Page 45 of The Wolf's Plus-Size Nanny

Casey’s laugh echoes through the house, a high, tinkling sound that’s too sweet for the bitterness it stirs in me. She’s on the floor with Fiona with her face lit up like she’s finally found some damn purpose in life. Fiona’s squealing, her chubby hands reaching for the toy Casey’s dangling in front of her. Casey’s presence here—safe and sound after her mess with the rogues—should be a good thing. But all I can think about is the day she left Fiona on my porch, a crying infant swaddled in blankets, abandoned without a word.

I want to be relieved that Casey’s all right, that Fiona’s finally got her mom back, but the truth is, I’m hesitant. I can’t shake the memory of that morning, the anger and confusion that tore through me as I found Fiona there, alone and helpless. Casey didn’t just walk away from Fiona; she dumped her on me like a burden she couldn’t carry. And now, watching her try to play Mother of the Year feels like a betrayal all over again.

I smile when Casey glances up at me, but it’s tight, strained at the edges. She’s doing her best, I guess. Trying to make amends or whatever. But every time I see her holding Fiona, all I can think about is how easy it was for her to leave in the first place. The woman who ran off to enjoy her freedom without a second thought is suddenly back playing house, and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel about that.

Fiona giggles, and Casey scoops her up, spinning her around until they’re both dizzy and laughing. I rub the back of my neck, trying to untangle the mess in my head, but the sound of Fiona’s joy only deepens the pit in my stomach. This is what she’s needed all along—her mom—and I should be glad. But instead, I’m thinking about Sonya. How she’s been avoiding thehouse like it’s on fire, leaving me alone to navigate this weird new reality.

I found out from Reiner that Sonya’s been out on a shifter run with the others. She’s been ducking out more and more lately, slipping away with the pack, finding excuses not to be around. It grates on me, this distance between us. It’s like she’s pulling away just when I need her close. Worry gnaws at me, but there’s something else, too. Something sharper, a need that I can’t seem to quash no matter how hard I try.

I miss her. I miss her like hell.

“Hey, Casey,” I say, forcing my tone to stay light as I grab my jacket from the hook by the door. “I’ve got to go check on something. You good here with Fiona?”

Casey looks up, her smile faltering slightly, but she nods. “Yeah, we’re good. Go do what you need to.”

I nod, but there’s no comfort in leaving her with Fiona. I’m halfway out the door before I second-guess it, but I push forward. I have to find Sonya. I need to see her, to understand why she’s pulling away when we were just starting to get somewhere.

The wind bites at my skin as I follow her scent through the woods, my thoughts tangled and restless. I pick up the pace, my breath coming in short bursts as I navigate the familiar trails. Sonya’s scent grows stronger, mingled with the crispness of pine and earth, until I finally spot her ahead, crouched by a stream. She’s alone, thank God. No one else to witness me coming undone.

“Sonya,” I call out, and she starts, spinning around to face me. The tension between us is immediate, palpable, and it only makes the knot in my chest tighten.

“What are you doing out here?” she asks, her voice edged with annoyance. “I’m just trying to clear my head.”

“I could ask you the same thing. You’ve been avoiding me, avoiding Fiona. What the hell’s going on?”

Her eyes narrow, and she straightens up, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m not avoiding you, Jack. I’m just… I’m trying to give you space. You’ve got a lot going on with Casey, and I don’t want to get in the way.”

“Get in the way?” I repeat, incredulous. “Sonya, you’re not in the way. You’re the one who’s been here, the one who’s helped me with Fiona, who’s kept me sane through all of this. Casey showing up doesn’t change that.”

Sonya shakes her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “Doesn’t it? She’s Fiona’s mother, Jack. She’s back, and you two can finally be a family. I’m just… I’m just the nanny, right?”

Her words cut through me, and I take a step forward, my hand reaching for hers before I even think about it. “You’re not just anything, Sonya. You’re everything. And I miss you. Fiona misses you. It’s like you’re disappearing right when we need you the most.”

She meets my gaze, her expression softening for a moment before she looks away, her shoulders sagging. “I don’t know where I fit in anymore, Jack. Not with Casey back. She’s got history with you. She’s—”

“I don’t care about the history,” I snap. I pull her closer, gripping her arms. “What I care about is right now. You, me, Fiona. I don’t want to lose what we have because of some misplaced sense of where you think you belong.”

Sonya’s breath hitches, and she stares at me, wide-eyed and uncertain. For a second, neither of us moves, the tensionstretching between us like a live wire ready to snap. Then, without thinking, I close the distance, crashing my lips against hers with a desperation I can’t hold back. She stiffens for a heartbeat, but then she’s kissing me back, her hands tangling in my hair, pulling me closer like she’s been waiting for this as long as I have.

Our bodies collide, her curves molding to me like we were made for each other, and it feels so fucking right, I can hardly breathe. She tastes like summer and home, and I can already feel myself falling deeper, a need rising inside me that I can’t control.

I back her up to the trunk of a nearby oak tree, pinning her against it. Her head falls back, exposing the soft, pale skin of her neck. I kiss and bite a trail down the column of her throat, relishing the taste of her, the feel of her pressed against me. Her breathing is ragged, her pulse racing under my tongue, and it only fuels the hunger inside me, the raw desire reserved only for her.

We tear at each other’s clothes, desperate to feel skin against skin, and I groan as her breasts are freed and her nipples harden in the cool air. I take one in my mouth, sucking and teasing it with my teeth, and she gasps, arching into me, her fingers digging into my shoulders.

My cock is rock-hard and straining against my jeans, aching to be inside her. I reach down and pop the button, sliding the zipper down, and she pushes them off my hips, freeing my length. I kick my jeans and boxers aside, then rip her shorts and panties down her legs. Her pussy is glistening and wet, and my mouth goes dry.

Sonya reaches between us, gripping my shaft, and I hiss as she strokes me, her palm dragging over the sensitive tip. She lowers herself to the ground, taking my cock into her mouth,and I groan, my knees nearly buckling at the warm, wet heat. She bobs her head, swirling her tongue around the head, and the sight of her lips stretched around me nearly has me spilling into her mouth.

I can feel the orgasm building, coiling inside me, but I don’t want to come like this. I need to be inside her, feel her walls clenching around me, watch her fall apart with my name on her lips.

I gently push her away, and she looks up at me, her lips swollen and red.

“Get on your hands and knees,” I growl, and her eyes darken with desire. She complies, scrambling to position herself in front of me, her ass raised high in the air. I kneel behind her, running my hand over her smooth skin, then dip my fingers between her thighs.

She’s dripping wet, her juices coating my hand as I rub her clit, and she moans, pushing back against my fingers. I tease her opening, slipping one finger inside, then another, and she writhes, panting, as I stroke her from within. She’s so tight and warm, just like I remember, and my cock throbs, aching to replace my fingers.

This is my mate, I realize with a jolt. My true mate, and no one else’s. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her.

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