Page 32 of Wolf Unleashed
“Make love to me. One last time.”
Dark eyes looked up at her as his cock, still hard, slid into her with ease. He took long, slow strokes this time as he stared into her eyes. That familiar heat moved through her, but this time the source was not where their flesh came together. It was deeper, soul deep. The bond fired up, sending a blast outward to Maddox at the same time she felt a wave strike her through the bond.
Her back arched, pressing her breasts against his chest. Her cries were met by his own as they came together, and she felt as if she were one with him for one very brief and blessed moment.
Warmth surrounded her as Maddox collapsed at her side and pulled her back snug against his chest. His breath stuck the nape of her neck, a comfort given how she knew this would be her last time with him. She let herself drift off, hoping never to wake from this dream, because her reality would never be so good, not without Maddox.
* * *
TIERNAN
Four hours.Tiernan and Rafe had been waiting on Greyson land just over the border from Drake’s territory ever since Maddox led Alyssa away. Tiernan searched for the bond that he believed connected them and found nothing, not even a hint of thread.
“She’s not coming back,” Tiernan said.
“Artemis would never do that to us,” Rafe replied from the patch of grass where he laid down with his hands behind his head and gazed up at the stars.
“Not intentionally. But she’s blood-bonded to him, and you know what they’ll end up doing. Sex will further cement the bond between them. She’ll forget about us. Or lose interest in us. Not out of mean-spiritedness, but because the bond will leave her no choice.”
“It’s possible,” Rafe conceded. “It’s a chance I took when I decided to mate her. I knew she planned to blood-bond you. I had to accept that would tear her from me, but it didn’t.”
“Because my bond with her is weak.” Tiernan sighed. “Or non-existent.”
“It has to be there or you would have gone feral. Remember, she’s human, and blood-bonds with humans are unpredictable.”
“Half-human,” Tiernan reminded him.
“It’s the human half that’s problematic.”
“Perhaps. Even so, it doesn’t make sense that the bond I had or have with her would weaken or disappear. The blood-bond is supposed to strengthen over time. Fuck, I hate not knowing if it’s still there. And what about her bond with Maddox? From the moment she bonded him, they both felt it. She has a strong bond with him, and yet she’s still able to be with us, as if that bond doesn’t exist. It doesn’t keep her from us. And more surprisingly, it hasn’t driven Maddox to kill either of us for touching her.”
“More proof that bonding with a human—half-human—is fickle. But you did bond with her.”
“I never felt it. Still don’t. It’s the only reason I didn’t stop her from blood-bonding Maddox. I wanted her to have that connection to someone, even if it couldn’t be me.”
“Maybe you’ll feel the bond in time. Nothing had followed what we know of the bond. It’s even possible her human half is what allows her to blood-bond more than one shifter at a time. Regardless of the explanation, there’s one thing I know about Artemis.”
“What?”
“She’s stronger than the bond. She’s not one to give up on those she loves. And she loves you, Tiernan. That’s what you need to focus on. It’s a different bond, perhaps better than the blood-bond, because it comes from the heart.”
Tiernan blew out a harsh breath. “You’re a dreamer, Rafe. About her, about our chances of finding a life away from our packs, about being able to return to your pack one day.”
“I’m not sure I want to return. Don’t get me wrong. I would gladly die for my pack, but my alpha doesn’t understand the difference between personal choices and pack safety. He needs to stop living in the past and accept the present, one that no longer has my brother Eero.”
“At least you can return.”
Rafe stretched his neck to see Tiernan without getting up. “I thought you said you can go home anytime.”
“I can.” Tiernan shrugged. “Not sure I want to. You’re not the only one who lived in the shadow of an older brother. Except you weren’t seen as a failure. I’ve never been a very good fighter.”
“You’re not built for fighting, but a strong shifter is a strong shifter. That should gain you respect.”
“Not in my family. I have a cousin who’s a weak shifter, and she’s highly respected.”
“What does she do? Teach the kids? Manage the cookhouse? Supplies?”
“Advises on security. She’s a tactical whiz. Has a sixth sense for what’s going to happen next. Our alpha finally learned to listen to her after the breach by the DSA last year. She’d warned him. Saw the signs. I was blamed for not returning with the proper intel.”
