Page 16 of Alien Huntsman (Alien Wolf Tales #2)

CHAPTER 16

K orrin’s heart thundered in his chest as he raced through the forest, Tessa clutched against him. She hadn’t struggled when he’d snatched her away from the old woman. Instead, she’d wrapped her arms around his neck, her face pressed against his chest.

He burst into the clearing around the cabin, not slowing until he was inside with the door kicked shut behind them. Only then did he set her down, his hands lingering on her waist.

“Did you mean it?” The words tore from his throat, rougher than he intended.

Tessa looked up at him, those blue eyes clear and steady. No fear. Just that quiet determination that had captivated him from the start.

“That I want to stay with you? Yes.”

He circled her, unable to remain still. His beast paced beneath his skin, demanding he claim her properly, make her his in every way. He curled his hands into fists, claws digging into his palms.

“Why?” He stopped in front of her. “I kidnapped you. I was paid to make you disappear.”

“And yet here I am.” A small smile played at her lips. “Safe. With the pups. With you.”

He shook his head, unable to comprehend how she could look at him with such warmth. “I’m not a good person, Tessa.”

“Nonsense.” She stepped closer, eliminating the distance between them. Her hand came up to rest against his chest, directly over his hammering heart. “I don’t care what you think you are—I know what I’ve seen.”

He caught her face between his hands, tilting it up. “And what have you seen?”

“Someone who cared about saving orphaned pups. Who made sure I was warm. Who hunts for me and teaches me to survive.” Her fingers curled into his shirt. “Someone who touches me like I’m precious.”

His thumb traced her cheekbone, marveling at her softness.

“I don’t deserve you,” he whispered.

“I’m not asking what you deserve.” She rose onto her tiptoes, her lips a breath away from his. “I’m telling you this is where I want to be.”

He stared down at her, his beast rumbling with satisfaction at her words. She wanted to stay with him. Him—not the village, not some human male who could give her a normal life.

“But as much as I want to be with you,” she added, her fingers tracing the sharp line of his jaw. “I’ll need to visit the village sometimes. I have friends there. The bakery…”

His grip on her tightened instinctively. The thought of her returning to the place where Lenora had tried to have her killed made his hackles rise.

“It’s not safe,” he growled.

“Not now,” she agreed, her thumb brushing across his lower lip, instantly derailing his train of thought. “But eventually. With you beside me.”

With him. The implication that she saw a future where they moved together between his world and hers silenced his objections. Her trust in him to keep her safe made his chest swell with fierce pride.

“But that’s for later,” she continued, her voice dropping to a whisper that sent heat coursing through his veins. Her scent changed, sweetening with desire. “Right now, I want you to stop holding back.”

He inhaled sharply. “Tessa?—”

“I’m tired of you pleasuring me and then pulling away.” She pressed her body against his, soft curves fitting perfectly against his hard planes. “I want all of you, Korrin. I want you to make love to me. I’m ready.”

He growled and reached for the buttons on her dress. She beat him to it, unfastening them rapidly and letting it slip to the ground. He snatched her up in his arms, relishing the feel of her naked skin against his.

“Are you certain?” he asked, as he placed her on the bed.

Her answer was to pull him down to her, her mouth finding his in a kiss that burned away the last of his doubts. The sight of her beneath him—trusting, wanting—struck him with an emotion so powerful it nearly stole his breath.

“I will make you happy,” he vowed, the words rough with sincerity. “For as long as you’ll have me.”

She gave him a radiant smile. “I’m already happy.”

He kissed her then, pouring everything he couldn’t say into the gentle press of his lips against hers. His hands trembled slightly as they traced the contours of her face, memorizing every curve, every plane. The beast within him, usually so wild and demanding, moved with careful restraint.

She sighed against his mouth, her fingers threading through his hair, pulling him closer. The sweet scent of her filled his senses, drowning out everything else until there was only her—her warmth, her softness, the steady rhythm of her heartbeat calling to his own.

“I never thought I’d find someone like you,” he murmured against her skin, and she arched into his touch.

“I never thought I’d be kidnapped by someone like you,” she teased, then gasped as his lips found a sensitive spot on her neck.

The sound ignited something primal within him. His restraint began to slip, passion overtaking tenderness as he claimed her mouth more fiercely. Her eager response only fueled his desire, her hands exploring the planes of his back, tracing old scars with gentle fingertips.

When her hands found the laces of his pants, he stilled. His eyes searched hers, his beast rumbling at the lust he found reflected in her gaze.

“Are you certain?” His voice was tight, the effort of holding back taking its toll.

“Yes,” she whispered, her hands pushing his pants away. “I’m yours, Korrin. Now and always.”

The words sent a rush of possessive hunger through him.

“Then you’re mine,” he growled, the last of his control shattering.

His mouth crashed down on hers, hot and demanding. Her hands gripped his shoulders, her hips lifting against him.

