While she ran for her mountains, she practiced hardening her heart against losing Conner. Actually, she barely knew him. It would be easy to get over the loss. It wasn't the same as her parents. She didn't rely on him, he hadn't been around that long.
She hadn't even told him she loved him.
Finally out of breath, she tipped her snout up and howled at the morning sun coming up over the horizon. The changing from night to day, season to season, year to year.
Life went on. But Conner wouldn't.
And she'd get over it. Strength had always been her salvation. It had seen her through the death of her parents, it would see her through the death of her husband.
The wolves of the Carpathians surrounded her, one by one moving slowly toward her, their heads bowed, their pain evident.
They knew what had happened, and they cared. They hurt. Despite the fact they didn't even know Conner, his pain was their pain.
They felt. Something she had tried to deny, but could no longer hide from.
Loving someone meant taking the risk of losing them. She had to face the pain, to feel the love she'd tried so hard to deny.
The humanity within her took control and she shifted, falling to her knees and sobbing for what she was going to lose. The wolves stayed close, lying down beside her and watching her with mournful eyes.
"I love him," she whispered to them. "I love him and I don't want to lose him."
They didn't respond, but she felt them within her, giving her the strength she needed to face what was to come. Her time of cowardice was over. It was time to go back and hold her husband's hand, to will him to recover, or stand by his side until the end.
The sun had climbed nearly overhead by the time she made it back to the castle, dressing quickly and hurrying up the stairs. Inhaling deeply, she was determined to face whatever happened in there.
Noah and Chantal were in there with Conner, their faces as grim as they had been when she'd seen them last. Her gaze flitted to her husband, and she fought back tears as she saw how deathly pale he had become.
"No change?" she whispered to Chantal, sitting down beside Conner.
"No."
"Have you called your parents?"
"Yes, but I told them not to come. There's not enough time for them to get here. If he survives, they can come then. If he doesn't, there's no point."
She didn't question Noah's decision, just nodded.
"I had to leave," she started, feeling the need to explain to them why. "I was afraid of losing him. I didn't think I'd be able to face another loss of someone I loved."
Saying the words made her feel more the coward than ever. She dropped her chin to her chest, ashamed to look at them.
Chantal squeezed her hand. "We understand, honey. Besides, there's nothing any of us can do right now except wait. It's up to Conner now."
She nodded, but the remorse didn't lessen. Her place was by his side. Comforting him, encouraging him to heal. Instead, she had run away and hidden, afraid to face reality like an adult.
It was time to grow up.
"Conner, listen to me," she said, sitting down beside him to hold his hand. "You need to heal. Tell your body to heal. I need you."
The words spilled along with the tears, but this time she didn't run. "I love you, Conner Devlin. Don't you dare leave me now. We've gone through hell together in such a short period of time. That means we have a destiny, a purpose. I need you to survive, to use your strength to heal. Come back to me, love. We have babies to make, a dynasty to create."
She sat by his side until the sun had shifted into the western sky, slowly lowering and bringing on the night. The moon was still full, shining in through the windows of the bedroom, its silver glow reflecting off Conner's deathly white complexion.
Long after she had made the others leave, she sat there, talking to him. Sometimes cajoling and teasing, sometimes crying quietly, and other times railing at him, screaming at him to find the strength within him to fight it off.
She would not lose him!
Fearing he'd drift away from her if she wasn't there watching him every second, she kept her vigil, unable to eat, sleep or leave his side. Chantal finally came in and forced her to get up and stretch, promising if there was any change while she showered and got something to eat she'd let her know immediately.
Knowing that his sister had as much right to be by Conner's side as she did, she took her advice. After showering, she slipped into the kitchen and found Noah there, downing a glass of ale.
She nodded to him, then fixed herself a sandwich, automatically preparing one for him, too. They ate side by side at the table, never once saying a word to each other.
No words were necessary. They both knew what the other felt. When they finished eating, she washed the dishes and dried her hands on the towel. Noah was right behind her when she turned around.
