Chapter 6
Casey
I was all set to leave when one of the pack protectors approached, a somber expression on his face. I recognized him as one of the wolves who had saved me from the mountain lions.
“Alpha Kildaire wants to see you,” he said.
I started to refuse because there was no point talking to that power-obsessed asshole, but the pack protector wrapped his fingers around my arm and pulled me in the direction of the town square. I didn’t like my chances of fighting him off. I’d grit my teeth through another meeting, then leave—assuming they’d let me. My stomach tightened with anxiety.
Kildaire sat in his chair, his face like stone. Behind him, his right-hand man stared at me as the smell of herbs wafted through the air. In my time in the pack, I’d learned that Tobias, the pack mystic, had witch blood, which allowed him to use magic. He was like me, though I hadn’t revealed that knowledge, even to Bastien. I was embarrassed I couldn’t cast a simple spell, and meanwhile, Tobias was using herbs to induce psychic visions. There was a lot about wolf shifters I didn’t understand, thanks to my sheltered upbringing, and considering recent events, I was glad not to have been raised in such an environment.
“Thank you, Duncan. That will be all,” Kildaire said. He waited until Duncan left before addressing me. “I wanted to speak to you without Bastien getting in the way.”
I gulped. I wasn’t naive enough to think that was a good thing.
“I fear I didn’t make myself clear when we spoke this morning,” Kildaire said. Tobias nodded ominously.
“I think you said exactly what you meant,” I said, my mouth running before my self-preservation could kick in.
“Bastien’s disobedience took me by surprise.” He lowered his voice as if he were admitting to a grave mistake, but his eyes weren’t sincere. “You asked what benefits you might have. Tobias and I discussed it, and I would be happy to offer you better accommodations. Bastien’s cabin is small, and a growing family will need more space. We can start construction immediately.”
His offer was hardly appealing.
“Bastien doesn’t want a mate, and I need to go home.”
Where I belong. In an empty house with nothing but my grief.
“Isn’t there a part of you that wants your mate?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “I’m sure you feel the pull toward him. Your wolf side can’t be happy with this.”
I hated to admit he was right. My wolf wanted Bastien and nothing else.
“It doesn’t matter what I want,” I confessed. “Bastien has made his decision.”
“Bastien doesn’t know what’s good for him.” Kildaire waved his hand dismissively. “You need to appeal to his wolf side instead of reasoning with him. Seduce him if you must. You will be handsomely rewarded.”
I clenched my fists.
“I’m not going to manipulate Bastien into anything. He made his choice.”
The Alpha got to his feet, his eyes narrowed. “Bastien doesn’t have a choice, and neither do you,” he said, striding toward me. “Fated mates don’t get to decide whether they want each other.”
I took a hesitant step backward as the Alpha halted in front of me. I didn’t like what he was implying.
“Bastien won’t talk to me. I don’t understand his reasoning, but I won’t beg him any more than I’ll seduce him,” I stated. The only thing I had left was my dignity, and I wouldn’t give that up.
“You stupid girl,” the Alpha growled, his amber eyes fiery with anger. “If you’d displayed some discipline and behaved as the submissive mate women are supposed to be, Bastien would not have been able to resist you.”
I flinched, shame threatening to crush me. Was that why Bastien didn’t want me? Was I not good enough for him? I wasn’t submissive, but my mate’s rejection was a stab to the heart.
“I’m sorry, I—”
“Sorry?” the Alpha roared. “What good is sorry when you’ve failed at your duty? We took you in and fed you. All you had to do was follow your nature and let the mate bond thrive. You were supposed to give this pack your children and strengthen us.”
“Is that all women are to you? An incubator for stronger wolves?” I asked. My heart thudded against my ribs. I was in danger.
The Alpha raised his hand. “You wouldn’t know the first thing about duty, you filthy—” I didn’t hear the rest of the insult as the Alpha lashed out, his claws ripping into my side. Pain burst through me, and I fell to my knees. My eyes were blurry with tears as I clutched my abdomen. The wound wasn’t deep—whether by design or luck, I didn’t know. The Alpha towered over me, a sick look of satisfaction on his face.
“Get out of my sight,” he hissed.
Anger burned within me like a wildfire. I wanted nothing more than to fight back—let my wolf take over and stand up to the man who thought he could treat me like dirt. But I didn’t stand a chance against an Alpha, and knowing I could do nothing but take this debasement blazed through my veins like acid.
I got up on shaky legs and dragged myself outside. The sun was setting, and the town square was deserted. At least I didn’t have an audience for my humiliation. My things were back at Bastien’s house, and I planned to grab them and get the hell out of dodge.
“Casey?”
I groaned and shut my eyes. Of course, Bastien was the one to find me like this, as if my day wasn’t bad enough. I felt his presence before I opened my eyes.
“What happened to you? Were you attacked?” he asked. There was real concern in his voice. Probably because he thought his pack was in danger.
I opened my eyes and glared at him with all the distaste I could muster.
“It’s nothing,” I said, continuing my slow journey toward his house.
