Isaiah's Haven

Chapter Eighteen

Isaiah took her hand and allowed her to lead him away from the bar area toward the back stairs.

Michael passed them on the way, a roll of tape and some butcher paper in his hand.

“Don’t worry about the club. I’ll handle things and start the cleanup.”

“Thank you.” She was so proud of her son. His acceptance of Isaiah and her choice warmed her. She was under no misconception that things would be easy. Isaiah was definitely an alpha male. But her sons needed a male to look up to, to teach them, and Neema needed to see that there were werewolves who would accept and embrace half-breeds.

She still couldn’t believe his sister-in-law was a half-breed. If only she’d known earlier. It would have helped ease some of her fears. No matter. He was here with her now. The threat was behind them and the future loomed before them, more positive than it had been in a long time.

Isaiah’s fingers squeezed hers, the heat of his hand seeping into her skin as she led him up the stairs to her apartment. She could hear the voices of the others, muted as they talked. They all knew Isaiah was here. Michael would have told them.

Meredith pushed open the door of her apartment, pulled Isaiah inside and closed it behind them. The silence was deafening. The refrigerator hummed. A garbage truck rumbled down the street. Isaiah’s breathing was deep and slow.

She started toward the bedroom, but he dug in his heels, stopping her. Turning, she raised her eyebrow in question.

“Give me the words,” he commanded.

He was so big, so tough. His battle-scarred body was a testament to his strength and determination. His dark hair framed his face—the broad forehead, slightly crooked nose and stubborn jaw. His lips were full and sinful and very talented.

A shiver skated down her spine and she licked her lips. His deep brown eyes followed the motion of her tongue, his chest expanding with each breath he took.

He braced his legs slightly apart. The denim of his jeans hugged the thick muscles and curved lovingly around his erection. She wanted to touch him, taste him.

“The words, Meredith,” he growled.

She realized he’d meant what he’d said. It was her choice. Unless she asked him to mate with her, he would walk away.

She felt lighter than she had in years. Like a young female tempting and enticing her chosen mate. And he was her choice. Unlike her first mating, this was about what she wanted.

Isaiah was a male with honor. He was stubborn and possessed a deep streak of protectiveness, which would probably drive her crazy on occasion. But she wouldn’t change anything about him. He was perfect for her just as he was.

“I love you, Isaiah. Mate with me. Share my pack.”

He didn’t move, didn’t twitch. His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. Then he pounced. He moved so fast she had no time to react. She was in his arms and he was barreling toward the bedroom.

The door slammed shut and the bed was in front of her. He lowered her, starting to strip off her clothing before her feet had barely hit the floor.

“I’ve got to have you naked,” he gritted out from between clenched teeth. His desperation was infectious, and she jerked at his shirt. She needed to see his bare flesh.

They both tugged and pulled. Fabric ripped and then the cool air hit her skin. They were both naked from the waist up. Isaiah gave a low growl, dipped his head and captured one of her straining nipples between his lips. His tongue curled around the bud before he suckled.

Meredith moaned, sliding her fingers through his hair, her nails digging into his scalp. The heat from his mouth migrated from her breast to the rest of her body. Her slick inner channel pulsed and cream slid over the folds of her sex, coating her, readying her for his penetration.

It was all happening so fast, yet not fast enough. She trailed her hands down his shoulders, feeling the strength that resided in him. And she knew without a doubt that he’d always use that strength to protect her. It was a heady feeling.

Isaiah scraped his teeth lightly over her nipple before pulling away and blowing on the damp tip. She gasped and shivered. Her body felt alive, sensitized like never before.

If she wasn’t careful, he’d have her facedown on the bed and be mounting her before she got her chance to touch him. Not happening. Not this time.

She stepped back and reached for the waistband of his jeans. Somehow the button had already come undone. She reached for the zipper. The rasp of the metal being lowered seemed unusually loud. Isaiah didn’t stop her, but every muscle in his body tensed as his erection popped free into her waiting hand.

He was thick and large and quintessentially male. Bluish veins ran up and down the length of his shaft, pulsing like a heartbeat. The flared plum-shaped head was much darker, almost reddish in color. A pearly bead of fluid seeped from the tip.

Meredith licked her lips. She had to taste him. She went to her knees in front of him. He growled her name, his fingers tangling in her long hair. He tugged until she was looking up at him.

His penis was mere inches from her mouth.

“You don’t have to do this.” His tone was harsh, but his eyes were gleaming with lust.

She flicked out her tongue and lapped at the liquid leaking from the slit. He was salty and musky and warm. “I know.”

Isaiah groaned as she shoved his jeans down his hips and thighs. He toed off his sneakers and kicked his pants away. Naked, he towered over her.

