Chapter Nineteen

ASH

As soon as his feet crossed the threshold, he linked Luca.

~“Prepare the men. You will take them to the pack house. I need you to handle pack matters for a while back home. I have things to attend to here.”~

As soon as he entered the stables, he caught his beta’s eye at the far end of the room, a barely contained smirk on his friend’s face.

“~Yes, we can all smell what you will be attending to,”~ Luca replied.

As Ash finally got into earshot, he growled in anger. “Keep your thoughts to yourself, Beta,” he said harshly.

It was true that a wolf on the verge of mating gave off powerful pheromones, but most were polite enough to refrain from commenting on such things. Luca was an effective and powerful beta, but sometimes he tried Ash’s patience.

“Yes, Alpha,” Luca replied, the hint of an apology in his voice. He turned back to his task and hoisted a large pitchfork of hay into the stall.

He wiped his hands and leaned the tool against the wall before facing Ash again. “That’s the last of the horses. They are all brushed and fed, and ready for boarding.”

“Good. Then tell the men you will leave right away. I will stay behind for a week or so, until Keyara gets through the mating adjustment.”

Luca’s nose twitched again, but he kept his face serious and followed Ash back into the common room.

The rest of his men were scattered throughout, some eating at the long table in the center, while others conversed quietly in small groups.

A large pot of stew sat heating in the fireplace and filled the room with a pleasant aroma. For a moment, Ash felt a tinge of guilt. When had Keyara last eaten? She must be starving.

He was glad there was something prepared to feed her; she would need the nourishment after she was marked.

Luca announced their departure to the room and began directing each man in his duties. Ash regretted his earlier anger toward Luca; he was a fine beta and had long been a good friend to him. Ash clasped a hand onto his shoulder.

“Thanks for taking care of this, my friend. I know you will do a fine job in my absence.”

Luca smiled and nodded, accepting the unspoken apology.

The men began to undress, packing their clothes into the specialized harnesses each carried.

The small leather bags stayed in place when they shifted and allowed them to carry their clothes with them, a must when they were in the human world. They certainly could not show up to their destinations naked.

The voices of the men rose as they finalized their plans, discussing who would take the point position and who would bring up the rear.

They filed outside and headed toward the woods, shifting one by one and starting the journey toward home.

The mountainous terrain was best navigated in their wolf forms. The paths were small and winding and often icy, but to the wolves, they were no trouble.

He wondered briefly how he would get Keyara there, considering her lack of horsemanship. A steed could travel it fairly well, but it was long and treacherous by foot.

He pushed the thought to the back of his mind. That was a worry for another day. When silence finally filled the air, he went back inside, already feeling his desire take over his senses.

He opened the door to her room and saw her reclined on the bed, right where he’d left her. The scent of her own desire filled the small room and overwhelmed him.

“Now, where were we?” he asked her as he made his way back over to her.

KEYARA

She felt a throbbing desire in her core at the way his gaze seemed to devour her. She licked her lips, wanting to taste his mouth again. He crawled onto the bed, hovering over her.

He lowered his handsome face and gave her what she desired, pressing his lips against hers. She sighed and returned his kiss, half sitting up to press her body against his.

As her lips parted, his did as well, and the kiss deepened to a level of passion that made all rational thought flee from her mind.

There was only him, and his tongue on hers, and his hands caressing her body lovingly over her shirt, leaving trails of fire behind.

She slipped her hands under his clothes, wanting more. Her palms met his warm skin. She ran them up his sculpted stomach to his chest. He rumbled in pleasure beneath her lips.

She felt a shudder run through her body as her skin met his, and she knew the sensation would only increase the more their skin connected.

She withdrew her hands from his shirt, and they went to her own, fumbling at the buttons. She was desperate to feel her body against his, barely in control of her passion.

He quickly pulled off his own shirt, then swept her half-unclasped shirt off her shoulders, pressing his lips to her collarbone.

She finally undid the last of her buttons, pulling her arms out of the shirt and tossing it away. He paused in his desperate kisses, taking in the sight of her briefly, his hungry eyes clouded with desire.

He groaned in pleasure before caressing one breast. His large hand enveloped it, and the rough calloused skin of his fingers on her made her arch her back and cry out in passion.

His lips suddenly replaced his hand, and he was teasing her nipple with his tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

When she could not stand it anymore, she moved away, pressing her hands against his chest, guiding him to lie back on the bed. She pressed her bare chest against his, savoring the feeling of skin on skin.

Her lips were on his neck, tasting him, and she ground her hips against him unashamedly, seeking friction to satisfy the throbbing urge she felt.

The feeling was dulled by the heavy leather pants, and she cried out in frustration. His hands moved to her unprompted, undoing the laces and pulling the leather over her hips.

She wiggled out of the pants, and as she felt the cold air hit her skin, she pulled back, suddenly realizing she was naked before him.

“What’s wrong, Key?” he asked, his voice heavy with arousal. “Did you change your mind? Just tell me if you wish to stop.”

She studied him lying underneath her. He was clad only in his leather breeches, and she could see his arousal straining against them.

Her sudden feeling of hesitation melted away, replaced by the overwhelming urge to see all of him.

“No,” she replied, leaning back down to kiss him again. “I’m ready.”

Her hands began to untie his laces as he had for her, but he pulled them up to his neck and took over for her. She buried them into his hair and parted her lips, breathing him in as her mouth explored his.

She barely registered the movement of him removing the last barrier between them, but suddenly felt a pleasant tingle as his bare skin met the full length of her body.

His straining manhood pressed against her stomach, but she did not recoil from the sudden pressure. She felt only the urge to feel it, and she reached down and wrapped her hand around it.

Ash moaned into her lips, flipping her over onto her back and pressing himself against her. She gasped as his mouth went suddenly to her neck, and she could feel his teeth lightly grazing her skin.

He sucked and caressed the spot, sending shivers of pleasure down her body. His fingers found their way between her legs, parting her and sliding against her slick opening.

She closed her eyes, seeing stars against the blackness, crying out in pleasure.

He positioned himself over her, and she felt him press against her, parting her. His lips were still on her neck, his nips and bites growing rougher.

“Are you sure Keyara? Is this okay?” He barely raised his mouth from her skin to gain her final assurance.

She moaned out her approval, barely able to form words. She felt his teeth against her skin once more, suddenly sharper, pricking at her neck.

He placed one hand behind her head, drawing her closer to him. All at once, she felt his jaws close against her, his teeth piercing the tender skin, at the same moment he plunged into her inviting core.