The Awakening: Britton (Entangled Covet) (18 page)

connection with Harwood had been just as bad as the one with Seeder, so they couldn’t get the details.

Which made Val even more nervous.

Threatening to expose the shifter species hadn’t been enough to sway Harwood’s determination to find

the kidnappers, so what could have?

She and Britton wouldn’t know the answer until the council contacted them back. It better be sometime

within the next thirty-six hours, though. The deadline was approaching…and fast.

Which meant Britton could have less than two days left with his beast. If the council caved to the

kidnappers and reformed mutant law, it would make a lot of shifters happy, but it would also guarantee that

Britton wouldn’t be granted a full pardon. Why would he? He’d failed to do what they’d requested of him.

He’d tried to be flippant about being a human again last night, but had failed. She’d seen the worry…the

fear, and it had caused her heart to ache for him. Britton Townsend may still be a womanizer, but she’d

learned one thing about him she’d never known: he was a
good
man.

A loyal, compassionate, protective man, who had risked everything to save a little girl.

If
she
could see this after the years of nastiness between them, how was the High Council so blind? And

why did her chest get so tight every time she thought back on his expression as he told her about the little

girl hugging his neck?

But, boy, it did. It almost suffocated her, as if something was expanding beneath her breasts, stealing all

the room for her lungs to draw in air. And each time, she had the craziest need to hold him.

She was already uncomfortable enough with wanting to jump his bones, but wanting to hold him was

really messed up. That meant something way more than she was even willing to contemplate. Val was not

the comforting type. So why did she want to comfort Britton?

Girl, you are so losing it
.

She spotted another twig, bent to pick it up, and thrust her odd thoughts of Britton out of her mind,

concentrating on her task of gathering kindling for the fire.

She wished Seeder had called five hours ago so she could be sleeping in a nice, warm bed inside a

sturdy cabin, instead of on the cold, hard ground inside a flimsy tent. The sky had turned a bright orange as

the sun began to set, casting shadows everywhere that gave her the heebie-jeebies. She was a tough-as-nails

detective who burst into bloody crime scenes without a second thought, but dark woods freaked her the

hell out.

Britton had cleared an area of leaves and brush about twenty feet from the cabin. After he dug a pit and

surrounded it with rocks, he started a fire. The extra light helped, but didn’t dispel all the creepiness. Then

he’d set up the tent. In dismay, she’d suggested they sleep inside the cabin instead, but he’d just cocked an

eyebrow at her.

Spiders. Rodents. Bats. Falling timbers.

Yeah, she got it. Tent it was. It had a roof and no risk of a wall collapsing on top of them while they

slept. And the most important, no roaming critters.

While he was in the tent laying out the sleeping bags, she collected wood for the fire, staying as close to

the orange flame and the tent as she possibly could. A snap a few feet away grabbed her attention. Her

breath seized in her lungs.

A monstrous black bear wandered out of the surrounding trees into the clearing around the cabin.

She snapped upright. Paralyzed. The bear stared at her, nose twitching as it assessed her. Smelling her—

scenting her as though she was prey. She wet her suddenly dry lips. “Britton.” The word barely squeezed

past the heart lodged in her throat.

“
Brit
ton,” she choked out a little more urgently.

He immediately came out of the tent, his brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

He could hear it. The fear in her voice. He glanced to where she was staring, and stiffened. “Don’t

move,” he said.

As if she could. She was rooted to the spot, her body quivering as she waited for this animal’s reaction

—waited to see if their provocative shifter scents would spur it to attack or to flee.

The bear’s nose twitched again as it swung its massive head toward Britton…just as three cubs came

barreling out of the woods straight for Val. Without thought, she shuffled back a couple of steps. That

movement was all it took. The mama lifted onto her hind legs, a towering terror above her, and let out a

ferocious roar that had tears burning the back of her eyes. Then she lowered to all fours and charged…her.

Fight or flight kicked in, and she stumbled backward, screaming. Suddenly, a black blob launched

gracefully into the air and landed on top of the bear with a caterwaul, drawing the bear’s attention off her.

The bear reared around as the jaguar lowered to the ground and circled it, hissing, swiping its razor-

sharp claws. The bear roared again and clipped the cat on the side of the head with its mighty paw, sending

the beast toppling to the ground. As the jaguar pushed back to its feet, the bear lumbered back before

turning and bolting into the woods, the cubs following. The jaguar—
Britton?
—gave chase. Val watched

the muscles bunch along the cat’s sleek back as he disappeared into the thicket of trees.

Horrifying sounds came from the darkness—yowls, hisses. A catfight magnified a thousandfold.

“Britton!”

The sounds continued. Each noise tore into her as if she was the one being shredded apart by the bear’s

powerful jaws. Tears scalded her cheek as she screamed his name again with all the terror she felt.

Silence followed.

She stood there, body shaking, linked fingers pressed to her lips. “Please be okay,” she whispered over

and over again.

Dea
, he’d just risked his life to save hers. He hadn’t hesitated to protect her. And now he could be dead.

So she’d never again see the violet saturate his gaze, or the cocky tilt of his smile. Never know what it

would feel like to have his lips on hers, his hands gliding over her body. Why had she denied herself all

that when it was what she’d wanted?

Minutes stretched, feeling like an eternity, and then he was stumbling out of the woods back in his

human form. Naked as the day he was born, and a little roughed up, but alive.

“Chased the bear and the cubs about a mile up. We’ll be fine now,” he said.

Without thought, she launched herself at him, her body slamming into his as she fused her lips to his.

