Chapter Nine
Marissa ran between the trees, zigzagging and crossing her scent so it would be hard to tell which way she ran. The wolf chasing her was so close she could practically feel his warm breath on her. She jumped over a fallen log and changed directions, heading to the creek.
She hadn’t wanted to go back to that place after the events from the day before but Gage had insisted that they returned. He didn’t want any area on the property that she was afraid or uncomfortable in. So, after breakfast in their room, they’d decided to play a game to try to wipe away Brandon’s attack.
When the water came into view, she used the last of her energy and raced toward it. If she could beat Gage there in her human form that would give her some bragging rights—even if he had given her a ten minute start.
Before reaching it, she was knocked to the ground when the wolf’s large bulk hit her. Marissa rolled as she fell and ended up on her back. Her breath came out in pants from the long, hard run.
The wolf stood over her, licking her face.
“Stop, Gage. Stop!” She pushed him away, laughing.
He gave a fake growl and settled down next to her. It was a comfort to have him right beside her. She was glad she’d agreed to come out this morning. The cool morning breeze blew across her heated body while she closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet air.
Marissa hoped they would have more times like this. She knew that Gage was extremely busy but had been putting all of his business on hold for her. She couldn’t let that continue. He needed to take care of his Pack while she settled in.
After Gage’s father had been called to collect Brandon, Steve and the other wolves, Marissa had retired to her new bedroom and let Gage handle the details. It was still hard for her to think about Brandon’s attack.
Would he really have killed her? She wanted to believe that he wouldn’t have but Marissa wasn’t so sure. Even as he’d been dragged away Brandon had been claiming her as his own.
It was creepy and terrifying but Gage had slipped his arm around her waist and held her tight.
Now the Council was sending representatives and Brandon’s dad had been called. In addition to Gage needing to get back to his Pack, they also had to prepare for the trials that would be coming up.
Luckily shifter justice worked a whole lot faster than the American system. By the end of the week a decision would be made about Brandon and the others. Gage was still upset that one of his own guards had sold them out. Logan had questioned the guard and found out that for a thousand dollars he’d let Brandon inside the property.
Marissa was glad that it hadn’t been Gage who’d gotten that information. By the amount of cursing and items broken in Gage’s office, it was easy to see that the Alpha hadn’t taken that news well at all.
Gage licked her arm and she opened her eyes to peer over at him.
“You are so beautiful like this,” she said. The day before she had been so worried that he was going to kill Brandon that she’d forgotten to tell him.
It was unusual for her to be able to appreciate anyone in their shifted form. She was normally so filled with jealousy that she couldn’t even stand to be around anyone shifted, not even her own sister. But Gage had changed that for her. She could now begin to accept her shortcomings and try to make a better future for her and Gage.
She hadn’t even told him thank you. “Change back,” she ordered, ready for some of the human fun they had come out here for. Her body already tingled with need for her mate.
Gage dipped his head before he began his transformation. It was a sight to watch. How his body contorted and his human skin replaced the fur. It was quick and painless when Gage did it. She always wondered, though, how it would be for her.
Once in human form, he collapsed on top of her, his erection digging into her hip. She giggled and rubbed along him. This should be fun.
“Is my little wolf hungry?” he asked, raising his body just a fraction from her.
Marissa grasped the base of his cock and stroked him. “Always. Always hungry for you,” she admitted. It was nice to have someone who wanted her just as much as she craved him. She tightened her hold as she pumped him faster.
He thrust against her hand then pulled away from her.
Marissa pouted at him. “I was just starting to have fun.”
“It’s my turn, though,” he said before he slammed his mouth over hers and pushed his tongue inside. He covered his body with hers once again but this time he used his knees to push her thighs apart.
Marissa sucked on his tongue, drawing out a moan from him. She moved her hands down his back until she could grip his ass tightly. He bucked against her then lifted his head.
“I’m already naked,” he said. “But you seem to be wearing way too many clothes.”
She laughed and wiggled while she helped him remove all of her garments.
