Simon's Runaway Mate Read online

  For a small woman, my mate was endowed with very nice breasts. Not quite a handful but close. I felt them full and firm under my chest, the hard tips begging to be gripped and sucked. Soon, I promised myself. Very soon.

  First, there was something else I needed to do. I’m not sure what made me think Cecilia would fight my claim. Call it instinct, but I doubted she’d go easily along with me when I told her she was mine. Mine to love. Mine to protect. Mine. The only woman I’d ever belong to. So I did the only thing I could. I broke the kiss, nuzzled my way down her neck and sucked the slight curve where neck met shoulder. She moaned, tilting her head to grant me better access. I scraped her skin with my teeth and felt the shudder roll through her.

  “Do you know how much I want you, right now?” I whispered between nips and sucks at the spot where I planned to stake my claim.

  “Mmm,” she moaned, seeming beyond words. That might be a good thing. “Careful, Simon. You’ll leave a hickey.”

  I was going to leave much more than that.

  “I don’t even know you,” she muttered, but I wasn’t concerned. She’d have the rest of our lives to learn everything about me. Still, she wasn’t pulling away.

  “Simon.” She moaned my fucking name. Just the way I wanted to hear her call it when I was buried deep within her.

  I scraped my teeth one last time then struck, clamping my jaw down as my teeth penetrated her skin, finding muscle and locking tight. Cecilia shuddered again and held me tightly to her. She curved her hips against my side, managing to press her sex hard against my hip. I was still sucking on her when I felt the orgasm roll through her. It almost had me following, but I held my control. When I spilled my cum, it wasn’t going to be wasted in my jeans. It’d be hugged inside her channel, with her milking every drop from me. I forced myself to release her then gently licked over the spot, sealing the wound and capturing the few escaped droplets of blood on my tongue. She was in my system now. I’d be able to find her anywhere.

  She blinked those blue eyes up at me and smile again. “You’re a hell of a kisser, Simon. Potent stuff. You could make a woman lose her head.”

  “What about her heart?”

  She gave me another one of those considering looks as if she were trying to read what I meant by my question.

  “I’m sure you’ve claimed many hearts, Simon.” She ran her fingers over the spot I’d bitten and tilted her head around as she tried to see it. “I swear it felt like you bit me, but that’s crazy.” She laughed, and I wondered how amazing her orgasm was that she’d missed my teeth sinking into her skin. “Will you call and check on Hannibal for me? I’d really like to make sure my brother’s okay.”

  I’d just claimed my mate, and her thoughts were on her brother? You had to be fucking kidding me! Her attention should be firmly focused on me and only me. If she were a wolf…

  I didn’t finish the thought. She wasn’t. She was human, and like it or not, I wasn’t sure how mating would work with her. The only thing I did know was that she was mine. And there wouldn’t be a damn thing her brother could do about it.

  Chapter Two

  ~Cici~

  I wasn’t sure Simon was going to walk out the door. Then Dr. Hagerty poked his head in and asked to speak with Simon in the hallway. Thank you, Doctor. I needed a minute to breathe and process.

  I rubbed the spot on my neck again. What the hell had just happened? I mean, other than the blow-my-fucking-mind orgasm I’d just experienced. Which, hello! Can I get another please? I felt as if it had revved my engine, and now, I wanted more, more, more.

  Exactly how fantastic is a wolf’s recovery time? Wait? I don’t think Simon actually orgasmed, which means hello happy times for me. Wait. No. No happy times, Cici. Pull yourself together!

  I pivoted on the bed, biting down to keep my moan locked in, so Simon wouldn’t hear it. I knew Hannibal had ears like a bat, or a wolf, which were just as good, apparently. He could hear everything, so I assumed Simon could too.

  I was a little dizzy, so a concussion wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. If I was honest, at least with myself, I most likely had one. Wolves hit like freaking freight trains, and my head had taken the brunt of that one punch. But I’d be okay. I hadn’t lied when I’d told Simon I’d had injuries before. Of course, I also hadn’t told him the whole truth. But really, it was none of his business. Orgasm withstanding, he wasn’t anything to me. God, I wanted him to be though.

