Chapter 10
TEN
Christian
The lack of sleep over the last few days must catch up with me, because when I wake up the next day, it’s already after four pm.
Granted, Quinn and I stayed up most of the night talking and getting to know each other better.
She told me about her parents, two people I now despise and never want to meet.
She told me how lonely her childhood was, how she struggled to be perfect, and was let down when they didn’t pay her any attention.
We talked about my family, about my becoming a doctor, and how I came to live in Night Grove Falls. I told her about the cult that moved in north of us a few months ago and our struggles with them.
Then we talked about the future. I know she’s still struggling to decide if she wants to go back to New York, stay here in Night Grove Falls, or start over somewhere new. I promised her I’d follow her anywhere, and I could tell that she was starting to believe me.
She’d been let down so much in her life, and I vowed to myself that she would never be disappointed again.
When we finally fell asleep, the sun was starting to rise. We were both exhausted, but I still hated to close my eyes. I didn’t want to waste a second of my time with my mate. I wanted to know everything about her. Needed to know so I could keep her happy.
I stretch in bed and take a deep breath.
Mate, mate, mate, my wolf chants.
It takes me a second to figure out what’s different today.
Then it hits me.
Tonight is the full moon. I’m feeling the mating heat.
Fuck, it’s so strong already, I think.
My wolf licks his lips. Claim her!
I roll onto my side and search the room for my Quinn. She’s curled up in bed next to me, still fast asleep. I know she’s still a bit sore and tired from her injury. Sleep is good for her, so I let her rest as I slowly crawl out of bed.
My wolf is like a caged beast inside me, pacing as I go to the bathroom and order us room service. He doesn’t take his eyes off our mate. Neither do I.
I know I’ve already marked her, but I need to be with her fully. But I doubt she’s ready for that. My wolf and I can only think about being with Quinn as we sit in the chair near the bed and get to work.
I place an ad for help at the clinic before tidying the room. My phone buzzes, and I step into the bathroom to talk to Abe.
“Hey,” he grunts.
“Hey, man. What’s up?”
“Just checking in. Are you and your mate still at the clinic?”
“No, we’re at her hotel. Why? Did something happen?” I ask urgently.
“Not that I’m aware of. I was off duty last night, and no one called me.”
“Do you know who was on patrol? Maybe we should call and check in with them.”
“I’ll figure it out and let you know. You focus on your mate.”
“Thanks,” I say sincerely. “How’s Roxie doing?”
“She’s perfect.” I can hear the smile in his voice as he talks about his mate. “How are you handling the mating heat?”
“I…” I trail off.
He laughs. “Yeah, it was intense the first time.”
“And then it eases up?”
He snorts. “Nope.”
My wolf lies down inside me. I can feel his happiness and excitement for tonight and take a deep breath. I need to temper our expectations. There’s a very good chance that Quinn will need more time, and I need to make sure my wolf is prepared for that eventuality.
“I’m making dinner for Roxie tonight, so I’ve got to go. I’ll let you know if I find anything new out,” Abe says.
“Sounds good. Have fun.”
“Will do. Good luck, man.”
“Thanks.”
We hang up, and I tiptoe back out of the bathroom to check on Quinn. She’s still asleep, so I sink into the chair.
My feelings are so intense. All I want to do is gather her into my arms and make her mine.
Yes, let’s do that, my wolf encourages.
Patience, I tell him.
Over an hour passes while I watch my mate sleep, making plans in my head—contingencies in case she chooses to leave Night Grove Falls. I need to show her that I’m serious about us.
Someone knocks at the door, and I hurry to open it. The guy from room service brings in the food and sets it on the table. I tip him and lock the door behind him. When I turn back to the room, I see that Quinn has woken up.
“Good morning, er, afternoon,” I correct.
She blinks, looking at the window, then at the alarm clock. “Jeez, I can’t remember the last time I slept this late.”
“Me neither. You needed your sleep, though. It will help with your recovery.”
She nods, climbing out of bed. I move to her side to steady her and help her to the table.
“I’m okay. Really,” she says softly.
I grit my teeth as I force myself to step away from her.
No! My wolf snaps.
I ignore him.
“I ordered us some food. Help yourself,” I say, backing up another step.
Now that Quinn is awake and so close, the mating heat is even stronger. My whole body is on fire. I feel like I’m about to break out of my skin.
I watch my mate as she eats, trying to calm myself, but it’s no use. All I can think about is being with Quinn.
