“Well, I didn’t think Burt was even there. Then, quite by accident, I discovered his car hidden a long way from the house. I hadn’t wanted to do a lot of walking around the area in case he went running as a wolf and discovered I’d been there. I heard him and turned but didn’t have enough time to pull out my gun. He shot me, knocked me out, and took off. He might have thought he’d killed me.”
“I’ll kill him.”
“You and me both. My whole family is ready to. I suspect if your family got involved, they would all try to take him down. The only good thing that came out of this, if you can call it that, is that Monty’s whole pack united over this issue. They were furious one of their own could have murdered me. If I hadn’t been wearing a vest, that’s just what he would have done. No one is going to give him a safe place to stay now. They were horrified he would resort to this. So what do we do? Hand him over to the cops?”
“No. We handle this wolf to wolf. The mystery of the passport theft will have to remain that.”
“I’m ready.”
He wanted to tell her that in no way did he want her near the bastard, but if she was going to be his mate, they were in this together. “What about the man you were supposed to take down before Burt took you out?”
“Herman? I didn’t have a chance to speak with his third brother, nor his girlfriend. He’s not a wolf, by the way.”
“Is anyone from your family looking for the fugitives?”
“Not yet. My dad and sisters are trying to apprehend other fugitives, though they were ready to drop their cases to come to my aid. I told them there was no need. My mate-to-be was coming to help me take them down.”
Sarandon smiled. “Hell. Yeah.” He hated that she’d been hurt, but he had every intention of taking one fugitive in and the other down—permanently. No one messed with his mate and got away with it. They talked for two hours, and he finally said, “I guess I have a new job and a new home to go to.” He wasn’t sure if that was what she wanted, but as her mate, he wanted to be with her no matter where she was or what kind of work he had to do. He suspected that if Jake’s wife decided to go back to being a bounty hunter, Jake would accompany her, making his photography business a side business.
“You have tours set up for half the year.”
“Yeah, but Brett’s helping me to get someone else to step in and iron out any problems we might have. Jake’s going to do the birding tour.”
“Are you sure? You’re not going to miss that?”
“Being in the wide-open spaces? I’ll do that with you instead.”
“Okay.”
“We’ll live where you want to live. I love you and want to be with you.”
“I wanted to be near my family, but I want to be with you. I’d already decided that if it meant living farther away from my family, I’d do it. You made me fall in love with you. I worried you might not want to be around my family that much.”
“Why would you worry about that, Jenna?” He thought he’d shown he really cared for them.
“My previous mate was a lone wolf, no family, and he didn’t want to live by them. I was afraid that when we had our child, he wouldn’t want to see them either.”
“No problems there, honey. I love your family. I’ve already adopted them.”
“My dad thinks you’re great. He’s already talking about cookouts with you, fishing, and hunting. It worried me that I might not see you again.”
Sarandon laughed. “You’ll come first. Always.”
“He was hoping we’d run as a pack some too. He worries about my sisters running together or alone. I think he’s really looking forward to having another male wolf in the family.”
“I’ll want time alone with you, but running with your family is fine by me.” He glanced at the car clock again, wishing the drive wasn’t so long. “So you want me to work with you.”
“My family will be thrilled. They’re excited to have a son. Living next door. You don’t have to make all the changes. I don’t want you to feel you have to give up everything. I could live in Silver Town with you.”
“We can take vacations there and visit with my family. They’ll want your family to visit also. They’re just as important to my pack.”
“Thank you. I had hoped you would say that. I want to start back on this job tomorrow though. I still want to check out the last two leads I have for Herman.”
“Are you sure you’re feeling well enough?”
“Tomorrow. I’ll feel fine by then.”
“I’ll let you get some more rest. I’ll be there in a little bit.”
“All right. See you soon.”
* * *
Ecstatic that Sarandon had asked her to mate with him, Jenna left her room in her mom’s house and found her on the phone in the dining room. Her mom glanced up to see Jenna and ended the call. “How are you doing, honey?” She hurried to rise from her chair.
“I’m fine, Mom, but I’m going back to my place.”
“You can’t. Wait until Sarandon gets here, and he can take you there.”
“We’re mating. I want to be there when he arrives.”
“Oh, heavens. He finally asked you! That’s great news. I’ll take you to your place right before he gets here. You can’t be alone.”
Jenna got a glass of water. “Okay.”
“You can’t mate right away. Not with the way you’re feeling,” her mom said.
Jenna smiled. She had no intention of holding off. She wanted this mating just as much as Sarandon did.
“What…what about your living arrangements?”
“Don’t worry, Mom. He’s fallen in love with the family and with me, of course. He wants to be part of our agency, and we’re staying right next door.”
Her mom was in tears and lightly hugged Jenna.
“It’s okay, Mom. When we start having babies, you can take care of them while I’m chasing down fugitives.”
“I’m so happy for you. And for us. What about a wedding?”
