Page 11 of The Pack

CHAPTER 11

Z ara

The fire crackled softly in the center of the small clearing where we’d set up camp. The night was cool, the air chilly enough to make the warmth of the flames feel even more inviting. Around me, the pack was settling in, their movements slower now after the chaos of the day.

I couldn’t help but think about them helping the young pack. They showed such compassion, such kindness, that my heart softened. I moved to sit down by the fire, looking around at the pack that was quickly becoming something more like a family with every passing day.

Thorne sat a few feet away, his broad shoulders tense as Tobias worked methodically to stitch up the gashes across his back. Blood stained the makeshift bandages Tobias had already pressed against Thorne’s wounds, and the sight of it made something twist in my chest.

I scooted closer, the mossy ground cool beneath me as I folded my legs under myself.

“You fought with a lot of restraint today,” I said softly, my voice barely louder than the crackling snap of the fire. “You could have killed them all pretty easily, but you didn’t.”

Thorne glanced at me, his eyes catching the light for a moment before he turned back to the fire.

“Sometimes it’s better to show compassion,” he murmured, his tone calm, but clipped.

I nodded, my hands resting in my lap. “You saved them—even if they don’t realize it yet.”

His lips twitched, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Magnus saved them. I just got scratched for my trouble.”

“Scratched?” Tobias said, his dark eyes narrowing as he pulled the needle through Thorne’s skin. “That’s one way to put it. Hold still.”

Thorne winced slightly, but his face remained stoic.

I leaned in, my curiosity getting the better of me. His wounds looked better than I thought they would, like they had healed a little bit already.

“Do wolves heal faster?” I asked, studying the stitches Tobias was placing.

“Faster than humans,” Thorne said. “But not fast enough to make it matter in a fight.”

My brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean it still hurts, but it will be fully healed in a day or two,” he said simply, his tone light, but his face winced a bit.

“Oh,” I said, biting my lip as I hesitated. “Does it still hurt now?”

Before Thorne could answer, Killian’s voice rang out from across the fire. “That’s cause he’s being a pussy,” he said, his Irish lilt teasing.

I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up, though I clapped a hand over my mouth to muffle it. “Killian!”

“What?” he said, spreading his hands in mock innocence. “I’m just sayin’ what we’re all thinkin’.”

“Knock it off, Killian,” Magnus said, though there was an unmistakable glint of amusement in his face.

Thorne rolled his eyes, before he turned back to me.

“I’m not a pussy,” he said evenly. “It just hurts.”

The honesty in his voice surprised me, and I felt my cheeks warm. He wasn’t trying to be tough or dismissive—he was just being human.

And I liked that.

“Well, if it helps,” I said, offering him a small smile, “you’re handling it better than most people would.”

His lips curved into a full smile this time, although a faint one. “Thanks.”

Tobias snorted softly, tying off the last stitch. “He’s lucky it wasn’t worse. Those kids didn’t know what they were doing, but desperation makes people dangerous.”

“Aye,” Killian said, his grin returning. “Still, it was worth it to see Thorne get his ass handed to him.”

“I didn’t get my ass handed to me,” Thorne said dryly.

“Oh, no?” Killian teased, leaning forward. “Because from where I was standing, it looked like?—”

“Enough,” Magnus interrupted, though there was no heat in his voice. “Give him a break, Killian.”

Killian shrugged, still grinning, as he leaned back against a log.

I found myself relaxing, the easy banter between them smoothing out the tension that had knotted in my chest all day.

“You’re good at this,” I said to Thorne after a moment, my voice quieter now.

“At what?” he asked, his pale eyes meeting mine.

“Being part of a pack,” I answered simply.

He seemed to consider that for a moment before giving a small nod. “So are you.”

The warmth in his gaze made my heart skip, and for a moment, the world felt a little less crazy.

My heart fluttered in a way I didn’t expect, and my cheeks warmed as I let myself really look at him. The defined angles of his jaw, the curve of his shoulders, the faint sheen of sweat still clinging to his skin where Tobias had stitched him up.

I didn’t want to feel this way. Not here. Not now. But I couldn’t stop the heat pooling low in my stomach, the ache that made me shift on the mossy ground beneath me, the way my pussy clenched at the thought of being with all five of them again with a clearer head…

It was ridiculous. I was surrounded by danger, by uncertainty, by these men who were supposed to be terrifying. And yet…

I was starting to feel for them.

