Luke & Rena, page 6
part #1 of Book Three Series
“It’s okay,” she said. “But you better go so I can shower, unless you want our families to know everything we’re up to.”
He blew her a kiss and turned on his heels, hurrying from the room. She heard the bedroom door shut and she smiled as she went back to stripping. She did feel a little feral right now, a little extra-strength horny with the focus on Luke. If this was what being blood mates meant, then she was happy to go along for the ride. Luke had come for her when she’d needed help, he’d tracked her when the odds were against him, and he’d saved her life.
What more could she ask for when it came to having a mate?
And it didn’t hurt that he was sexy as hell and made every feminine instinct within her cheer.
Fate could often be a bitch, but Rena was glad that she seemed to be on her side right now. The last few days might’ve been hell, but she had Luke in her life and that’s what mattered.
They’d deal with the crazy fairy after her later. For now, she wanted to go with Luke to his home and find out how many times she could make him blissfully shout her name.
A lot, she bet.
A lot.
Luke watched Rena say goodbye to her parents, who were going to wait at Luke’s family’s home until their people came for them. Her father shook Luke’s hand and asked him to bring Rena to visit them once she was safe from Berolith, and he promised he would. He wasn’t a big fan of her parents, but they were apologetic and wanted to repair their relationship with their only daughter. He could be magnanimous and cordial until they proved themselves.
“Ready to go?” he asked Rena.
“Yes. Is everyone else ready?”
He nodded. He offered her his arm and she took it, walking with him through the house and into the backyard. His dad had already created the circle of stones and sticks for the portal which would open in the pack’s wooded territory.
Ruby smiled at him and Rena. “Mom said she’d like for you guys to come for family dinner on Sunday. I’d love to get to know you better.”
“That sounds good,” Rena said. “I don’t have a sister.”
“Me either! I always wanted one, but I was stuck with Luke.”
“Hey!” Luke said, “I’m an awesome brother.”
“True,” Ruby said. “Still. Sisters rule.”
“She’s got you there,” Rena said. She smiled at him, her eyes glittering with happiness.
“Uh oh, they’re already ganging up on you,” his dad said. He clapped his hands together. “Ruby’s going to open the portal. Rena, do you need help to flash this area to prevent anyone from knowing we opened a portal?”
“Nope,” she said. “I’m feeling back to one hundred percent.”
Luke was glad to hear it. He didn’t want his mate stressing herself physically if she wasn’t feeling up to it.
“Jenna and I will be here to help if you need to draw on our power.”
“I shouldn’t,” Rena said. “Flashing’s a pretty easy spell. It’s the complicated ones that are draining.”
She started the flashing spell, sending a sparkling red mist through the air as Ruby opened a portal into the woods where the pack hunted, and stepped through. The others followed swiftly, with Luke and Rena the last through. Rena shoved her hands outward once more, the red mist turning bright like lightning for a brief moment. Ruby closed the portal.
Rena cast the spell to flash the area. Luke had to shield his eyes against the brightness. When he’d blinked the red dots from his eyes, he reached for her and took her hands.
“You’re amazing,” he said.
She inhaled and rolled her neck. “It smells good here. Oh, and I think you’re pretty amazing too.”
The group walked to the alpha’s home where everyone’s vehicles were still parked from the night of the full moon. He couldn’t believe how much had happened in less than a week. He and Rena thanked everyone for their help.
“Sunday dinner?” Crimson asked.
“Yep,” Luke said.
It was Thursday, which gave them some time to themselves before they met up with his family again. He knew his mom was chomping at the bit to get to know Rena.
“Do you want to follow me?” he asked Rena.
She looked down the street where her car was parked. “It doesn’t seem like we’ve been gone a long time, but it also kind of feels like we’ve been gone forever.”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll follow you.” She went onto her toes and kissed him, then walked to her car.
He waved at his dad and sister, then got into his truck and backed out of the yard and onto the street. When Rena pulled up behind him, he headed for home, thoughts of his beautiful mate and the night that lay ahead of them on his mind.
Rena wasn’t a nervous person, but she was a jittering ball of nerves by the time she parked next to Luke in front of his home. She hadn’t been with a guy in a while, but it wasn’t about long-time-no-sex nerves. It was because he was her mate, and when they had sex, they’d be mated for real.
She looked at her palm and the star shaped scar in the center.
She felt primally connected to Luke, and she liked it. She wanted to be with him and belong to him, and for him to belong to her too.
Before anything else happened, she sent a text to Zoey.
I just wanted to let you know that I’m safe and back in Allen.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that. I can’t tell you how worried I was.
I’m sorry for everything that happened. I’d like to get together to talk so I can tell you everything.
Sure. When?
Rena thought for a moment, then typed, Sunday morning for breakfast?
Perfect. If you come to my place, I’ll make cinnamon rolls.
I love your cinnamon rolls. It’s a date.
Take care bestie, I love you.
Love you too.
Rena added a red heart and a kissy-face emoji, and Zoey sent a text with the same ones back to her.
Now that she’d reached out to her bestie, she could focus on the events of the night. Parking the car, she climbed out.
