Shelly Laurenston: Howl for It

Gage’s gaze swept over Jonah. “You’re . . . healing.”

“Yes, well, a slash to the arm can take some—”

“You’re lucky I didn’t kill you.” Gage flashed his fangs. “You ever shoot at her again and I’ll—”

“I’ll be damned.” Jonah’s jaw dropped. He shook his head, and took a minute to recover before he said, “You love my sister.”

Kayla frowned at him. Did he have to sound so shocked? Gage blinked and looked annoyed. Just the way she felt. Gage said, “I married her, didn’t I?”

It really was that simple. But she’d been too blind—too scared and desperate—to see the truth from the beginning. It wasn’t about packs.

About mates.

About hunters.

It was just about them. Man and woman.

Need. Lust. Desire.

Love.

“But the real question is . . .” Gage’s voice had deepened and his focus was on her. Totally. “Just why the hell did she marry me?”

The wolves were watching. Her brother stared with wide eyes.

Kayla didn’t speak.

Jonah cleared her throat. “Um, see, man, there was this mission . . . ”

Gage shoved her brother away. Shamus grabbed Jonah’s arm before he could charge back at him.

“Was it just the mission?” Gage wanted to know. “Tell me.”

Kayla shook her head. He had to hear the mad galloping of her heart. The drumbeat filled her ears. So loud.

“Then why?”

So many eyes on them. So many . She knew how important this moment was. To the wolves. To her.

To Gage.

She lifted her right hand—and realized she was still holding the gun. Jonah’s backup weapon. The one he kept loaded with silver.

She tucked it into her waistband and lifted her hand again.

“Why?” Gage demanded.

She smiled at him. The pain and horror of the past were slipping away. Her hand touched Gage’s strong chest. “Because you’re mine, wolf.”

She heard the growls of approval from the pack.

Mine.

“And I don’t plan to ever let you go.” The pack would need to get used to that fact. Deal with it. They’d have a hunter in their midst from now on.

She wasn’t afraid of the big, kick-ass wolf. She loved him too much for fear.

Kayla pulled her wolf closer. Stood on her toes. And kissed him.

She’d promised forever at that little chapel, and forever was exactly what she’d give him.

Wolves weren’t the only ones who mated for life. Humans could sure as hell do that, too.

Forever.

Gage’s arms closed around her, and she knew . . . she was just where she was supposed to be. With the man who loved her.

She was home. At last.

The bride took slow, deliberate steps down the aisle. The minister smiled at her, but he was sweating.

Hmmm . . . wonder if the guy knew he was in a room full of wolf shifters and hunters?

The hunters were on her side of the chapel. Looking fairly nice and presentable. No black ski masks. No weapons. They’d better not have brought weapons to her wedding.

The wolves were on the groom’s side. Again . . . fairly nice and presentable. As long as you didn’t look too closely. If you did, you might see the flash of some fangs. Maybe a few claws.

The groom waited at the end of the aisle. He wasn’t smiling. He’d smiled before. On her first walk down the aisle. Back then, he’d looked so casual and open, but that cool appearance had been a lie.

There weren’t going to be any more lies between them. Not now.

That was why they were starting over. This time, they were getting things right.

“You okay?” her brother whispered. Kayla turned her head and found Jonah watching her with worried eyes.

What? Did he think she was going to break and run? She was already married to the wolf.

But Gage had insisted on another ceremony. One in front of the pack. One without any kind of deceit.

One to tell their kids about.

Whatever. I’m telling the kiddos about the first marriage. And the wild ride of fighting and running that followed.

Because she never wanted to lose those memories.

“Kayla?” Now Jonah was paling. Probably because he was afraid he’d have to tangle with a little chapel full of big old wolves.

She smiled at him. “Everything’s gonna be all right.”

He exhaled on a slow breath. Then nodded.

Poor guy. He was getting used to the wolves now, slowly. The Vegas wolves had started working with the group of hunters that were left. They were all rescuing those unjustly imprisoned under Lyle’s psychotic reign. And stopping the real supernatural threats that were still out there.

Having a wolf on your side could be a very, very good thing.

Kayla stopped walking and stood just in front of Gage. So strong. So dangerous.

So hers.

A very good thing.

The minister/preacher guy started talking. She was supposed to be listening. This was all important.

She couldn’t hear anything but her own heartbeat.

She couldn’t look away from Gage’s eyes.

Had wolves really haunted her nightmares for years? Because she couldn’t imagine her life without this one wolf.

Then Jonah placed her hand on top of Gage’s. She repeated vows—for the second time. She pretty much had no idea what she said, but that didn’t matter.

Because soon Gage was kissing her and she was kissing him back. She had her forever, and it was the best thing in the world.

The best.

The wolves howled and the hunters cheered . . . and Kayla got her happy ending.

Gage carried her over the threshold. Not some too-pink honeymoon suite this time. But into his home. His bed.

Not that they were gonna make it that far . . .

Kayla was already stripping him.

He tried to slow her down. “Sweetheart, let’s go slow, let’s . . .”

Her hand was on his cock. He shuddered. Okay. Screw slow. They could do that one next time. They had nothing but time now.

They made it to the couch. He pulled off her dress—she’d been so beautiful in it—then stared at her white garter belt with desperate eyes.

“Um, Kayla?” His hand tightened on her thigh. “You weren’t wearing any panties.” Just that sexy as hell garter and thigh-high stockings. Hot enough to make a man drool.

She smiled. “I figured I’d save us a step.”

And even though lust was freaking eating him alive, laughter burst from him.

Kayla. She’d gotten to him from the very first moment. Wrapped him around her little, lethal fingers.

He spread her legs. “Well, if it saves us a step . . .” He put his mouth on her. Licked and kissed that delicate flesh and grew even more frantic for her.

Love her taste.

Her hips arched against him. She was wet. Ready. But he wasn’t done tasting.

His tongue slid into her. His thumb pushed over her clit.

She shivered beneath him. Her nails dug into his back, marking him. For a human, the woman sure had some strong she-wolf tendencies.

He stroked her again. Licked.

And felt the tightening of her muscles around him. That was it. Just a little more . . .

Kayla came against his mouth.

It was gonna be one hell of a night.

Gage used his teeth to pull down her stockings. He took his time licking and kissing her skin.

“Gage!”

Definite she-wolf tendencies.

He thrust into her. Sank as deep as he could go. It still wasn’t deep enough. Would anything with her ever be enough?

He kissed her. Withdrew. Thrust. Her legs wrapped around him. Her arms held him tight.

Nothing else was this good. This perfect.

The beast inside was snarling. Wild for his mate, and his mate was wild for him.