Chapter Twelve
Joanna
Consciousness returned slowly. The first thing I registered was the softness beneath me—a bed, not the cold, hard ground of the Den. Next came the scent of smoke clinging to my hair. But beneath that, a faint whisper of pine and earth…
Marcus.
My eyes fluttered open to a dimly lit room. The walls were log-cabin rustic, decorated with old, framed paintings and flickering lanterns. I was in Cedar Grove, then. Safe.
I tried to sit up, but intense pain in my shoulder made me hiss and sink back down. Right.
The memories of the attack flooded back. The fire. Lucas, frozen in fear. Marcus, tearing a wolf off me, his eyes wild with rage.
A soft knock sounded at the door, and Maya entered. She looked exhausted, and to my surprise, her eyes were warm with concern.
“You’re awake,” she said, crossing to the bed, the hems of her pants dragging on the floor. “How do you feel?”
“Like I went ten rounds with a werewolf,” I rasped, my throat dry.
Maya poured a glass of water from the pitcher on the nightstand and handed it to me. “Here, drink.”
I took the glass, my hand shaking slightly. Maya noticed but said nothing.
“The others?” I asked, handing the glass back.
“The ones who made it out are safe. Some are pretty banged up, but Sarah’s tended to them, so we’re optimistic. Lucas is still… shaken, but he was never harmed, thanks to you.”
“Sarah?”
She nodded. “Our healer. The one you can thank for those.”
I followed her gaze to the bandages peeking from my tank top, crossing diagonally across my chest. I nodded, thankful indeed. “And Marcus?”
Maya’s expression softened. “He’s been by your side since we got here. I sent him to get some rest. He needs it, considering…”
I looked away, my chest tightening. “He’s blaming himself… Thomas got away.”
“Yes,” Maya said, her voice hardening. “But we’ll find him. We won’t stop until we do.”
I looked back at her, seeing the determination in her eyes. Something had shifted between us in the last few days. We were no longer just a hunter and a werewolf. We were allies. Friends, even…
Nope, just allies.
“Thank you, Maya,” I said, my voice low.
She reached out, squeezing my hand. “Rest, Joey.”
I managed a weak smile.
Maya left, closing the door behind her. I lay back, my eyes drifting closed. Sleep came quickly, but it was fitful, filled with flames, snarls, and the scent of blood.
When I woke again, the room was darker, the lanterns turned down low. I must have been out for hours. My shoulder ached, but the sharp pain was gone. I shifted, feeling the pull of stitches.
A soft sound caught my attention, a rustle from the corner of the room. I turned my head to see Marcus sitting in a chair, watching me.
“Hey,” I said, my voice still hoarse.
“Hey,” he echoed. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” I said, sitting up. Marcus was at my side in an instant, his arm around my back, helping me. “Thanks.”
He hesitated before pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “Why did you wake up—is it the pain? Do you need medicine? You should still be resting.”
“I’m pretty sure I’ve been resting for hours,” I protested. “I should get up and move around.”
Marcus looked like he wanted to argue, but he just nodded. “Fine but take it easy. You lost a lot of blood.”
He propped me up against the pillows, leaning in closer to fluff the one behind my head. “When I saw Leo attack,” he whispered, “I thought…”
“I told you I could handle myself,” I said matter-of-factly, turning to face him. Our faces were inches apart, his eyes searching mine.
“I know,” he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
I cupped his cheek with my non-bandaged hand. His stubble was rough against my palm.
He leaned into my touch, resting his forehead on mine, his eyes closing briefly. When they opened again, they were filled with an intensity that made my breath catch. “I… I care about you, Joanna. More than I should.”
This was it. The moment I’d been avoiding, the moment I couldn’t outrun anymore. I cared about him, too. More than I should.
“Marcus,” I started, but he cut me off.
“You don’t have to say it back. I just… You needed to know. About this… complication.”
I studied his face. This powerful alpha, this man who had become so much more than an ally. There was uncertainty in his eyes.
A knock sounded at the door, causing me to jump and Marcus to pull away.
“Come in,” he called as I worked to swing my legs over the edge of the bed.
The door opened, and Maya strode into the room with three people in tow.
The first was a large, handsome Black man who looked to be as tall as Marcus. Dried blood covered the front of his t-shirt, his muscular arm bandaged, protecting wounds I knew would soon heal.
Behind him was a beautiful Asian woman, her jet-black hair in two goddess braids. She was lean with an athletic frame displayed in her workout jumpsuit.
