The woman in his arms was a stranger, yet hints of both Elizabeth’s and Tabitha’s personality showed through Gwen’s. All three incarnations of his true mate wore an aura of innocence and vulnerability. Gwen, though, struck him as different. Stronger, somehow. Not physically. Emotionally or maybe psychologically. Either way, her sharp attitude toward Reno hinted at a side of his true mate he’d never seen. It was also one that excited Xander on a level he couldn’t quite explain. All he knew was that he wanted to learn more about her.
At the top of the stairs, Gwen cleared her throat. “If this place has running water, I’m going to get a shower. I have your blood all over me.”
A demand. Not a request.
Xander stopped walking and glanced into her face. She stared at him. An intensity to match her words burned in her eyes. Seeing it intrigued him. Captivated him. Depressed him. No matter if Gwen’s inner strength had grown or not, she was still human. A soft, sweet, and innocent human he refused to taint with the ugliness that came with leading the pack.
Or belonging to a wicked male like him.
Her eyebrow rose, ever so slightly. She didn’t speak, but her expression said it all. She expected his agreement, and his silence annoyed her.
Excitement he couldn’t give into yet quickened his pulse. This incarnation of his true mate fascinated him. Maybe it was too early to judge whether or not being with him would ruin her goodness. Maybe his true mate was finally ready to match him…in all things.
He dragged his attention from the lips he wanted on every inch of his body to her eyes. By the goddess, they were beautiful. He could stare into them for eternity.
He took a slow, deep breath in an effort to calm himself. Time would tell if fate would bind them in this lifetime. “After I shower, you may take one. While you get clean, I will sweep the room and look for hidden devices. I want to ensure our privacy.”
She nodded and dragged her gaze to his chest. “I’m sorry you were hurt because of me.”
“Don’t be. Those other shifters gambled on their teamwork overcoming my strength. They were wrong.”
“Just as Reno was about Vader, right? Reno thought he’d be out longer. Actually, I thought the same. I’ve been around other Royals. Seen how much damage they can take. There’s only one I’ve met who could pull off what Vader did.”
He wanted to correct her. Vader didn’t exist. The male who’d worked with her late stepfather in Shifter Affairs had been born Horace Vladimir Winchester, Vlad to his pack mates. Xander didn’t bother correcting her, however. He didn’t want to argue with Gwen while Reno was close. Xander had a feeling she would challenge him.
“My pack is strong, Gwen. Very strong. Maybe the strongest out of all the Royal wolf packs. We’ve carefully selected breeding partners to ensure that. Our results have paid off.”
“Selected breeding partners? Not mates?” A considering look passed over her features. “What exactly does that mean?”
The sound of Reno coming up the stairs behind them stopped him from responding. He scanned the rooms, opening each until he found the one with a fireplace. Compared to the rest of the rundown house, the master bedroom was clean and neat. The large bed was covered in thick quilts. A dresser, two nightstands, a small table with two chairs, and a full-length mirror filled the room, giving it an almost cozy atmosphere.
He took in the details, noting all the spots he wanted to check for cameras, closed the door behind them, and turned into the bathroom. This room didn’t offer much space to maneuver, but a basket with travel-sized bath products, all from different hotel chains, along with cellophane-wrapped toothbrushes, sat on the sink. The space fit their needs. Good enough.
He set Gwen on the sink, her legs dangling over the side, and pulled the zipper on her jacket. Without meeting her gaze, he slipped the heavy parka off her shoulders, then crouched and untied her boots before pulling them off. He reached for her waistband. His knuckles brushed against her smooth skin. The slight contact threatened his control. Memories of the years spent in Elizabeth’s arms and the single night in Tabitha’s assaulted him.
Finding release inside their bodies had been nothing short of heaven. No other female—human or shifter—had ever tempted him to do the same. He needed more than a mind-blowing orgasm, however. So did Gwen. She needed a true mate who wouldn’t fail her as he’d done twice before. He wanted to be that male.
To be worthy of her.
He released Gwen and stood. “Don’t move.”
Without waiting for a response, he entered the bedroom and dug through the dresser. Simple track-style clothes, the kind used to replace items destroyed during shifting, filled the drawers. He selected a pair of sweats and a long-sleeved T-shirt big enough to cover Gwen’s large breasts, then returned to the bathroom.
Gwen sat on the counter where he’d left her. She glanced from the shower to him. Nervousness radiated from her. Not surprising. He’d started undressing her. As a human, she’d associate his actions with sexual interest. Granted, he wanted to enjoy the sight of her naked body. It wasn’t the true motive behind his desire to get her undressed, however.
