By Lia Violet
Ian bowed in front of the twin Alphas in front of him. He was ready to return to his London werewolf pack after this last report. It had been an interesting six months with the Ville de Cougar group. “It’s been a pleasure working with all of you here across the pond. I’m ready to bring many of these ideas about cross shifter diplomacy home.”
Byron Alton waved off Ian’s bow and reached to shake his hand. “That was a hell of a presentation. You’ve given us some great ideas with our security here, too.”
“Not to mention what you’ve done with the Single Shifters.” Byron’s twin, Brent, shook his hand as well.
They all laughed. Ian helped coordinate the security for the nighttime running program for single werewolves after there were a couple of attacks in the area. Though he had a girlfriend in London, the twins teased him that the number of women in the group had doubled since the black-haired, grey-eyed Brit took the helm. He also helped with the mated shifter group, but they paid him less attention.
“It will be hard to match that experience back home.” Ian went to pack up his laptop from the presen-tation.
“Ian.” Brent was standing next to him.
Even as a werewolf himself, Ian was always surprised by the speed and agility of the Alphas. In his pack people said he was the fastest and strongest. Here the twins seemed to have an edge on him. But Brent was saying something to him.
“Ian.” Brent repeated and cleared his throat. “We were hoping to convince you to stay.”
Ian heard the Alpha in Brent’s voice. “You know I’m expected back in London.”
Byron was now on his other side. “Remember how we ran your blood and DNA through our health database last week?”
Oh no, he thought. Something was wrong with him. His mother got cancer in her late 30’s and died while Ian was in college. He never knew his father. “Cancer?” He asked quietly.
“No. Nothing’s wrong. Sorry, we should have led with that.” Byron motioned to the chair near the two where the Altons sat during the presentation. “It’s your DNA. You seem to be related to us.”
“Seem to be...?” He dropped his laptop bag and sat in the chair.
“It was odd to us as you are a few years younger than we are, but our father often went to London on business. It is feasible that you are part of the leadership family for our pack. We have a private detective working on this in London now. We wanted to have definite answers before you go. Can you stay with us a while longer until we know for sure? If you are related to us, and the DNA says you are a sibling, you’d be part of the pack leadership here.”
An hour later, Ian was headed back up to the suite he had enjoyed for the last six months, nearly tripping over his packed bags as he walked in. His mind kept going over the possibilities. He’d argued that he could still be a part of the family without helping to run the pack, but Brent insisted the pack needed him and asked him to take a few weeks to reconsider.
His phone buzzed. Tara must be wondering when his flight would come in. He didn’t even know what to tell her. He read her text: “Ian. I don’t know how to tell you this, but I’m mated. It just happened.”
He looked at the words for a minute, before setting his phone down on a nearby table. She broke up with him through text? He walked to the balcony he’d enjoyed so much over the past few months and looked at the view of the forest preserve without seeing it as his thoughts jumbled even further in his mind. They’d dated amidst their busy schedules. The sex was hot when they did get together, and Ian enjoyed spending time with her on dinner dates. So why did he feel relieved that she had broken up with him?
* * *
Luna watched as a middle-aged man dropped his package outside the Hot Hearts Café and kissed a woman coming out of the café , passionately. She stared as the woman dropped her own package, kissing him back.
A few other patrons were now staring, too, and smiling.
“What did they order?” A woman in the long line asked the sparkly fae behind the counter.
Luna knew Honey, the employee, was fae because the woman told her. Luna often had the experience of people confiding things in her. She didn’t judge people and was endlessly fascinated in their lives. Plus she was at the café most days of the week, writing for her popular food blog, grading papers or sketching out her next podcast episode. If she had to guess, she’d guess that the couple now walking away hand in hand, holding their bags again, ordered the cinnamon rolls. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen amorous reactions after someone ate those.
“Cinnamon rolls. It’s our top seller. Kellan just made a fresh batch. Would you like a sample?” She pointed to the tray with samples in little cupcake papers next to her.
Shaking her head as the woman in front of her bought several cinnamon rolls, Luna pointed to the new bacon flavored cupcakes displayed with a sign on the counter when it was her turn. “I’d like to try one of those, please.”
As she handed Honey the money, Luna caught a scent that wasn’t as delicious to her as the wonderful bakery smells. It almost smelled like...
“Luna! I’d recognize you anywhere.” Glenn, her ex-boyfriend, was right next to her.