God, she loved his body. She ran her gaze over him, stopping when she hit the stitches on his thigh. She’d forgotten he’d been shot. How had she forgotten that? Then there was the cut on his chest and the slashes on his shoulder. They were already starting to heal, but were still red and raw.

She must have made a small sound of distress because he took her face in his hands and gently caressed it. “Hey. It’s okay. Just a graze.” He dropped his hands, wrapping one of them around his cock. “This hurts more.”

She laughed and shook her head. He wouldn’t admit if he were hurting or not. “I’ll be gentle,” she promised.

“Not too gentle, I hope.” He smiled at her and her heart almost stopped. He looked relaxed. More than that, he looked happy. She’d given him that.

“Meredith.” She could hear a tinge of frustration in his tone and smiled.

“In a hurry, are you?” She closed her fingers around the base of his shaft and squeezed. The veins pulsed against her palm.

In reply, he tugged her mouth closer to the head of his cock. Meredith teased the tip with her tongue. She lapped and twirled and flicked. He grew larger, his shaft throbbing now.

He swore and brushed the top of his penis against her lips, urging her to hurry. Without warning, she opened her mouth and took him as deep as she could. He groaned, his hips jerking, driving his erection deeper.

She gagged slightly and he eased back immediately. He started to pull away, but she dug her nails into his butt, keeping him where she wanted him. Pulling back, she released him. “I’m okay. Just took me by surprise. It’s been a very long time since I did this.”

His eyes glowed, but he still looked concerned. He smoothed her hair away from her face. “If you’re sure.”

Even now, he was concerned for her. Love burst inside her, shimmering around her like a rainbow, painting the world in a beautiful light.

She leaned forward and took him into her mouth once again. She used her tongue and teeth to tease his shaft as she moved her mouth up and down his hard length.

The skin covering his shaft was so soft. But what was underneath was pure steel. She savored the taste of him. The way the thick hair of his groin tickled her nose and fingers. She kept one hand twined around the base of his penis, pumping in rhythm to the action of her mouth.

Using her free hand, she gently raked her fingernails over his balls. He groaned and tugged on her. “Stop. Meredith,” he gasped. “You have to stop. I want to be inside you when I come.”

She wanted that too. She didn’t want to waste another minute without being mated to Isaiah.

Releasing his shaft with a wet pop, she sat back on her heels. He reached down and dragged her to her feet, all but tossing her onto the bed. She laughed as happiness bubbled over inside her.

Isaiah grinned as he flicked open her jeans and dragged them down her legs. Her right shoe went flying but her left one tangled in the fabric of her pants. He swore and tugged until it came free. She didn’t wait for him, but pulled her panties over her thighs and tossed them away.

“Let me look at you.” The reverence in his voice brought tears to her eyes. He crawled on the bed beside her. His eyes flowed over her, pausing at her breasts and the juncture of her thighs. Her breasts swelled, nipples puckering. Her slick channel spasmed.

“I can smell you. So sweet and hot.”

He cupped her breasts in his hands. His thumbs flicked over the swollen tips sending a flash of heat down between her thighs. She moaned and arched her hips.

His cock stood out proudly in front of him, eagerly proclaiming how much he wanted her. It was a heady feeling.

Isaiah smoothed his hands over her ribcage and around her waist. “You’re so tall, sometimes I forget how much smaller you are than me.” He shifted lower so he could cup her hips. He raked his teeth over her hipbones. Goose bumps broke out all over her body, skating over her legs and arms.

“Isaiah,” she moaned as he knelt between her legs and used his broad shoulders to push them wide.

“Hmm,” he answered. He settled on the mattress, his mouth mere inches from her core. “You have such a sweet pussy.” He lapped at one side of her labia. “So hot.” He licked the other side. “So juicy.” His tongue flicked against her clit.

Her hips rose up to meet him, but he continued to tease her mercilessly. She dug one heel into the mattress, pushing upward. The other foot thumped against his back, urging him to hurry.

As if sensing how close she was, he eased two thick fingers past the opening to her channel and pushed. He stretched her sheath in such a delicious way. Her inner muscles rippled around him as his fingers withdrew and then advanced.

Her scalp tingled and her toes curled. Sweat coated her skin and she panted hard, trying to catch her breath. “Isaiah,” she gasped. She loved saying his name, knowing he would soon belong to her forever.

“Come for me, Meredith.” It was part command, part plea. She couldn’t deny either. Her sheath rippled. Then she exploded with a strangled cry.

Hips bucking, she clung to him. He rode the storm out with her, keeping her safe, bringing her down slowly. When it was over, she sighed and relaxed, letting her body sink into the mattress.

Isaiah, however, had other ideas.

He moved swiftly, flipping her onto her stomach and pulling her hips back toward him. In spite of her resolve, she tensed. Her blood pounded in her ears and her heart raced.

