Right Wolf, Right Time (9 page)

“That’s it. Bet you thought about fucking at work, didn’t you, my dirty little wolf?”

She flushed again, embarrassed yet turned on that Monty liked her perverted ways. She never should have told him she watched naughty movies. But then, if she hadn’t, maybe he wouldn’t do things like this to her. Fucking her against the back door of the grocery. It was so unprofessional.

The thought made her want to giggle, but Monty’s cock wouldn’t let her do anything but sigh as he took her.

“I want you to come, baby. All over me.” Monty grabbed her hips and inched her back, lifting her off her feet. The new angle of penetration did something funny to her insides, as each time he thrust, he lit prickles of pleasure throughout her entire body. “Rub your clit. Get yourself off. I want us to come together.”

She hitched a breath but didn’t falter. Feeling the swollen nub, she rubbed her fingers over it and moaned, the lust building like a frenzy. Monty continued to hammer harder, and the dual sensation of being filled and masturbating for him torched her orgasm into a full flame.

She cried out as she came, and he gripped her hips tighter and shoved forward once more before stilling with a groan.

“Oh fuck. Yeah, baby. That’s it.”

They remained locked together, their bodies connected, their animal spirits meshing more with each joining.

After a moment, he eased out of her. “Hold on.”

She felt his hand between her legs.

“I came prepared this time.” He chuckled and wiped her with a handkerchief. “Man, I love filling you up.”

She hadn’t detected a change in her scent—well, apart from smelling like Monty. So she didn’t think she’d conceived yet. She didn’t think it was wrong of her to want his child, to dream about home and hearth with a wild wolf. But she couldn’t quite silence the part of her that didn’t think she deserved it.

“Sophie? You okay?” He put her clothing to rights and turned her around to face him. “I wasn’t too rough, was I?”

“You were perfect.” She hugged him, listening to his racing heart. “You’re perfect for me.”

He chuckled and relaxed, hugging her back. “I actually came to walk you home, but this was a chance I couldn’t pass up. I’m going to fuck you all over town. Before you know it, you’ll have enough experience to rival your movies.”

She squeezed him and he laughed harder. “I wish I hadn’t told you about that.”

He looked down at her, and the affection she saw on his face stole her breath. “I’m just teasing you. I have a pretty healthy sex drive. Don’t think we’re not going to be going at it a lot. I was a little worried I might be too much for you, and I’m more than happy that’s not the case.” He kissed her. “You don’t need to be embarrassed about anything, Soph. Not even about me.”

She blinked. “Why would I be embarrassed about you?”

“I’m a wolf who belongs to a feline pride. I’m not handsome, glamorous or rich. I work for a touring company, and I happen to like it.” He paused. “And sometimes I hunt humans.”

She’d known all that, but hearing him say that last part unnerved her. Memories of her past swarmed, though she tried to ignore them.

“Yeah. That’s hard to accept, I know.” He cupped her cheeks. “But honey, I’ll protect you first and always. I’ll never let anyone get to you. And I help keep the town safe. I’m not a murderer or anything.” He scoffed, but she heard his worry that she might think him a monster.

“I never thought you were,” she said firmly and nudged his hands away so she could cup
his
cheeks. “I just hope I’m enough for you.”

“Of course you—”

“Think about it. I’m not like other wolves. I’m not that aggressive. I’m not comfortable with my animal spirit.” It hurt to say, but she wanted to be honest. Well, as honest as she ever planned to be. “And I didn’t even know who I was until a few years ago. I have a high school diploma, and I manage the town’s grocery. I might someday want to go to school for something, but I don’t know. I like the store. I’m a simple girl. I’ve only shifted into my wolf a few times, and it’s still scary to me.”

“I don’t care.”

She continued. “I’m not a seamstress or an Internet genius or a rich clothing designer.” Not like the women of the catamount pride. “I’m just me.”

“That’s all I ever wanted,” he said softly. “Just you.”