She cringed, wondering if he meant he could recognize her big build from behind, which was the only direction from where he could spot her. “Glenn. How nice to see you.” It wasn’t. They both knew that, though Luna realized he still seemed as handsome as when they’d broken up six months ago. Or, as she’d come to think of it, 12 pounds ago.
Broken up was not quite accurate. He’d been late calling her back and vague about future dates, then he just stopped calling, contacting, everything. She saw on his Instagram he’d been going to parties without her. She tried calling a few times, thinking he was just busy, that he wouldn’t just ghost her after eight months of dating. But he did.
That first month after he stopped contacting her had been particularly tough. It was during a school break and she’d had way too much time on her hands to keep checking her phone and all the social media sites, looking to see what he was doing.
“Hey, Luna, I meant to call you.”
She could feel her shoulders hunch up as his hand reached for her arm. She started easing back.
“Glenn? Ready to order?” A tall, slender brunette in a suit was waiting in line a few people after Luna.
“That’s my colleague.” Glenn’s family owned a chain of upscale grocery stores that catered to shifters. She often bought meat from them in the past. She wondered what kind of position his “colleague” had.
But she’d stay wondering, as he didn’t wave her over or introduce them. Okay then. “Great seeing you.” She lied again.
“She’s a cat shifter. We’re picking up the order for one of our meetings. We’re thinking of working with Hot Hearts to cater all our meetings.”
“Nice.” She said faintly, feeling big and cumbersome. Of course the other woman was a petite cat shifter.
“I was surprised to hear you mention the Single Shifters in your latest podcast. Do you still run with them?”
It felt creepy that he listened to her show. She felt the muscles in her neck and shoulders tense further, her shoulders reaching nearly to her ears. “I do.” She tried to keep her tone light. “I am usually out there a couple times a week.”
Single Shifters was a running group organized by the area Alphas for all unmated werewolf shifters. Luna had run with the group since she moved here for her job teaching in the university’s food science department. The group kept her sane after Glenn ghosted her. It didn’t hurt that a hot Brit started running the group about six months ago.
“Really?” Scott looked her up and down. “I was thinking of bringing Tina some time.”
She took another, bigger step back. “Yes. I love to run.”
“In wolf form.” He added. “I can’t imagine you running.”
“You never wanted to run before.” She’d asked him several times when they were dating. But he was usually working late.
“I know. She’s new to the area, and was looking to meet other shifters.”
She noticed the time on the wall clock. “I have to go. I’m recording today.”
* * *
She pulled into the forest preserve parking grounds with 10 minutes to spare after her podcast recording session. She hurried over to where some of the female wolves she’d become friends with were stretching, and leaned down to untie her high tops.
“I loved your last podcast. Thanks for mentioning our group. We have quite a few more tonight.”
She stood up so quickly she almost fell over at the clipped British tones. Ian Arias ran the Single Shifters, as part of his work for the twin Alphas.
He touched her arm lightly as she struggled to gain her balance.
She winced as she thought of the view he must have had coming up behind her while she was bent down. One of the reasons she ran was because she only felt comfortable in her werewolf body.
“Are you hurt?” His eyes seemed to gleam in the growing darkness.
“No. Obviously I am out of shape as I can hardly bend over.”
“I startled you. The fault was mine.”
Ian must be five years younger than she, but he always seemed so formal to her. Even when he got naked to shift, he folded his clothes and shifted in one smooth move.
She wondered what it would take to rattle him. “I’m glad you enjoyed the show. You could come on and talk about protein for wolves cutting back on meat.”
Ian was always telling them about meatless snacks they could add to their diets to help with shifting or keeping energy even when running.
He shook his head. “I couldn’t think of anything much to say. You’re always so funny on there.”
“Think about it.”
He waved as he was called over to another group or wolves.
“You know he likes you.” Linea, a petite woman with glossy, straight black hair, grinned at her.
“He’s a kid compared to me.”
“Kids don’t usually admire people’s asses. Before you arrived he was telling us that he’s extended his stay here. You should go for it. He’s hot.”
“I’m sure he must have a hot girlfriend keeping him here or something.” Luna stretched into her werewolf form as Ian blew the whistle to start the run.
* * *
Luna dipped a paw into the river. Even in werewolf form, she could feel how cool it was. She wasn’t supposed go in the river or beyond during tonight’s run, but she couldn’t resist. It looked so beautiful, and none of the other wolves seemed to be nearby.
