Beaufort Creek Shifters (10 book series)
The Wolf’s Forced Mate Chapter 16

Leah

After Edward was anonymously admitted to a human hospital, Milton took us back to Beaufort Creek Pack lands. A committee of shifters met us in the open field, many of them holding warm blankets and baskets of food. One of them carried a cooler of water bottles. We were set up in a tent for about an hour or so as the sun rose over the horizon.

Once light kissed my cheeks, my adrenaline crashed and I nearly hit the ground. Dr. Windsor was on the scene immediately. She tended to Neil as I stole a cot with Inez and sprawled out.

My daughter's little nose poked my neck. She sighed and curled up, exhaustion taking her rather quickly. I followed shortly behind. My nap was fitful and interrupted by a particularly worried doctor who only wanted what was best for her pack. As soon as we were checked, Tanner lifted Inez and then took my hand, encouraging me to follow him home.

Home.

That was where we were finally heading. After a long twenty-four hours of searching for Inez, running, shifting, and fighting, I was ready to sleep for about two weeks.

But I knew I wouldn't get any sleep any time soon. My body was exhausted but my brain was still wired with stress. The moment I tucked Inez into her bed, I went to the bathroom and hopped into the shower. Water hotter than a natural spring splattered my back. I groaned so loudly that I scared myself.

The glass door steamed up, guarding me against the world. Hot water cleansed me from the outside in, putting an end to my frantic flailing.

But not the worry or the terror.

A light rap on the glass made me squeal. Tanner stood on the other side with his hand on the door. He raised his eyebrows, the universal signal for asking permission. Which I appreciated considering the circumstances. When I pushed on the door, my fingers slid through the condensation. Tanner drifted through the fog like a ghost. He stood next to me. He took up space.

Suddenly, I felt vulnerable.

"Dr. Windsor got in contact with one of her friends-a specialist," Tanner explained gently while adjusting the shower head. "He's a psychologist who helps shifters." "Is he a shifter?"

He nodded. "A crane. He's friendly as far as I've been told."

"And that's for us?"

"It's for Inez, but we can go as a family."

As a family. Did he mean that? "Why?"

"She's just gone through a hard event. I knew she would need someone to talk to who wasn't just us."

My head tilted forward. "I'm glad you thought of that."

How was I melting right now? Was it the heat?

Was it him?

And why did that make me so angry?

"Leah, look at me," Tanner whispered. His knuckle met my chin, adjusting my gaze. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't scare me. You just-"

He took my waist. "I disrespected you in front of our pack. That was scary. I could feel it."

Words failed to leave my lips despite how hard I was attempting to make them do it. Even though all was right with the world in a very technical way, it still felt like the ground beneath my feet was about to give out. My lip trembled. "Tanner..."

"You mean everything to me. The world, Leah. That's you to me. And Inez too. She's..." He smiled bashfully. "I'm already thinking of her as my daughter. I should have told you that sooner. We wouldn't have fought about it if I did." "We didn't fight, Tan."

He shook his head. "No, but we almost did. While we were out trying to rescue her." He clicked his tongue. "That shit was wacky."

He was right. The whole thing was wacky. We were just two idiotic shifters tumbling around on a giant rock through the cosmos. We didn't have any idea where we were going.

We hardly even knew what was beyond the stars, let alone what dwelled within each of us.

I sighed shakily. "I don't want to fight. I don't want to lie."

"You didn't lie to me. I believe you about the whole pregnancy thing."

"No, not that."

He frowned. "Then what?"

"I...I almost..." Panic threatened to send me to the ground. The tile felt slippery beneath my toes, causing me to cave into Tanner. A sob ripped through me. "I almost left you!" Tanner caught me with ease. It wasn't hard with his hands already on my waist. All I did was shift my weight. But as he had before-like he had done so many times-he caught me.

And I knew that was something he would do forever. If I would just let him do it.

"I'm so sorry, Tanner," I whimpered. "I was packing to leave. I was scared. I was going to get Inez and take off and..." I trailed into another sob.

I knew what came next. The betrayal, the hatred, the fear. It would clog our pores. It would turn us into enemies. He would drag me into the streets, naked and all, to expose me for the manipulative liar I was. That was how he was always going to see me. Why not play the part, right?

His lips grazed my ear. "But you didn't."

My eyes popped open. "No, I didn't."

"The first thing you wanted to do when you found Inez missing was to get to me, wasn't it?"

His lips trailed down my neck to my shoulder.

I quivered. "Yes, sir."

"And you got so upset that you passed out. You didn't even have time to search for me. But you would have done it, isn't that right?"

His fingers curled over my bottom, cupping it softly. Desire shot through my center as I leaned into his touch. That caring, forgiving, loving touch that I knew would transport me to a better place if I just let him do it.

