The Beast in Him

CHAPTER 30

Smitty placed her on the living room rug, her back braced against the couch. She shivered uncontrollably, mostly due to freezing to death but also recovering from orgasms so strong she thought she might pass out in the middle of them. She sat and waited for Smitty to return. He carefully placed two blankets around her, tucking them behind her, his fingers brushing against her skin. It made her shiver more.

Soon the fireplace blazed to life and she stared at the male crouched in front of it, trying to make the flames higher. His body astounded her. The Smiths weren’t the largest wolves around. On the West Coast there were Viking arctic wolves who were enormous. But the Smiths were still what her mom would have called “healthy sized.” She stared at his wide shoulders and muscular back, tapering down into a narrow waist and rock-hard thighs. The man had the best legs. Always had. Now they were even better.

A knock at the front door startled them both and Smitty glared at the door.

“Probably groceries,” she said through chattering teeth.

His expression cleared. “Oh. Good. I’m starved.” Grabbing another blanket and the wallet from his jeans, Smitty walked to the front door. She heard him open it, some conversation about payment, and then the door closed. She heard her wolf walk down the hallway and go into her kitchen.

“There’s no meat,” he finally called out.

“Freezer. There’s at least three cows’ worth in there.”

“Oh. Good.”

She grinned. They’d have to start doubling up on food orders now.

Several minutes went by, then Smitty walked back into the room. “I put perishables in the fridge.”

“Thanks.”

He again crouched in front of the fireplace, the blanket wrapped around his hips, and stirred the fire again. He glanced at her over his shoulder. “Warming up?”

“Yeah, a bit.”

He nodded, laid down the poker, and walked over to her. He reached down and picked her up, lifting her easily now that he’d gotten his strength back.

Smitty sat her down by the fire. “Wait here.” And where exactly would she be going?

He returned in five minutes with the first-aid kit from the first-floor bathroom near the kitchen. He sat across from her and pulled the blanket down until it hung around her hips.

“How’s your shoulder, darlin’?”

“Like some big wolf tore into it.”

She couldn’t read his expression as he opened the first-aid kit and proceeded to clean her wounds.

“Jessie Ann?”

“Yeah?” Jess asked through gritted teeth, pain ripping through her shoulder.

“What did you think you were doing?”

She knew what he was asking. Why did she push him? Why did she let the genie out of the bottle, so to speak? “Getting what was mine,” she answered honestly, letting the pain flow through her.

Slowly, methodically, the way Smitty did most things, he continued to clean the wounds and bruises on her body. He didn’t say anything and she didn’t want him backing off now. Not now, not ever.

Jess reached out, yanked the blanket off his hips, and gripped his cock tight. In that split second, his eyes shifted from human to wolf.

“Mine,” she growled, baring her fangs.

Then he had her on her back, the first-aid kit strewn across the floor. He dug his hands into her hair and pushed her legs apart with his own.

“All yours,” he snarled back, his hard cock pushing inside her. “And I’m gonna make damn sure you never forget it.”

Jessie picked up the phone on the third ring. “Yeah?” she answered. “Really?” She slipped out from under the blankets and walked to the front door. Smitty heard the door open, followed by a “Huh. Look at that.” Then the door closed and he could hear her feet slapping against the floor as she walked back into the room. “Yeah, yeah. Everything’s fine. Yup. Talk to you later.”

She slipped back under the blanket and Smitty immediately reached for her, pulling her close to his side.

“What was that about?”

“We’re snowed in.”

“Snowed in?”

“Yup.”

“How bad?”

“If it doesn’t thaw soon, we’re gonna die out here.”

Smitty raised up enough to stare down into her face and she grinned. Big, cheesy, goofy dog grin. He couldn’t help it, he grinned back.

“You’re more than a little crazy, aren’t ya?”

“Yep.”

Smitty stroked her cheek. “I love you, Jessie Ann.”

“Because I’m a little crazy?”

“No, that just proves I love you because I put up with it.”

As he expected that little fist came winging toward his chest and he caught it, yanking Jess across his lap, making her straddle him. He held her by her waist and smiled up into that pretty face.

“I’m serious, Jessie Ann. I love you. Darlin’, I think I’ve always loved you.”

“Good.” And her uncomfortable smile made him nervous. “Then you won’t mind when we get married.”

