Page 23

chapter Twenty-two

Enzo

I scan the crowd of wolves. The moon jubilee is a big deal for us. It’s the time of the year we honor the moon goddess.

Usually, it’s the time that most wolves perform their mate bond. It’s said that if you mate under the full moon at the jubilee, the moon goddess may find favor with your mate bond. It rarely happens, but sometimes the goddess will bless certain unions. No one knows why she favors some unions and not others. Of course, a true mate bond will always be blessed, but those are so rare.

I spot a few couples I know that will be performing the mate bond tonight. That feeling of longing fills my gut.

“When will our time come? ” my wolf asks in my head.

“I don’t know. Maybe it will never come.”

A wolf needs a mate. We’re not made to be single. I know this. Yet, something tells me it won’t happen to me. After all these years, there has never been another inkling of desire to find a mate. Even though I enjoy Nadia’s company and could spend all day in her bed, I don’t have that desire to form a mate bond with her.

“Not my mate,” my wolf states.

“Yeah.” I roll my eyes internally. “I know.”

I’m pretty sure my only chance of a mate died when I was Torak’s age. My sweet, Ana. Even thinking her name sends a shockwave of pain through my chest. The pain is so severe, I rub at the area.

“You okay?”

I turn at the sound of Phaedra’s voice. Her long dark hair is hanging down her back. She’s wearing a long green dress that shows off her shoulders.

“Yes,” I say, turning back to the crowd. “I was just thinking—”

“About Ana?”

Turning my attention back to her, I lift a brow.

She chuckles. “You have that look on your face,” she answers my unasked question. “The same one I get whenever I think of Aurin. The pain of missing him never goes away.”

I couldn’t argue with that. Even now, I can hear Ana’s soft voice calling my name.

“One day, you’ll realize that life goes on. You’ll always carry the reminder of them with you, but you must eventually move on.”

I follow her gaze to the crowd of wolves. Ivailo stands with his hands across his chest, staring back at Phaedra. Ivailo came to the pack a few months ago. During that time, we were getting so many new members it was hard to keep up.

“What’s that about?” I ask, grinning down at her.

She cuts her eyes up to me before finding Ivailo in the crowd again.

“I’m forming a new mate bond with Ivailo tonight.”

My jaw nearly hits the ground it drops so low.

“When did this happen? Does Chayton know?” Phaedra is like a sister to me.

Chayton and I grew up like brothers, and Phaedra claimed us both as her little brothers. Often treating us like we were her pups and not only three years younger than her.

“Yes, Chayton knows.” She rolls her eyes. “He wasn’t happy at first, but thankfully our Luna explained to him that I’m still a woman that deserves to love and be loved. He isn’t the only one that deserves to lie with his mate—”

“Whoa. Whoa,” I say, cutting her off. “I do not want to hear about you lying with anyone. For all I know, Torak got here by photosynthesis.”

Phaedra tosses her head back and laughs. “Goddess, you are just like your alpha.”

Her laughter dies down and her face gets serious again.

“It’s time for you to move on, too.” She looks over at me with a pointed look. “Ana would want you too.”

I chuckle. “No, she wouldn’t. Ana would want me to long for her until the day I died.”

Ana was beautiful, loving, and gentle. But she was also possessive. We weren’t even mated yet and she would lose her shit if she even thought another she-wolf was sniffing around me.

Phaedra shook her head. “I’d never wish loneliness on anyone. Aurin and I had that talk before his death. No matter how much I loved my first mate, I deserve love again. And so do you, Enzo.” She places a hand on my arm. “It’s time for you to move on. There are so many she-wolves here that would be honored to be your mate. I’m pretty sure Nadia would love to be Mrs. Keane.”

I turn to glance out at the crowd. My gaze stops when I spot Nadia. She is stunning. Everything I like in a woman, but I don’t get that feeling from her. We have tons of beautiful she-wolves in the pack, but after scanning the crowd, none of them caught my attention. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve laid with a few of them besides Nadia. I’m heartbroken, not dick broken. However, none have ever made me think of forming a mate bond.

