Finn led the way, staggering as he walked. The uneven gait wasn't from being old, but inebriated. "It was a big fella, like you boys, and he had something thrown over his shoulder. I'd swear it was a body. Thought it was in my head until Blake and Luke came by and started askin' questions."
"Go on back to the house and we'll dig up some clues. Appreciate it."
The men had shed their clothing and transformed in a matter of seconds. Kaden pressed his nose to the ground, flaring his nostrils as he tried to find any scent that was familiar or out of place. Frequent and unpredictable thunderstorms washed away evidence quickly. From the cloud cover, one was on its way. Without a clue soon, they'd probably never find Mason.
When he was on the brink of giving up, an indentation caught Kaden's eye. On the moist forest floor, there was a partial boot print. The mark itself helped immensely because it pointed in the direction the young wolf had been taken. Kaden recognized it as a hiking boot, but it could have belonged to anyone. One of the wolves, a fisherman, or a hunter. Hiking boots were commonplace. He ran off in the direction of the clue, his pack at his back, and searched until his paws ached and night had fallen.
~*~
For hours, Marala swung back and forth in the creaky old porch swing. Nashoba had taken Taylor home with him, promising no harm would come to the human without Kaden's word. She'd reluctantly agreed. Taylor hadn't been thrilled, but he'd been asking questions to the irritable Chocktaw who had changed to human form when Jak had brought him a pair of sweatpants. Taylor's resourcefulness impressed her, but she feared for his life.
A sliver of moon had lit the night for a while, but now it had been covered and the rain poured down. The only time she could see in the darkness was when flashes of lightning streaked through the thick storm clouds.
She strained her eyes, trying to catch a glimpse of the dangerous black wolf or the equally terrifying, handsome man. Marala loathed how easily Kade had weaseled his way back into her heart; the truth was he'd never left it. Taylor was attractive and interesting, but her love was for only one man. Hopefully, when he returned home, he wouldn't kick her out of his house and shun her from the pack.
Would he exile me? The thought sent chills through her body and she hugged her light sweater tighter over the large t-shirt she'd taken from Kaden's closet to wear as a nightgown. Like everything he touched, it held his masculine scent. She pulled the neck up over her mouth and nose, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply. An adult, a mother, should not be acting like a girl with a crush. The thought came anyway. I wish I had never left.
"What are you doing? You should be in bed." Her eyes flew open and she saw Kaden standing a few feet from her, drenched from head to toe and splattered with mud.
Marala had intended to put her foot down and forbid him for harming Taylor. Tell him that her wishes had to be respected or she would never bond with him. That she'd take Jak and go somewhere they'd never be found. None of it happened.
"Kaden." The confidence had disappeared. By the look on his face, she didn't have to ask if they found the missing boy.
"Where is Nashoba and the human?" He shot her a disapproving frown.
"Nash took Taylor to his house."
Kaden rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead, wiping off some water, but smearing mud in its place. "Good. You're wearing my shirt."
"I, uh, yeah." She hunched her shoulders a bit. Her soft red hair rested loosely over her back, frizzed slightly from the wind and humidity.
The tension built between them. Neither knew what to say or was willing to apologize. Marala caved first, tossing herself at the filthy, shirtless man and wrapping her arms around him.
"Mara, I'm dirty."
"I don't care." She lifted her head and took in all his features as if it'd be her last chance. No man had ever been more perfect to her, even if he was often a brutish mess with a hard line of unsmiling mouth. "Don't send me away."
Kaden placed a hand on her cheek. Her skin was soft and white against his rough, dirt covered fingertips. "I'd never do that. I love you too much."
Marala couldn't speak, obviously shocked to hear the words flow so easily from his mouth.
"Why are you surprised, Mara? I've never stopped. Never will. It's not like it's the first time I have told you."
"Isn't it too late for us? To undue all the damage?" She bit her bottom lip to stop it from visibly trembling.
He answered by picking her up, her legs going around his waist. "I don't claim to know the path of destiny, but after all these years, I know you're in my arms once again."
Mara nodded before running her hands through his wet hair and kissing his mouth. Softly at first, and then more intensely, trying to make up for every kiss she'd missed since she ran away. Kaden carried her toward the front door, but she broke away from his lips, panting. "Take me to the clearing."
He did as she asked, lowering her to the porch, and squatting down so she could get on his back. Even in his human form, he was fast and strong, carrying her into the darkness as the rain pelted their bodies and the thunder rumbled the ground. In the dark, he easily found his way to the natural clearing in the forest. The ritual spot. The place where girls became women, boys men, and everyone wolf. On a clear night, the area would have been bathed in moonlight and a heaven of stars above. Not this night. Like their relationship, there was a turbulent storm.
As she was gently laid against the wet earth, Marala briefly remembered the last time she'd saw him there. Not with her. But he was with her now and she pushed away the painful memory she'd dwelled upon for a lifetime.
"I wish it was the full moon," Kaden said as he lifted the soaked shirt clinging to her body up and his mouth found her breasts.
She moaned out, closing her eyes, the cold rain chilling her, but his breath and body hot against her. "Me too." Her response surprised her. Becoming a wolf at her age was unheard of. Though, they could forgo the normal ritual since he was pack leader and no one could argue since they were long ago promised to each other.
Their last encounter had been unrestrained animal instinct. Kaden now took his time to appreciate Marala, and the serious, restrained, angry woman let go. What remained was the person she was meant to be. Had been at some point long ago.
"I've never been myself without you," he groaned out softly before his tongue teased at the supple flesh of her breasts and teeth squeezed a hardened nipple between them. The necklace from the branding hung around her neck, the paw dangling at her cleavage. He reverently touched the emblem with his fingertips and lowered his mouth to kiss her stomach in several places. The rain ran across her skin and over his lips. "I'm sorry for everything you've been through."
She could barely see into his black eyes in the night when he moved over her and gazed down. Her own irises were more yellow than green now. She could see them reflected in his eyes. Tiny little glowing moons. They'd never been that way before, but with Kaden against her, the wolf wanted freedom.
"I forgive you," she whispered, leaning up a little to kiss him. A weight lifted. The heavy burden of carrying the grudge for so long was gone.
Kaden shed his pants, never removing his mouth from her for more than a few seconds. His length pressed against her, resting on her underwear. Without bothering to remove them, he tugged the fabric aside and entered her slowly.
Marala fell back again and arched her hips, his girth spreading her to take his entire shaft fully into her smooth depths. "Do you forgive me?" Her fingertips ran over his pecs lower to his hard abs which she pressed her palms against. Kaden was the embodiment of muscular perfection.
His answer was a brief withdrawal and firm thrust to fill her again. "Yes, my she-wolf." He buried his mouth against her neck, suckling the flesh, as he made love to her. The sound of his drenched body slapping against hers echoed through the clearing. Only the heavy rain and thunder were louder than their connected bodies. Bright flashes of lightning illuminated their entwined forms.
He rolled over, his cock remaining inside as he lifted her on of top him. Immediately, he continued to thrust upward. Marala gasped, it a true testament of his love for her to give her the position of dominance. Though, in truth, the alpha was still in control of the situation.
His she-wolf. She liked that. Her hips began moving, finding a perfect rhythm with his constant upward assault. His hands rested on her hips, keeping her going when after a length of time, she thought she would collapse. Even after her body had exploded with pleasure, he kept her going. Then he stopped, his hips jutting upward, keeping her impaled as he allowed himself release. He didn't pull out, but lowered his hips. She leaned forward against his strong body. Inside her, his member twitched occasionally.