Chapter 23
NEVER GOING TO STOP
LUKE
Lawson puffs his chest up as Nia begins to stir.
He’s impressed with himself for marking our mate and he’s refused to apologize for being a cunt about it.
He gave Nia a few seconds to figure out what was happening before he took his fucking chance, and she didn’t have any time to come to terms with it.
Granted, I’d told her I’d mark her once her wolf accepted mine, but she barely knew what Lawson was doing until it was done.
Nia clung to me like her life depended on it as the four of us merged, and while I loved it, I also despised it.
She was terrified and unprepared, and I’ve been livid with Lawson ever since.
She’s slept through the night and I refused to let the asshole take control. He wanted to cuddle next to her and I point black refused. He threatened all sorts of violence, and none of it had any effect.
Nia was swept away, exhausted enough to take Lyall with her.
They need rest and my wolf can go fuck himself if he thinks he’s doing anything else without Nia’s fucking consent.
The four of us are meant to come together.
We’re meant to be inseparable. We’re meant to find balance, and he’s risked it all for a single moment of dominance that we’ll have to work to undo.
“She needs a dominant wolf, Luke. We weren’t going to tame Lyall by being nice about it.”
I brush him off. Again.
“Nia has to give Lyall what she needs. They’re bound for a reason and she can’t ignore her wolf.
Not anymore.” Lawson tilts his head and my shoulder remains ice cold.
“They’ll be fine, once they find their way.
We’ll help them.” He pauses and my silence is a harsh rebuff.
“Lyall needed it and Nia will understand.”
My girl stretches in my bed and I ignore my wolf as he howls.
Nia’s body is far too fragile and I’m going to have to help her build her strength.
Physically and mentally. She’s weaker than she should be and she’s going to need to get better, and quickly too, if she’s going to control her wolf.
Lyall is vicious and a force to be reckoned with in every way.
I don’t know why I thought she wasn’t, not when she’s Lawson’s mate. The pair of them belong together. They’re as bad as each other and as much as I hate to admit it, Lawson has a goddamn point. Lyall wasn’t going to accept a weak wolf and she needed Lawson last night.
I just hope I can make Nia see it.
I just hope it isn’t another setback on the four of us coming together.
I need Nia to trust me, and Lyall needs to trust Lawson.
Only then can the four of us find complete harmony, and Nia may be reluctant to grant my wolf a second chance after the shit he pulled.
She knows I’d have been within my rights to mark her without her consent, but I gave her the choice and then Lawson took it from her, and that doesn’t sit comfortably.
She stretches again and her tits are glorious and a fucking distraction. They’re almost as distracting as what’s between her legs and I look away, trying to keep myself under control.
My cock sure as fuck isn’t.
I reach into the pack bond and remind every-fucking-one that not one of them is to try to reach her.
She’s their Luna but she needs time and I want to make sure Nia’s okay before they descend on her.
They’ll all vie for attention and position, and there’s not a fucking chance I’m going to let her be overwhelmed.
Not when I want all her attention myself.
Nia rolls over, showing me her ass. I’m tempted to grab it and in time she’ll be relaxed and confident enough to let me use her while she sleeps, but she’s not there yet.
“You awake?” I ask, already knowing the fucking answer.
“Obviously.”
Damn, she’s pissed.
“Nia?”
She turns over and her eyes lock onto mine and I don’t like their dullness. Their silver is like graphite and she sighs, dragging herself up the bed and pulling the sheet over herself.
Shit. Nia isn’t pissed. She’s resigned.
“Did you want breakfast?”
She shrugs and I could wring her neck. The one that’s currently healing from the bite mark she endured. I tip my head to see if I can see the markings developing but Nia tosses her head and her hair falls over the spot I’m desperate to see.
“I’m not okay with Lawson,” I grit.
Nia shifts her weight and I move closer. She doesn’t pull away but her mood doesn’t lift.
“He’ll be apologizing to you himself.”
“Like fuck I will,” he snarls.
“You’ll apologize to our mate and damn well like it or you won’t be playing with her anytime soon.”
Her eyebrow arches like she doesn’t believe me.
“I didn’t think you’d want him around when you woke.”
She nods and looks down, staring at her fingers as they grasp the clean white sheets. Nia looks small, and I don’t like it. She’s reducing herself down to something beneath her and we’re going to be breaking this nasty habit quickly.
