Chapter 18 - Confessions
Nessa
(In Blackwood)
Fate worked in mysterious ways. Who would have thought Michelle would be Vincent’s mate? But as time passed, Nessa could see why they were paired. The intimidating Third in Command needed a dose of cheering, while Michelle needed someone to keep her level-headed.
Nessa wondered what Fate saw in her pairing with Brandon. She would have been a kick-ass Beta Female. The more she wondered why she needed Brandon the more she convinced herself his pretty face was his best asset. She could do better. She had done better.
A pair of green eyes immediately came to mind. Marcus had the face, the body, and the sass to match her upbeat personality. He would keep her entertained day and night. Nessa decided to look at it at the brighter side. It was better that she knew of his wandering eyes now, before she allowed herself to really fall for him. In the long run, it was better.
Nessa found herself reluctantly following Michelle who in terms followed her mate to a small sitting area. Chaperoning the mate’s first conversation wasn’t on Nessa’s to do list so when she saw an opening to break free, she maneuvered Vincent in the spot Michelle intended for her. Nessa didn’t know who was more elated of the development – Vincent or herself.
Nessa was happy for them but disappointed the girlfriends weekend fell apart this quick. Nicole was missing in action ever since they arrived. Nessa had a very good suspicion Nicole was in the company of someone and would not emerge until she is fully sated. Nessa couldn’t blame her. It was in their nature to seek comfort in the arms of their own species. Nessa only wished she wasn’t left alone.
Michelle was soon to be claimed and mated. Nessa took a deep breath and reminded herself: she had her moment. Even though things didn’t turn out to be civil in the end, at least the beginning was promising.
She shook her head denying herself the memories of all the blissful summer days spent daydreaming in Brandon’s arms. He was her meaning. They were taking it slow, enjoying their friendship as it blossomed into their mating.
No. She didn’t want to remember any of that because it ultimately followed by pain and betrayal.
She survived.
That was what mattered.
“Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger,” she sang along. And she was strong, independent and free of him. She should be happy.
But she wasn’t.
Deep down inside, Nessa wanted all the romance, the laughter and the joy of getting to know the love of her life. She wondered if she would ever have that. The years were passing by fast and still she was alone in this world.
“Jealous,” Nessa thought. That was what she was.
She was jealous that her moment had flown away. Bitter in the aftermath.
And lonely. So very, very lonely!
Random partners seemed to make her forget the pain. But not anymore. After Marcus everything changed. She needed more, no, wanted more. A new craving had awakened. She lived under the same roof as her obsession which accounted for her arousal to peak whenever she caught a whiff of his cologne. She was helpless. The darn wolf had the most alluring scent.
No matter how much Nessa tried to focus on writing, her mind lingered on one well sculptured male, who was both infuriating beyond words and attractive as hell. She knew from experience, he was not only talk. He matched his macho bravado with action and that transformed him into irresistible male. Whenever she closed her eyes, she would picture his signature smirk. No matter how angry she was, she wouldn’t think twice of jumping the Green-eyed-devil. She needed him. When did she become so obsessed?
Bad, bad, Alpha!
Actually he was the worst! She could not explain otherwise his decision to parade himself shirtless in the pack house. Sure, it was his darn home, but there were things like modesty. He put others to shame with his physique and made Nessa uncomfortable in her own body. The more she looked at him, the sensual memories replayed in her mind, and the more worked up she would get.
By now Nessa was convinced, there was no rogue gathering and no pending attack. He insisted on moving her deeper in his territory to tease her with his body. Yes that was it. He was a tease.
When did her life get so complicated?
Nessa decided she would use her current predicament and make the most out of it. While at home there would always be distractions – from a chore or two that seemed more important to her than reading for her finals. Procrastinating was far easier at home than in here. Everything was already put in place, organized and new. She couldn’t have imagined life in the Pack House to be this boring.
She ran the water in the tub and used bath salts. The steam filled the bathtub with a nice scent of melon and exotic spices. She grinned as she made her way to fill a glass of wine and take her phone. She chuckled. She hadn’t had time for herself in quite a long while. Disrobing, she slowly stepped into the bathtub and turned off the water. The warm water relaxed her sore muscles from the endless shifts at the diner. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scents. This was perfect.
She opened the book on her smart phone and started reading. The main heroine was about to engage in a rather steamy scene and Nessa was more than excited to follow suit. As the words got hotter, she slipped one of her hands into the water and ran it across her chest. Her nipples immediately perked to the touch. She continued reading and gently teasing herself. She was postponing the inevitable release as she knew the longer she waited, the more intense it was going to be. She dropped her phone on the bathroom floor and reached for the shower head. Pointing it to her core she relaxed under the gentle water pressure. It felt so nice. Her thighs twitched in the preparation for her impending orgasm. Her release was coming fast and she was about to give in when a set of green eyes flashed in front of her closed eyes. Her mind reminded her of all his coiled muscles and the magic he could create with his body. His large hands were always gentle, playful in the way he would stroke her hair, while his body pinned her against the bed. A moan escaped her lips just as her release came. Thrusting into the water spray, she moaned louder and shook as the ripples of pleasure run down her spine.
“Mind blowing,” the thought passed through her mind.
She had to agree. It really was. She felt exhausted and sated all at the same time.
Marcus
(His office in Blackwood)
Marcus took a sharp breath, gritting his teeth together as his body suddenly stirred. The warm wave of pleasure intensified and traveled down to his groin.
“Leave!”
