Marked (12 page)

“Jackson!” Ward bellowed and another thunderous round of
pounding resumed. “If you don’t open the door I’m breaking the fucker down.”

“At the risk of stating the obvious,” Shane offered quietly,
completely serious and somber, “you should probably address the issue. The last
thing you want is to face the pack with an Alpha on your back. Gavin will be
bad enough.”

Jackson stood and lifted his hand, releasing her. She rubbed
the back of her neck, finding that he’d been careful with his claws and hadn’t
so much as scratched her skin. Craning her neck, she looked up at him. The
playful glint in his eyes was gone. His shoulders were tense, his brows
furrowed. When she looked at his hands she didn’t see any claws, although his
fingers were curled into fists.

“Fuck it. I didn’t want to hurt Wade’s feelings by telling
him his daughter gets me about as hot as the fucking Arctic, but he asked for
it.”

“I’ll come with you.” Declan rose, rubbing his hands
together.

“No.” Jackson strode toward the door, turning his back on
all of them—including her. “Stay here. All of you.”

Before she could argue she felt that same odd energy
surrounding her, cementing his will. She’d never gotten the chance to chew his
ass out for pulling the stunt earlier. She was supposed to be his mate—
his
equal
—not a plaything he bossed around.

Rotating her gaze around the room, she saw everyone else had
been affected in the same way. None of them moved, remaining exactly as Jackson
had left them.

As she sat fuming, she decided that she couldn’t wait to get
Jackson alone. As soon as the opportunity presented itself she was going to
show him why it wasn’t smart to underestimate her. He was going to regret
treating her like this—whatever
this
was—not once, but twice.

It was time for
her
to teach
him
a few things
for a change.

The moment Jackson opened the door he was greeted by Wade.
The Alpha had brought along his Beta, who stood a few feet back. Jackson
stepped into the night, feeling the rays of the moon wrapping around him. His
mating was supposed to be the best thing that had ever happened to him, not a
series of unfortunate events. Since the moment he’d met his mate in the flesh
he hadn’t been able to enjoy her. It had been one thing after a fucking other.

That ended tonight.

Normally he would have heard someone out. But not this time.
He went straight for the throat. “I don’t want your daughter. I told her I
wasn’t interested. She wouldn’t listen. So I’m telling you.” He took another
step forward, getting into Wade’s personal space, monitoring the Beta who
mirrored his movement. “I don’t want Simone. I’m not interested in an arranged
mating. The answer is no.”

There. It was done. Sign, sealed and delivered.

His relief was squashed when the very person he was trying
to avoid slid out of the enormous SUV Wade had arrived in. As always, Simone
made sure her assets were on full display. This time she was clothed in
leather, showcasing all her curves. She glided over on high heels, her visage
one of insult and outrage.

“How dare you,” she snarled, storming toward him. “You
fucking bastard.”

“Don’t interrupt,” Wade warned Simone, rotating to face her.
“You kept vital information regarding this situation to yourself. We’ll have to
discuss that.”

A-fucking-men. A ray of sunshine on an otherwise shitty day.

While Wade doted on his daughter, the man was an Alpha
through and through. Jackson had hoped Wade would understand his disinterest
wasn’t personal. He simply wasn’t interested in Simone—period.

“He’s being difficult.” Simone changed tactics, becoming
whiny. “If you talk to him he’ll change his mind. This could strengthen the
pack. It’s time for you to stop being second best.”

Ouch.
That had to hurt.

Jackson’s gaze darted to Wade, who’d taken one hell of an
insult. The Alpha didn’t so much as flinch. Simone—in true Simone
fashion—didn’t seem to realize she’d just socked it to her old man in the worst
possible way, indicating he wasn’t strong enough to stand on his own. Fortunately
Jackson was polite enough to look away and salvage some of the man’s pride.

“Did Mr. Donovan indicate he was interesting in an arranged
mating with you, Simone?” Jackson’s admiration for Wade increased. The Alpha
was handling the situation better than other fathers would have. “Did he say
he’d consider your offer? Don’t try to convince me this was his idea. Not
unless you want me to take your credit cards for the next few months.”