They smiled at each other. Monty helped her lock up and they left hand in hand.

The next week was the best in Sophie’s life. She and Monty played together. They did normal things at her home, spending their time apart from the rest of the world while they learned more about one another. Monty liked adventure movies while she liked romantic comedies. They both enjoyed a good steak, but then again, they were wolves, so no surprise there. He liked watching her dress as much as undress, and he especially liked brushing her hair, which turned her on all the way to her toes.

For a gruff, scarred and battered wolf, he was so gentle with her…when not fucking her into exhaustion. Only when he kissed her with tenderness or slowed down enough to stare into her eyes while they climaxed did he call it
making love
.

To Sophie,
anytime
with Monty was lovemaking. The more time they spent together, the more time she wanted to be with him. He made her laugh without trying. All the stories he told of his life in the pride warmed her from the inside out, showing her a man who valued family and close ties. He missed his father, who’d died in the old pack wars before she’d come to Cougar Falls. The cats he now called blood seemed like a bunch of characters. And she liked that he had a tight relationship with them. Monty had been good friends with Burke for years, both before and after he’d come back to town. To hear Monty tell it, he only tolerated Grady and Dean. Yet he talked about them like they were the brothers he’d never had.

She’d danced close to his past once and only once, but he’d shut down so fast and turned so cold she’d immediately backed off. Heck, she didn’t want to talk about her history either. But she couldn’t help her curiosity. What little she knew about his time away from his current life could fill a thimble. He’d spent his life in the wolf order until he turned nineteen, and then he vanished. He’d apparently worked with other orders around the country, tracking and killing Hunters for the past few years until he’d returned to Cougar Falls a few months before she’d arrived. A large block of unaccounted time had never been answered for, that she knew of.

Even Julia and Gabby had remarked about how their mysterious pridemate refused to discuss his years away from the town. They said it gave him more appeal, but Sophie saw nothing but pain in his hidden past. A pain she owned as well and refused to face.

The only fly in the ointment, as far as she could tell, was a growing fear that danger pressed closer. If her uncle ever found her, if the others knew where she’d come from and what she’d done… They’d kick her out of town before she could say
boo
. And then she’d be on the run from the sociopaths she called family.

She shivered, and Monty clutched her hand tighter while he stared down at his cards. Time ticked away in her kitchen as they spent the rest of their Saturday together, before the big dinner.

“You know, we don’t have to rush this. We can have dinner at the pride some other time.”

She wished that was all she feared. Sophie took a deep breath and let it, and all her tension, release. She smiled at her mate, pleased that her wolf had fully accepted him. Their scents merged, even though Sophie still had reservations. More about being worthy of a strong wolf like Monty than any perceived weakness of his. “I’m good. I’m a little nervous, but I want them to know you’re mine.” She said that with a straight face. Her words weren’t loud, but by the smile on his face, she knew they didn’t have to be.

“Awesome. Oh, and Uno.”

She drew another card and watched him win. Again. “I still think you’re cheating.”

“Prove it.” He winked.

She laughed and tossed down her cards. They took his truck to the pride, a few miles from town. The sky grew darker earlier as autumn approached, but she let the cool air into the truck, keeping the window down. She loved the wind through her hair, the freedom to be herself and not worry about punishments or castigation.

“You’re beautiful.”

She turned to stare at her wolf. “So are you.”

He frowned. “Me? I’m all beat up. You. You’re glowing.”

“I’m not pregnant.”

“Not that kind of glowing.” He chuckled. “Would it bother you if I said I was disappointed?”

She bit her lip. “No.”

“Man, I love when you do that. Turn all shy and shit.”

She couldn’t help laughing, especially when he seemed to realize what he’d said.

“Hell. Look, it’s too late. I mated you. You can’t turn away because I’m not that smooth with the ladies.”

The thought made her wolf growl low in her breast. “I don’t want you smooth with the ladies.”

