25. Unraveling
Unraveling
Malcolm
H e stared into her eyes and wanted to do as she asked immediately, but a part of him needed her to be sure she wanted him.
“Are you sure?”
“I am. I want you.”
He retreated a step and placed both hands on her shoulder. “If you do this, I will not let you go. No matter what happens later, you’re mine.”
“I know.” She smoothed a hand along his forearm, reached up with her free hand, and tapped the edge of her dress. It slipped off her like it was silk with barely a sound. Once it hit the ground, she stepped out of it completely nude. “I want this.”
With a shudder, he retracted his hand.
“Then, I will do as you command.” Voice strained, he undid the braided leather belt that held up his tartan and stepped towards her, pulling her close once more.
The control he’d held onto disappeared as he tasted her kiss again.
A moan slipped past her lips, increasing his craving for her. The deeper the kiss became, the more ravenous he found himself. She was finally in his arms and pliant to his predatory desires.
Breaking the kiss, he trailed wicked little kisses along her neck to her chest. At the same time, his hands cupped her ass and drew her closer. When he reached the top of her breast, he licked and sucked at the top of her high breast as his long fingers slipped between the globes of her ass and played with her breast, his hands still making squeezing motions.
Sweet, all Malcolm could taste was pure sweetness. The stunning woman in his arms made him want to swallow his tongue at how rich her flavor was on his tongue. Baring his teeth, he scraped them along her skin there, an alarming ache in his canines growing.
“Malcolm,” she sobbed his name as he brought his mouth to her right breast and suckled on her nipple; she lifted her chest and placed a hand on the back of his, drawing him closer.
Malcolm toyed with her using his tongue and teeth.
He manhandled her, attempting to touch every part of her, learning where she was soft and curved. He couldn’t get enough of her. The taste, the scent, and the feel—the memory was being carved into his skin.
He drew back and, picking her up, he knelt, laying her gently on the ground. He returned to his worship of her skin; he drew his tongue along her belly to her thigh, where he felt her breath hitch. His eyes went to her face, only to see the most erotic sight of her biting the back of her fist. Her eyes glistened with lust.
Biting back a whine, he pressed a kiss to her thigh; then he dipped his head, his tongue sliding between her folds to find her swollen clit to suck on. Instantly, his tongue was covered in her warm, gushing juices.
Malcolm felt anguish that this was his first time tasting her; he was determined to torment her for making him wait. Unbridled joy made his movements more aggressive until he had Eliza squirming beneath him. Her hips flexed up as her free hand reached down. But he caught it, intertwining his fingers with hers. She choked as the licentious sounds around her stimulated her until she released a mewl of ecstasy.
Her juices dribbled from between her folds, causing the lips of her sex to shine from her own crème and his generously offered saliva. He used his free hand to spread them apart and slurped, sucking on her click. His nose pressed so deep inside her, so that her smell would be seared on his mind. Every lick and swallow made his dick harder and hunger more ardent. He wanted to fill her, but first, he wanted her crying out in pleasure damn near in a frenzy for his dick.
Malcolm’s beast clawed at the edge of his mind to be free; he grappled with it as he circled her clit with his long tongue and then sucked it, causing her to sob out in pleasure. Breathing hard, he raised his head and watched as she pressed her back down and lifted her chest as she rode off an orgasm. A sinister need for more moved him to push his two fingers inside her. Heartlessly, he began moving them slowly in and out.
“Malcolm—I can’t,” she said, her eyes closed.
“My mate can take anything,” he crooned. “You’re so wet for me, but I need more, baby. You have to show me that you want me. Come on, show me that you want me.”
Eliza panted, her eyes blurred with arousal. “Mal—I want to-to show, want you.”
A sadistic smile decorated his lips, “That’s my girl, now fuck daddy’s fingers. Show me with your body how much you want me to breed you.”
Releasing a low whine, Eliza started moving her hips, mimicking fucking with his fingers. Malcolm watched as her tits bounced with her movements.
“That’s it; coat my fingers with your cream so I can taste it, my girl.”
He added another finger to reward her and started driving his fingers inside. Moving them clockwise every three thrusts. Eliza's hips followed his fingers as he shifted higher. Her hands grabbed his forearms.
