My Mate

SPENCER

I didn’t want to stop and pulling away from her was hard. Hell, I was hard. I had been for two weeks and no amount of jerking would relieve my barred up soldier.

She was my mate, I knew it from the moment I entered Johnson’s place. I never thought that would happen to me, mate pairings are so unheard of these days and one to a human too.

But she didn’t know about our way of life. We hid in secret here, where we were safe.

Her skin felt like lush velvet, it was so smooth against my rough calloused hands and every touch made me more addicted to her.

I wanted to continue, but she was right, her son could walk in at any moment and how would we explain our intimate position to him?

After all, when I make love, we go all night, it was part of being a wolf. Still, I held her, not wanting to let go.

The feel of her luscious legs wrapped around me and her fingertips gently grazing the back of my neck felt so right, it was unbelievable how much she had consumed every minute of my mind since our first meeting.

The story I told her about Sheila was true, but I only began a relationship with Sheila because she was a part of the pack and I never thought I would find my mate.

Hell, Mom and Dad weren’t mates, they had never found their other half and they cared for each other.

That was the real reason as to why they never fully committed to one another, it meant their chance at finding completion would be over and neither one were willing to sacrifice their destined.

How would she react when it came to telling her who I really was? Would she reject me?

Living with a wolf spirit was not an easy lifestyle; there was always a chance he would surface, the possessiveness to claim what rightfully belonged to us was becoming harder to control.

Would my natural instinct terrify her enough to leave and break me in half?

Finding your mate was incredibly rare. So rare that it was almost an urban legend, though everything they had described to us as children was actually happening to me.

I had no doubt Harper was feeling the effects of it too.

Having my mate in my arms was like a dream. She was everything I had dreamed of, wished for upon endless shooting stars.

I spent a week patrolling her house at night in wolf form, and not being able to touch her was crippling.

I wanted a family; I wanted a future, and she had that kind of heart that was caring and nurturing, a presence that felt warm and like a place you always belonged.

At first, I was a little shocked to find out she had a son, but realizing she had been manipulated into a sexual relationship with an unworthy vulture made my blood boil.

I connected with Leivon instantly; the fact that he was not my pup became irrelevant, my wolf had claimed him the moment we laid eyes on the young lad.

You could sense the uniqueness and inner strength he possessed. He was ours, they both were.

I wanted to thrust up into her, and having her pussy so close to my cock was too much temptation; my head filled with lustful thoughts of ways I would twist her body as I plunged deeply into her core, but I fought against it.

“No, you’re right; we should calm down a bit. I know I should go, but I just can’t seem to find the strength to pull away from you,” I confessed, still fondling her delectable nipple.

She moaned. “You need to stop playing with my chest, Spencer, I will orgasm if you continue to play.”

Her hips moved in need for friction, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have taken it so far but I don’t really want to stop, I want to do more.”

Another powerful wave of arousal filled my nostrils—it was sweet and mouth-watering, like honey glaze. All I wanted to do was dive between her legs and lick until her climax filled my mouth.

She chuckled under me, “I want that too, you have no idea just how much.”

Her confession had me tilt my head towards her and I pressed my lips against her softly, difficultly returning her nightie to its original position.

“What if we say—” but she jumped straight in, knowing what I was hinting at.

“No, Spence, Levi’s already fond of you. I can’t give him hope.”

I furrowed my brow. “Hope? Hope that this is more than friends?”

“Yes, from the moment he found out about fathers he has asked where his own was. The pictures he drew always had him, me, and a man…his dad. I know he wants a whole family, something I cannot provide him with.

Do you know how devastating it was to see his father, to know he stood just ten feet away from him and for that asshole to act like we were nothing, to completely disregard his own child? I can handle heartache. What I can’t handle is for Levi to fall in love with someone and have them disappear on the both of us, breaking not just my heart, but his.”

“I don’t want to be just friends, Harper. I can understand your fear, but I fear the same. I don’t want to finish work early and find you in bed with some other man…”

“I would never,” she gasped. I believed her, she needed to believe me but I couldn’t exactly explain, well, not yet.

“And I would never make both of you fall in love with me and then shatter both of your hearts so carelessly.”

I watched as her eyes fell. I spoke with conviction; the truth rang clearly in my words. After all, she had no idea just how a mate bond worked, or how strong it was once tethered for life.

“How about we both put our fears aside and just give this a try? Come back to my house with me tonight, I’ll cook you both dinner and we can continue to enjoy getting to know each other?”

She closed her eyes and fear rolled through me. If she were to say no now, what would I do? I wanted her. I wanted her and Leivon, they were both mine since the moment I saw them.

“Okay,” she breathed out, I was slightly confused by her answer.

“Okay?”

