Page 16 of Predator (Stope Packs #4)

Shock trilled through Emily. What in the world was she doing? The image of Jackson bursting into that cabin earlier in his wolf form, fierce and unyielding, wouldn’t leave her mind.

He’d come for her.

Her skin tingled, and her pulse thrummed, yet her mouth was on his. He had stilled as if her touch had stunned him. Oh, God. This was about to become the most embarrassing moment of her life.

She started to pull away, but his hand pressed against her lower back. The heat of his fingers spread through the thin scrub shirt, his touch spanning her waist as if he could hold her there through sheer will alone.

He slowly tilted his head and moved his mouth against hers. A rumble vibrated from his chest, low and deep, traveling through her lips and down her spine. Her knees weakened, but this time, it wasn’t from her illness. With a growl that seemed torn from somewhere deep inside his hard-packed body, he pulled her closer. The kiss shifted from soft to claiming, his mouth firm, hot, and demanding as he tilted her head back.

The world outside ceased to exist. Fire streaked through her veins, settling low in her belly, heating her from the inside. Her heart pounded so hard she could feel it in her throat, her pulse a wild rhythm that matched the need suddenly coursing through her.

Her fingers slid up the back of his neck, nails scraping lightly as if she could tether herself to him. His groan rumbled through their joined mouths, sending a pulse of awareness straight to her core.

He lifted her effortlessly, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. The solid strength of his body against hers sent a new shock of desire through her system.

Heat rolled off him, his breath ragged as he held her tightly against his chest. The pressure of his hand splayed across her lower back kept her anchored, even as she clung to his shoulders.

Her world spun, and her control shattered. She kissed him harder, her body surging with a strength she hadn’t felt in months. A warning flickered somewhere in the back of her mind, but she shoved it aside, lost in the storm of Jackson’s heat and strength.

This was so wrong.

She didn’t care.

Both of his hands dropped to cup her ass, fingers flexing as he moved with purpose. She had no idea where they were headed, and she didn’t care. His kiss consumed her, fierce and unrelenting, as if she were the only thing that mattered in his world. For this moment, she knew she was.

Her back hit a wall, the impact stealing a gasp from her lips as she arched into him. Her legs still clung tightly to his waist, her body instinctively seeking the heat and strength of his.

He broke the kiss, his breath ragged as his forehead rested against hers. “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” she panted, her lungs fighting for air, her pulse thundering in her ears. When he leaned back, she could only stare at him.

His eyes blazed a deep, enigmatic blue. Not the color of a river, lake, or ocean, but something darker and more intense. A color she couldn’t even name.

His gaze locked onto hers, hunger carving harsh lines into his face, his nostrils flaring like a wolf that had just caught a scent.

He was the ultimate predator.

“Emily,” he growled, her name rough like a warning.

Her legs trembled, her strength faltering as the adrenaline started to wane.

He adjusted his grip, holding her firmly with absolute strength. Easy strength. All Jackson.

The heat of his palms seared her through the thin fabric of her borrowed scrubs, each touch igniting a pulse of need low in her belly. The scent of pine and earth clung to his skin, grounding her even as her heartbeats quickened.

“You’re hurt,” he said, though the words sounded more like a reminder than a statement.

“I’m fine,” she whispered, breathless and aching.

His grin was slow and knowing, a dangerous curve that sent a fresh wave of heat through her blood. The firelight flickered across his features, casting shadows that emphasized the hard lines of his jaw and the intensity in his eyes. The air between them thickened, heavy with need and hunger.

“I wondered,” he murmured.

“I wondered, too,” she admitted, her gaze falling to his mouth. It was just as talented as before. Even more so, really. How many dreams had she had throughout the years about that simple kiss at the lake?

He’d only been a boy then.

The adult wolf holding her now had shed any semblance of boyhood. The memory of its heat lingered on her lips. His breath was warm, brushing her skin as if teasing her to close the distance.

She wanted to do just that and get lost in him. To forget reality for a short time. “That kiss was just as good as I remembered.”

“Ditto.” His hands flexed against her, the possessive squeeze making her pulse stutter. The rough calluses on his fingertips sent sparks of sensation through her, even through the cotton blend of the scrubs.

The warmth from the fireplace mixed with the heat of his body, enveloping her in a cocoon of safety. Temptation. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, feeling the taut muscle beneath, and her breath hitched when he leaned in just enough that his lips hovered near hers, their breaths mingling.

