Fabiana was not what Giuliana thought she was.
It was … a lot to swallow. Instead of the vixen surrounded with adoring men addicted to her specific brand of sex-wrapped damsel in distress, Fabiana only seemed to gain confidence when she studied a subject.
Even now, she watched Pasquale and Giuliana discuss back and forth among their wolves. “You’re talking to one another.”
The statement made Giuliana pause. She wasn’t sure how much she could share with Fabiana—even if she was Pasquale’s sister.
She just wants to understand.
It still took some getting used to, hearing Snow’s deep voice in her head. She could sense his care and protection for the female. It also made her hot.
Was she hurt?
The wolf hesitated for a moment. More than she’ll ever tell anyone.
Giuliana could understand that. Some wounds, some fears, she had never been able to share, not even with Dominic as they grew up. Her past was muddled, and even thinking of the memories she was so afraid of made her want to climb out her skin.
Realizing this made it easier to answer Fabiana. “Yes. I’m not sure how we can, but somehow Snow and Red communicate and allow us to.”
“Snow and Red?”
Giuliana rolled her eyes. “Snow is your brother’s and Red is mine.”
Snow snorted in her head, and the sound drizzled over her nerve endings, setting fire to her core. How the hell was that possible? Pasquale’s voice, she could understand, but things were different with Snow.
Mate.
The possessive grumble made Giuliana’s thighs clench. It took her a minute to realize Fabiana was talking again.
“You named your wolves.”
“Actually, they named themselves.”
How much do you like my voice, Giuliana?
Enough to want to jump and wrap her legs around Pasquale. Red howled her agreement, pushing against Giuliana’s skin.
Stop it. Now’s not the time, Red.
Make time.
We have a mission. Dominic—
No.
The annoying wolf pushed harder, canines exploding in Giuliana’s mouth. She clenched her lips together to keep them from being exposed. What the hell was wrong with her?
That’s enough.
He claimed you.
What?
Well, yeah … sure, he’d made it very clear she was his mate in front of the other members of his pack. That was his wolf staking claim so another wouldn’t test her. It was the way of the wolf. That shouldn’t be making her wolf act like a total bitch now, however.
Now.
I said no.
Red thrashed in her rib cage, jerking Giuliana forward a step before she could catch herself.
Now!
“Interesting. If you have time—”
“We don’t, little one. There’s information we need to get to Dominic. But once we’re finished, you can ask all the questions you’d like, okay?”
Pasquale was gentle, softer than Giuliana had ever seen. He handled Fabiana like fragile spun glass.
What were they talking about again?
You. Pasquale. Snow. Together. Fucking.
That was not what they’d been talking about. Even if Giuliana couldn’t keep up with the conversation anymore, she knew that.
Fabiana nodded, a frown lowering the tips of her lips. “I think you need to help her.”
“What?”
“Your mate.”
Pasquale’s gaze swung to Giuliana, and she bit her lip against the answering heat licking between her legs. Red was driving her insane, and this was not the time for this shit. But the more Giuliana stared at him, the more she couldn’t deny she wanted more.
Giuliana?
She couldn’t answer him. Red was too loud, burning with need for her mate. Red didn’t care that this wasn’t the time. That neither Pasquale nor Giuliana hadn’t come to this point.
No, all Red wanted was her mate.
I can’t stop her.
What do you need?
You … Giuliana swallowed, afraid of what it would mean if she let her wolf take over. But she couldn’t fight Red.
Snow?
She’s going into mating heat.
That only happens with … Fuck!
Giuliana didn’t know what they meant. Mating heat? That isn’t a thing for wolves, only the feline shifters.
Not exactly. Out loud, Pasquale addressed Fabiana. “What did father tell you about mating heat?”
Fabiana frowned harder before understanding lit her gaze. “Mating heat only happens with Alpha pairings. It forces the couple to bond the longer their wolves are around each other. He’d hoped it would happen between me,” she cringed, “and Dominic.”
“Any way to stop it?”
Giuliana could be thankful he wanted to make this better for her, truly. But Red turned into a screaming and snarling fucking banshee the minute the words left Pasquale’s mouth.
Mine!
Our Alpha demands—
Pasquale is our Alpha.
Giuliana could sense power rolling off Snow. She didn’t know if he reacted to Red’s affirmation, or if he was in the throes of the heat himself.
“Take your mate, brother.”
Pasquale shook his head. “Not like this.”
“You may not have a choice.”
His eyes were sad when he looked at Giuliana. I’m sorry.
The wolves didn’t care, and the more Red fought, the less Giuliana cared either. Her body was on fire, smoldering, muscles twitching with need. She’d fucking rip off Red’s head later, but right now, she needed Pasquale.
Help me.
