Pack Alpha (12 page)

Gage thrust into her fast and hard, holding her hips and running his lips over her back. When he felt her body start to tremble and she cried out her release, he opened his mouth. His canines lengthened, and he bit down, sinking his teeth into her shoulder. Her blood flowed freely as he claimed her as his own.

He didn’t need to swallow much of her blood. Just the exchange would link them. Gage lifted his head to stare down at the mark. His cock pulsed and he came.

Licking at the wound, he cleaned it as he found his own release, pulling her along with him one more time.

Empty and satisfied, he turned her back over and took her lips. He shared her blood with her, licking. He bit down on his tongue, filling his mouth with his own blood. He held the back of her head firmly as he forced his blood into her.

With the claiming and blood exchange finished, they collapsed as mates.

Chapter Seven

Gage held Marissa in his arms and caressed her body. She hadn’t said anything since they’d finished the claiming, but she hadn’t pulled away either. Her body remained relaxed and soft.

When she rubbed along him, he felt the wetness between her thighs—evidence of the claiming and mating still running through her body. Cupping her round bottom, he lifted her up and onto his thighs.

“Ride me, baby. Fuck me.”

She did. She rode him fast, raising herself up and down, her clit rubbing against him while he played with her nipples.

“Mine.” He lifted his mouth to take one pert nub inside.

Marissa cried out, riding him faster, taking them both to a quick but powerful climax. Sweating and panting, she fell on his chest.

Gage held her close. “I love you.”

Marissa jerked and brought her head up. “What?”

Gage laughed at the expression on her face. With a hand in her hair, he brought her mouth inches from his. “You heard me.”

“But—”

Gage nipped her lip. “I’ve claimed you. Why would I do that if I didn’t love you?”

“To protect me. To keep me in your Pack.”

Gage’s stomach dropped. Was that what she really thought? Was that why she’d done it, allowed him to claim her? Gage started to pull her off him.

Marissa tightened her legs, holding Gage under her. Inside her.

“Marissa.”

Marissa just shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

Gage sighed. He’d been stupid. Thinking she would fall in love as fast as he had. But he’d known the first time he’d seen her looking defiant and angry that she was the one who would take his heart. He’d known she wasn’t ready but had let her words during passion override his senses.

Using his strength, he lifted her off of him. She growled but he ignored her and stood.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

He knew she was reaching for him but Gage really couldn’t listen to her reject him. He’d put everything on the line and his heart was breaking.

Gage didn’t even turn around. “To shower. We still have a lot to do to take care of your old Pack.” He didn’t raise his voice. It wasn’t really her fault. No, this was all on him. He’d promised himself that he wouldn’t push her but the minute he’d gotten lost in her body he’d done just that.

He’d demanded that she submit and accept him and she had. But why had he given in? Anger at himself had him striding across the room quickly.

Marissa watched his back as he stalked into the bathroom and slammed the door. Shit, that hadn’t gone well. The wolf inside her complained and demanded she go after her mate.

She should have told him that she loved him too. And she did. The first time he’d kissed her, he had taken her heart along with her soul. He was everything to her, but giving him knowledge of that was hard for her. She’d only told one other man that she’d loved him and Brandon had used that confession against her.

Huffing out an irritated breath, Marissa stood and followed. She smiled when the knob turned in her hand and she opened the door. She could see Gage, through the glass, with both hands braced on the wall and his head bent under the spray. Pulling in all her courage, she opened the glass door and stepped silently behind him.

He jumped as she touched his back. “What are you doing?”

Marissa leaned into him, pressing her naked body to his. “Helping you shower.” She reached over and picked up the soap from the dish.

Using shaking hands, afraid of rejection, she began washing his body. Running her soapy palms over his shoulders, down his strong back, to the sculpted ass she wanted to sink her teeth into, she took in his scent. Mixed with sweat, soap, and her own aroma.

It was hard to form the words that she wanted to give him but she could show him with her actions that she did love him. Needed and wanted him.