It felt incredible as she swam. The current didn’t seem too bad. She wondered why it was off limits. There were several new wolves joining the group, so maybe they worried about people unfamiliar to the area.
Whatever. Sometimes she considered living in her werewolf form. There was a growing movement among werewolves who were going back to their natural state for a year or more, to unplug from modern life. She had an upcoming show planned about it.
She raised her face above the water, and felt her teeth chatter a bit. Time to get out. She stepped out on the far shore and shook off the water. She felt so good in this form. It was the only time she really felt right in her frame. In werewolf form, she was large and muscular. In human form, well, she was what her mother had always referred to as a big girl. Only now she was a big woman, with large breasts and hips who had trouble finding clothes that fit.
She stretched, and caught a scent of another wolf, only it wasn’t quite like any scent she’d sniffed before. A movement to her left turned her attention that way.
A huge creature stood, watching her. She wasn’t sure it was all wolf, though she could make out the facial features. She stilled. Something was off about that wolf. She heard him growl, and the fur on the back of her neck stood up.
Then she heard a scream behind her, from the other shore.
She jumped back in the water and headed towards it. As she swam back, she felt the wolf she’d left still watching her. Anger seemed to be radiating off of him.
She reached the young female wolf from their group at the same time Ian did. His grey wolf form lengthened and changed into his human form.
Luna stayed in her wolf form, going up to the hurt woman, lying on her side. She could see the bite on the woman’s leg. Depending on what bit her, it could be hard for her to change back. Then she saw that someone had tied the woman’s other hind paw to an area tree with a wire.
She growled at it in frustration. She couldn’t bite through that.
“Can you get help?” Ian was talking to her.
She could barely make out his words in her anger but she took off running towards the vet hospital a few miles from the entrance to the forest preserve.
Her legs were shaking by the time she made it to the clinic, which was luckily still open. She shifted, feeling her strength go before she stumbled into the clinic.
A man in a lab coat hurried towards her.
“A woman is tied to a tree,” she gasped. “Bitten.”
The man pointed towards a chair and tossed her some scrubs. “Get dressed and sit down before you collapse. I’ll get help.”
He got on the phone and started giving orders for a unit to go help. She collapsed in the chair, the scrubs in her lap. She was so tired.
“Hey.” The man was in front of her. “I’m Byron. I’m a doctor here.” He knelt down, holding her chin in his hand as he gently looked in her eyes. “Can I help you get dressed? I have warmed blankets in back, too.”
“Ian. The woman. They need help. I could show you where to go.”
He felt her pulse at her wrist. “You must have shifted too quickly on already depleted strength. We may need your help, but I need you to get warmed up, too.”
She shook her head as a wave of nausea went through her. He was right. She took the scrubs and started getting into them as Byron helped her. He disappeared and came back with a blanket.
“You’re Luna, right? I love your podcast.”
She smiled, but was startled when he swept her up easily. “I’m kind of heavy.”
He snorted. “No, you’re not. I have to treat bears in here sometimes.”
He carried her out to the waiting jeep. “You can help us, but you’re not shifting again. If you shift right now, you might be too tired to shift again for a few days, and will end up with severe muscle cramps and dizziness.”
“We’re set, boss. Brent has the chopper up, too.” A voice called from a small covered jeep that was pulled up to the entrance. A man Luna assumed was to be their driver helped Byron in, still holding her.
Byron laughed as the small jeep headed into the preserve. “Brent will go up with the slightest excuse. But this time at least he can be helpful.”
Luna’s eyes were closing but they snapped open again. Byron and Brent were the names of the twin alphas. She’d seen pictures of course, but Byron looked different in his work scrubs. “Highness, I can sit.”
“Don’t move. And that’s a royal order.” He winked at her. “Please call me Byron. “
She tried to remember the way she came, and helped direct them, though she was losing strength quickly.
Finally, they arrived on the scene. The chopper was landing nearby. Ian met the jeep, and took a knife from one of Byron’s helpers. He ran back, and had it cut off the young woman before Byron had Luna settled on the seat and was grabbing his medical bag.
“Get back.” Byron was saying to Ian. “We don’t know what caused that bite. I’m not sure what will happen if she shifts.”
“It seems like a wolf bite,” she heard him saying, though his voice was faint.
“Hey.” Ian was in front of her. “You ok? You must have run full out the entire way.”
She nodded. “I think I saw what bit her.”
