Page 18 of Taming of a Wolf

A bestial roar escapes him as with one final slam of his hips, he comes inside me, flooding me with his thick, hot seed. His knot swells inside me. A gasp escapes me, and when I squirm, I’m alarmed to find our bodies are stuck together. Anders kisses my hair and whispers, “Be still. It will not hurt. Breathe.”

He’s right. It doesn’t hurt. It feels amazing, actually, to be so full, to be tied to him in such an intimate way. It makes my wolf howl in delight, so I decide to trust my animal instincts. Finally, the beast within me knows nothing but sated relief.

We catch our breath on the forest floor, bathed in warm sunlight. Anders drapes his furs over both of us. Big, warm hands cradle my head with tenderness no hookup has ever shown me. Chest tightening, I fight to remind myself he’s only being nice because he wants my necklace, and I’m surprised by how much that hurts.

“Did I please you?” Anders asks, voice hoarse and satisfied.

I smile, curling my fingers in his wild mane of dark hair. “Yeah, puppy dog. You did.”

His indulgent smile makes my heart sing, and I know I made the right choice to end things after this. I always fall too easily, hope too quickly, dream too big.

Anders can never be mine, no matter how sweetly my wolf sings for him.

Chapter 6

Anders

Jamie’s face is thefirst thing I see when I open my eyes a little while later. The warmth of my furs keeps out the chill of the day, but nothing is warmer than Jamie’s body pressed so close to mine. His silver hair is tousled, his plush and slightly swollen lips parted while he sleeps. Gods above, but he is beautiful. The Norns chose wisely when they led me to him.

Then I see the necklace, and my pride curdles and dies in my chest.

So what if I fucked him? It’s not as if we mated, though my wolf came terribly close to biting him. If I’d done that, it would have been an unnecessary complication. Leaving would have been impossible. Now is my chance. I could take the necklace and run, right now. It would be so easy. Jamie wouldn’t even notice it was gone until he wakes. In only hours, I could be back in my timeline. I won’t have to worry about going berserk if I leave now, defeat my brother, and take a chosen mate once I am Alpha. All I have to do is take the damn necklace.

My fingers twitch, itching to reach out.

Mate,my wolf whines, and a surge of longing hits me.

No! I must not give in. I care nothing for this man. He was a pleasant distraction, I’ll admit. The gods brought us together so I could find his necklace, not because I have any feelings for him.

I trace the black rope around Jamie’s neck, then let my fingers close around the ash wood. I squeeze it so tight the symbol carved into the wood is surely embedded in my palm.

Why? Why can’t I steal it from him? What foul spell has this man cast upon me? I’ve always used others, always done whatever I could to come out on top. In this world, you kill or are killed. You use others, or you get used.

I must return home, and yet my wolf is pulling me in another direction. He wants us to stay here in this wretched place, here with Jamie. I can’t. My home is not here; it will never be here. Home is Ulfheim, and unless I return, I won’t have a home when my brother’s idiotic human mate betrays them all.

Jamie stirs beneath me, and I jerk my hand back like his necklace burned me. His ice-blue eyes should look cold, but they radiate warmth as he cracks a sleepy, pleased smile that obliterates every wall I’ve built around myself. Somehow, this man has enthralled me, body and soul. How will I find the strength to fight our bond if just one look in his eyes breaks down all my resolve?

“Hey, puppy dog.” Jamie’s gravelly voice makes my prick jerk in my trousers, threatening to fill.

“I’m not a puppy,” I growl at him, but it comes out petulant rather than pissed. I can’t even sound irritated by him. What is wrong with me?

A happy little hum escapes Jamie as he twines his fingers through my beard. “I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep. You really wore me out, big guy.” He winces and rubs his behind.

“Did I hurt you?” Why do I care? I’ve never cared for the satisfaction or well-being of any of the men or women I’ve taken to my bed before.

“Oh, you did, and I loved it.” Jamie sprawls out on his furs and stretches. Gods, the way he looks beneath me… tousled hair, dried seed on his belly and chest, slender cock soft and vulnerable between his plump thighs. I’ve never seen a more tempting sight. “But surprisingly, I feel okay.” He digs beneath him and chucks a rock into the trees. “Much better. Amazing, actually. Nothing hurts.”

“It shouldn’t. You’re a wolf now. You’ll heal most any injuries as long as they aren’t fatal.”

“I think I like being a wolf.” He scratches the back of his head. “So, uh… I’m not great at morning-after stuff.”

“Neither am I.”

“Really?”

“No. Usually, I just leave. But… it’s awfully hard to walk away when you still smell like my seed.”

Flushing, Jamie turns his face away. “I should really get going…”

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