Hadley Werewolves, page 26
With reverence he placed one hand on her cheek, the other brought her hand up to his lips. She closed her eyes and savored the moment as he kissed every finger, nibbled on every jagged line and ridge on her palm.
“I want to enjoy every part of you,” he whispered. From her hand he drifted up her arm. With every brush of his lips against her skin, the fevered pitch in her body grew. She reached for him, but he shrank back with a growl.
Damn tease. He knew what he was doing.
He reached the black bra strap on her shoulder, her bra came off next, exposing her breasts to the cool night air. Her nipples tightened just thinking about what was coming.
Now their fun could begin.
Her pants and panties were cast aside. Once she was naked he stretched over her, allowing her to feel every part of him. Her body ached to have him inside her.
Instead of joining their bodies together, he drew her left nipple deep into his mouth. The delicious sensation rocked her core and sent tingles down her spine. The slow, gentle touch of his kiss was replaced with urgency as he licked and sucked. All the while his hips circled, brushing his cock across her slick folds. Keeping quiet was damn near impossible.
“Drew…” She called his name again and again. The dizzying sensations seemed to never end. While he nibbled at her neck, his hands weaved magic as he ran them over her thighs and hips, rubbing and stroking. He had to do something before she split in two from anticipation.
The pace of Drew’s rotating pelvis quickened, forcing her thighs tighter around his hips, but he didn’t enter her.
“You need to get to work and fuck me, Drew,” she hissed between clenched teeth.
He shook his head, but his uneven breaths told her a different tale, he was just as hungry as she was.
“Is something wrong?” she managed to ask. “Do you need a condom?”
It was an awkward question in the heat of the moment, but a valid one.
“Don’t worry, Neve,” he whispered again her sensitive earlobe, “I can only get you pregnant when you’re in heat. You’re safe. For now.”
One second his cock stroked her lower lips, then next he slipped in and that pretty much ended any teasing. A shudder pulsed through her that reverberated in him. His thickness stretched her and she welcomed it.
“Oh, Neve…” he whispered.
Drew’s hips found a hard and fast rhythm, pounding his length into her again and again. All she could do was hold him close and let go. She deserved this. She deserved to feel the love he wanted to give her. The sweet pleasure from his hard strokes lifted her higher, snatching her breath. His grip on her hips tightened and his body followed suit. She couldn’t stop herself from screaming out his name.
A moment or two passed and he remained inside her, his body covering hers. She wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’ve marked you as mine now, Neve,” he said against her cheek. “No more running away.”
She chuckled then nodded. “If I try to run, would you need to mark me some more, ‘cause I need plenty of marking—”
“Be quiet.” He silenced her with another long kiss.
As she lay in his arms, enjoying the love he offered, she didn’t think about the fact she was naked in the woods or that she wasn’t under the protection of a coven anymore. She was connected to something real and that was all that ever mattered.
For the next couple of days, Charly kept wrestling with letting go of her life with the witches. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t happy with her new life in Michigan, by all means, she almost had everything she needed. Except her mom.
Trenton found her sitting in their bedroom again, a place where she wouldn’t be bothered to properly mourn her mother.
In his hands, he carried a tray with food. Her nose told her he’d caught fresh fish from the nearby lake and had prepared them for her. A small smile touched her lips. Trenton couldn’t cook worth a damn so Drew probably cooked it for him. It didn’t matter, though. She appreciated the gesture.
As he placed the tray on the bed, she shoved a hand-sized, silver-colored box under the covers.
“I’d like for you to eat a bit more food today,” he said.
“I did eat yesterday.” She avoided his gaze.
“Pups eat more food.” He stabbed the flaky fish with the fork and offered her a bite.
The dish had been prepared to perfection. The lemon, garlic, and parsley helped to create a delicious meal. “Wow, this is really good,” she admitted.
“See? I didn’t burn it this time.”
She gave him the look. “This tastes like Drew cooked it.”
“He was my assistant.” Trenton was so cute when he tried to make her feel better. “He held the pan and cooked your meal under my direction.”
A laugh escaped her mouth and it felt good. Instead of leaving, he took a spot on the bed next to her. He didn’t protest when she rested her head against his shoulder.
“You better not drop any food on me,” he joked.
She snorted. As if she’d waste such good food.
The lunch was perfect. She ate every single bite—even the well-seasoned, boiled cauliflower.
“Good to see your appetite is coming back.” The bed groaned as he got up. He leaned over to offer her a brief kiss and her body melted from the simple touch. Damn, it had been a while since they’d made love. All he had to do was stand there, and if he needed her she sensed it. It was more than body language for werewolves. She could smell his need now.
But like any great mate, he took the tray and left the room without expressing his needs. “I’ll be back to check on you later.”
“Thanks.”
He paused in front of the door. “I love you, baby.”
Heat filled her cheeks. “I love you too, Trenton.”
The door clicked shut after he left.
