No Quarter by Anita Cox

again. She quickened her pace to distract him, unsure she was quite ready for that sort of play.
    When his digit slid inside, and another finger swirled around her already sensitive clit, she nearly lost her mind and couldn’t move. He did the work from below her, pushing in. She cried out in frustration and pleasure.
    “Oh fuck!” he gasped.
    Both hands slapped her ass cheeks then pulled her down on him hard as he came with his own orgasm.
    He released her and she repositioned next to him. “Wow, what was that?”
    After a gasp, a chuckle, and a moment to catch his breath he rolled to face her. “Our connection, I think. I just sort of knew you wanted to try a bit of anal play, but not too much. So I started off slow.”
    She felt the heat of embarrassment licking her face. “Not that, I mean…it was so different.”
    Gazing into her eyes, his brows furrowed briefly, then relaxed as he smiled. “I think that’s our connection too. Just. Feeling how concerned you’ve been with my outcome. I mean,” he paused for a moment, staring at the ceiling. Her heart thundered in her chest as she waited for him to speak. “Look, we had an arranged marriage. An actual business deal when you get down to it. Even in the midst of my tiptoeing around you because I knew what you came from, and your tiptoeing around me because I was in mourning and now dethroned—somehow, some way, we still managed to find mutual respect and concern for the well-being of our mate. That was before the bond. It’s just…”
    “It became a lot more clear after the bond?” she finished for him. “That night, when we bonded, the emotion I felt from you was a little overwhelming. Then, it was a shock, to have someone put my needs first. To have someone care for me, in the manner of non-romantic love.” She squeezed her eyes shut tight then opened them. “I mean, the amount of admiration, respect, warmth you felt that had nothing to do with romance or mating. I felt all of that. It really changed how I look at you, how I think and feel.”
    He began to snicker.
    “What?” she asked.
    “Maybe we should have bonded that first night. It would have saved us some trouble.”
    She couldn’t help but agree with him, or at least his sense of humor. “Yes, but the way we did it…the way you did it. That was beautiful.”
    Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her in tight, holding his lips to her forehead for a moment. In a low voice he whispered, “Like I said, you’re not alone anymore. I get you. I get it. I’m here.”
    She felt the smile spread across her lips. “Same here. You’re not alone.”
    “Let’s keep it that way.”
     

Chapter Nine
     
    The following morning during her normal workout routine, Nala had reached her favorite tree with her favorite branch. It was a typical Tennessee morning, sunny and humid. Rays of light pierced through the canopy of trees, licking the forest floor. She pulled herself up, inhaling as she did so. The smell of the earth, damp forest floor and the lush greenery surrounding her, danced in her nostrils. Blowing the air out as she extended her arms, she could still smell the moss and dirt. She inhaled again as she lifted her chin above the branch. This time, another smell…something foreign…something living.
    She dropped to the dirt below her and scanned the area, testing the air again. The familiar pinching between her blades made her stomach leap. A Lycan was near, and it wasn’t a pack member. Sniffing again, she made a mental note of the smell…but couldn’t identify it. It was musty, like an old basement.
    Crack! The sound of a breaking twig caused her to snap her head the left, just in time to see the wolf, crouching low in the stalking position. Its dark grey fur failed to shine in the sunlight. There were two more behind him, one brown, and one sandy in color.
    Security Breach! She screamed out in her head to her mate, praying their connection would reach him. With a deep cleansing