His Tainted Mate (Alaskan Tails #3)

Chapter 9

ELLE

The following morning, she and Rab went for a short run around the side of the mountain to a designated spot and back again. As they neared the cave, they both slowed and then became human once more in a dual, frigid swirl with icy shards, electrical pulses, and howling winds. Once they were human, it was easy to see her mate had found the run as arousing as she had.

Growling, Rab fisted her hair and led her to a large, flat outcropping of rock. He positioned her so that she was looking out over the valley below as he stepped between her legs. Elle felt a visceral thrill run through her as she realized he meant to fuck her out here in the open. The head of his cock parted her labia as she tried to offer some perfunctory protest. Rab was a skillful enough lover to recognize how her body had softened and prepared itself for him, though. She squirmed, trying to get up or away, but he pinned her down, meaning to take what was his.

Guiding his cock to its intended target, he pressed forward, her inner walls surrounding and accepting him as he began to plunder her wet pussy. It was just as she remembered from when he had claimed her. She felt herself falling prey to his mesmerizing ability to bring her pleasure. She didn’t remember the feel of the small nubs that seemed to cover his cock from his claiming. It was a new, and not unpleasant, sensation that enhanced her already considerable arousal and need. As he pulled back, the nubs became little spikes or barbs. Elle cried out as they scored her sensitive flesh.

“That is what it is to be a snow leopardess of our clan. You will come to know and revel in the feeling of my barbs.”

Over and over, he thrust into her, the nubs grazing the delicate tissue of her channel before raking that same space as he drew back. Elle howled at the weird combination of pain and pleasure. Thrust after thrust he plundered her pussy, his hard hips and thighs slamming into her backside as she yowled and hissed as he exerted his dominance.

Nothing in her life had ever felt like this. Pleasure and pain morphed into one as Rab pounded into her, growling with need and desire. He thrust into her with greater intensity as she pushed back against him. Their coupling was powerful, frenzied and primal. He stretched her pussy as he hammered her with his enormous cock. Elle had never felt anything like this in her life, would never have believed someone would have the kind of power over her that he did.

She felt his plunging rod swelling, twitching, the barbs digging in until finally they seemed to sink into her as if to anchor her pussy to his cock. Elle felt her body tremble as he reached under her, tugging her clit to send her into a spiraling freefall of orgasmic sensation and submission. Rab had claimed his prize in more ways than one. Deep inside her, he began to flood her pussy with his seed, his hips bumping against her as her inner walls contracted all around him, rhythmically milking him for every last bit of what he had to give her.

Elle had heard that feline shifters retained the barbed cocks of their purebred brethren. She had never thought to experience anything like it. While a bit painful, the pleasure they inflicted outweighed any discomfort.

When he was finished, he shuddered and lay on top of her before the barbs released, and Rab drew back, uncoupling from her before lifting her up and tossing her over his shoulder. He stalked back inside the cave. She felt like the captured prize of one of his ancient ancestors—hanging upside down, bouncing along with his cum dripping down the inside of her thighs.

He laid her down on their bed, his mouth coming down to crush hers beneath his as he kissed her deeply.

“You are exquisite, and I will love you in this life and for all the lives to come.”

Elle wanted to question his sincerity or even mock him, but the words died in her throat as she searched his face and emerald eyes. She nodded, knowing he spoke the truth.

“I don’t understand it, but I feel the same. Two weeks ago, I thought I was dying and that my time on this earth would be over by now.” She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. “I’m so glad I was wrong.”

They remained in the cave for another few days. Rab said he wanted to ensure she was well rested before they set out for Hobart, but Elle didn’t believe him. She thought he wanted to solidify their bond before having to deal with anyone else.

The journey from Cradle Mountain to Hobart was a winding path through rugged terrain and sprawling vistas that stretched out like a painter's masterpiece. For Elle and Rab, it was not just a physical journey back to the city; it was a journey of discovery and intimacy, woven with moments of shared laughter, quiet conversations, and stolen glances that spoke volumes.

They had left the tranquil sanctuary of Cradle Mountain behind, bidding farewell to the mist-shrouded peaks and the whispering pines that had witnessed their burgeoning love and connection. As they reached the relative flatlands, Rab used a satellite phone to call for a helicopter to come for them. As they rode in the cockpit behind the pilot, Elle’s hand occasionally brushed against his as the chopper navigated its way through the turbulent skies to return them to Hobart and those that waited for them.

At the edge of the wilderness, the chopper dropped them at the trailhead, where Hamish had arranged to have a Jeep delivered. The air, crisp with the scent of eucalyptus and wildflowers, was a stark contrast to the cool breeze they had experienced closer to the mountain. As they drove, Elle occasionally stole glances at Rab, marveling at how he seemed to belong to both the wild and the civilized worlds so seamlessly.

