Awakening the Wolf (13 page)

“You don’t know how wonderful you truly are. I wish you saw yourself as I see you.”

She felt her cheeks sear from his words, and Illiana truly wanted to believe them. All her life she had been told she never fit in. She was told that her looks were never good enough. Christopher had always accepted her for who she was.
I can’t think about him right now. This is about Belik. He’s telling me he cares for me and wants to show me. He accepts me for who I am.
“I see myself in your eyes, and I know how much you care for me.”

He pressed his lips against her throat and nipped. “All these months I’ve watched you with the fire. And all I could think of was how wonderful you’d be for a mate. I can barely believe you’re here with me.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” She brought him to her lips and kissed him slowly, savoring the taste of his lips. She trailed her hands down his sculpted chest and grasped his firm cock through the thin material of his pants.

He groaned and kissed her harder. At that moment, Belik picked her up and deposited her on a soft patch of moss by the pond. Belik slid down her body and began kissing her leg, planting kisses along her flesh. Illiana giggled when he came to the inside of her knee when he hit a ticklish spot. He ran his free hand over her stomach, feeling all over her curves. She had never felt so complete with anyone before. Belik sucked on the inside of her sensitive thigh. His lips sent shivers all through her. He sucked in her skin while his hands skimmed along her sides and cupped her breasts. Illiana glanced down and saw him looking straight at her. The corners of Belik’s mouth turned up when he settled his lips over her clit. Illiana lifted her hips to get closer to his tongue. His tongue flicked over her bud. The feelings running through her were taking her to another world.

Her nerves twisted and came alive. The wolf wanted to join the fun, too, so she let it in and gave over to the primal side. The fire moved along her nerves, and the air tried to cool her all at the same time. As the breeze brushed over her skin, it only ignited the pleasure centers in her body. Belik’s tongue worked magic over her buried nub. Her unspent bliss was building. The higher he was bringing her, the more she was nearing the edge. It seemed she soared above the trees on her own wings and the raven was above to dive down. He sucked on her clit and then plunged his tongue deep into her already wet pussy. Illiana clenched her thighs around his head. He wound his arms under her knees and separated them once more. Belik sank his tongue into her depths and sucked her clit at the same time. She pushed her hips into him and rode the waves of ecstasy. The flames burned in her mind, and they lit up every darkened corner. All she wanted was to have them consume her.

“Belik . . . oh, yeah,” Illiana screamed, coming from the flicks of his tongue. She soared higher and was engulfed in the flames.

He licked her one last time and slid along her body until he straddled her. The thin material of his pants made her wanting worse because all she wanted was to have his dick buried inside of her. The pants needed to come off. Illiana sat up and starting kissing his chest. Belik sighed as she took a nipple into her mouth and bit down on it. It firmed in her mouth. She dragged her nails down his back. He cried out and crushed her between his thighs. Illiana circled her tongue around his nipple before looking up. He was already taking in great gasps of air. She slid her hand over his pants, feeling his erect cock, and pushed them around his hips. Once she began to stroke him, Belik caught her wrist and held it.

“I’m pleasuring you, remember?”

“Can’t I have a little fun, too?” Illiana asked. “I thought this was about the two of us getting to know one another?”

“We are. But I enjoy this.”

He placed a few kisses along the side of her throat. She moaned when he stopped. None of her previous lovers had been attentive. They were all out for a quick bout of pleasure. Belik was trying to be so sweet with her, and it all felt so good. Now she needed him inside of her. So much bombarded her mind that she wanted him in all ways. The passion inside of her throttled her heart against her rib cage. It would burst if he kept on torturing her. The flames of yearning would consume her. She wondered if he could feel the heat on her skin from the fire burning within her. Or maybe the wind was keeping her too cool. She was not sure if he could feel either one. Illiana placed a hand on Belik’s cheek. “I’m ready. I want you.”