“Yes, Spencer, Okay, we will join you tonight.”

“Really? I thought I might have to handcuff you in order to get you to submit.”

She shuddered. I think she liked the idea of being handcuffed. I must remember that.

“Spence, you’ll have to be patient with me. I come with baggage and considering the only man I have ever slept with was Levi’s father…” She halted as if trying to choose her words carefully.

“Finish what you were going to say,” I encouraged.

“I feel like…I won’t be…” She was really struggling, wanting to hide her face away from me. She tried to close off her body from me, trying to cross her arms over her chest.

“You feel like you won’t be…?” I pushed further.

“Adequate…enough for you.”

I let out a pleasurable moan; God knows I wasn’t against the idea of her being so innocent. “Oh, sweet cheeks, knowing that you are a neophyte only makes you that more desirable.”

She gnawed adoringly at her bottom lip.

I raised my hand, my thumb removing her lip before she broke the skin in worry. Biting down so harshly, I claimed her lips once more, my tongue stroking hers intimately as she tugged lightly on the wisps of my hair.

She pulled away and looked up at me, tilting her head to the side with a slight furrowing of her left brow so adorably. “What is a neo…whatever you said?”

“A neophyte?”—I pecked the tip of her nose—“A person who is new to a subject or activity.”

“Oh God”—Harper rolled her eyes dramatically—“this is so embarrassing,” she groaned.

“Stop, I love it…”

“What? Using big words I don’t understand? Or making me confess how pathetic I am?” I chuckled.

“No, you’re not pathetic, I love the fact that you’ve only ever been with one boy and by the sounds of it, a complete dip-shit.”

“Well, he certainly is a dip-shit.” She smiled broadly, “I’m glad I don’t have to see him.”

“Well, I’m glad you are both here.”

“I am too but Spencer, you have to get out of here—now.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, not liking the fact that she remembered I can’t spend the night with her. “But I’m scared,” I protested, “and cold.”

“And you’re making it so hard to resist you right now, but please, Spence.” Her beautiful eyes pleaded. I had already pushed the boundary, best not to overstep…well, any more than I already had.

“Fine,” I gave in, extracting myself and my very hard member from her warm covers, “but I’m making it known that I’m not happy.”

“I’m not either, but I need slow.” She got out of bed too, walking me to her door.

“I understand, but don’t think I missed that twinkle of excitement in your eye at the mention of my handcuffs.”

Her cheeks flamed bright red and her eyes widened. I could see the burning flush of embarrassment despite how dark it still was. “Jesus, you’re going to kill me.”

I cupped her face, placing a chaste kiss upon her lips. Her eyes fluttered as she tried to calm her flood of desire. I could smell it as it perfumed the room. “Good night, Deputy,” she whispered.

“It will be, sweet cheeks, I’ll be dreaming of those beautiful nipples of yours.” I slipped out the door, leaving her mouth to gape at my comment as I made my way back to the sofa.

***

“Freeze, Deputy, or you will force me to shoot you.”

I cracked an eye to see a gun made out of toilet paper holders and tape pointed at my face. “Mom doesn’t allow you to have toy guns, does she?” Levi dropped the weapon and huffed dramatically.

“It’s not that, Mom said we need the money for other things, so I’m saving up to get my own. I nearly have enough money from doing chores around the house.”

I sat up, stretching out the kinks in my back with a series of loud cracks and then scratched my disheveled hair before I slumped and focused on him. “Probably a good thing, cowboy, guns are dangerous.”

“Not the one I want; it has lights and makes sounds, like a real one. I’m also saving up to get a bike, the one I want is green and black.”

I smiled at him; he was the most adorable kid. Levi’s curious eyes raked the length of my body as I stood up to my full height. “What ya looking at?”

“Your muscles. Mommy said my father used to have small muscles, now he has a beer gut from being a jerk. I don’t know what a beer gut is, but I know a jerk is not a good thing so I hope I never have one.”

I laughed so hard. I had only once had the privilege of hearing just how honest Levi could be when he questioned Sheila’s smell. I was sure amused by his innocence.

“Yeah, being a jerk is the worst.” I fluffed his hair with my hand and headed towards the kitchen, the little monster fell into step behind me.

“You have muscles like those men in the movies Mommy watches”—he lowered his voice to a whisper—“the ones where they kiss and stuff, then by the end of it she’s crying. Glad my movies don’t do that, although, Mom did cry in Big Hero 6 when that guy dies, I had to get her tissues.”

This kid was too much.

“I think those movies your mom watches are called ‘romance’ flicks.” I made speech quotations with my hands as Levi climbed into his seat and I opened the cupboard, searching for anything to start breakfast.

“Pancakes?” I held up the bag of flour and Levi’s eyes lit up.

