“Does this happen every time?” she asks breathlessly.
“No, baby, it only happens with our mates, but after my Initiation, it will go back to normal and only happen sometimes.” I know that my wolf is trying to impregnate its mate, but I would rather have Dakota to myself for a while longer before having kids. “It will also always happen when you’re in heat, and be prepared to have lots and lots of sex then, because the smell of you in heat will drive me crazy.”
“What?” She gasps, looking over her shoulder at me. “You can smell when a woman is ovulating?”
“Yes, every woman has her own distinct fragrance. And as my mate, yours will intoxicate all my senses until all I want is to be inside of you.” I better change the flipping subject. I can feel myself ready to take her again. “I want you again,” I murmur as I lean down and kiss her back, stroking my tongue over her shoulder. “But we need to get ready to go to the Initiation.” I slide out and take a step back as I turn her around.
“Oh, can I be there?” she asks, surprised.
“You are my mate. Where I am, you can also be unless it’s dangerous,” I state as I lift my hand and stroke her flushed cheek. “You are so beautiful.”
Her cheeks darken. “Thank you. You’re not too bad yourself,” she quips with a smile. “You know, I still think this is madness how I landed up here from one day to the other and how close we seem to be. It’s just not normal.”
“Deep down, we know each other because we are meant to be. You can feel it the same way that I can.” I kiss her forehead and then look into her eyes again. “I know that this is sudden. It’s sudden for me too, and I knew that this might happen one day. I just want you to know that what you are feeling is real; it’s as real as it will ever be. We belong together, and with time, all of this will settle down and we will be as one.”
“Hunter, what if Jason finds me? I don’t want to be responsible for anyone getting hurt.” I can see the worry in her eyes, and for the hundredth time, I wish I could have that fucker’s neck in my presence so that I could rip it apart.
“You know what we are, Dakota. We can take care of ourselves and those close to us. You are my mate and one of us now. Nothing will happen to anyone, don’t worry.”
“But he is crafty, and he was in the marines,” she says.
“Baby, trust me when I tell you that we can handle anything he throws at us.” I bring my other hand up and pull her hair back, which displays the mark on her neck and shoulder. “Now come. Let’s go shower so we can get this Initiation over with.”
“What happens at the Initiation?” she asks as she turns to walk towards the bathroom.
“We don’t know. Everyone is different, but it binds our wolf and our human soul as one.” And from what I have heard, it’s as painful as fuck, but I’m not going to tell her that. I’m happy just knowing that I won’t have to go the rest of my life fighting to hold off my wild side, and instead, it will be there when I need it. Losing control is not an option, as we are vicious, true wolves when out of control.
“Am I involved in the Initiation?” she asks as she leans forward to run the water.
“No, baby, you’re just there to calm my wolf and me,” I say, and see her surprised look. “Why so surprised?”
“Do I calm you?”
“My wolf would never have let anyone come close to him, not to mention stroke him like you did, if you didn’t calm him. And regarding me, ever since finding you, I feel a peace within me that I have never felt before. I have always felt like something was missing until you.”
“Aww, you, Hunter, are a sweet talker!” she says with a grin.
“No, baby, I’m not sweet talking. What I have just said is the absolute truth.” I can see her uncertainty by the way she is looking at me, but with time, she will know what I mean, because as time passes, our bond will continue to grow, making her realize that being a wolf’s mate is all consuming. “Now come,” I say, slapping her bum lightly, which has her jumping in surprise, and then she grins over her shoulder at me. “Let’s shower before one of the guys comes knocking on the door.”
In my twenty-eight years, I have grown to be the man I think my parents would be proud of. They both died when I was five in an explosion, but I was lucky to be part of a pack who kept me safe and brought me up knowing right from wrong. I will endeavour to be the man Dakota deserves, providing, caring, and protecting her always. I’m not going to wait for her ex to find her. I am going to find him, and if he doesn’t understand that she is now mine, I will end him.
DAKOTA 8
The minute we get downstairs, Hunter and I are ushered outside and into the trees, Frost and Hawk accompanying us. Hunter holds my hand as we walk, something that I haven’t done in a long, long time, and I have missed it. I have always been a sucker for romance, and walking hand in hand with a man is one of my favourite things to do.
We walk on a beaten pathway for about fifteen minutes until we come upon a clearing where the rest of the brothers are gathered. A crackling fire in the middle, feeling like a nice, cosy outdoors outing, but I should have known with this bunch of men, that looks are deceiving. The minute we arrive, King orders Hunter into the middle and to undress. I stand between Frost and Hawk as Hunter turns towards me as he takes all his clothes off.
My eyes run over his perfect muscular body, the tattoos enhancing his perfection. Dressed or naked, Hunter is a man through and through. I was so lucky to be matched to him. I have known him for a very short time, but in that short time, he has shown me his caring side, a side that is not seen a great deal in a man of his looks, of his strength, or in a biker.
“Whatever happens, don’t be afraid and don’t interfere,” Hawk says to me.
“Okay,” I state, now worried that this might be more than I was led to believe, and then suddenly, I’m distracted as all the men start taking off their T-shirts. Oh, hell, maybe it’s better than I thought, but they don’t get naked like Hunter, to my disappointment, and simply take off their boots too and leave their jeans on. And then they are all looking at me, standing as still as wolves.
“What, must I also undress?” I ask, hoping against hope that they aren’t expecting that from me, because I don’t know if I have the courage to stand here naked before all these men.
“No, just your shoes,” King states.
When my feet are finally bare, King approaches Hunter, his broad shoulders covered in tattoos, the flames of the fire reflecting shadow over it, his muscles rippling with his movements. “Hunter, do you confirm that Dakota is your mate?”