Kneeling behind him, she began to run her hands up and down his legs. She slipped her hands over his body and kneaded the flesh she washed.

When she caressed his cheeks then ran a finger between them, his body shivered. Marissa liked the reaction. Gage had introduced her to so much in the past week about what making love meant instead of fucking. Maybe, just maybe, she could do the same for him. To show him how she felt.

She wasn’t a hundred percent sure what she was doing. Her hand worked on its own as she washed and touched him. She had her fingers between his legs, teasing over his anus before slipping forward to massage his sac.

She’d had sex with lots of guys but no one had ever reached her, meant anything, like Gage did. With her experience she knew how to please a man. They all liked different things and Marissa wanted to share everything with Gage. To find out what he enjoyed.

He shuddered at her touch and she moved with more confidence. While rubbing his sac then his thick cock, she used her other hand to brush over his tight hole. Slowly and carefully, she slipped just the tip of her finger carefully in and out.

His breath rushed out and he groaned. His hands on the shower wall started to shake. Marissa continued to stroke him with one hand while she pushed her finger into the back entrance that had never been penetrated. She knew he’d never had it done before—they’d talked about all their sexual experiences and likes.

Gage was tight but he wasn’t stopping her. Marissa had done this before and if the man was comfortable with this kind of play they usually ended up coming harder than ever before.

His hips moved as she grew in confidence and fingered his prostate. A conversation about spanking and how much she liked it had made way to them opening up about all of their desires. He’d told her this was something he was willing to try with the right partner. And
she
was the right partner, the only one he would have from now on, and she was a mate who wouldn’t share.

She matched her rhythm on his shaft to the strokes in and out of his ass, finally pushing her finger all the way inside. His hips moved forward, rubbing against her hands before slamming back on her finger. Gage picked up the speed with his movements and Marissa added a second finger. He groaned and she knew he was close to climax. The hoarse cry that tore out of his throat echoed around the bathroom as his body bucked and he started to spill his seed over Marissa’s hand and the shower tile.

Once he’d released, Marissa took her hands from him and kissed her way up. When she reached his shoulder, she bit into it. Gage’s body jerked under her. She slipped between him and the shower wall, then she met his eyes.

“I love you, Gage. I have from the beginning. And you are mine too.”

Emotions broke out over his face, and he wrapped his arms around her as he kissed her all over her face.

Marissa felt perfectly at peace. The way she should after mating with him. This was it. She might have messed up earlier but she had made it up to him.

They ignored the light knock on the door. The knock came again, so he lifted his head and yelled. “Go away!”

The knock sounded again and she heard Logan’s voice. “I apologize for interrupting, Alpha.”

“Then don’t,” Gage complained, keeping contact with her.

Marissa nibbled at his jaw while she traced his cock with her fingers. If Logan would go away they could have another round before getting something substantial to eat.

“Yes, sir,” Logan said. “I wouldn’t be bothering you, except you have a visitor.”

Gage’s face shut down. He reached over and turned off the water. Grabbing a towel, he wrapped it around his waist while looking back at her with hot promise in his eyes. She could see the regret but understood. Gage was an Alpha and he had an entire Pack he needed to watch out for. As much as she wanted to lock him inside the room and keep him all to herself, she couldn’t. He handed her a large towel and waited until she’d covered herself her before yanking the door open.

“And just who did you let in without my permission?” he asked Logan.

Logan grinned. “Your father, Alpha.”

Marissa’s heart sank. That couldn’t be good news. Gage had told her that his father was one of the ex-Alphas on the Council. Since he was based in California, a surprise visit was probably bad news.

Gage laughed, confusing her. “I should have guessed. We’ll be right down.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Logan stepped away from the door.

Gage beckoned for Marissa to leave the bathroom with him. He didn’t say anything so she just followed his lead.

Gage pulled his clothes on quickly while watching her do the same. Marissa would have put on a show for him if they hadn’t had his dad waiting somewhere in the house for them. Instead, she dressed as fast as she could.

