Page 65 of The Wolf's Surrogate

She sheathed my length in seconds, a magnificent feeling that sent my hands to her waist to pin her in place. While suckling her delicate nipple, I plowed into her with the same fervor she’d showed me when she clutched my head between her thighs. Sloppy smacks capped my thrusts, a sound that brought with it a symphony of moans from her.

My gut clenched through each pump, frustrating me as I held onto my load. I refused to burst until I got a few more out of her, easily accomplished when I focused on her most sensitive parts. With my tongue on her nipple and my thumb vibrating her clit, I felt her shudder through another orgasm.

I released her nipple long enough to see her face twist with pleasure. Her eyes disappeared as her mouth formed the perfect oval, a sweet pink tongue hiding inside that lured me in. I brushed my lips against her mouth, smiling as her responding moans inspired her hands to grab my shoulders.

Pain resonated through my upper back where she pierced me with her nails. I loved the desperation of her clutching me through her pleasure, each wave picking at another layer of my resolve. On her third eruption, I leaned back while holding her waist, pivoting her hips toward me so I could slam into her.

A few more smacks sent me back to her breasts where I hid as I came inside her. Each thrust slowed as I unloaded, stealing my energy and my ability to think. Mind numbed by pure pleasure, I slid out of her and fell to my side, rubbing my chest as the cool air in the room stung my lungs.

Just listening to the rain shower the roof lulled me into a peaceful state. I closed my eyes and nestled into her breast, groaning when I felt her nails massage my scalp.

“I’ll never hurt you again,” I promised. “Never again, Ani. I swear.”

Chapter 20 - Anita

Tinted windows were the only thing separating me from the house right now. I sat in the driver’s seat of Liam’s car with his keys in the ignition, tracing the wheel with my forefinger and thumb while trying to avoid a collision of emotions.

That sweet man had chased me down in the cornfields and brought me back to life. He listened to me. He took my feelings into consideration. He did things for me that weren’t a requirement at all. Yet he did them without asking for anything back.

How was it a man like him existed? It didn’t make sense.

Since he’d given me so much, I was afraid that my tab of favors would be too great at the end of everything. I had to balance things out with a gesture of my own, one that I had been cooking up for the past week.

My phone chirped. I checked the screen to see if things were still on.

I’ll be there in ten minutes, the text read.

I set my phone aside, popped the car into neutral, and eased quietly out of the driveway. Once I was far enough away from the porch, I hit the brakes, popped the car into park, and then started the car.

Back in my foster care days, I would sneak out at night and go for a joyride. I wouldn’t do anything wild. I just wanted to get some fresh air, cruise around the neighborhood, maybe grab a slushie from an all-night gas station with some change. That was how I’d learned the neutral trick—it kept the car quiet until I was away from the house so that I wouldn’t alert my foster parents.

Things like that had stuck with me through the years. I used that skill occasionally when I lived with a selfish boyfriend, taking his car out for a ride to just get away from the situation. Ihad done the same thing with Phil at some point. And now that I’d done it out of the context of my usual situation, I felt slimy.

I feltbad.

Liam had fallen asleep after we hooked up. I waited ten minutes to make sure he was truly out, then rummaged through his closet for clothes. I pulled on a pair of those gray joggers I loved seeing him wear, a baggy black t-shirt, and a large maroon hoodie. With my hair tucked into a beanie, I knew I would smell more like him than myself.

That was a more recently acquired trick. Shifters were prone to recognize each other by scent. I knew I could sneak past security by driving Liam’s car with the tinted windows, but I had to make itseemlike Liam was driving. Our combined smell would alert whoever was at the security post up front that we were going into town together.

As I cruised past the neighborhood houses with their porches spilling light all over their yards, I felt even worse. This place had become sacred to me. Nothing like it existed anywhere else. And it wasn’t just the fact that they were shifters. It was the fact that they were kind and welcoming without making any demands.

I thought about Kylie, Liam’s sister. I thought about how wonderful it felt to sit and talk with her. As a kid, I had always wanted real siblings. This was my chance to make that happen. So, I had to make sure that things didn’t spin out of control. I had to make Phil go away.

And I had to do it by myself.

Anyone else would start a fight. No offense to Liam or Fred, but those two would just make the situation volatile. Phil had to hear it directly from me that things were done for good. There was no chance of us getting back together. And if I got him to confess to the fire, then I could turn in the sound clip to the police and get him arrested for good.

My heart skipped a beat. I was afraid of what might happen, but I knew there wasn’t any way for the police to pin him unless they had solid evidence. Only one of us could truly get that out of him—and that person was me.

After taking all the correct turns, I pulled up to the security post, heart thudding as I peered into the office to see who was there. Jermaine lifted his head, waved, and then glanced back down at what he was doing. It seemed like he was texting. I stopped at the edge of the entrance, checked the road, and then turned left, panting anxiously as I got farther away from the pack.

That was close. Too close. I would probably piss Liam off with my grand escape, but he couldn’t be mad if I landed Phil in jail for good. Maybe he would even see it as brave and daring.

I could only hope at this point.

***

Downtown Beaufort wasn’t as alive as I thought it would be. Small groups of tourists milled on the sidewalks outside of dive bars. Lights leftover from the holidays illuminated the thick trees. Shops were shut down for the night, most of them leaving neon signs up in the windows.

---