I had to pull away from Jesse because my need became so desperate I was at risk of frightening her, and that wouldn’t help her relax, which was the entire point of this little adventure. It was a frustration. But I had to keep reminding myself she was new to this. That her first experiences with me had to be positive to encourage her confidence. It was imperative to condition her body to expect pleasure so that she'd give herself into my hands and continue to submit.
But the problem was, despite her naivete, she showed an eagerness and passion that matched my own.
Dear god, her kiss was intoxicating.
Of course, I was less enthralled with the heaviness in her—the fatalistic doubt drenching her. But her childish embarrassment about dancing had given me this idea, and I trusted it would draw her out and hopefully offer her a reason to continue exploring with me, rather than drawing into herself a
~ JESSE ~Following Cazz into the tunnels below the palace felt like being swallowed by a mountain.Down levels. Down stairs. Down, deeper into the earth below, where the hallways became caves, and half of the side tunnels didn’t even have doors.My breath got shorter, and not just because we were walking quickly, but because I could feel the immense weight above us and every instinct wanted to scream that we were about to be buried in a cave-in.But both Cazz and Rake seemed completely comfortable down here. So I just clung to Cazz’s hand and kept following.It was a maze under here, but slowly, as the walls got rougher and more natural, and the ceilings got lower—though still high enough for these massive men to move comfortably through them—I also became aware of a kind of… vibration.At first it felt like the air was humming, but then I started to notice trembling in the rock un
~ JESSE ~When we reached the floor of the Den, I was hanging back against the drag of Cazz's hand.“Cazz,” I hissed. “Can you teach me some of the steps first, or something? I'm going to make a fool of myself if I don't—”Cazz turned, looking stern, his mouth open like he was about to snap at me. But his eyes flipped up, over my shoulder for a moment, and he went still. Then he pressed his lips thin, shaking his head as if he didn't like what he saw. But he didn't reply, just turned to scan the spaceThe music was climbing towards another crescendo. The lights surged, then faded in time with the beat. That mass of bodies writhed. When the lights flared again, they made Cazz's eyes spark.He was staring at something, and smiling. I started to follow his gaze, but then he turned towards me again.“I have an idea,” he said, leaning down so his breath fluttered in m
~ JESSE ~Cazz moved like he was made from water. Really muscular, strong water. His torso was a study in sexy perfection.Sexfection.I giggled breathlessly and let my head drop back, letting Cazz take my weight in his large hand splayed at my spine.Cazz's eyes flashed when I laughed, but instead of speaking, he only leaned closer, his flat pecs brushing my chest as he loomed over me and rolled his torso deliciously, the muscles rippling and flexing in the pulsating lights. He touched my face with his free hand as he writhed against me.I was a little giddy, and doing my best to move with him, to keep time with the music, but my mind kept drifting—and so did my hands.I was fascinated by the carved lines between his pecs and under them, the ladders of muscle up his abs and over his ribs. Even as I rolled my hips and Cazz ground against me, I ran fingertips along the lines on his stomach, my breath catchin
~ CASIMIR ~The moment Jesse tapped into the pack mind I got hard.Watching her open herself and lose that tension in her shoulders—watching her smile and move as if her own body didn’t frighten her. Or mine. It was stunning. I suddenly saw all the strength in her that the reapers must have identified. And I wanted her.I could have swept her out of there and taken her on the spot.When she lost her self-consciousness and just let herself move and respond to me… Dear God, the way she stroked me, the heat in her eyes.I was convinced bringing her to the den was the best idea I’d ever had.When she turned back to face me I took her hips in my hands and pulled her against me, shamelessly grinding on her, keeping her plastered against me. As we moved together, more and more in sync, deeper and deeper in the bond and unaware of anything else, adrenaline flooded my system.I