“We can discuss it later. Since Sarandon’s giving up his family in Silver Town, it would be nice to have the wedding there.”
“Okay, I agree. You rest up before he gets here. I know you’re not going to heed my words about taking it easy tonight. Not that I would either if I were in your shoes.”
Jenna agreed and spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping. When she got a call right before Sarandon arrived, she smiled. “I’ll see you in just a few minutes, honey,” he said.
Her mother hurried to drive her back to her house. “Don’t overdo it.”
“Mom.” Her mom gave her a big sigh, then got out of the car to walk her into the house. “I’m okay, Mom. You really don’t have to stay.”
“We’re not taking any chances.”
Both of them were armed with 9 mm pistols as they walked through the house, making sure it was clear. They heard a vehicle in the driveway, and Jenna’s mom hurried to see who it was. “Your knight is here. When does he want to start working? What about the business he’s in?”
“The pack is taking care of it. I hope you won’t be too rough on him when he applies to work for you, like you were on Dad.”
Her mom smiled and lightly hugged Jenna again. “He won’t have to apply at all. He’s already helped with several of your cases, so he’s been vetted. This is cause for a celebration.”
When Sarandon pulled up in the driveway, Jenna and her mom met him outside. Her mom gave Sarandon a hug. “Keep her safe and ensure she doesn’t overdo it.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Sarandon gently pulled Jenna into his arms. “You’re beautiful.”
They waved at her mom and then headed inside Jenna’s house. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. Even a couple of hours’ rest made me feel much better.”
“You have to take it easy. Your mom said.??
?
“There’s easy, and there’s easy. We’re mating, my sexy, hot wolf. And that’s not open for discussion.” She slipped her hand through his belt loop and pulled him into the house. “After what happened, and what could have happened, I’m not waiting.”
As soon as they were inside the house, his hot gaze speared her. She was ready to strip all his clothes off so she could admire his gloriously naked body.
He cupped her face and kissed her forehead, then pulled her into another light embrace.
“I won’t break,” she assured him. If he was going to delay a mating because he was worried she was hurting, she would scream. She wasn’t delaying this for anything.
“You have to know how I feel about this. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.” She tugged him to the bedroom and began taking off his clothes.
“You aren’t in a rush, are you?” He sat on the bed and pulled off his boots.
She removed hers, then slid her shirt over her head. “Aren’t you?”
He laughed. “I could hardly think of anything else but being with you again. I’m ready to make up for all that lost time.”
He stood, and they helped each other out of the rest of their clothes. Despite being in a rush, he continued to kiss her bare skin, taking it slow, checking her over, assuring himself she was all right. As much as she wanted to hurry things along, she loved how gentle he was with her, how concerned that he didn’t hurt her.
His gaze was smoldering as he paused to observe her, and she loved how he could look at her like that—like he could devour her, like she wanted to devour him.
“I want this. You. Me. Together.” She took his hands in hers, eager to make him her mate. Nothing was going to stop this from happening now. Not unless Burt walked in the door. She hated Burt for what he’d done to her and everyone else who had suffered at his hands, but she had to admit that if it weren’t for him and everything he’d pulled, she and Sarandon probably would never have met. She thought the world of Sarandon, and she couldn’t live without him in her life.
“I love you,” Sarandon said, kissing her, then lifting her onto the bed.
“I love you right back, Sarandon.” She couldn’t believe they were doing this, and not six months from now. She couldn’t have been happier.
Then he was kissing her again, his cheek rubbing against hers, his hands on her breasts, massaging, warming them. She was melting into the mattress underneath his touch, her blood hot with need, her feminine core screaming for attention. He rubbed her nipple, then moved his mouth lower to suckle it, licking and kissing it. She about came unglued and arched against his hungry touch. “Oh…my…God,” she said on a deep, throaty groan.
He lifted his face and frowned. “Are you all—”
She pulled his head back to her breast, directing his actions, breathing out a strangled, “Yes!”
He chuckled.
She combed her fingers through his hair and rubbed her inner thigh against his outer thigh, leaving her scent on him, wanting him deep inside her. He continued to suckle her breast, making her inner core tighten with desperate need. She was trying not to make a sound, fearing he’d think he was hurting her, and she didn’t want him to stop for any reason. Or to make her speak and lose her concentration.
He began kissing her mouth, then reached down to cup her mound. She held her breath in heady anticipation, waiting for him to touch her, to bring her to climax.
He slid his finger between the folds and began to stroke. She groaned, her whole body on fire. She felt his full erection stirring against her leg. She dug her fingers into his waist, dying for release, wanting, needing, craving this. Between his expert strokes, the scent of their arousal, and their pheromones cheering them on, she felt the scales of balance tipping in her favor. And then she was splintering into a million ecstatic pieces. Before she could gather her wits, he pressed the tip of his penis against her, seeking entrance, waiting for her agreement. God, he was so good for her.
She swept her hands down his buttocks and tugged at him to penetrate her. “I’m ready,” she said in case he needed the encouragement.
