Page 38

EMME

F inley volunteered to transport all my gifts to the house, leaving the rest of us to head back out to race.

Warrick even made it in time for the third race, with a slightly disheveled Cora along for the ride.

They had a present for me too, which was a set of high-quality baking equipment, and as I hugged them both I found out their birthdays were in March and June.

Which I added to the mental list I was making.

We raced all afternoon and I never won a race—or even came close—but I couldn’t have cared less. It was a fucking perfect day, whatever way I looked at it.

When we arrived back home, Finley and Kellan took off for training, while Slade patrolled with his enforcers around the compound. Christmas didn’t appear to stop Golden Claw shifters from living their normal lives, with the season bringing little more than a festive feel to the city.

“Just you and me, Emmeline,” Hunter drawled after our pack had scattered to their various commitments. “Whatever should we do with our time?”

There was only one thing on my mind as I took in the breadth of his muscles in a tight black shirt and jeans—we’d ditched the race suits a while ago.

“Anyone else in the house?” I asked, attempting to sound casual, but it came out breathy. “Outside of our dragon hostage?”

Slade had been down to feed and water the beast, and I tried to shove away my guilt that Talon hadn’t been part of the pack races today. No matter what my bond said, he wasn’t one of us yet. And unless his opinion of Fletcher changed drastically, he never would be.

At least he was safe down there, and while it wasn’t a five-star accommodation, he had a bed, a small bathroom, and got three-square meals a day. Slade kept him company as well, hoping to get more information from him, which was the best Talon could hope for.

“We have the house to ourselves,” Hunter said, and the rumbling purr in his voice had me forgetting all about the dragon. “Florence and Gerry are at the Christmas Day football match.”

My sports world solidly revolved around the shifter hockey league, but apparently there were other professional sporting leagues in the cities too. Florence was a diehard sports fan, and I wasn’t surprised that a Christmas football match was one of her traditions.

I was keen to start my own Christmas tradition, in this huge, gorgeous empty house.

The light dimmed through the kitchen windows as the clouds grew heavier, suggesting our reprieve from snow was almost over. Hunter watched me with a predatory expression, and I stilled as a shiver traced down my spine.

When he stepped closer, I broke the tension by spinning on one foot and taking off, my socks slipping and sliding across the polished floors.

Hunter let out a howl behind me, followed by a growl which caught and held my wolf.

Through our connection, I felt his need to hunt me as he had the night we sealed our bond.

I wanted it just as badly, which was all that stopped me from turning back and throwing myself into his arms. As desperate as I was for release, there was no need to rush.

This slow, stalking build up was half the fun. It was ironic that once upon a time being stalked and taken by an alpha was my nightmare, while it now fueled my sexual fantasies.

My initial plan had been to race up the stairs, until I realized I’d have nowhere to go once I got up there.

Changing tack, I took a left toward the back of the house, dashing past the games and cinema rooms. The tugging in my chest told me Hunter was close, and when I glanced over my shoulder, I found he wasn’t even running.

Nope. The bastard stalked after me, and his smirk forced my panties to identify as a sponge and soak up arousal like it was their full-time job. Keep up the great work .

With no real plan in mind, I kept moving until I reached the glass sliding doors that led outside. I jiggled the lock, and when it finally opened, Hunter shouted after me, “Don’t leave the compound, baby girl.”

I had no intention of that, and I threw up a hand to indicate I’d heard him. As I raced into the back yard, icy air hitting me hard, I wasn’t sure if it was fear or amusement that drove me faster.

Either way, I couldn’t stop running until I was claimed. That was how this chase worked.

Near the back of the yard, I turned to see if I could find him, only to crash right into the damn alpha himself.

His arms wrapped around me and my scream rang out as I tried to wiggle free.

“Oh no you don’t, little mate,” Hunter laughingly growled, lifting me off the ground.

“I caught my prey and now I get to claim you.”

