Chapter Three

Casey led the way back up into the canyon. Dawson and Gray walked side by side, with the two wolves bringing up the rear. Gray didn’t like strange wolves at his back and he stayed on alert. He needed to know what was going on. They obviously knew who he was.

The path was well hidden. He and Dawson probably would have found it but only in shifted form and by scent. Casey called out as they approached a cave entrance. A small but sturdy man edged out.

Dawson and Gray both took fighting stances and prepared to shift. It was going to suck if he had to go through another transformation, but Gray would be prepared.

“Stop.” The power behind that voice had everyone freezing. “We are not enemies.”

Gray gasped when the person belonging to the voice walked out of the darkness. After months of searching, he now stood face to face with Prince Zachary, the leader of the felines.

“Fuck,” Dawson muttered.

“What the hell!” Gray said. He had been away from home for months in hopes that they would be able to rescue the Prince and stop a war between the two species and now the damn Prince actually stepped out of a cave of his own free will? Maybe I won’t be stopping a war after all. I might just be the one to fucking start one. He found himself growling and couldn’t have cared less whether or not the Prince was offended.

“Grayson.” Prince Zachary bowed his head in respect. That actually took some of Gray’s anger away. The Prince held a bundle of cloth and when he started tossing them around to the naked shifters Gray realized they were sweatpants. Even he and Dawson were thrown a pair.

Thankful for the covering, Gray quickly tugged on the worn cotton.

“We have much to speak about. Please come sit with us,” Zachary requested.

Gray’s feet started to move before he had even realized it. It was a shock just how much command the Prince had. He felt a little better with Dawson at his back. The Prince motioned them to the pallets of bedding on the cave floor. Gray sat warily and noted the Prince eyeing Dawson. “Dawson Williams.” He held out a hand.

Dawson looked uncomfortable but grasped the Prince’s hand. He let out a small unmanly squeak when he was pulled into the arms of the Prince.

“I have wanted to meet you for so long. Your brother has told me stories of this canyon and your family for many years. Forgive me, but I feel like I already know you.”

Dawson cut his gaze to his brother. Casey shifted a little on his feet. It was interesting, this family dynamic, but Gray was getting impatient. He wanted to know what was going on and he wanted to know why. Prince Zachary released Dawson, who sat down quickly next to Gray. Gray gripped his shoulder to show support while the others nodded. Dawson nodded back in thanks.

“Before you is RJ Cross, Mike Jackson”—he motioned to the two wolves—“and Craig Grimes.” He waved his hand at the small feline shifter, who was still eyeing them.

“Also let me convey my great appreciation to the Wolf Council for everything they have done for me and my people over the last few months,” Prince Zachary started.

Gray bit back mentioning just how much they had done and that finding the Prince just fine and not being held captive pissed him off.

“Until last week, I had been imprisoned by a few of my trusted advisors,” Prince Zachary told them. “They would discuss the wolves’ involvement in the search. They even had pictures of all of you. That was how I knew who you were.”

“We were tracking Zach also and almost ran into one of your other teams. It seemed like we were getting much of the same information,” Casey added.

“If you were going after the Prince, why didn’t you let the team you saw know? Don’t you think that would have helped with the search instead of everyone covering the same ground?” Dawson questioned. Seemed he was having a hard time keeping the bitterness out of his voice.

Casey shook his head. “We didn’t know who to trust. We kept getting close, but they’d pull out and move before we got there. Someone trickling in the Intel is involved.”

Gray could understand that—he really could—but that didn’t help him feel less frustrated. “So instead of letting us know you had the Prince safe, you continued to run and lead us here?”

“We weren’t trying to draw you in. When we went in for Zach, there were only a few guards. We want everyone responsible.”

“Okay.” Gray agreed with that strategy. “Why tell us now?”

“You’re good,” Casey complimented. “And I know I can trust Dawson.”

Dawson snorted. “You don’t know anything about me, Case. You left. We haven’t heard from you in years.”

