STORY EXCERPT

“You’re older than God,” I blurted out, wincing at how bad that sounded.

“The Christian Jesus, yes,” he whispered, as the tenting in the groin of his pants started to go down. “I take it that’s a problem. Good to know. I wait all this time to find my mate and I’m too old for him.” He turned from me, shaking his head, as if having some internal discussion, and then stepped towards the door.

“I–I just need a–a minute. Pl–please d–don’t leave m–me,” I begged, scared out of my mind. “I don’t even know where I am, Elan. Or your last name. Just give me a minute. You announce you’re going to be five thousand as if it’s thirty and I’m reeling. Fae are immortal? Wolves aren’t. We have a much longer life span than humans, like five times as long, but yeah, nothing like that.”

“You’re immortal now,” he mumbled, still not facing me. “You claimed me.”

My heart started beating faster when he said that and suddenly it was a little hard to breathe. “I need a drink, or seven.” I just couldn’t seem to focus. He was fae. I knew there were fae, but not all this. And there were so many secrets. Where the hell were we even? I didn’t get a chance to say good-bye to Kinkade. Shouldn’t I have done that? My brother had been in charge of me for so long and now it was Elan?

And what had he been fighting about with that Elena woman? Who was this Queen? His Queen I knew, but what else? All of this wouldn’t be a big deal if there wasn’t so much else. He had a lover when we met, who he obviously cared about, and I wasn’t even his damn type. Clove was… And he was mated to my brother. So Elan wouldn’t like Kinkade because he’d taken Clove. Who Elan wanted.

And no one would want me.

Then there was the random Alpha, who I liked but rambled on and on, and whatever was going on with Clove being excited, and my mate getting upset. And where the hell were we?

“I can hear your thoughts racing out of control,” Elan said gently, suddenly kneeling in front of me as he cupped my cheek. “You’re a very loud projector when you’re upset. What can I do to help? There are so many things that are not as you think they are, Kermy. I promise you.”

“I don’t know,” I whispered, as I realized I wanted to go home. His eyes got big and I knew he’d heard me.

“No, please,” he begged me as he took my face in both hands. “Please.”

“It’s too much.” I whimpered and tried to pull away but he kept me there, and while I was a wolf, he was older than dirt and strong but he didn’t hurt me. Then his eyes lit up.

“I know how to show you this is real and I’m fully vested in this,” he said firmly as he stood, moving one arm under my shoulders and making me stand on the bed as well. “I will tell you something I have told no one else, trusting my mate to protect me and share my burden with him.”

“I’m already feeling overburdened, Elan,” I grumbled as he unbuttoned his shirt. “I don’t want more burdens.”

“It’s a burden for me because I didn’t have anyone I trusted enough to confide in and it’s a big secret,” he assured me. I thought about that just as he finished.

“Not Clove?” I hedged as I stared at him. “You never told Clove? This is what you were talking to Elena about? The price that comes when you use lots of magic?”

“No, I never told Clove or anyone. Yes, this is the price of opening portals and placing a bubble around us as we went through it so that you didn’t feel any effects of it. Or the strong potions I make or anything else I do because of my age that others can’t. Healing people or making the alcohol you want to drink appear from downstairs, that sort of thing.”

“Why are you getting naked to show me?” I raised an eyebrow at that one.

“It’s a visual thing,” he mumbled with a shrug as he stared down at his feet. I saw how hard this was for him and how obviously vulnerable he was making himself to comfort me, assure me that he wanted me here so I didn’t leave. And just like that the panic left.

“I thought it was just to show me all your impressive muscles and body so I’d get turned on and forget freaking out,” I giggled. His head snapped up to mine and I saw the lust in his eyes.

“There is one thing in all the thoughts I heard that I need you to know,” Elan hedged as he leaned in closer. Damn, my mate was tall. Standing on the bed, I was only a little taller than him. Wow! “You were worried about being able to please me because you are so different than Clove and that wouldn’t make you my type.”

“I don’t want to talk about—” I started to say, trying to pull away.

“He’s not my type, Kermy. Clove and I were lonely. He’s a good person, who I became instant friends with when I came to this world again. I’ll tell you all about it later, but I needed you to know that when it comes to the type of men I like to take to my bed, he’s not who I would normally gravitate to.”

I swallowed loudly as I met his gaze again. “What type would you want normally?”

“I like smaller men,” he answered with a wide smile.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Have you ever seen bigger? Can any of those other wolves give you such cock?” he taunted as he ran his hands up my thighs. “You said you love cock, baby, and I’ve got the biggest in the land.”

“No, never seen bigger or prettier,” I answered honestly as I met his gaze. Then I gave him a smile. “But can you use it?”

“Let’s find out, shall we?” he growled and moved it to my hole. “Tell me how this works with wolves. I’ve heard rumors.”