“Thanks,” she mumbles, barely acknowledging me.
“Nia, I didn’t expect last night to happen either.” I sit on the bed and start moving closer. “But I won’t lie to you. You’re my mate and it was meant to happen, and Lawson acted on instinct. Lyall too.”
She nods again and I’ll shred the sheets if she doesn’t start talking soon. I slide my hand toward her and Nia doesn’t flinch, and when I lace my fingers between hers they squeeze mine.
“Lawson won’t hurt you, Nia.”
Her mouth twitches.
“Just as Lyall won’t either.”
Her eyes narrow and a spark of silver flashes through them.
Her wolf is fucking furious at my suggestion and Nia turns inwards, processing her thoughts as she starts to work with Lyall.
She’s got a load of growing to do and Nia’s going to need more time.
I want her to be ready for everything we are now, but that’s an impossible ask.
“You’re disappointed.”
I freeze.
Nia’s caught my emotions and maybe the closeness I’m so desperate for isn’t so far away. My girl needs to stop wallowing in self-pity and I’ll fuck some goddamn sense into her if needed. I’ll fuck her anyway, but the fight will make it all the more interesting.
“I’m not a complete imbecile, Luke,” she says. “I can sense you as well as you sense me.”
She bites her lip and the hint of scarlet sends blood racing to my dick. Nia’s thighs move and I’m fucking certain she’s rubbing them together, trying to ease her discomfort. We’re fueling each other’s arousal and in a matter of seconds, it’ll be uncontainable.
“You’re going to be okay, sweetheart.”
Nia’s eyes spark alive and her head snaps up. “Stop telling me it’s going to be okay.” She swallows and tosses her head again. “I hate it.”
I move closer and she stares at me, defiant.
“Nia doesn’t like weakness either, Luke.”
“I know that already, asshole.”
“Just trying to help you get laid,” Lawson replies. “You do want to bury your cock in her, right?”
“Tell me how you want this, Nia.”
My voice is calm but my emotions are not. I want to fuck my girl until she’s fucking ruined and Lawson fades away, content to leave me to get on with it. I move closer and Nia leans back until there’s nowhere else for her to go and she nods, smiling faintly.
“Be gentle.”
My fingers tighten around hers. “You don’t want that, pretty girl.”
Nia angles her head and stares at me like I’m an idiot.
She’ll pay for her insolence in a moment or two, but now I need to move her along.
She’s aroused but hesitating, and we’re not slipping into easy, gentle fucking that will turn predictable and uninspiring.
Nia’s capable of more than that and I won’t be satisfied until I’ve ruined her and taught her what she wants.
Her lips turn inward and Nia shakes her head.
“I don’t want a pregnancy. Not yet.”
I grin. “You can’t get pregnant. Not until your body recovers from the wolfsbane, sweetheart. We’ve got lots of time to practice and you’re going to learn to take my cock like a good little whore.”
Nia relaxes and it’s disappointing how much of a relief that is to her. She’s just not ready and while part of me accepts that, part of me wants her to be as desperate to breed as I am. I’m left in an agony of my own, certain I’ll go feral with need while her body heals.
“I’m sore.”
“Good,” I rasp, starting to box her in. “You’ll scream louder for me.”
Nia’s heart races and her excitement surges. She’s responsive and I move more aggressively, pulling her hair back off her shoulder. I grab her hand when she moves her arm up, stopping her from hiding what I want to see.
And it’s fucking hot.
Beautiful and delicate too.
The wound’s already beginning to heal and the ink colors are developing, washing down toward her chest and back as they trail under her skin and make their way toward their final destination.
Each mark is different, each one unique.
The process is set in place by the male but the female’s body controls the final design, dictating how his imprint marks her body.
It's a physical joining of two souls and Nia’s mark is already stunning. Blue and purple inks with a hint of silver and a touch of magic flush her skin and I’m certain my mark will be everything I dreamed of and more.
My cock hardens and I want her. More than that, I fucking need to claim her again, and every possessive, territorial instinct in me takes over, demanding I make sure she knows who owns her.
I push her down and she giggles, and it’s not the time for fucking games. My mouth sucks and bites, drawing gasps and shrieks as I pinch her nipples and make my girl writhe beneath me.
“Slow down,” she breathes.
“No,” I rasp before crashing my lips onto hers.