“Why are you afraid?”
“My mother was human and she didn’t want me, Mika. When she tracked my father down she couldn’t get rid of me fast enough. Mated werewolves have chemistry going that keeps them dependent on each other but that usually doesn’t happen when we mate with humans. What if you change your mind about wanting to be with me after we have children? What if you leave us the way my mother left me? Your chemistry is different. A werewolf mate would get addicted to my scent and always need me as much as I get addicted to her and need her. You probably won’t do that.
Mates are for life but you could leave me at any time.” He paused. “It would destroy me to lose you or to one day see the kind of pain I’ve suffered on the faces of our children if you left them as well.”
Mika stared at him in shock. She didn’t know what to say. Grady didn’t have that problem.
“If you were a werewolf you would have known that I had no intention of touching Megan, you wouldn’t have run off to leave me in heat, and I wouldn’t have had to call my family to help me find you before you were gone. It pissed me off, made me so damn angry that I had been right all along, and I thought you were my mate, abandoning me, which was my worst fear. That’s why I was so out of control when I reached my father’s house. I didn’t mean to scare you but I was going crazy inside. You didn’t give me a chance to explain anything but instead just ran from me.”
“I thought you were going to kill me and that she was the one you wanted, Grady.
She’s the woman you had to cancel your plans with. She’s the one you originally planned to go through your heat with.”
He frowned. “I explained that. I was afraid when I told Megan that I took a mate that she’d try to challenge you. You’re human, you’d lose, and I was telling Yon if she tried to do that, I’d kill her to make sure she didn’t try to claim me.”
“It would have solved all your problems if that were the case and the mating had taken, Grady.”
He took a step closer to her, looking scary and angry. “You think I’d let that happen? That I’d allow anyone to hurt you?”
She glanced around her bedroom and then arched an eyebrow at him. “You obviously didn’t want to be mated to me and felt pretty damn strongly about it. Look around you.”
He did and then his gaze locked on her again. “I never wanted to risk making a human woman the center of my world again because the one human that I did left me on a doorstep and never looked back once. I was seeing that in my future when I did this, terrified that one day you’d abandon me and our children, the pain it would cause us, and I know the grief firsthand.”
“I’m not her,” Mika said softly. “I could never do that.”
“You already tried to leave me but I realize it was my fault.” He leaned against an exposed wood stud. “I’m sorry I hurt you and I’m sorry that I was too afraid to show you how much you mean to me. The closer we got and the more I wanted you, the harder I fought it. I know I was somewhat of an ass at times.”
“I understand,” she said softly. “Thanks for explaining it to me.” She shook her head, a small, sad smile playing at her lips. “And you were a first-rate ass**le at times.
Don’t be modest.”
A quick grin flashed on his handsome features. “Don’t ever leave me, babe.” The air in her lungs froze and then she pushed it out. She couldn’t look away from him. “What?”
He hesitated. “When I calmed down after biting you I came to terms that you were my mate. I didn’t hate it, babe. I actually was relieved that I didn’t have to fight my feelings anymore. I’m still terrified that I’m going to lose you since we won’t bond the way I need us to but I’d rather take the chance than just let you walk away from me.” He hesitated. “I’m disappointed the mating didn’t take and if my damn brother hadn’t stuck his snout in it today, I was going to spend the next few days convincing you that I can make you happy.” He paused. “I was going to bite you in bed but it wouldn’t have been an accident this time.”
Her mouth dropped open and then she slammed it closed. Grady pushed away from the wall, staring down at her, and his hands reached for her. Mika took a step back, tripped on something that hit the back of her heel, but she never fell. Grady had her in his arms in a heartbeat, sweeping her up, holding her tightly to his chest so their mouths were inches apart.
“I’ll never cheat on you, never shut you out again, and I’ll make it all up to you. Just don’t leave me, Mika. I don’t want to live without you.” He paused. “You’re in my blood and I want to be in yours.”
She couldn’t look away from his sincere gaze as her hands wound around his neck.
“I”
“Give me a chance, babe. I miss you, I miss us, and I want it the way it was.” She chewed on her lip, her gaze locked with his. She loved him.
