Читать книгу One Night with the Wolf - Anna Hackett - Страница 6

Forbidden.

Christian’s hands compressed, his claws threatening to burst from his skin. He stared down at Jade—the woman he’d wanted since he’d dragged his broken, beaten body onto the Thorne Ranch.

As he had that spring day, he fought not to notice her face, her crystal blue eyes, her lush lips.

She wasn’t beautiful. How many times had he repeated that to himself? She was pretty at best. But there was something else that drew him.

There was a deceptive strength in that appealing face. In the last few months, he’d seen her steel core, her sense of duty and her unfailing dedication to her pack.

But unlike the others who depended on her, he also saw the woman beneath the alpha. He saw the reflection of loneliness in her eyes, the yearning on her face when she thought no one was watching.

She’s forbidden to you. He forced his wolf to relax and uncurled his hands. Jade Thorne was as unattainable to him now as she was when her husband was alive.

She needed to marry an alpha to keep the Thorne Pack from being torn apart. There was no room in her life for an exiled wolf with no belongings, no connections, no power.

A year ago his life had been ripped apart and he had nothing left to offer anyone. He had no idea who he was anymore. He was nothing.

But she could be yours for one night.

The words echoed in his ears, tormenting, taunting. He gritted his teeth. He knew his wolf wouldn’t tolerate having this woman for only one night.

It would demand everything from her—body, mind and soul. He’d dominate her. Own her.

One night would never be enough.

“Christian?” She pushed a strand of honey-brown hair back behind her ear. “Say something.”

“What the hell do you want me to say?” He hadn’t intended to bark the words.

Her eyes narrowed. “I was hoping you’d help me.”

He studied her face. Her skin was a golden shade that begged a man to touch. He knew there were numerous wolves in attendance who’d leap at the chance to take this woman to bed.

“Why?” He had to know.

Her big, blue eyes dominated her face. “Do you know how old I was when I married?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “Sixteen. My parents led a small pack and we were under attack by a larger group that surrounded our land. My parents offered me to Marius in return for his protection.”

Luna, sixteen. Heat welled in Christian’s chest. Not even an adult.

“He was kind. He was in his eighties and had no heir, so he needed to marry.” She pulled in a long breath. “He’d lost his mate a few years before.”

Air hissed through Christian’s teeth. Wolves mated for life but few actually found their mates. Once they’d left the forests, abandoned the wild ways and started to blend with humans, they’d started to marry those they liked rather than waiting for the rare lightning bolt of mating.

He’d heard the loss of a mate was near debilitating and killed a wolf’s naturally high sex drive. The only way to know your mate was at the height of making love, that moment when two people were so close their souls brushed.

If a wolf lost their mate, well, there wasn’t much point in needing sex anymore. Despite having an attractive young wife, Christian doubted Marius would’ve cherished Jade.

“Marius waited until I was older until he…consummated our marriage.” She spun away, like she couldn’t face Christian, her arms wrapping around her middle. “He was a kind man, a good alpha and he taught me so much about leading a pack.” She turned back. “But I want…” Her arms fell to her sides, pressing against denim. “I want someone to show me passion. I want strong hands on my body. I want to know what it feels like to be held.”

Her words were a kick to his gut. The look in her eyes slashed him open.

She reached out, her fingers gripping his arm, burning into his skin. “Tomorrow I’m going to marry another alpha. You’ve seen the list, you know the ones who are coming are Marius’s contemporaries.”

Christian had seen the list. There wasn’t an alpha under seventy on there. And some he wouldn’t let near her. They were too hard, too cruel.

Thank Luna the Bane pack hadn’t learned of the Courting. He’d deliberately avoided inviting them. They were powerful, covering much of Canada, but he knew from personal experience their alpha was beyond vicious.

“I want one night for me.” Jade’s fingers tightened. “Please help me, Christian.”

The plea in her eyes was something he couldn’t fight. His jaw tightened until it burned. He doubted he could deny this woman anything.

“I trust you to find someone…suitable,” she whispered.

His wolf clawed at his belly. It begged him not to let another touch her, it begged for a taste of her.

In that moment, he knew he’d give the power to shift to be the one to show this woman desire, to watch pleasure explode in her eyes and hear her cry out his name.

