The Calling (24 page)

"I know."

"Of course, he's hiding from me, too," Rayna said. "If I just knew where he was hiding I'd go drag him back by his cowardly tail."

Judith laughed and said, "He's at Jacob's cabin."

"I've checked there."

"Bryce said he's been holding up there and runs the minute he sees you coming."

"What!"

Judith nodded her head and grinned. "He's there now if you want to ambush him, but don't tell him I said so."

"Ambushing him is probably the only way I'm going to be able to talk to him."

"He'll come around."

"He hasn't so far."

Judith sighed and shook his head. "He's just being pig-headed. Wolves are like that, you know. He thinks he's doing what's best for you."

"No, he thinks he's responsible so his guilt keeps him away."

"That too," Judith grinned.

They were silent for long minutes, both lost in their own thoughts. Rayna wasn't sure what to do about anything anymore. She'd already called Clive and quit her job. Mitch had done the same. The entire office thought they'd eloped, according to Mitch, and she wouldn't put it past her friend to have let that piece of gossip slip out himself. He'd seemed genuinely happy since the Malcolm ordeal and whatever Carmen and Caleb did to him was finally being accepted now that they were gone. Of course, no one knew where Carmen was so the fear she would show up was still there. Jacob was still missing as well. All any of them could do now was wait. It was the waiting that was the hard part and not having Garrett there made it harder. She was scared and couldn't tell a damn soul. Scared of the changes in her body, scared of the upcoming shift, scared she'd lost Garrett. "What am I supposed to do," she asked, more to herself than to Judith.

"What do you want to do?"

She laughed and shook her head. "Beat the shit out of him for leaving me again when he promised me he wouldn't."

"I would pay to see that." Judith said, turning her head toward her.

"I just don't get it," she said, sighing. "Before we were caught he told me the wolf wanted to claim me. How could he say that then leave me? Are wolves that fickle?"

Judith laughed. "Oh no. If he said the wolf wanted you I can assure you him staying away is more painful for him than it is for you."

"Then why?"

"Because he's a man and we all know they think they're doing the right thing when they aren't."

"What am I supposed to do then? Wait him out?"

"Well, you can always force him to choose." Judith grinned at her and tilted his head to one side. "Exactly how bad do you want him?" she asked. "Because I know of a way to get his attention and I can promise you, he won't be the one running away."

* * * *

Rayna didn't even pause as she reached the door of the cabin. She shoved it open without knocking, listening to it hit the wall as she looked around the room. She saw a stunned expression cross Garrett's face, his eyes widening as she marched across the room to the sofa where he sat before she planted one knee between his legs and grabbed his head with both hands, leaning down to kiss him. She forced her tongue into his mouth, taking what she wanted and didn't give him time to protest. She pressed her body against him, her fingers tightening in his hair until he tilted his head, deepening the kiss and moaned into her mouth. When he raised his hands and touched her, she jerked away from him and started backing toward the door. "I need a mate," she said. "And I choose you, Garrett Kincaid. If that wolf of yours wants me, then have him catch me."

She turned and ran back out the door, jumping from the porch, and she'd barely made it into the trees when she heard him. She smiled at the sound of his feet hitting the wooden porch and wondered how far she'd actually get before he caught her. The crashing of trampled brush she heard behind her told her not very far.

The trek through the forest was nothing to her now and she pumped her arms at her side, raising her legs high as she jumped fallen limbs and small bushes. She weaved through the pines, darting in one direction before turning toward another. Garrett followed her with every turn, the sound of him behind her, chasing her, almost as exciting as what she knew was coming.

When she heard the rushing water of the creek, she knew he was just prolonging the chase. He could have caught her minutes after they entered the woods and she grinned knowing he was enjoying their game as much as she did. The moment she saw the creek, she turned and ran for it, running across the shallow rock bed to the other side. He followed, the splashing from the creek as he ran across growing closer as she ran up the bank and back onto solid ground.

He caught her before she got her feet under her good.

