Lycan It

Chapter Five

Two days later . . .

Raze watched Janine as she waded into the lake in her underwear. Her limp was pronounced in her right leg, and she’d been correct in confiding in him that she’d never be able to run. He was pretty sure if she was scared enough, she’d get along at a decent pace, but she wouldn’t be able to flat out run with that leg.

He was aware of the two other pack members close by watching her as well. His blood boiled, and he wanted to rip their balls off for daring to look at her. The first night he’d been escorted to the lake with her, she’d argued with him when he’d told her to strip and bathe. She had been, and still was embarrassed, but he’d let her maintain some modesty by keeping her undergarments on, which did nothing but arouse the hell out of him. He hadn’t had the heart to tell her once the fabric was wet, the dark hairs of her mound, and her tantalizing nipples were all but bare to his gaze.

Her skin was creamy and soft, and he longed to make love to her, but he’d never take her like an animal in front of the pack. They’d put on a good show, but he refused to defile her for real like that. He’d rather die than inflict such humiliation upon his mate. The guilt that burrowed deep in his gut was bad enough over the way he had treated her, no matter how necessary it had been for their survival.

The only good thing about Damon was that he was so full of himself, the huge ego of his could never fathom that Raze was playing him. It had only been two nights, and the lack of interest the pack was showing in keeping an eye on him told him that Damon had thought his punishment had broken him, had forced him into submission and compliance. Raze gritted his teeth and bit back a smile. He couldn’t wait to knock Damon’s holier-than-though attitude down a couple notches right along with knocking his teeth from his filthy mouth.

Tomorrow night would be the night he and Janine would make their escape. He’d stall on taking her for her bath at the normal afternoon time by saying she was sick. Right before dinner, he’d tell them she was feeling better and request to take her to the lake. He hoped the fact that Damon and the pack thought Janine was sick would relax the surveillance on them that much more.

He watched Janine duck under the water to rinse the soap from her blonde hair, and wished he could allow her a hot shower instead of a dip in a lukewarm lake. It was fine for him, but her normal temperature was a few degrees lower than his, and he knew she got chilled from the baths. He’d made sure to warm her up as fast as possible afterwards. He didn’t want it to be the truth when he said she was feeling ill tomorrow night.

He kicked off his jeans and waded into the water behind Janine, and she turned and slapped at his hands when he tried to help her finish rinsing her hair. His breath sucked in when he caught another glimpse of her pretty pink nipples pushing against the wet, transparent lavender of her bra. She’d become quite the actor at showing her distaste for him. He’d been worried at first that it hadn’t been an act, but she’d had no objection to his kisses or snuggling up to him late at night.

He gently restrained her hands and smiled down at her, knowing the two pack members watching could not see his expression with his back to them.

“Good girl.”

“I’m not a dog.”

His brows dipped down. “I did not know that I implied that you were.”

If she had an aversion to dogs, he was in deep shit.

“Most people refer to their dogs with a hearty “good girl” or “good boy”

when they do something worth praise. I’m not a damn pet.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he whispered next to her ear, and didn’t miss the way she quivered when his warm breath hit her cool skin.

She blew out an agitated breath. “I know. I’m just a little on edge.”

He nodded, and as she finished up with her bath, he cleaned himself quickly and tugged her from the lake. He picked up the one towel they had been given and handed it to her. He wrestled his jeans over his wet skin, and waited for her to dry and dress before leading her back toward the cave.

When they settled toward the back wall, he was pleased to see that they’d been given a bit more food than the previous night, most likely a reward for heeding Damon’s commands.

They ate in silence while night fell, and he watched as the stars popped out and twinkled around a nearly full moon. “We are leaving tomorrow night.”

She stopped chewing and set her bowl down. “Thank God. Do you think we will make it?”

Her eyes sparkled with doubt, and he wanted to assure her they’d be okay, but he couldn’t guarantee anything. “I’ll protect you.” That wasn’t a lie.

He’d die protecting her.

“I’m scared.” Janine’s bottom lip quivered.

The need to comfort her beat through him. He reached for her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her snug against him. “We’ll get through this. Somehow, we’ll get through this.”

She looked up at him with tears shining in her blue eyes, and did something completely unexpected. She stretched up and placed her lips against his. She was soft and smelled sweet and feminine. His instincts screamed to claim her, but she deserved better. Yet when the tip of her tongue touched his, he lost all reasonable thought as he was overtaken with blinding need. The pressure of his hardened cock built with every touch of her velvety tongue, and he rolled her under him where he could wedge his thighs between hers.

