The cabin was beautiful. She hadn’t seen the inside yet, but the outside was stunning. Though Drew had parked his truck in the garage, he’d taken her out to the front rather than inside through the adjoining door.
On the gravel drive, with her purse and gym bag clutched tight, she glanced up at the gorgeously etched wood, stone, and glass two-story cabin. “This is beautiful,” she breathed in awe. “This is your house?”
She’d never been in a house this grand. Its size and splendor intimidated her. What if she made a mess? Should she take her shoes off when she entered? Did she wear socks, go bare-footed, or wear slippers in a house like this?
Next to her, Drew adjusted the shoulder strap of her computer bag and shifted his armful of luggage. “Yes.”
“This must have cost a fortune.”
“Master’s Grilling does well. But between running the business and Wildlings, it took a long time to get it built.”
“It’s custom-built?” When he nodded, she gasped. “Wait. You built it?”
“Yes.” He looked up at the building with pride. “My dad helped. Callum and his dad too, and several pack members. Sometimes, the pack will gather here if we can’t meet at Wildlings for whatever reason.”
Drew had explained on the way over that his home bordered the Wildlings’ property and that it backed onto the same forest. He failed to mention that it was tucked away within the forest and not visible from the road. Secluded.
“Zelda told me you started Wildlings. Is that true?”
“My dad invested heavily in it, but yes, it was my idea. We already owned part of this land. My parents have a house here, too. But I wanted to do something to thank the wildlife. We hunt on this property. It seems only fair to give something back.”
“That’s incredible. A lot of people wouldn’t care.”
As though it was no big deal, Drew shrugged. “Want to see the inside?”
Her excitement boiled over. “Yes!”
The inside was just so lovely. All knotted cedar, with thick beams crossing the ceiling. It was an open concept with a massive kitchen. The second story looked down on the living room, and a big stone fireplace was the focal point and rose through the roof.
“It’s gorgeous.” Her words were hushed as she stood mesmerized by the space.
“I’ll show you to the master bedroom, and you can unpack while I upload the rest of your things.”
They shed their coats and boots before making their way to the wide staircase. He paused by various doorways and pointed out different rooms. They left her laptop bag in his office and continued toward the bedroom.
She shouldn’t have been surprised by the size of the room, yet she was. It was massive. A king-sized bed took up a portion of the space. A sitting area was in front of floor-to-ceiling windows. And across from the bed was a fireplace and a mounted television. “Holy shit, this room is bigger than my apartment!”
Drew chuckled. “What dresser would you prefer?”
“Uh, I don’t know.” She looked between the tall, narrow one and the long, low one with a mirror. They matched each other, as well as the bedside tables. “How am I ever going to go back home? You’re going to spoil me.”
“That’s the plan.” He leaned an elbow against the dresser. “You don’t have to go back. This can be your home now.”
“Four days, Drew. Four days. Not enough time.”
Pushing off the dresser, he shrugged, like her rejection wasn’t a big deal. “I think you’ll feel differently soon. You won’t want to be apart from me. And the house is a pretty badass selling feature.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Four. Days.”
“Okay, okay.” He tossed his hands up in surrender. “But know, it’s an open invitation. The bathroom is through there. Walk-in closet over there.” He motioned in two different directions.
As he left the room, she ran to the walk-in closet. She’d never had one before. “Holy shit!”
Who needed a dresser when most of this room was empty?
“Is that ‘holy shit’ for the closet or the bathroom?” He called from down the hall.
“Closet,” she shouted back.
“Check the bathroom.” He smiled to himself.
She raced across the room, her stockinged feet sinking into the plush carpet before sliding across the tiled bathroom floor. “Double holy shit!”
“Triple holy shit if you count the bedroom itself.” Based on his laughter, he was in the stairwell now. “Alyssa?”
“Yeah?” she yelled toward the door but couldn’t take her gaze away from the giant bathtub built for two.
“I can’t wait to fuck you in our bed.”
A shiver racked her body. “Holy shit.” This time, the words were whispered just for her—our bed.
“Meet me downstairs when you’re done drooling over that tub.”
When she finished fawning over the dramatic lifestyle change, Alyssa made her way downstairs, thinking of the afternoon at Wildlings.
Meeting the pack hadn’t been as intimidating as she’d thought it would be. Knowing Callum, Maddox, and Fredrica made it a lot easier. The pack was small, with only about thirty-five members. Having grown up with no family, it seemed like a lot of new people, but Drew had explained to her that large packs could have hundreds of members and were run more like small towns than a close-knit family. They’d been welcoming and understanding when Drew explained that they didn’t know her heritage and likely never would. He invited anyone with an issue with her background to speak up, but no one had come forward. They all seemed to adjust to the news rather well. They even seemed happy. Drew had told her on the ride to his house that they had all scented her earlier, as well as his arousal when she’d invaded their hunting ground.
After introducing her, he’d told them about Mitch. He wanted the stray dismembered, and while their pack had never taken the life of another shifter, they agreed. He was to be considered as dangerous. They passed around the necklace she’d brought so each member could recognize his scent.