“Married?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Wolves don’t marry.”

“Wild dogs do.”

“An elopement kind of thing?” he asked hopefully.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’d love that. Really. But the Pack will never let me get away with that. There has to be a wedding. We never had money for a really nice one before. It’ll be our first, and I’m the Alpha Female. Trust me, they won’t accept less.”

“Uh-huh. With like, what? Ten, twenty people?”

“Ten, twenty... three hundred. Whatever.”

Smitty groaned. “Forget it, Jessie Ann.”

“Smitty—”

“I don’t need a piece of paper telling me I love you and that we’re together forever.” He reached up and brushed the already-healing wound on her shoulder. Her eyes closing, Jessie gave a pain-filled grunt. So he brushed his fingers across it again. This time Jessie snarled and went to grab his hand. He caught her wrists instead and yanked her close.

“I don’t need some preacher to make real what we have.”

“But—”

He released her hands only to grip both sides of her face and yank her down for a kiss. His tongue invaded her mouth and Jessie pulled hers back so he had to reach for it. That’s when she bit down.

Smitty jerked and she raised a single, challenging eyebrow. He flipped her onto her back, pinning her arms above her head. Jessie stared up at him with no fear, no regret. Only lust. She didn’t fear the rabid Smith side she’d unleashed and could come out at any minute. In fact, she continued to egg that side of him on. Daring him to take her on a hard, fast, rough ride.

And what kind of Southern gentlemen would he be if he ignored the lady’s request?

In the future, she might want to consider the consequences of calling a Smith wolf’s bluff. Because one second he had her wrists pinned to the floor, the next they were tied to the couch leg by utilizing the straps of her backpack. She had to give it to the man, SEAL training definitely taught him how to make the best of what he had at his disposal.

Once he had her wrists tied, he had free rein of the rest of her body. And he took full advantage of that fact. Keeping her on edge for what felt like forever. Teasing her, torturing her. Making her legs shake and then pulling back and leaving her hanging. His mother’s last words to her came back to haunt her: “... the best ride you’ll ever have.” And it was. The best, the roughest, the most demanding.

Jess loved every second of it. And when he finally let her come, she couldn’t even scream. Instead, her entire body bowed and she could only shake and gasp, the orgasm rolling and rolling until she thought she’d lose her mind.

When her body stopped shaking and her eyes uncrossed, she discovered he’d already untied her and was sleeping beside her. Snoring. His arm wrapped around her waist, holding on to her like he thought she might try to sneak away.

And she might have—if she could actually walk.

With all that late-night tusslin’, Smitty thought he’d worn her out. He should have known better.

Her naked body landed right on his stomach and she slapped her hands against his chest like she was playing bongo drums.

“What?” he groaned, trying to turn over and go back to sleep.

“It’s morning!” she cheered.

“And?”

“Let’s go hunting! You and me taking down a deer or elk. Wouldn’t that be romantic?”

“No, go back to sleep, Jessie Ann.”

Those hands slapped at his chest again and he snarled. Unfortunately, Jessie didn’t seem too put off by that.

“Come on, Smitty! It’s a beautiful morning. Everything is covered in snow and the sun is shining bright. But it may snow again later, so let’s do this now.”

“What time is it?”

“It’s morning,” she insisted.

“Jessie Ann.”

“Six-thirty.”

His eyes popped open and he glared at the beautiful naked woman on his chest. “You woke me up at six-thirty in the morning? Woman, have you lost your mind?”

“Come on, Smitty,” she whined. “I need my wild dog morning greeting.”

“Which is?”

“Ummm... let’s see. Hugs, chaste kisses, and nose rubs between Packmates.”

Smitty shook his head. “Nah, I can’t do all that.” She pouted, looking more adorable than was fair. In resignation, he offered, “I can fuck you until you pass out.”

Jessie shrugged and sighed. “Well... if that’s the best you can do.”

Smitty turned his muzzle away, refusing to participate. Jess tapped him again, forcing the issue. Her Pack wasn’t here, so he’d have to do for now. He still tried to ignore her, so she slapped the deer’s femur against his head and whined just enough to be annoying but not make him storm away.

Growling, Smitty looked around like he expected to find someone watching them. When he seemed to conclude the coast was clear, he gripped the other end of the bone between his massive jaws and pulled. Jess pulled back and Smitty dug his feet in, forcing Jess to work.