Casey frowned and scooted closer to his brother. “I’ve kept an eye on you and Beth as best I could. My unit does a lot of work out of the country, and the rest of the time we protect Zach. I had people watching.”

“Oh, that makes me feel so much better,” Dawson drawled bitterly. “You’ve had people spying on me.”

Casey tried to respond, but the Prince cut him off. “It’s one of the reasons we’re here. Anyone who knows I’ve been rescued will have no doubt your brother was involved. He wanted to make sure you, Beth and your son were safe—that they didn’t try to get me through you.”

“Why would anyone come after us?” Dawson asked suspiciously. “None of this is making any sense.”

Casey linked his fingers with the Prince’s. “Because we’re mates.”

Gray knew he was staring but he couldn’t help it. Dawson’s brother is mated with the feline Prince? He hadn’t seen that one coming. As far as the Alpha Council knew, the Prince had no mate on file.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Dawson jumped to his feet.

Casey rose and crossed his arms over his chest. “He’s my mate.”

Dawson shook his head and looked over at Gray. “This is nuts.”

Gray climbed up. “Makes sense, though.” He glanced over at Casey. “That’s why you kept getting close. You could feel him through your bond.”

Casey nodded. “I was on a mission when he was taken. Only a few people knew that we”—he waved indicating the group around him—“weren’t in the residence. I knew it had to be someone we trusted behind the kidnapping.”

“Who was it?”

It was the Prince who answered. “My cousin Raphael. He was one of my advisors.”

“Dawson, come on, man. We need to hear the rest of this.” Gray tugged Dawson back to sitting down. He noticed that when Casey sat, it was closer to the Prince.

“I mean no disrespect to you, Prince Zachary, but this is just a lot to take in. If you’re mated to Casey, that means my sister and son really are in danger.”

“They are being protected. I have an old major who used to be in the unit looking out for them,” Casey assured his brother. “He has been for a while now.”

“What? Who?”

Casey smiled. “Claude.”

“From the inn?” Gray had to ask. He’d felt the power and strength from the man. “He’s not a wolf or a feline.” He glanced at Dawson for confirmation.

The tattooed wolf, who had until then remained quiet, chuckled. Gray glared at him. He already didn’t like the guy and didn’t appreciate whatever the asshole found amusing.

“Hey, it’s okay, man. I never could figure it out. Finally, right before our last tour together, I asked him.”

“Well…?” Gray prompted when the man didn’t continue. He found that both he and Dawson were leaning forward.

RJ smiled in return.

“RJ!” Casey snapped.

The wolf RJ laughed again. “He’s a hawk shifter.”

“Hawk, like a bird?” Dawson scoffed. “No way.”

RJ nodded. “I swear.”

“Huh, that’s interesting,” Dawson noted but waved a hand at his brother. “But it’s still beside the point. You put your family in danger. It might not matter to you, but I do have Beth and Julian to protect, whether you sent someone to watch over them or not.”

“I care. I’ve always cared,” Casey told him quietly.

Dawson obviously wasn’t buying it.

“If I followed your trail here, what’s to say the others won’t? Why not just come out in the open and tell everyone what happened?” Gray questioned, trying to get them back on track. Maybe it was a good thing he’d never had any siblings.

“You were closer to finding Zach than anyone else. We left the maps, hoping someone on our side would pick up on them. But we didn’t want it to be so obvious. Just didn’t think you’d be so damn quick,” Casey told them.

“We’ve been keeping watch. We think the cats will come in through the canyon,” RJ added.

“That means they have to go through the tourists and park rangers.” Dawson shook his head. “That would be stupid.”

“The alternative is going through Coyote Bluff where you are. And if they’re following the wolves, they know Grayson is there, too,” Prince Zachary reasoned.

Gray thought about it. They really were right. Anyone going back after the Prince would fare better traveling through humans than an entire town of shifters. “What’s the plan? I’m assuming you have one and want our help?”

