CHAPTER 6
Justice
I STOOD AT THE BIG bay window gazing at the falling leaves as they carpeted the lawn. Though it was only mid-September, the leaves were already tugging loose from the branches. The trees were full of bright colors differing from one root to another. I couldn’t help but to stare in awe.
I blew over my hot cup of java letting the steam push back against my skin to warm me. Alice was spoiling me with treats, and this amazing brew was one of them. It was French toast dark roast with caramel cream. No sugar was needed.
“Justice, it’s time,” Alice called from the doorway before closing the door tightly behind her.
We’d set a schedule of time that I spent healing Seuss. He needed more healing than was estimated, but I could only handle the sessions in small spells. He was strong, and healing him was no easy job. His wolf also needed to heal, and the two together drained me quickly.
I moved to the bed and sat down my cup. I took off the sweater I’d taken from Seuss’ closet and laid it across the chair. I climbed in bed with him, pressed my back against his side and put his arm around me. My cup was still in reach and I grabbed it, sipping while in deep thought. I’d been in my head a lot today and decided to share my thoughts with Seuss. Maybe he could hear me, maybe he couldn’t. Either way, it couldn’t hurt to talk to him.
“I always thought that I’d be somebody important. When I was a kid, I’d pretend to be the mayor’s wife. It wasn’t that I didn’t think that I could be the mayor, because I could. But it’s always the wife that does the good stuff. Saving communities, building schools, being that voice that others are afraid to have. The mayor gets to sit in business meetings and make sure that the laws are being upheld, but the difference is made by his counterpart. She makes the people love him and have just as much faith in him as she does.”
Seuss’ hand, warm and sure, cupped my breast. Breathless, I looked down to see his hand caressing my bare skin. His calloused fingers caressed between my breasts and down the center of my stomach. I tried to focus on what I was saying. He was in some sort of healing sleep, and there was no way that he was doing any of this on purpose. Maybe he was dreaming. I set down the cup, afraid that I’d spill its contents.
“I’m not sure if that’s the role of the Alpha’s mate. That’s what I envision it as. All of this is so new and different that I don’t know if I understand any of it.” I scoffed. “The Alpha’s mate could just be a baby machine. For the record, I’m not that. I don’t know why I even care. You’ve already made it clear that you don’t want me as a mate.”
I trembled from the sure path he was taking just before he teased my right nipple between two of his fingers. I leaned my head back, arching into his ministrations.
“You can’t just take what you want from me, Alpha,” I mumbled to him breathlessly.
Squeezing my thighs together only made the ache become more intense as my need dampened my sex. The heel of his hand caressed the other nipple, and I closed my eyes, hoping for relief but trying to figure out how we got here. The spasms wreaking havoc upon the walls of my sex brought me closer to the edge of something mountainous.
“That’s where you’re wrong, vixen.” Seuss squeezed my nipple firmly making my slit throb intensely.
I could feel the effects from the pull on my nipple through my clit. My entire mound seemed to pulse in time to his racing heart. I sighed. “How so?”
“That’s exactly what I’m going to do.” His voice was gravely, yet I felt the booming ripple through my mind.
I turned my head into his muscled forearm and bit into the skin there, soothing the spot with my tongue. I’m not sure what made me do it, but the response was a low growl that ignited shivers of gratification. I gasped as I began tipping forward off the ledge of bliss. A loud buzz of chimes on the other side of the door startled me back into the moment. I sat up, breathless, and looked over at a resting Seuss. His hands were fisted in frustration, and there was an obvious tent arching the sheets.
“Madam … Justice … the session is over,” Alice said through the closed door.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” I yelled.
I slid from the bed and looked over at Seuss. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that he was smirking at me. Damn if it wasn’t sexy.
“Tsk, tsk. You’re a very bad boy, Alpha.” I put on my sweater and pulled the blankets firmly around Seuss. Feeling naughty, I leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “A few more seconds and you would have been the first man to ever make me cum.”
I stood up and smiled as the tent grew taller. I was happy that I wasn’t the only one effected. “I’ll be back later, Seuss.”
And with that I exited with my now cool coffee and headed into my room for a long shower.
***
“When will you be home?” Ms. Sandy sounded nervous, and I was trying to reassure her by telling her as much as I could.
