Chapter 17 #3
“Clearly,” she said, eyes twinkling with amusement. “Now come help me with lunch before Finn spontaneously combusts from embarrassment.”
I gratefully escaped to help Aunt Vivian unpack the enormous feast she’d prepared for our beach picnic.
The portable grill sizzled with her famous garlic butter shrimp skewers, while an enormous cooler revealed a spread that could feed an army—or three hungry alphas.
There were thick sandwiches on artisan bread, a massive pasta salad studded with olives and feta, fresh fruit, homemade potato chips, and an array of desserts that made my sweet tooth ache just looking at them.
“I know how much food growing wolves need,” she explained, handing Cade a plate piled so high I wasn’t sure how it didn’t collapse. “And you,” she added, turning to me with a pointed look, “need to put some meat on those bones.”
Lunch was a lively affair, with Drew’s stories of his latest adventure with Jake and Tyler keeping everyone entertained.
Mochi curled up at my feet, while Boba managed to charm everyone into giving him bits of food despite his already well-fed state.
I watched in amazement as Logan devoured four sandwiches in what seemed like minutes, while Keir and Cade weren’t far behind in their consumption.
“Werewolf metabolism,” Drew said. “They burn through calories like nobody’s business.”
After lunch, pleasantly full and warmed by the sun, I stretched out on my towel, intending to soak up some rays before we headed back to the house.
I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, a shadow fell across me, blocking the warmth of the sun.
I opened my eyes to find Cade standing over me, his broad shoulders eclipsing the light, creating a silhouette that emphasized just how massive he truly was.
“Walk with me,” he said, his deep voice leaving no room for argument as he extended a hand to help me up.
Unlike Logan’s strategic approach or Keir’s playful invitation, Cade didn’t bother with pretense or excuses.
He simply took my hand in his much larger one and led me away from the others, his stride so long I had to take two steps for each of his.
His posture was commanding, shoulders back, head high—every inch the alpha leader as we headed toward the far end of the beach where the cliffs jutted out into the ocean.
We climbed over several large boulders until we reached a secluded inlet that was completely hidden from the main beach.
A small waterfall trickled down the cliff face, creating a natural pool of clear water before flowing into the ocean.
The space was like something from a fantasy—a private paradise of smooth stone, crystal water, and lush greenery clinging to the cliff walls.
Cade stopped at the edge of the pool, turning to face me with an intensity that made my breath catch.
He towered over me, making me feel delicate in a way that should have been intimidating but instead sent a thrill of excitement through me.
He reached out, his large hand cupping my cheek with surprising gentleness.
“Do you have any idea,” he said, his voice a low rumble that I could feel vibrating through the air between us, “how difficult it is to watch my brothers touch you and not stake my own claim?”
Before I could respond, he closed the distance between us, one arm wrapping around my waist to pull me flush against him while his other hand tangled in my hair. His mouth claimed mine with absolute authority—not asking, not coaxing, but taking what was his.
Where Keir had been playful and Logan had been hungry, Cade was commanding—his kiss a declaration of ownership that left no room for doubt.
His tongue swept into my mouth, not exploring but conquering, mapping every corner as if memorizing territory.
I yielded completely, my body melting against his solid frame, my hands clutching at his shoulders for support as my knees threatened to give way.
Without breaking the kiss, he backed me toward a smooth section of the cliff wall, his body caging mine, his greater height and breadth making me feel completely surrounded. When my back met the cool stone, he finally pulled away, but only to trail his mouth along my jaw to my ear.
“I’ve been patient,” he murmured, his breath hot against my skin. “Watching. Waiting. Letting my brothers have their time with you.”
His teeth grazed my earlobe, sending a shiver down my spine. “But make no mistake, little fox. You belong to all of us.” His hand slid from my waist to my hip, fingers digging in possessively. “To me.”
The possessive declaration should have triggered my independence, should have made me bristle and pull away. Instead, it sent heat pooling low in my belly, a primal response to his dominance that I couldn’t fight even if I wanted to.
Cade seemed to sense the surrender in my body, a satisfied growl rumbling through his chest as he lifted me as if I weighed nothing, turning to set me on a flat boulder at the edge of the pool.
