Jabba’s Journey (Iron Howlers MC #2)

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Electra

“Child, are you listening?” A soothing, motherly voice I don’t recognize asks.

“I’m here,” I reply, allowing myself to be drawn into the comfort of her words.

It’s not lost on me that wherever I’m at isn’t in the hot spring with Jabba any longer, but I’ve never been here before, so I have no reference.

“I know you have questions about your mate. Let me show you how life can be,” the melodic voice states.

Flashes and images fly through my head in rapid succession. I see Jabba next to me, two small children laughing and running at our feet. Both have my hair color, but the little boy is already tall like his daddy, while the little girl is petite like me. My belly is rounded, and Jabba’s hand is protectively covering it while he talks to the kids.

More scenes erupt in my brain; I see Jazzy and Sage, a few years older, with smaller children nearby, while Jabba’s other brothers laugh and joke around a huge bonfire.

“I don’t understand,” I murmur.

“This is what can be, should you accept his mate claim,” the voice says. “Now, let me show you what will happen if you don’t.”

Fear grips me as I see myself in a small hovel, my body and face aged as bitterness wafts around me. I look like I’m muttering out loud as I walk outside and follow a long and winding path that’s apparently not far from the clubhouse. I can see the people I’ve met milling around and my heart clenches when I spot the man who is quickly stealing my heart. Jabba.

Only he’s different. There are no easy smiles; in fact, he’s off to the side, his arms crossed over his chest with what appears to be a permanent scowl if the wrinkles on his forehead are any indication. Jazzy and Sage walk by, steering clear of him, which breaks my heart having seen how loving he is with the two little girls.

“Why? Before I came along, he didn’t even know he had a mate,” I whisper. I truly don’t understand.

“It’s two sides of the coin, Electra. The moment you two touched, you set Fate in motion. Because of your histories, you’ll either have joy and happiness, which will not be without its trials, of course, or pain and sorrow. Rejecting one’s mate has drastic consequences for both parties involved.”

“I choose joy,” I murmur. “I choose Jabba.”

I wake up to Jabba holding me close to his chest, his voice ragged as though he’s been screaming. “Jabba?”

“Dear Goddess, I thought I lost you somehow,” he mumbles, his lips caressing my forehead. “I woke to find you in a trance of some sort. Nothing I said or did let you come back to me.”

“I… I had a visit from the goddess. I’m not sure which one, but she showed me what would happen to the both of us if we denied our mating. It’s not good, Jabba. I couldn’t stand it if neither of us found happiness. Growing bitter and distancing ourselves from those we love.”

“Rejection is hard on a shifter and his intended half’s soul. It can make you hateful, or in some cases, if the people aren’t strong enough it causes death,” he explains. “It’s a hard road to travel if you choose to go against Fate’s designation.”

“I choose life and joy, Jabba. I choose you,” I reply. “Please.”

He lowers his head, and his lips gently caress mine, teasing a moan out of me. For such a big, somewhat fearsome man, his touch is soft. “I’d rather be home in my den… our den,” he murmurs.

“I’d rather be with you, and it doesn’t matter where,” I admit. “I draw my strength from water elements, you’re a wolf who’s in tune with nature. What better place to complete our mating?”

“If this is where you’re the most comfortable, then this is where we’ll bond, baby. And you’re right, my wolf is in his element when he’s surrounded by nature. And who knows, this may make us stronger in the long run.”

“That’s what I was thinking too,” I admit. “I’m ready, Jabba. Mate me. Claim me. Make me your family.”

“No words you’ve spoken have sounded sweeter on your lips,” he declares as he bends his head and captures my lips with his. I never understood what possession felt like until his tongue swiped itself against mine. Sparks explode behind my eyelids, and I whimper into his mouth.

Because we’re both already naked, I can feel his hard length pressed against my side since he has me cradled in his arms almost bridal style. My nipples tighten in response to the onslaught from his kisses and when he lowers his head, I moan.

The sensations coursing through me are unlike anything I’ve ever felt before as my hands roam his body, touching wherever I can. He’s hard all over; muscular and built, with a six pack that flows into a very impressive package. My core clenches as desire hits and I watch his nostrils flare before he leans down and lightly nips at one of my nipples before flicking his tongue over it to soothe the slight sting.

“Jabba,” I groan, pressing my chest closer to his, needing the friction of his skin against my erect nipples. “Please. More.”