~ JESSE ~ Someone behind me leaned in and I was pressed closer to Cazz, which was wonderful. He'd put that hand at my back again and I leaned into it, letting my head drift As our hips met and pressed together, as he swept me in a rolling turn, my heart beat even faster. I felt the crowd around us press in again, could sense them and instinctively reached for them the same way I reached for Cazz—my arms hooking around his neck while my mind embraced everyone. A chorus of howls rose, bouncing from the height of the cavern overhead and my heart pounded. My eyes were closed, but I felt Cazz lean into me, felt a puttering growl roll in his chest that was pressed against mine. The feeling of being so close to him even as others surrounded us was suddenly intoxicating. Images filled my mind, things I'd never thought before, let alone acted on. Hands reaching, fingers stroking, mouths, bodies, everything twisting, pressing, rolling together. And even though I knew they were only thoughts
~ CASIMIR ~If Jesse hadn’t been quite so fucking beautiful tonight that she lit a fire in my insides, if my need for her wasn’t quite so urgent, and if we didn’t have the entire fucking pack breathing down our necks, I would have given in to the fury. Ignorant of the packmind or not, she was Queen. She was female Alpha. She, of all of us, had to control her urges and lead by example.She, of all people, could do nothing to undermine my power.Instead, she’d enticed males to her. She needed to understand the very dire circumstances she had created, and the consequences of them.I should have punished her on the spot.But the door behind me shuddered and rattled as the males, overcome with lust and intoxicated by the challenge, tried to break through to reach her.They would not have her.But I had to rip myself out of that kiss, still holding her face, panting. Jesse took a moment longer to blink and find herself.“Cazz…?” she murmured, barely audible over the crashing and pounding be
~ CASIMIR ~Kill, or claim?Anything less, and the moment that door was unbarred, those males would kill me to take her. Or force me to compel or kill all of them.The truth was, even after this, I didn’t want her dead. She was the most fascinating of the females who had ever been brought to me. I looked forward to awakening her, teaching her, molding her. And the power she brought me when she submitted…That power throbbed in my veins as, despite her fear, she must have chosen to give herself, because suddenly my blood pulsed with fire and heat and power, and my hands were shaking.But if I wasn’t going to kill her, that meant there was only one choice left. And I hadn’t planned to claim her. Wouldn’t even have considered it until she gave me an heir. Yet she’d found a way to force my hand.God, I could have smacked her for that. But I refused to become my father.While I was still working to contain the anger bubbling in my chest, the door bulged with a hammering rush of bodies on t
~ JESSE ~ “Ready yourself,” he muttered, and his hand slipped around to tug at my pants. A bolt of fear shot through me right alongside the ache of desire I had been feeling. “Cazz, just—please explain—” my voice shook and my eyes blurred. I wanted him—had wanted him this whole time, that was why things had gone so wrong. But even though I could feel him through the bond, even though he’d protected me to get me away from the pack and in here, even though I could feel him yearning for me… something was off. “Lucky girl, when we’re finished, you’ll carry my mark,” he growled, popping the buttons of my leather pants, then plunging his hand between my legs. I shivered, heat and fear braiding together in a way that made my body shake and left me confused. “God willing, you’ll carry my mark, and my child.” He hadn’t blocked the bond, and through it I could tell that something about that statement touched a deep place in him, but he reacted like it struck a nerve. I felt him tense, then
~ CASIMIR ~I was pretty sure if I didn’t get inside her, I was going to eat her alive.Scooting with her in my lap, still straddling me, I got her so both my knees and her back were flat against the wall. Then I flipped open the wide, leather cuffs that had been secured directly to the wall and first lifted one of her hands, to strap it in so her hand was levered above her shoulder, but with her arm comfortably bent so she could relax. Then I did the same with her other hand on the other side.So I straddled the banana-seat, while she straddled me and her hands were secured to the wall behind her.Her breasts rose and fell with her heavy breathing, and her eyes were bright with desire.Overwhelmed again with how much thought she’d put into this, for a moment I just took her face in my hands and kissed her. But that drew us together—my cock pressing against her, and I couldn’t resist rolling my hips, teasing