The last shapeshifter was tall, though shorter than the other male. He was white with unnaturally pale skin. If I didn’t know any better, I might’ve thought he was a vampire.
Marcus gestured to the werewolves. “Jerome, Grace, Robert,” he introduced. “Three of our strongest warriors and Maya’s most prized possessions.”
Maya rolled her eyes at Marcus’s smirk, but I noticed the way she stood a little taller. She glanced at Jerome before addressing her alpha once more. “We have a report.”
Jerome stepped forward, his colossal frame comforting—but only because we were on the same team now. His dark eyes met mine. “We’ve been interrogating Brian all weekend. He’s finally given us some useful information.”
The way he said it, I knew “interrogating” was code for torturing.
But wait…
I looked at the small, curtained window. The night darkened the thin fabric. “All weekend?”
Marcus’s frown deepened. “You’ve been in and out of consciousness for two days.”
I swallowed, unable to bear the concern in his voice. I looked at Jerome. “But your shirt—Your arm…”
Jerome shrugged. “The arm’s a result of me getting carried away during the questioning. The blood belongs to the traitor.”
Grace cleared her throat, saving me the embarrassment of grinning like an idiot. “It’s as you suspected, Alpha. Thomas has joined the uprising. He’s been in contact with other rogue wolves who want to expose our kind.”
The blood drained from my face.
“Brian wasn’t sure of the numbers,” Robert continued, “but it’s clear that Thomas has been rallying support for some time. He’s been targeting younger wolves that are unhappy with the current arrangement.”
Marcus growled, his grip on the bed’s quilt tightening. “Thomas has always been a fucking instigator, but this…”
Maya crossed her arms, her eyes hard. “We need to find him and put an end to this, Marcus. Before it spirals out of control.”
Marcus crossed his arms. “Then rally up anyone that can still fight, and let’s end it.”
Maya’s eyes widened. “You’ve homed in on his scent?”
The beautiful smile that formed on Marcus’s lips made my heart skip a beat.
“Unfortunately for him, it seems I’m still his alpha.” He turned to face me. “And you haven’t made matters worse with your little spells.”
I shoved him, making him laugh.
Jerome cleared his throat, giving me and his alpha sideway glances. “Our pack will not be enough. The rogues have had weeks, months, to gather. And we don’t even know which of our neighboring packs can be trusted.”
He was right. And the way Marcus’s shoulders dropped, he knew it too. Maya looked at Jerome, her eyes soft, and gave him a nod of approval.
“What about hunters?” They all looked at me like I had sprouted a second head. “Hunters have a duty to protect humanity. That means we can’t allow this uprising to happen just as badly as you can’t—even more.”
Marcus shook his head. “Just because you took a blood oath doesn’t mean the rest of the hunters are bound to it, Joanna.”
“Oh, isn’t that how magic works?” I answered, rolling my eyes. “We need all the help we can get. So, if you have a better idea, we’d all love to hear it.”
The three new werewolves stood wide-eyed, staring at the human who had the audacity to challenge their alpha. Thankfully, Maya spoke up, breaking the silence.
“Joanna’s right,” she declared. “We need help.” She shot me a stern look. “Are you able to send word to your kin?”
I nodded, sure of myself. “They’ll come if I call.”
Marcus stood up with a clap of his hands. “Then that’s settled.” His gaze bounced from Jerome to Grace to Robert. “Make sure every able man and woman knows to get ready. Thanks, you three.” His hurried tone made it clear he was dismissing them, and they each took the hint.
The werewolves nodded before spinning on their heels and exiting.
I smiled at Maya, her gaze still focused on the entryway. “So that’s your type, huh?” She whipped around, surprise flashing across her face, which only made my grin widen. “Tall, dark, and handsome?”
Marcus looked from me to his gamma. “What’s that?” he exclaimed.
“Nothing, Alpha,” Maya said, attempting to downplay my realization.
But it was too late.
“Jerome?” Marcus squealed, covering his mouth with his hands.
“If you two don’t need anything else…” Maya bowed without waiting for an answer and hurried away to safety.
With the door closed, I laughed out loud. “You didn’t know?” I asked Marcus.
He shook his head as he sat next to me on the bed. “She’s never shown interest in anyone. I thought maybe she was gay and too embarrassed to tell me.”
My jaw dropped. “Why the fuck would she be embarrassed to tell you that, Blackwood?” Was I going to have to kick this man’s ass?