Today could be a good day if she wanted it to be. She was sated in more ways than one. With a sigh, she grabbed another pillow from Trenton’s side of the bed and used it to get comfortable. Her hand brushed against the box she’d tucked away. She pulled out the rectangular container and ran her fingers over the smooth, metallic surface. A golden button along the edge beckoned her to open the witch’s bloodletting kit, but she’d held back since she’d left the compound.
I’m not a witch anymore. Why should I care about it?
This was the bloodletting kit her mother used to first teach her about the blood craft. Her fingers trembled as she pressed the button. A pressure began to build in her chest and she blinked as her vision blurred. Everything was as she’d left it. All the needles had been tucked into their special compartments. During that first lesson, she had sat in her mother’s lap and Mom pricked her finger.
“Everything begins with blood, Charly. Life and sometimes death,” her mom had said.
The tears she’d tried to hold back fell again. Using one of the needles, she pricked her ring finger. A tiny drop of blood grew. Werewolf blood. There wasn’t any magic here, but the gesture alone was something far deeper.
Her mother’s memory continued to whisper to her. “I love you, and I don’t want anyone—or anything to hurt you… Someday, you might have to shed more blood than this tiny drop. You need to be ready for that day.”
She had faced that day—and so had her mother in a way. Her mom’s final gesture was a chance for Charly to start a new life. She wouldn’t squander that opportunity.
Not as many families returned to Hadley as Emma would’ve wanted. None of the humans came back who’d lived here before. While Kyle waited for her on the curb, Emma locked up another abandoned home on the edge of town. She pressed her forehead against the wooden door, trying not to think of all the belongings that had been left behind: pictures, furniture, and even clothes.
It was disheartening at times, but changes had been made for the better.
Rebuilding the infrastructure came first so that citizens would have food, water, and protection. In the beginning it wasn’t an easy feat.
Just thinking about the overnight transformation to the ransacked town park touched the painful wound in Emma’s heart. A job that would’ve taken them weeks of hard work had been finished with ease through magic.
“We buried Vanessa there,” Drew had told Kyle and Emma before the two couples had left for Michigan. “The fixed park is a final gift from Nevena.”
The quiet witch never stepped forward to take credit. As they parted, though, Emma was glad she shook Nevena’s hand. Holding onto hate for the witches was a burden she didn’t want.
Losing Drew and Trenton as police officers hit Kyle hard, too. Emma sensed it every time her mate came home late after spending days conducting pack business.
Even with all these problems, the promise of something new lay on the horizon. Many werewolves who had left returned.
Her sister Meg had decided to stay in town instead of leaving for college. Even an order from the pack alpha hadn’t deterred her young sister. Meg always did have a stubborn streak in her.
Like her sister, she thought.
Her gaze flicked to across the street. Kyle welcomed a family who had driven here from St. Louis to settle in a community where their werewolf nature could be out in the open. Their children darted in and out of the house.
Emma strode across the lane and joined them. Her mate’s arm curved upward and she slid into the spot he offered at his side. Her heart filled with warmth just thinking about how much they’d survived: their separation due to the former pack leader Liam’s deceit, the second attack on the town, and now they faced rebuilding Hadley.
Kyle drew her in front of him and he rested his hands on her stomach. Their tiny baby grew inside of her. A new generation that would help make Hadley even better. “You okay?” he whispered in her ear.
“I’m good.” Saying that she’d be even better tomorrow would’ve truly conveyed how she felt.
Now that the witches wouldn’t bother them anymore, Hadley had a chance to rise again from the ashes. This time their home town would become a true haven for werewolves.
With Kyle by her side, they could do it.
Thank you for reading Hadley Werewolves! Do you need more werewolf stories? Be sure to check out the adventures of the Windham family in Windham Werewolves!
Would you like to know when I plan to release my next book? Be sure to sign up for my newsletter, follow me on twitter at @shawntelle, or like my Facebook page!
Did you like Hadley Werewolves? Leave a review! Reviews help other readers find books. I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative.
PREVIEW WINDHAM WEREWOLVES - THE HUNTER’S MOON - Part 1
On most mornings after her chemo treatment, Cynthia woke up at home with a mouth scratchy like cotton and a hammer-struck headache.
This morning, however, her eyes shot open, and she sat up alert. Something was wrong. Darkness filled the bedroom’s corners. Only the light coming in from under the single doorway to her left cast a glow along the floor. Post-chemo, her room was usually pitch-black. Light-sensitive migraines were fairly common for her.
The blankets, which should’ve been smooth cotton, were stiff. Instead of refreshing, cool air from a humidifier, the air was dry and warm, with the subtle scent of white pines and fir trees, almost as if she were in a cabin.
Why wasn’t she in her room? She would beat the hell out of her brother for letting her recover in some off-the-wall bed-and-breakfast where they served sunshine happy face breakfast platters.
“Zach…” Her brother’s name died on her lips as a familiar jolt to be alert for danger folded over her. She moved her hand first then a leg. Every limb was stiff as if she’d slept for longer than usual. A search along the sheets only revealed someone had left a warm spot next to her side. She hadn’t slept alone.
She fought the fearful swallow that danced along the back of her throat. If she weren’t at home, she wouldn’t have any weapons. A hunter always carried something useful, but she had no idea where her bag was.