She fell against his chest, sobbing. He wrapped his strong arms around her and held her, stroking her hair as she let out the pain tearing her apart inside. When she finished, she looked up at him and said, "I love him so much, Noah. I'll never survive if I lose him."
Was that moisture glistening in Noah's eyes? He set his chin firmly and said, "You won't lose him. He's strong. He's fighting this, Katya. That's why he's still with us. Go back up there, hold his hand, and tell him how you feel. He needs to hear it."
He kissed her forehead and she hurried back upstairs.
"Anything?" she asked Chantal.
"Nothing. I'm sorry. I need to go make some phone calls." Chantal stood, then hugged her tight. Katya drank in the support of his family, needing it more than she could ever tell them.
"Are you okay?" she asked Chantal.
She nodded. "I'll be fine. He'll be fine. I know he will."
"That's what Noah said."
"He's right. Believe it. We know our brother. He's too damn stubborn to die."
She managed an encouraging smile for Chantal, then turned to Conner as soon as Chantal left the room.
Still pale, but did it seem as if there was a little more color in his face than there had been this morning, or was she just imagining it?
When she sat next to him and slid her hand within his, it felt...warmer. Still a bit chilled, but definitely more heat than the near-deathly cold temperature of earlier.
Hope surged within her, and she leaned in, pressing her lips against his. Whispering in his ear, she said, "Conner, I love you. Please come back to me."
A groan came from his lips, and she could have shouted at the rafters. "Conner, can you hear me?"
As if sunlight streamed into the room despite the darkness of night, his skin began to color again, his normal healthy tan returning in minutes. He opened his eyes and frowned. "Did we oversleep?"
She laughed and cried at the same time, leaning over to kiss him. "It's a brand-new day, my love!" Hurrying to the door, she shouted for Noah and Chantal, who came running.
Too excited to stand still, she rocked on her heels when they rushed in and hugged him. Conner glared at Noah when Noah threw his arms around him.
"What the hell is going on?" he asked.
"You were shot, dumbass. Don't you remember?" Noah replied.
"Not a damn thing. Oh, wait, the hunters." He turned to Katya. "Peter. Sonofabitch. Peter brought the hunters in here. He tried to kill you. And I killed him, instead." He reached for his chest and felt the bandage, then looked back up at her. "I guess I didn't die."
Katya laughed and swiped away the tears, perching on the bed next to him. "No, thank God. You didn't die."
He swept her hair away from her neck. "You look beautiful. I love you, Katya. I don't want to miss the opportunity to say that, in case I drop dead in the next few minutes."
Her skin broke out in chills, the moment too incredible to comprehend. His touch sent her heart soaring, his smile touched her soul. She thought she'd never feel the warmth of his hands on her again. "I love you, too, Conner."
The tears wouldn't s
top, but she didn't care.
She had the man she loved back. For the first time in her life, she started to think that there was actually something to look forward to.
Chapter Fifteen
"Would you all quit hovering over me like I'm going to expire in the next five minutes?"
"Now what would Mom say if she knew we'd let you get out of bed before you're ready?" Chantal asked with a smug smile.
"I've already talked to Mom and she knows I feel fine."
"You look pretty weak to me," Noah quipped.
"Barely able to stand on your own, actually," Chantal added.
"You're both full of shit. That's how I know I'm all better now. The two of you are annoying me."
"Ah, well, maybe things are back to normal again," Noah said. "Maybe it's time we both take our leave of Braslieu so we can get on with our own lives."
He should be so lucky. Conner glared at his brother and sister and swung his legs over the side of the bed, the sheet nestled in his crotch. Chantal glowered back, and Noah just grinned.
"I'm naked. I'm getting up. Get out."
For the past twenty-four hours they had been driving him nuts. Catering to him, not letting him get up except to go to the bathroom. He needed a shower, a shave, and he wanted a goddamn steak, not the flimsy excuses for food they'd been bringing him.
