Wicked Wolf Read online

  “Faster!”

  He shook his head. “Next time,” he rasped out.

  She froze then lifted her hips. “Next time,” she repeated.

  He pumped in and out of her slowly, watching her eyes darken as she rose over the crest. Right when he was about to come, she tilted her head and bared her neck.

  “Mark me,” she whispered.

  His fangs lengthened, and he growled before lowering his head at the perfect angle so she could mark him as well. He never quit moving, never quit remembering that he was deep inside the woman fate had chosen for him despite his rejection.

  He scored her neck before taking a deep breath.

  “Quinn. Just do it. Please.”

  He licked the part of her neck that met her shoulder then closed his eyes. When he bit down, sliding through the skin, he shook. His wolf howled, rejoicing in the bond forming. He thrust his cock twice more within her before he came, her inner walls clenching around him as she did the same. He turned his head to the side, letting Gina mark him as hers. Her fangs slid into him, the pain nothing compared to the sweet ecstasy roaring through him.

  The bond between them snapped into place so hard he felt as though he would break. It wove around their souls like a fire burst before flaring like a golden thread, unbending, unbroken.

  The spot in his heart that had been dead, so cold for so long, warmed and filled with the essence that was all Gina. His wolf howled, practically prancing at the thought of Gina’s wolf forever in his life.

  He pulled his mouth away from her then licked the wound closed, his body shaking. When he moved to look into her eyes, he knew he’d never be the same.

  Tears marked her cheeks, and she paled at the sight of him. When he moved to brush them away, she turned from him, leaving him wanting…yet not empty.

  No, he’d never be empty again, not with Gina as his mate.

  She’d mated with him for Jesse, yet it was Quinn who had come out ahead.

  Their lives were forever connected, yet he didn’t deserve it. She’d given up everything she could have had with another mate, and yet he could offer her nothing but his bond and promise to try not to hurt her again.

  He didn’t deserve Gina.

  He didn’t deserve anything.

  Chapter Nine

  Gina took two steps into her new home on Redwood Pack land and didn’t feel the urge to run away. That was something, at least.

  It had been two weeks since she’d mated with Quinn, and she still didn’t know what she was doing. Sure, she saw him every day, but it wasn’t like they talked about how they were feeling.

  How was she supposed to do that when she didn’t know what she was feeling herself? On one hand, she hated the fact that they’d both only mated to protect a boy who couldn’t protect himself.

  On the other, she couldn’t help but want the man who had taken her and bonded with her. When she looked under the layers of hurt and pain, she saw the man he had once been, or at least the man she could admire and crave now. He wasn’t a bad man, a bad wolf. No, he was loyal, fierce, and innately stoic. Yet those outer layers had hurt her and prevented him from ever feeling for her the want she needed in a true bond.

  She was just so freaking confused, yet she couldn’t stop and think about it. There was too much to do. The council had come back together, and while they tried to ignore the fact that their leaders were now mated, it was hard to do.

  She and Quinn hadn’t told anyone why they had mated, and most people thought it was because they wanted to, because they loved one another, not because of the true reason. Only her family and Quinn’s friends had guessed, but she hadn’t told them the truth.

  She didn’t want people to judge her or even Jesse for her decision. After all, she’d mated for the life of Jesse, not for love. She’d been the one to make it, so now she was the one who was going to have to live with it.

  The council was working hard with the maternals and sentries to make their plans for having the two Packs work together actually happen. Gina hoped everything worked out and that the moon goddess gave them a break, but she honestly didn’t know anymore.

  It didn’t help that she had no idea what to say to Quinn. They talked work, Pack issues, and Jesse, but that was it. They didn’t talk about feelings or emotions, but she didn’t think they could yet. Their bond was still too fresh, too new. She could feel him on the other side of the bond as well as her wolf could, and it scared her. If she looked too closely, she might get burned, and she couldn’t afford that.

  So, the council was well on its way to hopefully being helpful, she and Quinn were studiously avoiding talking about big issues, and thankfully, Jesse seemed to be getting better.

  She ran a hand over her heart and let out a breath. That little pup was already turning out to be the light of her life. He’d accepted her as Quinn’s mate surprisingly fast. He was still a little shy around her and called her Gina, but it was more than she could have ever asked for. They were learning each other much like she and Quinn were learning each other. In fact, Quinn and Jesse were coming over to the den later that day so they could all bond. Or at least try to. It was weird going about things so differently than most wolves, but she would find a way to make it work.

  At least Jesse was getting better. He didn’t have that much more energy than he had before, but between the bond and what Hannah and Walker had done, he wasn’t getting tired like he used to. She hoped that meant he was well on the way to being mended.

  She didn’t live with them, but she did see Quinn and Jesse daily. It was hard to see them and not fall in love with them. That was one thing she promised herself she wouldn’t do, yet she knew that might be futile.

  She was bonded to that family, and now she was going to start bringing that family into her den. Her plans for moving in with Brie were over because she was a newly mated woman now who needed a place of her own. When Jesse was ready, he and Quinn would become Redwoods and move in with her. She hadn’t wanted to bring them over now because Jesse needed to be at full strength before he cut his bond with his Alpha, and she didn’t want to live with them among the Talons because she wasn’t a Pack member.