“Of course he did.” Simone didn’t back down, feigning hurt.

“
I did not
,” Jackson corrected with a snarl. “Before
you try to argue, you should know something.” He narrowed his eyes even though
he knew Simone wouldn’t heed the warning. “You interrupted me while I was
introducing my
mate
to my pack.”

Wade’s gaze darted to Simone before he gawked at Jackson.
“Your mate?”

“That’s right.”

Folding his arms across his chest, he faced the man who’d
obviously been sucker-punched repeatedly. First his daughter had tricked him
into visiting a man who wasn’t interested in her. Then he’d learned she’d been
keeping secrets in order to get what she wanted. Now he knew she hadn’t stood a
chance in hell the entire time.

“He’s lying,” Simone said in a rush. “He’s always lying.”

Wade didn’t even glace at his child. Jackson almost felt
sorry for the wrath that was about to come down on Simone for making a fool of
her old man. “When are you introducing her to the packs?”

“Tomorrow. At the hunt.”

Wade met Jackson’s gaze and held it. When he read the truth
in his words, he snapped, “Get in the car, Simone.”

“But—”

“I said get in the car!” Wade roared, pivoting away from
Jackson. “Zip your lip and do as you’re told.”

“No,” she retorted, reaching out and placing her hand on
Jackson’s shoulder.

He shouldn’t have been surprised. The flirty female never listened.
That was what she was known for—all body and zero brains. What he didn’t expect
was to see her flying back several feet, knocked to the ground as someone
barreled out of the building behind him and took the female to the ground.

In an instant he knew who had disobeyed his order to remain
inside.

Curly blonde hair flared around Chloe as she wrapped her
hands around Simone’s throat and applied pressure. His mate’s words weren’t
words at all. More like snarls of a creature that was out for blood.

He rushed toward the screaming females, intent on the one
who was—even without full possession of her wolf—currently beating the hell out
of a werewolf with several pounds and a whole lot of inches on her.

Son of a bitch.

The woman beneath Chloe was covered in a cloud of red,
making it impossible to make out the color of her eyes or hair.

Not that it mattered.

The moment she’d heard Simone speaking to Jackson, something
had snapped. The members of the pack had watched in disbelief as she rose from
her seat and walked toward the door. She hadn’t looked back, driven by a force
that had taken over. Fury had obliterated logic. The moment she’d entered the
hallway and saw the strange woman touch him, the wolf had taken control.

Moments in time were blurry. She vaguely recalled bursting
from the parlor and tackling the woman to the ground. Now that she had her
hands on the bitch she wanted to see Simone bleed. This would be a warning to
anyone who dared to do the same, a reminder that the man she was fighting for was
off limits.

Jackson was
hers
.

The words “I’ll kill you” didn’t come out right. Instead her
vocalizations echoed as snarls in her ears. She didn’t stop, using the hands
wrapped around Simone’s throat to drive the woman’s head into the concrete. The
rusty scent of blood filled her nose, making her hungry for more. She wouldn’t
stop until there was nothing left of the bitch’s head or face.

An arm snaked around her midsection to pull her away. She
fought the intruder, knowing she wasn’t done yet, thrashing like a mad thing.
Her grip loosened when the arm gave a firm tug and broke her hold on Simone.
She screamed when she was lifted into the air and forced away from her prey.

“Stop,” Jackson demanded, the word a harsh reprimand in her
ear.

His voice was a powerful thing, washing over her like a
balm, calming the raging beast inside. She stopped struggling when she looked
down and saw she’d clawed his arm, drawing blood. She fought for breath, a
level of sanity returning, her memories becoming muddled. Two men were helping
Simone to her feet, inspecting the back of her head. As the red covering her
vision faded, she realized she’d just instigated her very first fight.

Holy shit.

She had
never
been physical or violent. That was
Rachel’s arena. But the mere thought of another woman touching Jackson had
shattered her control, turning her into someone she didn’t recognize. She
couldn’t believe she was responsible for Simone’s busted mouth. A steady stream
of red trickled from a split in the woman’s upper lip.