For their strength and loyalty. For the way they moved as a unit, each of them so different, but so fiercely tied to one another.

I was starting to wonder if I could be part of that too.

A surge of boldness hit me, the kind I couldn’t quite explain. Maybe it was the firelight, or the way the rest of the pack’s teasing had made me feel more at ease, or maybe it was just the weight of everything finally catching up to me.

I just went with it.

I leaned in, my lips brushing his ear as I whispered, “Maybe I could take your mind off it for a little while… unless you’re too sore for something like that…”

Thorne froze, his eyes widening slightly as he turned to look at me. For a moment, I thought I’d overstepped, but then his lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smirk.

“I think I can manage,” he said, his voice low and rough.

Heat surged through me, my heart pounding as I let myself give in to the moment. I tilted my head, my lips brushing the curve of his neck. His skin was warm beneath my mouth, and I felt a shiver run through him as I pressed a soft kiss against his pulse point.

He inhaled sharply, and I couldn’t help but smile at my small victory.

This wasn’t me. At least, it hadn’t been. Before all of this, I’d been someone else entirely—a girl who followed the rules, who didn’t take risks, who wouldn’t have even dreamed of acting on feelings like this, but everything had changed since then. These men—these wolves—had thrown my world into chaos, broken everything I thought I knew, yet they’d also pieced something back together within my heart. They’d made me into something stronger.

I wasn’t just surviving anymore. I was living. Even though it terrified me, I realized I wanted to live like this, to feel the way that they made me feel.

I couldn’t deny it anymore. I was falling for them. For Magnus’s calm authority, for Callum’s warmth, for Tobias’s fierce protectiveness, for Killian’s wild energy, and for Thorne’s quiet strength.

It wasn’t just desire, although that was there too, simmering under the surface and flaring to life whenever they were near.

Maybe it was time to stop denying it altogether.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement—Killian and Tobias, sitting a few feet away, watching us.

Killian’s grin was wide and teasing, his golden-brown eyes gleaming in the firelight. Tobias, as ever, was stoic, but there was a flicker of heat in his burning stare that made my pulse quicken.

Further back, Magnus and Callum crouched near the fire, their hands moving with practiced ease as they fed branches into the flames. Callum caught my eye, his boyish smile softening into something more thoughtful. Magnus glanced over too, his silver eyes unreadable, but knowing.

They were all watching.

Heat surged through me—not from embarrassment, but from something deeper, something raw and unfamiliar. Their gazes didn’t feel judgmental or intrusive. They felt expectant. Encouraging.

That was all the permission I needed.

I turned back to Thorne, leaning closer until our knees touched. His hand went to my cheek then slipped to my jaw, his thumb brushing my skin in a way that made me gasp. I tilted my head, my lips brushing the curve of his neck. His breath hitched, just barely, but it was enough to spur me on.

“Does this hurt?” I whispered, my lips grazing his pulse.

His fingers tightened on my jaw, his eyes capturing mine, glinting with warmth.

“Not in the way you think,” he said, his voice rough.

Behind us, Killian’s voice rang out, low and teasing. “Careful, Thorne. She might actually get you to smile properly.”

I glanced over my shoulder to see Killian leaning back on his hands, his grin wide and wicked. Tobias sat beside him, his dark eyes flashing with amusement.

Magnus didn’t say a word, but his silver eyes flicked to me for a fraction of a second before returning to the fire. Callum, on the other hand, didn’t bother hiding his smile.

I turned back to Thorne, my cheeks blazing. “They’re enjoying this,” I murmured.

“They’re idiots,” Thorne said dryly, though the faintest flush crept up his neck.

I laughed softly, the sound trembling as I reached for him again. This time, I didn’t stop at his neck. My lips grazed his jaw, lingering for a heartbeat before trailing higher.

Thorne let out a low, almost imperceptible groan, his other hand coming up to rest against my hip.

“Zara,” he whispered, my name falling from his lips like a warning and a plea all at once.

“I want this,” I breathed, my voice trembling but resolute. “I want you. All five of you.”

His icy blue eyes searched mine, his expression softening as his fingers tightened against my skin. “Are you sure, love?”

“Positive,” I said, my voice barely audible.

The campfire flickered, the world narrowing to just the two of us. His lips brushed mine, tentative at first, but as I pressed closer, the kiss deepened, his hand sliding from my jaw to tangle in my hair.