The smaller man that had been guarding the Prince grinned. “Lie in wait.”

“That’s it?” Dawson practically yelled. “That’s your great plan?”

“This is the best military unit in the world. Every one of us is a shifter and specializes in some kind of warfare. I’m pretty sure we can take care of a few untrained cats,” RJ snapped.

All the felines around the cave growled.

“You know what I mean!” RJ insisted, but he leaned away from them all.

“An entire unit of shifters?” Gray asked, curious. “Was that done on purpose?”

The men all shared a meaningful glance before Casey answered, “Yes. You know the Alpha Council and the Prince’s advisors have spoken to government officials about the shifters going public?”

Gray and Dawson nodded.

“They had to have found out about us some way. Shifters have been serving in the military for hundreds of years. It doesn’t take much brainpower to figure out some of us are harder to kill.”

“Yeah, but…” Gray had a thousand questions. He wondered if his Alpha or their friends knew.

“There were many bad years back fifty years or so. Shifter soldiers were taken and experimented on. Zach’s family was a huge part of stopping that,” Casey told them proudly. “Instead, the royal family worked out a deal with the government. The shifters would continue to join the military, with the government guaranteeing their identities would remain secret. They would be able to take on missions that were not safe for the regular humans. Ones that were guaranteed to kill humans, the shifters could take and survive. The government recruited specific species with the approval of the royal family.”

Gray sat in shocked silence, trying to take it all in. “If they already know all about us, then why are we even planning on going public?” Gray questioned.

“While the governments, here and in many other countries, are aware of our existence, that does not protect shifters from those who don’t know about us. We can have laws to control hunting, but I still lose thousands of my species a year. In some states, if you see a cougar or even a bobcat, it’s lawful to shoot right away. There must be something done about this. I’m losing too many children all too often,” Prince Zachary informed him.

Gray nodded. It was the same thing Tony had always told him. But there were some missing pieces of this story. Tony had planned on approaching the Prince in the hope that Zachary would join their mission. According to the Prince, he was already known to many government officials. The lack of communication between species was a pain in the ass.

“So if you’re already involved with the government and okay with being out to the public, why did your cousin kidnap you?” Dawson wondered.

“When this all comes out, there is a good chance that the military missions will also be exposed. The credit to end the torture of the shifters will go to the royal family,” Prince Zachary informed them. “My cousin wants that credit.”

“You don’t?” Dawson asked with a raised brow in disbelief.

“No.” The Prince stroked a hand down Casey’s back. “I would prefer to keep the military missions a secret. To protect the ones I love.”

Dawson looked away from the Prince and his brother, but Gray thought it was kind of nice. Man or woman, a mate was a mate. Wolves mated for life, so it was very sacred for them. He knew not all felines did the same, but he could almost feel it in his bones that Prince Zachary and Casey would be together for life. He’d love to hear their story someday. Hopefully relaxing with a cold beer and not hidden in a hot and stuffy cave.

“What can we do to help? I’m sorry, but I do need to tell my Alpha and the other teams to stop searching. They’re away from their Pack and families. It is starting to take a toll on everyone.”

“I understand, but I have to ask you to tell only your Alpha for now, if you’re sure you can trust him,” Prince Zachary requested. “I believe he can be trusted, but my cousin is working with some wolves. The only way to ensure we capture everyone involved this time is by keeping our plans just between us.”

Gray nodded. “I can do that. As long as I can speak with Tyler about it, I agree to keep all of this under wraps.”

“What about the sheriff?” Dawson enquired.

“One of the reasons I picked the canyon was because of Joe. If this went wrong, I was going to contact him,” Casey admitted.

“I think we should bring in the sheriff,” Dawson told his brother. “In the long run, it will be better to have his support. I know you all think you can handle this, but them just being able to get to the Prince speaks volumes on how organized these guys are.”

The military men all exchanged glances before they eventually nodded.

