“But I can have you…” His fingers ran over her thigh and made a slow progression towards her sex. “I can make you come around my fingers…” He dipped his head and nuzzled between her shoulder and her neck.

  “That’s not what I want. I want you…” Alex pushed her head into the pillow and opened up her neck for him. The brush of his lips against her skin sent a shiver through her body. The brush of his fingertips against her panties sent a wave of electric straight to her womb.

  “It’s what you need. Stress relief…” He growled against her skin and his fingers slipped in under her panties and against the moist folds of her sex…

  “You need…”

  “I can take care of myself…” He chuckled, and he would. After he’d taken her to where she needed to be he’d jerk off in the shower with the scent still fresh in his mind and the taste of her on his fingers.

  “No…” Alex didn’t want it to be like this. It had to be all or nothing with him. “I want to feel you inside me.”

  “I can’t risk hurting you more than you already are.” Jackson wouldn’t do it. He might have been desperate for the feel of her body wrapped around his, his beast might be clawing to be released, but he wouldn’t risk it, not yet. She was still too fragile.

  “Then we wait…” Alex felt his fingers slip away from her throbbing sex.

  “Are you telling me that you’ll mate with me, Alex?”

  There was a long moment when he felt as if his heart was in his mouth and his chest was going to explode when she didn’t answer him. Did she just realise what she’d said and was looking for a way out? His mind raced and he wanted to shake the answer from her lips just so that he knew…

  Alex had backed herself into a corner. It was strange how the mind could run away with you when the body wanted something. But when he’d asked her that question she had wanted to deny it, deny him out of fear of the unknown, and yet the more she tried to find a way out of what she’d said the more she couldn’t find a damned reason to do it.

  “Yes.”

  Every prayer that he’d ever asked for had been answered in that one word. Right there and then his life was mapped out in front of him and his mate was in his arms. He’d expected that she was going to fight him at every twist and turn and now here she was telling him that she’d stay, that she’d be his and that he was hers, and his heart soared with just how damn happy he was. He felt at peace for the first time in his life.

  “I swear I will never hurt you, Alex. I swear to be everything that you want or need and more.”

  “Keep talking like that and I might just let you mate me, bruised ribs or not.” She was deflecting now and all because she didn’t know what to say to him.

  She knew that she was more like Jackson than he knew and expressing herself didn’t come easy to her, not anymore. She’d only just started to reclaim her life and her personality back, and she’d picked up some new traits to go with them, like the urge to fight her way out of a situation if she needed to do it.

  Jackson’s growl rumbled through his chest and rattled the windows in their frames. The look in his dark eyes said that he was barely holding on to that part of him that need her, desired her, and wanted to mate the hell out of her. She cursed her ex for sending his goon and ruining that for her, for him.

  “Not yet, sweetheart.” He gave her a damned sexy grin then. “But my offer for you still stands.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against the bare skin between her shoulder and her neck and her toes curled once more against the mattress.

  “Tempting, but if you could be extra gentle, we could…” His head came up and his eyes ate her up. Damn, but he wanted to lick, nip, and bite as he pounded into her.

  “Not gentle enough for your ribs.” He offered with some regret before he kissed her with a muted passion that wasn’t meant to start any fires within her that couldn’t be put out.

  Alex wasn’t playing fair. She kissed him back as if her life depended on it. Jackson grunted, groaned, and then finally he growled as he yanked his body away from hers. Any more of that and he wouldn’t be able to control his needs. His mate was hotter than hell and he wanted her like a moth around a flame.

  “Don’t tease.” He growled as he pushed up from the mattress with a rock hard cock and nowhere to thrust it.

  “I wasn’t. It was an invite.” Her eyes were alive with desire for him and the only damn thing he could do was groan.

  “I need a shower. A damn ice one.” He turned on his heels and stalked out of the room heading straight for the bathroom.