He blinked at her before looking back at the road. “Damn. I think you just growled at me. Hey, no problem, honey. Point taken. I’m a one-woman wolf.” He grabbed her jean-clad thigh and squeezed. “But the same goes for you. No alpha wolf or any other wolf in your future. No man, period.”

She sighed. “Honestly, Monty. You don’t have to worry about that. They only ever wanted me because I’m wolf, anyway.”

“You keep telling yourself that. Yeah. You’re stone ugly and have a body like a Mack truck. And you smell terrible, not like fresh lilies at all.” He shook his head. “So sad that I’m stuck with such an ugly mate, but what can I do? I feel so sorry for you.”

“Oh stop it.” He could make her feel so good without even trying. She blushed, pleased he liked the look and smell of her. She never would have imagined how important scent would be, but she lived with the knowledge that scent meant everything to her wolf.

The truck turned off onto a dirt road, and they drove half a mile before coming upon a large main house surrounded by flowers and landscaped shrubbery. Joel and Maggie kept the place in top shape. Burke ran Chastell Tours from the main house and maintained order at the pride. His brothers worked for the touring company with Monty, while Rachel worked for herself doing Internet stuff Sophie didn’t understand. The foxes and cats also living at the Catamount Ranch all did their own thing. Everyone pulled their fair share and seemed to like living together. Several individual cabins beyond the main house showed the growing pride.

“My place is back behind the house. I’ll show you my big old bed later.” He parked the truck and wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Come on. Everyone’s dying to tease me about you. Just remember, they’re family. So if I kick the shit—ah, crap out of Dean or Grady, just go with it.”

“Okay.” She left the truck with him and accepted the hand he held out to her. “But no mention of Scooby, right?”

“I hate that friggin’ mutt. No Mystery Machine, Scooby Doo, or other cartoon canine references. Remember, Sophie. We’re wolves, the cream of the crop. The cats just think they own the world. We actually run things.”

“And the foxes, what about us?” came a voice from behind them.

Sophie turned to see Sheriff Ty Roderick, Julia’s husband, standing with his arms crossed over his chest and his lips quirked in amusement.

“You’re the tiny predators we pity, because your brains are barely larger than your tails.”

“Not bad, wolf. You’re managing your insults better. Not great, but better.” Ty tipped his Stetson at Sophie. “Howdy, sweet thing.” He somehow managed to get between Monty and Sophie and escorted her inside the house. She heard Monty muttering obscenities behind him.

Ty stepped with her into the open living room and said in a booming voice, “Sophie’s here.”

Everyone rushed into the living room at once, and Sophie gripped Ty’s arm.

“It’s okay,” he murmured, but then Monty was there, sheltering her in his strong arms.

She felt like an idiot for being afraid. Julia was her best friend, Gabby too. These cats and foxes and bears were Monty’s family. But she’d never liked being crowded, and she still couldn’t be around too many men at one time without tensing.

The things her cousins and their friends had liked to do when her uncle was away… She’d never been a fan of sex before Monty, and she had plenty of reason to dislike what she’d witnessed.

Burke shoved the others out of the way and smiled wide. “Well, now. Sophie. How are you?” He pulled her with him toward the center couch and took the glass of wine Rachel handed him without breaking stride. “This is for you. Julia said you like a good Zinfandel.”

She blinked. “Um, thanks.” She glanced around and saw Monty trying to push his way past the congratulations of Joel, Grady and Dean.

Monty forcibly shoved Dean aside and glared. But when his gaze met hers, he rolled his eyes. “Welcome to the nuthouse. Hey Gabby, grab me a beer, would you? A large one.”

Chapter Six

Monty did his best not to growl every time one of his dickhead pridemates touched his mate. The cats had become touchy-feely all of a sudden, and the females acted no better. The cats questioned her like it was the inquisition, although he now knew a helluva lot more about his pretty little mate than he had before. The important things he’d always known, but the minutiae had escaped him.