Shaking my head, I turn back to Phaedra. “I’m happy for you. You deserve all the happiness in the world. But that isn’t my story. I pray the goddess finds favor in your mating tonight. And let Ivailo know that if he ever gets out of line with you, I’ll kill him.”

She smiles big. “Thank you, Enzo. This will be his second threat today.”

I laugh. “Chayton threatened him too?”

“No,” she says. “Torak did.”

I toss my head back and laugh harder. That kid just won extra points with me.

Phaedra walks away, right into Ivailo’s open arms. I watch them together. That sense of longing hitting me again. Even my wolf whimpers in my head.

A tall figure cuts through the crowd. My gaze immediately tracks the female down. It’s Marley. I ignore the feeling of disappointment that fills me.

The youngest vamp makes her way through the crowd, with Anya by her side. I look behind her, hoping to see the oldest. When she doesn’t come into view, alarms go off in my head.

I had no clue that when I walked into the dining hall today, I’d come upon that conversation. However, I waited with a bated breath for her to answer the question Luna asked. I don’t know why I was so invested in the vamp’s sex life. When she said it had been 300 years since she’s fucked, I nearly lost it. Even my wolf was shocked.

My first thought was how tight she must be and what it would feel like to have that heat wrapped around my dick. But I immediately pushed the thought out of my mind. When she stormed off and Luna followed her, I couldn’t help following too. When Elizabeth brought up my name with the vamp, I nearly vomited. But hearing her response caught me off guard. I noticed she didn’t deny her feelings. She only mentioned that I hated her. She didn’t say she would never; she said I would never. I wouldn’t, but her response still stood out to me. Did the vamp find me attractive?

“She’s mine,” my wolf growls.

“Are you serious right now? First off, she’s a vampire, so she’s neither of ours, and second, if she’s yours, it would make her mine too.”

“No.” he grumbles. “Just mine.”

I wasn’t going to argue with him.

I think back to earlier today. The conversation in the kitchen quickly went from talking about me to Luna screaming my name. When I rushed into the room, I thought I’d come across the vamp hurting her. Not the case at all.

I admit, fear washed over me as I held the vamp in my arms. She was so still it was like she was dead. Then she started screaming, which alarmed me even more. Before I could ask questions, she rushed out of that kitchen like her life depended on it.

Is that why she isn’t here now? Did something happen to her when she left? Did that scene in the kitchen have anything to do with why she won’t leave?

“ We should go check,” my wolf says.

I shake my head. “Whatever infatuation you have with that leech needs to end.”

“Not leech,” my wolf growls. “Michaela.”

Once again, I ignore him. But he brings up a good point. I think I should check on her. Just in case she’s doing something she shouldn’t. As soon as I decide I would go find Michaela, my gaze lands on hers in the crowd. Everything inside me stops.

She pulled her curly hair back off her face in a messy bun. The front is swooped over her forehead and pinned back. The style puts her beautiful face on display. Black eyeliner lines her light brown eyes, giving them an even more catlike appearance.

The black dress flows down her body. The deep v in the front showcases her smooth caramel skin. Her handful of breasts secured safely behind the fabric. The markings on her chest stand out over her brown skin. The thick lines with their sharp edges look almost like jewelry adorning her collarbone.

No matter how hard I try, I can’t take my gaze off her.

“My Michaela,” my wolf groans in my head.

“Never going to happen,” I say to him, even though I continue to watch her.

Her eyes remain on mine. Slowly, she nearly floats through the crowd, making her way to me. Everyone seems to move out of her way. She’s walking toward me as if she has only one thing on her mind. She almost looks possessed.

The moment she stops in front of me, a smile graces her face.

“Enzo,” she calls out my name like it’s a spell. Her pronunciation of the two syllables feel like a song.

“Are you alright?” I find myself asking.