Once she was naked with him kneeling between her legs, she reached up and cupped his face. “Remember the last time we did this outside?”
“Oh yeah.” He gripped the base of his cock and stroked. “Every detail.”
“Are we going to be interrupted again?” she asked as she placed her palm over his.
Gage laughed. “I’m pretty sure Logan knows that I’ll hurt him if he pulls a stunt like that. Or allows anyone else close.”
“Good,” Marissa said when she lay back. This time she didn’t need help to open her legs. She spread her thighs wide, allowing him to see every intimate part of her. She raised her hands to her breasts and began to knead. “Take me, mate me.”
With hands shaking, he pushed her knees up to her chest and positioned himself at her entrance. Gage leaned forward to run his tongue over her bottom lip then plunged it inside, swallowing her cry.
His cock slid in and out of her and Marissa tightened her inner muscles to try to keep him inside. Gage went wild. He was panting and grunting as he plunged inside over and over.
Marissa dug her heels into the soil while lifting her hips to rock into each thrust. She moved her hands from her body to press against his chest. His heart was pounding and sweat was beginning to slick his body.
With another rough slam of his body, Marissa closed her eyes and arched. Perfect, oh that was it. “Gage!” she cried out and climaxed.
“Not done,” he said before he rocked his hips even faster.
“Uh!” she screamed when he rode her through her orgasm and continued to plunge deep. Her clit was tingling and her breasts were full. If Gage kept up this pace she was going to come again.
“More? Can you take it?” he asked while slowing down.
“Don’t stop!” she demanded. “Don’t you dare!”
“God, I love you,” he told her then reared and started to slam back, regaining his frantic pace.
Her entire body was being rocked by his movements and she had to lower her hands to the ground to try to find a way to hold on.
“Almost there,” he cried.
Marissa bit her bottom lip, raised her hips and allowed him to really pound her.
Gage’s head fell forward as he growled, then he was coming. The warmth from his seed was just enough to send her over the edge into a second orgasm. He shook until he was done filling her with his essence.
“I love you too,” she managed to get out.
Gage laughed. “What a pair the two of us make.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “We’re perfect together.”
The silence around them was peaceful, and Marissa wondered how long they could stay like that. Wouldn’t it be nice to just hide from the world wrapped up in her mate’s arms?
“We’ve been gone a long time,” Gage said. “We should probably think about getting in.”
Well, there went that fantasy. Marissa nodded although she made no move to get up. Gage chuckled, nuzzling her neck.
“I don’t want to either but I have to check in with Logan. Hopefully the Council will arrive soon and then we can put this behind us,” he said.
“Then what?” she asked, still unsure about her future in the Pack.
“I would like to collect your things from California and get you moved in here officially,” Gage answered quietly.
She turned her head. He was sitting up peering down at her.
“I know it’s a big change for you. I’ll be with you the entire time but I want to start our life together,” Gage said.
So did she. “I know. I do need some more clothes,” she teased.
“Well, let’s not go crazy,” he laughed. “I like you this way.”
“Speaking of being naked, are you going to walk back to the house like that?” she asked.
Gage grinned then winked. “Come on.”
It was a good thing that the Pack stashed clothes all over the property for when they shifted. Gage would have hated to ask Marissa to carry something for him to change into. Not that he minded walking around without clothes, but with the amount of Pack that were coming and going while cleaning up from the party the previous night, he really didn’t want to just stroll up to his house completely bared.
Plus, his dad was probably back and that just wasn’t a moment he wanted with his father. While still hidden by the trees, he stopped and grabbed a backpack full of clothes. As he dressed he kept his eyes on Marissa.
She seemed to be dealing with the attack yesterday pretty well and that worried him. Shouldn’t she be freaking out or refusing to go to the creek? Instead, it had barely taken him anything to get her to agree. He wanted to replace the memories of Brandon with good ones but now Gage was uncertain if he’d been right.
After pulling on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, Gage tugged Marissa close. “You doing okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she agreed quickly. Maybe too quickly?
Gage wasn’t buying it. He stepped in front of her when she went to walk by him. Marissa paused before she glanced up at him.
