Page 5 of Bandit’s Bounty (Iron Howlers MC #3)
Chapter Four
Bandit
“ A ctually, there is, honey,” I reply, gazing up at her beautiful yet confused face.
I concentrate and do a partial shift of my hand, then watch her eyes widen even further as she gently reaches down and touches my paw. She’s gentle, almost reverent, as she picks my paw up as well as my non-shifted hand, holding them both in her grasp. Her thumbs are lightly running over the top of my hand, and I can’t hold back the chuckle feeling the way my fur ruffles on the other.
“Holy cow, Bandit,” she whispers, briefly catching my gaze in hers. “I… I wasn’t sure what to expect. Your coloring is unlike anything I’ve seen before.”
I preen inside; I’m definitely different than my brothers. My fur is a deep russet, with slashes of white, and my paw reflects that fact.
“We’re bigger than wolves, too, Sloane.”
“Like the direwolves on Game of Thrones ?” she asks.
Shrugging, I chuckle. “No fucking clue, babe. Never watched it.”
“Oh, the books are far better than the show itself, but as a point of reference, the direwolf is massive. Have you ever seen any of the Twilight movies? Because Jacob, he’s a wolf as is most of his chosen family, is huge!”
Laughter now bursts free because she’s so damn animated her hands are moving, and of course, my hand and paw are along for the ride. “Can’t say as I have since that’s a chick flick. Give me car chases, explosions, and international espionage, and I can probably tell you a movie title, but not much for what you’ve just mentioned.”
“I see we’ll need more than one television then,” she muses, giggling. “So, what does this mean for us? I mean, aren’t shifters immortal or something? I’m just a regular old human.”
“We’re not immortal, but we do live a longer life than humans by several hundred years. I don’t know any shifters who are mated with a human, but I presume that once I’ve claimed you, you’ll get some of the benefits of me being a shifter. I honestly have no fucking clue. Just know that once I’ve claimed you, you’ll be mine until one of us draws our last breath.”
“How does that happen? The claim thing, I mean.”
I smirk at her because her cheeks are now flushed, and I suspect she’s thinking of the fictional books she’s read. “When we have sex, I’ll bite you and put my mark on you. That’ll let any shifters know you’re mated to me because our scents will mingle.”
“Oh.” Her response is quiet, almost an afterthought, while her face grows redder than before. “Sex? I um, yeah, that hasn’t happened in a few years and the last guy, well, it’s the one that destroyed me.”
I can’t help the growl that emanates from my lips, and can, in fact, feel my canines elongate. My wolf does not like hearing about any other male being near his mate at all! Seeing the alarm on her face, I dial it back and shift my paw back to a regular hand before I pull her in for a hug. “Shh, it’s okay, sweetheart. My wolf just didn’t like hearing about any other male being involved with you.”
She giggles then replies, “So, your wolf is jealous? But you’re not?”
I shrug in response because I’m not sure I can adequately explain it. “Okay, so, until we find our mates, we’re not monogamous by nature. However, as a shifter, we don’t get sick and can’t pass on any sexually transmitted diseases. But, once we find our mate and have completed our bond, we become rather territorial and possessive. It’s why we mark our mates, so no other male will bother them. We’re monogamous, we don’t cheat, and like I said, we mate for the rest of our lives.”
“So manwhores become settled wolves,” she teases.
“If you want to think of it like that, yeah, I guess so. Now, what else do you need to do to wrap this up today? I know this has to have been a shock to you.”
“A little bit, yeah. I need to finish what I started, then they’ll cure for about forty-eight hours or so. Outside of that, I had some paperwork, but I can do that later. Why?”
“Because my wolf and I want to spend time with you. Alone. He wants to show you his den.”
“As in a cave? Outside? Are you serious, Bandit?” she manages to stammer.
Laughter once again bursts free because she looks like she’s partially intrigued and also disgruntled at the thought that I want to take her to a cave somewhere so we can mate. “Not a cave, babe. Most unmated wolves treat their bedrooms as their den; only a mate is allowed. That expands, of course, to include children down the road, but I’m one of those who may have a past, so to speak, but my bed and my room have only ever been slept in by me.”
“Hmm, well, at least you’re honest about your past. I appreciate that more than I can say, Bandit.”
“Not ever gonna be anything else than truthful, Sloane. I hate that you were hurt, I really do, but that’s in the past. Now, let’s see what we can do to get this wrapped up so I can take you to my lair.”
Her giggles lighten the mood somewhat and I help her stand, kissing her lightly before I pat her ass and send her back to her worktable. The sooner we get out of here, the better.