One of the men assisting the female looked at her. Like
Andy, he seemed to recognize something important about her. Giving Jackson an
odd look Chloe couldn’t decipher, he said, “It appears you have a lot of
explaining to do.”

“Not to you,” Jackson replied, his growl sending vibrations
along her spine. “Take your daughter and leave. You’ve overstayed your
welcome.”

The man who hadn’t spoken swept Simone into his arms. He
walked to a large SUV and sat her in the backseat. The other man followed suit,
waiting until everyone was safely inside the vehicle before he climbed in. He
glanced back before he closed the door, his eyes a bright shade of yellow. The
vehicle drove from the back lot. Red taillights flared as it disappeared around
the corner of the building.

Jackson didn’t release her, standing in the same spot.

“If Gavin doesn’t know about your mate yet,” Declan said
from behind them, “he will before the night’s over.”

Jackson spun around and faced his Beta. To her utter
mortification, Chloe discovered the entire pack had somehow managed to overcome
their Alpha’s order. No doubt they’d seen everything that had transpired
between her and Simone. They studied her with a combination of disapproval,
concern and what she thought was a hint of pride.

“Wade isn’t stupid,” Jackson grumbled and lowered her to her
feet. “He noticed the resemblance. I could tell by the way he looked at her.”
Chloe gasped when Jackson yanked her around, the fingers he wrapped around her
chin forcing her to look into his face. “We’re going to have to talk about that
temper of yours, baby. You’ve just bitten off more than you can chew.”

Anger returned but thankfully she didn’t feel homicidal. She
met Jackson’s gaze, uncaring that his irises had started to glow.

“Don’t give me that crap. I am not something you can command
at will. Stop handling me with kiddie gloves. I don’t like bull, so stop trying
to sell me shit.”

Jackson’s jaw clenched but he remained silent.

“Oh man,” Declan laughed. “I knew I liked her.”

“It’s not funny.” Shane joined the conversation, shouldering
around the people in his path. “Everyone will know our pack has a new Lupa who
happens to be a Halfling. If the shit hits the fan she’ll wish she’d kept
control of her beast.”

Oh no he didn’t.

“
She
,” Chloe said, glaring at Shane, “is standing
right here. If you have something to say to me, say it.”

“He’s not insulting you,” Elsie offered softly, moving so
Chloe could see her clearly. “He’s just stating fact. If the bitches from other
packs find out you’re half-human, they can challenge you for the position of
Lupa. It’s law.”

That was news she certainly didn’t expect. “Challenge me?”

“To the death,” Shane clarified. “It’s how the bloodlines
remain strong.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Declan glanced at Shane and rolled
his eyes. “You just shitkicked Simone Wilson. Females talk, so they’ll know
you’re not a puff cake. Challenges only happen when a female thinks she can win
a fight to the death. You’re a wildcard. They’ll steer clear.”

“You’d better hope they do,” Shane muttered and dry washed
his face with his hand. “Otherwise we’ll all be neck deep in the shit.”

“How do you figure?” Declan asked.

Slowly Shane lowered his hand and looked at her. Dread felt
like an iron weight in her stomach. The worry in the male’s eyes brought the
situation into painful focus. If the emotion had come from Declan or Clint she
might have blown it off. But not from Shane. She didn’t know him, but she
realized he wasn’t one to play games. It didn’t help that Jackson
still
hadn’t
spoken, allowing his pack to impart the ugly truth.

“Jackson—
our Alpha
—won’t stand by and let anyone kill
his female. That little smackdown of yours just put all our asses on the line.
If it comes down to a challenge, you won’t face the firing squad alone.” Shane
made sure their gazes met, as though he wanted his words to hit their mark.
“We’re all going to bleed.”

Chapter Nine

Jackson climbed out of his car and walked around to the
passenger side to face his female. She’d been quiet after her altercation with
Simone—staring out the window as they drove to the cabin—the impact of Shane’s
revelation no doubt sinking in. He’d been so angry that she’d put herself in
harm’s way he’d been unable to discuss what had happened. Instead he waited,
hoping his temper would die down.