“You’ll take care of that for us?” Casey asked. “We can’t risk taking Zachary into town yet and I won’t leave him here unprotected.”

Zachary snorted. “He acts like I can’t take care of myself.”

“Hello!” Casey waved his hand over Zachary. “Kidnapped!”

“I wasn’t expecting an attack in my own damn bedroom,” Zachary declared. To Gray it appeared to be a familiar argument. Which it probably was, considering that Casey had just gotten his mate back and was probably on an emotional high.

“We’ll head into town and talk with Joe. See if we can get any reports from the rangers,” Dawson said.

“We have no way to communicate with you, though,” Gray observed.

RJ stood and walked over to his backpack. He pulled out a handheld radio and passed it over to Gray. “Use channel eight. It’s as secure as we can make it with the technology we brought with us.”

Gray accepted the radio and nodded. “We won’t contact you unless we encounter any problems. But how about we take a run tonight and meet back up about midnight?” He still thought there was something wrong with the other wolf, but this was about a bigger issue. Finding those responsible for the kidnapping of the Prince and ending the entire ordeal.

RJ nodded. “Two wolves won’t cause too much suspicion, even if we are being watched.”

Gray stood. “Then we have a busy night ahead of us.”

The other men dipped their heads in goodbye as Casey stood to walk them to the front of the cave.

“I’ll give you a minute,” Gray told Dawson, clipping him on the shoulder. He strolled back into the sunlight, glad to get out in the open. He didn’t like the closed-in feeling. Natural wolves might make a den in a cave similar to that, but he preferred the freedom to be able to run.

Dawson and Casey spoke in low but urgent tones and Gray did his best to ignore them. Not easy with his sharpened senses, so he ambled farther away, humming low to himself. Dawson followed him a couple of minutes later. He was shaking his head and mumbling.

“You okay?” Gray asked his new friend.

Dawson glanced up and offered a small smile. “On one hand, I’m relieved to see him again. I know Beth will be thrilled beyond words. But on the other hand, he was close by and didn’t contact me, put my family in danger and has a whole other life I know nothing about. I’m angry…and just a little impressed by him.”

“I bet that punch felt good, though.”

Dawson laughed like Gray had intended. “It did. Really good. But he better watch out—Beth has quite a left hook herself.”

The mention of the pretty feline had Gray’s body responding. He merely grunted trying to not give any away of his thoughts from earlier.

“You want to talk about it?” Dawson enquired as they jumped down an opening in the canyon.

“About?” Gray asked, distracted by his thoughts of Beth.

“Look, Gray.” Dawson stopped walking. “I know my sister. That little display of nerves this morning at the inn is not like her. She’s confident, smart and at ease with everyone. Something about you made her nervous.”

Gray exhaled. “She makes me nervous, too.”

Dawson threw back his head and cackled.

“Not funny,” Gray grumbled and started to walk again.

Dawson caught up with him and slung an arm over his shoulder. “Come on, man—it’s funny! The big bad detective wolf is nervous about the little bobcat?”

“It’s not her animal that makes me uneasy and you know it. One of my best friends just found her mate. I didn’t think Kiley would ever mate with anyone. We’d… We’d spent some time together, but it just never felt destined…” Gray tried to explain.

“You couldn’t force it, because it just wasn’t there. There was someone else for her,” Dawson finished.

Gray shrugged. “Pretty much. But it had me wondering if there was someone waiting for me, too. I thought about it a lot while I’ve been on my own these last few months. Now I’m not sure if these feelings I have…” Gray hesitated. “If I just want it so bad, I’m reading more into the attraction than I should. And it’s weird discussing this with her brother. Especially because we’re both still half-naked.”

Dawson nudged him to a stop. “Just be honest with her. Like I said, Beth is smart. I have to believe it will work out. One way or the other. Just take things slow and see. I don’t want her hurt. It would kill me.” Dawson glared. “Remember that. But I want her happy.”