Belik gripped her breast and squeezed it. He smiled and rose from her, leaving her bare. Illiana already missed the warmth from his body. He slipped his pants off and then pressed his lips against her thigh. She ran her hand down his thigh and grasped his shaft, before spreading her legs and guiding him into her wet, waiting pussy. He started a rhythm between them, pumping in and out of her slowly. She pressed her body against his and let the ardor building in her wash through her body. He dove into her harder. She gripped one of his thighs while he plunged into her pussy and hit her clit with his dick. Illiana tried to breathe with him, taking in small breaths to slow her climax, but it wasn’t working. Her muscles clenched. The fire inside of her jumped until it burned her up. The wolf was already there, just waiting for her to give in. What would Belik do if she lost total control?

Illiana clutched her lover’s shoulder, digging her nails into the flesh. She kissed along his neck and bit into his flesh. She loved his taste and licked his collarbone. Belik plunged into her again. Illiana cried out. The ecstasy of the orgasm swept her away. She held him close and wove her fingers through his hair. Once she came down from her high, she focused on his lips nipping at her throat, working down to her breast. Illiana loved the feel of him inside of her. He thrust into her a few more times and came. Belik slipped his hand from her breast and began to rub her clit again.

“Belik, please. I can’t . . . ”

He didn’t stop but fondled her faster. Illiana held onto him to keep herself anchored inside of her flesh. Once she reached climax, she screamed. Illiana’s body continued to shake from the aftermath of her orgasm. Belik held her to him, still sheathed inside of her. She tried to breathe and calm her fevered heart. He settled on top of her and kissed the place above her heart.

“I love you, Illiana,” he whispered next to her ear.

Illiana sighed. Complete contentment suffused her body. Belik rested his head on her chest. The weight was comforting, but knowing that he was going to stay with her no matter what, warmed her heart even more. She ran her fingers through his silky hair. She’d never imagined that he would make her body sing with such delight. He stirred emotions she thought she had only for Christopher.

“That felt wonderful. Are you okay?” Belik opened his eyes.

“I’m fine. But I think we should go.”

He glanced at the horizon. “Yeah. Your mother’s going to be wondering where you are. Don’t want the leader of the flock to think I kidnapped you.”

Illiana kissed him. “Maybe it’s the best thing. Maybe tell them I was eaten by a wolf or I got lost in the woods.”

“Your mother would never believe me. And she’d look for you.”

“Probably.”

Belik touched her face and smiled. “You know, there’s still a while yet before it’s completely dark out. Even then we can fly back. Maybe we can stay a little bit longer.” He nuzzled her neck.

Illiana wrapped her leg around his. “I think I’m up for that.”

Illiana glanced up at the moon. In three nights it would be full, which signaled the gathering of the clans. The ravens were preparing for the jamboree, and her mother had been in negotiations with the alpha to make sure everything was in order. Lelana had hardly given her any thought. Even her aunt was busy meeting with the priests from the wolf pack to be sure all the correct rituals were observed in case they did something wrong. But she knew that Christopher was waiting for her. Well, he was not waiting for
her
. He was waiting for the black wolf with whom he had become intrigued. She smiled and thought of the times she had gone to visit him. After the third meeting, he had stopped trying to chase her down and eat her. He had not turned her over to the rest of the pack yet or revealed her to Jalisa. So she knew that somewhere he was intrigued with her.

Belik slid his arm around her middle and nuzzled her neck. His comforting presence put her at ease. The past few weeks they had been together, her heart had grown to encompass him. She was spending time and learning more about him the longer they were together. His fingers snuck under her robe and cupped her breast. She held in a moan from the quakes of pleasure that zinged through her. He nipped her earlobe and pinched her nipple.

“You look so beautiful bathed in the moonlight.”

She turned in his grasp and wrapped her arms around his neck, molding her body to his. In the last couple of weeks, Belik had made her feel more alive than she ever thought she would, just from his acceptance of her. He was the first man to ever really accept her curves without thinking she was some abomination. Illiana was not completely comfortable yet in her own skin, even with the wolf blending in with her body, but she was getting there. Much of it had been thanks to her man. She pressed her lips to his and kissed him quickly. He traced his fingers down the front of her robe and began untying the belt. Belik slipped his fingers along her stomach until she squirmed because he hit a ticklish spot.

