Growl for Me: BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance (7 page)

She swallowed, and gave him
a shaky nod at last. “I...trust you.”

He nodded. Those words were
precious to him.

After that terrifying attack
by the Red Fangs last night, it couldn't have been easy for her to
place her trust in a wolf. Yet, she trusted him. Declan bowed his
head, humbled and proud.

Gently, he tugged her jeans
past her hips and down her legs. He removed her sneakers and
smoothed his hands up her creamy thighs. His fingers dipped below
the elastic waistband of her panties, and it was just too much. He
had tried his best, but a man could only take so much. With a roar,
he tore that flimsy fabric from her body, rendering her completely
naked at last. Naked for his eyes, hands and mouth.

His mouth began to water at
the sight of the vee between her legs. He spread her legs and bent
to kiss down her navel. He could hear the growl rumbling from his
throat as he laved his tongue down her body, going lower and lower
until he found that swollen, throbbing nub. He groaned as he slipped
her engorged clit between his lips and suckled it. Mina gasped and
her hips bucked as he flicked her clit with his tongue, tormenting
her out of her mind.

Breathing hard, he placed
his hands under her knees to spread her wider. Kneeling before her,
he kissed the inside of her thigh, slowly making his way up to his
prize. When he reached her pussy lips, he paused for an instant,
breathing in her lush, feminine scent before taking her pussy with
his mouth. Her moisture squirted out into his mouth as her muscles
clenched. His female was so wet and aroused. Her head thrashed from
side to side, and he could feel that she was about to come. She was
teetering at the very edge, her fingers clawing desperately into the
ground.

Declan licked his lips, and
delved his tongue into her moist, warm depths. She orgasmed almost
immediately when his tongue entered her. She let out a keening cry
as he licked and sucked her thoroughly. When he smeared her juices
over her clit and rubbed that hard nub with his thumb, her toes
curled and she screamed in pleasure.

Declan let his tongue dip
into her one last time and languidly licked up her body, up her
stomach to the valley between her breasts. He hovered above her, and
watched her face as she gradually drifted down from her climax. She
looked so beautiful when she orgasmed. He wanted to see that look on
her face again. Damn, he wanted to see it every single night.

Mina opened her eyes at last
and smiled shyly when she saw him gazing down at her. Abruptly, she
threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her. He kissed
her passionately, letting her taste herself on his lips. He heard
her moan at the erotic taste and scent of her own honey on his mouth
and tongue. Declan ground his erection against her bare pussy,
clenching his teeth. He was still hard as a rock, and still fully
dressed in his jeans and shirt.

He needed a cold shower,
stat.

Mina felt the scrape of his
jeans against her bare legs and her trembling hands trailed up from
his belt to the buttons on his shirt. She started to blush
furiously, aware that she was completely naked and he...was not.

She began to fumble around
for her clothes.

“Oh.” She
gulped when she picked up her ripped panties and bra. “I can't
wear these...”

“Nope. You don't need
them.” Declan took them from her and tossed them over his
shoulder. “I'll get you home.”

With a shy, nervous laugh,
she scrambled up and grabbed her clothes. Frantically tugging on her
jeans, she mumbled, “Home?”

“Yes. Home.”

She shrugged on her blouse
and continued, “I was told that the company would be arranging
lodgings...”

“Yes.” Declan
nodded, smiling smugly as he watched her retie her ponytail. “Come.
I'll show you where you'll be sleeping tonight. Let's make our way
back, shall we?”

She started to follow him.
“Wait a minute.” She stopped suddenly.

“What?”

“Are we making our way
back to...your home?” she asked shrewdly.

“Yes.”

“Are you...trying to
get me into your bed, Declan?”

“I don't have to try,”
he answered over his shoulder as he strode away from her. “You'll
be jumping into my bed,” he muttered with a snide smile. “And
we both know that you won't be able to keep your hands off me.”

She made an exasperated
sound. “Ooh! You wish!”

Stomping past him, she
sniffed, “You are one arrogant wolf, Declan Grant.” Her
arms were folded over her braless chest. “You are arrogant,
egotistical and presumptuous!”

“Presumptuous?”
Declan raised a brow and chuckled. “Oh, but I never presume,
Mina. I plan, I predict, I proceed—” he said in all
seriousness. “But I never presume.”

Mina stepped out of Declan's
SUV and looked down the row of neat, white houses. The neighborhood
was clean, peaceful, and she saw some young wolf pups playing in the
front yard of the houses.

“The kids like staying
in their wolf form,” Declan explained as he walked round the
car. “No clothes, more freedom.”

Mina nodded, taking in the
entire street of nice, modern houses. “Your company built
these?”

“Yup. Our houses are
designed for safety and comfort. The exterior is simple, modern and
the interior is spacious and comfortable,” Declan smiled
proudly.

Mina's eyes widened a
little. “And the entire Snow River pack lives here? On this
street?”

“Yes. I need to be
able to contact and mobilize my wolves quickly.”

Mina nodded. “And I'm
guessing this—” She pointed to a large double-story
bungalow that was set a little distance apart from the row of
uniformly white terraced houses. “—is the Alpha's
house.”

He grinned. “Welcome
to my humble abode.”

She shot him a look which
told him that she thought there was nothing humble about his abode or
him.

Declan's grin grew wider.
He was proud of his home, his company and his pack. And judging from
the way he placed his arm around her, he was proud of his woman as
well.