But this was about her needs, not his.

His stomach twisted, hard and vicious. He stared down at his scarred hands and opened his palms. She deserved better than the tough calluses of an exile on her skin.

He knew himself well enough to know his raging, carnal urges would dominate her, demand her submission. It would be rough, hot and violent.

No, he’d find her a nameless, faceless wolf to serve her needs. One who’d walk away tomorrow and never utter a word.

“Go wait in the clearing by the stream. I’ll send someone.” He forced the words past his stiff lips.

Her teeth dug into her lip. “Thank you.”

Christian’s hand flexed closed, his knuckles turning white. Yeah, he’d find her a man, then he’d find a bottle of the highest proof whiskey and get roaring drunk.

Jade stood in the moon-drenched shadows beside the stream and warred with the butterflies winging in her belly.

She was far from the party now, could no longer hear the music or laughter. It was just her, the quiet hush of the water and her nerves.

Christian had been so mad. She’d read it in the hard lines of his body. She gripped her hands together. For a breathtaking second, she’d been sure he was going to offer himself.

Then the shutters had come down.

For the best. Deep down she feared he’d dominate her and give her a breathless taste of desires she didn’t even know she wanted. Desires she could never have.

At least he’d offered to help her.

She started to pace. She was doing the right thing. The pleasure of this night would help her get through the Courting. It would help her survive another marriage she didn’t want.

Conjuring up a faceless man, she imagined big hands on her skin, stroking, caressing. She wanted to explore a muscled chest, a ridged abdomen, a thick, curving…Luna. She imagined the man’s groans and her cries echoing through the trees.

She imagined golden eyes boring into hers.

No. She pulled in the cool night air. She realized that none of her fantasies held a faceless man—they all had Christian’s face.

Suddenly the thought of a stranger touching her turned her stomach. She pressed a palm to the vicious churning and took a backward step. She couldn’t do this.

A twig snapped nearby. Jade froze.

She sensed a man closing in on her. He was downwind, so she couldn’t scent him.

Run? Stay?

He came up behind and she couldn’t turn, couldn’t move. Her hands went cold. A contrast to the heat she felt pumping off him.

When a hand brushed her shoulder, her muscles tensed so hard she thought she’d shatter.

“Shh,” he whispered, his hands brushing her hair to one side. Giving him access to her neck.

Clever fingers skimmed across her skin, over the rapid pounding of her pulse, and made her shiver. He traced the shell of her ear, and she felt the small touch all the way through her.

When he tugged her back against his big body, she gasped. He was solid muscle. Strength and heat.

His fingers slid lower and flicked open the top button of her shirt. “Are you sure you want this?”

His words were a muted whisper. She trembled, her throat dust dry. When he flicked open another button, his callused fingers brushed the top of her breasts, she closed her eyes. She couldn’t form the words to answer him.

Against her buttocks she felt the hardening length of him. Her hips moved on instinct. Pressing against him. Seeking.

He growled in her ear. “Tell me what you want.”

She stared blindly at the moon partly hidden by the treetops. Her lips parted. What did she want? She wasn’t sure anymore. Not with this man’s hands on her.

His fingers toyed with the next button but didn’t open it. “Say it.”

“Pleasure,” she choked out.

He undid another button. The night air was cool on her skin.

“What else?”

“Desire.” She rubbed against him. “Heat.”

“What do you really want?”

A sob caught in her throat. “You.”

With a muttered curse, his hand slashed down and ripped the remaining buttons from her shirt. He spun her, yanking her hard against his chest.

Rough hands tangled in her hair, angling her face up to his.

Her gaze clashed with liquid golden eyes.

Christian called himself all kinds of names and fool wasn’t the worst of them. He would damn himself tonight, but at least for one night, Jade would be his.

“Christian—”

“Don’t talk. You want pleasure, I’ll give it to you.”

She shuddered. Indecision warred on her face. They both knew they shouldn’t do this.

Then her hands ran across his shoulders. “Show me.”

He crushed his lips to hers, thrusting his tongue into the warm welcome of her mouth. He plundered, he tasted and her head dropped back from the onslaught.