I want to strip her naked, spread her over the bed, and lick every inch of her.
I want to hear her scream my name.
I want to make her come.
I want her as addicted to me as I am to her.
“Are you eating?” she asks.
“Yep,” I say abruptly, but make no move to sit at the table with her.
She stares at me for a beat. I grind my teeth.
“Are you okay?”
I nod stiffly. “I can feel the mating heat.”
“Yeah, me too,” she says softly.
Claim her! my wolf screams.
“It’s, uh, affecting me more than I expected,” I admit.
“Do you want to leave?”
“No!” I shout at the same time as my wolf. “No, I’m okay. I’ll be okay.”
Quinn licks her lips as she finishes eating, then turns her gaze on me. She seems so at ease, so unaffected by the mating heat, and I wonder what it’s like for a human.
“I’m going to take a shower,” she says.
She stands, and the movement carries her scent my way. That’s when I smell it.
Her arousal.
She wants us, my wolf barks. Claim her.
She might look unbothered, but now I know she’s feeling it too. Maybe as strongly as I am.
Quinn disappears into the bathroom before I can say anything, and I collapse onto a chair at the table.
The water turns on a minute later. I shove a French fry into my mouth as I work to regain control of my body.
My wolf paces inside me like a caged beast. I briefly debate leaving to let him out for a run.
We’re not leaving our mate, he growls.
I sigh. Yeah, I know. Tonight is going to suck.
Tonight is going to be the best night of our lives.
I shake my head. She’s not ready.
She wants us! You smelled her. Listen.
I pause, my ears straining. Then I let out a moan.
“Fucking hell,” I snarl.
Over the sounds of the shower, I can hear my mate moaning.
Jesus Christ, is she touching herself?
Break down the door and find out.
Nope, I tell my wolf, even as I stand and move closer to the bathroom door.
That’s a mistake.
Now I’m closer, I can hear the soft sounds of her fingers brushing over her skin. I brace my hands against the doorframe, knowing I should back away, but my feet won’t listen. Listening to her touch herself and get herself off is torture, but I can’t move.
“Christian,” she whimpers.
My mouth waters. My need grows even greater, and I debate my plan to go for that run. My nails grow, and when she moans my name again, my claws sink into the doorframe.
Damn. I’m going to have to pay to fix that.
“Oh!” Quinn cries out.
I’m seconds away from breaking down the door and begging her to let me lick her pussy.
DO IT! my wolf roars.
The water turns off a second later, and I can hear my mate’s labored breathing as she steps out of the shower.
We probably shouldn’t be lurking right outside the bathroom door, I think, taking a step back when the door swings open.
There stands my mate. Steam curls around her flushed body, and my knees grow weak at the sight. Before I can think it through, I step forward, backing her up until she runs into the wall next to the shower.
Then I kiss her.
The kiss is messy and hard. It’s a claiming, just not quite the one my wolf and I want.
My fingers trail over the bite mark I left on her and curl upward to cup her chin. I tilt her head, angling it just right so I can kiss her harder, deeper.
She grips the front of my shirt, twisting in her grasp and pulling me closer. I go willingly, my hands dropping from her face to run over her body. I slide them under her towel, and we both groan when I squeeze the round globes of her ass.
“Fucking perfect,” I growl against her lips.
Her mouth presses against mine, and my teeth scrape along her full bottom lip as my hands slide up her sides to cup her tits.
Quinn cries out as I pinch her nipples. I growl as I tease the sensitive peaks.
“Love hearing you make those noises,” I whisper against her lips.
She rewards me with another gasp, giving me the opening I need. I lick into her mouth, coaxing her tongue to tangle with mine. I can’t get enough of her, of her body, of her mouth. I could spend the rest of my days exploring every inch of her and die the happiest man on Earth.
My hips rock against hers, my clothes growing damp as I press against the wet towel wrapped around her. I fist the wet cotton and rip it from her body.
That’s when I realize what I’ve done.
I break the kiss, both of us flushed and panting. We stare at each other in shock, and I lick my lips, still tasting her there.
“I’m sorry,” I blurt out.
She frowns. “For what?”
“I shouldn’t have done that. I lost control. You still need time to think about all this. It won’t happen again,” I promise.
My wolf whines inside me, but I ignore him.
My resolve dissolves with every passing second as Quinn makes no move to cover herself. When she looks at me and licks her lips, I know I need to leave. I can’t be around her tonight. Not when the mating heat is this extreme.