“I’m not letting you go,” he whispered. “I already think of you as my mate.”
“But you want a mate with a tail and fur. One you can” His mouth came down on hers, cutting off her words. His tongue invaded, sliding across hers, his passion igniting instantly. They had chemistry, she knew that, and so did he. She moaned into his mouth and he pulled back, breathing hard, his gaze locking with hers again.
“I’d rather risk losing you later than watch you walk away for me forever. I love you, babe. I fought it, I was set to not mate you no matter how much my two sides battled but both of them want you. I want you.”
“Grady…” She paused, studying his eyes. “I love you too but I don’t want to get hurt either.”
He smiled. “I might have to hurt you once but after that, no more.”
He turned his attention to the floor, stepping over broken furniture and bed stuffing as he carried her down the hallway to the spare bedroom. He kicked the door closed behind them and then eased her down on the bed.
“What do you mean you might have to hurt me once?” She frowned as he backed away.
Grady tore his shirt up over his head, tossing it to the floor while he toed off his boots, just kicking them away. “I’m going to bite you. You didn’t feel it last time so I’m confident I can distract you enough this time as well but I’m not going to jerk my teeth away quickly the way I did before. I’m going to make damn sure the mating takes this time. Get undressed.”
He was really going to do it. She was stunned a bit but she reached for her shoes, tearing them off one at a time, watching him strip out of his jeans. Her gaze ran down his body, admiring every damn inch of him. He was so damn sexy, so…hers. That thought had her smiling. Grady arched an eyebrow as he stood naked, watching her, waiting for her to finish undressing.
His gaze lowered down his own body and then he softly growled. “Are you happy to see how much I want you?”
Mika lifted her h*ps as she lay back on the bed, shoving her pants down. Grady gripped the bottom of them and tugged before she could free herself of them. He grabbed her ankles, making her gasp as he dragged her ass to the edge of the bed, and then sank to his knees on the floor.
“I am happy,” she admitted.
“If you ever try to leave me I’ll chain you to a bed,” he warned. “You’re mine, Mika.”
“Not yet. You haven’t bitten me.”
“I heard once that if a male bites his mate often enough, that it can create a strong bond like a werewolf mate set has.”
Mika sat up, gripping his shoulders, and pulled him down on top of her as her legs lifted to wrap around his hips, holding him there. “I love it when you bite me. Just don’t leave me this time or tear up this room. It’s the last damn bed I own and I’m not going to sleep on the floor.” She smiled to soften her words.
A twinkle sparkled in Grady’s eyes, which were turning black in color. He shifted his h*ps and Mika moaned as his hard shaft rubbed against her cl*t where she was spread open to him. Grady softly growled, rocking his h*ps slowly against her.
“I will never leave you again, babe. You’re so wet for me already.” She stared into his eyes. “I always want you, Grady.”
“You got me.” He shifted his h*ps a little more and then slowly pushed forward.
A loud moan tore from Mika as he penetrated her pu**y, stretching her and filling her. Nerve endings burst to life sending ecstasy straight to her brain. Her hands clutched his shoulders, her nails biting into his skin, and Grady groaned.
“I want to take you fast and hard. We’ll do slow and leisurely later.”
“Bite me.” She was sure she wanted to be his mate.
Grady stared into her eyes as he started to move with deep, strong thrusts of his hips. Mika threw back her head, breaking eye contact with him, and moaned his name.
Grady lowered his chest against hers, pinning her tightly, and his mouth brushed her shoulder. Hot breath fanned her skin and then sharp teeth bit down hard, pain and pleasure merging as Grady drove her over the edge, a cl**ax making her scream out his name. Grady tensed on her and then he exploded inside her, coming hard enough that she could feel every twitch and all his warmth filling her.
His h*ps stilled as he kept her pinned, his teeth locked into her, and his tongue licking her skin, held between his canines. It didn’t hurt as much as Mika feared but then he’d waited right until she was on the edge to do it. Even now, in the aftermath of mind-blowing sex, she was feeling too good to let the slight, uncomfortable pinch on the top of her shoulder bother her.