Her own transformation had not diminished her capacity to savor each moment; if anything, it had enhanced it, lending her an ethereal quality that drew her to Rab like a moth to a flame.

"You're quiet," Rab finally remarked, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them.

Elle glanced at him, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Just taking it all in. It feels like a lifetime since I left Hobart to find a place to die."

Rab nodded thoughtfully, his eyes returning to the road. "A lot has changed since then."

“Ya think?” she teased.

“Make me a promise?” he asked.

“Sure,” she answered, sensing this was something more important than a casual request.

“If fate chooses to take you from me before I die, don’t shut me out. Don’t go off to die alone.”

Touched more deeply than she thought she could be, she placed her hand on his shoulder, leaning over to kiss his cheek. “Promise. And I will not go easily. I will fight for every moment I have with you.”

Rab nodded. “And I will do the same.”

Elle brushed his face with the back of her hand. Rab took her hand in his and brought it to his lips to kiss. They continued onward in companionable silence; her thoughts drifting to the way her life had taken a turn for the better since meeting Rab. She had found herself drawn to him in ways she couldn't explain—a magnetic pull that transcended reason and logic. Fate or destiny had decreed they were to be one, and so they were. And now, as they journeyed back to Hobart together, she couldn't help but wonder what the future held for them.

As the outskirts of Hobart came into view, the afternoon sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting long shadows across the landscape. Elle's heart fluttered with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation as they approached the city that held both her past and would serve as a jumping off point for her future. She wasn’t frightened, but seeing her sister after so long a time was not as easy as she’d thought. Hamish had reported to Rab that the serum had worked, and Trudi was recovering nicely in Elle’s old loft apartment overlooking the harbor.

Elle directed Rab through the familiar streets lined with quaint shops and bustling cafes, the sounds of the city enveloping them like a warm embrace. Knowing she would make her home in the Highlands with her mate, Elle couldn't suppress a surge of nostalgia as they passed familiar landmarks—a park where she had played as a child, a corner store where she had bought sweets with her sister Trudi.

"Where to first?" Rab asked, glancing at Elle with a gentle smile.

Elle hesitated for a moment, her mind racing with the desire to see her sister Trudi and the need to process everything that had transpired since she had left Hobart. "Let's go home. I want to see Trudi," she said, her voice tinged with emotion.

Rab nodded in understanding, his hand finding hers and squeezing it reassuringly. "One step at a time. Everything will be fine," he murmured, his gaze softening as he looked at her.

They arrived at Elle’s loft. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stood outside the familiar door, memories flooding back in a rush of nostalgia and apprehension.

Rab squeezed her hand gently, offering her silent support as she knocked on the door. She didn’t have the keys to her home. She’d left them behind. Even if she had, she was sure she would have knocked. She didn’t want to intrude. Moments later, it swung open to reveal Trudi, her face lighting up in surprise and joy at the sight of Elle.

"Elle!" Trudi exclaimed, her eyes shining with tears as she pulled her sister into a tight embrace. "I can't believe you’re here. We've been so worried."

Elle returned the embrace fiercely, her heart swelling with relief and love. "I'm here, Trudi," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm so sorry…"

“Don’t,” Trudi said, standing at arm’s length from her sister. “You don’t owe me or anyone else any explanation or apology. Are you okay? Did Rab give you the inoculation?”

“Not exactly,” said Elle with a grin as she glanced at Rab, who nodded. “How about we get a glass of wine and go sit on the balcony?”

Once they were watching the sunset, Elle told her sister of the events that had happened at Cradle Mountain. When Trudi started to accuse Rab of wrongdoing, Elle was quick to set her straight and told her of the fated mate bond she had formed with Rab, and of the challenges she had faced when she’d thought death was inevitable.

Trudi listened with rapt attention, her expression shifting from disbelief to wonder as Elle described the beauty of the wilderness and the profound changes she had undergone. Tears welled in Trudi's eyes as she reached out to touch Elle's face, her fingers tracing the delicate skin of her sister's cheek.

"I can't pretend to understand everything you've been through," Trudi said softly, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'm just so grateful you're safe. And... and I'm glad you found someone who cares about you."

Elle smiled warmly at her sister, a wave of gratitude washing over her at Trudi's acceptance. "Rab has been... amazing," she admitted, stealing a glance at him.

Rab nodded in agreement, his gaze never leaving Elle's. "Your sister is extraordinary," he said sincerely, his voice filled with admiration.

Trudi chuckled softly, wiping away tears of joy. "Well, you better take care of her, then," she teased lightly, her eyes twinkling with affection.

Hamish extended his hand to Rab. “It would seem we’re to be brothers. Welcome to the family.”

Rab chuckled. “The sooner we get back to the Highlands, the better I’ll like it.”