“As soon as I’m done helping out here. I wish you could visit. The house I’m staying in is huge. When Seuss is better, I’ll ask him if you can visit before I leave. I think he’ll be better any day now.” I twirled a strand of my hair around my finger to occupy my mind.
I was in Seuss’ room, and I felt drawn to him though I couldn’t touch him right now. I’d healed him for the day by taking a short nap beside him. I needed to allow myself some space, so I could heal. Sitting in the same room satisfied my need to be near. I noticed that the more I healed him, the more I felt connected to him. I wasn’t sure if it had anything to do with the partial bond that he’d created when he’d healed me or what. The way that he’d rejuvenated life within me left a doorway from his mind to mine. I could hear him, feel him, and even see parts of his dreams. We were connected whether I liked it or not. There was a pull to him that I couldn’t deny. I kept the information to myself, but he was growing harder to resist.
“And you’re sure that you’re okay?” I was distracted by the man lying in the bed, but otherwise I was just fine.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m just fine,”
Maddox walked into the room making me smile. It was short lived when I saw the concern on his face.
“I’ll call you back soon. I need to take care of something.”
“Is everything, okay?” I wasn’t sure how to alleviate her fears. She was human and wasn’t to know anything that was going on. Maybe Alice could offer some advice on how to calm her.
“Yes, I’ll call you back tonight, promise.” I smiled hoping that it carried through the phone.
“Good. I miss you, Justice.” I knew she was concerned and worried about my whereabouts.
“I miss you too.” After our goodbyes, I hung up and stood to approach Maddox.
“Is he improving?” Maddox asked impatiently. He seemed off.
“He is. It’s slow moving, but he is getting there. Is there something that I can help with?”
“No.” He was so tense that I could tell that something was up.
“Maddox, you can talk to me. If I can help, I want to.”
Maddox hesitated. I could see the war raging inside. It was difficult to tell which side would win.
“Please!” I pressed.
“The pack is only as strong as their Alpha, and right now things aren’t looking good. I’m getting really backed up on all the responsibilities, and I don’t want everything to fall apart because of it. Seuss never created his own hierarchy after the old Alpha left, taking his with him. What we had in place worked if we were both around, but it was always bigger than a two-person job, so leaving it to one is definitely not going to work.”
“Can you tell me some of the things that need to be done?” I looked around the room searching for a pen and paper to take notes.
“If you don’t mind going out, I can tell you as we walk. I’ve still got a lot more things to do today.”
I confirmed by nodding then walked into my room to put on shoes and a jacket of Seuss’. I met Maddox in the hallway to head outside. I found a notepad and a pen on the lower level of the house before we exited. I took note of the things that he listed were done by the Alpha and on which days. Then he explained to me which things he did. I was also able to get him to list the things that they weren’t doing that needed to be done. As we walked, he spoke to the people in the town, and I made note of things that I saw on the way.
The Wessex pack was huge. There was no valid reason why Seuss was doing all of this with only himself and Maddox, but maybe I didn’t understand.
“Can I ask you something?” I turned to Maddox as he began chopping down a half-fallen tree.
“Sure.”
“Is the Wessex pack the average size of a normal pack?”
“God, no. We have the largest pack on the eastern half of the U.S.”
“Then why …”
“Why does Seuss think that we can do this alone?” He said the words for me. I nodded. “I have no idea.”
I looked around me at all the trees that were in danger of falling. There were nearby houses in danger, and Maddox would be out here for days getting them cut down. I looked at my list and sighed. There had to be a way.
“I’m going to go for a walk,” I said to Maddox as I began walking away.
“Hang tight.” He ran over to me and took off his work gloves and dusted his soiled hands on his denims. He reached into his back pocket retrieving a platinum signet ring. He slipped it onto my ring finger and I looked up to question him.
“There are a lot of wolves who haven’t met you yet, and even though his scent clings to you lightly, you haven’t been fully claimed, and it’s noticeable. It would help if you introduced yourself as the Alpha’s mate with the ring as proof.”
I started to object but he covered my hand with his. “Even if it’s temporary. I can see something brewing behind those eyes of yours, and something tells me that you’ll need it.”
I sighed, not liking this idea, but he was right. To get the people involved in anything I came up with, they were going to have to trust me and know that I am just as official as the Alpha. Maddox held up his hand showing his signet ring as Beta.
