Page 12 of The Pack

CHAPTER 12

T horne

Zara knelt before me, her dark blue eyes alight, playful and dangerous all at once. The firelight flickered against her skin, catching the curve of her cheek, the tilt of her lips. She was watching me, waiting, as if daring me to make the next move.

She hadn’t stopped tracing her fingers up and down my cock.

It was fucking heaven on Earth.

My pulse was steady, my breathing calm—but only on the surface. Inside, there was a fire I hadn’t expected, an ache that clawed at my composure with every flick of her gaze, every subtle shift of her body, every bold swipe of her tongue against my dick.

“Careful,” I murmured, my voice low and sharp. I leaned forward, my elbows resting on my knees as I looked down at her. “You keep teasing me, and I’ll take you over my knee and spank your bare ass bright red.”

She tilted her head, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“Can an injured man really do that?” she asked, her voice soft, but edged with sass.

My jaw tightened, and I felt a smirk pull at my lips despite myself.

“You’d be surprised what I can do, love,” I warned.

The sound of the fire crackling filled the pause between us. My hand twitched at my side, the urge to reach for her nearly overwhelming. I wasn’t the type for theatrics, for grand displays of anything resembling romance, especially not in front of the others.

But she was testing me, and I was failing.

“Thorne, are you actually going to smile?” Killian’s voice rang out from the other side of the fire, cutting through the haze between us.

“Not a chance,” I replied, my tone clipped, but dry enough to draw a laugh from Callum.

“I think she’s got him close,” Callum said, grinning.

“Close to what?” Tobias muttered, his dark eyes unreadable as he leaned back against a tree.

“To losing that iron control,” Magnus said, his mouth edging up in a smirk.

I ignored them all, my focus locked on Zara. She hadn’t moved, hadn’t faltered. Her smile deepened, and she leaned forward slightly, her hand brushing my knee.

“You’ve never done this with them watching before, have you?” she asked, her voice so low it was meant only for me.

I was usually private about these things. The others had a thing for showing off, but not me. The women I’d been with, I liked to spoil. I’d never shared before, so this was something entirely new.

“No,” I admitted, the word heavier than I expected.

Her fingers traced a slow line along my knee, her burning stare never leaving mine. “Then let go. With me.”

She was dangerous, this woman who’d stumbled into our world. She’d slipped past every wall I’d built, and carved out a space for herself in my heart where I hadn’t even realized there was room.

“Zara,” I said, my voice quieter now. “We should?—”

“Go somewhere else?” she finished for me, her smile turning sly.

It was the obvious answer, the rational one. The one that would let me keep some semblance of control, some distance from the prying eyes of the others.

Before I could agree, though, she shook her head, her fingers curling slightly against my leg.

“Let them watch,” she said softly, and something inside me snapped.

I reached down without hesitation, my hand gripping her wrist as I hauled her up and over my knee. She let out a startled squeal, her hands flying to balance herself when I tipped her forward enough to lift her ass high in the air.

“Thorne!” she protested, her voice half a laugh, half a gasp.

“You wanted to see what I can do,” I said, my voice low and edged with warning. “Now you’re going to find out.”

I felt her squirm against me, her small hands pushing at my leg as she tried to find her balance. She was warm, soft, and so dangerously close that my pulse quickened and my cock throbbed, but I didn’t let it show.

With purposeful movements, I reached underneath her hips for the waistband of her pants, tugging them down just enough to bare her bottom. Her squeal turned into a sharp intake of breath, and when she looked back over her shoulder, I saw that her cheeks were flushed pink with embarrassment.

Goddamn, she was fucking perfect.

“Thorne!” she hissed, twisting her head to glare at me over her shoulder.

“Be still, naughty girl,” I ordered firmly. “This is what happens when you tease.”

I was going to spank her. Hard.

The first swat landed quick and sharp, the sound of it cracking through the quiet night. Zara gasped, her body tensing against me.

“Thorne!” she said again, this time more breathless than before.

“You brought this on yourself,” I said as I delivered another smack, this one to the other side. Over and over, I spanked her, each strike getting harder. I spanked from the tops of her cheeks all the way down to the lower curves of her ass, ensuring to get the part where her bottom met her thighs especially. Her skin turned pink under my hand, then cherry red, and I felt the faintest tremor ripple through her.

