There was no time, no sensible way I should focus on anything but the men we were preparing to take out tonight, but the moment I saw her standing in front of that mirror, her lush body glittering, her eyes like jewels, bright on black velvet, her body full and her skin glowing… dear God, she was stunning. Then as I stepped into that lavish bathroom, I caught her rich scent and it hit me what was ahead of us…
I had to mark her with my scent. Claim her before any other male could even think to take her.
The audacity of that male yesterday t
~ CASIMIR ~I caught her when her knees gave, wrapping arms around her middle, under her stomach, propping her up as my breath tore in and out and my chest heaved. I was sweating and had to pray that I wouldn’t sweat through the clothes because there wasn’t time to press another set.“Cazz… dear God…”“The comparison is flattering, but I keep telling you—”She snorted a laugh, then almost slid off the countertop and had to slap a hand to the edge of it to catch herself.There was a moment where my balance was off and hers was gone entirely, and we swayed together, still joined, her giggling, me chuckling, both of us shushing each other. Then I planted my feet and lift
~ CASIMIR ~The females were still preparing when I stood at the center of the wing and just allowed the reality to wash over me.Jesse was at my side, but turned away, speaking with Reeca and a couple of the other females. All of them were dressed and polished with the human make up. Though I enjoyed the human fashions, the painted faces made me grim. But I knew that Jesse and that Garrett creature had both emphasized that the men here would expect it, so I left it.I couldn’t deny that Jesse’s make up made her eyes look huge and even more piercing, and certainly drew attention to her lips in a way that made me want to drag her back to privacy. I could understand what it was about this tradition that appealed to the males. But still… I preferred it when I could see my mate’s natural skin.
~ CASIMIR ~My wolf snapped it’s teeth and I shoved it back. He’d lost his scent for Jesse. He was not in love with her.But it hadn’t occurred to me to consider that his attentions might shift…I looked at my friend with new eyes, tipping my head, thinking back to whether I’d seen or sensed any hint of feeling from him in regards to the female.But no… he’d happily stood for her to be accepted in the Selection. He’d trusted her with Jesse’s secrets, and seconded Maya in relying on her.So, what had changed?I must have sent the thought to Rake, because his expression grew sullen and he turned to scan the hallway and a
~ CASIMIR ~Jesse, myself, Rake, and Reeca were ushered down to the area where we’d be undertaking this whole enterprise early.Garrett, the Police Chief, now firmly under compulsion, had lost his suspicion and was consumed with eager lust and the thrill of bringing his friends into this little party. But there was a tang of fear in his scent. A part of him knew the truth, even if his mind wouldn’t conjure it. I’d given him reason to tell himself that his fear was based in our inherent danger as predators, but I knew that I walked a fine line with him.Letting him keep his own mind and thoughts, while forcing his mind to divert attention to other issues was an extremely precise compulsion, and now, watching the way he
~ CASIMIR ~“Look… no matter about that…” he said quietly when I waited for a response. “The point is, they have expectations and if you’re not meeting those—”“Their expectations are for dealing with a human. I am not human, I am wolf. I’ll handle this as a wolf would. If they see me trying to be like them, they’ll know I’m lying. You keep your greasy little nose out of this and leave me to do what I do best—making sure that everyone follows the rules. You can tell as many as will listen that I do not hold to your human standards on the sanctity of life. If they offend me, I will kill them. That includes you, you perverted little fuck.”Jesse stepped
~ JESSE ~I didn’t hear what passed between Cazz and Garrett because I was dealing with some of the staff who were enquiring about how to make the women comfortable, and whether they should be offered drugs or alcohol because the first of the men were starting to arrive.Then, almost the moment the two separated, I realized that some of those suits that had entered just moments before weren’t staff.They went to the bar to get drinks—or whatever they wanted—and then turned around to peruse the women.It made my skin crawl. It was the most predatory I’d ever seen human males—and they reminded me of the wolves when they were on the hunt. But instead of enemies or warring factions, these men were hunting
~ JESSE ~Cazz’s excitement was short-lived. Very quickly there were suddenly a lot more bodies in the room, and I felt him begin to panic as some of those men moved between him and I, blocking my view of him, and his of me.‘It’s fine. I’m fine. I’m right here. I’m hosting, remember?’ I sent as I pushed to my feet, biting back a groan as my lower back muscles caught.All I wanted to do was take off these heels, take off this snug-fitting dress, put on sweats and slippers and lay in bed with Cazz.‘I promise you at least a week of that when this shitshow is done,’ he muttered in my head.
~ CASIMIR ~I’d never seen the like of it—my heart began to beat quickly.‘Cazz, what is it? What’s happening?’‘I don’t know. His mind…’ But I was speaking of alliances and the pleasure of man, how our friends were their friends, and so on and so forth. ‘Keep your eye on the Governor. I don’t have him yet.’Since I held the others easily, I turned my focus on them, but a bead of sweat trickled down my spine.What was different about this man that made him diffic
~ 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