Page 19 of The Storm Within

“So goddamn beautiful.” Ryker slid his hands over the curves of Nate’s ass before spreading him open. Then he pressed back inside Nate, deeper this time, causing Nate to gasp. If his mate made love like this routinely, Nate needed to get into better shape. The guy was flipping and twisting him in so many different ways, his muscles threatened to quit.

“Oh, shit.” Nate strangled the sheets with his fists as Ryker began to move again. Each thrust sent pleasure shooting through him, reigniting the fire that had only just started to wane.

“You’re so damn tight,” Ryker grunted, settling a hand on the small of Nate’s back, the other wrapping around his throat. The grip wasn’t constricting, just firm enough to remind Nate of who was in control. He didn’t have to. Nate was fully aware who was in charge at the moment.

“I can’t—” Nate’s words broke off as Ryker shifted again, the angle making him see stars. “I’m gonna—”

“Do it.” His mate’s voice was gruff and powerful, like a current Nate didn’t realize was sweeping him away until it was too late. “Come for me again, sweetheart. Milk my fucking cock.”

Another orgasm ripped through Nate so forcefully his arms gave out, leaving him slumped against the bed as Ryker continued to pound his cock into his ass.

Nate’s body was trembling, his mind a haze of pleasure and exhaustion, but Ryker didn’t relent. In his 800 years, Nate had never met anyone so insatiable. It was like Ryker was really trying to fuck a century’s worth of orgasms out of him.

A strong arm braced around Nate’s waist, pulling him upright until his back was flush against the guy’s chest.

“No closing your eyes, honey bear.” There was something about the smoky edge of Ryker’s voice, the way it carried both heat and desire, that made Nate’s pulse stutter.

Forcing his eyes open, Nate met the intense gaze in the reflection of the cracked mirror across the room. The sight stole his breath. Ryker looked primal, his gray eyes dark with hunger as his hips snapped forward, the muscles of his chest and shoulders flexing with every movement.

“An incredible sight,” Ryker growled, his teeth grazing the curve of Nate’s shoulder. The sensation made Nate moan, his body arching instinctively as Ryker’s other hand moved to grip his jaw, tilting his head back to meet the man’s lips in a bruising kiss.

Pleasure built inside Nate once again, coiling tighter and tighter until he thought he might shatter. He’d only been joking about having so much buildup, but Ryker had clearly taken Nate at his word. He wasn’t sure how much more he had to give at this point. His balls ached, yet Ryker kept wringing orgasms out of Nate’s exhausted body.

“Are you ready to be mine?”

“Yes,” Nate hissed seconds before Ryker’s canines sank into his shoulder.

The sharpness of the bite stole his breath, but it wasn’t pain that made him cry his mate’s name. It was their souls soldering, a flood of emotions too powerful to name. Their hearts synchronized, now beating as one.

Nate had never felt anything like this in his life. The bond roared to life, blazing through his chest and locking them together in a way that felt undeniable, permanent. He could feel Ryker inside of him like a protective shield.

A deep, primal growl vibrated against Nate’s shoulder as the hard cock in his ass pulsed, Ryker’s release spilling inside him with a warmth that seemed to spread through every inch of Nate’s being.

“Mine,” Ryker growled, his canines withdrawing only to be replaced by the warm brush of his lips.

They collapsed against the bed, Ryker’s weight grounding him as they struggled to catch their breath. For a brief moment, Nate felt complete. Whole. Like all the pieces of his shattered existence had been stitched back together by the strength of Ryker’s touch.

But the moment was fleeting, overshadowed by the cold weight of reality pressing down on him. They were still trapped. And while Nate had grown numb to the isolation, the thought of his mate wasting away in this desolate place filled him with a fear so profound it made his heart hurt.

Ryker must have sensed his distress because he cupped Nate’s cheek, brushing his thumb along his jawline. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said softly.

But that was the problem. Ryker couldn’t leave.

The bond that had brought them together had also raised the stakes in ways Nate hadn’t been prepared for.

As Ryker pulled him even closer, pressing a gentle kiss to his temple, Nate closed his eyes. He let the steady rhythm of his mate’s breathing ground him even as his thoughts spiraled.

For now, they had this moment, this connection, but the clock was already ticking, and Nate had no idea how much time they had left.

* * * *

“You’re positive there was a motel right here, in this empty lot?” Sheriff Harper’s brows furrowed as he scrubbed his hand over his bearded jaw. Killian watched as the bear shifter’s gaze darted from the lot overrun with weeds growing up through the cracked asphalt to the luxury SUV parked in the middle of it like it had been abandoned.

“This is my brother’s ride.” Killian jabbed a finger at the SUV, his frustration mounting.

The sheriff nodded. “Yes, I’m aware. It’s just that, I drove by here two days ago, and there wasn’t a motel standing here.”

Killian walked a few feet away, pointing to a patch of prickly weeds that stood a foot high. “This is where the entrance to the motel was. The same door my brother was sucked into,” he snarled. Then he stormed across the asphalt and stopped, gesturing to a few discarded bottles and other pieces of trash at his feet. “This is where Ryker’s room was located, where he led me and my father to retrieve his mate.”

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