Alpha Wolf

Chapter Eight

Scarlett wanted him. She was sure about it. For the first time in her life, she was going to give into what her body wanted and not be terrified of the consequences.

She wasn’t sure what made her feel so brave.

Maybe it was thinking Michael was dead when Todd carried him in. Maybe it had reminded her how short life could be. Maybe it had been the way he had eaten her food like he’d loved every bite. Maybe it was the way his woodsy sent made shivers go up and down her back. Maybe it was just Michael being Michael.

As her mate moved his hands beneath her shirt she decided not to question it.

She didn’t need to undress him because he was already naked under the covers, which meant all she needed to do was get the covers off him. She tugged them down, exposing his chest and the upper part of his abdomen to her perusal.

Michael’s skin seemed to dance beneath her fingers. Wherever she touched it, she could feel goose bumps pop out. She loved running her hands over his chest and from the way he made growling noises in his throat, she was certain he enjoyed it too.

He kissed like he lived his life, with intensity. Most of the men she’d had the unfortunate luck to be intimate with, were all tongue and no concentration. It was always a dirty, nasty business. A combination of bad breath and lack of interest.

But Michael was sweet. He smelled delicious and when his tongue played in and out of her mouth in a joyful tangle with hers, she was happy to let it go on forever.

He hadn’t shaved since she’d met him and the slight growth of dark whiskers on the deep planes of his face dug sensuously into her skin. There was something so masculine about it.

Pulling back, she squeezed both his cheeks in her hands. He raised an eyebrow and she smiled.

“Can you keep your whiskers like this?”

He smiled, a broad tooth-filled grin. “I’m sorry. If I don’t shave, I’ll have a beard and if I do shave, it doesn’t stay like this. But I can try to shave say once every three days, which will give you this level of growth twice a week.”

“Thank you.”

It was, she had discovered, just easier to thank Michael for all the wonderful things he did. He was going to do those things and there was no arguing with him. If she suggested he shave at his discretion, he would still do it once every three days. Just to please her.

His swift hands unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it off her, discarding it somewhere on the floor. It was one of three shirts she owned and usually she was meticulous about keeping it clean. Right now, she didn’t care.

Scarlett knew her breasts were small. She had eyes, and even if she’d been clueless, she’d heard it enough. Waiting for the laughter she’d received in the past, she was stunned when Michael’s eyes got big instead.

“Beautiful.”

She shook her head. “Tiny.”

“Scarlett, if you were any bigger, you’d topple over. You’re what? Ninety pounds?”

She weighed more than that but his point was made. She was small framed.

She unhooked her bra—not that she ever really needed one, it was more a modesty thing than a support device—and let what little of her there was fall free.

Michael leaned back against the headboard and pulled her until she lay against him.

With his hands, he grasped her breasts gently.

“See, sweetheart, they fit in the palms of my hands. They’re made for me.”

Her cheeks heated up. “If you say so.”

“I do.”

Well, all right then. She couldn’t think any further as he rolled first one and then the other nipple through his fingertips. Pain that immediately turned to pleasure travelled her spine. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of feeling something on her own terms.

Even this far along she knew if she told Michael to stop, he would.

Which was exactly why she didn’t want to tell him to do anything but to keep going.

Michael replaced his fingers with his mouth and Scarlett’s eyes shot open. She saw the top of his head as he suckled at her breast. Running her fingers through his brown hair, she stroked the back of his neck, stopping where his hair met his neckline and then back up again.

Finally, she had to speak. “Michael, that feels so good.”

His only response was to switch his mouth’s attention to her other breast.

Using her vantage point to her advantage, she leaned down to kiss and lick at his ear.

He shivered and groaned, pulling his mouth from her breast, he met her tongue-to-tongue again in a kiss that spoke of possession.

That was fine for her, she wanted to be possessed by Michael Kane more than she wanted to breathe.

Michael placed kisses on her chin, on her neck, on her shoulders. She sighed. It was heaven. Her core had long since gotten hot and wet and as she squirmed on his lap, she could feel his hard erection pushing through the blanket that still covered him from the waist down.

She squirmed and he groaned. “Do that again.”

“What?”

“Move like that.”

Laughing, she touched the tip of her finger to his nose. “I’m not sure what I did.”

“Never mind.”

Pushing her backward, gently onto the bed, she squealed when he came on top of her. He was no longer covered and she got a full view of his hugely erect cock. Moving her eyes, she forced herself to look at his grinning face. It was safer. Much as she wanted this—and gods knew she did at this point—she didn’t want to face the reality of that.

“Your eyes just got so serious.”

“Kiss me again.” She pulled his head until his mouth was on hers again. Lost in his sweet embrace was better, so much better than worrying about things.

Michael ran his hands down her chest to her stomach, stopping to play with her belly button.

She squirmed under his embrace. He was certainly a tactile lover, he liked to touch everything, kiss and caress every part of her. Scarlett had never found the first part of sex to take this long. She wasn’t complaining—just surprised.

He raised his head. “Scarlett, when this is over, even though you don’t have a wolf, you’ll be able to speak to me telepathically.”