Gray patted his shoulder. “We have time to figure it out. Or at least I think we do. I don’t think that my Alpha will want me out of here. If the Prince is requesting our help, Tyler will probably be okay with me sticking around a little longer.”

“And if he decides to send you home?”

“He won’t,” Gray assured him.

Dawson lifted a brow.

“Tyler’s my Alpha, but he’s also my friend. He listens to me and will respect my opinion. If I want to stay, he won’t have a problem with it.”

“Good.” Dawson motioned ahead. “Then let’s hit the road. I think you have a date tonight. With two chaperones.”

Gray groaned good-naturedly but trailed after him.

* * * *

Beth watched Julian as he played in the front yard. She’d seen her brother and Gray pull up earlier. The wolf shifter had waved before heading into the hotel. She’d asked how it had gone when Dawson had passed her going into the house, but he’d shaken his head and told her it was complicated.

She wasn’t sure what that meant but she hoped the two men had gotten along. She’d spent the day thinking about what had happened the night before. She could admit that the strong feelings she’d had for Gray from the beginning meant something. And she was determined to see where they might lead. Gray might only be there for a little while, but they owed it to themselves to explore what was going on between them.

“Don’t climb on the dog house,” she called to Julian.

The little boy grinned and waved, heading toward the swing set Dawson had built.

“I swear, he’s a monkey instead of a bobcat,” Dawson voiced behind her.

She chuckled. “I agree.” He came up beside her and she leaned a little into him.

“There is something I need to talk to you about,” her brother announced softly.

Beth spun around to give him her attention. Dawson was open with her about everything except his work. Her brother had told her numerous times that it was his job to make the world safe for her and Julian. Beth might get frustrated sometimes, but she also liked the fact that someone thought she was important enough to protect.

He motioned to the porch and they both sat on the swing. Julian was far enough away that he wouldn’t overhear their conversation as he played. “We found more today than we thought.”

“About the Prince?”

Dawson took her hand in his. “We found the Prince.”

Beth gasped. “That’s wonderful! Why didn’t you say something earlier?”

“He’d already been rescued. The trail they left was supposed to bring the kidnappers into a trap. Gray just beat them there.”

“You don’t think Gray’s involved, do you?” She didn’t want to think that way about the other man.

“No, no way,” Dawson said adamantly. “But with them hiding in the canyon, I’m worried about the repercussions for the town.”

Beth could see where he was coming from. “So they’re up there hiding and just waiting for the men who captured the Prince once before to come after him again? What if they decide to come into Coyote Bluff first?”

“That’s a concern, but I don’t really think they’ll try to travel through here. That doesn’t make me feel any better though, because if they do, both you and Julian are in danger.”

“Us? I doubt anyone will bother us,” Beth tried to assure her brother. Why would they bother with two bobcats?

“They might if they know a member of the rescue team is your brother,” Dawson told her quietly.

Beth frowned. “How would…?”

“Crap, Beth! Casey was there!” he finally blurted out.

She inhaled sharply. “Casey is here?” My oldest brother is a couple of miles away and Dawson has seen him? “Why didn’t he call? Or come by the house? Does he not want to see us?”

“No, I don’t think that’s it at all. He was actually trying to protect you.”

“Protect?” she repeated. “By hiding out near our home?”

Her brother chuckled. “Yeah, I don’t really get his reasoning, either, but I think that deep down he just wanted to be here. He’s using the excuse of knowing the canyons as a reason to come home.” Dawson wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “He said he’s been keeping an eye on us.”

“That doesn’t really make me feel better.”

“I said the same thing,” Dawson said. “God, Beth, this whole fucking thing is a mess. I can’t believe this afternoon even happened. It feels fucking surreal.”

“He’s okay, though?” she asked. Why she cared about a man who couldn’t even bother to call home and talk to her she didn’t know, but she did.

“He’s fine. More than I’d say. I even met his mate.”

“Casey’s mated?” For some reason she’d always pictured her oldest brother living off the land as some kind of survivalist or something. She’d never really thought about him starting a family. “What’s she like?”