Isaiah stilled. “Meredith?”

This was what she wanted, what she needed. Finding renewed strength with the adrenaline coursing through her veins, she pushed up on her hands and thrust her bottom toward him. “Claim me. Make me yours.”

His hands were gentle as he held her hips. She knew he was letting her know she could move away at any time. Love for him swelled up within her. Isaiah was a male like no other. Willing to forgo his own pleasure, to give up what he wanted, for her.

The broad head of his penis nudged at her opening. She sucked in a breath as he pushed past the constricted muscles, nestling just inside.

“Please,” she moaned. She had to get him inside her. Her body was crying out for him. Her channel was wet and aching.

His fingers dug into her hips and he surged inward, not stopping until he was buried to the hilt. He stilled and she could hear his heavy breathing. It matched her own.

Her inner muscles gripped his cock, squeezing and releasing it over and over.

He swore. “I’m going to come without even moving.”

Pride filled her. She affected him as deeply as he did her. In this, they were equals. This time she squeezed him on purpose. He leaned down, his large body curling around hers, and nipped the curve of her neck. The slight sting was an erotic caress. She leaned forward, rubbing her swollen nipples against the sheets.

Breathing was getting harder with each passing second, and she didn’t care. Breathing was overrated. The pleasure coursing through her was more necessary, more vital to her.

Isaiah reached around her and cupped her breasts in his hands. Then he began to move. Short, hard jabs that stimulated all the nerve endings in her slick channel.

He seemed to grow larger inside her and she knew he was close. She arched against him, bucking her hips, trying to get closer.

He tugged lightly on her nipples one final time. He banded one arm around her waist and slid the other hand between her thighs, teasing the nub of nerves at the apex.

Meredith whimpered and moaned, crying out as he thrust into her over and over. His fingers stroked her clit. His arm tightened around her, holding her steady while he pounded into her.

She felt him swell, felt the rush of heat. His shaft pulsed. He filled her, stretching her sheath. Throwing back her head, she came in a burst of pleasure. Light flashed behind her eyelids. She splintered apart, her body no longer her own.

Isaiah’s shaft locked inside her and she knew it would be a while before he would be able to pull away from her. It was done. He was her mate. His bonding scent would be on her now. She sniffed, smelling the slightly musky, woodsy scent. Isaiah.

Slumping forward, she let her face fall into her pillow. Her back end was held up by Isaiah. Eventually, he collapsed, his body half on, half off hers, his cock still buried deep within her.

Exhaustion pulled at her. She shivered, the sweat from her body beginning to cool. Isaiah reached out one long arm and managed to snag one end of the comforter, tugging it over them.

She must have dozed for a moment or two, but woke as Isaiah withdrew from her. She bit her bottom lip to keep from protesting. He threw his thick, muscled arm around her waist and pulled her into the curve of his large body. “Sleep,” he whispered.

Content in a way she’d never felt in her life, she did.

Isaiah lay awake watching Meredith sleep. She was on her back and he was propped up on one arm beside her. She was so beautiful. Her long, black hair flowed over the light green sheets. Her skin was soft and pale, except where it had been rubbed red by the stubble of his beard. It would fade in a matter of an hour or so due to the fast healing that was part of her werewolf heritage. Still, he’d have to watch that in the future. For now, it represented another way he’d marked her as his.

Meredith was much more than just a stunning woman. She was smart and strong and stubborn. The fact that she’d kept her small pack safe all these years was a testament to her ability to adapt and to strategize.

Now she was his. And he was hers.

For the first time in years, maybe even in his life, he felt as though he belonged.

She’d given him that.

Meredith shifted slightly in her sleep, her lips parting on a sigh. His body tensed, his cock swelling. The claiming should have drained him, but he was more than ready to take her again. He didn’t think he’d ever get enough of her.

Thankfully, he had about four hundred years to sate himself.

He smiled as she snuggled her butt against his erection, seeking him out even in sleep. The only thing keeping him from waking her to make love again was the fact that she was exhausted. Her health and well-being came ahead of everything, even his wants.

He could wait now that he’d claimed her.

Isaiah closed his eyes and breathed deep. The scent of sex permeated the room. The mixture of her sweetness was now tinged with his more earthy scents. The two had become one.

He opened his eyes to find her staring up at him. Her gaze softened and her lips parted on a smile. “Hey.”

He leaned down and kissed her, a slow, leisurely caress that went on for long minutes. He traced his tongue over her bottom lip, then the top, before sliding in to reclaim his territory.

They were both breathless when he pulled back.

Her eyes were sultry and inviting. “Now that’s a morning greeting I could get used to.”

“Get used to it,” he told her. He wasn’t going anywhere.