He nuzzled her cheek and whispered, “I love you.”
“Love you right back.” She wanted to tell him to get on with it. Instead, she spread her legs and pulled him to join her, needing this, the union between wolves, the act confirming they had chosen each other and no one else.
He obliged, pushing into her, joining her, thrusting as she rocked back and forth. She slid one of her feet over the back of his leg, caught up in the wonder of making love to her wolf. Her wolf forever and ever.
* * *
Sarandon couldn’t have loved the she-wolf any more than he did, and though he had worried Jenna would be too sore to make love, she wasn’t letting him get out of it. He hoped she wouldn’t regret it later. He was glad too, that she was feeling well enough after what Burt had done to her, but he didn’t want to think of the bastard and what he had done to Jenna right this moment.
He kissed her sweet, warm mouth, thrusting his cock between her legs, believing heaven couldn’t be any better than this. No woman would ever make him feel the way she did. Her eyes were hot with heat and need, and he had every intention of making her come again, with him this time. He licked her lips, and she parted them for him, her fingers stroking his ass, her touch stealing his thoughts, her tongue teasing his. This time, he sucked on her tongue, and she groaned against his mouth.
He pressed deeper, pulling her legs higher, wanting to go as far as he could, feeling her pelvis tighten around his cock. She felt damn good wrapped around him in a loving embrace, and he didn’t want this to end. But he was cognizant of her injury, and he didn’t want to tax her too much either, especially if she wasn’t being completely honest with him about how she was feeling.
“Oh, faster,” she said, the words husky and urgent.
He felt the climax coming but held off, straining to give her pleasure for a second time. Then rubbing against her and thrusting again, he felt her spasm, and she cried out, clutching his ass with her fingers. And he came, exploding inside her, the raw, animal pleasure pummeling him in a satiated way.
They were mated wolves now and forever, and he couldn’t have been more pleased.
He sank on top of her before he worried he might be hurting her, but then he moved off her and pulled her into his arms. For the longest time, she breathed in his scent, and he caressed her back with his fingertips, lost in the soft and warm feel of her body pressed against his. “Are you okay?”
She licked his chest and rested her chin there, looking up at him. “My mate just sent me to the moon and back. I’d say I was on top of the world.”
He smiled down at her. “About the bullet you took.”
She rested her head on his chest and sighed. “Since you made love to me, I don’t feel anything but delicious afterglow. And”—she stroked his chest—“if you want to do more of this”—she swept her hand down his waist—“I won’t stop you.”
He chuckled. “I can see you’re going to be insatiable.”
She looked up at him and frowned. “Aren’t you?”
He smiled. “Hell yeah.”
“You’re such a wolf,” she breathed against his chest, then licked him again and kissed him.
“You are too. And all mine.”
* * *
Early the next morning after making love a couple more times, and way too early for Jenna, her mom called and Jenna figured she had another case.
“I’m so sorry, dear. How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine, really, Mom.” It was more that Jenna was still cuddling with Sarandon after making love two more times last night. The bruise on her chest was completely gone. She was just tired from being up half the night with her hot mate. Not that she was complaining, except for having to work today.
&n
bsp; “Maybe Sarandon can go after this man while you rest up a bit. You sound tired.”
“No, that’s okay.” Sarandon needed to rest up too, but it had all to do with them being newly mated wolves, for heaven’s sake.
“The man’s name is Haldon Jones. He skipped out on his bail, and this one isn’t paying his court-ordered child support or alimony. Are you sure you can do it?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Send me all the information, and I’ll track him down.”
Her mom sent her the mug shot and bond information. “I also need you to run to the police department and pick up another application. We’re going to start personally picking up these cases so we can smell the suspects in case they run.”
“And to learn if they’re a wolf,” she said, kissing Sarandon’s cheek. Neither had made a move to leave the bed. He was awake, listening, running his hand over her bare back.
“All right, dear. I’ll let you take care of it.”
“We should have it done in record time. Especially since I now have a wolf partner.”
“Your sisters are envious. Now they both want one too.”
Jenna yawned. “They’ll have to find their own. I’ve also still got to run down Herman.”
When they ended the call, she and Sarandon got ready to go.
“No chance for a wolf honeymoon, I take it,” Sarandon said, pulling on his shirt.
“All I’ve got to say,” Jenna said, slipping her boots on, “is we need to take care of these cases pronto, so we can get back to looking for Burt. Once we’re done with him, maybe we can get a break. Are you sure you can handle working as a fugitive recovery agent without the training?”
“Yeah, I’m still a part-time deputy sheriff anytime Peter needs me to be.”
“All right.” She thought he would be fine, but she’d still had to ask.
When they arrived at the jail, they got the paperwork for a guy who’d been arrested for writing a couple thousand dollars’ worth of bad checks. He offered to pay for his bail bond with a check, and Jenna said no to that. “Cash, postal money order, or certified check only.”