Wounded (In My Dreams) (11 page)

No, I didn’t believe that one either.

Jasper groaned softly as I heard what sounded like bones breaking. His arm flipped the wrong way and his ribs popped out. I gasped, gripping the wood railing so hard splinters dug into my skin. Jasper’s head snapped towards me and I saw his mouth open before he hid his face with his arm.

His transformation was horrible to watch, because it looked so painful for him. It lasted a few minutes, but
fuck
that was a long hundred and twenty seconds of pain. When it was over, there was a normal-sized gray wolf where he’d been. He stared at me and tears filled my eyes, confused and completely shocked.

He looked away and took off into the woods. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. There really
were
werewolves and one had been living with me for months, in my bed for days.

It took me a bit but I finally got my breathing under control and headed back inside, careful not to lock the sliding glass door so he could get back in. Then I darted up into my room and then the bathroom, closed the toilet lid and sat on it with a pair of tweezers. My hands were shaking as I pulled out the splinters.

I’d really seen that. I didn’t do drugs, so I couldn’t blame it on that.

We hadn’t been drinking that night, which made that excuse out.

He really was a werewolf.

Holy fucking shit on a stick of oh my
god
proportions and some extras.
That was what was racing though my head as I took off my robe and crawled back into bed once my hands were fine. What did I say to him? Did this change how I felt about him?

That one was easy. No. I did need answers and time to mull through all of this, but I still loved Jasper, more than I’d ever loved any man in my life. And if he changed into a furry wolf once a month, well, we all had our issues.

A few hours later, Jasper stepped into our room, holding his shorts in front of him. I hadn’t slept a wink and just stared at him as he walked closer, curious as to what he was going to say.

“Am I still welcome in bed with you?”

I thought about that a moment, knowing there was only one real thing bugging me. “That depends. Were you ever going to tell me?”

“Yes,” he gasped as he knelt next to the bed by my head. “Lily,
yes
. I swear I was. I just didn’t think now, right as we’re finally together was the right time. Plus I’m always such a bitch around the full moon and I wouldn’t have a calm conversation about it. I figured before next month’s change I’d tell you or—”

I moved my hand over his lips and nodded. “Okay, come to bed then.”

“You don’t want to talk?” he hedged as he stood.

“No, not yet. I need to digest this, but I still love you the same, Jasper. I had to know if you were ever going to tell me. The rest we can talk about later when I’m ready.”

“You are so amazing,” he whispered as he crawled over me and onto his side. He slid under the sheets and pressed his hard, naked body against me. “God, I love you.” He nipped at my shoulder as he roughly grabbed my breast. “Thank you, Lily.”

I gasped as I felt his teeth break the skin of my neck, not enough to bleed but to hurt at least. “Jasper, what’s going on?”

“I’m sorry. I get so aggressive. I’ll go sleep in the guest room,” he murmured as he pulled away.

I rolled over and grabbed his arm, waiting until he looked at me. “Talk to me. What do you need?”

“You,” he growled, his eyes flashing something, brighter than normal. Wow. That was weird. “I need you, Lily. All I ever need is
you
.”

“Okay, whatever you need.” I was a little freaked out by the way he was acting, but I trusted Jasper. It wasn’t like I thought he would change forms in bed and eat me.

At least I hoped not.

He snarled as he reached over me and pulled the condoms out of the nightstand. He slapped the whole
box
on the wood and rolled me under him. “Lily, I won’t be gentle.”

“That’s okay. Rough is fun sometimes,” I chuckled nervously as I wondered if that statement was really true. He moved my legs apart and pushed my shoulders onto my pillow before slamming into me. I buried my face and screamed, probably not wet enough for that move from the burning I was feeling. He figured it out and moved his hand between my legs as his other one cupped my breast, his full body weight on me.

“Fuck, you have the tightest pussy ever. So good. I could eat your pussy every day, all day,” he grunted as he pounded into me. “And your tits are so perfect. I just want to do everything to them constantly.”

And apparently he talked dirty during his aggressive mindset and fucking. Okay then.

“Do you like me deep in your pussy, Lily? Have you ever been fucked this good? Is anyone better than me?”

“No,” I moaned, only able to get enough air to answer that last one. Well, same answer for the last two really.

“I love you. I love you,” he chanted in between biting my shoulder and neck, careful not to break the skin anymore but there would
definitely
be some bruises. “You’re mine, Lily. You can’t ever leave me or walk away. You’re
mine
.” He snarled that last part as he came inside me.

He pulled out and rolled me over, burying his face in between my legs before he even took care of the condom. The whole time he muttered that I was his and he loved me. It was weird and thrilling all at once.

And apparently what I needed for multiple orgasms. After several of them, he rolled me back onto my hands and knees and had another round of me. When that was done, he flipped me over and ate me out until I lost count of how many orgasms.

When he took me the
third
time, I knew it was too much. I burned in the wrong places, feeling like something might be tearing, and my ass hurt from his hip bones. I collapsed to the bed after he was done, gasping for air.

“Lily, I’m so sorry,” he whispered in my ear as his hands shook on my body. “I was too rough.”

“I’m fine, but I can’t go again,” I admitted, hating that I felt like I’d failed him somehow.

“I’m good now,” he lied, his nails digging into my skin. “I’ll get you cleaned up.” He carefully pulled out of me and dumped the condom in the little trash can we now kept by the bed. I heard his feet slap the wood as he walked into the bathroom, then the sink turn on as he cleaned up. He shut it off and got back into bed with me, wiping a cool washcloth between my legs. It felt wonderful, and when he went to take it away, I snatched it from him and put it back. Then I rolled him over and shimmied down the bed.