  His hard length was already fisted in his hand and he was stroking down it by the time the water went on. He stepped inside and thrust his head under the spray. In his mind he was inside of his mate’s tight body, thrusting harder and harder until he grunted with the release that didn’t do much to relieve the pressure in his body. It was the first time he’d wished his mate wasn’t human so that her body would heal faster.

  ~^~

  Jackson watched his clan and the way they interacted with his mate. Each man seemed to have taken to her in a way that he couldn’t have hoped for. Things seemed a lot quieter when Alex was close by. Arguments seemed to dissipate the moment that they spotted her, in camp fighting had lessened, and that was a minor miracle within itself.

  Chance’s bear was normally the most trouble. The beast was more than ready to explode from the man at the drop of a hat or a wrong word, and yet even Chance had kept his bear within him since she’d been staying at Jackson’s cabin. In pack rivalry had taken a backseat to charming his mate, which was going real well too.

  Alex was laughing and teasing Marcus and it was good to see the smile back in her eyes. His clan had done that for her, and Jackson knew that he couldn’t take all of the credit for it himself, even if he’d like too. She was where she belonged, where she fitted in.

  She’d said that she was going to stay with him, but that was a whole day ago and she hadn’t mentioned it since. He’d brought it up just once and she’d quickly changed the subject. He didn’t believe that she’d changed her mind, but he wasn’t going to push her on it.

  She was here now and that was what mattered, because the longer that she stayed the more she would see that this was her home.

  When the mobile went off in his back pocket Jackson snagged it in one large hand and read the display. Shane was still taking shifts guarding her house and waiting for signs of her ex to show up. He swiped the screen hoping that time was now.

  “Yeah.”

  “We’ve got company. Some guy is sniffing around.” Shane’s words filled him with relief. He’d finally be able to end this chapter of his mate’s life once and for all and allow her to know that she didn’t need to look over her shoulder a moment longer.

  “Be right there.” Jackson caught Chance’s attention from across the way. “Don’t let her leave and guard her with your life.” Jackson spoke only loud enough for his second to hear. Chance nodded just once before he strolled over towards Alex and Marcus and sat down with them, distracting Alex so that Jackson could slip away unseen.

  ~^~

  “What are you thinking?” Shane whispered so that only his alpha could hear him.

  “You know better than to accuse me of thinking.” Jackson had a need to go crush the skull of the guy sniffing around Alex’s house.

  “So you can plot to dispose of a body, but murder is another matter?”

  “It’s not murder. It’s self defence. I’m gonna let him swing first.” Jackson went to push to his feet from the crouched position behind the greenery at the end of Alex’s garden, but Shane’s hand locked around his wrist and held him in place.

  “Think about it, Jack. It’s not a fair fight.” Shane wanted his alpha to be clear on what was happening here. You could regret something after the fact but you couldn’t take it back, and he didn’t want Jackson to suffer the way he had.

  “It wasn’t a fair fight when that bastard beat Alex. That’s what I’m thinking about.” Jackson yanked his wrist out of the man’s grasp and pushed up to his full height. It only took a few steps for Blake to notice the man coming through the garden in his direction and he turned towards him, narrowing his eyes on the alpha and sizing him up.

  “Do you have business here?” Jackson kept his bear caged within him. The bear might have been clawing to be released, but Jackson had meant to do this the old fashioned way, man to man.

  “Is this your house?” Blake’s attitude had self-importance written all over it and that got Jackson’s back up.

  “In a way. Who are you?” Jackson heard the rumble of a growl go through his chest and bit it back.

  “I’m looking for my wife.” Blake tipped his chin up and planted his feet in a defiant stance and Jackson grinned inside. It seemed the man didn’t just pick on helpless woman, he liked to think he could take on a shifter. It hadn’t gone unnoticed that the man still call Alex his wife and not his ex-wife.

  “Name?” Jackson came to a stop an arm’s length in front of the human. He scented the air. There was no fear coming from the man in front of him. That made this human stupid.