Before she can reply, a succulent scent fills my nostrils. The smell is so enticing. I shut my eyes and groan. My wolf howls in my head. Fuck, what is that smell?

I open my eyes, and the only thing I see is her. Everything else seems to melt away.

“Dance with me?” she purrs, holding out her hand.

I guess we are both possessed, because without thinking, my large hand slips into hers. She pulls me to the middle of the crowd. I wrap my arms around her waist and tug her into me. Her tall frame fitting snugly against mine. Her arms wrap around my neck, and her gorgeous eyes stare back at me.

Our bodies sync. She rolls against me, and I sway with her. With every touch of her soft body against mine, my temperature rises. My hands move up to her waist and then slowly back down to her hips. The curve of her body flowing under my touch.

We dance until sweat drips down her chest. It’s the only time I break eye contact with her. I follow the drop of perspiration as it falls from the hollow of her neck down the center of her cleavage. With a finger, I stop the droplet before it disappears behind the fabric.

I slide the moisture back up to the center of her chest before removing my finger and placing it into my mouth.

My wolf whimpers and I shut my eyes when her flavor explodes over my tongue. My cock hardens so fast and so painfully I groan out loud.

I feel as if I’m on drugs. My actions seem to have a mind of their own and I have no control.

“What are you doing to me?” I ask, locking eyes with her once again.

“Nothing you don’t want,” she replies.

She lets go of my neck, grabbing the hand that was once in my mouth. She slowly moves my hand back down between our bodies, her gaze remaining on mine. My fingertips brush against the warm flesh of her thighs. The slit in her dress gives me easy access. She continues to move my hand up her leg. I growl when I reach a sticky section of her inner thigh. The heat coming from the apex of her legs damn near scorches me.

“Please,” she begs in a low voice. “I need you to touch me.”

Even though a part of me is screaming for me to stop, I don’t pull away.

“Keep your eyes on me.” My voice is deeper than normal, letting me know my wolf is on the surface.

This time, when my hand goes higher, I don’t need her help. The moment my finger brushes over her soaking wet lower lips, she hisses. I easily split her open and push my longest digit inside her heat.

“Fuuuuck,” I moan at the tight grip around my finger.

Slowly moving in and out of her pussy, I enjoy the wet sounds that greet my ears. She tosses her head back and shuts her eyes.

Using my other hand, I pinch her chin and bring her head back to me.

“Open those fucking eyes for me.”

Her amber colored irises lock back onto me. I work her center slowly and deliberate, adding another finger to her tunnel. Using my thumb, I circle her swollen clit.

“Enzo,” she cries out my name.

The way her tight tunnel pulses around my digits tells me her orgasm is fast approaching.

“It’s mine, Michaela. Give it to me.”

Her breathing increases as her walls pulse faster and faster around me. Suddenly, she erupts. Her forehead falling to my chest as her body quakes with her release.

I slip my hands out of her warmth, leaving a sticky trail down her thigh before bringing my fingers to my mouth. I suck her essence off as if it was my favorite dessert.

“More,” my wolf snarls in my head.

On this, I had to agree. Stepping back, I grab her hand. She looks up at me, confusion dotting her brow.

This was not wise. I’m sane enough to know this, but that burning desire in my chest tells me to fuck being wise. I needed to bury myself between this vamp’s legs like I needed my next breath.

Tugging her hand, I pull her behind me. We make our way through the crowd in a haze. My return trip to the cabin was on autopilot. At no point in our trip was I able to talk myself out of this. Even when I think of this as being wrong, I get a waft of that scent and I’m right back in it.

I push the front door to my cabin open and hold it for her to walk in first. She moves into my foyer. My cabin is the replica of hers, just in reverse. She takes no time walking further into the house.

I growl when she puts too much distance between us. Grabbing her arm, I pull her back into my chest.

“You have bewitched me,” I snarl into her neck.

Her soft chuckle causes my cock to jump. “And here you haven’t even been inside my magic yet.” She spins in my arms to face me. “If you can’t handle it, wolf, tell me now.”

