Chapter 5 #2
“Hey,” he said softly, noticing my hesitation. “You don’t have to—”
“I want to,” I interrupted, and pulled the shirt over my head in one motion before I could second-guess myself.
Klaus’s eyes flared brighter gold, pupils contracting to slits, then dilating again. “Beautiful,” he growled, and the raw appreciation in his voice banished any remaining insecurity.
I stood on the bed, bringing our faces level, and reached for the drawstring of my borrowed pajama pants.
His eyes tracked my every movement as I untied the knot and let the pants slide down my hips.
I wasn’t wearing underwear—mine had gotten wet in the snow—and Klaus’s nostrils flared as he took in my fully naked form.
“Mine,” he said simply, and pushed his sweatpants down his muscular thighs.
He wasn’t wearing underwear either, and my breath caught at the sight of him—thick and long, curving slightly upward, already flushed dark with blood. Werewolf indeed.
“Come here,” I said, reaching for him.
He climbed onto the bed with predatory grace, crowding me backward until I was lying down again with his powerful body hovering over mine. He braced himself on one forearm, careful not to crush me, while his other hand traced patterns on my chest.
“You have no idea how much I’ve thought about this,” he murmured, bending to place hot, open-mouthed kisses along my collarbone. “How much I’ve wanted to taste every inch of you.”
His words sent shivers down my spine. I arched up against him, seeking friction, and was rewarded with a growl of approval. His hand slid down my stomach to wrap around my erection, and I gasped at the contact.
“Klaus,” I moaned as he stroked me with agonizing slowness. “Please.”
“Please what?” he asked, teeth grazing my earlobe. “Tell me what you want, Jordan.”
The sound of my name in that rumbling voice undid me. “Everything. Anything. Just… more.”
He chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest. “I can do more.”
And then he was moving down my body, lips and tongue and teeth marking a path down my chest, my stomach, my hipbones. He settled between my legs, looking up at me with those otherworldly eyes, and without breaking eye contact, took me into his mouth.
I swore loudly, hands fisting in the sheets as wet heat engulfed me. Klaus hummed in approval, the vibration adding another layer of sensation. He was careful with his elongated teeth, using his tongue to create indescribable pressure and friction.
This can’t be happening, I thought deliriously. I’m being blown by a werewolf in a cabin during a blizzard.
Klaus pulled off with an obscene pop. “I can smell your thoughts racing,” he said, voice husky. “Stay with me.”
“I’m here,” I assured him, reaching down to touch his face. “Just… processing.”
He turned his head to nip at my fingers. “Process later. Feel now.”
With that, he returned to his task with renewed enthusiasm, taking me deeper than should have been physically possible. His hands gripped my hips, holding me steady as I writhed beneath him.
Just as I felt myself approaching the edge, he pulled away completely, ignoring my whimper of protest.
“Not yet,” he said, crawling back up my body. “I want to be inside you when you come.”
The words alone nearly finished me. “Yes,” I agreed breathlessly. “God, yes.”
Klaus reached to the nightstand and retrieved a small bottle. He coated his fingers liberally, then looked at me with a question in his eyes.
“You’re sure?” he asked, seriousness cutting through the haze of lust. “This means something different for my kind.”
I understood what he wasn’t saying. This wasn’t just sex for him—it was a claim, a declaration.
“I’m sure,” I said, surprising myself with how much I meant it. Three days in Pine Peak had somehow rewired my priorities completely.
The smile he gave me was blinding in its joy. He kissed me deeply, then moved his slick fingers between my legs, circling and teasing before slowly pressing one inside.
I gasped at the intrusion, then relaxed as he worked me open with practiced patience. One finger became two, then three, stretching and preparing me thoroughly.
“Klaus,” I panted as he curved his fingers to hit that perfect spot inside me. “I’m ready. Please.”
He withdrew his fingers and positioned himself between my thighs, the blunt head of his cock pressing against me. With excruciating slowness, he began to push inside, giving me time to adjust to his considerable size.