Soup. Who the fuck ate soup as a meal? His body was fine. His recuperative powers restored, he was more than ready to assume his normal responsibilities.
Though he really did enjoy the part where Katya spent every moment with him. They'd spent a lot of time talking, which was all she'd allow, since she told him he wasn't nearly well enough for what he had in mind.
Ha! That's what she thought. By the time he'd cleaned up, then had Noah sneak him in a huge steak dinner, he felt refreshed, strong, and horny as hell.
The next stop on his trip to full recovery was having his wife for dessert.
He'd missed her touch, her scent, the feel of her soft ass nestled in his crotch when they slept at night. He missed the perky tips of her breasts and the sweet honey of her pussy.
And he was going to take possession of all of those...tonight.
Slipping under the sheets, he leaned against the headboard and waited for her.
True to form, she breezed through the doorway. She hadn't left him for more than a couple hours at a time since he'd awakened from the long sleep that had healed his body.
"You look great," she said, her smile brightening the room more than any artificial light could.
"So do you." Edible, in fact.
"Are you tired? How do you feel?" She pressed her palm to his forehead. He took the opportunity to peek down her blouse, wishing he could lick between her breasts.
Soon. "Yeah, I'm kind of tired. Ready to go to bed?"
"Sure. Let me go take a shower and I'll be right back."
He waited, his cock getting harder by the minute as he thought of all the things he wanted to do with Katya. Listening to the sounds she made while she showered, the way she hummed when she combed her hair, the smell of the lotion she slathered all over her body, had his balls aching by the time she came out of the bathroom in all her naked glory.
Her damp hair fell in waves, sections of it partially hiding her nipples. The soft lips of her pussy were visible as she moved toward him. His cock lurched against the sheet and he put his hands in his lap to disguise the evidence of his need.
Did she have any idea how sexy she was when she walked? God, he was hungry.
Ravenous, in fact. Starving to death for a taste of his woman.
Naked, she slipped into bed and turned off the light, ready to curl up next to him...barely next to him...like she had last night.
But not this time. This time, he had a big surprise for her.
"Conner!" she squealed when he pulled her against him and nestled his hard cock between her buttocks. She scooted away, flipped on the light and looked down at his cock as if she never expected to see him with a hard-on again. "How did that happen?"
He grinned. "In the usual way. I've been thinking about you."
She kept glancing at his shaft. "Are you sure you're up to this?"
"What do you think?"
Finally, the concerned frown lines on her face diminished, and she smiled. "Good. I've been waiting for you to feel up to it again."
"Baby, I'm up."
She grinned. "Make love to me, Conner."
That was all he needed to hear. Shifting her underneath him, he covered her body with his, rocking his throbbing shaft against her moistened slit. He kissed her, devouring her mouth like a man who'd been abandoned in the desert without water.
There was no place he could touch without wanting to glide over it twice, no spot on her body that he kissed that he didn't want to go back and taste again. Desperation pulled at him, the need to possess every inch of her and never let her go.
She threaded her fingers through his hair. "I thought I'd lost you."
He licked her lips. "I know. But I'm stronger than you think. I'll always be here to take care of you, Katya. And our children and our pack. I'm never going to leave you. Not until we're both very, very old."
She smiled, love sparkling in her eyes. "I know. I have faith in you, Conner, and I'll never doubt again."
He closed his eyes as her words washed over him, her love for him a tangible thing. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve the love of a woman like Katya, but he was going to make damn sure to show her his appreciation every single day for the rest of their lives.
Starting now.
"Spread your legs for me, baby. I've been dying for a taste of you."
She whimpered and complied, planting her feet on the bed and raising her knees. He leaned up and looked down at her spread-eagled for his viewing pleasure.
Her nipples stood upright and begged for his mouth. Her belly quivered and her hips lifted in silent invitation.