“Talk to me,” he pleaded.
She blew out a long breath. “I don’t know what to say,” she said.
Gage nodded to encourage her to talk.
“I thought he was going to take me, and I thought I was going to die.”
“Oh, baby.” He reached for her.
“No.” She shook her head. “Wait.”
Gage dropped his hand back down to his side.
Marissa turned and paced away then back. “I cared.”
He didn’t get it. “Cared?” he asked.
“I didn’t want to die!” she exclaimed.
Well, he hoped not. “Okay?”
“You don’t understand,” she accused.
He really couldn’t argue that point. “Then explain it to me.”
She huffed. “I didn’t want to die but before I met you I…” She shrugged.
Ah, he got it now. Gage wouldn’t let her push him away this time. He grabbed her shoulder and yanked her to him. As he dipped his head she appeared confused. He didn’t mind that at all. He kissed her deeply, hoping to show her just how important she was to him.
Once Marissa was thrusting her tongue against his and moving slower, Gage drew back. Her cheeks were flushed and even if they’d just made love he knew he could have her again. That wasn’t the point he was trying to make, though.
“Before you met me you were alone and thought no one would miss you,” he said for her.
“I had Elizabeth but—”
“But she has her own life. She would have been heartbroken but still you knew she’d eventually get over the loss of you,” he finished.
“Yeah,” Marissa told him.
“Now you know that I couldn’t live without you,” Gage spoke sternly. “I need you in my life like no one else ever has.”
“I still think you’re making a mistake with me,” Marissa said.
Gage snorted. “You’re a smart woman but sometimes you say the stupidest things.”
Marissa narrowed her eyes.
“You’re it for me,” Gage said. “If Brandon had taken you, hurt you more than he did, I would have destroyed him and his entire Pack.”
He liked it when she shivered. It was time that he showed her the Alpha side of him. So far that had been limited to bed but Marissa was now mated to an Alpha. She was part of the inner circle.
“I don’t know how to respond when you say things like that,” she admitted.
“You don’t have to say a thing,” he assured her. “But I’m an Alpha and you’re my mate. This is our life. You are more important to me than anything else. The days of you being alone and only having to worry about yourself are over.”
Marissa stared at him for several seconds then finally nodded. Gage smiled. It felt like they’d made progress in their relationship.
“Now, let’s get back to the house,” he said as he took her hand in his. “If we’re gone too long Logan will probably send out a search party.”
“You just said that he wouldn’t let anyone near us,” she pointed out. “You know, when we were…” She waved her hand around.
Gage smirked. “I did say that, didn’t I?”
She swatted his arm with her free hand and giggled. “You’re so bad.”
He loved the sound of her being happy. It was his job to make sure that she was always safe and happy. Gage took his responsibilities seriously so he knew he wouldn’t fail her again.
As they strolled out of the woods, Gage could see that Logan, his father and another man were sitting out on the back porch. He grinned. It looked like Marissa was going to get to meet his friend Cain sooner than he’d thought.
“Who’s that?” she asked. Her eyes were narrowed like she was straining to see.
“How far does your sight go?” he questioned. He really needed to learn more about the non-shifter part of her.
She glanced over at him. “What?”
“Your eyesight,” he repeated. “How good is it?”
“Oh,” she said. “Better than a full human’s but not as good as yours.”
“Sense of smell?” he asked.
“What is this, twenty questions?” she asked, frowning.
He squeezed her hand. “I want to know everything about you,” he told her.
“That’s…um…” She was beautiful when she was caught off guard. “Okay.”
“So?” he pressed when she didn’t answer his question.
“Scent is my strongest feature,” she said. “It’s still not as good as a full shifter but nowhere near as bad as a human.”
“You are a full shifter,” he said. That kind of thinking was the first that needed to go.
“One that can’t shift,” she said with bitterness.
“You can’t transform into your wolf but you told me before that you still feel the animal,” he said.
“Yes,” she said.
“So you are a shifter,” he told her. “You need to get used to thinking that way.”
