Now that Dana was more in tune with her magic, she seemed to like to test her limits. Or Cooper’s. He held his arms out a few inches from his body, trying to steady himself. Dana had teleported them to Whiskey Hollow, and Cooper was about to be sick.
Her smiling face came into view. “Breathe. It’ll pass soon.”
“Not soon enough. Remind me that I owe Star for mentioning that you could teleport.”
Dana laughed and nudged him with her elbow as she passed him. A smile lifted Cooper's lips, and he couldn't help but watch her ass sway as she walked up to her brother's door. Damn, the female was sexy.
Taking another deep breath, Cooper pushed the dizziness away and followed her. Darin opened the door and pulled his sister in for a hug. A moment later, Celeste emerged with a smile. She pushed past the twins and flew at Cooper. Relief flooded him. He hadn’t realized how worried he was about his sister.
Wrapping his arms around her to hug her tightly, he asked, "Are you okay?"
She nodded, burying her nose in his neck. He inhaled at the same time she did, needing to ensure himself that his family was safe.
A tug on the hem of his T-shirt made him release Celeste. Glancing down, his heart swelled at the sight of the tiny girl looking up at him with large, green eyes. He signed, "I missed you." Then he picked up Hope and kissed her cheek.
She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed.
Dana's scent filled the space around him. He glanced up to meet her smiling eyes. After a few moments, she nodded toward the door.
Once seated in the living room, Hope wandered off down the hallway. Cooper watched in confusion. It was almost as if she had made Darin's home her own.
"I have moved Celeste and Hope to my house. They are safer here," Darin announced before changing the subject to Edwin. Cooper glanced at Dana. She shrugged.
"Edwin was here yesterday asking questions about where you were. He was acting odd. Well, more odd than usual. It wasn't until Dana contacted me this morning with the council news that I understood Edwin's strangeness. I believe, somehow, he knows that you are free to track him down." Darin gave Dana a pointed look.
Cooper's chest tightened, and anger bubbled up. "Then he'll set a trap for her."
Darin nodded. "Have you talked with Solon?"
Dana shook her head. "Should I?"
"He wasn't with Edwin yesterday."
Cooper frowned. Solon was always with Edwin. The enforcer was Edwin's first, his right hand. At least until recent months, Cooper noted. "Solon has started pulling away from Edwin, and he doesn’t seem to follow his every demand."
Dana sighed. "Solon has been relaying info to me since Ross died. But I'm not sure which side he is on. It's possible he's working both ends. Anyway, Solon knew where I was. I assume Edwin did, too. The coward wouldn't dare step foot in the Coven, though."
"True. He also reeked of dark magic."
Cooper nodded. "Edwin needs to be taken out. Since Dana is free of all charges, I propose she and I go to Bloodrose so she can challenge him in front of the whole Pack."
As much as he hated to put his mate in harm's way, she was already in danger. Plus, he was mated to her now. He felt her magic, the power of the Goddess Diana. If the legends of the charmed wolf were true, Dana was immortal and protected by the gods. They'd give her the strength she needed.
He hoped that was true anyway.
Either way, he wouldn’t let her go alone.
"I agree. It will be a start even if Edwin isn't there. Dana, you can still stake your claim on the Pack and present your challenge to them. You could call it your first promise speech as their future Alpha. Hell, let them know the council is behind you to gain their trust." Darin threaded his hand through his hair. After a few moments, he added, "Axle and Noah will go with you."
Cooper tensed. The male names weren't familiar to him, and he wasn't sure he wanted them near his mate.
Dana growled, drawing his attention to her. "Axle and Noah are enforcers." She stood, stretched, and then announced, "I'm going to my house to prepare. I'll meet with the enforcers later."
She moved to the door. Cooper got up and followed.
They walked the short distance to her home in silence. Cooper sensed that she was thinking, planning, and he didn't want to distract her. She'd share when she was ready.
When they were inside the house, she turned to him. Her wolf flashed in her eyes, and one side of her mouth lifted in a wicked smile. With a hand flat on his chest, she pushed him up against the wall. Her mouth covered his instantly. He groaned, gripped her hips, and pulled her closer.