“There are other ways I can take care of you, Jasper,” I reminded him before I swallowed him down. I brought him twice like that and then
finally
he seemed to settle down. I moved up next to him again, smiling when he sighed and pulled me against him. Well that had worked at least.

The next morning, I was alone. I looked at the clock and it was two hours later than Jasper normally let me sleep. I shrugged, figuring we’d had such a late night he was being nice. I rolled out of bed, gasping at how sore I was. I threw on my robe, not thinking I could bend over to even put on pants, then I just about hobbled into the kitchen where Jasper was cooking.

“How bad are you?” he rasped, not looking at me.

“I’m fine,” I fibbed through my teeth.

“Lily, I can tell when you’re lying. Your heart beats faster.”

“Wow, okay. Maybe not jump right into the new info before coffee,” I mumbled as I
very
carefully sat on the stool. But that hurt too much so I stood back up and leaned over the counter. “How do you stand to be around people? They have to lie all the time. I don’t think I’d ever trust anyone.”

“It’s hard. Really hard sometimes, but you don’t ever lie to me.”

“You
just
busted me in one,” I reminded him. I hobbled over to the Kuerig and made myself a mocha, thinking I deserved the treat.

“Right, you never tell anything but
white
lies,” he chuckled. “You only lie when you’re trying to spare my feelings or don’t want to admit something. That’s different. You never just walk in here and throw around some wild shit or boost yourself up to be something you’re not.”

“Fair enough.” I fixed my coffee the way I wanted and glanced at his back, seeing all the tension in his muscle. “Are you going to bust my white lies now?”

“No, but I thought it was only right to tell you now that you know about me.”

“I appreciate that.” I cleared my throat and stirred my coffee, the awkwardness in the kitchen practically suffocating me. “I’m going to go soak in the tub.”

“Okay. I’ll leave your omelet in the microwave so it stays warm.”

“Thanks.” I picked up my coffee and got out of there as fast as I could, given how sore I was. I filled the tub with way colder than normal water, thinking that would help. Sure enough when I lowered myself into it minutes later, it hurt, but it felt good at the same time. A bit later I opened my eyes and saw Jasper sitting on the closed toilet. “Okay, now I gotta know about how quiet you are. Is that a werewolf, or wolf shifter thing? Which term do you prefer?”

“Yes and werewolf.”

“Don’t make me put a bell on you,” I teased, realizing we were getting into specifics and I wasn’t ready for that yet.

“You can do whatever you want to me,” he whispered and then sniffed. I studied him and realized he was crying.

“What’s wrong? Are you mad at me?”

“
You?
No! I’m furious at
myself
! The woman I love is one big
bruise
and there’s blood in the water.”

I glanced down and saw a bit, nothing to be really concerned about. “It’s fine, Jasper. It happens sometimes after—um—vigorous, you know.”

“Fucking your brains out like a monster? I think that’s the appropriate term here.”

“Hey, don’t make me the victim here,” I snapped, pissed he was taking this all on himself. “I said whatever you needed. I
loved
how aggressive you were. I didn’t say
no
. We just know that we need to stop after two times when you’re feeling like that.”

“Really? You don’t hate me?” he whispered as he lifted his head, tears running down his cheeks.

“No,” I chuckled, shaking my head. “Next time I’ll just make sure I’m more
ready
for you. Maybe take the edge off you and then we can go a couple of times. I’m not a child, Jasper. Don’t protect me or treat me like one.” I pushed the plug with my foot, ready for some warm water to soothe my muscles.

“Can I help you up?”

“Actually, can you hand me the green bath salt from the shelf. I’m going to soak a bit longer.”

“Whatever you need, Lily. I’m so sorry.”

“Stop apologizing,” I groaned, rolling my eyes at him. Then I had an evil idea. “Actually, you could give me a foot rub later.”

“Done,” he agreed, shaking some salt into the tub once it was drained and I hit the plug again. He slowly turned the water on until I nodded for him to stop at the right temperature.

“And maybe a back rub.”

“Done.”

“Do I get whatever I want today?” I teased, shooting him a wink.

“Yes. This whole week. I can’t believe you did that for me last night. I’ve never heard of a human willing to get near their werewolf after the full moon.”

“I’m tough and I’ve got padding.” I shot him a look when he opened his mouth to chastise me. He snapped it shut and nodded. I got what I wanted today. “Will you go all the way to Red Lobster for me? And kiss my boo-boos all better?”

“Yes, and yes,” he chuckled as he knelt down next to the tub. “Can I get a good morning kiss?”

“Always,” I swore, realizing this was about more than him feeling guilty. He leaned in and brushed his lips over mine, shaking a bit. It hit me then. “You’ve never told anyone what you are before, have you?”

“No. It’s forbidden by the pack, but I’m banished anyways, so they can go screw themselves. I trust you.”

“I trust you too,” I sighed, kissing him again. “But no more serious info talk. I will want answers, but I just need a bit to sit with this. I’m sorry.”

“No, I get it. I’m here when you’re ready. Whatever you need. I hoped you’d still want me, accept this, but I never dreamed you’d be so cool about it.”

“We’ll see after it sets in,” I warned, letting him know that he might not be getting off so easily.

“I understand.”

He pampered me like a pretty, pretty princess, refusing to let me get off the couch for anything besides to pee. And even then he waited outside the door as if worried I was going to fall over.

It was annoying hovering but cute all at the same time.

He even made sure one of my favorite movies was always playing. I had a ton of work to do, but I figured one day playing hooky and being pampered wouldn’t kill me.

* * * *

A few days later, the bruises and bites were all healed and Jasper was back to his perfect self. The owner of the house I rented finally bought the supplies Jasper needed to redo the master bath, which we had been really impatient for now that we both slept in that bedroom. One person running downstairs every time they wanted to shower was one thing… But two?