"You don't have to come with me," Natasha said, not wanting to inconvenience Sam.
"No worries," Sam said, her eyes shifting to Maddie. "We're heading in that direction anyway."
"We are?" Maddie asked. This was news to her.
"I'm sticky," Sam said, sending Maddie a slow smile. "I think we need a swim."
"Oh," Maddie whispered breathlessly as tension rippled up from her core.
Natasha's cheeks flushed with heat. It was hard not to be affected, her nipples hardening under her dress as she watched Sam openly caressing Maddie's petite figure with her eyes. "Ah...maybe I should go ahead and go..."
"No need," Sam said, sending Natasha a knowing smile. "We're ready."
Outside, they found Roland and Nafarius talking quietly, mirroring each other with their crossed arms and their feet hip-width apart.
A shiver of awareness traveled across Natasha's skin as she followed the two females. Roland stood, head bent, nodding at Nafarius. He'd pulled his hair back again, showing off the serious set of his chin. She remembered the feel of his hair, the silky strands fisted in her hands, and the taste of his skin. She'd nipped at his chin, thrilled when he'd growled and surged harder between her legs.
Roland caught Natasha's scent, his head snapping up at the hint of desire. The tightness he had been feeling since leaving her asleep in his bed eased as she walked towards him, only to be replaced by a new kind of tension.
"Here comes trouble," Nafarius said, smiling as he held out his hand to his mate. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her back against his chest, lowering his head and nuzzling the side of her neck. "You smell sweet."
"I hope you like preserves," Sam said, tipping her head to the side. "Because I'm going to smell of them for a week."
"You gonna be the jam in my jelly roll?" Nafarius asked.
Everyone groaned, Roland rolling his eyes at his alpha.
"What?" Nafarius lifted his head, eyes wide with feigned innocence.
Laughing, Sam slipped out of Nafarius' arms. "We're going swimming," she said, taking Maddie's hand and walking backwards towards the stream.
Nafarius caught a spike of Sam's desire through the mate bond and suspected there was more to this story than a simple swim. Maybe he should join them. "Three a crowd?"
Sam smiled, her eyes flicking to Natasha and back. "I think you have some business to take care of, but come find us later."
Nafarius watched the two females disappear into the woods before turning back to Natasha.
"It can wait," Natasha offered.
Nafarius crossed his arms and stared down at the female that was supposed to have been his mate. "I can make time."
Natasha smiled. "I was wondering if you were still willing to make inquiries on my behalf with the other packs."
"Are you so anxious to leave already?" Roland asked, his voice quiet behind her.
Natasha turned and looked up at him, a slight frown had drawn his brows down over his dark eyes. "I would think after last night you would know better."
Behind her, Nafarius coughed to cover his laugh.
Roland searched Natasha's face, feeling strangely vulnerable in the bright light of day. "Then why ask about the packs?"
"Because, whatever this is," she said, gesturing to the space between them. "Isn't permanent."
"What if I wanted permanent?" Roland asked. He'd been giving the future a lot of thought.
"Would you have me stay because I want to or because I have no other choice?" Natasha asked, already knowing the answer. Roland wasn't the type of male to take advantage of a bad situation. No matter how much he might want to.
Roland's thoughts were not nearly as noble as Natasha gave him credit for. His conscience was clear and his wolf was on board with the idea of making sure she had no other choice than to stay with him.
"I can make a few calls," Nafarius interjected. It wasn't the emergency the satellite phone was intended for but it was the least he could do. Besides, he could easily guess the train of his beta's thoughts and suspected the male was about to say something he would regret.
"It may take some time," Nafarius warned. None of the other packs were nearby and the decision to take on a new alpha female wasn't to be made lightly.
"You'll stay," Roland snarled. "For now," he added, reluctantly.
"I'm not going anywhere," Natasha assured him, stepping close and resting her hands lightly on his hips. Staring up into his face, she wondered if he really would let her go if that were her choice. A little thrill of desire accompanied that thought.