Marissa didn’t respond but he’d give her time. They’d almost reached the men on the porch. Cain was the first to stand then Logan and his father.
“Hey, man,” Gage greeted his old friend. “I’m grateful you could make it.” He had to release Marissa’s hand as Cain lifted him in a bone-crushing hug.
“Of course,” Cain replied. He dropped Gage back down before he turned to Marissa.
Cain dipped his head in a sign of respect. “You must be Marissa. Gage is already talking about nothing but you.”
Marissa appeared shocked by Cain’s respectful greeting but she recovered well. “I would like to thank you for coming as well. It’s nice to meet you.” She held out her hand and they shook.
Gage looked on, delighted. She had handled the meeting perfectly as an Alpha mate.
“To threaten an Alpha’s mate is unacceptable,” Cain stated firmly. “I am more than happy to be here. No one else will come after you.”
“Perfectly said,” Gage’s father commented. “We were just sharing some coffee as we discussed the recent events. Join us?”
It hadn’t really been a request so Gage placed his hand on Marissa’s lower back and led her over to the wicker furniture. He chose the small bench that would allow them to sit together.
Marissa sat first and even though he’d settled next to her she still shifted closer. Gage held in his smile but did wrap his arm around her shoulder. Just then Hannah came out through the sliding glass door carrying two mugs.
He went to stand to take them from her but she tsked him.
“You sit there next to your mate and let me serve you,” Hannah demanded.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a dip of his head. He might be an Alpha but he made sure that he always showed respect to his elders. There weren’t many wolf shifters that were as powerful as he. His father, of course, and Cain’s, but very few could challenge Gage. Still, he expected his entire Pack to protect and care for their aging members.
Hannah smiled then set the mugs on the small table beside Gage. “Now, I have some homemade muffins in the oven so you drink these while I tend to them.”
“Oh, you don’t have to go to so much trouble,” Marissa said. “We ate breakfast earlier.”
“Don’t you worry about it,” Hannah said kindly. “It makes me feel good to be able to cook for you all. Just eat what you’re hungry for.” She winked. “I’m sure these boys can finish the rest.”
Gage and Cain chuckled.
“Well, thank you,” Marissa said. “I haven’t had anything homemade in what seems like forever.”
“It’s about time we changed that,” Hannah said with a pat to Marissa’s arm.
As Hannah left them, Gage passed Marissa her cup of coffee. Marissa breathed in the scent before taking a small sip. He watched her, enjoying the sight. He didn’t think he’d ever tire of seeing her do such mundane things.
Cain cleared his throat, drawing Gage’s attention. He refused to be embarrassed getting caught admiring his mate.
“Any news?” Gage asked.
“Brandon’s father arrived along with a couple of lawyers in tow,” Gage’s father said. “I believe that they met with Brandon this morning.”
“He’s still in jail, though?” Gage questioned.
His dad nodded. “We’re lucky that the sheriff is mated to a shifter and is allowing us to use the cells there. We might need to think about having some place here that we can use in the future, though. Sheriff Thomas is thinking about retiring.”
Gage nodded in agreement. He was lucky that his Pack was located away from any large cities. He was inside the Ector county territory but the number of residents was under ten thousand. Plus, most of the human residents were either mated or related to a shifter by marriage. The few that did not have any connection to the Pack didn’t have a clue about them.
The small number of residents had a lot of property. This was oil field territory and the ranches were spread far and wide. If Gage didn’t keep tabs on those that lived around his property he might never meet them.
But he was a careful Alpha and not only did he know all his neighbors but the residents of the three closest cities as well.
His father was right, though. Sheriff Thomas was in his sixties with a dozen grandchildren that would love to spend more time with him. If another friend of the Pack wasn’t elected to take over when the Sheriff left they might have issues.
Gage liked using the small jail because it was on the other side of the county from his property. There was no way that he would allow Brandon anywhere near Marissa. So building a holding area inside the property would need more thought.
“We need to prepare for the Council representatives coming to town,” his father said.
“We can accommodate them,” Gage assured him. “There are plenty of homes.”
