Authors: Savannah Stuart
Running over the softer surface forced her to exert her muscles more. As she headed
toward the beach house where Adam was staying, she slowed her pace when she
scented him. The closer she got to the house, the stronger his scent grew, but she
couldn’t see him. For a brief second, a trickle of fear raced down her back until he
jumped out from behind a sand dune.
She paused and took him in. He was a perfect snowy white. She’d never seen an all-
white wolf before, and he was beautiful. Unlike so many shifters who took on various
canine forms, he was truly a wolf. Her sister was an Alaskan Malamute and she was a
fairly small, brown Cocker Spaniel. Not exactly terrifying or even majestic.
He kicked up some sand in her direction and motioned for her to follow. She did,
but when she got closer, she nipped his side playfully. They didn’t know each other
well and she knew she was taking a chance, but she wanted to feel out his personality.
It was easiest for her to do that in her shifted form. Not being able to talk was always
easier for her. It meant she couldn’t say something stupid. When she nipped him, he
rolled on his back and bared his neck for her.
The way he made himself so vulnerable touched something deep inside her. She
jumped at him but didn’t show her teeth as she attempted to tackle him. When he
playfully growled she pushed off him and ran toward his place.
She jerked to a halt when she spotted a blanket spread out on the sand just in front
of the patio by the pool entrance. He continued past her and before she realized what he
intended, he shifted. She glanced away even though it was obvious he didn’t care about
a little nudity. Out of the corner of her eye she watched him pull on a pair of pants then
sit on the blanket.
“Aren’t you going to change?” he asked.
32
Power Unleashed
She crouched down on her stomach and stared at him. She didn’t even like it when
her sister watched her shift. It was such a personal thing and she completely
understood why so many werewolves didn’t care, but she was different than most. And
she wasn’t going to apologize for embracing her human side.
“Ah, I see.” He turned his back to her.
When he didn’t attempt to peek, she changed. He had to have known she’d shifted
form but he still didn’t turn around. As she neared the edge of the blanket she scooped
up his T-shirt and slipped it over her head. His earthy scent immediately enveloped her
like a cocoon.
“You can turn around now,” she said as she sat a couple feet away.
She sucked in a deep breath when he faced her. His chest and abs were sleek,
muscular lines of perfection. He was a lot leaner than the men of the Lazos pack. Where
they were bulkier, he was trim and completely ripped. What surprised her most were
the scars covering his chest. It took a lot to scar a werewolf, but it was apparent
someone or many “someones” had tried to kill him.
“You look good in my shirt,” he murmured.
The quiet words drew her gaze back to his face. “Then why do you look
disappointed?”
His shoulders lifted slightly. “I was hoping you’d be wearing nothing.”
She could feel her cheeks heat up, but she held his gaze. At least the man was
honest. Under the moonlight, his green eyes were darker, smokier. Almost midnight
black. “Did you ask me here so you could drill me with more questions about my
captivity?”
He shook his head. “No.”
One-word answer.
Okay.
Getting him to talk was going to be interesting. “Is this
your first time in Miami?”
“No.”
33
Savannah Stuart
Sighing, she stretched out next to him and propped up on one elbow as she faced
him. When she did, the shirt rode up dangerously high. “Are you going to keep giving
me one-word answers?”
The corners of his mouth quirked up slightly in what she assumed was his version
of a smile. “No.”
She rolled her eyes and lay on her back. The glittering stars scattered across the sky
seemed to be winking at her. “Fine. When you want to talk, I’m here.”
The blanket shifted as he moved closer. Her stomach flip-flopped when he
stretched out beside her. Supporting himself on one elbow, he stared down at her and
all she could think about was his very kissable lips. From what she’d seen of him, he
rarely smiled and definitely didn’t laugh, but when he’d kissed her before, she’d felt it
straight to her toes.
“Is something going on with you and Thomas Lazos?” he growled.
The unexpected question jerked her out of her thoughts. “What?
No.
Lord, no. Not
that he’s not attractive, but…no.” She bit her bottom lip to keep from rambling and
frowned at him. “Why?”
“I just wanted to make sure you weren’t taken.” His deep voice rolled over her like
warm honey. Smooth and sensuous, it stirred and heated her blood.
“Well, I’m not.” The words were barely a whisper.
“Good.” His neck muscles corded tightly and she knew he was restraining himself
from kissing her.
“Would you have invited me here if I was?” She didn’t know why she asked.
“Yes.” His answer was immediate.
When he moved closer, she pressed a hand against his chest. Underneath her
fingertips, his muscles clenched and tensed. “Can I ask you a question?”
He nodded, as if talking were too difficult.
“Has it really been…two decades for you?”
34
Power Unleashed
“Yeah.” His voice was hoarse and scratchy, but he didn’t hesitate.
Something strange fluttered in her stomach. If it had been that long for him, it
meant he valued sex as much as she did. The knowledge went a long way in pacifying
her nerves. Before she’d come to meet him she hadn’t been sure what her own
intentions were, but now she had no doubt. By the time the night was over, she was
going to sleep with Adam.
35
Savannah Stuart
Adam stared down at Paz and hated the way his entire body ached for her. It had
been over a century since he’d allowed himself to get close to any woman. He was in
Miami on a mission. Find the rogue werewolf, the escaped human and destroy them
both if necessary. Getting tangled up with a sexy she-wolf wasn’t part of his plan. If
anything, it was one of the dumbest things he’d done in a long time.
Something about Paz drew him in though. He should be more wary considering he
knew so little about her. There wasn’t the scent of another man on her and all he could
focus on was making sure his scent
was
. He wanted everyone to know she belonged to
him. The truth was, if she’d been with someone else, he didn’t think that it would have
stopped him. And that scared him. The animal inside him craved her desperately.
