“Uh-uh,” I lifted my head to grin down at him, panting. “You know the rules, mister. Above the waist only. We’re trying to avoid getting kicked out of the pack, remember? Not speed the process along.”
Emory’s face was flushed, his lips swollen from my kisses. He returned my grin with a devilish glint in his warm eyes. “But you like when I grab your ass. Why would you actively stop me from doing something you enjoy? It’s completely illogical.” He pressed lightly against my palms but didn’t fight my hold. I suspected he enjoyed it nearly as much as I did.
“That’s exactly why, silly boy. One of us has to remain in control, and clearly you’re unable to do it.” I leaned back down, planting one more kiss on his lips before I released his hands and lay down, snuggling into the perfect nook formed between his arm and chest.
He sighed, wrapping his lean arms around me and pressing a soft kiss to my head before he rested his cheek in the same spot. We settled in comfortably to sleep, letting the contentment of our companionship wash away the remaining traces of arousal.
We’d been playing this little game for weeks now; there wasn’t a night he didn’t spend in my room, our bodies tangled together in my sheets.
I’d known what he wanted long before he tried anything. I could smell the desire on him, despite his best efforts to repress it. But it took him months to make his first move, lightly stroking my neck and shoulder while braiding my hair one night.
It didn’t take me any time at all to turn and kiss him in response. I’d heard his heart pounding, felt it against my back where I rested on his chest before the first gentle caress told me he was brave enough to take the risk. I couldn’t say if he would have tried anything else without encouragement, but he didn’t need to. Gentle and subtle was his way; aggressive and direct was mine. I adored his sweet, tender demeanor as a lover. If I could choose any mate I wanted, we’d have been mated already.
But I didn’t have the choice—my wolf did. That was the way of the pack, and unfortunately, Emory’s wolf was far too submissive to mate my beast.
So I decided to enjoy his company, and his kisses, while I could. Soon enough we’d have to give each other up.
But for now, he was all mine.
Chapter 5
Emory
Kaliya rested on my chest, the softness of her body comfortably pressed against mine. Her curves tucked into me neatly, our bodies a perfect fit. I could only imagine how perfectly we’d fit if we made love. I’d be willing to bet she…
No, I needed to avoid that train of thought. I’d just managed to suppress my desire for her, and I didn’t need a fresh wave of arousal to reach her nose. Kali wouldn’t tease me, but she didn’t need another thing to worry about. She already had plenty on her plate.
The behavior of our new alpha was disturbing, to say the least. He was the only eligible male in the pack who stood a chance of winning a mate challenge against her, and even his chances weren’t good. But the thought of her mated for life to that disgusting excuse for a dog was enough to get my hackles up.
Not that I could do anything about it. Once again, I rued my damned submissive wolf. If only I’d been born with a stronger animal; one who could match her, mate her, this wouldn’t be an issue.
I wouldn’t be in love with a woman I could never have.
I ducked my nose to breathe her in, her sweet and spicy fragrance making my mouth water. Most females had the same smell—typically sweet, bland scents like apples and vanilla. Kaliya’s was stronger, like fresh pineapple and a citrus I couldn’t place, mixed with cinnamon and something distinctly hot, like chili. At the Clan Gathering, wolves would line up by the dozens once they scented her. It was an impossible lure, the strong, fresh scent of such a fierce female. She was the rarest of flowers indeed.
And right now, she was wrapped around me, her lips swollen from my kisses. Her breasts—
No, must think about something else.
Like getting kicked out of the pack if I don’t find a mate. That’s enough to kill an erection, for sure. I wouldn’t survive on my own; I’m not a fighter. I’m clever—highly intelligent, even—but the smartest wolf couldn’t kill night stalkers with brains alone.
A small, weak part of me wondered what would happen if Kaliya failed to find a mate at the Clan Gathering. Would they really kick her out because of some dumb tradition? She was the fiercest fighter, a true warrior, and an absolutely incredible wolf. Those pups taunting her this morning had no idea how lucky they were she didn’t unleash her beast on them. Kali was an invaluable asset to the pack and everyone knew it. Could they possibly go through with kicking her out just because no one was man enough to claim her?
Here, with her body wrapped tightly in my arms and my senses filled with her mouth-watering fragrance, it was easy to admit why I didn’t have a mate yet: I didn’t want one. I didn’t want anyone but Kaliya; my Kali, my warrior. As long as she was still unmated, some part of me continued to hope it would work out.
I knew it was illogical. I knew she would end up mated to the strongest male in the entire clan, some incredible specimen of wolf that deserved her respect.
But that petty part of me quietly hoped no one would be powerful enough. That we would be expelled from the pack together, and then we could finally have each other, for however long we survived on our own. At the very least I knew her skills and my smarts could keep us alive long enough to allow me to worship her the way she deserved—slowly, inch by inch, until—
Enough, Emory. Enjoy your moment, you don’t know how many you have left. My arms constricted around Kali’s relaxed body, and she nuzzled me in response.
Enjoy your stolen moments with her while you can.
It’s far more than you deserve.
Chapter 6
Kaliya
“Are you sure we should do a sweep now? We leave for the Gathering in three days. Wouldn’t it be better to wait?” Belfur, one of the captains, sounded skeptical.
We gathered in our military bunker, a remnant from the Ancients that held up surprisingly well in the many years since it’d been built from concrete and steel. The expansive facility was concealed underground, and it housed our weapons development and strategy rooms. This particular room held a large table, around which Mikal, our captains, and a number of researchers, now sat.
Mikal glanced up at the map displayed on a glowing screen where a wraith nest was marked clearly a few miles from the village. He rubbed his dark stubbled jaw, then directed his sharp eyes to Emory, who stood by the map. I gulped involuntarily, and my wolf snarled low and deep within my chest. “What do you think, brilliant strategist?” The comment was mild, with only a hint of his typically overbearing sarcasm. To his credit, since becoming alpha a few weeks ago, he’d toned down the assholery and attempted to learn from and listen to everyone.
To say I was shocked would be an understatement.
Emory glanced at me quickly before refocusing on Mikal. He tucked his hair behind one ear and cleared his throat. “Well, on one hand, you’d be risking our best fighters on an unnecessary operation right before we need them for protection on the journey. If several are killed, it might mean we have to re-work our travel plans.” He spoke in a rapid clip, delivering his signature analysis with only the added speed to betray his nerves. His scent remained clean and sweet, so there was no sign of genuine fear; just his usual stress from speaking in front of a crowd.