  Stop, Cici. Focus.

  How the hell did I get out of this room with Simon loitering in the hall? After a brief internal debate, I tiptoed across the room and cracked the door to peek out. No Simon in sight. I momentarily wondered where the hell he’d gone then shook my head. I needed to take advantage of his absence.

  I ducked out of the room then immediately slipped into another as voices carried down the hall. It was Madison with another woman.

  “Can you believe it?” Madison asked. “A fucking human.”

  “So much for using him to get close to the new alpha and his group.” The second woman’s voice was higher pitched, nasal. It grated on my nerves. So did her words. Madison had planned to use Simon?

  “Please, if his little infatuation with Belinda James wasn’t going to stop me, do you really think some nothing human will? I’ll have him walking away from her just as quickly as she showed up. What man would choose a woman like her over a wolf like me?”

  The other woman snickered. “I feel sorry for him. He must be devastated. Belinda may be crazy, but she’d be better than a human woman.”

  “Good news for the pack, though. If Belinda James doesn’t belong with Simon, maybe her new man will take her away from here. With her gone, it’ll be easier to work my way in close to Bastion James.” Madison practically purred when she said the alpha’s name.

  I knew who Belinda was. Hannibal’s mate. The idea that these two women were speaking of her in such a hateful manner made me want to knock their heads together. It seemed cattiness was just as blatant in wolf packs as it was with humans. Too bad. I’d expected better from a species that seemed superior in so many other ways. Then there was the way I’d seen Belinda. Beaten, broken, and bloody while my brother fought to protect her. I hated these bitches and was ready to give them an earful when the next sentence stopped me cold.

  “You’re forgetting Simon’s bound to that frail, little human woman,” nasal voice reminded. “Human or not, the alphas in the James Pack take their vows to the women they choose seriously.”

  “He hasn’t even taken her yet. I didn’t see any marks on her, and I looked when I gave her some freezer burnt ice chips. All I have to do is sprout some claws and fangs, and I bet our tiny little human runs for the hills.”

  Nasal tone laughed like a hyena at Madison’s cutting words. Vile bitches. Both of them. I’d dealt with women like them most of my life. I never understood how some people only seemed to be happy with themselves when they were tearing others down.

  “She’s definitely no Belinda James,” the other woman offered. “Imagine being in love with a woman as gorgeous as her then finding out you’re mated to something so far beneath you. I’d run away if my partner turned out to be human.”

  That’s when it hit me. Simon. Mated. To the frail, little human. What? My brain was having trouble processing, but slowly it hit me. Simon was mated? To me? And Madison had looked for a mark when she’d given me a cup of bad ice chips. Bitch! I touched my hand to my neck again and recalled the feeling that he’d bitten me.

  “What do you think Simon will do now?” the other woman continued. “Do you think he’ll send her away?”

  “Maybe, he’ll quickly find another? I mean if he’s already committed to another, he can’t be forced to take her, right?”

  Madison sounded as if she would be willing to step in. Why that made me want to beat the hell out of her, I wasn’t sure. Then I remembered the bite. Did it have the ability to make me like him? To want him? Good lord! Would it make me obedient to hi
m? Hell fucking no! I wasn’t going to be some mindless little woman who would follow every directive Simon gave me. Especially knowing he didn’t want me to begin with. Stuck with me, was he? I needed to get home. Go to the only source of information I had. Hannibal’s mom. My stepmom, Leslie. She’d be able to answer my questions about mating and what it meant.

  First, I needed to see exactly what he’d done. Glancing around the room, I found a mirror and moved as silently as I could toward it, tugging my shirt aside so I could inspect my skin. The evidence was blatant. I clearly saw where his teeth had pierced my flesh. The tissue was red and slightly swollen, but I had a feeling it would calm given time. He’d bitten me. Marked me. Because I was his mate?