Reno’s stench clung to her shirt and pants. Xander’s predatory and possessive nature wouldn’t stand for it. Only his scent could. And Vlad’s. His pack mate’s scent would forever remain a part of her. She was his beloved human. The anger over Vlad’s tie to her no longer bothered Xander. He couldn’t do anything about it. Vlad had found her first.
But he hadn’t loved her first.
“When you’re done showering, put these on.” Xander placed the items he’d selected for her next to her hip.
She looked from the pile of clothes to his face. “You want me to get dressed?”
No. He wanted her naked and in his arms. Images of Gwen’s wet body pressed against the tiles of the shower while he pounded into her flashed across his mind. The lust she’d stirred in those few moments when she’d been under his body returned, stronger than before.
He’d won the right to be the first male to have sex with Gwen. Before Vlad did. Part of Xander wanted to claim his prize, consequences be damned. The truth shamed him, but he couldn’t deny the urge to give in to his primal side, exactly as Reno had suggested.
Xander inclined his head slightly, holding her gaze and letting her see what he truly desired, even if he couldn’t voice it. She should know the effect she had on him, and that he wouldn’t act on it. In both lifetimes before, he had, immediately. He wanted to do things differently this time. Act with honor.
Win her love.
“Your clothes have my blood on them. You said so yourself.”
“But…” She cleared her throat. “You won me, fair and square.”
The vulnerability in her tone gave him pause. Did she think he didn’t desire her?
He tipped up her chin. “I want you, Gwendolyn Annabelle Burnett. Do not doubt that.”
Her eyes widened with surprise. She leaned closer and lowered her voice to a mere breath of sound. “You know my full name?”
Her actions suggested she too suspected there were listening devices in place. Respect for her grew. He planted his palms on the counter on either side of her hips and bent closer. Her scent filled his lungs on a deep inhale. The drug Reno had given her was wearing off. Vlad’s familiar scent twined with the rich, seductive one belonging to Gwen.
The ache in Xander’s shaft grew, along with a craving for Gwen’s arousal on his tongue. He understood why. Vlad was pack, and Gwen was Xander’s true mate. His tie to both was strong, powerful. They strengthened him in different ways.
Letting his warm breath arouse her, he brushed his open mouth over the spot where shoulder met neck, the spot he’d bite if he succeeded in being the male she needed. Her shiver and shaky exhale in response to his touch brought a smile to his lips. “I know many things about you.”
“From Lena?”
“Yes.” Among others. He’d spoken with every member of her stepfather’s unit about Gwen and her relationship with Vlad.
“So you’re here to sa—”
He caught her earlobe between his teeth and tugged, stopping her words and tearing another shaky exhale from her. He couldn’t risk Reno hearing something he shouldn’t. They’d already said too much. “I’m here for the same reason every male who enters these hunts does.”
She turned her head and studied him as if looking for the truth in his words. He didn’t know if his expression gave her the answer she sought. The predator in him wanted to take her body, claiming her as was his right. The man wanted so much more.
Her brows creased, her confusion easy to see. “Then you’re going to claim what belongs to you.”
“I will, but it’s too soon.” He refused to take her virginity while she was unsure of his motives. An honorable male would wait. So he would. Losing his true mate twice before had taught him there was no room for selfishness in his life.
She skimmed her gaze over his body, focusing on his groin, then met his eyes. The lust displayed in her expression fed his. “You want to wait until after I shower, then?”
His virgin true mate wanted to sleep with him. He should be pleased, even if he had no intentions of acting on her interest. Unease slithered into his conscience instead. His earlier thought came back to him. There was something not quite right about her seduction. It didn’t fit their situation.
He glanced over his shoulder at the darkened room. There were likely cameras and microphones scattered throughout. The bear shifters would want something to hold over his head in case he ever decided to report them to Shifter Affairs or the Shifter Council.
“Dress in the clothes I selected for you after your shower. Then, we’ll discuss what I want to do with you.” Xander stripped. His stiff erection stretched to his belly button. He ignored his hard shaft and turned on the shower.
It’d take Vlad and Dante only a few hours until they located this house. Both had studied the maps of this territory and knew all possible buildings within a fifteen-mile radius, and Reno hadn’t taken them farther than that. Xander could keep his primal nature in check that long.
Once they got home, though, all bets were off.