The problem was he didn't know where to start. Nipples. Definitely nipples. He bent over and swiped his tongue over one hard peak, then the other, then began alternating one with the other until she reached for his head and pushed him south.
"Oh, but I love playing with these pretty nipples, baby."
"Lick me, Conner," she said, her breath coming in gasps.
"I am licking you."
She glared at him. "Not there. My pussy, dammit, and hurry!"
He laughed. "That was an alpha talking, for sure. Your wish is my command, Princess."
His tongue blazed a trail down her abdomen, stopping to slide inside her belly button. She giggled, the throaty sound more enticing than any moan he'd ever heard. He paused when he reached her sex, mesmerized by the look of her pussy. Her lips were pink, swollen and wet. Unable to resist, he licked her slit and circled her clit with his tongue.
She bucked against his mouth. "Do that again."
He did, and she moved her hips against his mouth, sliding her sweet pussy against his lips.
"I could eat you all night long, Katya." He slipped a finger inside her cunt, loving the way her muscles squeezed and pulled. It made him ache to drive his cock inside that tight vise until she squeezed every drop of cum from his balls.
First, his woman had to get off. Then it was his turn. Leaving one finger inside her pussy, he tunneled in and out while covering her clit with his mouth, licking back and forth like a ticking clock, following her nonverbal signals until he hit just that right spot and--
"Oh, God, Conner!" She flew over the edge, her cunt spasming around his finger, sweet nectar pouring out of her. He held onto her clit while she slammed her pussy against his mouth.
Once the spasms ended, her hips lowered and she lay there, eyes closed, panting heavily. He crawled over her and she opened her eyes, smiling at him. He slipped the finger moistened with her creamy cum inside her mouth. She lapped at it greedily, sucking the digit the same way she sucked his cock.
His shaft was jealous of the attention his finger re
ceived, but he'd be damned if he was going to dally any longer than necessary. There'd be plenty of time to feel her hot mouth surrounding his dick. Right now he wanted inside her wet cunt.
"Turn over, baby."
She did as he instructed, flipping over onto her belly. He slid two pillows under her hips, raising her ass high off the bed.
"You like fucking me this way, don't you?" she asked, craning her neck around to look at him.
"You know it. I'm a wolf, baby. I like it from behind." He leaned in and kissed her, then nestled between her legs and directed his cock toward that magic spot.
Katya was the magic in his life, what he'd been missing and had never realized it. And now, she was his forever. "My woman. My pussy. Mine."
The last word Conner uttered in a fierce growl, firing up Katya's nerve endings and making her desperate for his possession. "Yes, Conner. Yours."
He drove inside her, burying his shaft deep and hard. She drove backward to meet his thrusts, shockwaves of intense pleasure hitting every nerve ending in her body.
His movements were relentless. He leaned over her back, grabbing her arms and lifting them over her head, then pinning her in place so he could drive inside her harder.
"You ready to go again, baby? Because I don't think I can hold out too long. I need to spurt cum deep inside you."
His movements drove her clit against the pillows shooting sparks of need deep inside her. When he bent over and grazed her neck with his teeth, then bit down to hold her in place, she cried out.
Pain laced with the most exquisite pleasure imaginable took her over the edge.
"Fuck me, Conner! I'm going to come!"
He growled against her neck and sank his teeth in deeper. She couldn't move, could only lie there and feel every pulse of her orgasm as he pummeled her cunt with jackhammer thrusts until she screamed. Her climax raged through her, primal, savage, like the way Conner fucked her. Hot jets of cum spurted inside her, his life seed filling her.
She panted to catch her breath, the aftershocks of her orgasm still pulsing. Conner withdrew and lifted her off the pillows, collapsing onto his back and pulling her against him.
His eyes still blazed with the heat of passion, his body damp with sweat, the same as hers.
"I'm going to need another shower," she teased.
His lips brushed hers slowly, seductively, promising a night filled with sensual delights. "That's okay. I like shower sex."