His eyes were still a bit silvery from the earlier shift, but they were entirely focused on her. “What was it? Did you see it in the river?”
She sat up a bit. “How did you know I was in the river? Sorry about that, I couldn’t resist.”
He shook his head, smiling a little at her. “We’ll talk about that later. What did you see?”
She described the creature, saying it was at least part wolf, and watched as Ian hurried back to Byron.
When she woke again, the jeep was moving, and she was being held by a warm, large person with hard muscles. She burrowed into him, then realized his bare skin was next to her scrubs, with a blanket around them.
“Sorry.” Ian’s voice was low and gruff. “They needed the other blankets for Shelly. I thought we could get warm together. They’ll take us to our clothes.”
“I’ll crush you.” She tried to ease off him, as they were in the back seat this time.
“Don’t move.”
She became aware of a hard bulge under her hip. A giggle escaped before she could stop it.
“You think this is funny?” He let out a low growl though he was smiling. “I am always aware of you during shifts, but now that I have this luscious body on my lap, of course I’m hard.”
He was whispering in her ear, and she felt heat spread form her head to her toes. “What do you mean you were aware of me?”
He glanced to the front before looking at her but the driver was bobbing his head to music. “Since you started running with us, I’ve admired your strength and speed. Most of the time I try to run near you, but tonight I was trying to watch the new people — and — well, obviously I didn’t do a good job keeping track tonight.”
“There’s no way you can stay on top of a group of running wolves.”
“We’ll have to start carrying trackers. This isn’t the first time something like this happened in the woods. In fact...” He broke off as they pulled in to the lot for the veterinary hospital.
The driver turned to look at them. “Someone is bringing your things. The Alphas want to talk to you both some more.”
“It’s the first time someone’s seen the Coastal Wolf.” Ian helped her out of the car before wrapping the blanket around himself.
“You mean the wolf creature I saw.”
He was pulling her inside by the hand. His hand felt so good in hers. And she still felt warm from his kindness in the car. That’s all it was, she told herself, kindness.
They stepped into the waiting area, and no one was there.
“Before the others come out and it gets crazy, would you like to have coffee some time next week?” He waited for her nod before leaning down to kiss her.
She realized how much bigger he was than her, something she usually didn’t experience during dates. She had to actually stand on tiptoes to put her arms around him.
The noise of a throat clearing had them pulling apart. Her eyes went to his lips. More, she thought. I’d like more kisses from this man. Then they both looked down to where he’d dropped the blanket.
She couldn’t help but notice his long penis, erect and pointing at her. She wondered what it would feel like to push him on to the nearest counter and climb on it.
His eyes met hers when she was finally able to move them up again, and she noticed he was blushing a bit. And he had a dimple.
“Luna?’ This way, please.” Luna was snapped out of her naughty vision when Byron appeared from the hallway. “I want to check you out again to see if you remember anything else.”
She glanced at Ian only to wobble a bit. He grasped her arm and the heat from his touch combined with the scent of him was almost too much.
Byron stepped forward to help her, and then looked from her to Ian. He tiled his head, and sniffed the air a bit before smiling at her. “Let me help you. Lily,” he called to the assistant handing her and Ian their clothes, “please run a scan on Ian’s blood to make sure he wasn’t exposed to anything when he helped Shelly.”
Byron helped her back on to an exam table and deftly got a sample of her blood. He checked her eyes, reflexes, heart rate, asking her questions the entire time.
“So you saw this creature and you weren’t sure what it was?”
“It wasn’t a wolf that bit Shelly?” She got one of her own questions in.
“We think it was a Coastal Wolf, very rare, but it seemed a bit different, kind of how you explained the creature you saw.”
“Maybe I could go out there again tomorrow night and see if I can find him.”
Byron was nodding. “A party of pack security could go with you and Ian.”
“Ian?” She was aware that her voice went higher pitched.
“Of course. Now that you two are mating. Wait, Luna, calm down.” A machine attached to her arm was beeping.
He was easing her back to lie on the table while holding her wrist. “That’s it. Take some deep breaths.”
“We’re not mated. I -I don’t really buy into all that, anyway.” She’d thought Glenn was going to be her husband. No one she’d ever known talked about mating. Her parents divorced when she was a teen, though they all got along and still had holidays together. Mated. She barely even knew what that term meant. And to say it about Ian, well, that was crazy. Someone like him didn’t belong with someone like her. He was James Bond. She was Miss Congeniality before the makeover, with about 40 more pounds.