She tugs at the shoulder of her dress, slipping her arm out. She then tugs on the other sleeve, removing the opposite arm. Once both arms are free, she allows the dress to fall to the ground, leaving her nude.

Her golden-brown skin glistens under the moonlight. Moonlight that seems to shine directly down on us.

“When you enter my bed, vamp, you will submit. You don’t run shit here.” Pulling my shirt over my head, I drop it to the floor as I kick out of my shoes.

“I won’t submit to any man ever again,” she says, placing a hand on her hip.

Unbuckling my belt, I snap my pants' button and shove the jeans down my thighs.

“Wanna’ bet?” I question.

I stand before her in my boxer briefs. My dick is so hard they are tenting the cotton fabric out in front of me.

The vamp lifts her chin. She’s challenging me. I’m going to love breaking her. She turns to run, but I’m on her faster than she can move. I grab her by the shoulder, spin her around, and shove her up against the wall right as I stick my tongue into her mouth. She fights for dominance. However, my hand around her throat causes her to submit. Our tongues dance, lapping against each other’s teeth.

She shoves at the waistband of my boxers. With one hand, I grab both her wrists, the metal cuffs clinking together. Pulling away from our kiss, I glare down at her.

“You don’t run shit, Michaela,” I remind her again.

She grins before leaning up on her toes and running her tongue up the side of my face.

The deep growl that rumbles from my chest is so savage most would be terrified if they heard it.

Letting go of her hands, I lift her by the thighs, allowing her to wrap her legs around my waist. I carry her to the closest flat surface, which turns out to be the couch. Dropping her down, I quickly get to my knees between her open legs.

After burying my nose at the apex of her thighs, I take in her sweet scent. I damn near salivate.

I lift her legs and pin them to her chest, leaving her slit on display. Sliding my tongue through her wet folds pulls a whimper out of her. Her taste explodes in my mouth. I lap at her center, shoving my tongue in her tunnel and then rolling it over her nub.

Michaela moans and cries out at my intrusion. Her hips ride my face as if it’s a rollercoaster. My beard is soaking wet with her cream. Feeling as if I can’t get enough of her flavor, I slide my tongue down to her puckered hole, pressing against the tight ring.

“Enzo,” she cries out while her nails dig into my shoulder.

Going back up to her pussy, I dip inside before sucking her nub into my mouth. Her body jerks.

“Give that shit to me. Give me what I crave,” I demand.

She screams as her body locks up. Her cream seeps out of her tight slit, and I drink it down. I wipe her clean, leaving nothing behind.

She goes limp, and I drop her legs back down to the floor. She lies on the couch, her bottom nearly on the ground and her back on the seat of the couch.

I stand up, running a hand down my wet beard. Shoving my boxers down my legs, I tug at my leaking length.

Michaela eyes me before pushing up off the couch and getting to her knees in front of me. Her enchanting eyes lock in on mine. I stare down at her beautiful face. Those luscious bow-shaped lips spread and wrap around me. My fucking knees buckle at the sight.

She proceeds to swallow my cock like she’s trying to win a prize. Sucking me to the back of her throat, she gags before pulling it out to the tip. She grabs my balls in one hand and massages them as she lavishes my length. Her slurping sounds drive me crazy.

“That’s it,” I praise her as she pushes so far down my pole her eyes water. “You’re doing good.”

Grabbing the back of her head, I hold her still. Those mesmerizing eyes look up at me. I rock my hips forward and back, fucking her mouth like I will soon do her pussy. She takes my brutal strokes without complaint. Her hand is still massaging my balls.

I groan when I feel a tingling start at the bottom of my feet. If I continue, I know what will happen. But I refuse to waste this first nut down her throat. I pull out of her mouth and lift her to her feet. Pressing my mouth to hers, I sweep in with my tongue, claiming her once again.

Pulling away, I turn her around. Applying pressure to her back, I get her to bend over the couch. Her ass is in the air with her chest pressed against the back of the sofa.

