Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Luca
“Are you afraid?” I ask with a teasing lilt to my voice. I know exactly what I’m doing. Sofia—like all alpha wolves—never backs down from a challenge, and baiting her into one is the quickest way to get what I want. “Afraid you might enjoy it too much?”
Her lips twist into a stubborn smirk, and her eyes roll to the heavens in that way that drives me half-mad. Damn it, I want to pull her over my lap and spank her ass every time she does it.
“Afraid? Of you? Please.” She scoffs out a breath like it is beyond ridiculous to imagine she would enjoy kissing me. As if she didn’t bless me with the delectable scent of her arousal when I kissed her earlier. “Not in this lifetime, asshole.”
“It might surprise you.”
“It won’t.”
“Then prove it,” I press, lounging back on my hands, legs stretched out like I don’t have a care in the world. The picture of ease. Inside, though? My wolf is pacing, tail lashing, teeth bared with need. “It’s just a little kiss. No big deal.”
She glares at me, her eyes turning to molten golden lava as she hears the challenge in my words. Good.
“I’m not scared,” she grits out.
I arch a brow. “Then what’s the hold-up? Tick-tock, Sofia.”
“Fuck it,” she mutters, voice low and dangerous. “I’ll show you how scared I am.”
And before I have a chance to register what’s happening, she straddles me, thighs clamping tight around my hips, and crushes her mouth to mine. For a split second, shock has me frozen—then instinct takes over.
Mine.
One of my arms snakes around Sofia’s waist, and my other hand tangles in her silky hair. I tilt her head slightly, getting her exactly how I want her, and she meets my passion with a fire I didn’t believe was possible.
The taste of her hits me like lightning.
Citrus and spice, fire and fury. Her lips part and I’m inside, tongue stroking hers, demanding submission she refuses to give.
She battles me for dominance, every slick slide of her tongue a declaration of war.
Trying to beat me at my own game with dominance I’ll never give her.
But, fuck if it isn’t sexy feeling her try.
She rocks her hips hard against me once.
A groan tears free from me before I can stop it.
Heat blazes where her core presses against the rigid length of my cock.
She does it again, slower this time, deliberate.
Testing. My hips jerk up in response, helpless to stay still.
If she keeps grinding like this, I’ll come in my damn jeans.
Her spicy, citrusy scent intensifies, and my cock is harder than steel. But then she pulls back. My lips follow unintentionally, as if magnetized to hers. My whole body thrums with the need to touch her. My breathing comes in hard pants, and my cock aches to be buried inside my mate.
She continues to lean back, my lips chase hers, but then she puts a finger to my mouth, smirking like the wicked little brat she is. “Not scared.” She drags her gaze over my wrecked state, eyes dark with satisfaction. “And for the record? I didn’t enjoy it.”
Liar.
She pushes to a stand, turns on her heel and struts away. Her swaying hips and tight ass are at my eye level as I watch her leave.
“Oh, you want to play, Princess?” I mutter under my breath, my wolf’s answering growl vibrating in my chest. “Bring it on.”
And I have no problem playing dirty to win my mate.
“Hey man,” Jackson greets me as I knock on his front door with that smug, mated glow written all over his face. “I’m just about to head out for patrol.”
“Yeah, I thought I’d give you the night off. I might need to swap another night if that’s cool?”
Jackson’s grin is instant; it’s sickening how happy he is since marking his mate. Her scent is all over him, intertwining with his own. It stabs something ugly into my chest. Jealousy. I’m such an asshole.
I should be happy for my best friend. Just because my situation is a mess, why should I want him to be miserable too? Plus, he’s had his years of being unhappy. He’s had more than enough heartache, and he deserves his happy ending with the girl of his dreams.
But I can’t help the envy twisting through me. He has his mate. His happy ending. Meanwhile, I’m stuck in this endless push-pull with Sofia, my wolf starving for a bond she refuses to give me.
“Emily home?” I ask. My voice comes out rougher than I meant it to.
