Page 21 of Marked By Feral Monsters
"We tried to find you, but you'd already left the club."
"But… I mean… was it okay?"
"Okay?" West asks, confused.
I recognize her hesitancy. I feel it in me, too.
I've always wondered if I could be enough for my mate. That one day I'd find her, but I'm big and brutish, and my pack mates share laughs and emotions so easily. They're easygoing and not plagued with indecision, with worry that I can't protect them. They'd be good mates for her.
I've never been sure I could be a good mate. But right now, watching her feign confidence, even though discomfort eases out of her pores—I know I can be.
I step forward. I tower over her, so she tilts her head up. Her heart-shaped face and small, pointed chin are the loveliest thing I've ever seen. "It looked as if their souls had been sucked out of their cocks. It was so good you made Arlo, the most taciturn ofour pack, shift and rage in effort to find you. Trust me, Lily. It was good."
She takes a deep breath, and on her exhale, it's as if I can see her worries leave her body. They are still there, I'm sure, but somehow, maybe with the magic that brought us together, it's as if she knows she can trust us to catch her.
I take another step closer. I can't help it, I reach my palm out. It's nearly as large as her waist. She swallows and closes her eyes briefly. She smells like warm apple pie. Autumn. My favorite season.
"How does this… I mean," she clears her throat, "how does this all fi—umm, work. How does it work?"
"Let us show you. We've got you. You can let go now, okay?"
She sucks in a shaky breath, but nods. I run my fingertips up the gentle curve of her natural waist, outlining the sides of her breasts then over her shoulders, along the edge of the fake fairy wings fixed to her back, then reach around her and pull them off. She sucks in a breath, a little knot forming between her brows.
"We like you just as you are, Lily." I don't know if she wears them to fit in with all these monsters, and they do make her look sexy, but I like my human mate's bare shoulders more.
Hands circling her waist, I let her stew in the tension before bringing my palms down her back, feeling the shape of her, teasing her spine, until I'm gripping her generous ass. She squeaks in surprise when I lift her up, holding her close to my body. Her legs spread, wrapped around my waist, her heat pressing into me. My cock is ready, but she isn't. I carry her over to the bed.
"I'm Knox."
She gives me a shy smile, and it's like a fist in my gut. I'm bowled over. I never get shy smiles. It's why I use the lower deck in the first place. I know what rejection feels like. Is this what Nico feels like all the time?
She doesn't reject me. I'm shaking as I set her down at the edge of the bed. Her legs are still spread, but she's not trying to be sexy. She's distracted by the five of us, and that's even better.
West kneels at her feet and introduces himself. Her smile grows bigger. And Arlo hangs back, but can't tear his eyes away when he quietly shares his name.
"You asked how this all works. We just want to get to know you. We want to spend time with you. Weres wait their entire lives to meet their mate. Some never do. Females are precious to us, females of any species. But to meet our mate is… it's everything. So I'll apologize in advance, we're going to be a little intense for a few days, until we get used to the idea and come to terms with the fact that you're real. And you're here." My voice hitches.
"Are you? Real?" Arlo whispers.
Lily bites her lip and smiles at Arlo. She's the sun through the parted clouds. Arlo's expression shines like she's gifted him the universe. "I'm real."
"Thank fuck." Nico breaks the tension, making her laugh. It's a little raspy and sends shivers down my spine. "Baby, can I taste you? It's only fair. You had my cock in your mouth, and I swear I saw God. I've been dying to taste you ever since. Please?"
"This can't be real life," she mutters under her breath, hiding her face in her hands. "You can't actually be begging to… to dothat."
"Oh, I'm going to do a lot more than that. But yes, I'm fucking begging you. Please let me bury my face between your legs."
She laughs, but she's still nervous. Unsure. Her knees are still spread, and I can smell her pussy in the air. I gather what little I know of Lily, then make a decision.
"Move over, Nico." I shove him, and he falls on his ass. "Our mate needs us to show her what being with a pack of werewolves means."
Lily
Nico, the most beautiful man I've ever seen, is on his knees between my legs, begging to lick my pussy. I should say yes. But what if he's only doing it because of the mate thing? Does he really want to?
Would he judge me for wanting it so badly, so quickly? We don't even know each other. Then again, our first encounter was me swallowing two of them down.
I'm spiraling when Knox shoves Nico out of the way. The man is a beast. He's big and kind of mean-looking. Even with his quiet smiles, he seems like he's scowling. But I'm okay with Bossy Knox. Because I'm paralyzed with indecision. I don't know what to say or what to do next.