By nature he was possessive and protective, but he’d never felt such a dominating
need to claim a woman. To mark her as his own.
As her vanilla scent tickled his nose, his canines extended. When she placed a hand
on his chest, the action immediately soothed him. That shocked the hell out of him.
Before he could react, she pushed up on her elbows and met him halfway. Without
pause he closed the distance and covered her parted lips with his own. Tasting her once
hadn’t been enough. He wasn’t sure that tasting her now would be enough either. The
way his body burned, he was certain the fire humming through him would never be
quenched. But he was going to give it a try.
Her taste was sweet and it was hers alone. As he ran his tongue across hers, he
sucked her bottom lip between his teeth and tugged. When he did, she arched her back
against him and he nearly lost it. He wanted to taste more of her. All of her.
After he settled between her legs, he skimmed his hands over the hem of the shirt
she wore. He pushed it up to her waist and her eyes flew open.
36
Power Unleashed
“I want to see you,” he murmured against her mouth. Her only response was an
increase in her heartbeat so he continued sliding the shirt up until her breasts were
bared. “Can I take it off?”
Jerkily, she nodded. He quickly pulled it over her head. Under the moonlight and
stars, her silky skin seemed to glow. He almost forgot to breathe as he drank in her
naked body. She was perfection. Her slim waist flared into surprisingly curvy hips.
Hips he’d like to hold onto as she rode him. His stomach clenched at the thought. She
squirmed under his gaze so he forced himself to focus on her face. “Are you cold?”
“No. Just…”
“Just what?” he pushed.
She shook her head and her dark hair swished against the blanket. “Nothing.”
“Are you nervous?”
“A little.” Paz was beautiful and confident so her quiet confession surprised him.
Wordlessly he dipped his head to her neck and grazed his teeth along her jawline.
The last thing he wanted was for her to feel insecure. He planned to worship her body
the way it deserved.
As he spread kisses down to her neck and shoulders, she moved her hips against
his. His cock ached between his legs. Thick and swollen, it felt like a heavy club, but
right now wasn’t about him. The woman beneath him was all that mattered. He was
still trying to wrap his mind around why she’d suddenly become so important to him
when a potent wave of awareness rippled through him.
Mate.
The word sounded loud and clear in his head. Pausing above her left breast, he
looked at her to see if she’d felt it too.
Her eyes flew open. “What’s wrong?”
A jagged twinge of disappointment struck him that she hadn’t experienced the
same realization as him, but he brushed it aside. “Not a damn thing,” he murmured
37
Savannah Stuart
before clasping her already hard nipple gently between his teeth. When he tugged, she
moaned and he restrained himself from flipping her on her knees and taking her the
way his body demanded.
Her fingers threaded through his hair as she gripped his scalp. “That feels so good.”
The words were barely a whisper on her lips.
He continued licking her pebbled nipple and tweaked the other between his finger
and thumb. When he squeezed, a barely perceptible tremor raced through her and her
grip on his head tightened.
He’d lived centuries longer than most werewolves and he’d never scented anything
as intoxicating as the heat and desire rolling off her. It made his head spin. Trailing a
moist path around her light brown areola, he savored covering every inch of her soft
skin.
Unable to control himself any longer, he reached between their bodies and slid a
finger across her pussy lips. Her folds were hot and inviting. He inserted one finger and
shuddered when she clamped down on him.
Damn, the woman was tight and wet. Lowering himself, he raked his teeth over her
soft mound and her hips jerked upward, inviting him to bury his head between her
legs. He pressed her thighs open wider and sucked in a deep breath at her glistening
folds.
Waves crashing behind him and the unsteady beat of his heart were the only
sounds he was aware of as he stared at the perfection before him.
“Are you going to taste me?” There was such a mixture of curiosity, innocence and
arousal in her voice. It touched something inside him he’d forgotten existed.
Spread out before him, she was so trusting. He wasn’t sure what he’d done to
deserve her. Over the years he’d made so many enemies and though he had little
regrets from the battlefield, he’d always thought maybe he didn’t deserve a mate. To
find her after so long seemed impossible. Their first time together was more important
than anything he’d done in his life. He tilted his head down and nipped her inner thigh.
38
Power Unleashed
She trembled under his touch and the scent of her desire was unmistakable. Inching
even closer, he dipped his tongue between her pussy lips.
“Ahh.” Her hips jolted slightly but she scooted down closer to his face.
Biting back a smile, he stroked between her folds again, then centered on her clit.
The pink nub peeked out from beneath her swollen lips, begging to be kissed.
He circled her clit with his tongue over and over. With each teasing motion, he
earned a heated cry from Paz. Her body trembled beneath him and her moans filled the
quiet night. Although he didn’t know her well, he knew she was close to coming. She
was that reactive to him.
But he wanted to extend their time together. Wanted her to writhe beneath him as
long as possible. His cock ached for release but the desire to keep her with him
overrode those feelings. He didn’t want this moment to end.
As he teased her clit, he slowly slid one finger inside her hot sheath. She was tight
but much wetter now. Her juices coated his finger so he glided another finger inside.
When he did, her hips moved against him. He didn’t need more encouragement.
Slowly at first, he dragged his fingers out of her then pushed them back in. Her
pussy clenched around him so he continued the action and increased his movements.
The faster he moved, the tighter her inner walls clasped around him. He wanted her to
come at least once before his cock was inside her.
Her hips raised up again and she fisted the blanket beneath her. “Oh my…”