The new position put us at eye level, though his broader frame still dwarfed mine.
Water from the small waterfall misted around us, catching in his golden-brown hair and making it glisten in the filtered sunlight.
“Look at me,” he commanded when my eyes started to drift closed as his hands skimmed up my sides.
I obeyed, meeting his gaze—those deep blue eyes now swirling with hints of silver, his wolf close to the surface. His hands moved to frame my face, thumbs stroking my cheekbones with unexpected tenderness that contrasted sharply with the intensity of his gaze.
“Do you know what you do to me?” he asked, his voice a low growl that seemed to reverberate through my bones. “To all of us?”
His thumbs traced my lower lip, the gentle touch at odds with the fierce possession in his eyes. “The way you look at us. The way you move. The way you yield and fight in the same breath. It drives our wolves mad.”
There was something in his tone—something beyond the physical desire, beyond the mate bond—that made my heart race. But as quickly as I thought I glimpsed it, it was gone, hidden behind the alpha mask he wore so well.
Before I could question it, his mouth was on mine again, this kiss harder, deeper, more demanding than before. His hands slid down to my waist, pulling me to the edge of the boulder until our bodies aligned perfectly, the evidence of his desire pressing insistently against me.
One of his hands slipped under my swim shorts to cup my bare hip, his fingers spanning nearly the entire width of my pelvis, a physical reminder of our size difference that sent a fresh wave of heat through me.
His other hand tangled in my hair again, tilting my head to deepen the kiss until I was breathless and dizzy.
When he finally pulled back, we were both breathing hard, his forehead resting against mine as we struggled to regain control. His hand remained possessively on my hip, thumb tracing circles on the sensitive skin there.
“We should get back,” he said eventually, his voice rough with restrained desire. “Before I forget all the reasons I shouldn’t claim you fully right here.”
The reluctance in his tone made me bold. I leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. “And what reasons are those?”
A dangerous smile curved his lips, his eyes flashing silver again. “Because when I finally claim you properly, little fox, it won’t be rushed. It won’t be on a beach with sand getting everywhere. And it certainly won’t be where my brothers can’t join us.”
The promise in those words made my breath catch, heat flooding my face and other, lower parts of my anatomy. Cade noticed, of course—those alpha senses missing nothing—and his smile widened, becoming almost predatory.
“Come,” he said, lifting me off the boulder and setting me gently on my feet.
His hand remained at the small of my back as we made our way back to the main beach, the touch both protective and possessive in a way that should have annoyed me but instead made me feel strangely secure.
When we returned to the others, Mochi immediately bounded over to me, circling my legs with excited yips.
“There you are,” Drew said, eyeing us with exasperation. “Let me guess—important alpha business?”
“Something like that,” Cade replied, his hand never leaving the small of my back, thumb stroking small circles against my spine.
“You all are exhausting.” Drew sighed. “Some of us have been figuring it out more than others,” he added with a pointed look at me. “Finn keeps disappearing with at least one of you. Makes a guy feel left out.”
I felt my face heat, but before I could stammer out a response, Vivian laughed.
“Oh, to be young again.” She sighed, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Just remember, these walls aren’t as soundproof as you might think.”
“Aunt Vivian!” I squeaked, mortified.
She just winked at me, completely unrepentant.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a pleasant blur of swimming, impromptu volleyball matches (which I lost spectacularly), and more snacking from Vivian’s seemingly bottomless cooler.
I began sketching without really thinking about it—quick studies of Logan’s profile against the sky, Keir’s laugh, the way Cade’s wet hair fell across his forehead.
“You’re staring again,” Cade observed, catching me in the act of trying to capture the exact angle of his jaw.
“I’m not staring, I’m studying. There’s a difference.”
“Oh?” He moved closer, peering at my sketchbook. “And what are you studying exactly?”
I showed him the page of sketches—his hands, his eyes, the curve of his smile. “The way light hits different planes,” I explained, suddenly shy. “How shadow defines form. The… the things I want to remember.”
Something softened in his expression. He took the sketchbook gently, setting it aside before pulling me into his lap. “You don’t have to remember,” he murmured against my hair. “We’re not going anywhere.”