Page 77 of Grim

And now her pussy was puffy and swollen.

I puffed out my chest, proud that I had made her come so many times.

Maybe it was the bond, or just the fact she was waiting for my cock to stir, I wasn’t sure, but I felt no pain in waiting for her to wake when I needed her. She rose when my cock did.

I flipped through the phone, finding messages from Sizzle and Locke.

Living above the tattoo parlor was great; he and I could stumble into the parlor right when we opened. But the unfortunate thing was that the upstairs walls were paper thin.

Sizzle could hear every thrust, every moan and every slap I made on Journey’s ass while we rutted. He’d left me a message that he’d gone to stay at the bar’s dormitories so he could get some sleep.

As disgruntled as the text messages were, I knew he was happy for me. We had grown a friendship bond over the years, and if I had to trust someone other than Locke, it would be him.

Every morning and evening, he placed plastic bags of takeout food by the door. I couldn’t even supply my mate with proper food and nutrition during my rut. But Sizzle took it upon himself to help. I was most appreciative, but my wolf grumbled inside in dissatisfaction that we had to rely on another.

If he could keep our cock from straining and getting hard every five minutes, it would have helped the situation, but it was impossible to keep it limp.

Now that my rut was over, I would have to think of where I could move our den. We couldn’t possibly stay here. My thoughts ran to the land right outside of the town. It was full of trees, caves, streams, and fresh meat to hunt for my wolf now that he had returned. I didn’t remember the last time I hunted for myself or for a pack. It would be most rejuvenating for us both.

But if we built a cabin in the middle of the forest, my wolf would be lonely. Not to mention Journey would be left unprotected if I went for a run. Wolves thrived in a pack, and my wolf would eventually become restless.

As strong as I was, I carried no alpha blood. I was nothing but a warrior now, and my wolf needed to survive with a leader. We didn’t have that right now. Locke could not control his wolf.

A pain stabbed my heart. My wolf needed to be commanded. He needed stability. Locke’s wolf was so far gone, I knew his alpha command was lost until he found someone. With my wolf now returned, did that mean I was no longer a part of the Iron Fang? Was I no longer a rejected and lost soul that waited for his death?

Would I have to find and join another pack? What of Journey? She was human, and it would be impossible to keep that a secret.

Supernaturals and humans were forbidden to mate.

We would both be in danger.

My wolf growled at me, unhappy with the doubtful thoughts. He thought things would work out in time, that Locke would gain his wolf again someday and be able to control the entire pack. If he could gain his wolf’s control again, he could even command the rogues, maybe even save them from going rabid too quickly.

The only thing I could do was put it in the goddess’s hands. She had saved me—one who was almost too far gone.

Journey expressed that she had prayed to the moon many years ago. Maybe we all needed to do that. And pray for Locke to find his mate, to help save him.

But he needed to want to be saved.

My extended claw clicked on the phone’s screen. There were updates on the mayor and his men. They were all mangled, witches keeping them alive so we could extract more information when I returned.

My untimely rut ruined their demise. Soon I would have to return to my job as executioner and take care of them.

Sizzle’s banter about not getting into his own apartment made me chuckle. I could see the stream of emojis in each of his texts. Many of them were eggplants, fingers in the “okay” sign and fingers pointing.

My wolf purred in amusement. I didn’t remember smiling or laughing as much as I had the past couple of days. My mate was surely the reason for the change.

My soul was lighter, my wolf healthier, and most of all, my heart had exploded with love for this woman. Despite her past, she was strong. She could forget her past and put me as her present, her future.

Journey shifted between the blankets, her dark hair splayed haphazardly across the pillows. Her nose twitched, sniffing, until she poked her head above the blankets.

It was like she searched for me, knowing I was gone.

“Grim?” her groggy voice shook. She licked her dry lips, and her thick lashes brushed against her cheeks. She could barely hold her eyes open. I stepped across the carpeted floor until I sat beside her.

She forced her eyes open to look at my cock. I chuckled deeply, purring with prideful admiration for this woman. “I’m fine,” I stated. “The rut is over, sleep my mate. I will watch over you.”

Journey groggily nodded, her head gently laying back into the pillows. I brushed her hair with my claw and tucked her tightly beneath the blankets once more.

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