“Yes please, I only get pancakes on my birthday.”

I shrugged. “Well, it’s someone’s birthday, somewhere in the world…we should celebrate it, it’s the right thing to do.”

“Agreed,” he said as I chuckled and got to work.

“How’d the couch treat ya?” Clade questioned from the entranceway.

“Not so bad. Sorry for invading your house, Harper kind of convinced me,” I lied.

I wanted to stay…in her bed…with her. Dammit, I gotta stop that train of thought.

Clade slid in next to the cowboy at the table: “Welcome anytime, though I’m not sure our town’s deputy was so easily persuaded.” I smiled not turning around— I could hear the amused tone in his voice; he definitely knew what was up.

“Let’s just say she was very convincing.”

He burst into laughter. “Oh, I bet she was, and the fact that she’s drop-dead gorgeous with a beautiful heart had nothing to do with it whatsoever?”

I feigned innocence, standing there in only my boxer shorts. “I have no idea what you’re talking about?”

Pouring the batter into the pan, Leivon jumped up and turned the radio on before setting the table, all while he still held the paper toilet roll gun in his hand. “What ya making?” Clade asked.

“Pancakes,” cowboy chimed happily.

“Yum, my fave. I’ll get started on the coffee.”

Sometime later, I placed the stack of fresh pancakes in the center of the table just as Harper entered the kitchen.

She looked beautiful still wearing the satin nightie from last night. Her dark blonde, long wavy hair flowed gently around her shoulders and down her back, but as my lusting eyes perused her curvy frame, I had to suck back a sharp breath, seeing her divine legs.

“Something smells incredible!” She blushed, not quite sure of herself as she took a seat next to me. “Pancakes?” Her face scrunched.

“It’s someone’s birthday somewhere in the world, it’s only right we celebrate it,” Levi replied in between mouthfuls.

“Is that right?” She raised a brow to me, and I sat there with wide eyes, pretending I knew nothing.

“Yep, Spence said so.” I sat back; the kid had narked on me, dropped me straight into it.

“I don’t know what he’s talking about!” I knew my face was giving away the fact I had just lied. I was never a good liar.

“Hmm, that’s the second time I’ve heard that exact sentence this morning,” Clade spat out, stifling his chuckle.

“What?” she questioned, her eyes flitting between her uncle and me.

“Nothing,” both Clade and I said at the same time before meeting her narrowed suspicious face with wide toothy grins.

“Well, I know Uncle Clade doesn’t make breakfast, so, thank you, Spencer.”

I smiled at her. “You’re welcome.”

The day passed quickly and we piled into the cars, she and Levi followed me back to my house. I had convinced her to come for dinner and I knew what I was going to cook to impress her.

My property wasn’t too far from Clade’s. It was a small four-bed, two-bathroom old colonial with a wraparound porch.

Sky blue in color with a white front double door, which sat at the start of eighty acres of land.

She didn’t need to know yet that out past the borderline sat other pack members and their patches of land.

Being the pack beta’s son offered a little more room than other members. My German shepherd, Rusty, came bounding towards me at full speed, barking like a lunatic. I dropped to my knee, patting him all over as he attempted to lick my face.

“You have a dog?” Levi squealed, coming up beside me. Rusty jumped nearly on top of him and they both ran off. You could hear the cowboy laughing in the distance.

I felt her warmth beside me and the shuddering prickles when her palm touched my back. I looked down. “He’s friendly, I promise. Wouldn’t hurt a fly,” she just smiled up at me.

“It’s okay, we love animals. We were never allowed them in our old apartment building. Levi used to have a fish, well, that was until I decided to clean the fishbowl and placed him on the windowsill, then got a phone call and while I was distracted the wind blew the cup over and the fish met the pavement ten stories below.”

She looked sad. “Shit, remind me not to ask you to clean my dog,” I teased.

She playfully nudged my arm with her shoulder.

“Shut up, I feel awful about it. I told Levi his mother sent him an air-bubble message and he had to go home immediately, just about broke his heart that he didn’t say goodbye.”

I laughed. “Air-bubble message?”

“I panicked okay? It wasn’t my finest moment, I never want another fish again.”

“I’m pretty sure a mass ‘air-bubble’ message was sent out with your face on it stating your takedown of the poor innocent fish. They all know now not to go near you.”

She looked at me incredulously. “It was an accident.”

“Yep, that’s what they all say,” I laughed, wandering through the front door.

“Will Levi be okay out there?” she queried with a lick of fear in her question.

“He’ll be fine, ain’t nothing out there gonna hurt him. Well, maybe the horses when he finds them…”

“No coyotes?”

“Nah”—I flashed a grin—“no coyotes, I promise… Just wolves.”