“Decide what, Logan?” She clasped onto the sides of his shirt in desperation. “I’m scared out of my mind. I don’t want to hurt anyone but I don’t know how to be wolf. I don’t know the rules. I can’t do this. I don’t know how. I’m sorry, I can’t…”
Wynter fell to her knees crying, still clawing at his clothing. She’d let her head fall against his shins. Logan wrapped his hands around her arms and brought her up into his embrace, supporting her.
“Wynter, this is not who you are, sweetheart. You can do this. You are strong, not broken. You will learn how to submit within the pack while remaining fiercely independent. You will run as wolf, but maintain your humanity. I promise you to help you shift; support you in everything you do for the rest of your life. But this decision must be yours, not mine.” Logan held her tightly. His own tears brimmed; he needed his mate. Please Goddess, do not let her give up.
Struggling to catch her breath, Wynter swore Logan was doing something to calm her. His scent, his touch, his aura, everything that was of his essence protectively encased her body and heart. Her wolf howled, begging her to run free with her mate. On the verge of collapse, Wynter steeled her resolve. A fighter. Yes, that’s who she was. Tonight, however, she was a lover, Logan’s mate. Trembling in his arms, she raised her chin to meet his eyes.
“I choose you. Us. This makes no sense to the part of my mind that demands data, evidence and all the other things that I’ve learned in my years as a scientist,” she breathed, placing her hand to his heart. “But my heart. My wolf. I need you.”
Logan sighed in relief, pressing a kiss to her head. “You sure, baby? Because I’m ready to start this right now…to teach you what it means to be wolf.”
“I’m sure.” All her senses on alert, she’d fully committed to doing whatever it took to learn how to be wolf, to be Logan’s mate.
Logan leaned in and gently kissed her. His wolf celebrated in anticipation of their union. He tenderly sucked at her lips, licking at her until she opened fully to him. Her sweet taste tempted him, beckoning the urge to make love to her right then. But he knew better of it. He’d patiently demonstrate what it meant for her to submit, to be nothing more than the wild animal that lurked beneath the surface of her skin.
Wynter gave in to his will, tasting, indulging in the warmth of her Alpha. She felt his hands leave her sides, and she pressed up further against the counter’s edge. As he ground the hard evidence of his arousal against her belly, she registered his fingertips on her skin. She went to help him, and he grabbed her wrists.
“Hands to your sides, Wynter. Don’t move,” he growled.
She gasped, complying with his demand. Fingers grazed her belly once again. A tear of the fabric sent her shirt buttons flying. The loud sound of the plastic studs hitting the floor sounded like hail pelting a roof. Cool air brushed her chest as he ripped off her shirt, yanking hard at the sleeves and throwing it across the room. A hand around her back deftly released her bra, leaving her bare to him. Panting with need, she struggled to catch her breath. She never lost eye contact as he tore his lips from hers.
“An Alpha,” he began in a tense, sexy tone that wrapped around her soul. Logan trailed his lips down her throat and between her breasts. But he didn’t kiss or lick her, he merely hovered, letting her feel the heat of his body, “he’s patient. He doesn’t act impulsively. Despite the temptation, he waits until the optimal moment to strike.”
Wynter resisted the excruciating desire to move. She closed her eyes, relishing the effect of his nearness to her tight nipples. Strong hands on her hips rapidly spun her so she was facing the counter, holding her upright so she wouldn’t fall.
“Do you feel it, Wyn? Our bond, it’s growing. I’m your Alpha. Your wolf knows. I feel her,” he told her seductively. He slid a large strong hand around to her belly. Without touching his lips to her skin, he drifted them close to her shoulder. “And she…she feels me.” He pressed his burgeoning erection into her bottom.
Wynter sighed at the welcome feel of him against her. She wished he’d just take her. No, instead, he was teasing her, teaching her. She’d promised to learn. Taking a breath, she tried to relax into his hold. But as she felt his hands at her waist, her heart raced once again.
Logan deftly unzipped her skirt and jerked it down, exposing the creamy skin underneath. He smiled at her hot pink lace thong, the one he’d selected earlier. Slowly, he glided his hands over her hips and hooked his thumbs into the flimsy fabric. He bent at his knees, teasing it off of her legs and feet until she was bare. With a flick, he sent it flying across the floor. Much better.
“Do you see how a wolf restrains his own needs, all in an effort to take care of his wolves?”
His hands grazed over the globes of her bottom, barely touching her. The heat between his skin and hers threatened to combust, but he never gave in to the need. Denying her his touch, he reached upward into her hair, wrapping the long strands around his fist. Gently tugging, he pulled her head to the side, revealing her neck. He growled at the sight but still only brought his lips within an inch of the skin and spoke to her.
“I will teach you what it’s like to be wolf, to submit. Are you ready for that, sweetheart?”
Wynter moaned, breathing hard. Was she ready? Naked, she felt both emotionally and physically exposed, while he stood fully clothed.
Logan gently tugged again at her hair, until her eyes met his.
“Answer me,” he demanded softly.
“Yes,” she cried. The torment of him not touching her was nearly unbearable. But before she had time to think about it, he turned her once again so that she was facing him. She watched nervously as he removed his tie.
“Your senses. They are all that a wolf has. As humans, we rely too much on our sight to tell us what we know. We ignore what our heart tells us because our eyes can’t see it. Up,” he directed, lifting her up onto the large granite island. “Lay back, Wyn.”
Wynter struggled to understand what he was doing. He wanted her on this cold countertop? What the hell?
“Don’t question. Just do it. Go on now. You’re okay, now. I promise you’ll enjoy it.” He winked, helping her to scoot backwards. He took her head into his hands, tenderly placing it on the hard surface. “You okay?”
She nodded, unsure of where this was going. Despite her apprehension, the ache between her legs throbbed in anticipation. The heat of her skin cooled against the sleek stone. Logan held up his tie, and she almost choked. What did he plan to do with that?
“It’s all right, sweetheart. Just removing one of your senses. Educational purposes, I assure you,” he laughed.
“Yeah right,” she giggled in response. Why was she so aroused? At least he wasn’t tying her up, but still she’d been laid out naked on a platter for him to do what he wished, and she grew wetter and wetter by the second.
“Seriously, this is not just about trusting me, which you very much need to learn how to do. Nor is it about submission, which you seem to be doing nicely right now,” he encouraged.
His dick was so hard he thought his balls would be blue for the rest of his natural life. The sight of his mate splayed out was more than he could take. He wanted so badly to plunge into her, but he reminded himself that there was more at stake besides him getting his rocks off.
Logan wrapped the tie around her eyes until he was certain she couldn’t see. “No peeking. You okay?”
“Yes,” she breathed. The anticipation of what he’d do to her was maddening. “Please Logan, hold my hand.”
“You look beautiful, baby. So gorgeous.” Logan briefly kissed her lips and took her hand in his, sending calming waves to her body. The self-control of a saint was all that kept him from taking her right then. “Breathe in and out, Wyn. That’s it. I can’t hold your hand the whole time but we’ll start with something easy. Smell. Wolves, we rely on scent to give us all kinds of information. To hunt prey. To track enemies. To seek out our lovers,” He kissed her shoulder. “Scent, it is essential. Tell me what you smell.”