“Ah, ah, Malcolm,” Eliza's lips parted as her back stiffened from another orgasm.
“I’m right here. I’ve got you; you’re doing so good. You’re such a good little mate.”
Gaze blissed out; Eliza grabbed his wrist as she slowly breathed out.
Malcolm refused to let her up for air. “Give me one more. I know you can.”
Once more, he started playing with her, his finger already held tightly by her sopping-wet pussy, jaw Tightening. He started pumping his fingers inside her. “Come, give me everything, baby. Don’t hide anything from me. I need you to satiate me with your cries of pleasure. Feed me everything; don’t you dare hide anything from me.”
Soon, Malcolm’s body was aligned with hers, so his one hand continued driving into her; with his other hand, he dug his fingers into her hair. Tone turning cruel, he ordered. “Look at me, Eliza.”
Struggling, he watched her with an abnormal focus until her eyes opened. When they did, he leaned down and shamelessly whispered. “That’s right, we’re one. You’re not only my good girl but also my mate and my soul. Mine, if you run from me, I’ll capture you and pleasure you till you’ll never think about leaving again.”
A sick smile came to his lips as he stared into her daze gaze. “But something tells me you’re not listening to me.”
Displeased, he increased the pace and force. “Come for me, love.”
Completely gone, Eliza's jaw dropped as her entire became taut as she wailed as her third orgasm ripped through her, but Malcolm swept, capturing even her pleasured noises.
Malcolm offered her gentle pecks as he drew back. He withdrew his fingers from inside her and sucked them, delving his tongue between them. When he finished, he leaned down and kissed her. He wanted her to taste what he did; she was delicious.
Their kiss broke, leaving a trail of saliva on their lips.
“You make me so happy, love.”
Maneuvering between his long legs, he picked them up and spread them so her shiny brown pussy lips were exposed to him under the moonlight.
His eyes flickered between green and amber as he stared down at her. She was his prey laid out for his consumption. He’d chased her down, and now she was submissive and ready to be claimed.
“Tell me ,” he commanded, his voice rough and hard. “Tell me you want me.” He lined his dick with her entrance.
Eliza’s mind was barely able to catch his words; she was dizzy from having orgasmed three times. “I-I’m yours—agh.”
Her eyes widened in surprise at how swiftly he’d entered her. Stretching her to the hilt till she felt both bliss and pain, his hands held her hips tightly so she couldn’t pull back. Her eyes rolled back; she could feel him inside her throbbing. The heat of his body where they were connected had released breathless pants for hair.
Even as she reached for him, she didn’t know if she was attempting to push him away or pull him closer.
Malcolm threw his head back and howled.
He pulled his hip back and thrust forward, her body jolted. He pulled back once more and pounded in. Her body sucked him in like a glove; he released a raspy breath.
Fucking had never felt so good.
“Mine.”
Malcolm leaned forward, placing two hands on either side of her head, and barely giving her time to breathe, he grounded her. Her body was his to fuck, his to own.
Eliza grabbed his wrist as he impaled her into the ground.
Her body barely had time to recover as she felt herself coating him once more as another orgasm rolled through her.
“Agh, Malc, Malcolm—I can’t, I can’t—” She wailed, but she didn’t want him to stop; she locked her legs around his hips and took his every punishing thrust. His glowing yellow eyes were intense, and his curses filled her ears.
“You can,” he viciously snapped.
This was claiming.
As he pulled back, though his body was sweaty and his eyes were now bright yellow, he continued to plunge his dick inside her. Driving her crazy, she couldn’t even remember her name. She only knew who she was because he kept whispering her name like a prayer. Sweat and their combined juices slipped between them; the frenzy didn’t slow but increased.
“Ah, fuck.”
She felt his thrusts quicken.
“Ah. So close,” he hissed, grabbing her leg and lifting it. His eyes met hers, and a flash of the beast she knew roamed inside and bared its teeth before he clamped it on her ankle. The teeth piercing the skin, her pussy clamped down as her back bowed.
“Eliza,” he shouted her name as he slammed forward, the claws on his hand cutting into her thigh as he held. Still, he thrust once, twice. He filled her with ropes and ropes of his semen, to the point it leaked out and coated her thighs. He didn’t stop. Lowering her leg, he turned her on her stomach. He bent his lips to her back. “More, I need more, love. Just once more.”