“I know you’re awake,” a deep male voice said from the darkened corner to her right.
As quickly as she could manage, she shuffled out of the bed toward the door. By the time she had taken a few steps, her body rebelled. Her stomach clenched tight as a wave of nausea coursed through her.
Not now. Not now. Not now.
After each therapy session with a lovely cocktail of drugs, she was one of the lucky ones to have severe nausea. And every single time, she puked her guts out like a binge-drinking college dorm boy bending over a porcelain altar to worship. Intensification therapy for cancer sucked ass.
The sound of her retching must’ve spurred the stranger into action. In seconds, he was at her side, a bucket in his hands. After so many hospital visits, the shame from such a personal act was gone. Nurse after nurse had seen her spew. Another stranger didn’t matter much.
He supported her with a strong arm around her waist and helped her hold the bucket. Even as her knees buckled, he held her. Far too easily.
“I gotcha,” he said softly. “It’ll be over soon.”
When she finished, her head rolled back. Episodes like this always took what little strength she had left.
“You shouldn’t have gotten up.” He picked her up and laid her on the bed. Once she was settled, he left the room with the bucket and returned shortly thereafter. All the while, her heart raced. It wasn’t the smooth lilt to his voice that alarmed her, but the heat radiating from his skin. She had lost a bit of weight, but he lifted her as if she were nothing. Had the werewolves captured her while she was so vulnerable and weak?
“Where am I?” She stuck with a safer question instead of asking, Who are you?
He chuckled. “Safe, Cynthia.”
So, he knew her name. “‘Safe’ isn’t a good enough answer.”
“You’ve been sleeping for nearly twenty-four hours after your chemotherapy treatment in Vancouver. If you were in danger, you’d be dead already, hunter.”
“Where is Zach?” She tried to keep the quiver out of her voice.
The man didn’t reply.
Her eyes had finally adjusted to the darkness. A single heavily draped window and the door were the only exit points. Each required at least five footsteps. She wore a thin T-shirt and a pair of shorts. Depending on the wintry conditions outside, she wouldn’t last long unless she took him out and found adequate clothing.
Her fingers twitched. A year ago, before her cancer diagnosis, she would’ve used a gun strapped to her thigh to turn him and every thug werewolf into Swiss cheese. At least two silver bullets to his chest would do the job.
“Did you kill him?” she asked slowly.
“No.”
Cyn could faintly make out the man who leaned against the wall. He stood tall, with broad shoulders and a lean waist. She couldn’t make out the color of his hair—matter of fact, the only features she could discern were his eyes. In the dark, they reflected like a canine’s eyes, like those of a predator. She tried to hold his gaze, but the intensity in his eyes forced her to blink. Stay sharp, Cyn.
“You’re after a ransom, aren’t you?” she managed. “Bring down the weakened hunter and use her to cushion your bank account?”
He folded his arms. “Not even close.”
“Then what do you want?”
“I want you to calm down first. Your heartbeat is too elevated.”
As if he cared. She made a rude noise. His kind lived to conquer and dominate. Ever since the world had discovered that werewolves roamed the cities, the hunters had had to step up their game to clean up the carnage from the rogues who trailed after trouble.
“I don’t have any drugs for arrhythmia if your heart goes out, so you need to chill,” he added.
Cyn turned his way. Was he a doctor? As much as she wanted to leap out of the bed, he was right. After practically living in the hospital a few times, she wasn’t eager to go back.
Silence crept between them. The nagging need to ask questions didn’t stop. How did she get here? Where the hell was here? What had happened from the point when she got her treatment to now?
“Where is my brother?” she said with clenched teeth.
“He’s not here.” The man left the wall. With a sweep of his hand, he opened the curtains to reveal the night sky. Instead of the Vancouver skyline, there was nothing but mountains and endless trees dotting an expansive valley with not a single sign of civilization.
“Your brother returned to Vancouver,” the man said. “We brought you to my cabin in the mountains.”
* * *
WANT TO KEEP READING?
Purchase a copy of Windham Werewolves!
Also by Shawntelle Madison
Coveted Series
Collected (Prequel Novella)
Coveted
Kept
Pocketed (Novella)
Compelled
Cursed (Collection of Short Stories)
Flea Market Magic Series
Thrift Store Trolls (June 2020)
Heroes Run in Packs Series
Hadley Werewolves
Windham Werewolves
McGinnis Werewolves (Coming soon)
Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Bitter Disenchantment
Repossessed
Taming the Viking’s Dragon
At Your Service Series
Bound to You
Surrender to You
About the Author
Shawntelle Madison is a Web developer who loves to weave words as well as code. She’d be reluctant to admit it, but if pressed, she’d say that she covets and collects source code. After losing her first summer job detasseling corn, Madison performed various jobs, from fast-food clerk to grunt programmer to university webmaster. Writing eccentric characters is her favorite job of all. On any given day when she’s not surgically attached to her computer, she can be found watching cheesy horror movies or the latest action-packed anime. Shawntelle Madison lives in Missouri with her husband and children.