When his heat sank into my cold body, my fight died off, and I was ready for whatever he had planned. “You were letting me escape, weren’t you?” I muttered, narrowing my eyes on his smug expression. “You didn’t even run, which is rude, by the way.”

Hunter threw his head back and laughed, drawing my gaze to the muscles in his throat and chest. “Oh, mate. I tried to drag it out as long as I could, but I’m a desperate, parched alpha. And you’re my drink of choice.”

A pulse in my core joined the pounding of my heart. I wrapped my legs around him so I could grind against his hard stomach. “Let’s ease your pain, then,” I said, licking across his lips and initiating the kiss.

He returned my gesture by capturing my mouth, his groans spilling between us as we kissed like there was no tomorrow. “I’m going to fucking devour you,” he rumbled.

Yes. Please.

He started to run, and I could do nothing but hold on. We ended up inside, and Hunter all but kicked open a door near the glass sliders, bringing me into what looked like a storage room off the kitchen. “Sorry, little omega,” he rasped. “I can’t wait?—”

I shut him up with another kiss, sliding my tongue against his, completely intoxicated by the taste of mocha. Hunter let me keep control for about two seconds, before he clenched his fists in the back of my hair and tilted my head to give him the access and control he craved.

I barely noticed when my ass hit a table, too caught up in his intoxicating kisses. He gripped my face, holding me in place, until he had every one of my nerve-endings humming.

I gasped for breath as he pulled away, and then frantically reached for his shirt, needing him more naked than he was. When his bronze muscles and tattoos were under my touch, I groaned at how good he not only looked but felt.

Fuck . I really didn’t need any extra stimulation, already teetering on the edge of exploding from just staring at him.

Hunter’s expression turned serious as he looked me over, like he was memorizing every curve of my face.

“I love you, Emmeline Anders,” he said, giving me one of those rare glimpses of his more vulnerable side.

Pressing my hands against his chest, I straightened to kiss him softly, the touch almost chaste compared to how we’d ravaged each other before. “I love you too, mate.”

Hunter’s dark eyes darkened further until they were devoid of light. Slowly, oh so fucking slowly, he glided the zipper of my sweatshirt down, and I slid my arms free. He lifted my ass with one hand to remove my pants, leaving me breathless and clad in black underwear.

When I leaned back, resting my elbows on the table behind me, Hunter leaned forward and brushed his right hand down my throat, over my heaving chest, before coming to stop between my thighs.

“All fucking mine,” he growled, his dominance in full force. “I share with our pack and no other. If anyone else ever touches you again, they will die.”

“What about Talon?” I whimpered, unsure if bringing up the other dragon was a good idea in these circumstances.

Hunter didn’t immediately snap, but he did mutter “ We’ll see ,” before he shut down any further questions by pressing his lips to his bite, his teeth sinking in as he tore my bra off my body.

I arched into his touch as I cried out. “Please,” I moaned, aware that begging was Hunter’s kryptonite. “Please, Alpha.”

His big chest rumbled as he gave my tits plenty of attention, sucking one nipple and then the other into his mouth. As he moved back and forth between them, his groans against my skin grew guttural, and my limbs trembled in response.

My panties were the next to be torn free, and then I was bare before him as he kissed down my body. His right hand remained around my throat, his claim visible, even as he sank to his knees before me. Right between my thighs.

Oh, fuck . My kryptonite, and I was fucking done.

My head dropped back as I cried out, and Hunter tightened his hold, keeping me in place as his tongue flattened against my pussy, sliding up to circle my clit.

As he lapped at my core, the desperate rumbles from his chest had me clenching my thighs on his face. Or at least trying to. His raised right arm and shoulders kept me from being able to do much more than slide one hand behind his head to hold him in place and arch against him.

Not that he was going anywhere as he did exactly as he’d promised and devoured me .

Hunter’s tongue slid in and out of me until he flicked over my clit, and I came so hard that if he hadn’t been holding my throat, I’d have fallen backwards off the table.

Worth it.