Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 40050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
“I love hearing all of this. Don’t stop.” He chuckles at my soft words and kisses the tip of my nose.
“Jude was more difficult. He’s more reserved. We noticed him while we were hunting down south. Like Caleb and Dom, he followed. But he stayed in wolf form and didn’t approach us for nearly a week. A few times I thought he’d changed his mind and decided we weren’t the right pack for him.”
“Why?”
“I’m not sure. I never asked and he hasn’t offered his thoughts. It’s not my place to question his hesitation.” My lips part to object, but then I decide to keep quiet and let him continue.
“When he did finally confront us, he came to me in human form and asked who we were. I told him and offered him a place in our small pack. We were all just barely men, but we were a strong pack at that point. He nodded and asked, ‘When will you be taking your home back?’” Devin lets out a heavy sigh. “I looked at my small pack and knew it was enough. I decided that day to turn around and take my home back. Well, I burned it to the ground actually. It was too easy to take over. Most of the children were dead or sold. Half the pack was unconscious or strung out from whatever drug they’d taken. I challenged the Alpha, but the coward ran. We torched everything to the ground and started over.” A somber expression takes over. “When the Authority heard, they came and agreed that I had the right to challenge for the territory. I was young and naïve to think there wouldn’t be consequences. Thankfully, they were less interested in the laws I’d broken and more interested in discussing other terms. Alec helped us financially until I got my footing in stocks and a few startups. For years, making our pack a stable home was my only objective, until we had far more than enough. And then I started dreaming of you. I started living for the day that I’d meet you.”
My heart clenches at his words as his strong hand tilts my chin up and he leans down to softly kiss my neck. “I want sons and daughters, Grace. I want a family. A strong, healthy family.” His silver eyes find mine. “I understand that you’re young and haven’t fantasized of this like I have. But it’s all I want.” The bed groans beneath us as he gets onto his knees and trails warm kisses down my body to my stomach. “I would trade it all just to see you swollen with my pups.” He kisses just below my belly button and the sight makes my body heat. I can see him holding me, rubbing along my body as he listens to our unborn child growing inside of me.
“I—” I don’t know what to say. I speak without thinking, “I want that too. I do. But not yet. I don’t think I can be a mother yet.” My voice pleads with him for understanding. He closes his eyes and kisses my stomach sweetly.
“I understand.” He nods his head and lies next to me again, rubbing soothing circles on my back. “I do, sweetheart. And it’s all right. In fact, it may be for the best that we wait. I may have to leave soon. I need to talk to the Authority about this new development.”
“What does that mean? I don’t understand.” I’m overwhelmed with concern. “Leave for how long?”
“I’m not sure yet, sweetheart.” He rests his forehead on mine and smiles. “But as soon as I know, I will tell you. I promise.” I can’t help the pleased smile that grows on my face. Progress.
“Thank you.” I breathe out the words before finding his lips with mine and pushing my body against his. He chuckles at my lack of subtlety.
“You’ll be too sore for the claiming tomorrow.” I shake my head, but refuse to leave his touch. Nipping his top lip, I rub my thigh over his hip. He groans as my heat rubs against him. “Once more.” He breaks away and waits for me to meet his gaze. “But then you’ll have to wait. I don’t want you to be hurting.”
“It’ll be a good hurt.” I rub my cheek against his chest. He laughs again and rolls me onto my back, caging me in with his strong, hard body.
“One more time, sweetheart.” My head falls back against the mattress in incomparable ecstasy as my mate makes love to me, with long, gentle strokes until we peak together, finding our release in each other’s arms.
Lizzie
“Baby girl, wake up.” Caleb’s words barely register as I groan in displeasure. I was having such a wonderful dream, but for the life of me, I can’t keep a grasp on it and it leaves me without permission. I push against his hard chest.