Page 19

Chapter 19

Moonstruck

KEENAN

V anessa shakes her head and backs away from me. “I told you how I feel about running. It’s torture and the people who say they love it are weird.”

“You won’t be running.” I drag my T-shirt over my head and drop it, reaching for my belt buckle.

Her eyes light up with interest as I shuck my jeans, standing fully nude in the moonlight.

I turn to look at her as I shift into my wolf.

She claps her hands and does a dance on the spot. “I love it when you do that!”

Climb on , I command her.

She approaches cautiously, longing in her expression, but she hesitates.

I lower to the ground. Come on, let’s run!

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

I let out a huff of laughter at the idea. You can’t hurt me. The fur around my neck is thick and tough. Grip hold of it and swing your leg over. Find a comfortable position and then hang on tight. I’ll be running fast and I don’t want you to fall off.

“Okay,” she says hesitantly, taking my ruff in a tight grip and swinging her leg over my back, settling on top me.

Slide your hands into the fur around my neck and hang on like your life depends on it.

She does as I say and the moment I feel her grip, I stand and start trotting, my legs stretching in long leisurely strides as she finds a comfortable place on my back to notch her body.

“This is fun!”

I take a peek into her brain, wanting to see what she sees. A wild kaleidoscope of sky, trees, and ground rush at me and I have to leap out of her brain before I lose my footing. Of course my mate would enjoy such chaos.

My wolf’s eyes pick things up much differently than her human ones and the scenery becomes visible to me once more. I open my gait and run as fast as I can.

Vanessa’s hands tighten in my fur and her laughter echoes through the night. Her enjoyment fuels me, making me run harder and faster, urging me to show her all the places I love in Wolf-Haven.

Finally, I’m forced to stop and take a breather after what feels like hours of running. I come to a halt next to my favourite place in all of the Wolf-Haven countryside. A cozy cave on the precipice of a mountain surrounded by trees except for the mouth, which sits on the edge of a sloping mountainside.

It feels right bringing Vanessa to this spot. I lower down so she can climb off, then shift to human. As soon as her feet touch the ground, she approaches the edge of the mountain, looking down at the moon-washed landscape.

I snatch her arm and pull her to my side. She’s a graceful human, but accidents do happen.

“It’s so incredible,” she murmurs, her gaze sweeping the shadowy forest blanketing the valley below. She looks at me, stretching up on her toes to graze my bearded jaw with a kiss. “Thank you for the run and thank you for bringing me here.” She wrinkles her nose. “But if you’re trying to convince me I’m not being kidnapped, bringing me to an isolated cave probably isn’t the way to go.”

Oh shit, was I wrong to bring her here? I reach into her brain but find only laughter. She’s teasing me.

I yank her closer under me arm and pinch her ass. “I brought you here for a reason.”

“What’s that?”

“You see all this? The beauty? The magic?” I sweep my arm, indicating the valley below. “It’s nothing compared to watching you on a stage.” I turn her to me, cupping her face. “The way you light up a stage, shining on everyone and everything around you, that’s the real magic. And that’s where I want to live with you.”

I hope she understands what I’m trying to say. It doesn’t matter where we live, I want to be with her and I want her to be happy, which means she gets to choose where our home is.

But she does the opposite of what I expect, bursting into tears. Not delicate you-said-something-so-wonderful-I-can’t-contain-my-tears tears, but deep gasping sobs that seem to penetrate her whole being.

I stare at her in stunned confusion as she pulls out from under my arm and paces away, her body trembling, her arms wrapped around herself as she walks. “You’ve ruined everything!”

“What?” I’m stunned. I was pretty sure I’d just said the most romantic thing I’ve ever uttered, which is saying a lot for a guy who’s fumbled four previous mates.

She throws her hands up and wanders toward the cliff, her tears continuing to fall unchecked. I grab her and pull her away but let her wiggle out of my grasp once she’s safe. She puts some distance between us.

“Vanessa. I don’t understand why you’re upset.”

“That’s because you’re too awesome to get it!” she shout-sobs, throwing her arms up. “You’re always doing wonderful things for me, trying to make my life better. And I can see right into your head, so I know it’s all true! You really care and you really are a great guy, and I hate it!”

“Why?” I’m lost and when I try to slide into her thoughts, she throws me out with enough force that I know better than to try again. She doesn’t want me witnessing her inner turmoil, but her outer turmoil can’t be any worse. “Vanessa, tell me what to do.”

She wanders toward the cliff again, so I turn her around and she paces toward the mouth of the cave. “You can’t change, and neither can I. We’re doomed.”

“Vanessa!” I shout her name, startling her into stopping.

She stares at me with wide, tear-filled eyes.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” I make it a demand and push it at her brain, turning it into a mental compulsion.

“I love you,” she blurts. “Like really love you. Not the mating connection bonding whatever kind of love, but the kind where I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Her words are like a punch to the chest, a good punch, but they still steal my breath and I stand in stunned silence while she stares at me with what looks like accusation. I still don’t get why she’s upset.

“It’s because I’m going to die.” A sob racks her as she resumes pacing. “Soon, maybe, but if not soon, then eventually. Keenan, I’m going to die and you’re going to keep going. I’ve seen into your brain, seen the histories of your previous mates. Each death tears a piece of you away. You haven’t been whole since Delilah, and I… I… can’t make it better. I’m human and you’re immortal. I’m going to die and you’re going to be alone until the next mate and then you’ll go through the cycle again and again until there are no pieces of you left.”

Answering tears spark in my eyes and I take a deep breath to keep them from falling. I grip her shoulders, forcing her to stop. “You’re wrong, sweetheart.”