“I want to take my time, explore every inch of you. We’ll only have one mating, Electra. I want to make it special, not rush through it.”

“We have forever for that,” I reply, a slight foreboding overshadowing the pleasure currently coursing through me. I don’t know why there’s this sense of urgency, but I learned a long time ago never to question my goddess given instincts. With the fear of the tides turning on us and the warning I was given, I decide to share what I was told and shown. “Jabba,” I whisper, “I don’t think we can afford to take our time. Something’s not right.”

“I feel it too, but rest assured, we will be going nice and slow later,” he replies, lowering me to the ground then covering my body with his.

He reaches between us, and I feel his fingers swipe through the apex of my thighs. An almost feral expression crosses his face as he murmurs, “So wet for me, Electra. You ready, baby?”

I can only nod as he notches the head of his dick at my entrance and slowly enters me. The fuller I get, the more my joy increases. As I wrap my legs around his waist, he starts to move, his hips gyrate and my pleasure ramps up exponentially. I’m a bit nervous about the pending mate mark, but I’ve heard it enhances pleasure. I know it’ll happen right as we both climax and I can feel mine fast approaching.

“Jabba,” I warn as my back arches.

“I’ve got you, baby,” he promises, his voice a bit garbled as his canines elongate, preparing to penetrate my skin and insert his regenerative saliva into my DNA that’ll help me not only live longer, but connect us in ways that can never be undone.

As my orgasm hits, he strikes, his teeth sinking into the fleshy part of my neck at my shoulder. I scream out my release as whatever is in the bite courses through me, ramping up the feelings until I get to the point I don’t think I can handle much more.

He collapses on top of me before quickly rolling so he doesn’t crush me, his hands cradling my body as he places a kiss on my already swollen lips. “Fuck.”

“Well, that was a bit…,” I start, only to have him begin laughing beneath me. “Jabba? What’s so funny?”

“Babe, there are no words to describe how I’m feeling right now. I had no clue this is how it would feel marking my mate.”

Even though I didn’t feel what he did, a sense of pride washes through me that my mate is satisfied. Cupping his face, I kiss the underside of his jaw, not missing his shiver as he gazes up at me.

As we hold onto one another, a black cloud forms over the two of us, and as our bond settles and strengthens, the cloudy structure screams as if our union has pained it.

“Blood magic,” I whisper, ducking my head and settling it between Jabba’s neck and shoulder.

The witches who dabble in blood magic are evil and malevolent and I shudder when I think that they were attempting to keep Jabba and I apart so we couldn’t mate. It’s more important now than ever that Harmony, Karsyn, and I go through our grimoires. We may be witches with different affinities, but there’s a reason we were all drawn to these two clubs.

The question is, how can we figure it out so no one we know and love is harmed?

“Don’t ask me how I know this, but the Red Caps were responsible for that,” Jabba says, wrapping me up tighter in his embrace. Protecting me from our enemies' grasp. “We need to get back and inform Cyrus. Something else is coming.”

“I need to be around as many light witches as I can. We can protect each other as well as the rest of our family. We have strength in numbers as my grandmother used to preach,” I acknowledge.

“Wolves believe that too, it’s why we believe in the sanctity of packs,” he says, sitting up and reaching out for my clothes. “We’re gonna ride like the wind, baby. Don’t be scared, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I feel like you say that a lot to me, Jabba.”

“I do. But it’s only because it’s the truth, Electra. You’re my entire world, without you, there’s no reason for me to exist.”

In no time at all, we’re back at the clubhouse and Jabba’s rushing off, naked as the day he was born, to have Cyrus call church while I look for Harmony. When I find her, I see her face is pale and fear is in her eyes.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“I felt it. Blood witches are nearby. The question is why? But that question will have to be answered later. Karsyn’s on her way with her grimoire. Go get yours and meet me in the kitchen.” Harmony is on a roll, buried deep in thought so I decide to let her do her thing without any interruptions from me.

I rush off to my room, scooping up Sprinkles as I pass her, so she isn’t in our way and once inside, I settle her on the bed before I pick up my grimoire that Jabba and the girls got when they went to the house to grab my possessions and clutch it to my chest. Right now, the energy held within is almost palpable, which is slightly frightening. Yet, I know my sister witches will help me figure it out so we can protect everyone.

“Behave,” I tell Sprinkles who just meows at me before curling up and closing her eyes. As I head back down to the kitchen, my mind is working feverishly as I think about the events of this afternoon.