Page 35 of Kodiak's Heart

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Laramie followed Emersyn as she ducked inside to get Ruby while Slade took her friends to one of the cabins. He was still pissed she’d moved herself and Ruby out of the main house without talking to him first. He grabbed her arm before she could get too far ahead of him and tugged her downstairs.

“I need to get Ruby,” she argued, and he did the only thing he could think of. He scooped her over his shoulder, gave her a pop on the ass when she smacked him, and continued downstairs toward his room.

He slammed the door and tossed her on his bed, following her down and pinning her there so she had no recourse other than speaking to him.

“As Amber’s cousin,” he practically snarled. “Those were your words, Em. Why did you lie to me? And don’t insult either of us by speaking half-truths.”

She sighed. “Because I’m here because Malachi sent me. That has nothing to do with who my dad was.”

“Your dad was the fucking alpha of your pack. You think I didn’t need to know that?”

“Was,” she reiterated. “There’s a new pack alpha now.”

“Because you’re human? Because you’re female?” Laramie questioned.

She shrugged, and he knew there was something she wasn’t telling him.

“The new alpha. Will he be looking for you?” Laramie asked.

“He’s not my alpha.” She bit off the words as if the mere thought disgusted her. “I left the pack. Malachi and I moved out by ourselves with Ruby.”

He couldn’t help the twinge of jealousy he felt over her relationship with the other man. Though he knew it wasn’t physical, it was still an unbreakable bond, while the one he shared with Emersyn still felt incredibly fragile.

“And the new alpha let you? He made no attempt to keep you with him?”

“He stopped by a few times to check up on me. As you can see, I’m not much of a threat.”

He snorted. “His mistake if he thought that. I know better.”

She smiled up at him, and damn, if she didn’t take his breath away. It seemed completely natural to drop his mouth to hers. God, she tasted sweet. He’d never get enough of her.

“Mate me.” The words were out of his mouth before he’d even intended to say them. And he watched the soft glow from his kiss leave as her expression turned to panic.

“No. I… We… You can’t mate me, Laramie.”

“I don’t care if you’re human. It doesn’t matter,” he assured her.

“To you. Your pack would feel differently. And rightly so,” she argued.

“No. I’m alpha. My pack will accept my choice. Plus, you’re the daughter of an alpha. That carries weight,” he reminded her.

“I’m not staying, Laramie.”

“I can’t let you leave,” he countered. “I need you. I’ve never said those words to another woman in my life. Don’t make me regret them.” It was as close to begging as he’d ever come.

She closed her eyes. “Don’t make this hard.”

“I want it to be impossible,” he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. He was incapable of not kissing her again. Hell, every time he was near her, it was impossible to keep his hands off her. His bear had been pressing hard at his skin since the moment he’d first encountered this woman. He felt challenged, as if he needed to prove his virility to her. As if only that would win her over.

He reached for the hem of her shirt, but she placed her hand over it.

“We don’t have time,” she warned him, but the scent of her lust filled his nostrils.

“Let me show you how quick we can be.”

He flipped her over, undoing her jeans and jerking them down her thighs before urging her to her knees in front of him. He had his cock out in seconds, moving into place behind her. She was wet. Her slit was hot. She burned him alive when he pressed the head inside. With her jeans binding her thighs, he had to fight his way in her, inch by inch. They both groaned in pleasure when he finally filled her completely.

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