"Run with me?" she asked, thinking they could both benefit from it.
Roland's wolf surged to the surface at the idea of being freed to run with the female.
Natasha felt the power of Roland's wolf shuddering under her hands. Standing on tiptoe, she pressed her lips to his ear. "I'll even let you catch me."
Roland growled.
His wolf howled.
Grabbing Natasha's wrist, he pulled her into the trees.
Hands on his hips, Nafarius watched them leave, a small smile playing about his lips. Tuning in to the mate bond, Nafarius frowned. Sam's earlier smile had promised rolling desire, but all he got was fierce determination and...fear.
Nafarius ran.
****
Roland headed away from the den, Natasha's words ringing in his ears as his wolf paced eagerly. Desire and apprehension warred, tightening his belly and swelling his cock. It had been a long time since he'd run with a female.
Natasha jogged to keep up, Roland's grip on her wrist like a vice. He hadn't said anything since walking away from the pack's den, just kept pulling her after him. For a moment, she wondered what she had unleashed with her taunts.
Roland stopped a short distance away from the den. When he turned, it was to slide his hands into Natasha's hair, cradling her face as he dove them head first into a kiss. Sweeping inside, his tongue glided past Natasha's parted lips to tangle with her own. She tasted sweet, like she'd been sampling the preserves, and was a little bit sticky.
Natasha's body bowed backwards, her hands gripping Roland's forearms in an effort to keep her balance, and she knew he would never let her fall.
Breaking the kiss, Roland licked at her bottom lip. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, letting the leash on his control slip and his wolf closer to the surface.
Power rippled beneath Natasha's hands, her hackles rising as fur brushed up against her mental barriers. "Never been more sure," Natasha growled.
To prove it, she released Roland, stepping out of his grasp and pulling her dress over her head.
Roland tried to swallow but found he lacked the necessary saliva. "God, but you're gorgeous," he whispered, his eyes caressing her from tip to toe as he reached for her. Wrapping his hands around her waist, he drew her to him, his cock throbbing between them.
"Join me?" Natasha asked, reaching for his t-shirt.
Roland caught her hands. Staring down into her face, he knew there wasn't anything he wanted more. "There is a part of me that is still feral," he warned. "That will never change."
Natasha knew he was trying to tell her something, to warn her.
"I can control it," he assured her. "But it's hardest when I shift. Sometimes I fear I really am becoming an animal." He admitted quietly, his chest tightening when her hands slid around his waist and she pressed her cheek over his heart.
Wrapping his arms around her, he pressed his cheek to the top of her head, inhaling her scent and letting it settle him. "I wish I could be better for you, but this is all I have."
"It's enough," she said, holding him tighter. "I promise, it's enough."
She felt him nod, his body loosening in her arms. Easing back, she slipped her hands under his t-shirt, quickly pulling it over his head and dropping it to the ground.
Eyes locked on Natasha's face, Roland watched as she reached for him. His body tightened as she slipped the button of his jeans free, her nimble fingers sliding down the zipper. He couldn't stop the shudder, his skin rippling when she slipped her hands inside, easing the denim from his hips and down his legs.
Roland sprang free, his cock bobbing lightly in the air. Tempted as she was, Natasha avoided touching him, knowing that she wouldn't be satisfied until she'd tasted all of him.
Stepping back, she eyed him with appreciation. "Not that long ago," she said, her voice husky,"I remember thinking that I wanted to unwrap you slowly, like a birthday present."
"When is your birthday?" he asked, his voice thick even to his own ears.
"Looks like today," Natasha said, her fingertips tingling with the desire to touch him.
"I would buy you a better gift," he said softly.
"Then you would deny me what I really want," Natasha told him, reminding herself that it was going to take time for him to believe her, to see himself the way that she saw him.
"Come on," Natasha said, offering him her hand. "Run with me."
Roland ignored her hand, stepping into her space and wrapping his arm around her waist once again. This time he drew her in slowly, staring into green eyes already turning gold, as he lowered his head and captured her mouth.