“No.” His father shook his head. “They won’t stay near you or Brandon’s Pack. I think it will be best if they stay in town. That way no one can accuse us of tampering with the judges.”
“They’d be stupid to accuse the Council of wrongdoing,” Cain stated.
Gage agreed.
“I think they’ve already proven that they are,” his father responded.
“I’ll call the Twin Bear bed and breakfast. There are only five rooms so it’s small and run by humans,” Logan said.
“Twin bears?” Cain asked.
Logan smiled. “The owners are brothers that believe their spirit animals are bears. They’re good guys and completely harmless. Just eccentric.”
“Sounds like my kind of place,” Cain said, laughing.
“How many Council members are coming?” Gage asked.
“Three plus their guards. If we can get all of the rooms that should be plenty,” his father answered.
“It’s the slow season so I don’t see a problem but I’ll call right away,” Logan said, standing. He pulled his phone from his pocket and stepped a few feet away.
Gage met Cain’s gaze. “This is going to be a fucking mess.”
Cain nodded. “This is an extremely important charge. We’ve always taken for granted that an Alpha wouldn’t go into another’s Pack and commit a crime like this. Even challenges from Packs and territories have to be approved by the Council. A lot of Alphas are going to pay close attention to what happens here. My father being one.”
“There’s a reason that we’ve been able to remain hidden for so long,” his father added. “What Brandon did put all of us and our laws in danger. I don’t see his punishment not being severe.”
Gage glanced over at Marissa to check how she was handling the conversation. She had a tight grip on her mug but her hands were still shaking. She looked up at him.
“This is all my fault,” she said.
Gage growled but it was Cain who spoke up. “That’s bullshit. From what I’ve heard your birth Pack has done everything wrong with you from the beginning.”
Marissa gasped.
“No one, shifter, non-shifter, or human would have ever been treated the way you were,” Cain said. “You should have been protected and embraced by the Pack.”
She darted her gaze in Gage’s direction before she looked back at Cain. “Have you ever met another non-shifter?” she asked quietly.
“Yes,” Cain told her. “Not in my Pack but we’re close to another who has two non-shifters. An elderly man and a pre-teen female. They are treated just like everyone else.”
Marissa shook her head while cuddling closer to Gage. “I thought you were the only one who would accept me,” she said to him. “I figured you and your Pack were unique.”
“I know,” Gage said. He was glad that she could see that what had happened to her was wrong. It was about time she accepted that the Pack she had been raised in was plain and simply evil.
“I have also met a couple of non-shifters,” his dad said. “They haven’t had easy lives but none have been mistreated like you. Would you like to meet them someday?”
She bit her lip as she considered the offer. “I think so.”
Hannah opened the door carrying out a plate of fresh and hot muffins. Since Gage had shifted earlier he’d burned off his breakfast and was starving. Hannah set the platter down along with some smaller plates.
“Now I expect you all to eat these up,” she said. “I have some more in the oven. We’ll have a lot of visitors so you need to keep your energy up.”
They all nodded and she smiled before she returned to the kitchen.
“God, I love coming here,” Cain said as he leaned forward and picked up one of the hot blueberry muffins. “Hannah is such an awesome cook.”
“It’s one of the things I miss,” his dad agreed.
Gage exchanged an amused look with Marissa while placing one of the muffins on a plate before passing it to her. Then he filled his own plate with two. As he bit into the moist food he moaned. The blueberry flavor burst on his tongue and was wonderful.
Cain and his father were also chowing down while Marissa remained picking at hers.
Gage nudged her arm. “You’d better at least eat one or you’ll hurt Hannah’s feelings.”
Marissa nodded then took a bite.
Good. Gage thought that Marissa could gain a few more pounds. She was beautiful but he also wanted her healthy.
Not having someone take care of her had resulted in her being on the thin side. Even though he knew he couldn’t right all the wrongs in her life he wanted to try.
After she’d taken the first bite, eating seemed to come easier to her. She even asked for a second.
Pleased, Gage enjoyed his own snack.