  “Sarah.” Blake offered.

  “Not here.” Jackson shook his head. He was heeding Shane’s words and giving the man the chance to move on peaceably. He hoped he didn’t take it.

  “You’re lying. Someone I trust gave me this address and a firm sighting of my wife.” Blake was standing his ground and Jackson was more than grateful that the man hadn’t just turned and walked away.

  “Then that person must be an idiot. Nobody called Sarah lives here, never has, and I don’t lie.” Jackson folded his thick, muscled arms across his broad chest and tipped his own chin in the air. He hadn’t lied. Sarah had never lived there, only Alex, and Alex had told him herself that Sarah was dead and in the past.

  “Might be a different name.” Blake eyed him as he shrugged his shoulders.

  “No one’s living here now.”

  “Except you.” Blake offered, fishing.

  “Nope. It’s empty. I’m looking after the place.” Jackson’s bear growled and paced within him. He was torn between killing the man and letting him walk away, but he was leaning more to ending him than not.

  “There’s personal stuff inside…” Blake gave a wry smile. The man wasn’t stupid, just an evil bastard, and he knew that Jackson was lying. There wasn’t a lot that Jackson could do about that.

  “I wouldn’t know. I don’t go poking around other people’s houses like a criminal.” Jackson tossed back at him and saw his upper lip twitch. The guy was getting antsy, all the better.

  “I’m just looking for my wife…”

  “Ex…” Jackson bit down on his mistake, but it was already out there and the flare of the other man’s eyes said he’d heard it loud and clear.

  A moment later and Jackson was looking the wrong way down the barrel of a gun.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “Where is she?”

  Blake demanded and Jackson’s bear clawed to be released at the sight of the danger. Jackson bit down on the need within him to shift. The sound of Shane’s bear roaring as it burst from within the man snatched Blake’s attention momentarily and his eyes flicked towards the back garden…

  Jackson moved fast, but not fast enough. The crack of the gun going off and the screaming pain that went through Jackson’s right side didn’t stop him from lunging for the weapon with one hand and bringing his other arm round with his fist connecting with the side of Blake’s head. Even over the sound of Shane’s bear roaring as he raced towards his alpha, Jackson had heard the sickening snap of the man’s neck as it broke in two.

  Jackson’s fist was still around the barrel of the gun when the lifeless body of its owner dropped to the ground in front of him. That easy. He’d taken a human life.

  Jackson bit down on the burning pain that was searing through his chest. He tried his damnedest to stay upright on his feet and yet his knees gave out from beneath him and he dropped down to one knee on the ground. His left hand shot out to keep him upright as Shane shifted back into his human form beside him.

  “Jack.” Shane’s hands gripped his alpha’s upper arms and he eased the man onto his backside.

  “I’m good. Missed my heart. Just get this damn bullet out of me.” Jackson growled.

  “It’s out man, straight through, nice big hole in your back.” Shane informed him.

  “You don’t have to look so damn impressed.” Jackson growled out, fighting the pain at the same time as his body heated up as his blood worked to heal him.

  “It’s an impressive hole. You sure you’re not going to die?”

  “Fuck you, arsehole.” Jackson bit out. “You thinking of challenging me for the clan?” Jackson saw the amusement in his brother’s eye.

  “Yeah. I thought about it.” Shane stroked his fingers down his chin as if he was actually contemplating it.

  Now was the perfect time if the man was going to make a challenge, Jackson knew that only too well. He also knew Shane and the man was honourable. If he was going to make a challenge then he’d do it when it was a fair fight.

  “Go for it and see what happens to you.” Jackson growled out and Shane chuckled.

  “Not my style, Alpha.” Shane grinned. Now he knew that Jackson wasn’t going to die on him, it was worth his time winding the man up. “Still is tempting though.” Shane grinned.

  “Arsehole.” Jackson bit out on a growl.