Grady gently eased his teeth from her and slid his tongue across the marks he’d left there. Mika grinned.
“You distracted me pretty damn good.”
He chuckled. “Good because I’m going to do it again in about five damn minutes when you catch your breath. I’m making sure we’re a mate set this time.” Her hands slid to his back, hugging him to her chest. “You get to tell Uncle Omar but make sure he doesn’t get near your nuts. I enjoy playing with those and want you to keep them since you mentioned kids.”
Grady chuckled, his tongue swiping her skin again where he’d bitten her. “I think we should stay here, hiding out from him, and let my dad tell him. He has to take orders from his pack leader and Dad will just order him to be fine with me taking you for my mate.”
She laughed. “Good plan.”
Epilogue
Four months later
Mika grinned and shut off the water in the sink. She glanced down and turned around to run across the kitchen to the open archway into the living room. Grady strode into the house and turned to face her just as she launched herself at him. He caught her in his arms and lifted her as she wrapped her arms and legs around his body.
“I missed you.”
His hands slid down to her ass. “I love thongs.” His hands caressed her bare skin under her T-shirt. “I missed you too.”
He walked a few feet to the couch and set her down on the edge, keeping one arm around her and reached to the front of his jeans to unzip them. She leaned closer to him, lifting her chin to reach his throat, and bit him where his T-shirt ended and the curve of his neck began. Her teeth didn’t break skin but she nipped him hard. Her tongue darted out to soothe the bite.
Grady growled. “It’s like that, huh?”
“It’s the hormones you share when you bite me. I can’t stand spending hours away from you. I ache to have you touching me and I need you. You’ve turned me into a damn sex fiend.”
“It’s the addiction. You need me as much as I need you.” He shoved his jeans down.
Mika gripped the bottom of his T-shirt, tearing it up his abdomen as she leaned back a little to make room between their bodies. She hooked her legs around the back of his thighs so when he released her back she didn’t fall over on the unsteady perch. She shoved his shirt all the way over his head and just tossed it away.
“My mother was human and she didn’t want me, Mika. When she tracked my father down she couldn’t get rid of me fast enough. Mated werewolves have chemistry going that keeps them dependent on each other but that usually doesn’t happen when we mate with humans. What if you change your mind about wanting to be with me after we have children? What if you leave us the way my mother left me? Your chemistry is different. A werewolf mate would get addicted to my scent and always need me as much as I get addicted to her and need her. You probably won’t do that.
Mates are for life but you could leave me at any time.” He paused. “It would destroy me to lose you or to one day see the kind of pain I’ve suffered on the faces of our children if you left them as well.”
Mika stared at him in shock. She didn’t know what to say. Grady didn’t have that problem.
“If you were a werewolf you would have known that I had no intention of touching Megan, you wouldn’t have run off to leave me in heat, and I wouldn’t have had to call my family to help me find you before you were gone. It pissed me off, made me so damn angry that I had been right all along, and I thought you were my mate, abandoning me, which was my worst fear. That’s why I was so out of control when I reached my father’s house. I didn’t mean to scare you but I was going crazy inside. You didn’t give me a chance to explain anything but instead just ran from me.”
“I thought you were going to kill me and that she was the one you wanted, Grady.
She’s the woman you had to cancel your plans with. She’s the one you originally planned to go through your heat with.”
He frowned. “I explained that. I was afraid when I told Megan that I took a mate that she’d try to challenge you. You’re human, you’d lose, and I was telling Yon if she tried to do that, I’d kill her to make sure she didn’t try to claim me.”
“It would have solved all your problems if that were the case and the mating had taken, Grady.”
He took a step closer to her, looking scary and angry. “You think I’d let that happen? That I’d allow anyone to hurt you?”
She glanced around her bedroom and then arched an eyebrow at him. “You obviously didn’t want to be mated to me and felt pretty damn strongly about it. Look around you.”
He did and then his gaze locked on her again. “I never wanted to risk making a human woman the center of my world again because the one human that I did left me on a doorstep and never looked back once. I was seeing that in my future when I did this, terrified that one day you’d abandon me and our children, the pain it would cause us, and I know the grief firsthand.”