Dawson’s grin was wide and wicked. “Our brother is mated to the Prince of Felines.”

“Maybe you should start from the beginning,” Beth said, stunned. “The very beginning.”

* * * *

Thirty minutes later Beth stepped into the inn’s dining room ahead of Dawson and Julian, still reeling from what her brother had told her. Military units, kidnapping, mates… It was all so much to take in.

She spotted Gray already seated at a table set for four. He noticed her and stood, smiling. She gulped. Wow, he is an attractive man. This was exactly what she needed to take her mind off the family drama that she’d found herself in. Gray was the perfect distraction. Everything she had learned about him spoke to how dedicated he’d been to finding the Prince. Not many people would have done that for a stranger. She didn’t know any other shifters who would have sacrificed so much for another species.

“Wolf!” Julian cried and raced around her.

Gray laughed as he hefted Julian up in the air.

Dawson was shaking his head as they reached Gray and Julian. “Julian, what have I told you about not calling people by their name?”

Julian stuck his lip out. “Sorry, Dad.”

All the adults were smiling as the party of four sat at the table. Beth found her gaze trapped in Gray’s as he took his seat next to her. He leaned in and her breath caught.

“I’m glad you came,” he whispered.

She bobbed her head up and down. She was happy as well. She’d wanted to go out and hunt her oldest brother down to demand answers, but Dawson had talked her out of it.

“Maybe after dinner we can take that walk,” he offered.

“Su…sure.”

“Why are you whispering?” Julian asked loudly from Gray’s other side.

He straightened and winked at her. “I’m sorry, Julian. Whispering is rude. And what did you do today, young man?”

Julian grinned widely and launched into a story about how he and his best buddy Jamey had wanted to learn how to fly, but Aunt Beth wouldn’t let them borrow sheets for a parachute. Dorothy came over to take their orders and everyone chose the night’s special of meat loaf and mashed potatoes, except for Julian, who wanted Claude’s chicken fingers—the ‘best chicken fingers in the world’.

“Did you call your Alpha?” Dawson enquired across the table.

Gray cut his glance to Beth and Julian.

Dawson just nodded.

“Yeah, Tyler agreed to keep it under wraps but wants to call in a couple more wolves for protection. He doesn’t want it to come down on the community here.”

Beth smiled. She liked that everyone was worried about the residents. She still couldn’t believe that her older brother was so close after so many years.

“I told him I wanted to stay here and see this through.” Gray glanced at her. “That I had a few things I needed to see to.” Gray blushed as he said it.

Beth bit back a giggle. It was quite cute. “Good,” she approved, nudging his foot under the table.

Gray beamed and leaned back in his chair.

The rest of dinner went smoothly. Beth found herself leaning in and losing herself in the conversation about Gray’s Pack and friends. But even though he laughed and told stories, she could catch the impression that Gray wasn’t one hundred percent happy. The stories were always about others in his Pack. What he had witnessed. And a longing in his voice told her he was missing something. She wondered if he even realized it.

The dinner dishes were cleared away and Julian got a plate full of cookies with a glass of milk while the adults decided on coffee. Claude walked into the dining room and waved at them.

“Will you excuse me for a minute?” Dawson asked, pushing away from the table.

Dawson motioned to the outer room and Claude nodded.

“I wonder what that’s about?” Beth wondered out loud.

Gray didn’t answer, just picked up his coffee. She got the feeling he knew, though. She would ask Dawson later.

“You haven’t been downtown, have you? We have a beautiful pond and garden,” she mentioned to Gray, wanting to share it with him.

“No, not yet. I haven’t actually seen anything but the inn and the canyons.”

“Don’t you just love it here though?” Julian questioned. “When I get big I’m gonna work here with Claude. Or maybe with my dad.” He tilted his head. “Or maybe I’m gonna be a teacher. But I still want to fly, too.”