  It was all really confusing, and honestly, she felt like nothing was ever going to be okay again if she thought about it too hard.

  She’d given up a chance at happiness, at least that’s what Quinn had told her. Did she really believe that though? Would she have ever found another mate? Some wolves never found mates and were forced to find other ways of making a mating bond or a future. She had a mate. One that fate had picked. It was just that Quinn hadn’t wanted her…at first.

  Now he seemed to be okay with her bloodline and who she was, but she couldn’t trust that, could she? See? So confusing. One day it would all make sense because if it didn’t, she wasn’t sure how she’d be able to function. As it was, she knew she wasn’t at full speed.

  Others gave her the benefit of the doubt because she was newly mated, but that wasn’t it. She wasn’t tired because she was up all night having glorious sex with Quinn. No, she was tired because she couldn’t sleep since he wasn’t there. They didn’t even sleep under the same roof. In fact, other than that first night, she and Quinn hadn’t made love again. She knew he was giving her space, but now she felt unwanted.

  Again.

  Apparently, her wolf and her brain were going crazy because she honestly didn’t know what to do next beyond trying to make it through the day.

  The first step would be to make her new, small house on the Redwood Pack land her home.

  Their home.

  She just hoped she was making the right choices because there was no turning back now.

  When she’d told her parents that she was ready to move out, both of them looked like they wanted to say something but had held back. They weren’t pushing her out, but they wanted to keep her safe somehow. She knew they were worried about her, but there was nothing she could do. Instead, they helped her find a small cottage on the edge
of the Jamenson area of the den and let her live her life. The fact that they supported her and helped her when she needed it meant more to her than them voicing their concerns. They had the same ones as she did, so there was no point in worrying over things she couldn’t change.

  Finn and her dad had helped her move in some of the antique furniture they had in their storage units. Some had belonged to her grandparents while other pieces had belonged to her birth parents. It hurt deep down inside that neither set was alive, thanks to the war, but now she had a piece of them in this new world she wove.

  Quinn and Jesse would be there in about half an hour to see the new place and have a meal. They were all trying, so that had to count for something. She just hated being in a state of flux. Not having her footing made her feel as if she was constantly trying to figure out what to do next, but things would settle down soon. The Pack was working with the Talons and with her and Quinn’s mating, things would only get better on that front. Jesse would one day be fully healed, if the way he was slowly getting better was any indication.

  Only her mating with Quinn was the truly scary thing.

  Well, that and the fact that those bastards who’d cornered her on neutral land still gave her wary looks, as if she’d turn green and cackle like a Hollywood witch or something.

  They had been punished by her father for attacking—or at least trying to attack—without cause, but they were still resentful. She just hoped they didn’t do anything stupid. She honestly didn’t have the energy to deal with the insecurities of a few wolves that didn’t understand her powers. Okay, fine, she didn’t understand them fully either, but she was learning. She was going to her Aunt Hannah weekly to learn to center. She’d even helped Jesse with his illness using her powers.

  She wasn’t a weak, unskilled witch.

  She was learning.

  Tired of her rambling thoughts, she ran her hand through her hair then walked out to her front yard. Quinn and Jesse would be there soon, and she didn’t really want to start decorating or putting anything out until they lived with her. It seemed odd to do so without them since this would soon be their place. The fact that she’d picked it without them was weird enough.

  The scent of two familiar, unwanted wolves reached her nostrils, and she planted her feet while trying to look casual. Two of the wolves who had tried to attack her with the Talons were prowling toward her in human from. The glares on their faces didn’t bode well.

  Damn it, she did not have time for this, and she didn’t want Jesse to see anything that might happen if she had to use her wolf or her powers to get out of the situation. He might be a pup, but he was going to be her pup. She’d protect him with everything she had—even herself.

  “What can I do for you boys?” she asked, her voice smooth. She wouldn’t put her wolf up front unless she had to. No use beating these boys down until they made the first move.

  “We just want to welcome you to your new home,” the first wolf sneered.

  “Yeah, then say get out. You should have gone to live with your new Talon mate,” the other one said.

  She raised a brow. “I don’t think so, boys. I’m going to be the Enforcer, in case you’ve forgotten. I’m a Redwood. Quinn will be one soon as well.”

  “You should have gone to your man and joined his Pack. What kind of pussy is this Quinn if he’s letting his woman lead?”

  She let out a breath. She hated ignorant fools. Every Pack had them. Even though most of the Redwoods and Talons were good and reasonable, some weren’t. It was just the way of every community.

  “You know what? I’m going to be nice and let you two walk out of here on your own two feet. I’m not in the mood to kick your asses today.”

  The first wolf snorted. “Like you could, witch.”

  That did it. Fuck him. Fuck all of them. She held out her palms and let her magic roll through her. It felt like a warm spark tingling through her system, but not an unpleasant one. No, this one was like she was waking up after a long sleep, eager to get on with her day. She’d been practicing so hard, and now it felt like things were actually working in her favor. Twin flames danced in her palms, and she growled at each of the wolves in front of her.