She felt him press against her even as his cum slipped down her leg; her eyes widened as he hadn’t softened. He pulled out, only to shift behind her and pull her back against him. She gritted her teeth as he entered from behind as she pushed up. Releasing a yelp of surprise when he smacked her ass.
“I’m going to fuck you till you come just by the memory of this night,” he cruelly declared.
He pulled her up, pressing his lips to her shoulder only to draw his teeth along her back.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he said, thrusting in slow movements.
This time, she could hear every grunt and groan he made as he fed himself on her. She couldn’t ignore the sensation his voice caused in her body. He wrapped an arm around her body, one hand holding her left breast, his fingers rolling the nipple between his fingers, as his other hand pressed against her front.
Her eyes rolled into the back of her head; a vision of her past ran through her head. Her body had never been pleasured to this extent, the groans becoming more animalistic. As his thrust grew rougher, her body bounced until he gently put her on her knees, and she could only hold herself as he once again grabbed her hips and accelerated his assault, like he wanted to cement his dick inside her. His hip movements grew so fast and rough that she dropped onto her elbows.
Her screams of pleasure filled the night; she wasn’t afraid of people hearing.
She wanted them to know that the beast, their lord, was fucking her. That Malcolm had claimed her.
She didn’t want it ever to end, and just as she wished this, her body tightened as another burst of pleasure exploded from within. She cried out as he once again filled her, and her body tightened all around his heavy and still-hard dick. Her body shook as her soul was ripped from her body.
“Hah-hah,” he breathed, but she felt his body wasn’t done.
He lifted her quickly, turning her so she faced him as she sat. He stared into her eyes, now more werewolf than human, as he turned her so she straddled him. “Malcolm—I can’t.”
“You can,” he growled as he took her lips and lowered her down. She squeezed her eyes tightly as he filled her once more. She felt her skin buzz as she began to move, her body tightening as she moved on him. Her pussy hadn’t ever been so sensitive. “Yes,” he nearly hissed.
But she couldn’t hear him; she was riding him. Her pleasure was the most important; she would rip a scream of pleasure from him just as he’d done to her. Her knees tightened as she placed her hands on his shoulder. And her hips lifted before lowering hard on him. Her body jolted before she did it again. Her moans of pleasure filled her own ears.
“Come for me,” she demanded as she rode him. This male tried to claim her. “Come for me, Alpha,” she commanded, kissing his lips harshly.
He held her, his tendons popping as his eyes turned yellow. His head snapped back, exposing his sharp canines, and as he filled her, his teeth latched on his shoulder in a brutal bite. The pain from his bite didn’t stop her as she rode him, and his body shuddered.
“Give it to me,” she railed, digging her hands in his hair. As she closed her eyes, riding still, she felt the spark; her toes curled, her mouth opened as she silently screamed, her entire body winding up so tight; as she popped her eyes open, the sky seemingly exploded as she came. “Ah?—”
Stiff, Eliza felt something swelling inside her. That triggered another orgasm. “Malcolm, what?!”
She pressed the back of her hand to her lips, trying to keep from screaming as
A sweaty hand rubbed her back. “Shh, it’s nothing. Just my knot.”
Voice rough, he nuzzled her throat. “It will shrink soon.”
The bit of panic she’d felt melted, and she had to admit it felt kind of nice, the steady pulsing even though she felt like her stomach was being overfilled.
Eventually, they fell back on the ground, completely out of breath and not moving, locked together.
Eliza
When she woke up, she wasn’t lying on the grass in Malcolm’s arms. She awoke in his clean bed. She moved only to feel her hip protest loudly. She dropped her head to the pillow, trying to hide her smile.
She’d jumped right off a cliff, hadn’t she?
She shifted, ignoring the muscle pull to flop on her back. She was still naked, but she wasn’t nearly as shy as she was when she’d woken in his room when they first met. She glanced to her right, only to release a gasp of surprise when she saw her appearance. Gawking at herself, she couldn’t believe how she looked. Her skin looked like someone had run her over.
Her hair was wild about her head, and from what she could see of her body, she was covered in bruises. The teeth mark on her shoulder stood out in sharp relief. She reached up and brushed her fingers along it. This was a wolf's mating bite.