Even in her mind, her voice was angry and afraid.
I will. Trust me through the fear.
She could trust him, but mating meant a cage she wasn’t prepared for. She didn’t want to face what it would mean, the freedom she’d lose. And she didn’t forget he’d warned her about how being with him would be.
That the things he needed would terrify her.
“Fabiana, go home. I’ve called a wolf for you and they’ll escort you. I’ll let you know when you can come back.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
Fabiana stepped gingerly away from Pasquale and gave a wide berth around Giuliana. Not the best way to meet her under different circumstances.
Pasquale never took his eyes off Giuliana, and the silence stretched, only broken by Fabiana opening and closing the door behind her.
“Are you sure?”
Mine!
Red’s cry only made Giuliana struggle to stay standing.
“I don’t have a choice.”
“There is always a choice, Giuliana. Our wolves can’t force what we don’t want. Even if I have to separate us until this fades, I will. For you.”
It always came down to this … a moment, a choice. Pasquale or agony. Freedom or chains. Control or loss.
Red, don’t do this.
It’s for your own good.
It was all the warning she got before every cell in her body twisted, rearranging and morphing rapidly back and forth between wolf and human. The fluctuation muddled her brain, ripped away any coherent thought except to bed Pasquale.
“They don’t control us. Make your choice.”
His dark gaze captured hers. A demand. Pure will. Giuliana clung to that rock in the torrent of desire spinning around her. He was her anchor, her calm. The magnet on which her needle spun and gave direction.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Pasquale stood tall, staring at her, seeing through her. His Alpha power curled out from him, a lazy show of force.
“Come here, Giuliana.”
Her feet carried her to his side before she even knew she’d moved. His brand of power wrapped around her, caressed her heated skin.
“Strip.”
It was an order, one she couldn’t deny, couldn’t fight. His face was hard, a muscle ticking in his jawline as he watched her.
She pulled her shirt over her head, exposing the black lace of her bra to his gaze. It was a physical touch, the way he looked at her. Her nipples hardened to pebbles, and she popped the back of the elastic to free her aching flesh.
“Faster.”
Silken straps from her bra slid down her arms and fell to the floor with a delicate pat as she reached for her belt. Her fingers were numb, clumsy with craving. Somehow, she got her pants undone and kicked them down her legs.
She’d forgotten her boots.
She stood bare to him but locked at her ankles. He only lifted an eyebrow at her, unmoving, and a wave of embarrassment washed over her.
You are beautiful in every way.
Snow’s voice was threaded with Pasquale’s in assurance. But the threat, his command, was still there. Her hands worked hard to remove her boots and socks before she stepped out of her pants and underwear.
Pasquale studied her in silence, walking around her body to stand behind her. She could feel him there, pushing her, daring her to move a muscle.
“You will do everything I say, Giuliana. Everything. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she hissed.
“So good.”
Hot hands glided over the curve of her ass, imprinting his touch on her skin. He spread the cheeks before lowering them, testing their firmness. Then he slicked his way over the front of her thighs. The motion brought him closer to her, his rough clothing rubbing against her back. The contrast was a spark dancing on the edge.
“Sometimes, you need a cage to be free, Giuliana. I’ll show you what that means.”
Pasquale lifted her into his powerful arms and stalked up his stairs. She didn’t get to see much of his décor, not with him moving so fast. They entered a dark room, and she only got the impression of blues, whites, and black before he tossed her onto the bed.
Her breasts jerked with the fall, and his gaze followed the movement.
“Fuck, you’re so perfect.”
His words were guttural, a praise, a plea. Slowly, he peeled his clothing off, exposing a chiseled chest and abs, narrow waist, and a cock standing thicker and longer than Giuliana had ever risked taking. She was by no imagination a virgin, but sex for her had been quick and fast in the desperate moments she’d been able to flee from under Arturo’s watchful eye.
Pasquale was not a man to be rushed or hidden away. Naked and in control, he traced a free hand down over her neck and between her breasts. Giuliana’s breath came hot and fast, puffing over his chin as he caressed her.
“Don’t think. Don’t fight. Just feel. Let me take care of you as no one has before.”
“I’m afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Needing this.”
“And need, for you, is a cage.”
Giuliana nodded.
“I will take pleasure from your body and give you so much you’ll want to run away. I’m going to demand it, Giuliana. And you can fear it, but don’t run.”
“Every man in my life wants to control me.”
“Yes, except for me. I want you to give me control.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“Oh, it’s very different. Let me show you.”
Giuliana bit her lip as Pasquale slipped his hand over her left breast. Her nipple pressed hard against his skin. She may have been afraid, but she wanted his touch.