“I have no doubt you can do whatever you want,” Dawson said to the boy. He winked at Beth. “Maybe do all of those things.”

“Yeah,” Julian bounced in his seat. “I’ll do all of them.”

Dawson interrupted, coming back to the table. “Julian, you ready to go home? It’s almost bedtime.”

Julian groaned dramatically but jumped up into his dad’s arms when they were offered.

Dawson glanced her way. “Coming, Beth?” He smirked at her because he already knew her plan to spend time with Gray. He’d also given her a few vague comments that she took as his approval of her and Gray. Not that she needed her brother’s permission, but Dawson meant the world to her and she was happy that he seemed to really like Gray.

“Actually, I’m going to show Gray around a little.”

Gray stood and held out a hand. “I’ll call you later and we’ll discuss our plans for tomorrow.”

They shook and her brother peeked over at her. “Be careful.”

She watched her brother and nephew leave the dining room before turning back to Gray. “You ready?”

They walked silently through the inn until they were outside. Beth took a deep breath once out in the warm air. She loved the Texas nights. Still warm enough to do anything without having to worry about a lot of rain or bad weather. Even in winter, the lowest lows were only forty degrees.

“You love it here,” Gray observed from beside her.

Beth hadn’t realized she’d closed her eyes but opened them and looked up. “I really do. Let me show you why.”

They walked side by side down the drive onto the main road. “The canyons give us the privacy to shift and with so many different species, we have enough space to keep everyone happy.”

“I’ve almost always shifted in forests,” Gray admitted. “Since I’ve been on the road it’s been hard to find places, but I have to admit the canyon holds its own beauty.”

She sighed happily and entwined her arm around his, glad that he saw a little of what she did. Beth pointed out all the attractions the community had to offer as she led him to the middle of town. Gray asked questions and commented as they slowly made their way.

When they were just outside the gardens, Gray paused. “Wow!”

Beth had to agree. She loved this area. She could smell the flowers for miles with her shifter-heightened senses. On a night like this, with the soft breeze, it was probably even farther. Beth took Gray’s hand and tugged him under the arch into the circle. He gazed at everything and continued to take deep breaths. She let him just enjoy the sight and smells for a while.

Finally he rotated and cupped her face. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”

He leaned in slowly as if to give her time to pull away. She didn’t want to, though. Instead, she stretched up to her toes and closed the distance. Gray’s lips were moist and the kiss was strong without being forceful. She tilted her head and opened to give him access. He moved his hands from her face and embraced her.

She moaned at the solid embrace, loving the way he surrounded her.

“Beth,” he panted out as they paused to catch their breath.

“Yes,” she hissed, taking his mouth again. Pure heat this time. While the first kiss had been sweet and romantic, now she attacked his mouth, pouring all the passion she felt into him. He groaned and she swallowed the sound. Wrapping her legs around his waist when he lifted her up, she pressed intimately against him.

“God, Beth,” he murmured against her skin, mouthing down her neck. She arched, pressing her pussy harder into his cock. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

He was hard and she wanted to feel him. “I want you,” she told him, starting to rock. It felt so good. He was solid against her and if she didn’t get him inside her, she felt as though she would explode. It wasn’t as if she was a slut or anything. There was just something about this one man that called to everything inside her. Besides, with the Prince found, she didn’t have much time with Gray. He would be leaving very soon. Beth wanted to have a piece of him to remember after she was left all alone once again.

“Can’t… We can’t here,” he disputed even as he continued to explore her, his hand under her shirt kneading her breast.

Oh, they could and would. Beth wasn’t one for public displays but she did know of a private place. Excitement rushed through her as she took the biggest chance of her life. “This way! Come here.” She dropped her legs to the ground and grabbed his hand. She tugged him farther into the garden to a private stretch of grass. Once she knew they were hidden by the bushes, she nudged him back.

He dropped to the ground, taking her with him to sit on his lap. She grasped his neck and kissed him again. He had both his hands under her shirt now, smoothing it up and off. The warm night air caused goosebumps to break out on her.