“Now,” she pleaded. “I want you now.”

He didn’t bother removing his pants. He’d spent so long preparing her, making sure her body could accommodate him, and his restraint was at its limit. He pulled her to the edge of the bed, then lifted her legs, her ankles resting on his shoulders.

He was already rock hard and aching for her.

“Last chance to turn back,” he rumbled, positioning himself at her entrance.

“No turning back,” she whispered, her breath coming fast.

He eased forward, groaning as the head of his cock entered her tight heat. She whimpered, her fingernails digging into his forearms, and he forced himself to go slowly. Inch by inch, he entered her, fighting the urge to plunge into her with abandon.

When his cock hit her barrier, he paused, giving her a moment to adjust. Her face was flushed, her blue eyes hazy with pleasure, her lips swollen from his kisses.

“More,” she demanded, her fingers clutching his shoulders.

He pressed forward, a low growl escaping his throat as her tight passage gripped him. She was so small, so delicate beneath him, but her hands were insistent, urging him forward.

He pushed deeper, until his cock was buried inside her. She let out a sharp cry, and he froze.

“Don’t stop,” she gasped, her fingers digging into his skin.

He held perfectly still, trying to calm his beast. Her inner walls quivered around his cock, her body adjusting to his size. When her muscles relaxed, he withdrew a fraction, then pressed back into her, eliciting another whimper.

“Fuck, Tessa. You’re so tight,” he muttered, his cock pulsing with the effort of restraining himself.

She made a noise that was part moan, part sob, and his beast snarled, desperate to claim her. But he refused to let it out. This first time, she needed him, not the animal.

He moved slowly at first, letting her body become accustomed to his presence. Each small movement brought a new gasp or whimper, and her hands clung to his shoulders as if he was the only thing keeping her tethered to the earth.

“Are you all right?” he rasped, struggling to maintain his control.

“More,” she demanded, her back arching. “Please.”

Her words sent him into a frenzy. His hips surged forward, her tightness and wetness driving him wild. She cried out, her fingernails scoring his shoulders, her legs tightening around him.

“Mine,” he snarled, the primal sound tearing from his throat. “Mine.”

Her head thrashed on the pillow, her curls spilling across the blankets. “Yes.”

He could feel her approaching her peak, the scent of her arousal driving him on. She was his. She was finally his. He needed her pleasure almost as much as his own.

His hips thrust harder, his cock surging into her again and again. Her cries grew louder, her body meeting his every stroke.

When her inner walls began to flutter, his thrusts became more erratic, his own climax approaching. His fangs emerged, his beast snarling with the need to claim her properly.

“Korrin,” she whimpered, her fingers gripping his shoulders tightly.

“Look at me,” he demanded, and her eyes fluttered open.

Their gazes locked, and his climax roared over him, his seed erupting in long helpless pulses as his knot expanded, locking them together. She cried out again, her body gripping him so tightly that he could barely breathe.

It felt like hours passed before his release finally ebbed. He collapsed onto the bed beside her, pulling her into his arms. She burrowed into him, her breathing still uneven, her body trembling.

He stroked her hair, murmuring reassurances, his heart swelling with emotions he’d never experienced before. She belonged to him now, bound to him irrevocably. And he’d finally found a place where he could belong, too.

He had no idea how long they lay there, tangled together, his fingers stroking her soft skin. When his knot finally receded, she shifted, her lips curving into a small smile.

“That was… wow.”

“Yeah.” He grinned. “Wow.”

She laughed, a sound of pure happiness, and he tightened his grip, unable to resist the temptation of her mouth. He kissed her slowly, thoroughly, savoring the sweetness of her taste.

He didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but when the sun began to dip below the horizon, he reluctantly broke the kiss.

“We should get some food,” he murmured. “You’ll need your strength.”

She raised an eyebrow. “My strength?”

“For the next time. And the time after that.”

She shivered, her body pressing closer, and his cock hardened, ready for another round.

“Hmm. Is that so?”

He nodded, his eyes traveling lower, to the smooth expanse of her neck and shoulders. To the soft curve where her neck met her shoulder. His beast clawed at his consciousness, demanding he sink his teeth into the unmarked flesh.

Mark her. Claim her.

He groaned, burying his face against her neck, inhaling her intoxicating scent. His lips brushed over her pulse point, feeling the rapid flutter beneath her skin. It would be so easy. One swift movement and she would be his forever.

But he pulled back.

No matter how right it felt, no matter how desperately his beast howled for completion, he couldn’t do it. Not yet. Not until she understood exactly what it meant.

A mating bite wasn’t just a passionate gesture—it was permanent, irreversible. It would bind them together for life, changing her in ways she couldn’t possibly comprehend. She deserved to make that choice with full knowledge of what she was agreeing to, not in the heat of passion.

But for now, she was warm and willing in his arms and that was enough.