Saving the Beast(31)

“Mine,” he growled at her again as if he couldn’t hold back the word. Was it the fever bringing the animal to the surface again or would it always be like this with him? Would he always take her in a way that was sure to brand her body as his and only his? God, she hoped so. She’d gladly worship him in bed, as long as he understood the playing field leveled when they were out of it, sort of, anyway.

“Mine,” he grunted the claim this time and the sound of slapping flesh filled her ears as he pounded his cock in and out of her. “Say it!” he demanded.

She was lost in the sensations, trying to keep from passing out from the pleasure tearing through her. She heard his words but was too busy sucking in air to comply immediately. She felt the crack of his palm against her ass and cried out.

“Say it!” he commanded and smacked her other cheek.

Oh, God! Her pleasure shouldn’t be able to go any higher. He smacked her again, lower, and the burn sank beneath the skin and flamed to life in her clitoris. How was that even possible?

“Say it!”

“Yours!” she screamed as she came, the stars becoming black dots. “Yours! Always yours! Always!”

“Mine,” he rumbled. His teeth scraped over her mark, and he struck deep, biting into her flesh as the first heated splash of his cum filled her channel.

She went impossibly higher and felt the dark edges closing in around her. She was going to pass out, from pleasure.

The last thing she heard was his contented growl as he licked over the bite mark at the base of her neck and the softly whispered word that was becoming both a claim and an endearment.

“Mine.”





Chapter Seven





Zane softly shook awake his mate, covering her mouth to keep the sleepy grumble as silent as he could. He prayed he hadn’t worn her out too badly over the course of the night. She was in full heat now, and it was all he could do to keep his hands off her or his dick out of her. When the fever had quickened in his blood, he’d reached for her, taking her a half a dozen times at least. He’d stopped counting. Each instant he’d turned to her, she’d been wet and ready for him. He knew that’s how it was with mates but appreciated it from a different level with what they were dealing with now.

Hell, all he wanted to do at the moment was roll her over and thrust into her silky pussy again while she was still sleep rumpled with her hair a disarray of soft waves around her. He wanted to ply her nipples with his tongue and teeth and suck the sweet juices from her cunt as she used her hands to hold his face to her. But he couldn’t. Not yet.

Thankfully, the feral cat fever didn’t just enhance his sex drive. It kicked up his protective instincts, as well. And that was what had him urging her to wake up, now. The need to make sure his mate was safe. Someone was here. Someone who shouldn’t be.

“Again?” she mumbled but he saw the smile that touched her lips as she rolled onto her back.

His heart swelled with love for this woman. Was it too early to tell her what she really meant to him? She opened her legs and lifted her hand to brush her fingers down his cheek, rough with stubble.

“I’m ready,” she whispered, and he heard the note of awe in her voice. “I’m always ready for you.”

“Soon,” he whispered back. “But we need to go, now.”

“Go?” She blinked open her eyes, and he could see her mind engaging as she shook the sleep away. “What’s wrong?”

“Shhh,” he urged her, placing his finger against her lips. “We’re not alone, any more.”

“Kenzie?” she questioned, but he shook his head.

“I’m not sure who it is, but it’s not Kenzie. We need to get out of here. We’re in a clearing, easy to find for anyone who’s looking. I should have thought of that earlier and moved you then.”

“We were focused on other things,” she murmured and the heat of her gaze set his blood on fire.

“I took my clothes from your bag. Thank you for thinking of it,” he said and slid the clothes he’d found for her into her hands.

She sat up quickly and all traces of sleep were finally gone. “How serious is this? Could it be someone from the cabin? Tah mentioned sending Murphy and Holt after us.”

Zane shook his head. “I don’t recognize the scents. It’s not anyone we know.”

“Are they shifter or human?”

“Human,” he answered and urged her with his hands to dress faster.

He turned to gather her things, shoving yesterday’s clothes into her bag. He’d already been outside the tent and had left it unzipped, so it was easy to duck back out and take another glance around them.