“From the moment I saw you I couldn’t believe how beautiful you were.” Gray spoke while cupping her breasts. She arched her back, pushing into his hands. “I need to taste you.”

“Yes…” she moaned while he laid her back. The grass was damp but she didn’t mind. Especially when he swept aside the cotton bra she wore and closed his lips over her taut nipple.

She whimpered—it felt so good. Too good.

“God, your skin,” he marveled, moving to her other breast and nipple. He teased, tormented and lavished attention upon her while she cried out in ecstasy.

“Please… Please,” she begged, needing more.

He worked his fingers into the opening of her jeans while he stimulated her with his mouth as he moved down her body. She grabbed at the back of his head, holding on to him as best she could. He unsnapped her jeans and lowered the zipper and she lifted her hips to help push them down.

His eyes met hers and she could see the heat and passion. “Tell me you want this, Beth. That it’s okay. I’ll stop now, but I want to taste you.”

She had to take deep breaths to calm herself.

“Tell me this is more than just lust. That in the morning you won’t regret that I’m a wolf.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to tease him, but when she saw the flash of insecurity in his eyes she stopped in time. She caressed his head before cupping his jaw. “I know who you are, Grayson. I want you.”

He nodded. “Thank God!”

She shrieked when he yanked her pants the rest of the way down and closed his mouth over the thin cotton of her panties. Even with the flimsy barrier, his mouth was hot. She dug her heels into the dirt under her.

“Your smell…” He groaned. “Got to taste.” He snapped the edges of her panties easily and inhaled deeply. The first lick was just a tease.

“Gray… Gray…”

He growled and held her hips.

Beth actually screamed when he opened her and started to feast. “Oh, my—”

He used his tongue to ease inside her, his lips to suck her clit and his fingers to tease everywhere.

“More… Please more,” she pleaded.

Gray gave it to her, licking and nibbling as he brought her closer to the edge. Hands under her ass, he tilted her hips and ate at her. Finally it grew to be too much. She wanted to hold out, to wait until he was buried inside her, but she couldn’t. She raked her nails into the ground and shook as she finally climaxed. Gray licked her clean even as she started to work at his shoulders to move him up. He lifted his head and grinned the perfect big-bad-wolf grin.

She drew him up into her arms so they could kiss. She could taste herself on his tongue, but more, she felt his erection bulging. Beth cupped him through his jeans and he bucked while moaning. “You’re so hard for me.”

“I am.”

“Good.” She worked his jeans open and down before closing a hand around his hard shaft. She pumped him a few times while he rocked against her hold. As good as he felt in her hand, she wanted to feel him stretching her.

“Make love to me,” she demanded, giving him some rough pulls.

He grunted and kissed her hard. She knew she had him.

“I want to see you,” he commanded, settling between her legs. “Keep your eyes open, watch me and feel me.”

She tried her best as he gently began to push in. He’d already used his tongue and fingers to open her so, while he fitted snugly, she had to close her eyes at just how right it felt.

“Beth,” he coaxed, slipping out and sliding back inside.

She lifted her head and their eyes locked. He thrust back in harder and deeper. She remained entranced until he let go of his control. Breaking eye contact, he threw his head back and started to plow into her, each masterful stroke deep and claiming, letting her know that he owned every inch of her. She lifted her hips and met each frenzied plunge as they drove to the edge of desire.

Before she even realized she was ready, she felt the tingle inside. Her back bowed and she called his name as he guided her into her second orgasm of the night. She clutched at him as he rode her through her climax until he finally cried out and pumped his seed inside her.

Their ragged breaths mixed as he leaned his forehead against hers. That was unquestionably the best sexual encounter she’d had in her life. She held him to her tightly. He mumbled something so she loosened her grip. “What?”

He laughed breathlessly, still not fully recovered. “I said you have to come back to my room with me. We have to do that again.”

Dropping her head back, she snickered. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard in years.”