“I’m not,” she argues. “I know what’s going to happen. You’re doomed to repeat the past and I can’t prevent it.”

I hold her against me, hoping the beat of my heart soothes the storm of her despair. “You’re wrong because I don’t intend to live past your death.” She tries to push away, to deny my words, but I force her to remain in my embrace. “I’ve had a long life.”

“I want you to live forever, even if I can’t,” she mumbles against me.

I grip her harder. “I refuse to live without you.” I lift her chin until she looks at me. “Vanessa, I love you.” My lips quirk. “Not the mating wolf bonding kind of love, though my wolf loves you equally, but the real deal.”

She thumps my chest. “Stop being so romantic, I don’t have any more tears left.”

“Good.” I bend to her, capturing her lips with mine. I taste her tears, but also feel her love as she returns my kiss with wholehearted enthusiasm, wrapping her arms around my neck.

I slide my hands around her waist, then inside her sweater. The feel of her silken heated skin intoxicates me. I’m addicted to everything about her: what she says and how she says it, the way her hair shines in the moonlight, how her emerald eyes sparkle with mischief. And her heart. So big, so loving, embracing everyone she meets. And best of all, she loves me.

I drag her top up and she helps me pull it over her head.

She reaches behind herself, unclasping her bra, letting it drop to the ground. “I want to feel you inside me.” Her eyes glow with desire. “Please, I don’t want to feel anything but you.”

Her breasts are as beautiful as the rest of her, two perfect handfuls tipped with dusky pink nipples and lighter areolas. She reaches for the snap on her jeans, but I stop her.

It takes a monumental effort, but I need to know she’s sure. “There’ll be no going back after this, Vanessa. Once we’re together, my wolf won’t leave you alone. He’ll follow you everywhere.”

Her voice is husky as she steps up to me, trailing her finger down my bare chest. “What about you? Will you follow me everywhere, like your wolf?”

She’s teasing me, which sends relief rippling through my body. She’s going to be okay, and I’m going to spend the rest of our lives making sure she stays that way. “My human and my wolf agree on this one.” I swoop down, taking her mouth in a consuming kiss.

Love me, Keenan. I need you. Her sexy voice whispers through my head.

Groaning, I crush her to me, touching every part of her I can reach, yanking her up until her feet dangle.

She clings to me, returning my kisses with equal fervor, her nails scratching at my skin, sending waves of tingles through me.

I fumble with the snap on her jeans and once open, I’m too impatient to get them off completely. Instead, I shove my hand inside and cup her.

She gasps in my ear, clinging to my shoulders, lifting her legs and wrapping herself around me like a vine.

I rub my finger down the soaking crotch of her panties. She shudders in my arms and I do it again.

“Oh god!” Her head tips back and she rocks her hips into my hand. “Don’t stop!”

Grinning, I press my fingers harder against her.

Her body tightens and she stops breathing. She’s close. I grip her harder against me and tease her clit, sliding into her brain as she orgasms.

Stars shoot through her head as she keens her pleasure to the sky. It’s so intense it drives me to my knees and I take advantage of our new position, laying her on the ground.

When she winces, I cradle her to me as I create a bed of her clothes. It’s not a great solution, but I’m not going to be a gentleman on this one. She told me I can fuck her and nothing short of an asteroid impact is going to stop me.

I strip her jeans and panties and toss them aside. I badly want to shove my nose into her crotch, to let my wolf have his way and sniff and lick her down there until she comes all over me again, but I can’t. The compulsion to be inside her, to claim her in the most primal way possible, is impossible to ignore.

Instead, I appease my wolf by lifting the hand that went down her pants and sniffing, lapping up the juice left behind.

She reaches for me, dragging me down for a kiss and I shove my finger into her mouth as our tongues tangle, forcing her to taste how delicious she is. She moans and I’m lost.

I slide my fingers into her dripping core. She’s ready for me.

“Yes,” she gasps, reading my mind. “Mate with me, Keenan.”

Fuck, she’s speaking my language! How does a guy resist?

Gripping my engorged cock, I guide it to her, pressing the crown to her entrance. She lifts herself against me, accepting and encouraging me. I push inside her, going as slow as I can, muscles shaking with the effort of holding back.

I sink into her, watching every expression that flits across her beautiful face, searching for pain, but I see only ecstasy.

“God, you feel so good,” she moans, writhing beneath me. “Like warm steel, stretching and filling. Keenan, don’t stop.”

I press forward, urged on by her words, bottoming out as she takes my entire cock. I search her mind and find a streak of pain. As I try to pull out of her, easing the pressure, she digs her nails in. “Don’t stop!” she commands in a guttural voice.

Grinning, I press back inside her, feeling her stretch to take my width. Once I’m sure she’s okay, I lose myself in her. Burying my face in her hair. I lift her to my chest, holding her off the rocky ground as I fuck her. Soon, my wolf brain takes over, and I thrust into her with passion, over and over, imprinting on her.

Magic flows through me, my instincts telling me this is the natural order at work.

Her face is screwed up in concentration and she’s never looked so beautiful to me. “Vanessa,” I whisper in her ear. “Look at me, sweetheart.”

She does and I kiss her before saying, “I love you.”

She explodes beneath me, her pussy spasming, taking my cock in an iron hold, milking me. I grunt, throwing my head back, a howl of pure ecstasy ripping from my throat as I come inside my mate, bathing her with my warm seed.

As I collapse, I roll, pulling her with me to settle on top of my chest. We’re still connected, my cock refusing to relinquish its hold.

She wiggles around, finding a place to settle. “I love you, too.”

I barely catch the whisper as she falls asleep in my arms on the precipice of a cliff.