“Yeah, she’s getting ready to watch a movie with Fia. Hopefully, they won’t mind me crashing their girl's night,” he says with a grin and fuck do I want to barge in and see my mate.
I nod my head, indicating for Jackson to follow me. We need to be further away than outside his front door not to be overheard by shifter ears.
“I was wondering if you had a chance to ask Emily about ways I can win Sofia over?”
His smile grows even bigger, and I pray to the Goddess that he has some answers for me. He lets out a chuckle and shakes his head before answering. “Yeah, I talked to her. She said she’s not telling you shit, but that you should try not being an asshole to her best friend if you want her help.”
“What the fuck, man? Why do you look so happy about your mate essentially telling me to get fucked?”
“Damn right, I’m happy about it.” His grin widens until it takes over his entire face.
“You remember how terrified she used to be of you? Look at her now. Standing up to you for her best friend.” His eyes shine with pride, and, fuck, he is such a goner for that girl.
Hard to believe he hadn’t trusted her in the slightest when they first met.
I thank him for giving it a shot and ask him to tell Emily that I’m trying.
Maybe if I can win over Emily, it’ll help with Sofia.
I clap him on the shoulder and leave before my bitterness can poison the air and infiltrate his happy bubble.
A few moments later, I nod my head to the warriors on duty as I stalk through the outskirts of the pack. I make my way around the perimeter and check in at the outposts. All is quiet, as usual, giving me plenty of time to think about how much I’ve fucked myself over.
Three years ago
“I can’t believe you’re finally back, man!” Jackson says, pulling me into a half hug and slapping my back.
“You and me both. That was a long two years,” I groan. “Never again.”
We laugh, but I mean it. Being away from your pack is no easy task.
I get why Ryan sent me away. My dad was able to stay on as beta, but Ryan and Jackson were both thrust into their roles of alpha and delta when Ryan’s father wasn’t able to continue in his role and Jackson’s father died.
Still, no matter how much I understood it, I hated every second away.
“At least you’re back now,” Ryan chimes in, clapping me on the back. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed having backup with Sofia.”
“You do realize that watching her sass you is one of my favorite pastimes,” I tease, glancing around for my favorite annoying little sister.
Ryan’s my best friend, but I’ve always been close to his sister, too.
Despite the nine-year age gap, I consider her one of my closest friends too.
Not sure she feels the same way, given how protective of her I am.
It must be annoying.
“Yeah, sass isn’t the problem,” Ryan sighs. “Not that she’s any less full of attitude, but she’s not a kid anymore.”
“Where is she anyway?” I ask, looking around at the group that’s gathered together for my welcome home party. Of everyone, I think I’ve missed Sofia the most. I talked to Ryan weekly, my parents and Jackson regularly too, but I haven’t spoken to Sofia since I left.
Still, I thought she’d be the first to welcome me back.
Ryan nods to the water in time to see Sofia haul herself onto the dock from the lake, water streaming down her golden skin, laughter ringing out as she shoves a warrior boy twice her size back into the water. She’s eighteen now and shit, she definitely doesn’t look like a kid anymore.
She was already tall when I left, but now she has filled out too.
Gone is the gangly teenager, and in her place is an Amazonian beauty with curves for days.
Her bright pink bikini shows her toned stomach, her full breasts, and her shapely hips.
She turns to say something to one of the guys she’s with, and I take in the curve of her round ass.
She’s laughing, but when she turns back, her eyes meet mine and her smile falters.
Something similar to uncertainty flashes across her perfect face, and I wonder what my face tells her. I can’t let her know how I’m looking at her. I can’t let anyone know how I’m looking at her.
Because it’s sick. I’m sick. She’s eighteen. Damn it.
She might have a woman’s body, but she’s way too young for me.
The intensity of my stare on her feels unbearable; I need to look away before anyone notices.
But yet, I can’t tear my gaze away. The air is sucked out of my lungs when she starts walking towards me.