Gods, she hoped she could. She hoped it wasn’t one of those things she should be able to do but it turned out she couldn’t actually manage. No, she pushed away the thought.

It was important for her sanity to stay in the moment.

Still, she needed to respond. “That’s great.”

“I’m losing you somewhere.” Michael stopped what he was going to look down at her. His eyes showed passion mixed with concern. “Are you okay?”

“I guess I’m a little bit nervous.” And now she was more than sure she’d ruined the moment.

Michael scooted up until their faces were aligned. He held his body off hers with his elbows. Gently, with his thumb, he caressed her forehead.

“Am I going too fast?”

She cursed and he raised an eyebrow. Finally she spoke. “Maybe I’m just too messed up for words.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Rolling onto his side, he pulled her up against him.

Slowly, he played with the curls right above her pussy.

Tense, she waited for the intrusion she knew was going to come. She waited. And waited.

Finally, she turned her head to the side. “What are you doing?”

“Getting you used to the feel of my touch.”

Gods, she could cry Michael was so good. “Don’t you just want to strangle me?

Aren’t I making you crazy?”

“No.” He kissed the top of her nose. “I’ve been alive two hundred and ten years. Do you think a few minutes concern me? Besides, if you can’t tell, I really like touching you.”

“So I didn’t ruin the mood?”

“Nope. Just out of curiosity, what part made you get nervous?”

She sighed. “Looking at your … you know … big cock.”

“Ah, now, sweetheart, he’s not going to hurt you.” Michael grinned at her and rolled onto his back. His penis stood upright, protruding from his body.

Scarlett swallowed. “Yes, I saw it before.”

“Did you? I think he’d like you to come and play with him.”

Play with him? “Um … what kind of things would he like me to do to him?”

“Anything you want.”

What Scarlett wanted to do was go under the covers and hide away from the pain she knew Michael’s member was going to eventually cause her. Still, she really wanted this to work. That was going to mean, at the very least, not being terrified of looking at Michael’s hard length.

Not sure of how much pressure to use, she ran her fingertips gently over the head of the penis. It jumped in response. She looked up at Michael. For all the time she’d been in bed with other men, she’d spent no time examining their private parts. Not only had they not required it, she’d had zero interest in making the attempt.

Michael’s gaze bored into her. It was intent, focused, even as she watched his eyes glaze over in.

Gulping, she finally spoke. “Good?”

“More, please.”

Still using just her fingertips, she traced the length of his cock up and down, stopping the second time to feel his balls. He shuddered and closed his eyes, a small amount of liquid releasing from the top of his penis.

“Was that it?”

Had he just done his business without even being inside of her?

He opened one eye and then the other, amusement apparent in his brown depths.

“Not even close. But that was a tribute to just how much I want you.”

“Should I keep playing with it?”

“If you want. He’s certainly happy to have you do it. You can even grip it harder if you want. Wrap your whole hand around it, but not too roughly, if you don’t mind. That would hurt.”

Hurt? As Scarlett did as he instructed, she dwelled on the last thing he had said. She could hurt him. In no way did she want to but she could. It had never occurred to her that such a thing was possible.

Gently, but with a firmer grasp, she stroked him several times amazed as he got even bigger in her grip. Michael didn’t hold all the power in this act. No, it wasn’t just going to be him slamming in and out of her until she lost her mind from the pain. No, this beginning, the touching and the fondling that they engaged in, it let them both show each other that they could be trusted with their most sensitive areas.

Clearly, Michael would not have told her he could be injured on his cock if he intended to cause her any pain. He’d given her the means to retaliate. Michael moaned and closed his eyes again.

“That’s right, sweetheart, that’s just the right amount of pressure. A little more of that and then I’m going to need you to stop.”

She didn’t really want to stop. This was fun. Her mouth went dry as she watched her hand once again travel the length of him. His response to her was instantaneous as his hips came off the bed for a split second.

“Why do I have to stop?”

“If you don’t, then I’m going to come in your hand.”

The idea had merit. What must that be like to hold that much control that he would ejaculate outside of her body?

Looking at it now, Michael’s cock seemed sort of beautiful. Like the rest of him, it was hard and controlled, but just like Michael’s insides—and the white underbelly she’d glanced when he’d fought Cole—he had a sensitive side that could be easily hurt.

Gods, she never wanted to hurt this man.

Michael pulled her hand away. “Sorry, sweetheart, he’ll just have to wait for more of your exploration another day. I have something I want to do.”

Travelling down the length of her body, Michael moved his head down to her private area. She wasn’t used to anyone being near her pussy and she tried to shut her legs.

“You got to examine me, now I’m going to examine you.”

“Michael, I…”

She never got to finish that thought as Michael licked her hot core. Instead, she gasped, her hips moving slightly off the bed.

“Do you know how good you taste? Can you imagine it?”

His tongue went deep inside of her, finding a sensitive spot she hadn’t known was there.

“What have we here? I think I just found my favorite part of your body—except for your amber eyes, of course.”

Then he went back to what he had been doing and—oh gods—what that was. His tongue stroked in and out of her, stopping to caress that magic spot he’d found over and over again. Then finally, he inserted two fingers inside of her. A pressure she’d never felt before clenched inside of her and she tried to breathe.