“I’m not her,” Mika said softly. “I could never do that.”
“You already tried to leave me but I realize it was my fault.” He leaned against an exposed wood stud. “I’m sorry I hurt you and I’m sorry that I was too afraid to show you how much you mean to me. The closer we got and the more I wanted you, the harder I fought it. I know I was somewhat of an ass at times.”
“I understand,” she said softly. “Thanks for explaining it to me.” She shook her head, a small, sad smile playing at her lips. “And you were a first-rate ass**le at times.
Don’t be modest.”
A quick grin flashed on his handsome features. “Don’t ever leave me, babe.” The air in her lungs froze and then she pushed it out. She couldn’t look away from him. “What?”
He hesitated. “When I calmed down after biting you I came to terms that you were my mate. I didn’t hate it, babe. I actually was relieved that I didn’t have to fight my feelings anymore. I’m still terrified that I’m going to lose you since we won’t bond the way I need us to but I’d rather take the chance than just let you walk away from me.” He hesitated. “I’m disappointed the mating didn’t take and if my damn brother hadn’t stuck his snout in it today, I was going to spend the next few days convincing you that I can make you happy.” He paused. “I was going to bite you in bed but it wouldn’t have been an accident this time.”
Her mouth dropped open and then she slammed it closed. Grady pushed away from the wall, staring down at her, and his hands reached for her. Mika took a step back, tripped on something that hit the back of her heel, but she never fell. Grady had her in his arms in a heartbeat, sweeping her up, holding her tightly to his chest so their mouths were inches apart.
“I’ll never cheat on you, never shut you out again, and I’ll make it all up to you. Just don’t leave me, Mika. I don’t want to live without you.” He paused. “You’re in my blood and I want to be in yours.”
She couldn’t look away from his sincere gaze as her hands wound around his neck.
“I”
“Give me a chance, babe. I miss you, I miss us, and I want it the way it was.” She chewed on her lip, her gaze locked with his. She loved him.
“I’m not letting you go,” he whispered. “I already think of you as my mate.”
“But you want a mate with a tail and fur. One you can” His mouth came down on hers, cutting off her words. His tongue invaded, sliding across hers, his passion igniting instantly. They had chemistry, she knew that, and so did he. She moaned into his mouth and he pulled back, breathing hard, his gaze locking with hers again.
“I’d rather risk losing you later than watch you walk away for me forever. I love you, babe. I fought it, I was set to not mate you no matter how much my two sides battled but both of them want you. I want you.”
“Grady…” She paused, studying his eyes. “I love you too but I don’t want to get hurt either.”
He smiled. “I might have to hurt you once but after that, no more.”
He turned his attention to the floor, stepping over broken furniture and bed stuffing as he carried her down the hallway to the spare bedroom. He kicked the door closed behind them and then eased her down on the bed.
“What do you mean you might have to hurt me once?” She frowned as he backed away.
Grady tore his shirt up over his head, tossing it to the floor while he toed off his boots, just kicking them away. “I’m going to bite you. You didn’t feel it last time so I’m confident I can distract you enough this time as well but I’m not going to jerk my teeth away quickly the way I did before. I’m going to make damn sure the mating takes this time. Get undressed.”
He was really going to do it. She was stunned a bit but she reached for her shoes, tearing them off one at a time, watching him strip out of his jeans. Her gaze ran down his body, admiring every damn inch of him. He was so damn sexy, so…hers. That thought had her smiling. Grady arched an eyebrow as he stood naked, watching her, waiting for her to finish undressing.
His gaze lowered down his own body and then he softly growled. “Are you happy to see how much I want you?”
Mika lifted her h*ps as she lay back on the bed, shoving her pants down. Grady gripped the bottom of them and tugged before she could free herself of them. He grabbed her ankles, making her gasp as he dragged her ass to the edge of the bed, and then sank to his knees on the floor.
“I am happy,” she admitted.
“If you ever try to leave me I’ll chain you to a bed,” he warned. “You’re mine, Mika.”
