Awaken a Wolf by R. E. Butler Page B

again.
    “I’m sure I’m awake.”
    He cupped her cheeks and said, “You’re beautiful.  I’m a lucky wolf to have you in my life.”
    She settled herself on his chest, laying her head on her forearms.  “I don’t know what I was dreaming about.  Did I wake the whole house up?”
    “Probably, but it doesn’t matter.  I felt your terror before you actually screamed, so I was already on my way.”
    He hadn’t been surprised earlier when she asked for a room of her own.  She knew it was probably against every wolfy protocol to have the alphas sleeping in separate rooms, but they weren’t official mates yet and she still wanted some time to come to terms with what she’d learned.
    “Thank you for coming for me.”
    “I will always come for you, sweetheart.”
    They lay in silence for a while, and she thought she might drift off to sleep again, but every time she shut her eyes, she was reminded of the dream she’d had of her father killing Adam and another male attacking her.
    “Will you stay with me for the rest of the night?”
    He moved so quickly she could only gasp at being suddenly in his arms as he strode from the room and down the hall to his own bedroom.  He laid her gently on his bed and settled next to her without a word.  She snuggled against him, wondering if she should tell him about her dream or just let it go.  It might not be a vision.  She thought about the wolves guarding the house tonight and all the pack members who were watching out for both of them and decided that she would tell him another day.  Closing her eyes, she forced out of her mind the images of Adam dying and concentrated on the solid feel of his body as she snuggled closer.
     
    * * * * *
     
    She woke slowly from sleep, her body tingling and warm.  She wiggled in the bed and stretched, and she felt Adam move closer to her.  One of his legs was between hers, his thigh pressing against her pussy, separated only by a thin scrap of lace.  She opened her eyes and looked down to see her tank top pushed up to the bottom of her breasts and him kissing slowly across her stomach.
    “Good morning to you too,” she said, smiling, as she slid her fingers through his thick hair.
    He licked around her navel, and her toes curled as shivers raced along her spine.  “I woke up this morning with your hand cradling a very excited part of my anatomy.”
    Her mouth dropped open. She went up on her elbows.  “You’re joking.”
    He nudged her pussy with his thigh, and she could feel how wet she was.
    “I’m very serious, sweetheart.  You were draped over me like a blanket, and your hand was having a good time.  I just wanted you to enjoy it as much as I was.”
    Her cheeks blazed.  “I don’t know what to say.”
    “For fuck’s sake, don’t apologize.”  He moved over her, caging her in with his arms and staring down at her.  “Cinder,” he growled her name, “be mine.”
    She placed her hands on his waist and stroked up his sides.  “I thought we had to wait until the full moon.”
    “For your shift and for you to be lygisa , not to become mates.  I want to mate you and mark you so that no one will even think of touching you.”
    She smiled.  “I had that same thought earlier.”
    His eyes narrowed and he licked his lips.  “I want my cock in your pussy and my fangs in your neck.”
    His hand moved slowly, and she saw the ends of his fingertips as they shifted into dark claws.  Her top ripped easily as he sliced it apart, and her panties didn’t stand a chance as he curled a claw around the delicate fabric and shredded it.  He tossed the torn fabric aside. He glanced down at himself, and with two quick swipes of his claws, he shredded his boxer briefs and threw the fabric over the side of the bed.  His claws receded and he cupped her cheek.
    “This is stronger than human marriage, Cinder.  When we mate, there’s no going back to the world you knew.”
    “Are you trying to talk me out of it?”
    “I