  “Humans, so damn fragile.” Shane kicked out at the sole of Blake’s polished shoe.

  “Alex is human.” Jackson scowled. “What if I…?”

  “Don’t even think it. Alex isn’t going to die on you. Not until she’s made your life hell for the next fifty years with her female nagging.” Shane reached around Jackson’s back and poked next to the wound. Jackson growled like he’d just poked his finger straight into the hole.

  “What the…?”

  “Nope. Not healed yet.” Shane grinned again.

  “Do that again and I’m gonna rip your fucking head off.” Jackson growled out. His bear was still antsy within him. He’d tried to force the shift into his bear more than once to hasten the healing process, but Jackson wouldn’t have it.

  “Call Marcus and get the man over here. We’ve got a damn body to get rid of and he’s getting good at that shit.” Jackson growled out.

  ~^~

  Alex got to her feet and put herself in Marcus’s way. The man was bigger than a damn barn but she was determined that he take her seriously. Marcus frowned.

  “Something I can do for you, Alex?” Marcus eyed her suspiciously.

  “You can take me with you.”

  “I’m just going to…” Marcus lied, and she could see it in the man’s eyes because he couldn’t meet her gaze.

  “Bullshit” Alex spat out. While she was in no condition to rugby tackle the man; he wasn’t going anywhere without her.

  “Excuse me?” There was a deep rumble in Marcus’s chest and the man flicked his eyes to hers but looked away again.

  “First Jackson gets a call and disappears. Now you get a call. I’m not stupid, Marcus.”

  Alex had known that something was going on the moment that she turned her eyes to look for her mate and found that he’d disappeared. Now it was Marcus’s turn, and considering it had been Marcus that had been with them the other night at the house when Blake’s goon had attacked, she put two and two together and hoped that she hadn’t come up with six. Marcus winced and she knew she was right.

  “Now, Alex…” Marcus started.

  “Don’t patronise me, bear boy.” Alex spat out and Marcus’s clamped his lips shut as his head snapped back on his neck and his eyes did meet hers with a lot of disbelief.

  “Bear boy…” Chance cracked a laugh that rattled the windows in the closest cabins. Marcus’s head snapped around towards Chance and the man held up his hands as he chuckled long and hard.

  “I wasn’t told to bring you with me.” Marcus growled for Chance’s benefit as he turned his eyes back towards Alex.

  “It’s lucky that you’re not bringing me then. But if you try to go without me I’m going to damage my ribs some more trying to lift my leg hard enough to kick your arse.” Alex saw the amusement spark in Marcus’s eyes. “And you can explain that to your alpha.”

  “That would be bad.” Chance shook his head from side to side. “That’d mean Jackson would have to wait longer to mate with…”

  “Shut up, Chance.” Marcus bit out. He didn’t need a play by play scenario of the shit storm that would be unleashed if Alex hurt herself on his watch. “Fine. You can come.” Marcus growled out. “But I don’t like it.”

  “Noted.” Alex waved a dismissive hand in the big man’s direction. “You don’t have to like it as long as I get to come.”

  “You might want to rephrase that in case your mate takes it the wrong way.” Chance chuckled again and Alex shot a death glare in his direction. “Just saying.” Chance growled as he dropped his eyes to the fire pit in front of him and poked the flames with a stick. It was safer than poking the mama bear.

  ~^~

  “What the hell did you do?” Alex pulled her ribs as she rushed towards Jackson and reached for the bloody hole on the front of his shirt.

  “Shit.” Jackson growled out as he reached for Alex’s hands and held them away from his body in his. The look in her eyes was close to frantic.

  “Jackson?” She demanded.

  “He got shot.” Shane offered as he leaned against the brickwork at the side of her house and took in the scene.

  “Let me…” Alex tried to yank her hands from his and Jackson tried to hold them in place as gently as possible. He didn’t want her to hurt herself any more than she already was.

 

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