She moaned softly and he slid his hand under her shirt and pushed her bra out of the way so he could cup her breast. He let out a tortured growl at feeling her bared nipple for the first time. Her arms came around him and her fingers entwined behind his neck. He rocked his hips forward and she cried out. Her scent and softness drowned out everything else in the world.

The only thing that existed at the moment for him was her. The cave, Damon, the pack, everything else melted away.

She arched up and met his thrusts. He wanted her so bad. He had to have her. He undid her jeans and slid his palm under her panties down over the short curls covering her mound until his fingers slipped across her slick heat. He deepened the kiss and guided two fingers into her sheath. Her hands frantically ran over the skin of his back and pushed under the waist of his jeans to cup his ass. Her fingernails bit into his flesh and spiked his already urgent need for her.

He pushed her jeans to her knees before unfastening his pants and groaned as some of the pressure was released from his cock as it sprang free.

She pulled him back to her mouth for another hungry kiss, and he thrust his hips into her again. The only barrier between him and what he sought was the flimsy fabric of her panties. Her breaths came in pants and she broke the kiss.

“Take me, Raze. Please.”

He hooked his fingers into the crotch of her underwear and yanked them to the side, exposing her hot heat. He braced himself on his palms and positioned his cock at her opening, but just as he started to surge forward, laughter rang out from outside the cave. The sound was as effective as a bucket of ice water being thrown on him. He rolled off Janine and lay beside her on his back, sucking in gulps of air.

“Fuck! I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I almost—”

Janine rolled on her side and faced him. “It wasn’t your fault. I wanted you to.”

He closed his eyes when she ran her fingers along the stubble on his jaw.

“Yes, it was. This is not the place I want to make love to you the first time.”

“You want to make love to me?”

He held his breath for a moment before letting it rush out in a whoosh.

“I thought that was pretty obvious.”

She flopped on her back. “Yeah. I guess it was.”

He sat up and leaned over her until his face was a mere inch from hers.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just feel a little confused I guess,” she whispered.

“Confused about what?”

“I don’t understand why I want you, Raze. I shouldn’t want you given the circumstances, but I do. I mean, I don’t know you all that well, actually, not really at all, and although I feel I can trust you, I’m hesitant to do so.”

He stroked his thumb back and forth over her bottom lip. “It will all be okay. What you feel is perfectly normal. I won’t lie. I want you like crazy, and all I can do is keep promising you that you can trust me. I’ve given you no reason not to, have I?” Except for just now, you dumb ass.

“No.” She shook her head slowly from side to side. “You haven’t. Thank you.”

She thanked him? Her instincts to not trust him were right. After all, he was holding back information that would freak the hell out of her, like that he was a lycan. He couldn’t tell her yet. He needed her to keep a clear head until they were safely away from Damon. Thankfully, none of the pack had shifted in front of her. Hopefully, none would before they got the hell out of there, as most shifted at the edge of the woods to go hunting or running.

There was usually no reason to shift in the open.

He pulled her against him and she sighed. “Raze?”

“Yeah?”

“I keep hearing wild animals at night, like howling and whining and growling. You don’t think anything is out there that will hurt us when we try to escape, do you? I mean, besides your, um, family?” She chewed at her lip.

“They aren’t my family. They haven’t been for a long time, and I’m sorry to be associated with them, and I despise what they do.” His gut rolled with hatred and sorrow over what his pack had become.

“I didn’t mean to imply that you were like them. You aren’t.”

“Don’t worry about anything right now other than getting some sleep.

You need to make sure you are rested and clear minded for tomorrow night.”

If she had any inkling that the minute they were missed tomorrow night, wolves would be on their asses, she’d freak out. He couldn’t afford for her to be distracted. He helped her right her clothing and pulled his jeans back up, but left them undone. He tucked her closer to him, and slid his leg over her hips to give her as much of his warmth as he could. The nights were cold this time of year, especially in the cave, and she ran the risk of getting sick or dying of hypothermia if she got chilled.

She sighed and snuggled against him, and he waited for her deep, even breaths of sleep before he allowed himself to rest beside her. He wouldn’t be able to doze because his need to protect her wouldn’t allow it, and until he had her out of Damon’s and the rest of the pack’s grasps, she’d never be safe.