Chapter 22

Jocelyn sat in class taking notes as her professor rambled on and on. She was typing, but her mind was consumed with thoughts of Landon. She was worried for him, wondering if he had returned, if Olivia had heard from him, if he was okay. Her class dragged until finally her professor announced class was dismissed. Relief flooded through her. Finally she could check with Cain; hopefully he had heard from Olivia. How much longer could she keep this up? How much longer could she withstand the torture of being without him?

Without bothering to turn off her laptop, Jocelyn dashed out of class. A clatter drew her attention to the floor. She had dropped her phone. She bent over to retrieve it, then continued on her path and stumbled when she bumped into someone. She mumbled, “Sorry.”

“No worries,” a familiar voice beckoned.

She glanced in his direction. It was Asher, as handsome as ever, towering over her.

“I was hoping you’d bump into me,” he jested.

“Sorry about that,” she said.

“It’s okay. You seem preoccupied, so I won’t hold it against you,” he said then flashed a smile. “Here,” he uttered and handed her a cup of coffee. “You look like you need this.”

“Oh, thanks,” she said uncertainly.

He pointed toward a bench just outside her classroom door, “Let’s sit here and enjoy these.”

Crap! she thought then glanced around her, searching the crowd for Cain.

“Got somewhere to go?” Asher asked her.

“Well, yes,” she admitted hesitantly.

“I’m sure you can spare me a couple of minutes.”

Reluctantly, she nodded, and he escorted her to the bench. She sat and observed him do the same.

“So what do you do in New York for fun?” he asked then sipped his coffee.

“I…you know…the usual, clubs, bars…”

“Been to any good ones? I’m sure you know more than me considering your sister is a New Yorker, no?”

“Well, yeah, but I haven’t really been going out all that much just focusing on school.”

“That doesn’t sound like you at all. If I remember correctly, you were a bit of a party animal in California,” he teased then grinned.

“I was. I guess people change…” she said then tensed as pain sliced through her chest.

She glanced around nervously searching for Cain. Her chest constricted; she panicked as her hands began to shake. Excitement rushed through her, and she smiled. Landon! She exhaled, relieved he was near. She could feel him, his presence. She could almost smell his invigorating woodsy scent. She searched the crowds of people walking past. Landon, she still couldn’t see him.

“Jocelyn,” Asher startled her. She quickly spared a glance in his direction. “You okay?” he asked.

“Asher, I’m sorry. I…”

“You’ve got to go?” he finished her thought.

She nodded.

“Next time, then,” he said. He stood and extended his hand to help her up, but she was already walking away.

“Thanks for the coffee,” she said.

She walked briskly, dumping her coffee in a nearby trash can then broke into a light run as her eyes perused the faces of anyone who walked by. She could feel him, but she hadn’t found him. She ran faster along the sidewalk glancing down narrow streets. Where is he? After half an hour of searching for him, she began to panic; frantic she hadn’t found him yet. She paused and wondered. Is he hiding from me? Because of… everything. She concentrated on the pang in her chest, focused all her remaining energy on it, and she ran again. The closer she got, the bigger the ache in her chest. She could almost smell him now. A breeze of wind drew his scent toward her; she paused, and then an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her backward toward an alley. His scent engulfed her. She was safe; he was with her.

She turned to face him. His expression pained; his stare fierce. His agony sliced through her leaving her without breath. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. He placed his arm around her waist and pulled her toward him pressing her chest against his. His kiss consumed her, mending her aching heart.

She pulled away from their kiss. “I’ve missed you so much. Why were you hiding from me?”

“I thought that’s what you wanted,” he said solemnly.

She shook her head, then whispered, “I felt you near. I was looking for you.”

“I thought you were running from me,” he said his expression wounded and stark as he stared deep into her eyes.

“Are you okay?” she asked him.

“I am right now,” he replied then kissed her forcefully, taunting her already shattered nerves. She pulled away from him again. He held his breath waiting for her next words.

“Take me home, Landon,” she whispered.

He simply nodded, kissed her again, and walked pulling her into his embrace.

They walked for several blocks until his car came into view parked on the side of a street. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys, and unlocked the doors. He walked her to the passenger side, pulled open her door. She climbed in, then he walked around toward the driver’s side and climbed in. He turned on the ignition and drove. As they headed outside the city, she asked, “Where are we going?”

“You wanted me to take you home,” he said simply as he glanced in her direction. “That’s where I’m taking you.”

A confused expression claimed her face, and she glanced away from him. He was taking her to his home which he considered her own. She glanced again in his direction, his expression still somber despite their kiss. Despite the fact he was taking her to his home.