Rivulets of water run between the valley of her breasts, and it’s taking every ounce of restraint to keep my gaze on her face.
“Hey, Luca,” she whispers. Her voice is breathy, and when she hugs me, I can feel the hard peaks of her nipples against my chest. My wolf charges forward. The word ‘mine’ swims in my head, and I have to swallow a growl by faking a coughing fit. Fuck.
“You okay, man?” Jackson asks while slapping my back.
“Uh, yeah, fine. What are you wearing, Princess?” I ask. “You look ridiculous.”
Her eyes blaze before narrowing at me. “You haven’t spoken to me in two years, and that’s what you want to say to me? Seriously? Asshole.”
She storms away before looking back over her shoulder and adding, “And I look fucking hot, dickwad.”
And she does. She is so fucking hot it’s painful to look at her. Like staring into the sun. And I need to look away before I get burned.
“See what I mean?” Ryan says with a chuckle, but I know we’re seeing two completely different problems. He’s seeing his sister as a woman he needs to protect, whereas I’m the one she needs protecting from.
Present
By the time I get home from patrol, it’s nearly three in the morning.
I quietly open my front door, unsure if Sofia will even be here or if she’ll have stayed with Jackson and Emily or snuck out to spend the night in the pack house.
But the sweet-spicy scent that’s uniquely Sofia wraps around me as soon as I step inside.
Relief loosens something tight in my chest.
Except the bed is empty.
I strip down to my boxers and try to settle in, but it’s no use.
My wolf prowls, restless, and uneasy. I can’t settle without knowing where she is.
It doesn’t take long to find her curled up on the couch with a blanket.
My wolf huffs out an unimpressed breath.
This won’t do at all. Careful not to wake her and face the attitude I’m sure she will give me; I cradle her body against mine and carry her to my bedroom.
Our bedroom.
She stirs and nuzzles into my neck. The memory of her grinding her pussy against me earlier today is front and center in my mind. My cock immediately jumps to attention, and my wolf purrs—ecstatic—despite my blue balls.
Fuck, this is torture.
I wonder how Sofia felt when she realized there was only one bed.
I got rid of the guest bed along with all the soft furnishings in the house.
Can’t have anything here that smells of any female other than my goddess of a mate.
And when I was buying new furniture, I decided one bed was all I needed.
I wanted there to be no choice if fate ever brought her back here. She’d have to sleep beside me.
I lay my mate gently on the bed and pull the covers over her before sliding in to join her. My cock throbs painfully, but as I’m about to climb out to sort myself out, Sofia rolls over, instinctively throwing her leg across me. She nuzzles into my neck, and I hear her wolf purring.
The oversized shirt and tiny shorts she’s wearing do nothing to protect me from the heat of her skin.
Tingles spark everywhere our skin connects—her arm draped across my chest, the slight pressure of her leg entangled with mine.
I shouldn’t let her do this. She’ll be horrified if she wakes up and sees herself draped across me, and the thought of that should be enough to make me gently disentangle myself.
But, fuck, if being in bed with Sofia isn’t the best feeling I’ve ever had.
The quiet rhythm of her breathing, the subtle rise and fall of her chest against my own, the way her scent envelops me—it's all intoxicating. I inhale deeply, and something inside me feels at peace for the first time in I don’t remember how long.
I should move, create distance, preserve the fragile balance of our growing friendship, but the magnetic pull of her presence is too strong, and the comfort of her nearness too delicious to resist.
And her wolf wants this. No way her wolf would have let her sleep through me carrying her otherwise. At least a part of her wants to be pressed against me. Didn’t enjoy that kiss? She’s full of shit. Sofia wants me as much as I want her. I just need to convince her to admit it.
My wolf is soothed for the first time in days, and I need this.
I need to sleep. So, I close my eyes and bury my nose in her hair.
I breathe in her scent, and every ounce of tension in my body—except the sexual kind—dissipates.
It’s only a matter of seconds before I drift off, feeling like everything is right, even when I know it won't last.