It was true. Somehow, some way, she’d gotten Bobby Ray Smith to play tug in the snow with the remnants of their morning meal.

She gave herself another month before she’d have the snobby wolf bastard chasing his tail too.

It wasn’t until her elbow hit his ribs that he woke up.

“You’re missing the best part.”

“There’s a best part?”

Jessie sighed. “See? Once again proving my point we have nothing in common.”

“I’m sorry. I just can’t get past the ears.”

She turned off the DVD. “They’re elves. They’re supposed to have pointy ears.”

Smitty yawned and sat up straight. “There’s gotta be something we can both agree to watch.”

“Like?”

“Uh... westerns?”

“You’re kidding, right?” Jessie finger-combed her hair behind her ear. “What about a good British mystery?”

“British? Isn’t that like the elves?”

“Forget the British.”

“How about horror movies?”

“You mean like scary ones that are psychological in nature, taking you to the ultimate brink of fear?”

“Nah, I meant zombie ones.”

“Zombies?” Jessie shrugged. “I never got the zombie thing. I mean, they’re already dead. Why do they need blood?”

“Forget the zombies.” Smitty glanced at the bookshelf holding one of the Pack’s DVD collections. Floor to ceiling and three cases deep, it seemed to have every geek movie ever made. Amazing. All those movies and nothing they could agree on. On a sigh, hope gone, he mumbled, “The Godfather?”

“One, two, or three?”

“That third one doesn’t exist for me.”

Jessie turned to face him, her eyes wide in shock. “The third one doesn’t exist for me either.”

Afraid to hold out hope, Smitty asked, “Goodfellas?”

“In my top five. But anything by Scorsese or Coppolla is a must-see. If not a must-see two thousand times.” She took his hand, held it against her chest. “What about the old black and white ones? From the thirties and forties?”

“Anything with Jimmy Cagney.”

“I love Jimmy Cagney.” Her grip on his hand tightened. “We actually have something in common, Bobby Ray. I’m so happy I’m gonna cry.”

“And if we have one thing in common, I’m sure we have others.”

Jessie patted his hand. “Let’s not push it, baby.”

“Good point.”

Jess sat on the couch by the window, staring out at the snow-covered trees just outside the house. Except for the fire blazing in the fireplace, the house was dark and quiet. She’d called in earlier, made sure her Pack was okay. They were and apparently having a great time during the storm. Although Shaw had been heard muttering, “I’m so calling a zoo for those pups.”

Strong fingers stroked down the column of her neck. “You all right, darlin’?”

“I’m fine.”

Smitty sat on the other end of the couch and they stared at each other. Jess had no idea for how long, until Smitty opened his arms. “Come here, darlin’.” She did, crawling over to him and settling in between his legs, her back to his chest. He held her tight, his chin resting on her now-healed shoulder, although she had no doubt it wouldn’t be the last time he tore into it. She expected it to look like his mother’s one day.

They fell asleep like that, holding on to each other. Surprisingly early in the morning, Jess woke up to Smitty kissing her body. They enjoyed each other for hours, took a break to eat, then went back at it.

The storms had ended and they decided to have a late lunch/early dinner in town. But when Jess walked out of the bathroom in a pair of panties and nothing else, she found Smitty getting dressed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Get dressed, Jessie Ann.”

“What’s wrong?

“I figured with all the snow, Wilson’s plane out of JFK would be grounded until the storm passed, but he’d be forced to stay inside. I sent the Reed boys to watch out for him. Put your Pack and mine on alert. But he’s gone. So’s his Pack.”

She dropped to a crouch and dug into her duffle bag. “And?” She knew there was an and.

“He knows I’m with you. His momma has already got word to my daddy’s cousin.”

“Eggie?”

“Yup.”

Eggie Smith was a hardcore Smith who spent the majority of his time as wolf in the hills outside of Smithtown. The man hated everybody and everything except his mate of twenty years and being a Smith. Eggie was the one you called in when a Smith got crossed. He had no boundaries and no problem taking down anyone he deemed a threat to his family.

She felt panic slither down her spine. “I’ll be dressed in two minutes.”

“It’ll be okay, Jessie Ann. My daddy and momma are still here. We’ll talk to ’em.”

For some reason, she really didn’t think that would help.