“You did that on purpose.”

“I did. I admit it, but I can’t help it. You’re the most amazing thing in this whole forest.”

“Are you going to be watching over me tonight, too?”

“I planned on it. Unless you don’t want me to.”

Illiana felt the wind stir her hair and trail over her bare skin. It almost seemed like a sigh. “Of course I want you to. I’m still amazed at how well you’re handling this.”

He pushed a piece of hair that had been blown into her face out of the way. The simple touch of his skin made her wet. She almost caved in and decided that she wanted to spend the night in his arms, but she was not going to give up on Christopher. Illiana’s plan to be accepted into the pack was still moving forward.

“Me? I’m thrilled you said
yes
. All those times I tried to get close to you to say hello, and you kept passing by me and barely noticing me. . . . And—”

“I was an idiot because of it. I’m sorry I ever ignored you. I didn’t know.”

“I know. It’s okay. You should get going. Christopher will be waiting for you.”

She stopped and stared into Belik’s dark eyes and did not see any rejection or jealousy in them. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’m okay with all of this. I want you to be happy. And if this is what makes you happy, then I’m all for it. I won’t let him hurt you.”

Illiana was taken aback by his dark tone, yet something about it made her feel looked after. He did not have an angry side from what she could tell, but seeing the serious look in his eyes she knew he was being protective of her. “Thank you.” She kissed him again and backed away, letting the robe completely pool to the floor.

“Beautiful,” Belik whispered.

With a quick look behind her, she smiled and ran toward the window, feeling her body morphing into the raven form. Even before she leaped over the balcony, the breeze lifted her wings and sent her into an updraft so she was circling around one of the trees, dodging the limbs. Illiana enjoyed the flurry of her wings slicing the air and headed deeper into the wolves’ territory, where they hunted. She wondered if tonight she would sink her teeth into something. The thought of hunting and blood stimulated the wolf. Illiana pulled her wings closer to her body, and she hit the ground on all fours. The shift between forms was something she was getting used to more and more. She was hidden by the shadows, and when she glanced up into the trees, she could sense Belik watching over her.

Illiana shook her head, hoping not to encounter any wolves. She had been lucky so far. Her aunt had mentioned to her that the pack had rumors of a new wolf roaming the woods. Illiana came out into the clearing and waited for Christopher. It took a few minutes, but she saw him emerge into the clearing. His silver coat shone in the moonlight, and it took her breath away. It brought her back to the night when he had kissed her and told her that he had cared about her and if she could become a wolf, then there might be a chance for them to be together.

“I wasn’t sure you would come.”

She approached him slowly, not lowering her gaze or her ears, letting him know that she was not intimidated by him at all. After the first night, he had never demanded it of her again.
“Of course I would. Can’t I be a little mysterious?”
Illiana bumped her nose against his and licked his muzzle before walking away.

“You drive me crazy! You know that, right?”

“I think that’s the whole idea. So what are we doing tonight?”

“I really shouldn’t be meeting you. My mate to be is getting suspicious of me coming back with another’s scent all over me.”

She yipped, got down on two legs in a play-bow stance, and wagged her tail. She waited for Christopher to react, the way he normally did, trying to chase her and catch her as they played in the clearing, but he did not. The longing was there in his eyes, so she straightened herself up so she would not look foolish.
“I can’t help you there. I never told you to keep coming out here to meet me. I was interested in your pack.”

“I know. That’s the reason why I spoke to my father about you.”

“Really? Does he want to run me out of pack territory?”
A moment of fear stabbed her, but this was what she had been waiting for.

“Not to run you away from the territory, but for you to meet the rest of the pack. I’ve told him you’d be a good candidate.”

“I didn’t think that you would. If I get initiated into the pack, then I guess your mate to be might not appreciate the competition
.
”