she took lightly. He could accept her as an equal, as a true mate, or he could manipulate her due to her desperation. She held her breath as she waited for his response.

Chapter 7

I’m not accustomed to accepting a mate based on a business deal,” he said quietly. “You must understand that what you are asking for is a great favor.”

“And it is a great advantage to you,” she pointed out with a hint of feline arrogance. “It is not an offer you will ever have again,” she warned him. “I’ll not require more from you than you are willing to give.”

“And what do you expect that I’ll require of you?” he asked with a subtle tone. “Once you have your sister back, what will stop you from being disloyal to me, and my pack?”

“I would never,” Lynda said defiantly. “My word is very important to me. If you accept me as your mate, you will have my loyalty. I will live up to my word!”

Ben studied her intently, as if he was trying to gauge whether or not to trust her, and if so, how much. He needed to be certain, as it was not just himself he would be committing to Lynda, but his entire pack.

“I would expect complete loyalty,” he said sternly. “And perhaps,” he hesitated a moment, and allowed a glimpse of something beyond his stern exterior. She was stunned by what she saw, was that insecurity? “Love,” he added.

“Love?” she looked at him with surprise. Not too many alphas were interested in actual love. Of course they desired affection, compliance and companionship – but when it came to actual love that was something that they could usually just take or leave.

“It’s not as if it is something I expect now,” he said quickly, feeling a little flustered as his expression hardened once more. “But I would not mind it being a possibility in the future. Could you see that as a possibility, Lynda?”

In fact Lynda had not really considered it. She had chosen him for specific reasons, and with a very defined purpose in mind, and it was convenient that he was handsome, and had so far been fair and kind to her, but it was not a necessity. The only necessity was getting her sister, Sonya, back home, safe and sound. Now that she considered it however, she did see the potential. He was a strong and confident alpha, who seemed to hold within him a deeper sense of value than most men she had come in contact with previously.

“I could,” she agreed in a whisper. Only then did she realize the important question of the moment. “Could you?” she asked, meeting his gaze openly.

He did not speak, but he nodded slightly. The truth was he admired how brave and resilient she had been through this entire endeavor. She obviously thought of her sister before herself and was willing to make sacrifices to protect her. That was the kind of mentality that was expected in a pack. He turned away from her, the hint of vulnerability that he had revealed disappearing swiftly as he began to speak in a cool tone once more.

“#gihe doesn’t You’re right – the best way to save your sister is to extend Strongheart’s protection to her as my sister in law. You’re also correct that I need to take a mate. Clay and the others have been bothering me about it for months now. I’m not sure a cougaress is what they had in mind… but as I said, a woman of Yukonia is hard to turn down. If this is what you want,” he paused a moment to meet her eyes, then continued. “Then I swear I will do as you ask. I will take you as my mate, and then make certain your sister is returned safely to join us also if she wishes.”

Lynda had lowered her eyes as he spoke, partially in relief, somewhat in reverence to his power and partially in fear. Of course, ultimately his acceptance was what she wanted, but actually reaching this moment, when she would have to follow through with her offer, was something she did not yet prepare for. She had no idea what the experience would be like, but knew that it had to occur for all events to follow through to completion.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Ben asked in a whisper, as her auburn tresses tumbled forward slightly. Lynda set her jaw and brushed her hair back from her eyes, she met his gaze with a mirrored indifference.

“It is,” she said firmly.

His gaze searched hers as if he was looking for something in particular, but in the end he gave no hint as to whether he had found it or not. Instead he spoke calmly. “Come with me.” He held out his hand to her, and Lynda took it. His firm grasp was warm, and steady as he pulled her to her feet. Silently, Ben led her out of the living room and down the short hallway to his expansive bedroom at the end of his home. Each step drew them closer, not only to the culmination of their agreement, but also to Sonya’s freedom.

Lynda’s heart was pounding wildly in her chest as he swung the bedroom door open, and led her through it. He didn’t stop until they were standing in front of his massive bed, a four poster, that perfectly fit his manly style. “You are certain this is what you want?” He asked her once more, his tone full of warning that there would not be another opportunity to decline. Lynda nodded her head summoning every ounce of bravery within her, and to make certain he understood, she quickly brushed her lips lightly against his.

She heard Ben rumble deep in his throat as her innate magic suddenly brushed over him. His arms wound around her body with the strength of his nature, and the sensation of them surrounding her was intoxicating. Pressing her tightly against him, Ben deepened the kiss.

Lynda relaxed, letting her power flow through her, knowing that he could sense every subtle throb of it. Rather than trying to forcibly pick out information from his thoughts and memories, she let the Yukonia magic tell her what to do to please him. This was what the power was intended for, what made a woman of her lineage so valued as a mate. She would become his perfect lover, molding her actions and reactions to fit his each and every need.

And in turn she received his every passion back through her magical link to him. They tumbled back across the bed, but the sensation of cloth against skin was nothing compared to the stroke of their escalating touches. The ecstasy they shared was in perfect congruency. Every time he ached, feeling as if the pleasure would be too much, she ached with him. Every time she gave him the sensation of pleasure, she received it in return through his reaction, making it ripple in an endless flow between the two of them.

Her magic turned their lovemaking into a cycle of intense feedback. Time ceased to exist for them, flesh and bone was a vague memory, as the pure and basic sense of euphoria united them into one sentient being. There was no separation between their climax. The moment he crested, she cascaded along with h

Chapter 8