Because I don’t want to spend another minute apart from her, I follow her to her place while she packs a bag and grabs her laptop so she can do whatever paperwork she has, then she stays behind me while we go to the clubhouse. I send up a silent plea to the universe that most of the brothers are otherwise occupied, but instead, I end up having to introduce her to half the fucking club. Most are giving me suggestive glances, but they’re beyond polite to Sloane, who is definitely showing signs she’s not wholly comfortable being in an MC clubhouse.
Finally, finally we’re in my room and my wolf and I watch with interest as she takes it all in. The walls are a soft heather gray, with white trim and darker gray blackout curtains on the windows, while the bedding is a mix of black, gray, and white. It’s not feminine at all, yet she doesn’t appear to be put off by that fact. When she goes into the en suite bathroom to get ready for bed, I blow out the breath I’ve been holding while I have a discussion with my wolf.
He’s all about mating her quickly and I know she still needs to be treated with kid gloves. I hear the water turn on then off and when the door opens, my breath catches in my throat. She’s standing there in a demure nightgown. It’s not the least bit sexy, but to me, it’s better than the sheerest lingerie available. Her face is free of any makeup, not that she wears much to begin with, and her arousal permeates the room.
As she slips underneath the comforter, she turns so she’s facing me and her smile, while a bit tentative, is telling. She wants this, wants me and I realize I’ll do whatever it takes to make this good for her.
“We don’t have to do anything but sleep, babe,” I tell her, the soft light from my bedside lamp casting a soft glow on her.
“Bandit, respectfully, shut up and kiss me.”
Well, alrighty then. I lean in and draw her into my arms, my lips capturing hers in mine. Kissing her deeply, I reach down and grab the hem of her nightgown and pull it up to uncover her luscious body. While she’s pliant in my arms, she’s definitely engaged, her hands running across my shoulders and down my arms, to graze my sides.
“Fucking love you touching me, Sloane,” I murmur against her lips. “Not sure how long this first time will last, though, but I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
“As long as we both enjoy ourselves, I think we’ll be just fine,” she sasses, her nails lightly raking across my ass.
Fuck. Me.
My mate is definitely a firecracker, which I appreciate even more when her small hand grabs my dick, and she begins to stroke me. Not to be outdone, I find my own hands roaming as I lower my head to suck one of her distended nipples into my mouth. “You’re perfect,” I state, alternating between her breasts until both are heavy with desire, and her nipples are red and swollen.
“Only for you,” she replies, still stroking me.
As our passion builds, her sighs and moans are music to my ears, especially when she doesn’t utter a complaint when I shoulder my way between her waiting thighs. I inhale deeply, her arousal nearly causing me to come unglued, especially when I can see the telltale glistening between her swollen pussy lips. My tongue swipes through her folds, and I feel her tense slightly before she relaxes with a sigh.
“Fucking ambrosia,” I tell her as I work to ramp her desire up further. While paying attention to her clit with my mouth and lips, I slowly slide my index finger into her tight, wet sheath. Fucking hell, she’s tight, and I can feel my dick leak precum when I think about how tight she’s going to feel when I get inside.
Her breathing speeds up and her pussy begins to flutter as I ramp up my ministrations. When her back arches and she screams out my name, I briefly worry whether or not I’ll pull back a nub because her pussy clamps down on my finger like a fucking vise. After slowly bringing her down, I make my way back up her body, my hips settling between her thighs and my dick against her entrance. Kissing her deeply, I feel her moan vibrate through me as she tastes herself, her hands running up and down my back.
“God, Bandit, that was awesome,” she stammers out.
“Yeah, it was, babe. Ready for more?” I ask, notching the head of my dick at her core. At her nod, I slowly begin entering her, realizing that despite her orgasm, she’s still tight as hell. I take my time, however, not wanting to cause her pain, until I’m fully seated inside.
“You can move if you want,” she says, gazing up at me. Her face is flushed and sweaty, and she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
I begin the dance that’s as old as time, slowly increasing my speed as her breath comes out in pants. Already I can feel a tingling in my spine, but I want her to give me another one, at least, so I slip my hand between us and begin lightly stroking her clit. Her gasp has me smirking as I begin thrusting in earnest because her pussy is starting to squeeze me. Right before our releases hit, I whisper, “Gonna claim you now, mate.”
At her nod, my canines elongate, and I strike, marking her between her shoulder and neck. Her scream is one of ecstasy as her pussy clamps down on me, pulsating as her orgasm hits, which forces mine to burst free. My groans join with hers as we ride out our pleasure until I feel her shudder beneath me and instinctively know she’s sensitive. Leaning in, I gently kiss the mark then her lips before I roll and pull her on top of me. While our harsh breaths even out, I find myself running my hands across her body, unwilling to stop touching her.
Long minutes pass as my wolf and I revel in the fact we’ve claimed our mate before she asks, “So, how soon can we do that again?”