So full, I thought, fighting to relax around the intrusion. So good.
“Okay?” he asked, holding perfectly still once he was fully seated within me.
I nodded, beyond words. He began to move, pulling back and pushing forward in a rhythm that quickly had me gasping. His changed eyes never left my face, watching my every reaction with intense focus.
“Mine,” he growled again, pace increasing. “Say it.”
“Yours,” I agreed, not even caring how desperate I sounded. “God, Klaus, I’m yours.”
Something wild and possessive flashed in his expression. He hooked one arm under my knee, changing the angle to hit that perfect spot with every thrust. My vision began to blur at the edges as pleasure built to an impossible peak.
“Going to… mark you,” Klaus panted, rhythm faltering. “Not… the full claim. Not without… your permission. But something…”
“Yes,” I gasped, not entirely sure what I was agreeing to but beyond caring. “Anything.”
His thrusts became harder, deeper, pushing me rapidly toward the edge. When I was just on the precipice, he bent down and sank his teeth—his very human teeth, I realized dimly—into the juncture of my neck and shoulder. Not breaking skin, but definitely leaving a mark.
The sensation pushed me over the edge. I came with a shout, untouched, clenching around him as pleasure overwhelmed me. Klaus followed seconds later, his rhythm stuttering as he growled my name against my neck.
For long moments, we lay tangled together, his weight a pleasant anchor as our breathing slowed. Finally, he rolled to the side, keeping me close against his chest. I could feel his heart thundering beneath my ear.
“That was…” I trailed off, lacking adequate words.
“Yeah,” he agreed, sounding equally inarticulate.
As my mind cleared, questions began to resurface. “Your eyes,” I noted, looking up at his face. “They’re normal again.”
Indeed, his features had returned to fully human—amber eyes with round pupils, normal teeth, regular nails.
He smiled lazily. “I can control it, mostly. Except during the full moon. Or intense emotions.”
“Like lust?” I suggested.
“Like lust,” he agreed, stroking my back. “Among others.”
I traced patterns in his chest hair, trying to reconcile the man beside me with what I now knew. “So you’re really…”
“A werewolf,” he confirmed. “Born and raised. Third generation Alpha of the Pine Peak pack.”
“Alpha,” I repeated. “That explains a lot about your family dynamics.”
He chuckled. “They’re going to be insufferable now. They knew you were my mate before I admitted it to myself.”
“Mate,” I echoed, testing the word. “Is that why I felt so drawn to you? Some kind of werewolf magic?”
Klaus propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at me seriously. “No magic. Just… recognition. Compatibility at a level beyond the physical.” He traced my cheekbone with his thumb. “It doesn’t compel you to do anything. You still have free will.”
“Good to know,” I said drily. “Since I just had sex with a werewolf I’ve known for three days.”
He winced slightly. “Too fast?”
I considered this, then shook my head. “Surprisingly, no. It feels… right.” I looked up at him curiously. “What would a full claim involve? You mentioned it earlier.”
Something heated flashed in his eyes. “More than just a temporary mark. A permanent bite, during the full moon, with intent from both parties.” He brushed his fingers over the spot he’d bitten. “It creates a bond. Not mind-reading or anything dramatic, but… awareness. Connection.”
“Like werewolf marriage,” I suggested.
He smiled, but his eyes remained serious. “Something like that. But more permanent.”
The implication hung between us, neither frightening nor unwelcome, just… significant. I nestled closer to his warmth, feeling strangely content despite the absurdity of the situation.
“The snow’s still falling,” I noted, glancing toward the window.
“We’ll be here at least until tomorrow,” Klaus confirmed, pulling a blanket over us. “Possibly longer.”
I smiled against his chest. “Guess my audit will take longer than expected.”
His laugh rumbled beneath my ear. “Such a shame.”
As I drifted toward sleep, warm and sated in the arms of a werewolf during a blizzard, I had to admit—Pine Peak might not be so bad after all.