Page 29 of An Unending Claim

“You are a tease, Nathan King,” I said grumpily.

He laughed as we swam toward the smooth stone under the waterfall. When we reached it, he took my hands and placed them on the ledge in front of me. “Am I?” he grunted. Before I could respond, he grasped my hips and thrust his cock into my heat.

“Fuck!” I cried out.

“I intend to. Now, about your naughty little mind…”

He curled my toes with the filthy words that came out of his mouth and the deep plunges of his shaft. It was fast, hard, and dirty. We climaxed together in an explosion of sensation.

Afterward, Nathan picked me up and set me on the rock before hauling himself from the water. Then he scooped me up and carried me to the soft embankment beside the waterfall. He dropped onto the grass and settled me on his lap, cuddling me close. We sat in comfortable silence while he alternated running his fingers through my hair and rubbing slow, soothing circles on my back. The first time he traced my scars, I stiffened for a moment, but then I told myself to stop being so fucking vain. Besides, his touch held only softness and care. Warmth bloomed in my chest and soon it filled my whole body, making me feel as if I’d been covered in a soft blanket. My panther curled up in a comfortable spot and purred, satisfied from being thoroughly fucked.

A second later, I felt the soft whisper of his touch as he brushed his fingertips over the birthmark on the back of my shoulder. “I have lived two millennia without you, Peyton,” he said suddenly. “And I would survive if you left.”

What? Is he about to tell me he’s changed his mind and wants me to leave?

My panther popped up and bared her teeth, making her displeasure at the idea clearly known.

“But I don’t want to. I don’t know what exactly this is between us, but I know it’s more than just the connection from being mates. More than the pregnancy that binds us together.” He used his index finger to raise my chin so I was looking up at him. “I told you before, I don’t intend to let you go.” I nodded, unsure how to respond. “However, I’ve decided keeping you isn’t enough anymore. I’m determined to make you see that you belong here and you choose to stay because you don’t want to live without me either.”

I double-blinked as I stared up at Nathan in stunned silence; my panther didn’t know what to make of my emotional rollercoaster and paced in agitation.

“You don’t have to say anything right now, baby. I just thought you deserved a warning because I won’t promise to be fair about it either.”

He gave me a small, lopsided smile, and I melted. Dissolved into a puddle of goo. He’d sounded so passionate during his little speech and for the first time I felt… loved by him. My panther melted at the tone of his voice and the feelings coursing through me.

“May the bestmanwin,” I whispered.

He quirked an eyebrow as his silver orbs roamed over my face, then he smirked as if he’d found whatever he’d been looking for. “I will, baby.”

I hoped so.

Our moment was interrupted by a howl of greeting and we turned to see a group of shifters—three wolves, a tiger, and a stag—trotting out from between the trees. They were followed by Emerald, and a beautiful, petite woman with flowing silvery lavender hair and matching eyes. One of the wolves—huge and chocolate brown—hovered protectively near her.

“What’s up, Nomad?” Emerald called with a wave.

Her friend laughed and shook her head, her silky tresses floating around her. “I’m not even going to ask.” She looked at me then and smiled brightly. “I’m Rowan.” Then she jabbed her thumb in the direction of the big wolf at her side. “That’s my mate, Jax.”

Jax.I remembered the name. He and Nathan were close—he’d made Nathan’s chess sets and some of his furniture. And Rowan was his witch and badass vampire hunter, according to Emerald. But Jax and Rowan had been out of town the whole time I’d been here—something about visiting her family in Russia.

“Peyton,” I replied.

“Bozhye moi! You’re the new Alpha female! I’ve heard nothing but praise for you from the pack.”

I hid my surprise behind a neutral expression. I’d only met a portion of the pack when we watched the game at Nathan’s parents’ place, and my circle at KBO was small. So I was a little surprised that the inevitable rumors circulating about me were apparently quite positive. “Don’t believe everything you hear.”

Rowan laughed again and absently ran her fingers through her mate’s fur, causing him to lean into her a little more. “As long as you promise the same when you start hearing stories about me.”

Emerald snorted. “Bullshit. They are all true, Ro Ro.”

A wolf that reminded me of a fox with her slender build and reddish-brown fur came up next to me and nudged my shoulder with her nose.

“Hey, Foxy,” I said quietly.

She blinked at me and I frowned at the sorrow I saw in the lighter brown eyes of her wolf. Savannah always had an air of caution around her, and it wasn’t hard to see that she was severely broken after only a few minutes spent with her. But we’d developed a close bond and she usually brightened when we were together.

Even more strange, I wasn’t observing Savannah’s brown eyes, I was seeing her wolf’s pain. I ran a hand down her back and waited for her to give me some kind of clue as to what was on her mind. Ultimately, it was only when I let my panther look back at her that she responded. Her head dropped dejectedly, then lifted and turned toward a massive, russet wolf with deep blue eyes.

Ah. Asher.

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