Page 45 of Pack Rage
Chapter 21
A Better Mark
FINNICK
My wolf howled inside as Flor’s words sank in, and I closed my eyes, unable to maintain her gaze. Not from shame this time, though. From gratitude.
She’d forgiven me for hurting her; I could feel it inside our new bond.
No, the bond wasn’t new. But somehow, it had changed. The fraying thread that I’d tried to keep safe, that my wolf had hidden deep down after I’d chosen to save my sister instead of protecting my mate, was a solid cord of acceptance. Now, a steel cable connected us, one that could never be broken. It glowed like a beacon inside me, leading to her wolf, a shining, reddish-black creature who greeted mine with gentle nips and nuzzles in my mind. I gasped aloud when I realized how much more she had done than accept me.
She’d remade the bond between us somehow, and changed me and my wolf as well. I’d grown stronger when I bonded with Grigor, and I felt him rejoicing in the part of her that was connected to him, though his joy tasted of frustration and anger.But my spirit wolf had been a starved beast since I’d betrayed her.
Now, with this new mark, with Flor’s forgiveness, he stood tall, threw back his head, and howled.The sound rang in the cell, and I shook myself. Flor grabbed my snout, running her fingers through my fur, and giggling as she shushed me.
My snout?I wriggled, shucking off the bloodstained suit and nudging the shoes aside with my claws. When had I changed?
Not important, my wolf thought, as he licked her face.Mate. Mate!
Flor laughed even louder at his antics. “I didn’t mean a kiss from your wolf, Cityboy. Stop licking me!”
With some difficulty, I wrestled control back from my wolf and did as she asked, my tongue lolling out as she scratched my ruff. I wasn’t sure how I’d shifted so quickly. It had been as fast as stepping through an open door, and just as easy.
“Hey, lemme see that,” Flor muttered, and grabbed my tongue. “Huh. Didn’t know two mate marks on one shifter was a thing. You learn somethin’ new every damn day.” I made a garbled squeaking sound as she inspected the mark on my tongue with her small fingers, and giggled again.
That sound floated deep into my cynical heart, like a windblown seed, and I felt a deep resolve as it cracked open, my soul shifting to make room for a new purpose. Her happiness was everything. I would spend every day of my life from now on—not trying to earn her forgiveness, because I already had that. But trying to bring that smile to her face, that sound to her lips.
I would fill her life with so much joy, it would blot out everything that had come before. She’d changed me, and I would show her how much, and worship her in every way I could, from now on.
“Change back,” she whispered from where she sat beside me. “We probably need to talk.” I was in human form in less than asecond, my head spinning. “Wow! That’s faster than Brand. And you made sparkles.”
“Sparkles?” I reached for her hand, needing her touch.
Her amber eyes almost glowed. “Like magic, when you shifted. Little sparks came flying off your fur.”
“Hmm. Strange,” I murmured, not sure if I should be worried about it.
“I thought it was kinda sexy.” She wiggled her eyebrows and peeked down at my body, an adorable blush dusting her cheeks.
By the moon, she was perfect. How had I ever thought anything else? Her hair had grown longer, and she’d put on weight, giving her limbs a hint of softness. When she leaned forward, the white maid’s shirt she had on gaped open, tempting me to peek down to see if her breasts had changed.
I forced my eyes up like a gentleman, clearing my throat. “So, about that kiss.”
“Yeah, we’d better get that out of the way,” she teased.
“Brat,” I admonished, grabbing her and pulling her back onto my lap. My cock stirred as she threaded her arms around me, closing her eyes halfway and licking her lips. I started with a gentle kiss, exploring her mouth.
At Northern, we’d had an audience to our disastrous first kiss. This time, no one was watching, though her mother was snoring softly on the couch across the room. There was no rush. I ran my hands through her hair, tugging at the ends gently so that she opened her mouth to mine. She moaned slightly as her head fell back, and I circled her throat lightly with my free hand, holding her in place while I delved into her mouth with my tongue, learning her tastes and sounds, paying attention to every movement, every shift. She liked it when I tightened my grip on her throat slightly, and my cock went hard as iron. I dropped my fingers to one breast, pinching her nipple gently through the fabric, but she covered my hand and forced me to pinch harder.
Her own hands explored my naked body, squeezing my biceps, moving down to trace the ridges of my abdomen, and landing on my cock, giving it an experimental squeeze. “Think we have time to see if this thing’ll make sparkles, too?”
She really was a brat, and I was going to enjoy using every technique I knew to bring her to climax again and again… if she behaved.
I sighed into her mouth as she writhed on my lap. “Oh, Wills, you’re going to be so much fun to play with. But not yet. We need to talk.”
“I’d rather kiss. You’re really good at it.” She groaned as I lifted her up, moving her away from my cock, though it was the last thing I wanted to do. “But questions first.”
She hopped up to check on her mom, and I stood as well, feeling strength pour through me. I sniffed the air, then stood and crossed to a stack of folded clothing in the corner, slipping into the first thing I found, a pair of dark gray briefs. Someone was coming.