He gave her a thousand-watt smile as she joined him in the driveway and took his hand.
“Ready for the nickel tour?”
“Eventually,” she said.
“Oh?” he asked, his eyes going from emerald green to a deep, forest color.
“I want to be with you.”
“Me too.”
They walked up to the front door. He swung her up into his arms and carried her across the threshold. “I texted Gideon on the way home. He’s going to stay with a friend for the night so we can have some privacy.”
“I didn’t mean to kick out your friend.”
“We’ve all had this understanding, sweetheart. When one of us gets mated, the others move out, unless the couple decides to live somewhere else.”
“I haven’t even thought about living arrangements,” she said. She leaned up and kissed his cheek and then his ear. She whispered, “Take me to bed Luke. It’s the only thing that matters to me right now. I’m on fire.”
He snarled softly, his hands tightening on her. He strode through a family room and down a hall, turning into the first room on the right.
Kicking the door shut, he set her on the bed and then leaned over to turn on a small lamp on a table. The bulb wasn’t very bright, but it gave enough illumination for her to see the hunger in his eyes and the flash of amber in his gaze, telling her his wolf was right there with them.
He picked up her hand and kissed the scar on her palm. “Will you be my mate, Rena?”
She tilted her head. “We’re already mated.”
“Because it saved your life. I wanted to ask you for real. I don’t want you to think I’m taking anything for granted when it comes to you.”
He was just the sweetest male she’d ever met in her life. And he was all hers.
She scooted close to him, spreading her legs so he stood in the V of her thighs. Linking their hands, she said, “Yes, I’ll be your mate. I want to build a life with you here in Allen.”
“I promise to be the best mate to you, Rena.”
She smiled and tilted her face to him for a kiss, which he willingly gave. He tangled his fingers in her hair and tilted her head, deepening the kiss. Everything that had happened over the last few days, all the danger, all the worry, disappeared in a flurry of ripped clothes and eager moans. Rena scooted back on the bed and Luke followed her, kissing his way up her thighs with soft growls. She stretched out on the bed, gripping the comforter with one hand and beckoning him forward with the other.
Luke looked up the length of her body as he roughly pushed her thighs apart to make room for his broad shoulders. She gasped at the sensation, loving that he was losing his cool a little bit now that things were moving forward between them physically.
His eyes flashed to amber. He lowered his head and licked a slow line up her pussy, gently spreading her open as his tongue made circles from her entrance to her clit and back down. She arched under him as he pushed two fingers into her, heat spreading through her like wildfire. He played with her, sucking and licking, pressing his fingers deep into her until she was panting and writhing, and full of need.
Fisting his hair, she let out a breathy moan. “Luke.”
He chuckled against her heated flesh and then closed his lips around her clit, flicking his tongue rapidly over the bud while he rubbed her inner walls. Pleasure spiraled within. She let out a throaty moan and then threw back her head as she came, calling out his name.
In a heartbeat, she was on her knees, her arms resting on the padded headboard as he pressed slowly into her from behind. She groaned, reached for him and sank her fingers into his hair. He kissed her neck, flexing his hips as he sank fully into her.
They both groaned. He gave her hips a squeeze. He pulled out of her, leaving just the broad head of him inside, and then he plunged back in. She spread her legs a little farther apart and tilted her head back to rest against his. He moved his hand from her hip to the front of her body, his fingers sliding down her stomach to her clit.
She jerked against him as he rubbed her sensitive clit in time to his thrusts, her body overloading from the sensations.
She felt his fangs graze the length of her throat. “Yes, Luke!”
He began to fuck her hard, pounding into her and rubbing her clit, her body heating as pleasure twisted inside her a second time.
She fell apart on a keening cry, her body locked up in a deep spiral of pleasure. He followed, sinking his fangs into her neck and burying himself to the hilt inside her as he came. Lifting from her throat, he snarled. “Mine, Rena. You’re fucking mine.”
“I am.”
He lifted his head and howled.
She loved the sound.
Hell, she was in love with Luke too.
How could she not be? He was amazing.
He pulled from her body and stretched out on the bed. She laid next to him, smiling when he pulled her close and wrapped both arms around her.
“It’s never been like that for me before,” he said.
“Me either.”
She rose up on one arm and smiled at him. He looked so sexy, his hair mussed and his eyes bright with happiness. His fangs were still peeking from his lips.
“I love you,” they both said at the same time.
They laughed.
“Great minds,” he said. “I’m crazy about you, Rena. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
She leaned in for a kiss. He rolled them both until she was under him. He cupped her face and kissed her again.
“You’re so precious to me,” he said gruffly.
She was going to tell him that he was precious to her too, but then he kissed her and all thought fled. There was only the two of them and their love as the night waned and the sun rose, bathing the bedroom in glorious golden ambers and oranges.
It was a beautiful way to greet the new day, with her mate in her arms and their hearts beating as one.
Luke had never slept so soundly in his life. He and Rena had made love until dawn, which was the first official day of their life together. He’d barely remembered to plug in his phone before he passed out, curled around his gorgeous mate.