  “I’m a witch. I’m a wolf. I’m blessed by the moon goddess to one day be the Enforcer. I know I will need to prove myself to you. I’ve been doing that since the day I first growled and shifted. You don’t like my past, my blood, or who I am? That’s fine. I can’t change that. But no matter what your opinions of me are, you will learn to respect me or deal with the consequences. I have shown both of you that my wolf is more dominant. If you can’t understand that, then we have a problem.”

  The weaker wolf in front of her knelt low to the ground, his body quivering. The other wolf, however, was a freaking idiot. He snarled then pounced. Without a second thought, she closed her hands, putting out the flames, and then pivoted so the wolf hit the ground instead of her. His face hit the dirt, and she picked him up by his neck then slammed him back into the ground, this time on his back. She straddled him and growled.

  His wolf whimpered, but she was tired of this.

  Tired of fighting for what she had because others wanted it, too.

  “Are you finished? You are a strong wolf. I get that. But you are not stronger than me. Fighting within the Pack will only hurt us when it comes to outsiders. Don’t you get that? You’re hurting the Redwoods because of your prejudices. I’m done dealing with your shit. Get over yourself and learn your place. Respect who we are.”

  The wolf met her eyes for only a moment then lowered his own, defeated.

  Her own wolf howled. She hadn’t drawn a single drop of blood, and she had a feeling she’d resolved at least some of the issues going on in her Pack. It took power, not carnage, to do so.

  Thank the goddess.

  With one last look at the wolf below her, she stood up and glared. Both of the wolves ran in the other direction. If they’d been in wolf form, their tails would have been tucked between their legs. She knew proving her dominance would never be over—that was the way of the wolves—but she hoped this would put a damper on the whole prejudice thing. She’d had full control of her powers and hadn’t used them to hurt another member of her Pack. That was something others who didn’t know her worried about, and now she had proof she could handle things on her own.

  “You were magnificent.”

  She jumped at Quinn’s words then looked up to see him with Jesse in his arms walking toward her. Her mate had a frown on his face but still looked proud.

  Warmth filled her at that look, but she pushed it down. She couldn’t fall in love with him, she reminded herself.

  “Are the bad wolves gone?” Jesse asked, and she smiled at the little boy in Quinn’s arms. The two of them reached her and stood only a few inches away. She could scent their wolves, all warmth and forest, and the connection that proved she was theirs, at least as far as she would let them be.

  She hesitantly reached out and cupped his little face. He grinned and rubbed against her skin. Her own wolf nudged at her, wanting to make sure this little pup knew he would always be taken care of.

  She’d been adopted into a loving family and had never once thought she wasn’t loved. She would make sure Jesse knew the same feelings—despite what went on between her and his father.

  “Yes, they’re gone. They just needed a little lesson. Don’t worry, though, okay?”

  “Okay.” His eyes brightened as he looked behind her. “Is that our new home?”

  She met Quinn’s eyes, and he nodded at her. “Yes, when you’re strong enough to go through bond changes, then you’ll move in here with me.” Her voice trembled a bit, and she had a feeling Quinn caught it.

  It was a scary prospect. One day she’d been a wolf just finding her place within the Pack, and the next she was a stepmother to a sick pup and mated to a wolf who would never love her.

  She’d deal though. She always did.

  “Can I see inside?” he a
sked, then grinned at her. Jesse had the best smile, and he knew it. He was going to be trouble when he got older, and she couldn’t wait. The fact that he would be able to get older at all made everything worthwhile.

  “Come on then,” she said and held back a gasp when he wrapped his arm around her neck. She stepped closer to him and Quinn handed him over, making sure she had him tucked close. He was five, so he was already too big to be held most days, but she was a wolf and could handle it. Plus, this was a new place so she understood he wanted the comfort.

  She met Quinn’s eyes, and he gave her an odd look then moved toward the house. “This is it. It’s an older cottage that’s been in my family for a while now. It has enough land that if we want to build on, we can.”

  “It’s great, Gina. Perfect.”

  She looked over at Quinn and smiled softly. “Thanks. I’ve only spent a couple of nights in it and haven’t unpacked really. I was just waiting…you know.”

  He met her gaze and nodded. “I get it. Soon, I think.”

  Her heart raced, and she sucked in a breath. Technically, with the bond between them already working, they didn’t have to live together. Yes, the two would have to join her Pack because of the ways the other Pack bonds and wards worked, but they didn’t have to act like a mated couple if they didn’t want to. It would be awkward and horrible, but she could deal with it. But Quinn was doing everything in his power to show her that he could be a normal mate. He was going to become a Redwood, live with her, and raise his son with her.

  He just didn’t love her.

  She didn’t need that though. And if she told herself that enough times, maybe she’d believe it.

  “Well, come on in, I’ll give you a tour.”

  “Are you sleeping here all alone?” Jesse asked when she set him down.

  “Yes. For now. Want to see your room? I don’t have anything in it yet since I figured you’d want your own things.”

  “Okay, I like that. But I think you should come home with us. That way you’re not alone. Being alone is sad.”