“I should lea—”
“What if I don’t want that?” she cuts me off.
My heart stutters. “Don’t want what?”
“For you to control yourself,” she says softly.
“It’s the mating heat.”
She shakes her head. “It’s not. Not just that anyway. It’s you. I’ve never wanted anyone before, but I’ve wanted you for days.”
“Fuck, mate. You don’t know what you’re doing to me,” I choke out.
“I do. I feel the same way.”
I’m shaking like an alcoholic being offered a drink. “I don’t want you to regret this tomorrow.”
Her eyes meet mine, full of certainty. “I won’t. I need you, mate. It hurts. All of me hurts.”
I release a tortured groan. “Fuck, the moon isn’t even fully up, and I already need you this badly.”
“Do we have to wait?” she asks, looking upset at the thought.
I glance over to the window to see the moon rising in the sky.
“Close enough,” I mutter.
Then I’m on her.
She’s already naked, and I make quick work of stripping off my clothes. Lifting her into my arms, I carry her to the bed. I lay her down in the center and brace my weight over her.
“You are so beautiful.”
“I want to make this good for you,” she says self-consciously.
I smile. “You already are. I’m close to coming already just from rubbing against you.”
She giggles, and I grin at the sound.
“Tell me what to do,” she says.
“I’m a virgin too, mate. We’ll learn together.”
She looks nervous, but she nods.
I kiss her again, trying to keep it light and gentle, but after a few seconds, we’re back to making out, our tongues twisting together as we rock against each other.
“There!” she gasps as my cock rubs against her silken folds.
“Fuck,” I choke out. “I need to get you ready.”
“Oh, I’m ready,” she promises.
I might be new to this, but I know I need to give Quinn an orgasm before I sink inside her. I won’t last for more than a minute this first time, and I need to make sure she gets off too. My mate comes first. Always.
I kiss my way down her body, molding her tits in my palms and stroking my thumbs over the peaks. Running my hands over her hips, I grip her thighs.
“Christian,” she pants.
I look up at her, taking in her sexy curves. “Need you to come on my face first.”
“Oh, God,” she wheezes as I spread her thighs and lick a long stripe through her center.
“Goddamn!” I growl. “So fucking sweet.”
“Christian!” Quinn calls, her thighs already trembling on either side of my head.
I assume from her reaction that I’m doing something right as my tongue rolls over the little pearl buried between her legs. She screams my name, her back bowing off the bed.
Do that again, my wolf says.
I’m already ahead of him.
I suck her clit into my mouth, flicking and curling my tongue over her bundle of nerves until she’s tense and dripping beneath me.
“So… close…” she gasps.
I slip a finger inside her.
That does it.
“YES!” Her whole body constricts as she comes all over my hand and face.
I lick up her juices, greedy for every drop. She twitches as I give her clit one last kiss and prowl back up her body.
“Good?” I ask.
Quinn nods. She looks so gorgeous lying beneath me, love-drunk and sated.
“Mine,” I whisper.
She smiles. “Mate.”
My dick rubs against her soaked core, and we both tense. I look down, watching as the head of my cock disappears into her tight channel.
“You can still say no.” I force myself to say the words.
Quinn shakes her head and wraps her arms around my neck. “I want you.”
Thank fuck for that.
I lean down, kissing her as I thrust into her, popping her cherry and claiming her fully.
My wolf howls in my head, and I grunt out her name, grinding my teeth to stop from coming instantly.
My lips go to the bite mark on her neck, and I lick over it. She shivers, and I smile as I start to move.
We rock together, slowly at first as we learn our rhythm. It doesn’t take long before we’re moving as one, chasing our highs.
“Oh! There! Right there!”
I angle my hips, pounding into her just right. Her legs tighten around my hips with each thrust. I snarl, lowering my head to suck her nipple into my mouth as I hammer into her like a machine.
“Christian!” Quinn mewls, her fingers tangling in my hair.
She clamps down around me, and I’m a goner. I moan as I come inside her so hard that I almost pass out.
I collapse onto the bed on my side, rolling my mate with me so I don’t have to pull out. Quinn sprawls across my chest, breathing hard. I kiss the top of her head, stroking my hands over her back.
For the first time in days, my wolf is happy and quiet inside me. I can feel his contentment, and I relax.
I smile as I look out the window and see that the full moon is now shining brightly in the sky.
“What now?” Quinn asks, propping her chin on my chest to look up at me.
“Well, we have all night…”
She grins as I roll her under me again.