N. Walters - Quinn's Quest

“I’m going to grab a shower and head back down to the office for a few hours.” Craig’s voice interrupted her. She realized she was swaying in Quinn’s grasp. Her breathing was so fast and shallow she was practically panting.

“Shower over at Hank’s place.” Quinn’s voice was rough with need. Thick was lust.

Craig’s eyes widened as he studied them. “Will do. Give me a second.” He disappeared into the bedroom and returned a few seconds later with a change of clothing.

Bethany wanted to die with embarrassment, but another part of her was fiercely glad he was leaving. She had to get naked.

“I’ll come get you if I hear any news.” With that reassurance, Craig was gone.

The second the door closed behind him, Bethany started tearing at her clothing. It was confining her, choking her.

“Easy, baby.” Quinn tried to help her but she jerked away from him. He didn’t understand. She had to get naked.

He wrapped his arms around her and wrestled her into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind them. She couldn’t understand why he wasn’t helping her.” Please,” she begged, appalled by her lack of control.

It was as though she were another person. Not the Bethany she knew at all, but some creature more primal, more basic.

Her skin rippled and she cried out as her pussy spasmed, contracting around air.

“Let me help you.” Quinn’s voice was like it was coming from far away. “Stop tearing at your skin, baby. You’re hurting yourself.”

She smelled it then, the coppery scent of blood. She stilled and looked down at herself, horrified to see the fabric of her shirt was shredded and several long gashes marred her arms. She’d done that. To herself.

The shock was enough to jolt her back into some semblance of control. “What am I doing?” She peered up at Quinn, who had his strong arms wrapped around her like a straightjacket. “What have I done?”

“It’s okay, Bethany.” He released her slowly and began tugging at her ruined clothing. What was left of her shirt landed on the floor. Her bra followed. “I don’t think there’s any turning back from this moment. You’re in heat.”

She shut her eyes and swallowed. There was that word again. Trying to pretend it was simply biology wasn’t helping. It went far beyond the physical and into the mental. She craved Quinn. Wanted to join with him, to bond with him. Permanently.

And that was totally unfair to him. He had his own demons to fight.

“You should—” She broke off as a wave of lust rocketed through her, making her cry out. Her body undulated.

“Holy fuck.” Quinn swore as he helped her onto the bed. He practically ripped off her shoes and socks before dragging her jeans and panties down her thighs and off. He was panting as hard as she was.

“You…” She swallowed hard and stared at Quinn. “You felt that too.”

He looked as though he was in pain when he nodded. His usually pale eyes appeared darker. A lock of blond hair fell onto his forehead. She curled her fingers into her palms to keep from touching him.

He had to leave. Now. Or they could do something he might regret.

“You have to go.” Those were the hardest four words she’d ever said in her entire life. Every molecule in her body rebelled at the notion of him leaving her.

He stilled and then took a step back.

The cotton comforter beneath her back was cool, but her skin was hot. She bit her bottom lip to keep from moaning as a wave of heat blasted through her, arrowing from her breasts to between her legs. Her thighs were wet and she could feel a trickle of cream slipping from her pussy to trail between the dark crevice of her butt.

He looked devastated. Angry.

She didn’t want that. She was trying to save him, not hurt him. “Go before it’s too late.” It was getting harder and harder to speak.

He frowned. “Too late for what?”

She rolled over onto her side, panting hard. Quinn was beside her immediately. “Let me help you, sweetheart.”

The words tore at her heart. If only she were his sweetheart. She felt closer to Quinn than she ever had to another man. Maybe they hadn’t known one another very long and the circumstances had been extreme, but that didn’t seem to matter one bit.

Deep in her heart she wanted him. Forever. She barely dared to speak the word love . Her instincts, the ones she always relied on, were screaming at her not to let him go. She felt a stirring inside her and recognized it for the first time as her wolf. Something not separate from her, but part of her. Two sides of the same coin.

But the human part of her, the part not controlled by instinct, didn’t want a man if he was trapped by biology as much as she was. She was human enough that she yearned to be wanted simply for herself. To be loved.

It was torture to speak. Bethany finally understood how powerful this burning, instinctual need truly was. How had Chrissten fought against Brian for so long? The moment she asked the question, she knew the answer. If any other male were here besides Quinn, she’d fight him.

Bethany didn’t know if it was true for all female werewolves or only half-breeds, but there was no denying the truth. She wanted to be with one male and one male only. Maybe it was her human side. Maybe it was true for all female werewolves. It was too late to ask anyone.

Quinn cupped her breast. The skin of his palm was rough. She made a whimpering sound in her throat when he thumbed her nipple.

“Let me take you. Let me help you.” Quinn’s eyes were glowing with lust. “I thought about this a lot today. Let me mate with you. That will protect you from other males. But I’ll let you go when you want to.” He brushed her damp hair away from her scalp. “You’ll be free to go and do whatever you want, whenever you want.”

He was killing her. On one hand he was offering her heaven. She wanted to mate with him, to be with him. But it was obvious he didn’t feel the same way she did about forever. Sure he wanted her. That was more than apparent by the rather conspicuous bulge in his jeans. That was biology. But he was willing to let her go whenever she wanted.

She licked her dry lips. “Be sure. What if you find a female you want to mate with permanently?” It almost killed her to ask the question, but it had to be asked.

He closed his eyes briefly, shutting himself off emotionally from her. “It won’t happen.” When he opened his eyes there was nothing there but longing and lust. Any traces of other emotions were gone.

So be it. She’d let him go in the end because she loved him and wanted him happy. Maybe she’d find a way out of their mating somewhere down the road. After all, they were both half-breeds, not purebloods.

Just thinking of leaving him made her feel ill. But she wouldn’t cling or stay with him if he didn’t want her permanently. She had too much pride for that. She also wasn’t stupid enough to turn aside his help. She knew this had to happen. If not with him, then with another male. And she couldn’t handle the thought of any other male but Quinn touching her in this way.

Bethany wanted only Quinn and she was too far gone to turn him away. He’d missed his opportunity to bail earlier. It was too late for them both. Maybe it always had been.

She opened her arms to him. “Come.”

Quinn vaulted from the bed and started to rip away his clothing. His skin was damp with perspiration. His arm muscles flexed and rippled as he tore off his shirt. He toed off his sneakers and shoved his jeans down. He wasn’t wearing underwear and his cock was revealed in all its male glory.

She licked her lips and her core began to throb heavily. Oh yeah, she wanted that long, thick cock powering into her again and again.