Page 74 of Ravaged Wolf
“I mean, usually, I just start to get naked, and he knows the drill.”
I’m way ballsier than I’ve ever been, but I don’t think I could do that, and it probably wouldn’t work. Trevor would keep his eyes respectfully above my neck and ask me if I hear something behind the cabin.
Nia goes on. “But if he’s been pissed, or things have been really weird and he’s sulking, I’ll tug on his leash. That always works.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know. Give the bond a little yank.” She reaches out, curls her fingers around an imaginary bond, and jerks. All the way over by the poplar, Pritchard’s wolf startles, snuffling awake. He scans the clearing with his eyelids at half-mast and promptly conks back out. Avalon and Sara sleep through the whole thing.
“And then what?”
She grins. “I give him a little of this.” She leans so her bare shoulder pops out of her collar and bats her eyelashes. “Or a little of this.” She clicks her tongue ring between herteeth. “If all else fails, I keep tugging until he comes close enough that I can grab his dick.”
“I don’t think I could do that.”
Nia’s face turns serious. “Yeah. This is a delicate situation. I mean, I hate to suggest it, but have you tried asking for what you want? And being really specific? You know, like ‘I’m very horny. Please finger my pussy until I come.’”
I scrunch my eyes closed, my blush almost melting my face that’s already sweating from leaning over the fire. “If he said no, I’d spontaneously combust.”
“If he said no, I’d eat my hat.” Nia jumps to her feet and brushes off her butt. “My turn. Ready?”
“So ready.” My stirring arm is one huge knotted muscle. “In five?”
She gets into position beside me. “Five, four, three, two, one.”
I let go, and she takes the spoon’s handle. I don’t have the strength to lift it out of the boiled dragon’s tongue. Luckily, the reduction is so thick that the spoon stays stuck straight up.
Nia groans as she takes over. “What I won’t do for this pack.”
“If people use it judiciously, this batch should last at least a year.”
“People will most certainly not use it judiciously. We’re going to have to hide it somewhere in Cadoc and Rosie’s den.”
It’s a good plan. “Well, Avalon and Sara should be able to help you next time.”
Nia snorts. “Girl, you know that this is your job now.” Her brow creases. “Unless you aren’t staying. You’re staying, right?”
That’s the question. On the one hand, I’ve moved in with Trevor, and after he works all day on pack projects, hespends hours fixing the cabin up for us. I help how I can, mostly by holding things for him while I stand there mesmerized by his flexing back muscles. And biceps. And thighs. He’s got rugby player thighs, and when he squats, the seams of his jeans strain.
He doesn’t even notice me staring, he’s so concerned about whether things are level and plumb and flush and secure. He wants it to be perfect, but to me, it already is. There’s never any angry silence or simmering dread. Who cares about electrical and plumbing? My stomach doesn’t hurt when I walk in the door. I never want to leave.
But then, we haven’t talked it out yet. Our conversations can go to a really dark place, really quickly, so we both avoid any subject that might head in a serious direction. Mostly, we tease each other and make jokes so bad that Granddad shakes his head.
I know Trevor wants me to stay, and I think Rosie and Cadoc would be okay with it, but would Madog Collins?
It’s hard to remember most days, but I’m supposedly here on a diplomatic mission. How would Moon Lake react if yet another one of their people jumped ship as soon as they could, especially Howell Owens’s niece? No one understands better than me that mate bonds mean nothing when high-ranking males have an agenda.
I can’t ask Cadoc to go against his father for my sake. Besides, even if Madog was somehow okay with me staying, he’s weaker now that he’s back from his mysterious mission to Salt Mountain—physically and politically—and Alban Hughes’ followers haven’t gone anywhere, and they sure as hell haven’t had a change of heart.
Since the scavengers left, Dad is even louder about “the taint of the bog” and “reclaiming the greatness of Moon Lake.” For a while, after the Old Den split, Mom would hush him, but as time went on, people got bold again, and Momstarted talking like that in public, too. My parents would never just let their only offspring walk away to join a pack of scavengers. Not without one hell of a fight.
And after everything my parents did, can I ask Trevor to stand with me against them? Is that fair?
It’s a mess, too much of a mess. I have enough on my plate trying to bond with my mate. I can’t figure out how to navigate inter-pack politics on top of it.
I can’t say all that, though, so I say, “It’s complicated.”
“But you want to stay, right?”