They crashed to the ground, the air leaving her body in a whoosh as he landed on top of her, his hips pressing into her butt. He was already hard. He ground himself against her as his arms circled her waist. She squirmed and clawed at the ground, trying to free herself and let out a startled yelp as his blunt teeth bit into the side of her neck. He pushed his hips against her backside and reached under her, sliding his hand between her legs and cupping her through her jeans, squeezing. Sparks of need zapped through her limbs and she squirmed against his hand.

The hold he had on her neck slacked, his teeth coming away from her skin. "Lay still," he rasped in her ear. "Don't move."

She stilled under him, her heart slamming against her ribcage. She knew what he was doing the moment he laid his head against hers and wasn't having any part of it. It wasn't going to be that easy for him. She wouldn't play the submissive. If he wanted her, he'd have to fight her for it. She smiled to herself before bracing her arms and arching her back, trying to buck him off of her. He growled, his hold on her tightening as she clawed at the ground and tried to get away.

Kicking her feet she was able to dislodge him enough to flip over. He reached for her, pinning her to the ground with one arm across the front of her chest. She was panting for breath, struggling under him and raised her head, biting into his shoulder. He yelled and grabbed the back of her head, his fingers twisting in her hair before she released her hold. He grabbed her arms, jerking them over her head. The look on his face nearly made her come. He looked like he wanted to eat her alive and god help her, she nearly wanted him to.

"Rayna, I'm warning you." His eyes had bled to wolf amber, his voice raspy and thick, guttural. She bucked under him, kneeing him in the thigh before he growled and trapped her legs between his own. He lowered his head, his growl vibrating in her chest. "You don't know what you're doing."

"Yes, I do," she said. "I don't need a puppy for a mate, Garrett, I need a wolf. Either prove you're that wolf or I'll find another."

She knew her choice of words were wrong the second they were out of her mouth. His eyes blazed, his deep, rumbling growl sent chills racing up her spine before he took her mouth hard. He forced his tongue past her lips, pressing her head into the ground and she gave as much as she got. The moment he loosened his grip on her arms she reached up, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and held him to her. The rumbling in his chest grew louder, his hips pressing into her just a little bit harder.

Rayna sank her nails into his shoulders before raking them down his back. She grabbed the hem of his shirt, jerking it up so she could touch his bare skin. He lifted, helping her remove the shirt. She panted for breath as he nibbled on her lips, bit gently across her jaw to her throat. She barely contained the moan wanting to escape as he sucked at her flesh and tried to remember the things Judith had told her. She ticked them off inside her head and knew she'd only accomplished a few of them.

When Garrett's head lowered, his lips sliding softly across her skin to the top of her shirt and nuzzling his face into her cleavage, she bucked under him, grinning when he landed on his side. She flipped over, crawling to her knees, getting one foot on the ground before launching herself up. He grabbed her before she could stand completely, wrestling her back to the ground. He was on her back again, panting in her ear. "Rayna, don't make me hurt you."

She looked over her shoulder at him and reached up, grabbing a handful of his hair and pulled his head down to her. "And don't puss out on me. Where's that wolf that wanted me? If you're too afraid to take me, then maybe he will!"

He growled again and reached for the collar of her shirt. The material ripped as he jerked, baring her back to him. She'd gone without a bra and he took advantage of the fact, pulling her to her knees and cupping her breast in his hand, pinching her nipple to the point of pain. His free hand worked on the snap of her jeans. He latched onto her shoulder, his blunt teeth sinking into her skin deep enough for her to hold still or cause herself pain. He worked her pants and underwear down her thighs before he let go of her and pushed her head and shoulders to the ground. She heard the zipper on his pants moments before he spread her thighs as far as the jeans around her knees would let him. The velvety smoothness of his cock brushed against her folds, slipping against the wetness he found before he lined himself up and slammed into her with a triumphant growl. She gasped and clawed at the ground, her cheek pressed into the grass. He rode her hard, her breath forced from her lungs with each violent surge of his hips, his fingers digging into her flesh.