  Hell, no! You didn’t just claim someone without explaining shit to them first. Especially when it was a woman you didn’t want. When you were in love with someone else. God, Simon was in love with my brother’s mate. Hannibal had been right. I should have stayed home and let him handle things on his own. Then I wouldn’t be in my current predicament. Nothing like finding yourself mated to a wolf—God, a wolf! One who didn’t want you but bit you anyway. My life was a freaking mess of epic proportions. I needed to get home. The sooner the better.

  I finally took note of the room I was in. There was a second door. Peering out, I saw it led to an empty hallway with a neon sign at the end that proclaimed my salvation. Exit. Thank you, universe!

  Not bothering with anything else, I flew down the hallway and shoved out the exit. Glancing around, I saw my Jeep in the lot. Locked but no problem for me. I reached under the right front fender and grabbed the spare I kept hidden there then slipped it free of the magnetic box. I didn’t take an easy breath until I was out of the lot and heading away from Rigton County and the James Pack.

  I made good time before I needed to stop and take something for my head. Surprisingly enough, I wasn’t hurting. It made me wonder if there was magic in the bite Simon had given me. I mean, Hannibal had never been sick, and the few times I’d seen him injured, he’d always healed super quickly. Like in hours instead of days.

  I had to admit the thought of getting some of the wolfy superpowers through Simon’s bite was exciting. Maybe, I could be a superhero. Wait! Would I be able to shift into a wolf? Like a were-wolf? I was realizing there was so much about Hannibal and his mom that I didn’t know. Thanks to Simon and his bitey tendencies, I was going to have to get a crash course. Fast.

  Which brought me back to the main thing that kept circling in my head. What did I really know about Simon? Nothing. He was part of the James Pack. An important part if he had direct access to the alpha, Bastion James. Hell…James. Belinda James. Hannibal was mated to the alpha’s sister. Simon was in love with the alpha’s sister. How would Bastion react to my brother being Belinda’s mate?

  Speaking of my brother, he called as I pulled into a rest stop. I wasn’t up to speaking to him just yet, so I texted that I was driving. This led to a ten-minute text war where I had to reassure him I wasn’t actually driving while I texted. My brother could fight it all he wanted, but the big guy loved me. The texts were case in point. I headed toward the vending machines, stocking up on candy, chips, pop, and a bottle of cold water. I was one for driving as much as possible. A truck was leaving the lot as I headed back toward the Jeep.

  There was no holding back my shriek of surprise when a large figure stepped in front of me. I reacted, dropping my haul at my feet as I automatically went on the attack. I was small but quick, and hopefully, I had the element of surprise. I mean whoever it was wouldn’t expect me to attack. Right? Wrong. Far too quickly, I found myself on my back with one massively pissed off wolf between my thighs.

  “Simon?”

  “You ran from me.” The words were low, guttural, and sent a chill down my spine. Not of fear. No. A chill that had my panties dampening as my channel clenched with wanton need.

  “Do not make me orgasm again.” Holy shit! Had I really said that aloud? Kill me now!

  The cocky bastard settled his weight over me, letting me feel the bulge of his cock right where my inner slut wanted it most. Any second, I was going to be mewling and rubbing against him like a bitch in heat. I ordered myself to get it together. I seemed to be doing that a lot around Simon.

  “Stop.” My voice was weak, needy, and I sucked in a breath as I fought the desire growing within me. “Get off me, Simon.”

  “No.”

  Short, sweet, and to the point. And not what I wanted to hear.

  “You can’t just say no. That’s not how this works. If I say stop, you stop. If I say move, you move.”

  “No,” Simon repeated. “Not when I can smell how hot and wet you are for me. I can feel your body softening beneath me, ready to take me inside. You want me, Cecilia. There’s no need to say no.” His fingers caressed the spot where he’d bitten me. “You already belong to me.”

  “Careful, Simon. You’re sounding a little caveman there. I don’t belong to anyone, and—”

  “You belong to me.” He growled with each word, leaning closer until his mouth was pressed to mine. He nipped my bottom lip then dove inside on my gasp. We were going to have words about those teeth of his. Later. Much later.