His other fingers snaked around her right breast and nuzzled the flesh. The faint scent of snow wafted off him, and under it a warmer, spicier smell that belonged just to him. He buried his nose in her chest, inhaling deeply.
My scent does the same for him.
The sudden understanding blasted through her. She wanted a taste. She wanted to see him hover over her as he pounded inside. His tongue slid over her skin, mirroring her need. He licked his way to her nipple, sucking her inside his mouth. With each pass of his tongue, Giuliana grunted, her body tightening like a bow string.
Still sucking, he played with her other one. Pasquale pulled on her harder, tightening her nipple until he released it with a pop.
“One more,” he whispered against her other nipple.
He gave it the same treatment, pulling on her, his fingertips dancing over skin. She couldn’t fight the moan slipping between her lips. Or the harsh hiss cutting through the sounds of him pleasuring her. The hard, wet tip of his cock traced a path over her belly.
She shifted, wanting him closer, and he stopped everything, holding her down with one spread hand between her breasts.
“I said let me.”
He was so strong, and that one insistent push made her freeze on the bed. His eyes dared her to challenge, to give him a fight, and something darker swelled inside her. If he wanted it, he’d have to take it. He’d have to earn her submission.
She bucked against him, and he smiled.
What the fuck was wrong with her? It shouldn’t be like this. She shouldn’t want him to be rougher, more demanding, stronger against her. She should have been running for the hills to get away from it. Instead she wrestled him, twisting and turning to gather purchase. She needed leverage to flip him.
She’d never been with anyone like this.
Never wanted to fight.
She’d always wanted to find a man who could handle her strength and match her.
Pasquale lifted her into the air, even as she angled a kick at his face. He slammed her back down. It zapped the air out of her lungs, sending her head spinning before he forced his way between her legs.
Pinned there, every emotion swelled within her. Giuliana knew her expression was a blend of anger, fear, and fragile need.
I don’t want to love this, to come alive under his hands. To prove I crave the very control I’ve been running from. But she did. Tossing her head back, she opened to his rough touch.
Pasquale reached between her legs and circled his finger around her clit. This should have scared her. It should have made her hate him and want to fight against what he was taking from her.
But it didn’t.
Each swipe of his finger pushed the nub of her clit out of its protective little hood.
“Let’s see how you fly, Giuliana.”
Pasquale slap her clit—hard. She screamed, shockwaves going through her. He slapped her again, this time pressing his fingers into her at the end. It was pain. It was pleasure. It was a roar building in her head. Stinging electrical currents of twisted need destroyed everything she thought she knew about touch. About sex. About mating.
Pasquale shattered her and put her back together in a haphazard mess of craving. He worked her clit more as her pussy warmed under him, growing slick.
Warmth spread over her skin, and her toes curled.
More. She needed more.
Of him. Of the edge of pain. Of the pleasure. Him.
Her gaze met his just as he slapped once more. With gritted teeth, her fingers white from her clenched fists, and her hair plastered to her face, she took what he gave her.
“Look how strong you are, Giuliana. Look what you can take. And look how your pleasure is all I’ll ever want.”
Pasquale helped her lift her head to peer down her body. His cock leaked pre-cum in a steady stream, covering her stomach and his shaft. It was nearly purple with need and jumped with each pulse of his heart.
“I need you. I want this. You’ve always thought you had to run away from being held to tightly. Maybe, mate, you just never met a man who’d hold you so strongly you never would fall. So that when you needed to break, you knew he’d be enough to pick up all the pieces. To protect what rests inside you … your heart.”
She stared at him, said organ pounding. She’d never thought of it like that. Never believed she could view power as anything less than a way to control others.
But Pasquale wanted to free her.
He wanted to be the shield so she could be herself behind it.
And maybe, despite all the men around her, she needed that sort of strength.
He reached between them and jerked his cock with hard strokes. Pasquale paused, just a breath, taking in her body.
“Mine.”
He pushed into her damp heat, and she clamped down around him like a vise.
All fucking mine.
His cock inside her was more than she ever could imagine. He was too large, too long, too everything. Her body bucked, recoiling to run away, but the burn of his touch also made her open up. She choked out a sob.
“Let me in.”
Yes. He rocked back and forth. He had only slid in maybe an inch, but it stretched her until the burn spread. How could he get all the way inside? He’d ruin her. But he didn’t have the same fears. His large hands found their way to her hips, holding her in place, and he slid a bit farther in.
“You can take it. You were made for me. I’m here.”
Too much. Not enough.
Giuliana’s body and mind were confused. She throbbed, twisting under him and breathing to take him deeper.
“Trust me.”
Her frantic gaze met his. Pasquale released her hips with one hand and wrapped his fingers around her throat. Her pulse throbbed louder, echoing in her head.