She saw many women proudly sporting theirs; some had tattoos over them with dates showing when they were mated.
She pulled her left leg from beneath the covers to see another bite mark on her ankle. Her brow quirked in amusement as she went ahead and ripped the entire sheet off her body and saw the nail marks on her hip right over the surgery scar there.
She always heard rumors about how rough shifters got when mating; oddly enough, she wasn’t bothered. Honestly, she hadn’t felt any pain, and to be frank, she wanted to do it again.
A naughty vision of her tossed across the bed, being fucked silly, hit her, and she covered her body once more, hating the flush that came to her cheeks.
Deciding to take a shower, she went to stand just as the door opened and Morgan entered.
She jerked her sheet higher, shooting her an annoyed look, glad she’d placed her disguise spell just in time. “Doesn’t anyone knock anymore?’’
“Hmm, you never worried about me knocking before,” Morgan said with a wicked look. “Unless there's something you’re trying to hide.” She tapped her shoulder. “Like a mating bite, perhaps.” She grinned.
Groaning, Eliza let the sheet drop. “Was it that obvious?”
“Well,” Morgan said, letting the door shut behind her. “When your brother knocks on your door at the butt crack of dawn demanding that you come to see his new mate because she’s been fucked to oblivion.” She hummed. “Sort of obvious.”
Eliza’s mouth dropped. “He didn’t?”’
Morgan laughed, shaking her head. She set the basket on her arm on the edge of the bed. “No, I was joking. He said nothing; he only asked me to check on you while he was at another meeting.” She plopped down and leaned over, tapping the side of her nose. “But the scent will tell.”
Eliza frowned and sniffed. “I don’t smell anything.”
“Good for you,” Morgan said, wrinkling her nose. “It’s like he doused you in pheromones.”
Eliza copied her expression. “Is it that bad? I was just about to take a shower.”’
“It won’t change how you smell to us; for the woman, it will be bearable, but for the men.” She shook her head, eyeing her. “They’ll be staying far away from you, not that they would have hung close with you being just claimed. Single werewolves stay far away from newly mated females unless they want to lose their head.”
Eliza stared at her hands. “You know, usually I don’t go around with a bright red sign declaring I just fucked.” She looked at Morgan with a hopeless look. “But it feels like I’m wearing such a sign now.”
Morgan laughed. “Don’t worry, you won’t be the only one.” Her expression turned troubled. “Lilly disappeared on me, so I’m sure she’s going to be returning either a; grumpy cause she couldn’t find her mate or b; she’s going to be smelling worse than you.”
Eliza felt a little better hearing she wouldn’t be the only one walking around with Eud du Wolf. “What that?” she asked, motioning with her chin to the basket.
Morgan grabbed the trim cover and yanked. “Breakfast and—” She grabbed a container out of the basket. “Something you’ve been missing but didn’t know we could easily get.”
Confused looked from the container to Morgan, “And what’s that?”
“Coffee,” she said with a slight smirk.
I blinked, only to want to leap on her and kiss her. But I refrained; I was sure I wouldn’t just hurt her but myself as well, “I remember,” I said, my eyes on the container like it was an answer to all my prayers. “How did you manage to get it here?”
She winked, “Secret, I can’t tell you.”
“Are you serious?” Eliza grumbled, “I told you about that stash of chocolates the cook had.”
“That was different; that was for the good of werewolves.” Morgan protested.
“Werewolves, my ass.”
They argued over the difference between chocolate and coffee until Eliza heard the ruckus outside. Wiping tears from her eyes, she sighed. “Enough; I’m not going to get to eat anything if I don’t stop.”
Morgan stood, “Right, it’s not healthy to argue with a female werewolf.”
“Yeah, right,” Eliza moved to the edge of the bed and stood, “I need to shower, and then I’ll eat some; I’m starving.”
“I would be, too, if I was fucked to an inch of my life.”
“I’m not going to respond to that,” Eliza groaned as she walked into the bathroom, ignoring Morgan’s laughter. She shut the door and let the sheet she’d wrapped around her body to the floor. She didn’t bother looking in the mirror; she’d seen enough to know he’d thoroughly fucked her.