But it was hard. Closing her eyes, she grabbed the bed with her hands, hoping to brace herself, to get some semblance of control back. It was no use.

“Don’t hold back. Come for me. Let me watch you explode.”

With one last lazy swirl of his finger on her sweet spot, she exploded into a million pieces. Colors formed before her eyes and for a second she might swear she was above her body staring down.

Michael’s tongue continued to lap at her and she became aware that liquid had expelled from her vagina.

“Um…” She tried to speak. It was tough as she panted to form coherent thoughts.

“You’re so gorgeous, Scarlett. I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

His voice held such raw emotion, such passion that she stared at him in awe. “What you did to deserve me?”

The very idea that he thought he was somehow unworthy of her…

It was preposterous.

Before she could speak again, he was kissing her, softly, gently on the mouth. She could taste herself on him and the naughtiness of it thrilled her. In between kisses, he murmured nonsensical words, telling her things she couldn’t follow, but the way he spoke made her heart flutter. Michael believed in eternity, he believed that the joining they were about to make would bring them together, not just for now, but for always, in the life that happened when you left this planet.

She believed him. She, Scarlett Knoll, who had never imagined any truly good thing could ever happen to her knew he spoke the truth. Which was why, she wrapped her legs around his waist and braced herself—happily, willingly—for his cock to enter her.

She wanted it. If it hurt, she didn’t care. If it was something she had to endure every night for the rest of her life—she would. Because it was for Michael. Her Michael.

Keeping his gaze on hers, he entered her. She waited for the pain, for the assault.

Nothing.

The only thing she felt was full, as if she’d waited for this. She’d been somehow empty and now she wasn’t anymore. Then he started to move.

Now she could feel him. Michael moved in such a way that the side of his cock brushed up against her sensitive area that had made her orgasm so completely before.

How did he do that?

Gods, she didn’t care. She closed her eyes. Wow.

This was better. She wasn’t sure how that was possible. Truly, when she’d come on Michael’s tongue she’d thought that was the ultimate experience. This, however, had already topped it.

Scarlett could feel the pressure building inside of her again.

“Gods, Scarlett, I want to make this last. I want to make it so good, but I’m not sure I can. I’m so hard and you are, sweet heavens, you are so tight.” Michael panted. “Can you feel that? Can you feel how you milk my cock like that? Oh gods, your sweet little pussy.”

His words were almost as stimulating as what he did inside of her. She wasn’t going to make it. She wasn’t sure exactly what was going to happen. Nor did she have the mental capacity to really figure it out. Maybe it would be just like before, maybe not.

In and out, they moved together forming a rhythm, a primitive dance that was just their two bodies joined, experiencing each other. How could she have been afraid of this?

Michael was everything. She knew now that in the same way he’d never let anyone harm her when they were out of the bedroom, he wouldn’t let anything but pleasure touch her in the bed too.

Soon, she couldn’t breathe. Her knees buckled as he lifted her up by the ass pulling her even closer beneath him. He arched against her, giving her sensitive nub a full-on assault.

“Michael.” She screamed his name as she came, this time not sure she’d ever make it back into her own body, dying a million deaths in the most pleasure she could possibly endure.

Seconds later, from a distance, she heard Michael shout her name. All she could do was breathe and hold onto him. Her eyes glued shut, she realized she sobbed and it was okay, because it was a true release. She’d come undone and what was left of her was better, stronger, more “Scarlett” than she’d ever been before.

Michael whispered in her ear. “Open your eyes.”

She wasn’t sure she could, but she liked doing what Michael told her to do. It felt right, it was always safe.

When she did, she gasped. Between their bodies floated the most amazing colors she’d ever seen. She could see them coming and going, out of her body and into Michael’s, and the reverse was true as well. Michael had all the colors of the rainbow leaving him and entering her.

As they touched her, she realized what was happening. First it was red and she sucked in her breath. The red was Michael’s strength, his resolve, the part of him that always knew how to move forward and which direction he needed to walk. The next was blue, it was his kindness, his heart, his sense of right and wrong. Mixed with the red she knew it would never falter, even when he had to do things that made him uncomfortable.

There were less forthright parts of Michael. They were no less beautiful. He was insecure of his value, he had a strong sense of failure even when he had not been at fault.

He loved family, valued them above everything else. That included her now. She was the first and foremost importance in his life.

And for the first time, Scarlett could see herself as he saw her. He’d said it but she hadn’t understood—or perhaps she simply hadn’t believed—that she was a gift to him.

The one thing in his life he’d thought never to have, but would hold onto with both hands to keep. Always loving her, always needing her, making her his whole universe.

Dear gods, she would carry Michael inside of her for all the days of her life now.

And if she died, she would take parts of him with her. That’s why he would follow immediately. She carried half of his soul as he now carried half of hers.

Neither of them had ever really been whole without the other. Now they could simply not exist apart.

And it was a beautiful gift.

“Oh, Michael.” She wrapped her arms around him and held on, knowing that he would never let her go. The tears she cried were, for the first time, nothing but happiness.