Her body craved him, but that mistake couldn’t be made. Her heart pounded, urging her forward, but her mind whispered about the consequences.

She’d fail to protect her pack if she made a move like that. No one besides her doctors could know the truth. Not only was she growing weaker, but any children she might have could face the same fate. The future of her bloodline was uncertain, fragile in a way she would have to admit to him, just to be fair.

Her father should have had more children. At least there was Nadia now, though the female wasn’t a fighter. But that didn’t erase the weight of Emily’s responsibility, pressing against her chest like a stone.

If she went any further with Jackson, she owed him the truth. While she doubted her illness was contagious, considering only the females in her ancestry had caught it, she wouldn’t keep a secret like that from him. Not from someone who wanted to mate her.

But revealing it would expose the weakness in her pack. Duty always came first. Didn’t it?

She leaned back, breaking the magnetic pull between them. The loss of his touch was immediate and sharp, but she forced herself to breathe, steadying the tremble in her legs. The crackle of the fire seemed louder now, filling the silence between them as if waiting for someone to break it.

“I can tell there are a lot of thoughts going through your head,” Jackson said, smiling. “Yes or no, baby?”

He was the only soul on the planet who could get away with calling her baby . “We’re meeting with your prospective mates in a few hours, Jackson. It would be seriously wrong for us to take this further. You get that, right?”

“I do, and I don’t care.”

Okay. So, he’d laid it on the line.

“I do care.” But she wanted him. Badly. “I’m sorry.”

He stepped away from the wall, allowing her to unclasp her ankles and let her legs slide to the floor.

She wavered but then regained her balance.

“Come on, Em.” He took her hand again and led her down a long hallway, the walls lined with Western oil paintings depicting sweeping landscapes, wild horses, and rugged mountains. Their footsteps echoed softly against the hardwood floor until they stopped at a bedroom door.

Jackson opened it, and Emily gasped. The room was stunning. Soft and inviting. Pale cream walls reflected the golden glow of a roaring fire in a fireplace framed in polished stone. A thick, woven, earth-toned rug covered most of the floor, and the bed—a grand four-poster with carved wooden posts—was dressed in layers of plush white blankets and soft pillows. Lace curtains framed the tall windows, their edges drifting from a heat vent in the floor. Across the room, a vanity with an antique mirror and delicate floral carvings sat beneath a chandelier with crystal drops that caught the firelight.

“The bathroom is through there.” Jackson nodded toward a door on the far wall.

She barely heard him as he stepped closer and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. The brush of his fingers sent tingles across her cheek and down to her breasts, making them ache with a need she had no business feeling. If she leaned just a little closer, she could taste him again.

“If you change your mind, my room’s at the end of the hall,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss the tip of her nose. Her breath caught as he straightened. “Your belongings are being brought from the hotel. I’ll leave them outside the door. Get some sleep, Emily.”

The last words were firm, as if he could command her body to rest. Then he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

Her knees buckled, and she sank to the floor, gripping the edge of the bed to steady herself. She was so tempted to chase after him that her hands trembled. Or maybe that was the illness. She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the rapid beat of her heart and trying to slow her breathing, knowing sleep would not come easily tonight.

It was long past time she told someone the truth. Emily picked up her phone and started to text her father but hesitated, glancing at the clock. It was too late for a conversation like this. She would tell him everything in person later. The thought made her chest feel both lighter and heavier all at once.

For now, she needed to focus. Three more meetings loomed on her schedule this coming morning. Three more encounters with undoubtedly stunning, appealing, and brilliant Alpha females, all of whom she was supposed to pair with the man who had just kissed her into oblivion.

Good Lord. What had she been thinking?

She pushed herself up from the floor, her toes in borrowed socks curling into the soft rug beneath her. The hint of pine from the burning fire mixed with the lingering trace of Jackson’s scent in the air. It wrapped around her, making it impossible to push him from her mind.

She ran her fingers over the smooth, white comforter, the fabric cool beneath her fingertips. The crackle of the fire was the only sound, filling the room with a soft hum of warmth and solitude. Yet the silence seemed to amplify the ache low in her belly, the memory of Jackson’s hands and mouth still too vivid.

She inhaled sharply and sat on the mattress. The springs gave way beneath her, and she rested her elbows on her knees, head bowed. Tomorrow, she would face her duties. Tomorrow, she would be composed, efficient, and focused.

After she finally got some sleep, she would help Jackson find a mate.