Somewhere behind me, Killian let out a low whistle, and Callum chuckled softly.

“Good thing they’re not subtle,” Thorne muttered against my lips, a rare full smile breaking across his face.

I laughed, the sound muffled as I kissed him again, letting myself drown in the warmth of his touch and the weight of his presence.

For the first time, I didn’t care who was watching. In fact, I liked that they were. My clit pulsed just thinking about it.

Thorne’s lips were warm, firm, and steady on mine. His hand tightened in my hair, holding me close as the world around us blurred into nothing but the soft crackle of the fire and the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing.

I wanted more.

I wanted the strength in his touch, the warmth of his gaze, the quiet steadiness he carried even when the world threatened to shatter around us.

Before I could second-guess myself, I shifted, rising to my knees and sliding into his lap. My hands rested on his shoulders for balance, my knees bracketing his thighs. The movement caught him off guard, his eyes widening slightly as I settled against him, but he didn’t pull away.

Instead, his hands found my waist, his grip firm and grounding as he steadied me. I rolled my hips, grinding myself against his cock.

He was hard for me.

Very hard.

I liked that.

“Zara,” he said softly.

I leaned in, my hands trailing from his shoulders to his jaw, tilting his face so I could look into his eyes.

They were so very beautiful.

They were a pale, icy blue, the color of ice over deep water—cold at first glance, but with something deeper lurking beneath the surface. They held a quiet intensity, but now, as I tilted his face toward mine, that hardness wavered. For a brief moment, I saw something else—something vulnerable maybe, a flicker of warmth, buried deep beneath the frost.

And I went with it.

“I’m sure,” I murmured, answering the question he hadn’t asked out loud.

His gaze flicked to my lips, his fingers tightening against my waist. For a moment, he hesitated, his expression caught somewhere between desire and restraint.

“You don’t have to hold back,” I whispered, my lips against his ear. “Not with me.”

I glanced over Thorne’s shoulder to see the pack watching us—not with judgment, but with quiet curiosity. Magnus stood by the fire, his expression inscrutable, but calm. Callum had leaned back against a log, his gray eyes warm with approval, while Killian’s smile was as wide as ever. Tobias, ever the silent one, simply observed, his dark knowing stare focused on us.

I turned my attention back to Thorne, leaning in to press my forehead against his.

“Ignore them,” I murmured, my lips meeting his as I spoke.

He inhaled sharply, his fingers sliding from my waist to the small of my back, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. “You make that easy,” he said, his voice low and rough.

“Good,” I said, smiling against his lips.

I kissed him again, slower this time, letting the heat simmer as I explored the warmth of his mouth. His hands tightened on my back, his restraint slipping as he deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding against mine in a way that sent a shiver racing down my spine.

My heart pounded, my body tingling with the closeness of him, the press of his hands, the intensity in his gaze. It wasn’t just the kiss—it was the way he held me, the way he looked at me like I was something precious, like I was someone worth protecting.

I dropped my hips and rolled them again, dragging my pussy up and down the thick length of his cock. He was so hard I could feel him throbbing beneath me even through the fabric of his well-worn jeans.

The sensation made my pulse quicken, and I couldn’t resist the urge to grind myself harder against him, feeling him pulse and twitch.

A low growl escaped his lips, the sound vibrating against me, and the realization that I could get him to make that noise had me so wet that my pants were probably soaked through.

“I need you,” I gasped, my words coming out in a breathy plea.

His hands gripped my hips, his fingers digging into my flesh as he pulled me closer, kissing me hard enough to leave me dizzy.

I reached down between us, my fingers fumbling with his belt buckle. His hands found mine, stilling my movements. My cheeks burned, a rush of embarrassment making my pulse race.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No, sweet girl,” Thorne said, his voice softer than before. “Not at all.”

His hands left mine, his own fingers fumbling with the button and zipper on his jeans. Relief washed over me as I realized he was only slowing things down, not stopping them.

I reached for him again when he freed himself, the smooth skin of his cock hot against my palm. Lazily, I stroked him with my fingers, just dragging the tips along the velvety surface of his dick, then went to the crown, gathering a pearl of pre-cum and swirling it around the head, before I shifted backwards and knelt before him.

I glanced down at his cock and then back up at him before I opened my mouth and flicked it with my tongue.

“Oh, love, you’re going to be the death of me,” he murmured.