Natasha let herself sink into the kiss, her body heating as Roland lowered them to the forest floor. Leaves crackled beneath her knees, releasing an earthy scent as they knelt face to face.
"Promise me one thing," Roland said, breaking the kiss. He could feel his wolf, the animal ready to spring free. "If anything happens you'll run straight to Nafarius. Head for the den and don't look back."
Natasha searched his face, concern darkening his eyes. "Nothing is going to happen."
"I haven't run with a female since..." Roland hesitated. "In a very long time," he finished. "My wolf, he doesn't always do well with others and he wants you almost as much as I do."
Natasha blinked at that. Roland had done everything possible to keep his wolf from her. She hadn't realized that it was for her protection.
"Well, if that's the case," she said, moving closer and brushing herself against him. "Then he and I should do very well together."
"Tasha - " Roland said when she failed to take him seriously.
"Let him out, Roland," she whispered. "He won't hurt me.
You
won't hurt me." Done talking, Natasha released the hold she had on her wolf, the animal surging to the surface and shifting to freedom.
Roland watched Natasha shift into a small silver wolf, waiting until she was done to run his hands over her powerful body.
Hmmmm...Roland
. Natasha's wolf recognized the male, pressing herself into his hands. Lifting her head, she nuzzled his chin, licked at his jaw.
"My turn, huh?" Roland asked, laughing when Natasha head butted him gently. Letting her go, he braced himself and dropped his barriers. His wolf launched himself, exploding to the surface and tearing his way out.
Natasha had never seen such a violent shift, Roland disappearing as the wolf exploded from within. She could only imagine the pain, the power of his shift nearly knocking her off her feet.
Mine
, her wolf claimed, and took a step towards Roland.
Roland snarled at her, his hackles rising.
Natasha froze, Roland's warning ringing in her ears. Pure white, he easily outweighed her by a hundred pounds. Heart pounding, Natasha lowered herself to the ground and army-crawled to him, taking it as a good sign when he stopped snarling.
Roland watched Natasha approach, his lips pulled back in warning. His shift had left him disoriented, his wolf momentarily eclipsing all thought and understanding as the animal took form.
Natasha eased herself forward until she was lying at Roland's feet. Carefully, she lifted her head, once again nuzzling his chin and licking at his jaw.
Slowly, information seeped in.
Female.
Scent...her scent...our scent...
Their scent.
Tasha
.
Roland lowered his head, rolling his forehead against hers in greeting.
Mine
, her wolf claimed again and this time Natasha didn't stop her from going to him. Rising to her feet, Natasha leaned into him, rubbing her body down the length of him, and covering her fur in his scent.
Roland stood still, letting her circle him, turning only his head to keep her in sight. She was beautiful, her silver color more metallic than gray as she moved around the forest. Nose to the ground, she crossed back and forth, checking the area for scents. Apparently, finding nothing of interest, she returned to him, standing before him with what he was fairly certain was a smile on her face.
Mine
, his wolf claimed.
Ours
, Roland corrected, surprised by the animal's first coherent thought in decades.
Natasha yipped at Roland, dancing a few paces away and back again when he didn't immediately follow.
Humph...ours
, the animal agreed gruffly before starting down the path after her.
****
"Maddie, get out of the water." Sam ordered.
"What? Why? We just got here." Maddie turned back to look at Sam, her brows drawn down over bright blue eyes. She had been looking forward to her swim with Sam.
"Get out. Now." Sam didn't bother waiting for Maddie to comply. Wading in, she ignored the water soaking the front of her dress and grabbed Maddie by the arm.
"Ow! Sam, what is the matter with you?" Maddie stumbled as Sam yanked her up the rocky beach.
"Go get Nafarius," Sam said, her eyes fixed to some point up stream.
Maddie followed her gaze. "What is that?"
"Just go."
Sam waited until Maddie was gone before wading back into the water and heading up stream. The snow runoff was cold and shallow this late in the season, the gentle current coming to mid thigh.