They’d discussed a few other pack items and then dispersed. A few planned to stay and hunt, and when Drew declined to join, Callum stepped in and led them. She’d wondered why he didn’t want to join them, but soon learned he wanted to show her his home and be alone with her.
When she reached the main floor, she noted her things were neatly piled by the front door, and Drew was bent over the hearth, starting a fire. She smiled when he straightened and strolled over to her. “A fire?”
He nodded. “I need to get it started now if I want to make love to you in front of it later.”
Oh boy! Her panties were wet from his earlier comment. Now they were drenched.
“I want it roaring by then.” He stood in front of her, mere inches away, that intense blue stare eating her up.
“Don’t you mean howling? We are wolves, after all.”
He smirked, but his lips didn’t reach a full smile. Rather than reply, he reached out and grabbed the hem of her sweater, tugging it up and over her head. When she moved closer, intent on kissing him, he bent, hooked his fingers in the waistband of her leggings and panties, and took both with him as he kneeled on the floor.
She stepped free of the material and watched as he left a trail of soft kisses up her legs, hips, and stomach. He stood once more and removed her bra. Instantly, her nipples pebbled.
“Why is it so cold in here?”
She hadn’t noticed the chill until she was naked, and his hands and lips were no longer on her body, heating her from the outside in. His smirk grew into a smile as he stepped backward, pulling his shirt off over his head.
Confused, she took a step closer.
He took another backward, dropping one black sock onto the hardwood floor. His tight stomach rippled as he removed the second one, taking yet another step back.
About to ask what he was doing, Alyssa stopped when she noticed the patio door was open.
His pants and boxers made up the final pieces of the trail.
“What are you doing?” Intrigued, she stepped forward, the cold becoming more evident the closer they got to the door.
Drew still said nothing but turned and ran out the door, his body contouring, changing, and growing as he shifted into his wolf and bounded across the deck. Alyssa raced to the door. Standing in the doorframe, she watched as Drew frolicked in the snow.
He freaking frolicked in the snow.
And it looked like fun.
Alyssa shifted and took off after him. The second she got close, he ran again. She gave chase, following him deeper into the forest. His scent was everywhere, and she basked in it. At one point, he chased her around a tree, nipping at her back legs, urging her on. She discovered she was faster than him, although just barely. He kept pace, but she suspected that she could outrun him if she put on a burst of speed.
Briefly, they followed the scent of a fox, then a rodent, before they came upon a little pond. She approached the little stream that fed into the pond and lapped up some water. Drew approached and did the same.
Her first run with another wolf, with Drew. The moment was special. She knew she’d come back here tomorrow and capture it on a canvas, but for now, this night was for them.
Alyssa rolled onto her back, and Drew jumped playfully toward her. They wrestled on the ground until Drew’s jaws closed around her neck. It reminded her how powerful he was, how strong and capable. But then his hold loosened, and he licked her muzzle.
The air between them sizzled. She could scent his arousal, could feel his need almost as powerfully as she felt her own.
Soon they were running back, racing each other, it seemed, for the house.
She shifted back into human form, flexing her muscles as she walked through the door. Drew came through seconds later, his walk solid and sure. Without a word, he cupped her face and kissed her, slowly backing her toward the fireplace.
Their hands were wild, touching everywhere, stroking, teasing, and rubbing. Their lips never separated. He eased her down before the hearth until her back rested on the soft white faux rug.
His hand rubbed the side of her knee, coasting along her outer thigh as he lowered himself, covering her body with his. “You never need to be alone again. I swear you’ll always have me. Just let me love you.”
Not waiting for a response, his lips sought hers. Her fingers sank into his hair, playing with the soft tresses. He kissed her lips apart, his tongue slipping deep within her mouth, prompting a moan. Her legs rose to hug his hips.
Between them, his hand disappeared, his fingers teasing her opening, spreading her wetness before dipping into her, up to the first knuckle, then the second. Then he withdrew before stroking deep again.
He pulled back and stared down at her, watching her face as he fingered her until she was on the brink. He nodded in ascent so she would let go, and she broke, her back arching off the rug, her nipples beaded tight despite the warmth of the nearby flames.
She’d barely ridden the waves of pleasure when his lips came crashing down upon hers. He held her open with two fingers before fitting the head of his cock against her entrance. Thrust after thrust, they moved together, making love on the rug, the scent of the forest lingering on their bodies and the light from the fire casting shadows over their faces.
Drew alternated between kissing her senselessly and watching her face. Each time he stared at her, she felt their connection deepen.
Changing the angle of his hips, Drew hit her G-spot on each thrust, and soon she was coming again, tears slipping down her cheeks. Above her, he broke eye contact and threw his head back, releasing a long, low groan as he spilled inside her.
Her fingers coasted over his arms, shoulders, and chest as she watched him in the throes of passion. He was beautiful, caring, and powerful, and all hers.
Never again would she be alone. She finally believed those words.