“Does your mate have one?” I wondered out loud.
“I don’t have a mate, but if I did, hers would be a family crest. The Beta’s wife doesn’t have a role to play in the community. Besides, I’m old fashioned. The Beta should never take a mate before the Alpha.”
I wanted to say something, but I chose to keep my comments to myself. I could only fix so much while I was here. The most important was to free up Maddox’s time so that he could handle the political aspects of the job. I headed into town to look around. What I found was even better than gold: The Community Center.
As I entered, I heard a lot of commotion coming from the gym. Looking inside I could see the boys horse playing while the girls were standing in groups talking and carrying on. I went to the community board to see lots of ads seeking work, but not a single ad looking to fill positions for employment. This could work in my favor.
I chatted with Ms. Kento, who oversaw the after-school program. There was plenty of valuable information to be gained from her as well. We chatted so long that after closing she offered to give me a ride back to the Alpha house. We checked on Maddox and dragged him back with us. She stayed for a quick supper, then I went upstairs to check on Seuss.
I stood watching him and wondering. If I’d met him in a social atmosphere, I can’t say that I wouldn’t have been drawn to him. His skin was naturally tan which complimented his long, dark hair. I’d never admit this out loud, but Seuss was beautiful, and normally that was a turnoff for me. There was something about his rugged appeal that drew me despite my usual reservations.
“Justice, can you bathe Seuss for me? If not, I’ll have to wait until the morning. I’m tired, and because he’s mated, it’s either you or me.” Maddox leaned on the doorway and I felt sorry for him. He was worn out and it showed. My day was not nearly as draining as his.
“Absolutely. Want to show me where everything is?” I followed him to a different room that was connected to this one.
“There are plenty of towels, washcloths and linen. I’ll grab his soap from his bathroom.” Maddox turned to exit.
“No, I’ll grab that stuff. I’ll get changed into something more comfortable and take care of the rest.”
Maddox filled a large metal washing tub of sorts that he rolled into the bedroom and set it next to Seuss. “If you can pull this aside to the wall when you’re done, I’ll get rid of it in the morning. I’ll send Alice in to check on you after a while.”
I nodded and followed him to the door locking it. I went into the master room and changed into a pair of sweat pants and a sleeveless shirt then grabbed something easy to dress Seuss into.
I entered the room and turned on Seuss’ iPod that I’d found. I played it on the surround sound system and soft rock played in the background. I hummed the familiar tune and headed over to begin my mission. Was I nervous? Very. I’d never touched a man as intimately as I was about to.
I pulled the sheets down to his waist and shifted the bed so that he was in a sitting position. His bare chest was muscled, and I took a second to outline every part of it with my eyes. The water was cooler now than the scalding temperature that Maddox brought into the room. I lathered soap across his shoulders, and his tense muscles never wavered as I washed over them.
I sighed in contentment as my fingers expanded over his chest. This. His strength was centered here. I didn’t know if it was the wolf in him, but I could tell that his upper body was where his pride was. I made sure to take extra care, and when I’d rinsed the soap away, I massaged over his upper body using only my hands and up the column of his neck.
“Justice …” He reached out through our bond, but I could feel the apprehension present. He was holding something back.
I smiled hoping that he was enjoying it and that I wasn’t hurting him. “Yes, Seuss?”
His only response was a grumble that I hoped was a good thing. I continued and received a sigh of relief this time.
“I’m glad that you are enjoying this.”
I massaged down to the sheet and removed it slowly. My eyes widened at his partially erected member. My face heated and I cleared my throat. Good lord! I distracted myself with the soap and washcloth but when I turned back I could have sworn he was harder than before. I began washing him, avoiding the thickness between his legs until nothing else was left. He was also long and slightly curved giving me all kinds of thoughts. I could imagine the damage he could create with that kind of appeal. I bit the side of my lip before lifting his shaft and sack to wash. The skin was soft, and I washed it gingerly before stroking his shaft with the cloth.
The growl that radiated through the room was fierce and resonated deep within. Unconsciously, I whined. My body arched toward him. My chest rose and fell with desire being its only source of air. I licked my lips and looked up at Seuss.
“God, I wish you were healed,” I whispered more to myself than to him.
“Me too …” His agreement surprised yet pleased me.
