As he slid his tongue across her mouth, she opened it, and he plunged inside, tasting her. His wolf was close to the surface, urging him to continue to keep on kissing her, to claim her, to fucking own every single inch of her.
Cassie whimpered, and the hands on his chest moved up, circling his neck, holding him close.
Running his hand down her back, he grabbed her ass, drawing her those last few inches closer to him. His cock pressed against her stomach. She didn’t even try to fight him, or to fight this as he held her.
She was pure fire in his arms.
Only the sound of someone clearing their throat had him stopping.
It was Carl.
He’d been one of the few of the pack not to leave. Their training was still going strong.
Cassie pressed her face against his chest, and he felt her shaking.
Stroking her hair, he stared at his friend, who was smiling, looking so happy.
“What is it, Carl?” he asked.
“There’s an alpha here, and he wants to see you.” Carl’s gaze landed on Cassie. “It’s Cassie’s old alpha. He calls himself David.”
This brought Cassie’s head up, and she glanced over her shoulder to look at Carl. “What?”
“He doesn’t want to see you, Cassie. He’s here to talk with Abel.”
Abel nodded at him. “Thank you.”
“No problem.”
Carl left them, and Abel returned his gaze to Cassie.
“I don’t know why he’s here. I swear.”
“I believe you.” He pushed some hair off her shoulder. “If you want this to continue when I finish my meeting with this David, I’ll be going to my room, Cassie. If you’re there, then I will consider that your permission to explore this.”
“And if I’m not?” she asked, biting her lip again.
He pulled her lip from her mouth. “Then I know you want no more, and I won’t pursue this or you. You’ll be free to be part of my pack, and I will continue to train you. Nothing will change.”
He’d just have to fight his interest in her.
“I don’t want to hear an answer,” he said, pressing a finger to her lips. “I’ll be waiting, or I’ll be there.”
He climbed out of the pool, pulling on his boxer briefs before grabbing a pair of pants. He’d have opted for a shirt, but he decided this asshole was on his land, uninvited.
Making his way toward the office, he saw Jessica standing outside his door.
“Do you want me to come in with you? Show strength within the pack?”
“No, thank you.” He entered the room and was sure to close the door behind him.
David looked … guilty.
He also wasn’t alone, and Abel didn’t like that. There was a woman with red hair and green eyes, similar to Cassie. This had to be her mother.
“I didn’t extend an invitation. You take a great risk coming here,” Abel said, folding his arms.
“Yes, well, it was brought to our attention that Cassie was here.”
He saw the woman was twisting her hands, looking nervous.
His wolf went on high alert. They looked every part the troubled pack, but something told him they were far from it.
“Cassie is now part of my pack, yes, and she’s been accepted by everyone here. She is well-liked, and her food is well-loved.”
There was a slight twitch to their faces at the mention of food. He didn’t like this, not for a second.
“Now tell me what you’re doing on my land without me having sent for you first?” Abel asked. This was his land, and here he was alpha.
“We would like for Cassie to return to her pack.”
His wolf growled, snarling. These people were not here to care for Cassie. They just wanted their victim back.
“That will not happen.”
“She’s part of her pack. You cannot keep her from us.”
“She is not part of your pack after you rejected her. Her place with us is already secured. You have nothing to worry about. She won’t be going feral anytime soon.”
“Cassie’s different,” David said. “She needs guidance that only a pack can provide.”
“You mean her strength scared the shit out of you, and now you’re worried after the years of abuse that she’ll turn her strength and that of my pack against you?”
There it was.
The flash of fear.
The truth comes to light.
“You don’t know what you’re dealing with!”
“I know very well. You’re a monster, and you.” He made sure to glare at her mother. “Cassie is a beautiful woman, and you made her feel gross and ugly. You abused her for years. You made her so afraid of her own strength that she kept it locked up for a long time.”
“No, Cassie was never strong,” her mother said.
“Cassie’s strength was there when she was eighteen. For a long time, you’d been living with a ticking time bomb. Constantly poking, prodding, hurting her. It was only a matter of time before she snapped, and snap she did.” Abel smiled. “It must have been a terrifying sight for all of you to see your victim finally be the victor.”