Page 13 of Sanctuary

He glanced up at the full moon that lit his path and felt a restlessness only a mate could calm. Hell, he didn’t even know how she felt about him, at least by words. He could smell her attraction to him, but was that enough? Eager to shift, he picked up his pace. Once at the SUV, he shifted. Finally in his human form, Eric stretched out his muscles with a tired sigh.

“I’ve never seen anyone shift before.” Gemma’s voice echoed in the darkness.

Eric smiled, not caring he stood with his back turned and as naked as the day he was born. He wasn’t embarrassed by his body, shifters never were, but he kept his back turned toward her so not to embarrass her.

“I have to say I’m happy you haven’t,” Eric replied, unsurprised by the low growl that ended that sentence. Even thinking of her seeing another man, shifter or not, naked pissed him off instantly.

“Thank you again for what you did today.” Gemma’s voice was soft and unsure. “It seems like I’m always thanking you.”

“You don’t need to thank me for something like that, Gemma.” Eric glanced back at the moon, wondering what she looked like under its mysterious light. He heard her moving, coming closer until she stood in front of him, her eyes staring straight up into his.

“Is what Alex said true?” Gemma tilted her head slightly, the glow from the moon lighting her beautiful features, making him smile, and then his smile faded.

“He had no right to say anything.” Eric’s tone turned serious.

“Oh, well… I just wanted to say thank you.” She turned to leave, and Eric almost let her go, almost.

******

Gemma had never felt like such a lonely loser than she did at that moment. Of course Alex didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. She was no one’s mate, especially someone like Eric Jackson. He needed a woman, not some chick who smelled like wolf shit most days, looked like total shit every day, and would rather be in the company of animals than people. She turned to leave, to go bury her head in her pillow until her humiliated pride recovered, which would be never!

As she took a step, he grasped her arm, turning her back toward him, but she kept her eyes toward the ground. Okay, she peeked at his package because hell, he was naked, and when would she ever get a chance like this again? God, she wished she hadn’t because it made her want him more. She actually had to press her legs together to calm the painful yet oh so pleasant tingling. Pleasure and pain did have its place, that was for sure.

Eric lifted her face to his by cupping her chin. Then he sniffed the air as a pleased look crossed his face. “You want me.”

Duh was what she wanted to say, but she didn’t open her mouth. She just stared at him. No way was she going to answer that question. Then again, it wasn’t really stated as a question, but a fact, one he had totally right. Dammit.

“You are my mate, Gemma.” Eric’s thumb rubbed her cheek. “It just wasn’t Alex who needed to tell you. That was my job. And I had planned on telling you before the new wolf came in.”

Gemma bit her lip to keep control of her excitement. She was his mate. She belonged to someone.

“Can you at least say something?1” Eric smirked down at her. “I mean, I know you want me as I can smell your arousal, but how do you feel about me, about being my mate?”

Doing something that was so not Gemma-like, she removed his hand from her face and took a step back. Under the full moon, she removed her shirt, slipped out of her bra, and stepped out of her jeans until she stood in front of him naked and exposed. “You’re right. I do want you, but I want so much more.” Gemma shivered as his eyes roamed her body. “And I would be honored to be your mate, Eric Jackson.”

Eric took her in his arms. Their mouths met for the first time as did their bodies. It felt right, and it felt like what they had was forever. His hands and mouth were everywhere, as were hers. They were frantic, like two starved people searching for what their souls needed and finally found.

He gently laid her on a patch of grass, his body poised over hers. “You are mine, Gemma Stone, now and forever.” He lifted her ass with one hand while he guided into her wet opening, but stopped before he entered. “Are you sure?”

Gemma briefly wanted to kill him, but then fell deeper in love with him for even asking that question. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

His masculine moan as he sank into her almost sent her over the edge, but she regained control, making sure she gave him as much pleasure as he was giving her. He was gentle at first, almost too gentle, making her want to scream for more, but soon her frustration turned into total bliss as he pounded inside her, above her and all around her, making her his.

Gemma had never felt like this with a man before. She had dated men seemingly forever before even letting them cop a feel, yet with Eric, she had given herself freely so quickly. She finally understood what it meant to be mated. It was right, pure, and it was something she had longed for without realizing it. She felt complete.

Her moans escaped into the night until he finally brought her to release, with his following quickly behind.

Eric stayed on top of her for a long time, resting on his own arms to keep his weight off her. He just stared down at her without saying a word, and then his mouth opened. “You will never want for anything, Gemma. That I promise you.”

“I hope I don’t disappoint you.” Her deepest fear slipped out of her mouth and seeing the swift anger that crossed his face before it disappeared made her regret speaking it out loud.

“You could never disappoint me,” Eric growled down at her. He then kissed her deep and hard. “And that is the last time I ever want to hear you say that.”

Gemma nodded before grabbing his neck and bringing him close, praying that he was right and she never disappointed him.

Chapter 10

Eric hated having to leave, and he tried his hardest to talk Gemma into going with him, but he knew that was a lost cause. If he were honest with himself, it was better that she stayed at the sanctuary. He still had to find the bastard he was looking for because no one hurt his pack. He also needed to figure out how her living there and him being the alpha of his pack hours away was going to work. He did know that one way or another, it would because she was his world. He would make it work.

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