It wasn’t just the sound of her whimpers or the way she squirmed and moaned that caught my attention—it was the trust in her movements. She wasn’t fighting me, not really. She was pushing me, testing me, the same way she had been since the moment we met.

Damn if I didn’t like it.

Plus, the scent of her arousal was quickly getting stronger. She could deny it all she liked, but our little mate was enjoying her spanking.

A lot.

I would remember that. I’m sure the rest of my pack would too.

Killian’s laugh rang out from across the fire, loud and teasing. “Looks like Thorne’s got his hands full.”

“Shut it, Killian,” I growled, though the corners of my mouth twitched into something dangerously close to a smile.

Callum chuckled softly, leaning back against a log. “Think she’s regretting it yet?”

I felt Magnus’s gaze, calm and assessing, as he fed another log into the fire. “I think you should spank her harder,” he finally added.

I pressed a hand firmly against her lower back, holding her in place.

“I don’t think you’re trying hard enough either,” Zara quipped, glancing over her shoulder at me, her lips curved into a full-on grin despite the flush spreading across her cheeks.

Heat flared in my chest. If she wanted to challenge me, I’d rise to meet it.

I brought my hand down again, harder this time, the sharp crack of the impact echoing through the quiet night. Zara squealed, her hands gripping the fabric of my pants as her body jerked forward.

“Thorne!” she gasped, twisting slightly against me.

“Stop squirming,” I growled, my hand smoothing over the red skin of her bottom before delivering another firm swat. She whimpered this time, her breath coming faster, but she didn’t stop moving.

Her hips shifted against my leg, her body trembling with every strike, and I could feel the heat radiating off her skin. It wasn’t just from embarrassment, though that was part of it. She was testing me, daring me to push her further, and damned if I wasn’t tempted to see how far she’d go.

“You’re enjoying this too much,” I muttered, though my voice had roughened with my own desire for this fiery little temptation.

“And what if I am?” she shot back, her words barely more than a breathless whisper.

That did it.

I delivered several much sharper swats, my hand lingering against her skin as I leaned down, my lips brushing her ear.

“You’re going to regret teasing me,” I murmured, the promise in my tone unmistakable.

Her only response was a soft, breathless whimper, her hands clutching at me as she arched against my touch.

I wasn’t sure who was more undone—her, or me.

I delivered several more really hard swats, letting my hand linger against Zara’s flushed skin as she let out a soft cry when I was done. Her breath hitched, her body still trembling slightly as I adjusted her back onto her knees in front of me.

Her cheeks were as red as her bottom, her dark eyes wide and glinting with something I couldn’t quite name.

“Are you done teasing?” I asked, my voice quiet, but edged with steel.

She bit her lip, her gaze dropping to my chest before flicking back to meet my eyes. “Maybe,” she said softly, yet defiantly.

I leaned closer, my hand brushing her jaw as I tilted her face up to mine.

“Careful, Zara,” I murmured, my voice low and rough. “Because next time, I won’t stop so soon.”

Her lips parted, and for a moment, the fire between us burned hotter than the one flickering at our backs.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she whispered, a faint smile tugging at her lips as she reached back and rubbed at her likely very sore cheeks.

And just like that, she had me.

There was no denying it—this girl had somehow slipped under my skin, past all my defenses, and right into the part of me I hadn’t known was missing until now. It was terrifying, it was exhilarating, and goddamn if I wasn’t enjoying every minute of it.

She leaned down, opened her mouth, and wrapped her lips around my cock. My breath hitched, my pulse pounding in my ears as she took me in deep, her tongue swirling around the head. The sensation made me groan, and I felt her lips smile as she slowly pulled back, her eyes locked on mine.

Slowly, she bobbed her head up and down, taking me deeper. She wasn’t going fast, but she wasn’t being shy about it either.

Fuck. She was perfect.

My hands slid through her hair, fingers tightening against her scalp as she moved. She was so fucking good at this, a natural.

I watched her, transfixed, as she worked, her movements steady and rhythmic. My body ached, every muscle tense as I struggled to hold myself back.

“Zara, love,” I said in barely more than a rough whisper.

She didn’t stop, her gaze flicking up to meet mine.

“Yes?” she asked, her voice muffled by my cock.

“I want to fuck your mouth,” I growled.

