Page 52 of Taken by Moonlight

“We do not deny what we are, Peyton. However, shifters are less likely than skins to attack without just cause. We do not murder each other as skins do, nor do we fight without provocation. If it’s your safety concerning you, know that you are more protected on my ranch than you are anywhere else. Even a skin police station with dozens of weapons aroundyou.”

Anger tinged his voice. I swallowed hard. Not a good idea to offend a wolf when you were speeding on a dark highway, miles away fromhome.

“I didn’t mean to insult you or any of your kind. I only pointed out what I’ve learned over theyears.”

He sighed and rubbed his chin with a knuckle. “I know. I am tired of these myths perpetuated by skins who equate us to monsters. We are not monsters, Peyton. We protect our own, even to death. You will never find a fiercer loyalty than with a wolfpack.”

I glanced at Alex and Gabriel. Utterly loyal to Dante, the alpha, yet they had protected me from the Brown’saggression.

“Why go to all these extremes for me, Dante? I’m just another human woman. Surely you’ve had human lovers before…” I glanced again at Alex and Gabriel. “And sharedthem.”

Cynicism darkened his expression. He leaned forward, arms resting on his outstretched legs. “Peyton, you are far from just another skin. I’ve wanted you since we firstmet.”

A flash of white, gleaming teeth. “And what I want, I stop at nothing toget.”

I knew his ruthless streak. Dante wouldn’t be an alpha without it. I’d seen him wait patiently at the club for the perfect steak cooked as he ordered. I’d seen him pursue, on four paws, a drunk human who accidentally walked into the club and then thought he’d drive home. I’d even seen him in the city hunting down a pack member who’d disobeyed him, and collaring the male to bring him home forpunishment.

Never had any of that remorseless intensity been aimed at me. Not until tonight in the club when he lay between mylegs.

Never did I imagine he’d direct it at me because he liked me, wanted me as a maledid.

“You’ve had me,” I pointed out. “You shelled out half a million for me. Is this simply about sex, or something more,Dante?”

He stood, pulled me up and onto his lap. Then the alpha bent his head, his warm breath feathering over my cheek as he whispered into myear.

“More.”

More could mean many things. Right now I knew only one thing I wanted.Connecting with Dante through sex would give me the reassurance I needed in a topsy turvey night where angry wolves came at me and wanted to rip me to shreds. Watch me bleed to death, simply because I refused to give them what theywanted.

I wanted to give it to Dante instead. I climbed off hislap.

Slowly I unzipped his trousers. Dante went still. “Peyton,” hemurmured.

A hiss escaped him as I got on my knees and took him into my mouth. Thick, so very thick and long, he could only fit halfway. Inexperienced as I was, I let instinct guide me. I sucked him as his betas had sucked me, licking my way around him as if he were the most delicious ice cream cone. He tasted slightly of salt, and caramel.Yum.

Running my tongue over the tip of his penis, I flicked it lightly. Dante uttered a small groan and I felt some gathering force insidehim.

But he pushed me away before he came, and pulled me onto hislap.

“More,” he whispered. “Are you ready forthis?”

Inodded.

Still, he slid his fingers beneath my dress, past the crotch of my panties and into my slit. Dante rubbed me gently, and then inserted two fingers into my vagina. I hissed withpleasure.

“Tight, but if you’reready.”

In answer, I stood up, discarded my panties and hitched up mydress.

I climbed atop him, taking him fully into my body, sliding down slowly. I grimaced a little because he was so big and I was raw and swollen. And then he helped, rubbing me and making the frictiondelightful.

Legs spread on either side of his muscled thighs, I began to ride him. Up, down. Bracing my hands on his shoulders for leverage, I bit my lip because he was solarge.

So veryalpha.

So verygood.

With a low, rough sound, he unbuttoned my dress, pulled my bra down and cupped my breasts. Dante thumbed my cresting nipples and gentlykneaded.