Dana broke the kiss and pulled her head back. Her breaths came in pants. "We should be plotting how to kill Edwin."
"Yeah." Cooper kissed her again. She growled and leaned into the embrace.
She tore her mouth from his and pressed her lips to his neck. A shudder went through him, and his dick jerked behind the zipper of his jeans. "Edwin will fight you with black magic."
A grunt was her response. A moment later, her fingers moved to the waistband of his jeans. In quick movements, she’d undone his pants and freed his cock. Her cool fingers wrapped around him, making him jerk. He leaned his head against the wall and hissed. Damn, it felt good to have her touch him. Pleasure swirled inside him, heating his blood, and filling his cock.
When she dropped to her knees, he almost came at the sight. Then her mouth was on him, sucking him in while she cupped his balls in her hand and massaged.
Fuuuck.
He fisted a hand in her hair and moved his hips. His balls tightened. No. Too soon. He fought to hold on. Just a little longer.
Her voice entered his mind. "Let go."
It was a command, and one he couldn't deny.
His orgasm hit him hard, sending him over the edge.
Dana released him and stood. A satisfied smile spread across her face. "I love it when you come."
He chuckled and gripped her hair, pulling it back. She gasped and then moaned. It didn't surprise him that she liked it a little rough. And from the pleasure riding their mating bond, he sensed that she loved to submit to him. She may be Alpha to the core, but she was still a female.
"Tell me what you want."
She growled and laughed at the same time. "I want you to take me, dominate me, in any way you want."
The sour smell of fear rose from her. Cooper framed her face with his hands. "What's wrong?"
Her eyes watered, and she shook her head. "I just need to not be in control right now."
The fear running through her worried him, but he didn't ask her about it. She needed him, needed to draw from his strength. And he would give her anything she asked for.
Cooper turned her so her back was against the wall. Shifting his hand, he ripped her jeans and shirt off. A low growl sounded from her, and when he met her heated gaze, he grew hard again. Fire rose in her blue eyes. Damn, she was beautiful.
He shifted his hand back to human then gripped her ass and lifted. Instantly, she wrapped her legs around him. Jerking his hips forward, he entered her. She clung to him, her nails puncturing his back.
With his hand still tangled in her hair, he pulled her head to the side to give him access to her throat. He wanted to mark her all over, claim her over and over. However, with the rush of pleasure bouncing between them—hers and his—he knew it wasn't long until they both came.
So he struck, stinking his teeth into her shoulder. She cried out in delight and sunk her nails deeper into his back. Maybe it was her claws. Hell, he didn't care. The pain mixed with their bliss, intensifying the desire coursing through his veins.
Picking up the pace, he slammed into her, going deeper with each thrust.
"Yes." She growled out the word.
He teetered on the edge and knew she did, too. When she tightened her legs around him, he fell—roaring out his release.
She followed soon after.
He held her against the wall for several long moments, his nose buried in her neck. She hugged him and relaxed her body against him.
"Thank you."
He chuckled. "No, thank you."
"Will it always be this intense?"
"I don't know. But I hope so." That got her laughing.
She stopped with a sigh and gently smacked him in the head. "Hmm, I might reconsider not being mad at you for binding me to you."
He smiled at her teasing tone. "You'll just have to make me your sex slave, then."
"Careful what you wish for, my wolf."
He lifted his head and stared into her blue depths. "I am yours. Always."
She kissed him. But it ended too soon. "Let's get cleaned up and see what we can dig up for lunch and then plot out our next move. I need to know everything you do about Bloodrose. The general routines of the den and Edwin. Everything."
He nodded and stepped back, releasing her so she stood in front of him. She stared at the pile of clothes on the floor and smiled. "I'm glad those weren't my favorite jeans."
"We can buy more clothes." He stepped into her. "Besides, I liked ripping them off you."
The fire returned to her eyes, and he wondered if it was because she’d opened up her powers. Or had the fire always been there?
A slow curve of her lips made her seem more wicked than normal. He shivered, and the smile widened. "Come shower with me, my wolf."
She walked off, and he shook his head. That female was going kill him…with desire.
But what a way to go.