It was so hard not to touch her, his desire rising along
with the moon. God help him, he wanted to bust her sweet little ass and fuck
her so bad his palms itched and his dick throbbed.

A part of him knew it wasn’t her fault. He’d heard her
snarls, realized her wolf had taken control, but it didn’t ice his temper. She
could have been seriously hurt. Thankfully Simone was about as threatening as a
fucking Chihuahua—all bark and no bite. Otherwise he would have had to
intervene, and it went against the rules for a male to break up a fight between
females.

Chloe glanced at him, worrying at her lower lip and fiddling
with the sleeve of her jacket. Good. She should be nervous. He’d decided on the
ride over that the best way to deal with the problem was to show her beast who
was boss. All he had to do was to bring the animal to the surface. Once it
appeared he’d show his mate who was in charge.

Chloe hesitated when he opened the door and gave her a
nudge. “Jackson…”

He didn’t respond, building the tension. If he wanted the
wolf to heed the call of the moon he needed to keep his mate on the edge. When
he pressed his hand into the small of her back she took the hint, stepping
inside. He closed the door behind them and slid the deadbolt into place. His
cock refused to soften, straining against his zipper, tenting his jeans.

Fuck.

He didn’t want to guide her on the right path at that
moment. He wanted to take her on the bed with the curtains parted wide,
allowing the white rays from the moon to cover their bodies. The wolf inside
him roared in his head, searching for Chloe’s scent.

Despite her anxiousness, he knew she felt the effects of the
moon. The musky and alluring scent of her pussy had teased and taunted him for
hours. If he reached into her pants and pushed aside her panties he knew she’d
be hot and slick, ready for whatever he wanted to give her.

“Go to the bedroom, remove your clothes and wait for me,” he
growled, trying to maintain his composure.

Chloe froze, her back to him. Her shoulders tensed and he
watched as she slowly turned to face him. A small light had entered her eyes,
making her irises brighten.

“You’re not spanking me,” she replied with a throaty growl
of her own.

“No?” he asked, studying her, angling his head to the side.
He goaded her intentionally, knowing what he had to do. Chloe’s irises changed
from the pupil outward, shifting color, her wolf responding to her distress.
Heightened emotion always brought the animal from the cage.

Always.

“No.”

He moved, snagging her around the waist. Even though she
fought, it wasn’t hard to carry her to the couch. He took a seat in the middle,
turning her so her ass was exactly where it needed to be. Before she could say
a word he gave her the first lick, using the flat of his palm to deliver a
hearty slap to her right cheek.

“It’s time you learned your place, mate.”

He sounded a helluva lot calmer than he felt. This was about
teaching Chloe something important but he wanted her so bad his dick was hard
enough to hammer nails. When he finally went at her she’d be lucky if she could
walk straight the following day.

“Let go,” she snarled, swinging her arms and legs.

“Make me.”

She tried, fighting to get free, screaming when he continued
busting her perfectly rounded bottom. He steadily increased the force of the
blows, making sure each swat landed on the softness of her ass. It didn’t take
long, perhaps a half-dozen smacks, before he felt her wolf. He wasn’t surprised
at how powerful her beast was. Since she’d broken free of his earlier command
and, in turn, broken the hold he had over the pack, he knew she was going to be
a handful.

“There you are.” He gave her another hard slap. “Bring it,
little wolf. I’m waiting for you.”

“I’m going to kick your ass!”

He clucked his tongue, bringing his hand down, his cock
jerking when his palm made contact. He couldn’t wait to yank off her clothing
and see how red her ass was. Even now her pussy was creaming. He could smell
it—almost taste it. She might not think she liked being in a submissive
position but her tiny gasps and the way she clutched at the sofa betrayed her.

