Claiming His Need (12 page)

“No.” The voice that came out of me was not my own. It was a sound of pure rage, of fear and desperation forcing my soul into the deepest, darkest corners. It was the voice of a wolf warrior balancing on the knife-edge of reason

“What? What is it?” Kaija asked as she looked back and forth between her parents and me.

Uuna lifted her chin, the wet shine of her eyes the only outward sign of her inner emotional turmoil. I growled as her eyes met mine, making the Alpha step in front of her and attempt to stare me into submission. But this was about my mate, my one true match, and I would not back down to anyone when it came to her safety.

“No.”

“You have no say in this, young one.” Alpha Wariksen approached until his chest nearly brushed against mine. “You two aren’t officially mated, and therefore your opinion carries no weight.”

My neck and ears burned with the fire of a level of hell I’d never reached as my hands curled into fists. “Fuck you and your antiquated rules. No.”

Wariksen roared. “How dare you speak to—”

“She is my mate, and I will say—”

“Stop!” Kaija stood at my side, pulling me away from her father. “Please, Gates. Tell me what’s going on.”
 

Uuna grasped Wariksen’s arm and tugged him back as I gripped my hair and roared my frustration. Fucking nomads and their fucking bad timing and my fucking need to keep Kaija safe. Had I just thrown her down to the ground and fucked her in that cave the first day, we wouldn’t be in this situation. I would be in a position of power in regards to her as my mate. Most pack Alphas respected that power and wouldn’t push a mated pair into anything they weren’t comfortable doing. But Wariksen was right. The fact that Kaija and I were not yet officially mated took me out of the equation when it came to her. I could rant and rave and suggest all I wanted to, but in the end, her Alpha made the call.

Sandman stepped in front of me, his expression a mess of pain and anger with a hard-fought confidence trying to break through. “They want to exchange Kaija for Magnus. They say if we don’t agree, they’ll burn the Wariksen’s out of their camp after they come for the human mates.”

“They can’t do that.” Kaija’s voice was soft, slightly shaky. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and brought her against my side.

“You told them to go pound sand, right?” I asked on a growl, knowing the answer.

“They will destroy this pack.” Wariksen pointed at me from where he stood with Uuna, his face red and his voice too loud for the distance. “They will take the land we’ve lived on for hundreds of years and break the Valkoisus apart bit by bit. Our mated wolves will leave the pack to protect their mates.”

Sandman nodded at the Alpha before looking from me to Kaija and back. “There have been three other Omegas go missing in the last two years. One from out east, one from Texas, and the third from a small pack in northwestern Canada. No one put the pieces together because each case appeared independent, plus the Breed doesn’t always know what’s happening in other territories. These guys slipped through our cracks and now have three of our beloved Omegas. We need to capture at least one of these nomads if we have any hope of finding those girls.”

“Fuck.” I dragged my hand down my face and threw my head back. I wanted to scream. I wanted to claw down the stars and let them set fire to the land. I wanted to rage against the fates, that they would give me the greatest gift then threaten to take it away from me. But most of all, I wanted to run. Grab Kaija and leave.
 

Which made me no better than all the mated Valkoisus wolves who would abandon their pack to protect their mate. A particularly sobering thought.

“We need her cooperation, Gates.” Half Trac took a step closer, his eyes on mine. “We’ll keep her from harm, but she has to be a part of our plan if we have any hope to capture the men who threaten her future.”

I looked down at Kaija. She peered at me, her blue eyes calm and a small smile on her red lips.
 

“I’m not afraid. My pack needs me, as do my Omega sisters. I know you and your Breed brothers won’t let anything happen to me.”

She stepped into my arms and wrapped her little body around mine. She suddenly felt so small, so breakable. And yet, I’d seen her strength the past few days. I knew she could take care of herself. But that didn’t mean I had to like putting her in danger’s path.

I clung to her, afraid to let her go. “I cannot lose you.” My voice was a whisper, barely audible. But she heard me.
 

“I’ll never leave you. Besides, you’ll all keep me safe,” she murmured with her lips against my collarbone. “And when this is all over, I will come for you. And I will court you as you deserve.” She tilted her head back, a saucy smile on her face even as her eyes spoke of the level of fear she felt.