Stepping into the shower, she didn’t bother moving, letting her Magic do its thing. The wrenching sound of the turning of the knob was followed by warm water heating her skin. She held back the moan as she felt her muscles relax under the water pressure.
Her eyes closed; she began to hum to herself.
She couldn’t help wondering how Malcolm was doing. Even when talking with Morgan, she’d been thinking about him. Some of her wished he’d walked in and just said hi, but she knew he was busy.
She wondered what face he’d make when he saw her; would he be sappy or like usual? Giving her a look that said he’d much rather have her naked and ready for him. She’d seen several of his faces; last night, she’d seen his fear.
Some of her good feelings faded as she was reminded that her choice could cause. As Malcolm had said, the Jackals he worked for and the council wouldn’t be happy with his taking her. She knew there was a third party that wouldn’t be happy either.
The people he’d taken her from weren’t going to leave her alone. She lifted her wrist, brushed her opposite hand's thumb across it, and watched as the skin peeled back, revealing a magical circle.
She’d felt it shift under her skin more and more. She’d done her best to block their ability to pinpoint her location, but the location circle would give them a general idea of where she was. They were drawing closer.
She couldn’t allow anyone to harm Malcolm when she’d been the one who’d come with him and asked him for help. He was nothing more than a bystander who’d fallen for the wrong woman. She brushed the skin back into place; this would be harder than she’d thought.
The first thing she needed to do was deal with that redhead. He knew Phen, which meant he knew who she was. The only question was why he said nothing. What was he waiting for?
She turned the water off, and a warm wind blew across her skin. One minute, she was wet; the next, she was dry and stepping from the shower. She came to the conclusion she needed to stop running; she had to face her demons one by one, starting with that ass that had triggered her.
Leaving the bathroom, she got dressed in regular clothes. She’d enjoyed playing innocent, but she was Eliza, and it was time she remembered that. Morgan gave her a questioning look when she asked for her normal clothes, but she just told her she wanted to wear pants again.
It was about regaining her strength. She’d given herself to Malcolm, and she had no intention of running away from that, but that meant she had to stop running from her past and the future to come. She’d watched her mother run into herself and lose everything precious to her.
When she left the lodge, she was dragged away by Agnes, who’d finally shown up. When she saw Morgan’s nose wrinkle, she immediately realized she wasn’t the only one busy. She needed help to hand out food to the people who’d arrived late for breakfast, most of whom had been caught in the mating frenzy.
The new couples eyed each other, and some held hands, while some acted like they would run back to their tents and get back to it. She handed out another warm bun and some butter.
“If they don’t stop showing off, I’m going to shove red peppers into their sandwiches,” Lilly said, her tone caustic and holding a bit of anger that had Eliza taking the sandwich from her hand. She pouted. “How did these bastards find someone when I—” She glanced at the Maitland, who sat with his other guards. “Couldn’t get Mister Noble even to give me eyes.” She nearly growled.
Someone nudged her, and Eliza looked to her left only to see Morgan giving her a significant side-eye.
“I’m not asking anything,” she mouthed. She wasn’t about to sit here and light the bomb standing next to her.
Another couple came up, and this one was whispering back and forth as the male got their plates.
“I just want 30% of what they have,” Lilly complained, narrowing her eyes once more on the same man. “Damn him.”
Eliza felt another shove; she would hit Morgan if she shoved her again. She cleared her throat, forcing herself to smile. “Um, Lilly, did it not go well last night?” she asked slowly.
Lilly whipped her head towards her.
“Did it not go well?” she repeated, but her voice held a note of menace that had Eliza leaning back.
“What do you think?” she demanded, hitting the table with the tongs in her hand. “I went out, thinking of leaving it to fate. Did fate do me right?” She glared at the man. “The answer to that is ‘no,’ if you’re wondering.”
Eliza didn’t dare look over at the Maitland guy; instead, she decided her best bet was to play dumb. “You’re looking for your fated match?” she said. “Doesn’t that mean you might meet him next year?”
Lilly didn’t respond. Instead, she tightened her hold of the tongs in her hand until it shook before she exhaled harshly. And straightened. “You’re right.” Her tone was eerily calm. “I need to breathe; it isn’t like it would work out anyway.”
“Right, plus you have school and that internship coming up; you won’t have time for anything else,” Eliza tried to add, hoping her words would help.