Rayna pushed back against him as his grunts filled the air. The sound of wet flesh meeting and the musky scent of sex caused her stomach to tighten, the tingles running laps through her limbs caused sparks to flash in tiny zaps along her veins. She clenched her body, squeezing him inside of her. She heard him say her name before his arms circled her chest, his hands grasping her around the front of her shoulders. His chest was flat against her back and he nuzzled her neck, his growls growing louder as he fucked her. "Do it, Garrett. Make me yours."

There was only a moment of panic as she heard shifting bones before sharp canines sank into her flesh. He shoved her to the ground, his weight holding her still as he drank her down, his hips pounding into her from behind. She screamed through the pain and convulsed around his cock, her entire body shuddering as she came. He slammed into her relentlessly before pushing once, twice... holding his hips tightly against her as he spilled himself inside of her then stilling.

They fell to their sides, him still buried between her legs. He removed his teeth from her neck, his lips and tongue lapping and soothing the torn flesh as his hands stroked her fevered flesh. A soft rumble emitted from his chest and vibrated against her back. She heard him whisper, "mine," against her neck and for the first time in her life, she felt like she belonged. She felt safe and protected and knew without a doubt, the man, the wolf, at her back would do anything to protect her.

Her throat tightened and she blinked back tears as her chest swelled with love for him. She grabbed his hand, lifting it to her mouth and kissed his palm. "I love you," she whispered.

He stilled behind her. He gave the bite mark a lazy swipe of his tongue, his lips caressing the torn flesh before he lifted his head. She held her breath, staring at the ground. When he leaned up and grabbed her chin, turning her head to him, the look on his face nearly did her in. "I've loved you from the moment I first saw you, Rayna. I wanted you the first time you smiled at me in that dingy little bar. Wanted to make you mine forever the first time I kissed you." He leaned down, his lips tasting and teasing her own. "I've always loved you... I adore you."

She couldn't hold back the tears at his soft admission and turned, wrapping her arms around his neck. After everything they'd been through, this moment made it all worth it. She'd do it all again ten times over if it brought them back here. Everything before this moment seemed trivial to her now. The horror's she'd seen and lived through, the realization that she was going to be a creature she had feared... it was all worth it. Garrett loved her and he was hers. Her mate.

Epilogue

Garrett watched everyone fill into the clearing and wondered for the tenth time that day what he was doing. A month ago he'd stood in the trees and watched these same people shift and terrify his mate with the intentions of infecting her. Now, he stood before them, pack leader, watching them stare at him as the dying sun slowly gave way to stars. He didn't know what they wanted from him. He had no clue how to lead them but their fear of him had waned a great deal.

He owed that to
her
though.

He looked across the clearing, watching Rayna as she laughed at something Judith said. Her thick mane of hair shined against her white shirt and when she turned her head, he saw the scar on her neck. The scar he'd left the day he'd chased her through the woods and claimed her for his own. The sight of it caused the wolf to slide against his bones, restless energy coiling in his limbs. He inhaled deeply, scenting her on the breeze. His senses tingled with awareness, his body tightening with eager anticipation for his mate. He smiled and resisted the urge to go to her. Even though he'd spent every minute he could with her since that day in the forest, it never seemed like enough. Just the scent of her in a room, the sound of her laughter or an innocent glance in his direction, and he wanted her. Wanted to feel her naked flesh against his own, to have her breath wash across his skin. To feel her limbs tangled with his as he made love to her. Drown in kisses that made his soul sing.

"You do realize there are over forty people here other than her, right?"

Garrett tore his gaze from Rayna and looked at Mitch before smiling. "There are? I hadn't noticed."

Mitch laughed and sat down on the rock shelf beside of him, staring out across the clearing. He sighed deeply before glancing back over at him. "You know, I never thought my life would turn out like this."

"None of us do," Garrett said.

Mitch nodded. "How long does it take?"