“I’m serious, Casey. What happened?” Bastien moved in front of me, halting me in my tracks. His concern hadn’t faded, and his hand twitched like he wanted to reach for me.
I breathed a ragged sigh. “I told your Alpha you didn’t want me as your mate and said I was leaving. He wasn’t happy.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Kildaire did this?”
I nodded. “Now, can you get out of my way? I want to be on the road before it’s dark out.”
“At least let me help you clean up,” he said, his eyes fixed on my wounds. My shirt was ripped and soaked with blood.
“I don’t need your help,” I said, trying to draw myself up to my full height and wincing as my side burned.
“Sure, you don’t,” he drawled. He took me by the arm and led me to his cabin. I wished his touch didn’t feel so good. I desperately wanted to lean into his warmth. Even after he’d hurt me, I still longed for him.
Inside, he helped me sit on the couch. He retrieved a bowl of warm water and a cloth, set them on the coffee table, and removed what remained of my shirt. His touch was impersonal and efficient, but it still made my skin tingle.
“Lie back,” he said, and I didn’t have it in me to argue.
I leaned against the cushions, moving my arm out of the way so he could access my side. He dipped the cloth in water, wringing it out before wiping the blood from my wounds.
Bastien looked pained, as if he were bleeding and not me.
“I’m sorry,” he said, the muscle in his jaw twitching. “You shouldn’t have had to suffer for my choice. I did this to stop—”
He glanced away, snapping his lips shut.
“To stop what?” I asked, curious. Was there a reason he didn’t want me?
He shook his head, unwilling to answer. He rinsed the cloth and dabbed at the last of the blood.
“You’re lucky this wasn’t deep,” he said, leaning closer to inspect my injury. He ran his fingers between the gashes, his touch gentle. “An injury from an Alpha is worse than one from other shifters. Their magic is powerful.”
“Yeah, that’s me,” I said with a hollow laugh. “Lucky.”
Bastien wasn’t amused. His fingers were still on my side, and he’d plastered himself against me. My breath hitched.
“Are you in pain?” he asked.
“No, not really.” I still ached, but another sensation was quickly overriding my discomfort. With Bastien so close, my desire for him blocked out anything else. My wolf wanted nothing more than to demand he take me.
But Bastien’s eyes remained glued to my injury. He was wound tight, coiled and ready to pounce.
“I hate to see you hurt like this,” he said. Anxiety came off him in waves.
“I’m all right.” I grabbed his hand and placed it over my heart. “See?”
His pinky grazed the swell of my breast, coming to rest against the edge of my bra. My hunger for him skyrocketed, and I felt my panties grow wet.
Bastien’s nostrils flared, and I knew he smelled my arousal.
“I should find you a shirt,” he said, making no move to do so. “You wanted to leave before dark.”
I leaned into his touch. Kildaire’s order was the furthest thing from my mind. I didn’t want to seduce Bastien; I wanted my mate.
“Bastien,” I whispered. “Please, I—”
“We shouldn’t,” he said, but he didn’t pull away.
We locked eyes, and I worried I would drown in his gaze.
“Then let me go,” I challenged, even as my stomach tightened at the thought. I didn’t want to leave—not when every cell in my body yearned for him. When Bastien held me, nothing else mattered. Nothing else existed.
He growled, and for a split second, I thought he would cast me out like before. But then his lips met mine, rough and needy.
I gasped as he pushed me against the couch. His hand slid from my heart to my neck, cupping my nape and angling me just so while he kissed me passionately. I melted into him, my wolf all but howling with excitement and need.
When Bastien leaned back, I nearly whimpered at the loss.
“I don’t want this,” he said, his voice rough.
I curled my fingers into his shirt. “Then stop,” I said, holding his gaze. “If you truly don’t want me.”
I pulled him closer, and he didn’t resist. I ran my hands over his chest, feeling his muscles through his shirt. His heart thudded against my palm, its pace matching my own.
I whined as he trailed his lips over my jaw and neck. He breathed me in, the gesture animalistic and raw, and pressed his body to mine. He was hard, and an answering arousal bloomed deep in my core.
“I can smell how much you crave me,” he whispered, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear and sending a shiver down my spine.
“I’ve wanted you from the second we met,” I confessed, threading my fingers through his hair. “It made me feel insane to lay there, bleeding, and feel these things.”
But I hadn’t been insane—then or now. I’d found my mate. He just needed to accept it.
“I know what you mean,” he said, sucking kisses into my skin. “I felt guilty for how much I hungered for you.”
His hips rocked against me, and I cursed the fabric that separated us. I felt crazed, wild, like when I shifted on the full moon. I tugged at his clothes.
“I need these off,” I said. “I need—you.”
Bastien went stiff, his breathing ragged. I worried I’d pushed too far and reminded him of why he turned me away in the first place. But then he picked me up, cradled me in his arms, and carried me to the bedroom. Anticipation buzzed through me as he laid me down and unbuttoned my pants. I lifted my hips as he tugged my jeans and panties off in one move. I quickly undid the hooks of my bra, flinging it aside. I was desperate to feel his skin against mine.