“Not yet. You haven’t bitten me.”
“I heard once that if a male bites his mate often enough, that it can create a strong bond like a werewolf mate set has.”
Mika sat up, gripping his shoulders, and pulled him down on top of her as her legs lifted to wrap around his hips, holding him there. “I love it when you bite me. Just don’t leave me this time or tear up this room. It’s the last damn bed I own and I’m not going to sleep on the floor.” She smiled to soften her words.
A twinkle sparkled in Grady’s eyes, which were turning black in color. He shifted his h*ps and Mika moaned as his hard shaft rubbed against her cl*t where she was spread open to him. Grady softly growled, rocking his h*ps slowly against her.
“I will never leave you again, babe. You’re so wet for me already.” She stared into his eyes. “I always want you, Grady.”
“You got me.” He shifted his h*ps a little more and then slowly pushed forward.
A loud moan tore from Mika as he penetrated her pu**y, stretching her and filling her. Nerve endings burst to life sending ecstasy straight to her brain. Her hands clutched his shoulders, her nails biting into his skin, and Grady groaned.
“I want to take you fast and hard. We’ll do slow and leisurely later.”
“Bite me.” She was sure she wanted to be his mate.
Grady stared into her eyes as he started to move with deep, strong thrusts of his hips. Mika threw back her head, breaking eye contact with him, and moaned his name.
Grady lowered his chest against hers, pinning her tightly, and his mouth brushed her shoulder. Hot breath fanned her skin and then sharp teeth bit down hard, pain and pleasure merging as Grady drove her over the edge, a cl**ax making her scream out his name. Grady tensed on her and then he exploded inside her, coming hard enough that she could feel every twitch and all his warmth filling her.
His h*ps stilled as he kept her pinned, his teeth locked into her, and his tongue licking her skin, held between his canines. It didn’t hurt as much as Mika feared but then he’d waited right until she was on the edge to do it. Even now, in the aftermath of mind-blowing sex, she was feeling too good to let the slight, uncomfortable pinch on the top of her shoulder bother her.
Grady gently eased his teeth from her and slid his tongue across the marks he’d left there. Mika grinned.
“You distracted me pretty damn good.”
He chuckled. “Good because I’m going to do it again in about five damn minutes when you catch your breath. I’m making sure we’re a mate set this time.” Her hands slid to his back, hugging him to her chest. “You get to tell Uncle Omar but make sure he doesn’t get near your nuts. I enjoy playing with those and want you to keep them since you mentioned kids.”
Grady chuckled, his tongue swiping her skin again where he’d bitten her. “I think we should stay here, hiding out from him, and let my dad tell him. He has to take orders from his pack leader and Dad will just order him to be fine with me taking you for my mate.”
She laughed. “Good plan.”
Epilogue
Four months later
Mika grinned and shut off the water in the sink. She glanced down and turned around to run across the kitchen to the open archway into the living room. Grady strode into the house and turned to face her just as she launched herself at him. He caught her in his arms and lifted her as she wrapped her arms and legs around his body.
“I missed you.”
His hands slid down to her ass. “I love thongs.” His hands caressed her bare skin under her T-shirt. “I missed you too.”
He walked a few feet to the couch and set her down on the edge, keeping one arm around her and reached to the front of his jeans to unzip them. She leaned closer to him, lifting her chin to reach his throat, and bit him where his T-shirt ended and the curve of his neck began. Her teeth didn’t break skin but she nipped him hard. Her tongue darted out to soothe the bite.
Grady growled. “It’s like that, huh?”
“It’s the hormones you share when you bite me. I can’t stand spending hours away from you. I ache to have you touching me and I need you. You’ve turned me into a damn sex fiend.”
“It’s the addiction. You need me as much as I need you.” He shoved his jeans down.
Mika gripped the bottom of his T-shirt, tearing it up his abdomen as she leaned back a little to make room between their bodies. She hooked her legs around the back of his thighs so when he released her back she didn’t fall over on the unsteady perch. She shoved his shirt all the way over his head and just tossed it away.