“Feel how strong I am, baby. I won’t let you get hurt. Never.”
It shouldn’t have worked, but it did. She gave in. To his control. To his insistent push inside her.
“Such a good girl.”
More wetness slid from her, coating the hot skin where they joined, easing his path.
“Don’t you want it all?”
Yes, please.
She moaned, reaching for his forearm and gripping it to anchor herself.
“Yes. All of you.”
His smile was harsh and confident. A sexy twist of his lips. He pulled out a bit before slamming back in. In one hard jerk, he pushed all the way inside. She screamed. Each deep dig of his cock and his groin muscle rubbing against her tender clit served to sweeten the pleasure.
Everything spiraled, her chest heaving and oxygen freezing before going to her brain. Where before there was an edge of pain, now it had changed to a pulsing pleasure that hurt so good. Her nipples were aching points that accented each of his harsh thrusts.
She clenched her muscles inside, pulling him deeper. Needing more.
He was right … about it all.
The need.
The craving.
The chance to break free of her fear and let him change her.
She let him lead. Giuliana couldn’t have compared his touch to anything she’d had before, or the late nights when she touched herself, seeking solace from the loneliness. He forced his hand between them, and she clenched her teeth as he stroked her clit. It stood out for him, hungry for more of his brand of electric sensation.
“It’s there, Giuliana. Everything you’ve wanted. The thing you dreamed of and told no one. You’re not alone anymore. Reach for it.”
She sucked in a deep breath. Her dreams? She’d wanted love and passion, like any other woman. Companionship. Connection. And Pasquale was here, a force between her legs, showing her what it could be.
This whole mission with him had been a whirlwind. Each new thing she learned about his world pulled her in. Too fast, too easy. The ground had to fall out from under them sometime. But even as she thought it, she was doing what he said, focusing on his bruising fingers on her clit, the pound of his shaft within her. He wasn’t gentle, and she realized she didn’t want him to be.
He didn’t treat her like she needed to be cared for because she was weak.
Impossible to shatter.
Yes. He recognized she was just as strong as him. That she could take anything he gave.
Giuliana would be the only woman in the world who could ever take him.
Pride and possessiveness swelled in her chest.
Mine!
Yes, yours.
A twist of gut-wrenching need echoed through their mental bond. Her toes tingled, and it snaked its way up over her calves and around her thighs. Warmth spread through her stomach, and she could just handle it, she could take one deep breath.
He pressed closer to her, his punishing thrusts battering her as his fingers begged for acceptance. And she was lost, torn between opposing sides. He was sweet and bitter, the knife plunging in and the safety shield of a bodyguard all wrapped into one.
Her clit throbbed with agony, but it sang with pleasure. Her nipples were tight with pinched pleasure, pulsing with each heartbeat. It sent his possession deeper into her skin. Too much. Everything about Pasquale was too much—from his touch to the remembered impressions on her skin.
The old her would have wanted to run away, to deny his possession, but he blasted her into new life, ripping from her any chances to hide.
Giuliana swallowed, and his vicious thrusts took her under. She was floundering, the softness of the cover underneath her a counterpoint to his burning haven.
Pasquale was an undertow, and she was drowning, exhilarated and terrified as she was battered under the water, a current pulling her to certain doom. His world would obliterate her old one. Remove any chance she’d ever be able to behave like she had before.
She didn’t know which she was more afraid of: taking a leap of faith with him, or fighting to stay as she was.
His fingers dug into her thighs, pushing them as wide apart as they could go as he powered between her legs.
And her body crashed against the sharp rocks, breaking into little pieces. She’d had pleasure, those late nights with her hand working furiously under the covers. If she’d flown into the sky then, now she felt the weight of the earth press her toward the molten core.
Her chest seized, her throat worked, and she was breathless.
One false step and she’d die from it all.
Muscles locked, toes curled until they cramped, and her mouth open on a silent scream, she gave in to his ecstasy.
“Yes. You feel it. Right fucking there.”
Giuliana followed him. His hips rolled against her, his cock thickening, and it only sent powerful vibrations over her ragged nerves. They melted, soldered together in this explosive destruction. And then he yelled, his cock jerking inside her and his seed branding her.
It tossed her, broke her to pieces and put them back together. The pleasure was blistering, rocking her core and forcing her body to curl up against him.
He held her through it, his teeth at her shoulder.
He didn’t bite down enough to mark her, to complete what they’d begun, but the whispered promise was enough to soothe her wolf.
I will claim you when you aren’t pushed by instinctual urges.
And he’d done what he’d promised—cared for her and showed her he was strong enough to do it.
This man, this wolf, had denied the call of the wild to mark her permanently as his even when she wouldn’t have been able to stop it.
Mate.
Yes, in any way you need.