But Marcus shrugged. “Because she’s my gamma, Sullivan. Strong. Scary… I thought maybe she didn’t want to be seen as a stereotype.” He held his hands up defensively when my glare didn’t waver. “I wouldn’t have had any problem with it… Attraction isn’t a choice…”
The way his words trailed off made me uneasy. I looked down at the floor, only to feel his hand on my chin, lifting my head to face him.
“You talked down to me in front of my wolves,” he whispered. “I’ve punished people for less.”
Then his lips were on mine, and he was kissing me, pulling me close.
I kissed him back, my arms wanting to slide around his neck. I wanted to cling to him. My fingers itched to tangle in his hair. But he held my arms down, careful of my injured shoulder. My body ached, not from pain, but from need.
His hand slid under my tank top, fingers tracing the edges of my bandages before moving up to cup my one exposed breast. I gasped into his mouth, my nipples hardening under his touch.
He broke the kiss, trailing his lips down my neck, his teeth grazing my skin. I shivered, my body craving more of him. He gripped the hem of my tank top, carefully ripping it down the center, his eyes never leaving mine.
I sat before him, topless, my chest fluttering.
Marcus’s gaze roamed over my breast, my stomach, my neck—as if he were searching for any new wounds to kiss and make better.
I reached for him, my fingers finding the buttons of his flannel shirt. I undid them, my knuckles brushing against his chest. He shrugged out of the annoying barrier between me and his solid frame, and I finally ran my hands over his heated skin.
He stood, lifting me effortlessly, and laid me back on the pillows. His body hovered over mine, his weight supported on his arms. He looked down at me, his expression tender.
“Tell me if I hurt you,” he murmured, his voice low and sensual.
Then he leaned down, capturing my lips in a slow, passionate kiss, his body pressing me into the mattress. He finally let me wrap my arms around him, my fingers digging into his back as his kiss deepened.
His hands roamed over me, fingers tracing the curves of my waist, my hips, my thighs. He hooked his fingers into the waistband of my sweatpants, pulling them down and off, leaving me naked beneath him.
He broke the kiss, breathing hard as he looked down at me. His gaze lingered on the juncture of my thighs. He reached down, his fingers tracing the edges of my folds, his touch gentle and teasing.
I gasped, my hips arching into his touch. He slipped two fingers inside me, his thumb finding my clit and circling it slowly. I moaned, my body writhing beneath him as I felt the warmth of his breath when he replaced his thumb with his tongue.
Fucking hell.
He came back up, his lips capturing mine as his fingers brought me closer to the edge. I clung to him, clawing at his back as I came undone, my body convulsing around his fingers, my scream swallowed by his kiss.
He pulled away, his breath ragged as he looked down at me. His eyes were wild, his pupils dilated, his wolf close to the surface. “Do you need me to stop?”
I shook my head.
“I need to fuck you.”
I reached up, my fingers finding the buckle of his belt. I undid it quickly, my hands shaking with anticipation. He kicked off his jeans, his body naked and glorious above mine.
You’d think I’d be used to it after seeing it twice already, but when I looked down, my eyes widened at the sight of his dick, hard and ready.
He reached down, taking his erection in his hand.
Wasting no time, he guided himself to my entrance.
He pushed into me slowly, his eyes never leaving mine.
I gasped, my body stretching to accommodate him, my hips lifting to meet his.
Then he began rhythmical thrusts, slow and steady, his body in perfect control.
When I wrapped my legs around him, I dug my heels into his ass, urging him deeper, harder, faster. He growled, his control finally slipping, his thrusts becoming desperate.
I held him tightly. The sound of our bodies colliding with each thrust filled the room, the scent of sex heavy in the air.
My body tensed, and my breaths were now coming in quick gasps. Marcus’s intense gaze was the last thing I saw before I shut my eyes, bracing myself as the orgasm built.
“Come for me, Joanna.”
And I did. My body shook beneath him, my teeth embedding in his shoulder to prevent my scream from filling the room.
The moment I bit him, Marcus followed me with his climax, his dick pulsing inside me, his growl of release a sound I could listen to again and again.
We lay there, our bodies entwined, our hearts pounding in sync.
“That was… nice,” he purred in my ear.
I laughed, my body shaking beneath him. “That’s one word for it,” I said, breathless just the same.
He rolled off me, his body sprawling out beside mine, his arm pulling me close.
I snuggled into him, my head resting on his chest, my body pressed against his. I closed my eyes and let the uprising, the rogues, the hunters—all of it—fade away.
All that remained… was a complication.