  I wrapped my hands around his neck, threading my fingers through his thick hair. God, Simon was beautiful. All that…gold. Golden brown hair. Golden tanned skin. And when he looked at me, his eyes were a shade of brown so light they appeared gold at times, too. What was I doing?

  I broke the kiss and pushed at his shoulders until he took pity and allowed a few inches between us.

  “What are we doing here?”

  “Not enough,” he assured me.

  “Do you really want to fuck on the pavement beside my Jeep at a roadside park?”

  That got him moving. It also wiped the lust off his face and replaced it with one of utter disgust. He was on his feet and pulling me to him almost as quickly as I’d found myself on my back. He brushed his hands over my back and ass, giving my derriere a nice squeeze before guiding me to the passenger side of my car. I was seated with him behind the wheel before I could speak. I glanced toward the back seat where he’d tossed a bag. Why did he have a bag with him?

  “What are you doing?”

  “Heading home.”

  “No,” I snapped, borrowing his favorite word from earlier. “I’m going home. To my home.”

  “Your home is with me now. You belong to me.”

  “I think you mean with you,” I corrected then shook my head. “Which is beside the point. I’m not going with you, Simon.”

  He gave me a pointed look. “We need to talk, Cecilia.”

  “Cici,” I corrected, realizing that I hadn’t the last time he’d said it. Of course, I hadn’t been expecting him. “And it’s a little late for that, isn’t it? Besides, I already know what I need to.”

  That he was in love with another woman.

  “Well, that makes one of us then,” Simon quipped then nodded. “We’ll go somewhere neutral.”

  “Neutral?” What the hell did that mean?

  He pulled out his phone and made a call. A short conversation later, he hung up, looking satisfied with himself. As if he sensed my confusion, he reached over and took my hand, threading his fingers with mine.

  “You’re my mate. I can’t let you walk away.”

  “I don’t even know what that means, Simon.” Well, I did, but I didn’t. If that made sense. Basically, I knew enough to know that I didn’t know anything.

  “It means you can’t run from me. It makes me go insane. When I walked into that room and found you gone, I nearly lost my mind. Don’t do that again.”

  “Does mating mean you think you can give me orders?”

  “Yes, and I expect you to follow them.”

  I laughed. Then snorted. Then did some version of hysterical laughing that combined the two. Simon didn’t look amused, which only made me laugh harder. Finally, I got it together.

  “You can’t be serious,
Simon. And why did you bring a bag with you?”

  “I always keep a bag packed in case of emergencies. I had a feeling you’d be difficult so I had my ride grab it for me on their way to pick me up. Since you ran from me.”

  He growled, and yeah, that growl did things to me that made my panties instantly damp.

  “I’m not difficult,” I countered but Simon merely snorted without even glancing my way. “Besides, why would you mate someone you don’t even know?”

  “I know all I need to know about you,” he snapped which made no sense to me.

  “Well, I don’t! Tell me something about you,” I encouraged. “I don’t know anything. Except you’re part of the James Pack.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Were you born into the pack?”

  At his snort of laughter, I gathered I’d guessed wrong.

  “I don’t know anything about packs. Hannibal isn’t part of one, and Leslie isn’t, either.”

  “Leslie’s his mom, correct?” Simon asked.

  “Yes,” I agreed. “She and my dad met and fell in love eight years ago. Hannibal was twenty, and I was fifteen. Before then, I didn’t even know wolf shifters existed outside of books and movies.”

  “She told you?”

  “I saw her shift one night and thought I was losing my mind. My dad knew, of course. The whole mate thing, I guess. She sat me down and told me about her and Hannibal and who they are. I’ve been fascinated ever since.”

  “Good thing since you’re mated to a wolf, now.”

  “So you say.” I said it to antagonize him, and it worked. He did that wolfy growl again that had my insides humming.

  “So, the bite on your neck states. Once we’ve spent a few days making love, my scent will cover you. Even humans will back off then, though they won’t understand exactly why.”