I gazed across the gathered shifters, trying to steady my racing heart and trembling hands. One by one, they lowered their heads in a sign of submission. I was being accepted as alpha female. I could hardly believe it. I hadn't wanted the job and had never imagined I would ever have a shot at it, yet when the time came to fight for my place, I'd taken it. And I'd have done it a thousand times over, to keep Kaden safe.
I looked up at Kaden, the victory resounding in my blood. This was right. This was what I’d been looking for my entire life. I was Kaden’s mate, and I was the alpha female of the Ophiuchus pack.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Kaden and I left the crowd behind, our hearts still pounding, the battle still fresh in the air. Adrenaline raced through my veins, making me borderline jittery. I looked over at Kaden and opened my mouth to ask him what do I do with this feeling?
The resounding lust I saw echoed in his eyes made me realize what I was feeling wasn’t entirely the aftermath of the fight. We’d battled together, won together, and we both felt the need to experience that victory together, to reaffirm to each other that we were still truly alive.
As I looked at Kaden's naked body, covered with sweat and blood, rippling with pure masculine alpha power, desire poured over me. It was so strong I very nearly staggered on the spot. I needed Kaden close to me now. I wanted as much of our skin touching as was humanly possible. My wolf had tasted blood, and now she demanded sex too.
I surged toward Kaden, and he let me come, reaching for me as well. Our lips crashed together and Kaden gripped my naked ass tight enough that it was almost painful. He kissed me thoroughly, tongue demanding entrance. I gave it to him, throwing myself into the kiss with just as much vigor. Our wolves were still close to the surface, and we were barely human as we came together like animals in heat, except there was no full moon urging us on now.
Kaden kissed me like he wanted to devour me. I melded my body against his and felt the hot throb of his cock against my thigh, already primed and ready. I wanted to take him inside of me, right here, right now. I didn’t care who saw. The overwhelming energy boiling inside of me now had an outlet, and I’d be damned if anyone got in the way of that.
Kaden made a noise, half growl, half groan, and then pushed me back. I blinked at the sudden distance between us, trying to get my brain to move on from the pounding need.
“Cabin,” Kaden said, and he sounded just as reluctant as I felt to follow his own order. When I opened my mouth, he held up a hand. “There are pups around. We don’t want to traumatize them for life.”
Right. That got me moving. It was only a few steps to the cabin, and I felt Kaden’s presence behind me with each one. I wanted to say fuck it, and let him take me right there, but before I knew it, we were inside.
Kaden slammed the door, and then pinned me against it just as quickly, as if he couldn’t even wait for us to be inside. I let out a gasp as my back hit the rough wood. I wasn’t going to complain about it, not at all. Desire zinged through me as Kaden crowded into my space, kissing me all over like he couldn't control himself.
“You were fucking brilliant,” he said, and then licked a stripe up my neck.
“You were too." I arched my body against his, hands smoothing over his shoulders. I wanted to touch him everywhere I could manage. I wanted to taste him too.
I grabbed his arms and used my shifter strength to spin us around, so his back was to the door. Before he could take control again, I slid down his body to my knees, like I'd done back at the car when I'd healed him. Only this time, I was pretty sure he wouldn't stop me.
I took his cock in my hands, feeling the hard strength pulsing there. His eyes burned with possessive fire as he looked down at me. As his hands slid into my hair, I stroked my tongue along the underside of his cock, eliciting a loud groan from his lips. He tasted of salt and sin, and it only made me want more of him. I'd never done this before, but my primal instincts told me what to do, and I slid the head of his cock between my lips.
"Oh god," he said, throwing his head back against the door. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to fuck that sexy mouth of yours. Every time you talked back to me, I'd think of shutting you up with my cock."
Was that so? My eyes narrowed and I gave his balls a squeeze, hoping to make him yelp. It backfired though when he liked it, his cock thrusting into my mouth, and another moan escaping his lips.
"Keep that up and I'm going to be cumming into your throat soon," Kaden growled.
That's the point, I thought. I wanted to take him over the edge, to make him lose control, to see his face when he exploded for me. He'd never let me touch him like this before, in a way that seemed submissive at first, until I realized I had all the power. His alpha female, truly.