Finally seeming to calm down, Lilly looked at her. “You’re right,” she said before her eyes sharpened on her shoulder. “Eliza, what is that?”
Eliza hesitated, and before she could explain, Lilly had already sniffed the air before she stared at her in shock. “You’re mated?”
“Y-Yes,” she said reluctantly, but she didn’t need to worry as Lilly’s eyes brightened.
“Malcolm finally did it!” she exclaimed with a squeal. She leaned over, catching Morgan’s eye. “I told you they’d do it.”
“If I recall, I didn’t say they wouldn’t,” Morgan said as she placed another sandwich on a person's plate, “Just that it wouldn’t happen here.”
Agnes scoffed, “You still owe her a hundred solid." She cut in, bringing them another tray of sausages from the kitchen. “How was it?”
“Agnes,” Morgan chided, giving her a look. “I’m sure she doesn’t want to tell you about it.”
Both Lilly and Agnes sent Morgan a look; Lilly spoke first. “But we want to hear about it.”
Feeling overwhelmed, Eliza placed her tongs down.
“Bathroom,” she quickly made her retreat. She wasn’t above running away, especially when she felt caught between the two cousins. Walking through the campsite, she spotted some more couples and couldn’t help turning her eyes away. Werewolves seemed very open, even in comparison to the Shade.
She found her mind drifting to her old friends. She felt sad that none of them knew she was okay and alive. She was more worried about them than she was about her family. Her father had always been more obsessed with making money than he’d been about her.
Some of her thought he deserved losing everyone he’d loved, but then she couldn’t remember him ever confessing loving anyone. Especially not her; she’d been her mother's desperate attempt to keep him.
That had failed, and she’d only wanted to spend time with her.
When her mother had died right before she’d gone to college, she’d been blocked from attending the funeral. She was the child the family resented for existing, proof of how desperate her mother had been for her father’s love.
She sometimes wished she’d never existed, but other times, she was grateful for being hated. Her mother was finally at peace, and she could leave.
When she first saw the money in her account, she was surprised. Some of her wanted to throw the money in her father’s face, but she ignored it. Let it pile up; she wasn’t to be bought. He’d chosen this type of relationship with her, so she didn’t feel any guilt abandoning him as he’d abandoned her mother.
Emails went unanswered, and texts were ignored. Eventually, she changed her number because she wanted nothing to do with him. She changed her last name and lived as if she were an orphan who’d only had one parent all her life.
She walked further away from the campsite, closer to the lake's edge. A few kids played in the water, their hands splashing water. She watched, wondering if she had ever been such a carefree child.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the person walking up behind her.
Muscled arms wrapped around her, and immediately she relaxed against them. “A bit arrogant assuming I’d know it’s you.”
Malcolm leaned down and rested his lips against her ear. “You’re my mate; you will always know. And I will always know where you are.”
She turned in his arms to look up at him. “Where have you been this morning?”
“The Aldermen wished to talk to me about a challenge I was given yesterday,” he said brushing a kiss across her forehead.
“A challenge.” She turned to face him. “I thought you were supposed to talk about the missing youth with the other pack Alphas.”
“I will, but the Aldermen wish for this challenge to be accepted before the Alphas' meeting,” he explained.
She frowned. “Do you have to?”
He nodded, his eyes somber. “If I don’t accept his challenge, it's as good as admitting guilt.” She frowned. “I don’t know his true intentions, but thanks to you, we know he’s not up to any good.”
“Who is this guy, anyway?" she demanded angrily. “He’s completely come out of nowhere.”
Malcolm’s brow creased in deep thought. “Exactly, I find his timing suspect as well.”
She clicked her tongue. “Sounds fishy to me. What does he look like?”
Malcolm turned away from her to the campsite. “Ah, there he is.”
She followed his line of sight only to still when she spotted the male.
“Do you see him, he’s the one with the red hair,” Malcolm said.
She nodded, recovering quickly. “I see him. So, you’re fighting him, when?”
“Tomorrow, I’m hoping he offers me a challenge.” He grinned.
She swallowed; she hadn’t expected it to be the same man who’d approached her. She bit her lip in worry. She couldn’t shake this wasn’t going to turn out the way Malcolm wanted it to.