As soon as she stopped fighting he brought his hand down on
her ass. He followed the seam until he came to her cunt. He palmed the mound,
applying pressure. She cried out and pushed against him, shifting her hips up
and down. Knowing the time had come, he released her and wrapped his fingers in
her hair. He forced her head around so their eyes met.

“You will never disregard my orders again, Chloe.”

Green became almost neon, the vividness of her eyes nearly
blinding. “You don’t tell me what to do.”

Son of a bitch.

Letting go of her hair, he resumed the spanking he’d
started, the blows much harder than before. She howled—the sound one of
pleasure and fury—and tried to bring her knees up to slide off the furniture.
He didn’t allow it, using his free hand to keep her where she was.

If Chloe’s wolf didn’t relent she’d be a danger to the
entire pack. Wolves couldn’t think without the influence of their human half.
They were too wild, their behaviors unstable. The beast had to accept his
authority and embrace him as her superior. He hoped like hell this would work,
bringing the wolf to the forefront so Chloe could communicate with the creature
inside her. Without that all-important connection the woman and animal would be
at odds with who and what they were.

“Reach deep down, Chloe,” he instructed, sounding as livid
and frustrated as she did. “You control your beast. It doesn’t control you.”

At first he didn’t think she’d heard. She screamed and
fought, clawing at his thigh. He considered taking her into the bedroom and
tying her squirming ass to the bed so she couldn’t hurt herself. If he wasn’t
careful she might pull a joint out of place or actually manage to break free.

Then—
subtly
—he felt the shift.

Trembling started in her shoulders, wound down her back and
traveled to her legs. Her hands opened and closed as though she was attempting
to bring out her claws. He softened the slaps, watching as her nails dug into
the giving flesh of her palm, leaving behind deep red crescents. She growled, a
low steady sound that carried through the room, and stopped moving.

“That’s it. Don’t back down. Show the wolf its place.”

Chloe’s coat had risen to her mid-back as he’d spanked her,
allowing him to slide his hand from her ass to the base of her spine. He reached
out with his wolf, sensing the uncertain connection between his mate and her
other half. It was the perfect time to have them recognize each other prior to
her first shift.

“Your wolf listens to you and you listen to me. Take
control. Show it who’s stronger. Don’t take no for an answer.”

Another snarl tore from her throat, but Chloe wasn’t
fighting him.

Not anymore.

“Back off,” Chloe barked, voice trembling. Taking a deep
breath, she repeated herself, more calmly this time. “
Back off
.”

While she hadn’t shifted and hunted with the pack, his wolf
felt his mate’s despair. She was afraid she wouldn’t have the strength to fight
her feral side. The power of the beast was more than she bargained for, so much
more dangerous than she fathomed. Fortunately that fear served a purpose,
driving her to work harder, to oppose the force that wanted to take over.

They fought—woman versus wolf—caught in the same body but
retaining their individuality.

A part of him ached for his mate, knowing the battle she
fought wasn’t easy. Being born into a pack, he’d had plenty of time to come to
terms with his nature. The anger he’d tried to bury returned, his fury directed
at the man who’d left Chloe to find her own way before she’d even been born.
She never should have had to face things like this, experiencing a moon heat at
the same time she came into her wolf.

When I see the bastard, I’m breaking his goddamn face.

A low whimper passed her lips. She went soft against him and
he pulled Chloe to his chest. Her entire body shook, her teeth rattling. Her
chest heaved as she panted for air. Cupping a hand under her chin, he lifted
her head and carefully pushed sweaty strands of hair from her face. She looked
dazed, her brows slanted together, but her eyes didn’t carry a trace of wolf.

That’s my girl.

“It’s there. Inside m-me,” she stammered and started to
rock, visibly in shock. “I knew it was but I thought it would be different.
Before I couldn’t remember things. Everything was blurry or blacked out. Now I
do. I remember it all.”

Strike that. When I see Gavin I’m breaking his entire
fucking body.

“You’re connected now.” He glided his knuckles across her
cheek. “There won’t be any more back and forth. You’re two parts of one whole.”

“It doesn’t seem possible. I feel so different.”