“Push in just a bit and my body will realize it’s my mate, get wet on its own, and adjust,” I panted, realizing this was really going to happen. He nodded and did that, watching my face for any pain. Just as the head of his cock pushed past the first ring of my ass I cried out as my cock shot ropes of cum all over me. “Oh god, oh no! Oh fuck. Stop!” I rode the pleasure, mortified down to my soul. When it was over I wanted to cry as I covered my face with my hands.

“Are you hurt?” he whispered as he pulled back out of me. I shook my head. I’d never felt anything more pleasurable. I heard him gasp and wondered if he’d read my thoughts. He growled and grabbed my wrists, pinning them over my head. “Open your eyes and look at me!”

“No, please, just let me hide,” I begged. “That was humiliating.”

“No, it was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.” I felt his cock go back into my body and I gasped as my eyes fluttered open. Elan was staring down at me with such lust I shivered. “You were perfect. I only went still because you said stop and I was worried I’d hurt you. I wanted nothing but to push inside you more and keep your orgasm going, Kermy. There was nothing to be humiliated about.”

He was being so sweet, so kind and gentle with me that I wanted to return the gesture. But I couldn’t think much with all the blood in my groin so I said the first thing that popped into my head. “I like that you get jealous. As long as you’re not ever judging me, you can prove to me anytime you want that you’ve got the goods to keep me happy and in your bed.”

“You sweet talker,” he teased as he pushed further into my body. “Is this what you’ve always wanted, Kermy?”

“Yes, but you’re better looking and much more dominant than I’d imagined my mate would be.”

“One is a compliment but I’m not sure on the other,” he mumbled as he kept working more and more of himself into me. “So thank you and I’m sorry?”

“I like both. I’m not a sub, Elan. I don’t want a Dom, but yeah, I like being on the bottom and having my mate be a strong take charge kind of guy. I want to be taken care of and I’ll take care of you too.”

“I like the sound of that.” He let out a loud moan as he bottomed out inside of me. I felt the mating bond snap into place as we stared into each other’s eyes. “So gorgeous and all mine. I’m the luckiest fucker in the world. I not only get to have sex with the hottest little wolf ever but I get to keep him for always. I will make him love me one day. Whatever it takes. Kermy will be happy he didn’t run. I know I can make him happy.”

“I like that making me happy is so important to you,” I whispered in his head. His eyes went wide and I had guessed he didn’t know I had been able to hear him.“You were so focused on me you were using the mating link. I won’t hear everything. You just have to channel your thoughts at me.”

“We’ll figure everything out, okay, Kermy? I know this is scary but I’ve been alive a lot longer, and trust me when I say that in the grand scheme of things this will all seem like just a few bumps in the road that we will look back and laugh at one day. Fate made us for each other and we have to have some faith and patience.”

I searched his eyes and I saw nothing but honesty and desire so I took a leap and nodded. “Okay, but I demand hot sex, food, and answers for my sacrifice.”

“Done, done, and done,” he growled as he wrapped around me. Elan pulled out slowly and thrust back into me hard. I gasped as I clutched onto him, digging my short nails into his back. I bit my lip to keep quiet. He did it a few more times and then froze. “You don’t like that?”

“I loved it,” I panted, staring at him when he leaned up. “Why would you ask that?”

“You were so quiet and not responsive,” he answered gently as he cupped my cheek. “I wasn’t sure if using your nails was a sign of passion or that it hurt and to stop.”

“I don’t know what to do, Elan,” I mumbled, feeling like a goober. “Tell me what you like and I’ll do it. I’ll get better. I have to, right? I won’t be an idiot virgin for—”

He shut me up with a passionate kiss that had me melting against him. Then he lifted his head and I stared into Elan’s soulful eyes. “There’s nothing to change, Kermy. I want nothing but your honest reaction. The man who I have watched climax twice now was expressive and loud and I loved that. Just be you and it will be perfect.”

“You don’t want me quiet? This is your house?”

“Not my house but let them hear me pleasing my mate,” he purred as he ground his hips against my body. “I love that you scream and whimper. I’m addicted to how vocal you are. If you’re not in the mood to be vocal, that’s fine, baby. But don’t you ever hold back what you’re feeling for worry of what others think or that you’re not doing something right. Loud is the way of the wolf.”

“It is,” I whispered, smiling at him. “You know that?”

“I’ve met a few wolves in my day,” he chuckled. “But I’ve also been Alpha Caven’s guard here and there, helping out, and I’ve seen enough to know there’s not a quiet wolf in the bunch. Besides, it helps me know what you enjoy when I’m with you.” Then he gave me a wink. “Might boost my ego too and spur me on.”

“Oh well, spurring you on would be good,” I said shyly, liking the idea of him needing me so desperately he’d take me at a burning pace like I’d seen others do.

“You mean like this?” Elan snapped his hips a few times, thrusting deeply into my willing body. I howled in pleasure as I arched my hips to meet him. “Yeah, Kermy, let me hear you. So hot and sexy.”

That was all I needed to let go. There was no longer any filter between my mind and my mouth or any part of me and what I tried to do. I went with my instincts.

“Come now!” Elan bit out between clenched teeth sometime during my sex high.