He’d seen me naked before, but this was different. He looked at me with fire in his eyes, a primal need that echoed through my body. He joined me on the bed, and his lips found my neck once more. His hands roamed freely, stroking down my stomach and grabbing at my thighs. I caressed his back, feeling his well-defined muscles as he dragged his teeth over my shoulder. He kneaded my breasts and licked and sucked my nipples until I squirmed. He was gentle with the wound on my side, pausing to nuzzle me before kissing my hips and lower stomach.
He spread my legs, staring at me with hungry eyes. I gasped, quivering with need as he traced my folds with his fingers. I wanted to grind against him, but Bastien pinned me to the bed with a stern look. Instead, I stayed still while he teased me, running his fingers around my slick entrance. When he finally touched my clit, I moaned, electricity racing through my body. He rubbed slow circles until I mewled with need.
“Please,” I begged. I needed more. I needed all of him.
Bastien withdrew his fingers, and they shone in the moonlight filtering through his bedroom window. He licked them, tasting my arousal, and his eyelids fluttered shut. When he stepped back, I groaned, aching for him.
He pulled off his T-shirt, revealing defined muscles and a strip of hair that trailed into his bulging pants. My pussy clenched when he shucked the last of his clothing, and his hard cock strained toward me. He was big, and I blushed at how badly I needed him to fill me up.
He returned to the bed, climbing on top of me and covering me with his body. I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close as if he could float away at any second. He stroked my thighs, his fingers pressing into my skin with the same desperation.
I spread my legs, and he settled between them. His cock slid against my folds, and I moaned, so close to getting what I needed. But instead of thrusting, he paused.
“Have you ever—?” He left the question hanging.
I swallowed. “Yes. Once, in high school. It wasn’t very good.”
I didn’t want to think about my only fumbled attempt. It had been disappointing beyond the usual first-time jitters. It felt off and unfulfilling, and I now knew it was because I was Bastien’s mate.
“I’m going to take care of you,” he promised.
I nodded, trusting him to keep his word.
“Ready?” he asked, holding his cock by the base and lining himself up.
“Yeah,” I breathed, my heart racing.
He entered me slowly, and I dug my fingers into his back.
He shuddered, filling me up until our hips were flush. My eyelids drifted shut as my body warmed with pleasure. It only got better as he thrust, slowly rolling his pelvis and letting me feel every inch of him. There were no words to express how he made me feel, so I kissed him instead. This was where I was meant to be. Bastien was mine, and I was his. I’d never felt so fulfilled. I rocked my hips, letting instinct guide me.
“Harder,” I groaned, driven by an animalistic urge.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, his eyes darting to the wound on my side. I had almost forgotten about it. In fact, I couldn’t feel it at all. His arms shook from the effort of holding back.
“You won’t. I’m fine,” I assured him. “Fuck me like you mean it.”
I squeezed my pussy around his length to make my point.
He grabbed my waist and hastened his thrusts, driving deep. I flung my head back, my body exploding as my pleasure increased tenfold. He grunted as he fucked me with the full force of his body, letting his primal side take control.
I whimpered and wrapped my legs around him, feeling the urge to bite his neck, but the impulse disappeared as Bastien slid a hand between us and rubbed his thumb over my clit. All I knew was bliss.
He pounded into me, and I clawed at his shoulders, overwhelmed with ecstasy. Nothing else existed, just him, me, and our connection.
The sounds of our desire—Bastien’s deep, rumbling groans, my breathy moans, and the erotic slap of skin—filled the room.
Mate . My wolf’s satisfied whisper echoed through my mind. Bastien was my match in every way. We fit together like a key in a lock. There would never be anyone else.
My orgasm began to build, my pleasure reaching heights I hadn’t known possible. I didn’t want this to end. I didn’t want to return to reality. I would’ve given anything to stay in that perfect moment before the peak and inevitable fall.
“Bastien,” I moaned, a warning and a plea.
“I’ve got you,” he replied, allowing me to let go.
I cried out. Every nerve ending lit up as a wave of sensation rocked my body. I clung to Bastien as he guided me through it, never wavering as he worked my clit and kept his thrusts steady. Time stretched as I lost myself in bliss.
Just as my orgasm began to fade, Bastien shuddered and groaned, spilling himself within me. He squeezed his eyes shut as he found heaven in my body. I held him as he came, delighted I’d given him the same satisfaction.
We collapsed against each other, breathing heavily. Bastien nuzzled my neck, and I curled into him.
We didn’t speak, and I wondered if Bastien wanted to preserve the moment as much as I did. I didn’t know what came next or what this meant for us.
An hour earlier, I’d been devastated, alone, and lost. But in Bastien’s arms, I was home. We were mates, and I refused to give that up.
After everything, could Bastien still deny me? It was hard to believe, especially with his warm body blanketing mine and his cock still within me. He hadn’t made an effort to move, so I clung to him a little tighter.
I saw the sliver of the crescent moon through the window, and as I drifted to sleep, I asked her to keep me and Bastien together. Would fate really allow us to stay apart?