His command was rather abrupt but no one questioned it. Soon the study door shut closed, and Marcus closed his eyes. There was only one possible explanation for his unexplained urge to mate.
Nessa.
He reached out to hers using the pack mind link. The knot in the back of his head was still growing and becoming part of him and tying him to her. That was how the mating bond worked.
Radiant happiness and warmth flowed through the link.
Marcus’ wolf tried to take control over the Skin. A partial shift in both eyes and teeth was all that Marcus allowed. The Beast in him wanted to find, mark and claim Nessa, while Marcus understood her need for time. She had to be ready for this. They called them second chance matings or choice matings and they were the closest thing to the relationships humans had. He had to find a proper way to let her know she was his Chosen without scaring her away. He wouldn’t be able to live through another loss.
The link with Nessa intensified as if she was trying to connect with him. The waves of satisfaction started washing over him. His throbbing member was all the evidence he needed. That little minx of his was going to be his end. He opened his senses to her and opened his mind to her and immediately connected with the images that she was projecting towards him.
Was she day dreaming of him? He smirked. It took a lot of practice to be able to decipher what was your own imagination, and what was actually being projected through the mate bond. Unlike the mind link, where words, smells and memories could be projected, the mate bond offered full access, a back door if you like, to one’s mind. Since they hadn’t strengthened the bond with a mark, her thoughts arrived in fractions, often out of sequence. It was enough to carry the raw emotions. The fact he received images meant she was actively projecting to him which in terms signified their bond strengthening.
God, she was making him horny. He hasn’t been with anyone else after her and that was certainly not making it any easier to withstand her pull. He wanted to be there for her, to watch her spine arch as he thrust in her. He wanted to feel her tighten against him and scream his name. He wanted her. No, he needed her.
Images of their naked bodies flashed into his mind and for his greatest surprise those were not steamy scenes supplied by his own imagination. He smiled and opened up his mind to her. If her wolf wanted to share her desire for him, who was he to protest? He felt flattered she was thinking of him with such devotion. He really needed to have a word with her.
He was about to stand up when he noticed his current state of arousal. He could not walk out of his office with hard on and make it to her room without provoking too much attention and questions. The scenes she was projecting to him intensified and he knew exactly what she was doing and he could not want to do anything else but to be there for her and take care of her. He closed his eyes and let her share everything with her. He could always talk to her later on.
Nessa
(in her room in Blackwood’s Pack House)
The annoying knocks on her door persisted. If Nessa didn’t know Nicole any better, she would have ignored them. She was confident Nic was in stage one full blown panic mode because she forgot to pack something or didn’t know what dress to pick for the party tonight. She wrapped a towel around her torso and went out to open the door.
“Hold off your horses, I’m coming,” Nessa mumbled and unlocked her door. Swinging it open she didn’t expect to see a certain green-eyed Alpha. She immediately tried to close the door, but he pushed open the door and made his way into the room. It was quickly becoming his habit to barge in her life. The moment he actually glanced at her, his hands tightened around her shoulders and pushed her against the wall. His eyes flashed the hue of his wolf’s and she knew he wasn’t thinking straight anymore.
“That’s why you never open your door half naked!” Nessa scolded herself.
“I told you go pester Blondie. I have nothing to else to say to you.”
“Too bad, because we need to talk.”
“No, we don’t,” Nessa shook her head at him.
“Fine, I’ll do all the talking,” Marcus announced and tried to keep her pinned against the wall, but she quickly shook off his hands off her shoulders and managed to put some distance between them. Her heart was still thundering, excited to see him again, hoping he would be hers, not Blondie’s.
“You can’t expect I wouldn’t get distracted here,” Marcus eyebrows arched pointing out her state of dress. Or undress. She huffed.
“I thought it was Nic or Michelle.”
“Nessa, are you trying to seduce me?”
“Not even slightest,” Nessa spat. He smiled at her and brushed her hair out of her eyes.
“You know you’re really hot when you are angry at me,” Marcus whispered playfully, his lips brushing against her shoulder. “Not that I am provoking you on purpose. Danielle and I are not together.”
“And I am eight and believe in gummi bears! Now get out,” Nessa tried to kick him out of her room..
“Manners, manners, manners, Nessa!” Marcus said and rubbed his finger down her neck.
“If you don’t let me go by the time I am done talking, I will retaliate,” Nessa warned him and he reluctantly released her.
“Fine, there you go,” Marcus said and she quickly stepped away from him, turning her back. “Here.”
As she turned around, she noticed that he had taken off his shirt and was offering it to her.
“I don’t want it. Put it back on!”
“It won’t bite you.”
“I am not sure what it is infested with,” Nessa watched Marcus cringe at the insult. She couldn’t care and baby sit him. Either Danielle was not one and done or she was. Either way, she was hurt and it was time for Mr. Alpha-dog to know his place.
“If I go take a shower, I won’t have anything to wear. Do you prefer that, Nessa? To have me naked?” Marcus teased her once again closing the distance between them.
Darn it, she enjoyed his scent too much.
“Marcus! What do you want?” Nessa warned him and he stopped his approach.
“You!” Marcus announced.
“That ship had sailed. Now, get the hell out,” Nessa concluded and tried opening the door to shoo him out.
“We’re mates,” Marcus’ words halted Nessa’s intention to shoe him out. He smirked only to be greeted by the flying decorative vase which missed him with less than an inch. When he stepped back he found himself staring at the door was slammed shut in his face.