He woke from his sleep to a beeping sound. He couldn’t remember what the sound was for, but then he realized it was a text notification.
Fumbling on the nightstand, he lifted his phone to his face.
A text from Gideon said, Do you mind if I come in and grab a shower? I don’t want to disturb your mating, but I need some fresh clothes.
He smiled at his best friend. I’m up, Rena’s still sleeping. You’re welcome to come in.
Luke set the phone on the nightstand and looked at Rena. She was still asleep, her lashes casting shadows on her cheeks.
Was any male luckier than him to have such a beautiful mate?
His wolf was content, too. He and Rena were already mated before last night because of the blood bond, but it felt more real now. She wore his mark, and he could feel the strength of their bond through their mating.
She was one hundred percent his, and he was one hundred percent hers.
He’d never told a female he’d loved her. He’d never really dated anyone seriously, simply because he’d wanted to wait for his truemate. Knowing she was out there somewhere was heady knowledge.
Slipping from the bed, he tugged track pants and a hoodie on, then left the bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Gideon walked into the family room at the same time as Luke.
“Morning,” Luke said.
Gideon toed off his snowy boots and smiled. “Morning. How’s everyone doing? Dad told me you guys went through hell in the Fae Realm.
Luke nodded. The two walked into the kitchen. Luke put a coffee pod into the maker and leaned against the counter.
“Yeah, we did. She got the worst of it. She was imprisoned the whole time I was looking for her, and then she was tortured by the male looking for the young fae your parents are protecting.”
It was an honest miracle in his book that everyone had made it back safely.
“Shit,” Gideon said.
Luke removed his mug from the machine and let Gideon make a cup for himself.
“The important thing is that we’re safe now, and that asshole can’t find her here.” At least that’s what he hoped. He wanted to talk to his dad and make sure there wasn’t any way for Berolith to find her. Or the girls.
“Yeah. Honestly? I hope that when I find my truemate, it’s not nearly as difficult as your situation. I mean, holy crap.”
Luke laughed. “I hope it’s smooth sailing for you and your truemate too. Speaking of, any thoughts on that front?”
Gideon made a face. He was the youngest of the alpha’s kids. Lyric was the oldest, and she’d mated twin mountain lions and was now living in Ashland, Indiana with their pride. Bram was the middle, and very much destined to be the alpha of the Tressel Pack. Luke had always figured that Gideon might end up as second in command, the way that Jason was the alpha and his brother, Michael, was his beta.
“Nah. I mean other than knowing for damn sure that none of the females in the pack are my truemate. I keep hoping she’ll just walk into town one day and all my romantic worries will be gone.”
“That would be nice. Maybe it’ll happen.”
Gideon fixed his coffee and said, “The one thing on my mind right now is whether you want me to move out so you and Rena can have the place, or if you want to find another place to live.”
Luke had thought some about their living arrangements, but not farther than getting her into his bed and living with her. The logistics hadn’t been discussed much. Hell, she hadn’t even seen the whole house.
“I’ll talk to her about it today. If she’s happy with the house, then we’ll stay. There are some in other neighborhoods that might be a better fit for us.”
“Cool. Keep me posted. If I’m out, I’ll probably move in with Bram. Or Kash.”
Luke made a cup of coffee for Rena. “Have a good one, man.”
“You too.”
Luke found a box of granola bars in the pantry and grabbed a few before he carried the mugs into the bedroom. Rena rolled to her back and stretched with a groan as he walked into the room.
“Morning, baby,” he said. He dropped the granola bars on the bed and put the mugs on the end table. “Do you like milk or sugar in your coffee?”
“Both,” she said.
“I’ll be right back.”
He grabbed her mug and hurried to the kitchen to add sugar and milk. When he was back in the bedroom, he sat next to her on a propped-up pillow and took a drink of coffee.
“Oh, I like these granola bars,” she said. She tucked the blanket under her armpits and tore open a chocolate almond bar.
“I’m glad. I’m not really a breakfast person, but I do like to keep granola bars on me.”
“You don’t need to go to work today, do you?” she asked in between bites.
“Hell no. Probably Monday, though.” His job as part of the town’s security patrol was one he enjoyed and took seriously. “I’ll have to check in with my dad. What about your job?”
“I was working as a cashier at a small grocery store, and I’d already turned in my notice because I was going to move.”
He looked at her in surprise. “When?”
“Before I met you, I promise. I felt like my time was running out, so I wanted to leave. Then I met you and I was really wrestling with that decision. I didn’t want to drag you into my life when things were so terrible. And that was before Berolith killed the guy my parents arranged to mate me.”
He let that roll around in his head. “I’m glad you were at least wrestling with leaving me.”
She crumpled the empty wrapper and set it on the table, then lifted the coffee mug. “If I had managed to leave, I wouldn’t have been able to stay for long.”
“You told me not to follow you when you were taken. Did you know I would come for you?”
She nodded. “I figured you would.” Setting the mug on the table, she turned to face him. “I have a lot of regrets, but mostly I’m thankful for the path that brought us together. It was hard as hell and we almost lost each other a few times, but we’re together now and that’s what matters.”