“I hate to see you cover that beautiful body,” Gage teased.

Yanking on her jeans, Marissa sent him a dirty look. “Well, I’m not meeting your father without clothes on.”

Gage stalked toward her. “Okay, how about just without the panties?”

Marissa moved out of his reach. He could have caught her, but he was trying to relax her. It was obvious she was nervous about his father being there. “Come on! It’s your house now too.”

“Absolutely not! It’s bad enough we both have wet hair so he’ll probably guess what we were doing.”

“Oh, he’ll more than guess since we smell like each other and sex.” Gage wrapped an arm around her waist as she tried to get her shirt on.

“Stop that,” Marissa ordered, but he didn’t miss the smile playing at the corner of her lips.

“Just lose the panties and I’ll be good.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know what this obsession is with my underwear but you are one kinky wolf.”

Gage laughed. “You have no idea.” Fuck, his ass was still tingling from her earlier fingering. He’d thought about it before but hadn’t been sure he’d like it. Growing up in the Pack where other shifters had no problem sharing their sex life had educated him at an early age. He had friends both straight and gay who loved anal play.

Marissa had proved she was into their sex just as much as him.

She bent over to pick up her flip-flops and he spanked her ass. Hard.

She squeaked before spinning around. “Gage!”

He winked. “Just warming you up for later.”

She bit her lip as her face flushed. He easily picked up on her arousal. Oh yeah, they were going to have more fun.

He held out his hand. “Then let’s go get this over with so we can get back to what we were doing.”

Marissa put her hand in his and he towed her from the room.

“What’s he doing here?” she asked. Nerves were obvious in her voice.

“He probably heard about the trouble. Logan called him earlier to see if your old Pack ever filed any papers releasing you from them.”

“Oh,” she whispered.

Gage tugged her to a stop and pushed her against the wall. He covered her body with his before pressing his forehead to hers. “You have nothing to worry about. My father will love you just as much as I do. As everyone who knows you does.”

She took a deep breath. “Just don’t leave me alone with him. I don’t know how to deal with fathers unless they’re assholes.”

Gage laughed. “You got it.”

He kissed her quickly then linked his fingers with hers and tugged her along.

They walked into the living room just as Logan handed Gage’s father a glass filled with brown liquid.

“Father,” Gage greeted.

He let go of Marissa’s hand and she moved behind him. He wasn’t really surprised.

His father stood and walked over quickly. “Son.”

The two men stood for a moment before laughing and embracing in a big hug. The hold lasted several minutes before his dad turned his eyes to his mate.

She looked practically ready to run. Gage knew his father would understand and put her at ease. Even before any of this had happened, Gage had told his father about her.

“You must be Marissa.”

Marissa nodded and dropped her eyes. Gage wanted to tell her that wasn’t necessary, but his father moved first.

“My daughter,” he said softly as he hugged her to him. “I welcome you into my family.”

When he pulled away, Gage noticed the surprise on her face and knew his father hadn’t missed it either.

“I am so pleased to meet my son’s chosen.”

Marissa glanced over at Gage, and he smiled at her reassuringly. She relaxed visibly and looked at his father.

“It is nice to meet you too.” Her voice was soft but strong.

Showing her strength even when she was afraid. Gage was so proud.

His father took her arm and headed for the couch. Gage followed and sat in a chair across from them. Logan remained by the door, still on watch.

“We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other better, but first, let’s discuss this situation with the other Pack,” his father told Marissa as they sat.

She nodded even though she didn’t look excited about the conversation.

Thirty minutes later, Marissa was arguing with both men.

“There should be no challenge!” Her voice rose above the rest.

Gage shook his head. “He will challenge me. And I have to accept.” He knew she didn’t want him to, but she had to understand where he was coming from. Protecting her was his duty. As an Alpha he couldn’t refuse.

“You don’t have to do anything,” she argued.