Perhaps, he has lost hope we’ll work out our problems, the thought made her chest ache. Her eyes welled, and she reached for his hand, grasping it in her own. He gazed at her, and she saw his somber will flutter in his eyes. It will work out, she said soothing herself despite her previous resolve to save him from himself. It will.

****

They rode the rest of the way in silence. Once they reached the large iron gates at the entrance of the werewolf estate, Jocelyn exhaled deeply. Landon parked in the garage and led her toward his room. He closed the door behind himself then turned to face her. His intense stare bore down on her, and she shuddered.

“You are home. Would you like to shower? Get that mortal’s scent off of you?” he snapped harshly.

Her face flushed, and she turned her back on him either unable or unwilling to hold his stifling stare. “He’s an old friend, Landon. We were just talking,” she said calmly.

“He’s not for you, Jocelyn. I am,” he exclaimed vehemently as he closed the distance between them.

She turned to face him. “I know, Landon,” she said. “We were just talking. I can talk to other men.”

“I hate—” he started as he recalled the torment that sliced through him upon seeing his female with another man. He forced himself to remember what she had said moments after, that she missed him. Relief had swelled inside him. He had wanted to yell and scream and chant that his female had missed him, but his fear had halted him. Fear of what would happen next had surfaced because the past could predict and if it did then once again she would push him away. “He wants you.”

“So…” she said, and his eyes darted toward her, yellow swarmed his irises, and he fisted his hands in his palms as he clenched his jaw. “You know I’m not interested,” she said simply.

“No, I don’t know that!” he yelled losing all composure. “I don’t know anything about what you want or what you are capable of doing to spite me!”

His body began to convulse, his wolf howled. He inhaled as he attempted to rein in his temper, the fury and jealously sizzling inside him.

“I would never—” she began to explain, but he cut her off.

“What? What would you never do? Make love to me then leave me?” he screamed as he closed the distance between them.

“That was different!” she yelled as her eyes welled with tears, and she turned away from him and his hateful gaze.

“That proves I never know what you’ll do!” he screamed louder as his fury claimed him coiling around him.

“I only did that because—”

“Because you hate me? You want me to suffer? You want to hurt me because I forsook you?”

“No! I did it because I love you!” she screamed.

Landon’s face paled as all, his pent up anger dissipated around him. His wolf cried deep and guttural inside him, begging him to act on her declaration, except he wasn’t sure. Was his mind playing tricks on him? She couldn’t have said it. Only hours ago, she’d said she would never admit to wanting him. Now, she said she loved him. It wasn’t possible.

She loves us. She loves us! his wolf chanted. His heart lurched. Could she?

“I did it because I love you, and you could have been killed because of me, and if you don’t exist, then I’ll never be yours, and you’ll never be mine. And then life and immortality will lose meaning,” she said as tears claimed her cheeks. When he said nothing, she continued, “I think I’ve loved you since the night at the bar when you saved me. I tried to deny it because I didn’t want to be destined for someone who could live without me for months because I didn’t want to love anyone who could.”

He was dumbstruck by her admission, awed by her bravery and repentant for the awful things he had said to her. Shame engulfed him, and he said the only thing he could. “I love you, Jocelyn, and nothing, not even death, will ever keep me away from you.”

She sighed, and Landon took her in his arms as he pressed his lips firmly and forcefully against hers without a thought but his need to make her his. Their battles could last several lifetimes, but he couldn’t withstand another moment without his mark on her.

“Forever begins today, baby,” he whispered after he broke away from her lips and trailed his lips along her neck.

He kissed her lips once more. She moaned into his mouth as he traced his fingers along her jaw down her chest and grasped the bottom of her shirt and pulled it off exposing her lace bra and flawless skin. He ran his hands over her stomach then chest, touching her softly as he admired every curve, every inch of her exposed skin. She moaned again as he licked down her neck then up toward her earlobe where he paused and sucked as his arms pressed her closer.

She grasped his white t-shirt and ripped it down the middle baring his broad chest and abs. She ran her fingers down enjoying the feel of him within her fingertips then she traced his abs with her nails.

“Forever begins today,” he whispered in her ear once again and chills ran up and down her spine. “Say it,” he begged as he pulled himself away from the crook of her neck and stared into her deep brown eyes hazy with need. “Say it; say that nothing will separate us from this day on, Jocelyn.”

She blinked several times then said, “Forever begins today. Nothing will separate us from this day on.”

He took her mouth again, and their tongues battled with need as he lifted her and pushed her against the wall. He kissed her until she moaned with desire then clutched her behind, squeezing until she begged him to take her. He rubbed his hands over her thighs admiring her skin smooth as silk as she dug her nails into his back.