I forced my lips into what I hoped was a smile and swallowed hard. “I think that’s my line.”

Her smile fell, her face turning serious. “So tell me. Not tucked away in a private spot, but here. In front of your Breed brothers and the leaders of my pack. Say the words, Lorenzo. Make me yours.”

Her request awoke something inside of me, something hot and primal. My mate wanted me to make it known that she was mine. Something I should have done from the start. I should never have allowed her packmates to wonder if I would refuse our mating or if I wanted her to be mine. I should have lifted her up in front of her pack and hollered my joy at finding my mate for all of them to hear. I should have done so many things for her. But I couldn’t go back in time and correct my mistakes. All I could do was move forward, progress through life, learning as I went.

Never looking away from her, I bent at my knees so I could stare straight into her eyes. With as much conviction as I had in me, in a voice loud enough for even the guards at the tree line to hear, I repeated the words I’d said to her in the cave.
 

“When all this is done, I will come for you, my mate. Let me make you safe, and then I will come. I will meet with your Alpha to show my worth, and I will court you as you deserve.”

She smiled and nodded, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. “I am yours, Lorenzo. And I will wait as patiently as I can for you.”
 

Without warning, I lifted her into the air and twirled her in a circle. Her red cloak swung out behind her, and her light hair made a wave of white above the jewel-toned fabric. She was the brightest star in the sky making up my life, and I wanted nothing more than to bask in her light forever.
 

My brothers were whooping with joy when I finally set my girl back on solid ground. She ducked her head against my chest, her shy side showing itself as the Feral Breed members surrounded us. They gave me pats on the back and placed their hands on her arms in welcome, a traditional gesture ingrained in all of us. Kaija smiled and nodded, offering thanks and appreciation for their welcome. And when my brothers were done and she stood in a semicircle of Feral Breed men, Kaija surprised us all with her bravery and directness.

“Well then, let’s get this plan rolling. I have a mate waiting for his chance to woo me.” She turned toward the porch, meeting the eyes of her father. “I’ll do what you’ve asked of me. I’ll assist in saving the Breed leader, and when he is safe, I’ll help with the missing Omegas case. I won’t allow this pack to be torn asunder, and I will not abandon my Omega sisters.”

Her mother nodded once, tears falling down her face. Apparently I wasn’t the only one scared out of my skin by Kaija’s bravery.

“Will you be back tonight?”

I tasted Kaija’s lips again, quieting her. My hands slid along the skin of her back, hidden from anyone who happened up the stairs by the awfully convenient cloak she still wore. The draping fabric gave me almost unlimited access to all parts of her body, and her access to mine. No wonder pack wolves loved the ugly things so much.

My tongue danced with hers, wet and sweet and so very hot. I couldn’t get enough of the feel of her mouth, needed to taste her in ways that were almost incomprehensible. Those red lips would be my downfall—could easily lead me straight to Heaven or Hell. I bit the plump bottom one gently, so very softly, just enough to hint at the level of desire I felt for her. She responded by pulling me closer and clawing at my back. The pleasure-pain of her nails in my skin caused goose bumps to break out along my arms and legs. I groaned in response and pressed my body harder against hers.

“Yes, I’ll be on your balcony a little later.” I trailed my lips over her jaw and bit the muscle on the side of her neck. She moaned and tilted her head in response as she sunk her teeth into my chest. Submissive and yet aggressive at the same time. The perfect mixture of sweet and saucy, my mate was. “We just need to finalize the plan details before I can come back up here.”

Her hands slid down my back to grip my ass, pulling us together so she could grind her hip against my hard cock. My chest vibrated with the growl I tried to restrain as I fought the urge to sink my aching cock inside of her. She had me so hard, so painfully, excruciatingly in need of her. I was almost ready to beg her for a little release. Her hand, that irresistible mouth…anything. I’d had no idea my mating would come with such a raging case of blue balls.

Her lips moved to my neck. “Please don’t keep me waiting.”
 

“Never.” I groaned as she sucked on my earlobe, her teeth making a small appearance at the end. “Fuck, you drive me wild, princess.”