Britton froze for a nanosecond, then a growl vibrated his chest and his strong arms banded around her,

crushing her against him. He walked them backward until her back met the trunk of a tree. He lifted his

head to look down at her, and she was stunned by the luminous violet. Much brighter than ever before, the

color pulsed with sharp flares, then lightened, only to pulse even brighter, in a familiar rhythm. Like a

heartbeat.

She stared up at him, mesmerized by his beauty, by how his gaze made her feel worshiped. “Britton—”

she whispered.

As he moved his hands to cup the sides of her face, he claimed her lips again. His tongue teased the

seam of her mouth, and all thought was gone. She just had to taste him. To feel him. To have him. She

opened for him, and he delved inside. Masterful. Gentle. Caressing.

A moan worked its way past her lips. Another growl rattled from Britton. One moment his hands had

her face trapped between them, the next they were behind her knees, lifting and spreading, until her thighs

circled his waist, his erection pressing hard against her center. Liquid heat rushed over her and she locked

her feet behind his back and her arms around his neck, returning his kiss with fervor.

Swinging them around, he stalked to the tent, his lips scorching her skin as he nipped his way across

her jawline to her ear. He lifted his head and stared at her, the violet beating down at her. “I
need
to fuck

you.”

Dea
help her. “I need you, too.”

…

Val Calhoun was his.

His
.

Britton lowered her onto the sleeping bags, then stretched out over her, propping up on his elbows as

he stared down at her, breathing hard. He needed this moment. This tension-filled second, just to take in his

mate.

The one woman meant for him alone.

He’d spent so long focusing on the negative side of the
Drall
that he’d refused to believe Aidan or Liam

when they said he wouldn’t understand until he’d met her. Kissed her. He understood now. The moment

she pressed her lips to his, he’d understood.

A moment of certainty so absolute it’d left him stunned.

She was the one.

Val
.

His destined mate.

Inhaling deeply, her glorious strawberry scent enveloped him—a sweet aroma that reminded him of

spring days, warm weather, and the earth coming to life after the death of hard winter.

She did that for him.

Brought him back to life.

Her lips pursed in annoyance.

“What are you waiting for, Townsend?”

He couldn’t stop a slow smile as he raked his gaze over her body. “Just trying to decide where I want to

start.”

She took his hand and placed it over her breast. “How about here?”

The soft mound beneath his palm held him captivated. Yes, he could start there. But where he really

wanted to focus was—

He slid his hand down over her belly to cup between her legs, loving the way she jerked but

immediately spread her knees for him. “Or we could start here.”

He rubbed against her, gratified by the sound of her breath hitching.

“Th-that would be a good place, too.”

“We need to get these clothes off.” He sat up. “I want to feel how wet you are for me. I want to feel you

clench around my fingers.”

The moan she let out spoke of how much she wanted that, too.

Within seconds, he had her shoes, pants, and panties tossed into the corner of the tent. Her jacket and

shirt immediately followed. His gaze traveled over her body, laid before him, ready for his taking.

His.

As he cupped her, he captured her mouth. Slick wetness greeted his probing fingers. And he groaned,

craving a taste, a sample of what her body had to offer. But he had enough sense to know one taste

wouldn’t be enough; he’d want more, need more. If he went anywhere near that temptation, there would be

no way he’d be able to fight the demand of the instinct…and marking her was out of the question.

Instead he focused on her pleasure, circling her clit, then sliding one finger inside. Over and over he

circled and probed, until he had her whimpering against his lips and her hips helplessly lifting to meet his

hand.

He inserted a leg between hers, hooking it behind her knee, opening her wider. All he’d have to do was

shift his body forward and he could thrust into her. Come inside her. Start the ritual. Ripping his mouth

from hers, he clenched his teeth, burying his face in her neck as he prayed for her to come before the

instinct to mark her took over completely.

“Britton. Oh. So close.” Her fingers dug into his back. “So”—she moaned—“close.”

The pleading in her voice caused his beast to charge forward, instinct taking control. Unconsciously, he

ground into her, until his body was wedged between her legs, his cock touching her moist center.

He had to. He couldn’t wait.

He thrust deep.

She arched up, mouth opening in a delighted gasp. “Yes!”

He pushed forward until he was kneeling before her. Lifting her hips with his hands, he slammed into

her. Fucking. Hard.

Her breasts bounced with each powerful thrust as her legs fell wide, allowing him in deeper. Making the

inner walls of her body contract around him, pulling him closer to orgasm. He squeezed his eyes closed,

teeth grinding together.

She felt. So. Fucking. Good.

The closer he came to releasing, the more his canines throbbed, begging to feel the delicate skin of her

inner thigh between his teeth.

No
. He couldn’t mark her. Not yet.

He lifted his hand away from one of her hips and pressed his thumb directly onto her clit as he pounded

into her. She fisted the sleeping bag in her hands. She was almost there.

“Come, baby. Let me hear you fucking come.”

Her body clamped tight around him as her back arched up. The blissful cry of her release was music to

his ears, and he let go, pouring himself inside her. Still he kept pumping, until he’d quaked every last moan

from her body. Then he slumped forward, catching his weight on his elbows.

They’d released together. The first time.

And still it wasn’t enough. He needed so much more. He lowered his head to her breast, taking the erect

nipple between his lips, nipping gently.

Val squirmed beneath him. “Britton?”

“
Shh
. I have to have a taste.”

“A taste?”

He kissed his way down her body, until he was face to face with what he wanted to sample most.