Landon pulled away from her, then trailed his tongue down her neck and chest as he wrapped his arms around her and unbuckled her bra, then removed it revealing her plump breasts. He kneaded her breast while he licked and sucked her nipple. She ran her hands over the back of his neck, wrapping one leg around him egging him on.

He continued his gentle rough sucking until she threw her head back and moaned. He licked his way to her other breast, took her nipple in his mouth swiftly as he massaged her breast softly teasing her. He ran one hand down her stomach, then he grasped the top of her jeans, then swiftly pulled them off. He traced the edges of her underwear with his fingers sending shivers of anticipation down through him. He roughly tore them off her.

Landon reached toward her core and lightly played with her as he continued to suck her nipples drawing circles around them with his tongue. His fingers pleasured her and she moaned louder and louder, pained with desire, then he used his fingers to enter her, and she screamed and begged him to take her.

****

Suddenly, he was gone, and she was bereft without his taunting touch. He grabbed her face and kissed her, then broke away.

“No,” he told her. “I’m not taking you yet. I’m going to show you how good it feels to be with your male, so you never, ever think of leaving me again.”

Abruptly, his hands assaulted her again, kneading her breasts, playing with her folds. He teased and taunted her.

“Landon, please. I need you,” she moaned. She was about to break. She needed him inside her. There was no other, nor would there ever be another. It was Landon her heart cried for, battled with, and loved.

He lifted her, grasping her butt with his hands and walked to his bed. He placed her on it then climbed on top of her. He kissed her, then trailed down toward her core, licking softly at first then more forcefully. As spirals of pleasure traveled through her, she screamed his name enticing him to lick and suck her longer. He wanted her screaming louder and longer.

She fisted her hands, then her body exploded with pleasure, but he didn’t stop his assault with his tongue, instead he entered her with his fingers and sucked harder until another orgasm consumed her body and mind. Only then did he stop to silence her moans with his kiss.

Jocelyn shook with the pleasure Landon had given her, but she wanted more. She wanted him inside her, so he never forgot he belonged to her. As he kissed her, she reached for his pants and unbuckled his belt, then unbuttoned his jeans. She used her feet to push them off him, then did the same with his boxers. She grasped his large shaft in her hand and rubbed as she kissed him more forcefully. He pulled away from her and moaned. His gaze centered on her, his pale blue eyes cloudy with need and swarming in hues of yellow.

“I love you, baby,” he declared. “I’ve loved you from the moment I first laid eyes on you.”

Her chest ached from his heartfelt declaration. She knew the ache belonged to both of them. She realized then she would always be able to tell the truth in his words. She wanted to cry, laugh, and make love to him. A tear escaped her, and he wiped it away.

“There’s no need for you to ever cry again, Joce. I’ll take care of you and love you.”

She kissed him passionately then pulled away, and whispered, “Take what’s yours, werewolf.”

He pressed his erection at the entrance to her core as she took his lips again, kissing him as if it was the first time. He slowly entered her, a moan escaped her.

****

He slid into her completely mystified by the pleasure. His canines lengthened, and his wolf howled.

Claim her!

“Oh, Landon,” she moaned as he pumped into her again.

He slowly withdrew then slid into her again, amazed once again at the feel of her, his female. He grabbed her rear and thrust into her. She moaned louder, so he thrust into her harder as he kissed her then pumped as he licked her neck.

Claim her! CLAIM HER! His wolf encouraged him, but he ignored.

Landon licked her and sucked her neck until his need consumed his mind, and all he could hear was his wolf and her screams of pleasure. He thrust harder and harder then Jocelyn licked his shoulder and bit him piercing his skin. It was the end of his control. He bit her smooth, mouth-watering neck. As his canines pierced her skin, her blood filled his mouth, claiming her as his forever. He swallowed it enjoying the taste of her, enjoying her in him. And they both lost all control and climaxed together.

He lay immobile on top of her for several moments until the pleasure subsided and realization of what just transpired replayed in his mind. She belonged to him now and forever. His mark on her and her mark on him, they were as good as married in immortal terms. He smiled as his wolf cheered with glee.

“Baby?” he said as he lifted his head to stare into her eyes, still buzzing with pleasure. “We…um…”

“Sorry I got carried away…I think…” she said.

He shifted his weight, sliding her to his left. “No, you didn’t get carried away. You claimed your werewolf.”

“What?” she asked as she stared at him blankly waiting for a response.

“When you bit me, you claimed me like I claimed you. Nothing will separate us now. Our connection will be stronger than ever.”