“Nothing’s changed.” Brushing his thumb across her lips, he
murmured, “You’re in control. Things’ll be different. You’ll see.”

“I can’t believe I wanted to hurt Gramps.” She dipped her
head and buried her face in his neck. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. Promise you
won’t let me.”

Damn it.

He’d known her memories were jagged, but he’d thought she
had access to slivers of them. Most had difficulty recalling certain events,
especially during their first shift, but even then most retained a portion of
what transpired when the wolf took control.

“If you don’t want to hurt anyone, you have to rely on me to
take care of you.” And he would take care of her, even if it killed him.
“That’s the duty of an Alpha to see to those who trust him. Especially when it
comes his mate. Surrender control. Put yourself in my keeping. I’ll never give
you a reason to regret it.”

“Surrender control?” She stiffened against him. “I thought
mating was like a marriage. That a man and wife are considered equal.”

He laughed against her hair, unable to prevent his response
to the ballsy little armful who had just been through hell but met him head-on.
“I thought human females vowed to honor and obey their husbands.”

“You must be old.” He was grateful she didn’t sound as
shaky, as though she was finally accepting the finality of her situation.
“Women stopped promising that a long time ago.”

“To hell with other women. The only female I’m concerned
about is right here in my arms.” As much as he loved her nestled against him,
what he wanted to say was best done looking her in the eye. He pulled away,
gazing at her flushed face. “What do you want, Chloe girl?”

“You,” she answered without pause, blonde ringlets cascading
around her shoulders. “So much it hurts.”

Possessiveness and pride slithered through him. “We can’t
have that.”

He rose in a fluid motion, bringing her with him, keeping
her against his chest with an arm beneath her back and thighs. Lowering his
head, he breathed into the delicate shell of her ear.

“And you have me. Whether you want to or not. I’m all
yours.”

I’m all yours.

Those three tiny words meant so much.

When she’d fought the raging animal inside her she’d been
terrified she wouldn’t come out on top. The thing was harsh, driven by
instinct. It thought in bursts, seeing things only as they pertained to the
moment, living and breathing for each second. Now she understood why she’d
attacked Simone. The wolf had simply reacted, taking control because it had
been allowed to.

That wouldn’t happen again.

She’d confronted the voracious entity, forced it down and
took charge. The thought of hurting anyone in the grips of a wolf’s rage
terrified her. Remembering how angry the wolf had been when Gramps had
threatened Jackson—
how ready she was to go for his throat
—put things
into perspective. What had happened wasn’t something she asked for but it was
up to her to deal with it. As frightening as the prospect might be, she had to
admit it was also exciting. If she was going to start a new life she had to hit
the ground running and face things on her terms.

Beginning now.

Sliding her fingers into the hair at Jackson’s neck, she
tugged him down, lifting herself so their mouths met. He groaned into her lips,
taking her next breath as his, their tongues touching as need, want and desire
took hold. The heat that had rushed through her body returned, thundering
through her system, making it hard to breathe.

“I’m sore where you spanked me.” She gently raked her nails
along his neck, smiling when he shuddered. “You should kiss it and make it
better.”

“Would you like that?”

“Mmm hmm.”

He growled, digging his fingers into the padded area above
her hip, holding her in place. “Then I’m going to kiss you all over. I want to
watch you melt.”

If a person were capable of melting, she was certain she
would have. The way he spoke to her—the way he
looked
at her—made her
insides quiver and her heart skip a beat. There were so many things she could
have said or done in that moment but one need drove her. Fire poured through
her veins, the potent call of the moon whispering in her ear. A shiver shot
down her spine, the memories of the night before rushing back, blinding in
their intensity.

Driven by an escalating impulse, she released his neck and
pushed away, sliding down his body. When her feet hit the ground she shrugged
her shoulders, allowing her coat to fall to the ground as she slowly sank to
her knees. She didn’t look away, meeting Jackson’s gaze as she peppered kisses
down his chest. Lust hit her like a blowtorch to the stomach. She’d do anything
and be anything he wanted if he continued staring at her exactly like
that.