I licked my lips. "Yes, sir..."

"I believe you, Leah," he whispered to my collarbone. "And I know that even if you left, you would have come back."

"I'm so sorry."

His tongue swarmed my skin, sending my head lolling back to expose my throat. Sparks tickled the scar tissue where my mating mark sat. His fingers rose to trace it as if he instinctively knew it was tingling right then.

My hand roved his shoulder and found his mark without even looking. The same was happening to him. He was feeling it.

The warm tile met my back, hot rivers of water trailing over my breasts and between my thighs. My slit twitched as a deep ache resonated in my core, encouraging me to push on his shoulders. Tanner dropped to his knees without question. "Don't worry, princess," he whispered to my slit. His tongue teased my clit, shocking my hips forward. "I'll give you every reason to stay."

Warm lips circled my engorged bud, shooting a bolt of electricity through my body. My shoulders flattened to the wall as my hips arched forward, hands searching for something to grip. His shoulders, the back of his neck, the back of his head-it didn't matter. I tried them all. I just didn't want his focus to break from my slit.

An avalanche threatened to crumble upon me. Pressure grew between my thighs, rising into my solar plexus and poking up my throat, sending me higher into the sky.

That was Tanner. That was what he did to me. Everywhere he touched flared to life, cosmic songs bursting within me-within us. While clutching his head, I fought the tide that threatened to break over me, hoping to draw it out. I didn't want to burst just yet. But I didn't really have a choice.

A cry cracked from my lips-and then the snowy peak of the mountain broke, tumbling down at an uncontrollable speed. I tumbled with it, chasing after the tumultuous wave with feverish bucks. The sounds I made were far from human, steam circling my body and encasing me in a world not quite earthly, but not supernatural either.

It was just for us. This was our world. And we would mark it with every sound and action that would bring us closer together.

My orgasm faded as Tanner rose from the ground and smashed his lips into mine. Our mouths warred, trading desperate groans and eager huffs for air. I gripped his cock and guided the head to my slit, standing up on my toes to get his shaft planted firmly between my folds.

The sudden warmth of my slit made him tremble. He grabbed my hips and squeezed, claws pricking my flesh after having halfway appeared. Pain coursed through me with a wave of pleasure-and I practically came all over again. As I peered up at him through heavy lids, I guided his hips forward, urging him to plunge into me.

Standing missionary was one position we had never quite got a chance to try. And now that I had his attention drunkenly hooked on me, I knew I could have my way. Just by being myself. That was all it took with Tanner. It seemed almost silly how simple it was. And yet so blissfully wonderful too.

I leaned against the wall to steady myself, running my thumbs over his jaw. "I love you, Tanner."

He pierced me slowly, a smile growing over his lips as he watched my reaction to him. Gods, I couldn't even control my expression at that point. It was hard to even breathe. Thick wisps of steam clouded the air, creating a silky screen that inspired me to roll my hips forward.

He pitched my hips toward him and sank deep. "I love you too, Leah."

My mouth widened as he thrust into me, arousal slicking his descent. His claws planted into my skin to keep me from wiggling away, the combination of piercing pain with passionate pleasure sending my eyes rolling into my brain.

He disappeared visually. But his physical presence was overwhelming, an energetic symphony that commanded all of my attention.

It was attention I was happy to give him. "Oh, fuck. Oh, yes."

A frigid breeze burst within me. My hips locked as my nipples hardened. Goosebumps flushed my skin as a squeal lodged in my throat. Tanner retained his pace, sliding in and out like a piston, a grunt capping each fervent thrust until he went still.

I clung to his shoulders as he came inside me. He fastened his arms around me, keeping me flush to his chest as we simultaneously soared into the atmosphere. We were totally gone by the time the o****m faded. But it didn't matter. He had me in his arms. That was the only place I needed to be.

An emptiness came over me when he pulled out. It was odd how my body deflated without him inside me. I whimpered and chased after his c**k, smiling when I found he had barely lost his erection. My thumb swept the tip, slicking through the mess we made together.

"So hungry," he teased while rubbing his lips on my mouth. "So eager."

"I want more."

He grinned breathlessly as his hand slid around my hip. "I'll give you as much as you want, princess."

"I don't know why I ever tried to leave. I can't even imagine my life without you."

"I can't either. Don't worry about it."

I mewled when his fingers danced over my sensitive nub. Electricity jolted my core as he slipped through my arousal. More of it was coming. And I knew I would come again too.

I craned to look up at him as my knees wobbled. He cradled me with one arm as his fingers danced inside me. Once his thumb pressed to my c**t, my eyes disappeared all over again, my thoughts completely absorbed by his dedication. His mouth found my mark. "Mine."

"Yours." I squirmed. "Forever." I kissed his jaw. "I promise."