“Deep breaths. Look at me.”
She could feel herself relaxing as Byron counted out some breaths with her.
“Sometimes it happens even if you don’t believe it.” Byron’s voice was low and soothing even if his words weren’t.
Luna remembered hearing that the twin Alphas shared a wife happily. “Maybe to some people, but I think I’m not wired that way or something.”
“You felt dizzy out there? Or wobbly?”
She nodded reluctantly.
“Were you kissing?”
“Come on. Kissing can’t cause it to happen.”
He looked at her, before detaching the now silent machines. “I don’t want to get you riled up again.”
She stood up with Byron’s help. “Thanks for checking me over, Byron. But I feel better. I’ll just answer the questions about the wolf for the police, and I’ll go home. I’m sure I’ll be back to normal after sleeping a few hours.”
* * *
The questions only took about half an hour, and Luna felt herself dragging a bit by the end. Byron insisted that someone pull up her car to the door. A member of security followed her home to her apartment to make sure nothing happened to her. She didn’t really get it, as she was in human form, and the creature had only seen her in wolf form, but she was too tired to argue. If one ever argued with an Alpha. She knew so little about wolf protocol.
* * *
She was swimming again, though this time in her wolf form. The water seemed almost silver under the bright moon, and there was a waterfall at one end. Hands wrapped around her from behind, and she turned her head to kiss Ian. He tasted as delicious as he did in real life, a little like cinnamon. He pulled her into his arms, lifting her a bit before he covered one of her large breasts with his mouth, sucking the nipple hard, the way she liked. Heat spread to her pussy, where his long fingers were soon stroking her.
He was growling in between sucking her nipple, telling her she tasted delicious, that he couldn’t get enough of her.
She was vaguely aware this was a dream as she stroked herself under the covers of her bed. She pinched her own nipple, and felt the tingles of an approaching orgasm.
“Ian, that feels so good,” she said aloud.
“We’re just getting started,” he said before sliding two fingers into her.
She arched her back and came with a cry, her eyes opening as she removed her fingers from her wet folds.
* * *
She felt better but a bit groggy after a shower and coffee as she went to teach her culture of cuisine class at Ville de Cougar University. It was nearly midterms, and for the next two hours she thought of little else than terms, traditions and trends in international cuisine.
Her office hours ran so late that by the time she got in her car to head to Hot Hearts to meet with the owner, Kellan, about an upcoming podcast, she realized she’d missed several texts and messages.
She smiled at one from Ian, asking how she was that morning and if she was available for coffee. She saw a text from Glenn, asking if they could get together soon.
She snorted, and called Ian back before she could think about it too much.
She found Ian sitting at a table at the Hot Hearts Café enjoying a cinnamon roll. Her smile widened as she envisioned him reaching for her for a passionate kiss in a few minutes after he ate the magical treat, as she’d seen others do in the café .
“Hi,” she felt shy around him, picturing their kisses from the night before.
“Hello.” He pushed out the chair next to him, and gestured for her to sit. “I’m afraid I have to show you some pictures before we can enjoy our date. You can look at them while I go get you something to drink and eat. Would you like a cinnamon roll? They are quite delicious here.”
“I shouldn’t. Maybe just some black coffee.”
“Aren’t you hungry?” He looked down at her while fishing out his credit card.
“I eat too many sweets.”
“So? You also run faster than most werewolves, and helped save a woman’s life last night. Either pick something, or I will choose for you.”
A startled laugh escaped her. “Are you like an Alpha in your London pack? You like bossing people around. I do like their cinnamon rolls, and I’ll have a latte.”
“Excellent. I’ll get another for myself, too. Take your time and see if any of those wolves in the pictures from forest preserve security look like the one you saw last night.”
She took a quick glance at his retreating form, eyeing his taut backside and muscled thighs in his black jeans as flashes from her hot dream went through her mind. She squirmed a bit on the café chair.
She took a deep breath and looked at the photos. Some were blurred, as if the creature had been running. She saw herself in one, and was surprised at how long and lean she looked in her wolf form. The photo must have been when she was trying to get to the veterinary hospital. She rarely liked how she looked in photos, but she put that one aside to keep.
She nearly passed up the photo of the river before she spotted the gleaming eyes in the shadows. It was him. A couple more photos of the area had sections of him, and she set them all aside from the pile for Ian.