~ CASIMIR ~“I made a new Den,” Jesse whispered, her hands over her mouth, staring up at me—those beautiful eyes wide, but also a little fearful. “I know it’s not the same, but I got Ghere to help me because he remembered what things you’d had before and… I hope you like it.”Like it? Was she serious?My heart was slamming against my ribs, and I was having trouble breathing.The room seemed smaller than I remembered because the walls were painted a dull black. But the tighter space than what I’d had down next to the Den just made it feel more intimate.There were two lamps, one on each end, and a chandelier high above. Candles everywhere, though she hadn’t lit mo
~ JESSE ~It was Cazz’s turn to plan the monthly date. But I was humming about this one. Things were finally ready, and impossibly, Ghere had helped me successfully pull off the surprise. But I still had to figure out how to get Cazz there without ruining it.He’d taken me out to the meadow again—my favorite date. Though we’d enjoyed several others now too—and we’d just finished eating. He was leaning back against the cab of the truck, looking out at the city lights, his brows a little heavy.“What are you thinking about?” I asked him, though I had a hunch.He had his arm around me and I was leaning on his shoulder. His hand trailed up and
~ CASIMIR ~I came out of the bathing room after a long bath rubbing my hair with a towel, to find my mate standing in the middle of the chamber with her arms folded and looking sternly at my daughter, who sat on the floor in nothing but a diaper, with her chubby legs straight out. She, too, had her arms folded and her lips pursed in the perfect reflection of her mother.The two glared at each other and half my heart went cold, while the other half wanted to splutter with laughter.“Abigail, I have told you—”“No!”Our daughter could only get her tongue around a few words so far, but
~ JESSE (a few weeks later) ~I had just finished nursing Abigail and was holding her on my lap while Reeca sat with me on the couch.Her eyes were bright and she was beginning to smile, so I was tickling her cheeks to see if I could get her to do it. But she was sleepy because she’d just eaten and only yawned and cooed.“She’s a very calm baby,” Reeca commented from the other end of the couch, smiling. She loved babies, and had been so helpful when I was tired—and just for reassurance for me.She was a calm presence in any room, and with Abigail, she showed a lot of delight and joy that she seemed to stifle in other areas of her life.“Reeca,” I said carefully, because I’d b
~ JESSE ~I was too tired to do more than lift my hands to his neck, so I just curled my face into his chest and let him settle us into the chair, cradled in his arms with my ass in his lap.When he’d sat, I had my head resting on his shoulder and my body curled in his arms.“Do you hurt?” he asked quickly.“No, just tired, like I said.”I felt him relax a little then and another chill started in my blood.“Cazz… what’s happened?” I asked quietly.He turned his head to meet my eyes and lifted his hand to comb hair back from my face. His throat bobbed, but his touch was g
~ JESSE (Hours later) ~My dreams were disturbing—my body in pain, screams of terror, darkness, the floor shaking, the mountain falling, humans fleeing and wolves…I tried to break free, tried desperately to open my eyes and to speak, because I knew I was asleep. But all I did was fade… in and out. The nightmares, or nothing.And through it all, his voice.“Heal… live.”My heart ached. My body hurt. My chest didn’t want to expand. It was as if my flesh fought his words, and I didn’t understand.But finally, the dreams faded and I could hear a heartbeat. Little, and quick. And feel warm flesh. And the breath of my m
~ CASIMIR ~I felt the moment the power went out of Jesse. The entire mountain felt it.I howled with triumph and shifted, sprinting towards the room, ecstatic when there was no sense of Maya gripping my mind or stealing anything from me. But of course, there was no power left for her to steal.I prayed and pleaded and ran, Rory and the others coming in my wake. And the moment I broke through that door in my wolf—the only power left to me anymore—everything slowed. Though my body whipped and my mind was singularly focused, it was as if everything happened in slow motion.I caught a bare glimpse of Jesse on the bed, and at first my heart leaped. She was moving, awake, aware,
~ JESSE ~Maya had me sitting up in the bed, curled forward, gripping my knees. Reeca on one side, helping prop me up, a guard on the other.My body was nothing but a conduit for pain. Wave after wave, my entire lower body condensing, contracting, pushing to get this baby out. I could barely think.Cazz was there, so quiet, so distant, but there, calling his encouragement and pushing love at me through the bond.There was a moment when I thought I wouldn’t make it, when I thought my body would give and I would just drift away.But then I caught Maya smiling. Leaning forward between my legs, reaching, grasping, for