She blinked, her dark eyes widening slightly before a smile curved her lips again. She nodded, the movement barely noticeable, but it was enough.

Without waiting for her to say anything, I stood up and grabbed her shoulders, pushing her back and down.

“Lean back,” I said, my voice tight with the effort of holding back. “And open your mouth.”

She obeyed, leaning back until her weight rested against my hands. Her mouth fell open, and she stared up at me, her eyes shining in the firelight.

I thrust my hips forward, burying myself deep in her mouth. She gagged, her hands flying up to grip my thighs, but she didn’t stop me.

She just held on.

“Fuck, Zara,” I groaned, my fingers digging into her shoulders, holding her steady. “You feel so fucking good.”

Her tongue swirled around the head of my cock, her cheeks hollowing as she sucked hard. The sensation was incredible, and it took everything I had not to come right then and there.

“That’s it,” I gasped, my hips pumping harder and faster, driving myself deeper into her throat. “Such a good girl, sucking my cock like that.”

Her lips were slick with spit, her cheeks flushed pink, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she leaned into me, her nails digging into my skin as she worked, her head bobbing faster and faster.

I was lost in her, the sight of her, the smell of her, the way she looked at me like she could see all the parts of me that were broken and didn’t care.

The pressure built inside me, my body trembling as I fought the urge to explode. I wanted to make this last, to savor every moment, but it was too much.

“Zara,” I rasped, my hands tightening against her shoulders. “I’m going to come, love.”

She didn’t pull away. Her dark blue eyes flicked up to meet mine. She didn’t stop, didn’t slow down. If anything, she went faster, her lips wrapping tighter around me, her tongue working harder, until the world seemed to spin.

“You’re going to swallow every drop like a good girl,” I grunted, my body tensing as the wave of my release crashed over me.

I came hard, the force of it making my vision blur. Zara didn’t pull away, her mouth working as she swallowed every last drop. My cock throbbed over and over again, as one spurt of cum after another pelted the back of her throat. When I was spent, I let out a shaky breath, my grip loosening against her shoulders.

She pulled away, her lips swollen, her eyes glistening with unsaid emotion and a desire all of her own.

“Holy shit,” I breathed, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

She laughed, her voice slightly raspy from her efforts, but her smile was bright, her cheeks flushed.

“I’m glad you liked it,” she said, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

“Liked it?” I said, letting out a faint chuckle. “I said it before and I’ll say it again: you might be the death of me, woman.”

Her laughter deepened, and for a moment, I just stared at her, the warmth in her expression making something clench in my chest. I was falling for her, harder and faster than I’d thought possible. The realization made my heart pound, and I swallowed hard, struggling to keep my expression neutral as I tucked my cock away.

“Well, I’ll try not to kill you too soon,” she teased, her lips curving into a smirk.

“Come here,” I said, sitting down and tugging her into my lap. She squealed, jumping slightly, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

Her body fit against mine, her warmth seeping into my skin, and I felt a rush of protectiveness that nearly stole my breath away. Her bare ass was still hot, and it felt good tucked against my softening cock. I brushed a kiss against her temple, holding her close as the crackling of the fire filled the silence between us.

“Now, you’re going to lie back and let me take care of you, love. You’re going to spread your legs and I’m going to kiss that sweet pink pussy until you scream for me. If you fight me, though, I’m going to take my belt to that bare ass and really give you a spanking you’ll remember,” I commanded.

She shivered, her eyes darkening with something that was definitely not fear.

She was going to be trouble, and I was going to enjoy every minute of it.

When she didn’t move right away, I smacked her ass again. With a yelp, she scrambled back and sat back on the ground before leaning back and giving me a sultry look. I knelt between her legs and slowly removed one boot and then the other, taking my time and enjoying the process of baring her. With a sort of reverence that I hadn’t known I was capable of, I trailed my fingers over the gentle curves of her hips and edged her pants the rest of the way down her legs, inch by achingly slow inch.

My wolf stirred at the sight of her, and my cock jumped in response.

Zara lifted her hips, letting me remove her pants completely, then laid back, her dark hair splayed around her face. She looked up at me, her eyes half-closed, and bit her lip, her chest rising and falling faster.

I leaned forward, placing a single kiss to the top of her mound.

“Now, love, I’m going to kiss your pretty little cunt until you beg for mercy and then I’m going to kiss it some more.”