Running a finger between her legs, I take her wetness from her center and rub it around the head of my erection. Lining my tip up to her opening, I push in.

“Got damn,” I mumble as her tight walls nearly choke the hell out of my cock.

“Wait,” she gasps, trying to lean away from my length. “Shit, you’re huge.”

Grabbing her hips, I pull her ass back toward me. “You can take it,” I encourage, pulling out and pushing all the way back in. “Fuck me back.” I smack her ass, enjoying the way it vibrates like a wave.

Tentatively, she starts to move. With each thrust, she throws her ass back to meet me. I can’t determine if I want to watch the way her ass jiggles when it hits my pelvis or if I want to toss my head back and just enjoy the feel of her heat wrapped around me.

“Watch,” my wolf growls.

I guess he has his preference. I smack her ass, watching it turn dark where I struck.

“Look back at me,” I tell her, needing to see those gorgeous fucking eyes. She looks over her shoulder at me. Her bottom lip pressed between her teeth. I stroke into her deep, pulling a cry from her.

“This is mine now, vamp. Do you hear me?” I hear myself making claim to something that is not mine. But right now, as I slide into her heat, all I can think of is never coming out of it.

She nods her head. Placing my right hand on her left ass cheek, I spread her open, admiring the way her essence has my dick shining. I pick up my pace, throwing off her rhythm.

She cries out. Her hand pushing against my thigh. I ignore her little protest.

“Answer me,” I snarl. “This… is… mine.” I drive deeper into her with each word.

“Yes,” she cries.

“Yes, what, Michaela?”

I stop, pulling out to the tip.

Her gaze narrows. I can see the defiance return to her eyes. She wants to argue. Maybe even tell me to go to hell. Slowly and excruciatingly, I push back into her. Her mouth falls open when I bottom out, her back curves like an angry cat.

Pulling out to the tip again, I ask. “Is it mine?”

Her eyes cross. “Yes, it’s yours.”

“Fucking right it is,” I snarl before shoving all the way back in. She cries out as she attempts to run from me.

I pull out of her, flipping her onto her back down on the couch. Climbing on top of her, I pin her legs over my shoulder, then sink back into her.

I had no right to claim this vampire, but the words and the possession are there. Now, lying on top of her with her looking up at me. My head fills with thoughts. Thoughts I try my best to fight.

“Mine,” my wolf demands. “Mate.”

“No,” I try to shove him away, but no matter what I do, the thought of claiming her takes over me. Soon, my wolf slips to the forefront, shoving me backward.

“Goddess moon,” I grit out in his deep voice as I continue to pound into her. “I give my mate my essence, sealing our bond. Bless this union.” That deep part on the inside of me is screaming no, it is telling me to push my wolf aside and stop this. However, another part of me, a part that feels possessed at the moment, ignores those pleas.

My nut explodes out of me, painting her walls. I lean forward and sink my teeth into her neck. She moans loudly, her body spasming as her tunnel squeezes the life out of me.

“I accept your bond,” she whimpers. “Take from me. And may our blood combine us for all eternity.”

As soon as I lift my head from her neck, she sinks her fangs into my shoulder. I should be disgusted. I should shove her away. However, euphoria fills me and I come so hard again, my back bows and my eyes cross.

When she removes her fangs, my vision clears. A bright light has me shielding my eyes momentarily. When I can see again, I take in the way her shoulder down to her elbow glows with my wolf markings.

“What the fuck?” I look at my chest and notice my chest is also glowing with her marks.

“What have we done?” I ask no one in particular.

Although, my thoughts stay on the fact that I just mated with a vampire, my cock does not have the same reservations. I grow hard once again. Without thinking, I move between her legs, chasing another orgasm.

By the time I fall asleep, we’ve fucked five more times and moved from the living room to the bed. The last thought that crosses my mind is a deep wave of fear. I notice right as I fall asleep; it isn’t my fear I’m feeling.