I moaned and closed my eyes. The fact that he’d heard my needs was overwhelming. I took a minute to center myself and to focus.
I managed to finish cleaning him, lotion his skin, and get him dressed. He smelled delicious. There were only two things that still bothered me, and I hoped that he wouldn’t kill me for what I was about to do. I used a few towels to support his neck and I used a brush that I dipped into water to brush through his hair. The strands were silky and massaging the shampoo through it created a tingling sensation that raced through my body.
While the bath had been for him, this was selfishly for me. I used the wet cloth to wash out the soap until his hair smelled of a mixture of crisp white smoke and that spiced musk that he always smelled of. It reminded me of the beginning of a warm fire on a frigid day. It was earthy, yet it held a bite to it that let you know if you touched it, you’d get burned. I dried his hair thoroughly and then washed his face.
I smiled as I straddled him for the last bit, his erection was nestled against my ass, but I was focused on the joys of this moment. I would say that if strength was in his upper body, power was in his thighs. As I straddled him my core throbbed harder for him, and only he had the ability to make it stop. The power from his thighs and hips radiated through me making me speechless. I needed to distract myself from the bad thoughts fleeting through my mind. I shampooed his facial hair and added the shaving cream to his face.
“Alice told me that you hate facial hair, but until you can do something about it, I’m going to keep it trimmed the way I like it. Since you got me into this mess.”
I heard a light chuckle, and I smiled. My dad showed me how to shave men the old fashion way and then he’d showed me the easier way. The shaving kit I’d found in Seuss’ bathroom was a mixture of the two. I wouldn’t be using the clippers since I liked the hair on his face. I used the razor to follow the lines of his lips so that his goatee would complement it. I then left the shadow along his cheeks but lined it up as well.
“But all of this underneath …” I tilted his head and got rid of all the excess hair there. “… has to go, Seuss.”
When I was all done I smiled harder. If I wasn’t already hot for the Alpha, I would be with his fresh look.
“Well aren’t you lethal?” I reached behind his head to see how wet his hair was. He was mostly dry, but I decided I’d comb through it a few more times.
I rested my head on my folded hands that lay across Seuss’ chest. “I don’t think that I’ve thanked you for saving my life. Maybe when this is all over you can tell me what happened.”
I watched his lips hoping that they would move, and he’d say something, but they stayed still. I noticed a few hairs out of place and I cut them with the scissors from his kit. I smoothed the hair before oiling it lightly. I leaned up to admire my work, and damn if I didn’t want to kiss him. His bottom lip was begging for me to suck it between mine. I leaned in slow, anticipating the moment and hoping that he’d reciprocate, but knowing it was impossible. When my lips grazed his, the connection between us magnified, and I could feel his raw need. Power flared and roared inside me. It was too much, and I could almost feel his lips move against mine.
I pulled away suddenly to see him looking at me. I leaned in again, helpless to the pull to feel him claim me. He took my lips and I melted against him as his tongue parted my lips taking refuge. I felt suspended in time as his lips worked me over. He was hard against the crease of my derriere and I wondered what he’d feel like buried inside me. I couldn’t fathom how good that would feel. It was too much for my mind to wrap itself around.
I submitted to his will and he took control easily, sure of his method of attack. My whines turned into helpless whimpers begging for more. He slowed the kiss into small brushes of his lips upon mine making me tingle all over. I rested my head upon his with my eyes closed.
“Justice …”
“Yes?” I looked into his eyes, and I could see just how tired he was.
“I must …”
“I know … I know … you need to rest.”
“Yes …”
I nodded, understanding, but damn if it didn’t frustrate the hell out of me. “Rest well, Seuss.”
I kissed him one last time before sliding from the bed and working quickly to clean up. I turned the music off and covered Seuss fully, remaining quiet the entire time. I didn’t need him getting sicker. I checked his hair to find it completely dry. I kissed his forehead and closed the door as I headed to bed.
I knew that he needed his rest, but I couldn’t help but feel a ping of desertion. I held on to the fact that he didn’t want me yet again. I buried myself deep into the bed quietly wishing that the curse of being left alone would lift and that happiness would prevail. Silent tears were consumed by the pillow that I shed them into. My heart tried to hold steady as my doubts and fears threatened to shatter it into a million pieces. Sleep. I welcomed it, but instead I received a long sleepless night.