Mina bit the inside of her
cheek. There was an unmistakable possessiveness in the way Declan
held her and looked at her. And, the funny thing was—she liked
it. She didn't feel like he was smothering her or coercing her. He
clearly had a lot of power and authority, but he treated her with
gentleness, tenderness and respect. He had a rakish charm and a
healthy sense of humor. He stood a full head taller than her, and
his toned, muscular body radiated heat and strength, but he didn't
intimidate her. She liked being with him. And even though she had
only met him last night in wolf form, and this morning in human form,
she felt like she'd known him for a long time. She had never felt so
safe and comfortable with Nate, even though they had been together
for six years. Looking back, she could now see that Nate had been
insecure, immature, and largely insensitive towards her. It had been
all about him, his wants, his vanity, his ego. One wrong word and he
would descend into a cold, stony silence.

But with Declan, she felt
she could just speak her mind, say anything to him, anything at all,
and he would be able to take it. He was secure, comfortable in his
own skin, and he was a protector. Not a whining little boy, but a
real man. He took care of her, like she was his. Mina glanced up at
his chiseled profile, resisting the urge to touch his jaw and trace
her finger down the hard planes of his body. She wanted him to be
hers as well. She wanted him to belong to her.

Mina grimaced.

What in the world had gotten
into her? She was no lovestruck, horny teenager. She was a grown
woman in her twenties, a working girl. She was sensible and
independent, and she didn't have one night stands. Ever.

So why did she want to jump
the bones of her delicious, hunky boss within seconds of meeting him?
Hell, she was even thinking of keeping him, making him hers. What—?

“Mina, you okay?”

Mina gave herself a quick
shake. “Yeah.”

Declan peered at her over
his aviator shades. “What's on your mind? You can tell me.”

“I...I'm just
thinking...maybe this isn't such a good idea.”

Declan frowned.

“Maybe I should go
stay in a hotel. I could get a room at Hunter's Lodge until I can
find a place to rent. I shouldn't be staying here, in your house,
with you. It's not...appropriate,” she finished with a wince.

Declan shook his head. “The
Red Fangs will be pissed that we've thwarted their attack. Rhett,
the Alpha of those red wolves, will not be pleased that his butt got
kicked all the way through the woods, and he had to slink away with
his tail between his legs. He's going to order his pack to attack
again, and this time, they'll make sure they get you. Do you think
you'll be safe anywhere else in Misty Valley? You have to stay here,
in Snow River territory, with me.” Declan moved closer to her.
“If you're worried that I'll ravish you in your sleep...”
His lips brushed against the tip of her ear, making her shiver.
“Well, that—will only happen...” He gave her a
half smile and whispered, “In your dreams!”

Mina gasped and punched him
hard in the arm. “You!”

Declan straightened up and
grinned. “I'll be dreaming the same thing.” His
expression grew serious and he said, “I never take advantage of
females. If I am in your bed, it's because you want me there. I
never take a female against her will.” His voice dropped to a
low growl. “Partners must be willing...and hungry.”

Mina swallowed.

“You will sleep in the
guest room tonight, Mina. And you will sleep alone, unmolested.”
Declan took her hand and led her towards the beautiful bungalow.
“Come, I'll show you to your room. It's just across the hall
from mine. So...if you want me, you know where to find me.”
He winked.

“You...!” Mina
opened and shut her mouth, unable to find the words. “You are
just...”

“I know, I know.
Irresistible, incorrigible, unbelievable.” He gave a
self-satisfied smirk as he ushered her through the front door. “It's
part of my charm. You'll get used to it. In fact—” He
cocked his head. “You'll never get enough of it!”

Mina had to laugh. Declan
was arrogant all right, but not so arrogant that he couldn't poke fun
at himself and make her laugh.

Declan showed her around his
neat, well-furnished house and finally settled her in the guest
bedroom. Just before he left the room, she went up to him and kissed
him on the cheek. “Thank you,” she said. “For
everything.”

“You're welcome.”
He smiled. “And thank you.”

She blinked at him. “For
what?”

“For you,” he
answered softly.

Mina struggled to wake from
a dream. In the dream, she saw the red wolves again. They were
chasing her through the woods. She was running barefoot through the
thorny undergrowth, and her clothes were badly ripped and bloody.
There was blood on her hands, so much blood. But it wasn't her
blood.

The red wolves stopped
chasing her all of a sudden. They turned around and snarled at a
shadow behind them. The figure moved into the light and she saw
Declan. He was naked and covered in blood. Mina stared down at the
blood on her hands. It was his blood on her hands.

The red wolves began to
circle Declan, their fangs and claws glinting like daggers. The red
wolves closed in and charged. Declan fought them off, but their
teeth sank into his flesh and deep gashes appeared on his back and
limbs. With each slash of their claws, more blood flowed down
Declan's body, and more blood appeared on Mina's hands.

Mina ran towards Declan, but
she couldn't reach him. The harder she ran, the further he seemed.
The red wolves were swarming around him, tearing at his flesh and
bringing him to his knees.

Mina banged against an
invisible wall and screamed. “Help him!” she rasped.
“Help...”

Mina's eyes flew open, and
she jerked up in her bed. Her hair was plastered to her face, and
her pajamas were drenched in cold sweat.

She stared around the neat
guest bedroom and watched the silvery moonlight pooling on the
bedroom floor. Her heart was thudding wildly in her chest, and her
throat felt too dry and tight.

“Declan,” she
whispered. She pressed her clammy hands to her chest, trying to ease
the sharp ache in her heart.

She heard a growl and she
jerked her head towards the window. Scrambling out of bed, she
rushed to the window and looked down. Her eyes grew wide with fear.

“No,” she
whispered. “No, Declan.”

It was the scene from her
nightmare. Declan was standing out in the street, in front of his
house. He was wearing just a pair of old jeans. He was barebodied
and barefoot, and he was right in the middle of a circle of red
wolves. The Red Fangs pack had come after all. They had come for
her.