“I want you so much,” she practically begged. The tone in her voice brought me to a new level of turned-on, dark and needy and completely desperate. I yanked her toward me with a growled curse, wedging my leg between hers and pulling her in tight so she could ride my thigh.
 

“Soon, sweet girl. Until then—” I tugged at our cloaks, pushing aside the fabric barrier between us. I caught a quick glimpse of her beautiful skin and soft curves before I pulled her into my embrace. Her naked breasts rested warm and soft against my chest, a sensation that quickly became my obsession. I wanted to lick them, suck the hardened tips into my mouth, and nuzzle the softness of her skin. Wanted to spend hours kneading the heavy flesh. But, at the moment, that would mean the possibility of others seeing those luscious tits, and I wasn’t about to let that happen.
 

Turning her so my back blocked anyone coming up the stairs from seeing a single inch of all that pale skin, I lifted my leg higher against her pussy. The heat astounded me, making me moan as I imagined what all that soft, hot flesh would feel like wrapped around my needy cock. I slid one hand up around her hip to her breast, unable to stop myself, and pinched that coral-colored nipple between two fingers.

Kaija gasped and rocked her hips, her wetness spreading over my skin in a matter of seconds.

“Please, Lorenzo.”

Hearing my name, my real name, fall from her lips on such a breathy sigh ignited my desire even further. Our kisses turned more heated, coming harder and faster as we rocked together. I wanted her to come so badly, needed it with every inch of my being. Teeth and tongue and flesh met as we tried to get closer, fought for more contact. Her pussy glided along the muscle of my thigh, teasing me with her heat, soaking me in her want.
 

“Now…please.”

Her plea was my breaking point. I grabbed her by the back of her legs and lifted, ready to carry her to the nearest bed. Before I could take a single step in the direction of her suite, someone coughed from the top of the staircase. Kaija froze as I turned my head and glared at the intruder. Pup stood with his head slightly bowed, hand on the balustrade and a small smile on his face.

“They need you downstairs.”

Kaija bit my collarbone and whined softly, a sound that would forever haunt me as one filled with longing and disappointment. Something unacceptable to me as a man. I adjusted my grip on her legs to slide my fingers along her pussy from behind. She jumped and sighed as I teased her with the push-pull of my hand.
 

And then I focused on the interloper. “Leave us.”

Kaija bit harder, and I took a backward step and rested my shoulders against the wall so I could press harder against her pussy.
 

“Yes…more.” She moaned, lips against my collarbone, as I spread her open.

I slid one finger inside her, nearly howling as she squeezed around it. So tight, so hot. I pushed in a little farther, circling her entrance from within. She shivered in my arms and clenched down hard.

Another cough had me snarling. “Go away, Pup.”

“If I don’t come back with you, her father will come up here. And I’m pretty sure you don’t want him to…uh…see this.”

Kaija’s walls fluttered around my finger, and I nearly whined at how close I knew she had to be. Two minutes. Two fucking minutes and I could have felt her shatter in my hand. Could have seen that same look of complete bliss cross her face as I’d made happen in our pine-tree den. But I didn’t have two minutes unless I wanted Pup to hear her come in my arms. And that sound—the way her breath caught and she moaned almost without realization—was for my ears only.

Sliding my finger from her pussy, I pulled her body into mine and kissed the top of her head. The loss of her flesh against mine made me whimper, and by the look on her face, she felt the same.

“I’m so sorry we couldn’t finish this, princess. I’ll be back as soon as I can. I promise you.” I set her down, straightening the fabric of her cloak to keep Pup from sneaking a peek.
 

She pressed her forehead to my chest as she panted. “I kind of hate you right now, you know that, right?”

The way her hands pulled me closer belied her words. I chuckled as I squeezed her one last time.

“I know, but I promise to make it up to you.” A quick kiss to her head and I took a step away from her. Her cloak fell open, all that milky-white skin on display just for me. I groaned. “Princess.”

She shrugged. “Sorry, it must have come unhooked somehow.”

She smirked as she trailed her fingers over her breasts, tweaking a nipple along the way, before finally grasping the edges of the red fabric to hide herself once more.