He hated to do anything to ruin the closeness of the moment, but there were things they needed to discuss. “We need to talk.”

She frowned and dragged the comforter closer to her chin. “Okay.”

Isaiah swore and sat up, leaning against the headboard. He reached out and dragged Meredith into his arms, needing to feel her skin against his.

She gave a slight squeak of surprise before settling in his arms. “What is it?” She paused and her voice became small. “Regrets?”

Shock filled him. “Hell, no.” He shook her slightly as he stared down at her. “You’re everything to me. Everything. My heart and soul. Don’t ever doubt that.”

She nodded. “Okay.” She moved her hands over his chest, soothing him. “What is it then?”

“Thanks to Damek, you should be safe from the hunters and rogue werewolves. Should being the operative word. Do you want to stay here?”

“Do you think it’s safe?”

It warmed his heart that she wanted his opinion before making a decision. She’d been alpha of this pack for years and now she had to share that position with him. In time, he knew the members would look to him first and her second. It was simply the way of things. She knew it too, but still she’d accepted him.

“I think there’s a risk. But there’s a risk anywhere today. Hunters are everywhere, especially with technology to help link them. The only good thing is those bastards are not very trusting, not even with each other. We’ll have to keep a watch for a while to make certain that Damek’s plan worked. Hopefully the purist group and the bounty hunters are too busy fighting one another to be a problem for us.”

“I want to stay. Chicago is home. Haven is home.”

“You know you can’t stay here forever,” he added gently. They’d already been here over a decade. People would soon start to wonder, to ask questions about why none of them seemed to age.

She nodded, her cheek brushing against his shoulder. “I know. People will start talking. Asking why we don’t seem to change. I figure we have another five to ten years before that time comes.”

“I want to take you to meet my family.” He ran his fingers up and down her arm from shoulder to wrist, loving how soft it felt.

She tensed and then relaxed. “I think I’d like that.” She glanced up at him, her expression tense. “Your alpha will welcome my children? All of them?”

Isaiah grinned and nodded. “Oh, yeah. Considering his daughter is a half-breed and she’s married to my brother.” At her incredulous look, he continued. “Alexandra Riley, now Striker, is married to Joshua. Her father, James LeVeau Riley is the alpha of the Wolf Creek Pack. Not everyone will welcome you with open arms, but most will. And those who won’t will keep their mouths shut or face the wrath of the alpha and the Striker family.”

Meredith’s eyes twinkled with laughter. “I guess that’s a definite yes then. I’d love to meet your family.”

“Maybe you might even think about building a home on pack land. Something we can get away to every now and again. The kids can use it too.”

Meredith stared up at Isaiah, hearing the hope in his voice. He was giving up so much for her. She wanted to meet him halfway. “If things work out okay with your alpha and the pack, we could think about building a vacation home there.”

“What about your former pack?” he questioned.

She took a deep breath and laid everything out for him. They were mated now. There could be no secrets between them. “You know about my marriage.” He nodded and she continued, letting out the entire story of how her alpha had wanted to force another mating on her and how she’d taken her children and run, picking up more children along the way. “They are an extreme pack who won’t accept half-breeds. They’d accept Benjamin and Michael easily, but they’ll kill me for taking them and running, and the others simply for not being pure werewolves.”

“Over my dead body,” he growled. “No one touches my family and lives.”

She shivered over the certainty in his voice and knew that he would protect them with everything that he was. “If they find us here we’ll have to run.”

He nodded. “If they find us, we’ll seek refuge with the Wolf Creek Pack. They won’t risk all-out war.” He shrugged. “And if they do, they’ll regret it.”

Meredith was beginning to understand the enormity of what Isaiah offered her and her small pack. He came with some powerful allies, including that very scary vampire.

“Don’t worry about Damek. He a mean, tough bastard, but he’s got a code of honor. Not one that I’ve ever figured out, but it’s there. And he considers us, not exactly friends, but certainly not enemies.”

It took her a second to realize that Isaiah had tapped into her thoughts, using the unique communication that existed between mated pairs. It had been so long since she’d experienced it, she’d forgotten how intimate it could be.

She’d built walls between her and her first husband. Ones he hadn’t even known existed. But she didn’t want to do that between her and Isaiah.

I love you.

His arms tightened around her.

I love you too.

Isaiah lowered her to the bed and rolled until he covered her. His erection pressed against her stomach.

“Again?” She rubbed her hands over his wide chest, teasing his flat nipples with her fingers.

“Again,” he growled, burying his face in the curve of her shoulder and biting down gently. Her core clenched and her breasts swelled. She wanted him. Now.

He nuzzled and licked away the slight sting as he worked his way to her ear, his voice a hot whisper that left her breathless. “Again and again and again.”