He set the treat in front of her. “Kellan said he’d bring the drinks over when they were done. He asked me three times if I was sure I wanted another cinnamon roll. That was a bit odd. Maybe they are running low.”
“You know him?”
“I’ve gotten to know him. The Alphas use the café for events, and I’ve had to talk with Kellan about staffing and security.” Ian paused to look at the photo of herself she set aside. “You look gorgeous here. I can’t decide if I like your human or wolf body better.”
She swallowed the bite of the treat she had in her mouth and cleared her throat. “I don’t know why I like that photo. I hardly ever like myself in pictures.”
“You can’t have it. I already told the Alton’s that I want that one. Usually all security photos are digital only, but they thought it might be easier for you to piece something together this way. I might give it back on our next date if you ask nicely.”
“Our next date?” It was so easy to laugh with this man. “Here are the ones I think show part of the creature.”
He nodded, going through the photos. “I thought that might be him. I’ll scan tonight before we go to help narrow down the area where he might be. The full moon only lasts through tomorrow night so we have to find him soon. I’m not thrilled with the idea of you going with us. He might be angry with you if he sees you again.”
“I can handle it. Plus you and the other security staff will be there too, right?”
“Here are your drinks.” The tall fae owner of the café set them down in front of them. “Hey, Luna, let the staff know when you’re ready to talk about the podcast, and they’ll come get me. I have to order some supplies in back.” Kellan paused, looking at the two of them. “Congratulations.”
“For?” She took a sip of her latte.
“Ah, it’s not official yet. Well, I can keep my mouth shut, but Honey over there is very good at identifying mated pairs of any kind of shifter. She didn’t like that last guy you used to meet in here.” Kellan walked back to the counter.
Luna nearly knocked over the latte, but luckily her quick werewolf instincts set it right after spilling only a couple drops. She rubbed at them with a napkin. She felt an embarrassed blush cover her face. “Ian — don’t worry, I don’t think, I mean, I know this is our first date.”
His hand covered hers on the table. “I’m not thinking anything other than how much I’m enjoying being here with you. And,” his grin widened, “how glad I am that the other guy is gone.”
“For six months.” She looked down at how his large hand dwarfed hers. She thought of what those hands had done in her dream.
“I think this has the potential to be something special, don’t you?” He leaned in until his shoulder was touching hers.
She shivered, aware of every place they were touching as they sat next to each other. She nodded.
* * *
It was much colder that night, and Luna shifted quickly after folding her clothes into a neat pile behind the jeep. The others were shifting around the clearing, and she could feel Ian’s eyes on her as he padded over to where she waited. He rubbed his muzzle against hers, and she instinctively returned the gesture.
They’d seen the wolf on the security cameras within a half mile from where the jeep stopped. She was to stay next to another wolf from their group at all times. Two security guys stayed in human form, following well behind the group in case they were needed.
They’d run quietly around the area a few times, and Luna was beginning to wonder if the attacking wolf had gone elsewhere, when something flew out of the bushes and knocked her on her side. As she caught her breath, the air around her filled with snarling and growling as the wolves in her group engaged with the one who was now on top of her.
Her attacker was trying to bite her throat. She tried to curl her body like a shrimp and thrust up with her hips and hind legs. Not expecting that, he let go with his front legs as another wolf pushed at him. She got one of her front legs free and scratched out at his eyes.
She heard the tranquilizer gun shoot and within 30 seconds the humans were pulling the wolf completely off of her.
Everyone started shifting to human form again.
“No one got bitten tonight?” Byron was there, inspecting the group. Miraculously, no one had.
“I think he was trying to claim you.” Ian said, putting his arm around her.
“Thank you all for your help.” She started shaking, the adrenaline wearing out.
“That move you did was awesome. How did you know how to get him off?” Adam, one of the security men, asked.
“Self-defense.”
“Strong legs for sure.” Adam admired her form.
Ian growled, and several of the staff laughed.
“All right, don’t tease them.” Byron helped the staff get the wolf loaded on to the back of the jeep. After he shifted back to human form he would be arrested.
Ian took her head. “Want to go for a short run? I still feel pumped from the fight.”
They shifted slowly, then started at a walking pace to let their bodies keep up with all the activity from the night. After a while, they reached a clearing with a small pool and waterfall. It was the place from her dreams.
Luna shifted back to human form, slowly again, to find Ian standing next to her, staring at the pool.
“I had a dream about this place,” he said, running a hand through his messy black hair.
“I did, too.”
He covered her cheek with his warm hand and stared into her eyes.
She eased back, a bit uncomfortable from the intensity. “Making love in waterfalls. I’m not really that girl.”
“You’re a gorgeous woman. Why can’t we make love anywhere we want? Are you too cold?” He tilted his head a bit, the way Byron did, she realized. It must be a guy thing, she thought. His teeth gleamed white in the gathering darkness.
She shook her head. “Too light out still.”
Now he frowned and shook his head. “What will it take to convince you that I think you are gorgeous? Stunningly beautiful, and that I can’t wait to make love with you?”
She sucked in a breath. “Well, those words helped a lot.”
Her dream had been accurate, she thought, as she glanced over his body, including his impressive erection. She took his outstretched hand and followed him into the pool.
He pulled her in with him slowly until they were in up to their waist, before bringing her close to him. “Byron thinks we’re mated.”
She was shivering as his hand covered her breast. “Kellan thought that, too. I don’t know if I believe in mating, but that dream I had was so vivid. And now we’re at the same pool in the dream.”
“I didn’t believe in mating before, but I think maybe I do now.” His mouth covered hers.
She felt his erection between them, pressing into her belly. She wanted to get closer, as close as possible. He tasted so good, slightly minty. She opened her mouth wider, and explored his mouth a bit with her tongue, enjoying his flavor and his scent, feeling safe and desired in his arms.
He swept her up into his arms.
“Ian,” she laughed. “You can’t carry me.”
“I am carrying you. Easily, I might add. I’m not sure what the other wimps you’ve been dating were like, but I assure you it is my pleasure to carry you.”
She bit his earlobe, and swiped her tongue lightly down his neck along the line of his muscle.
He gave a low growl that she swore she felt everywhere. He pushed off and was swimming with her to just the side of the small waterfall, where they could hold on to the rock and kiss.
Soon kissing wasn’t enough for Luna. Her hand that wasn’t holding on to the rock roamed restlessly over his shoulder and muscular chest before dipping down to close around his long length.
He moved closer with another growl, licking his way down her throat, nudging her back over his arm as his mouth closed over her nipple, his teeth scoring the sensitive tip.
She arched into his mouth, pressing her hips to his. She broke away and slid down into the water to cover his erection with her mouth. She could barely see under water, though his free hand rubbed her back as she slid up and down on him with her mouth.
When she came up for air, he pulled her roughly to him for a long wet kiss. “I need you.” He said when they were both trying to draw in air after the kiss.
“I need you, too.” She found herself reaching for his penis as she slid her legs around him, fitting him to her entrance.
He pushed in steadily, watching her face for any sign of discomfort.
He stopped when she winced.
“Keep going,” she said, her voice hoarse. “You’re just big.”
He smiled and reached between them to stroke her sensitive clit. His lips brushed over hers in kisses that grew increasingly intense.
Luna was caught up in beautiful pleasure, surrounded by him, moving on him. It was a feeling of going too fast and too slow at the same time. It was different from anyone else she’d been with. “What is happening?” She whispered.
He thrust into her again, the sliding movement rubbing a very sensitive place within her.
Her eyes nearly rolled back in her head, and she heard him say, “You’re mine” as she reached her peak.
He followed her quickly into his own orgasm, holding her hips tight to his as he came deep within her.
She felt shaky, almost disoriented as they staggered onto the bank.
He pulled her down on to a grassy patch, so she lay fully on top of him, her head nestled against his shoulder. His hands rubbed over her back. “Was your dream a naughty one?”
She laughed. “Yes, it definitely was. Though reality was naughtier, I’m happy to say.”
“I’m glad I didn’t disappoint.” His hand slid up to her cheek, turning her to meet his gaze. “I had a dream about you as well, about kissing you under the waterfall.”
“Just kissing?” She touched his dimple as he smiled.
“No.” His gaze looked serious for a minute. “You know, this connection, plus having dreams, some might say we are mated.”
She spotted something along his neck in the new moonlight. “Ian, did you always have a tattoo of a crescent moon on your neck?”
He touched the spot she meant. “Here? Really? I have a mark?”
“Check and see if I have any!”
They stood up, and she turned as he looked.
He sucked in his breath and touched a spot on her side. “Here.”
She turned awkwardly to see it. “There! I have one, too!”
“Matching marks. There’s nothing for it. We’re meant to be.” He swept her up and headed towards the pool again.
She kissed the mark on his neck, feeling lighter than air.