The Mating Rite (Big, Beautiful Werewolf) (Werewolves of Montana) Read online

  Staring at the plump lushness of her lip, he wanted to pull her out of the chair and claim her with a kiss that would prove how much he’d missed her.

  “Perhaps. All I know is I lost my mind when I heard you’d died.”

  Beneath his caressing fingers, her hands tensed. She drew them back and clenched them until her knuckles whitened.

  “Uh-huh. And that’s why you’ve spent the last ten years screwing other women?” Sam’s voice broke. “I waited, Darius. No word. Nothing. I didn’t know if you were alive or dead. After Mom passed, I moved here to the Skin world. My only sister was gone. My mother was, too, and I had no one. No one! I hired a private detective to find you. And he showed me…” She drew in a quivering breath. “Photos of you in Montana, at some swank resort in a hot tub, having sex with a pretty blonde woman. Oh, and just in case it was a mistake, more photos of you with a brunette at a fancy restaurant…” Tapping a slim finger on the marble top table, she added, “The one of you with two naked women in the hot tub was really special. What is it about you and hot tubs?”

  “Sam…”

  “You really mourned me, Darius. A lot.”

  Oh hell, this was all wrong. His wolf fell silent, confused and uncertain about what to do, the mating instinct quelled by the female’s wrath.

  You handle this, his wolf urged. You’re the expert.

  Yeah, thanks.

  Mouth dry, he studied her, his dreams of a joyful reunion turning to ash. Now he faced a furious mate who’d been deeply wounded. His heart twisted at the shadows in her beautiful eyes, knowing he’d placed them there. Maybe if he explained, she’d understand.

  “I stayed celibate after I left Maxim’s pack, hoping to return for you. After I heard you’d died…”

  “You ran into the arms of other women for comfort.”

  So much for explanations. How could he make her understand sex had been nothing more than temporary relief? Sex had eased a physical need, but never left him satisfied because Sam was the only one claiming his heart.

  “Those women meant nothing. Mutual pleasure, that’s it. Not like the bond we shared,” he said quietly.

  “Meant nothing to you.” She shook her head. “You sound like your father. All those women he had, they meant nothing, too.”

  Stricken, he stared at her, pricked by guilt. She was right. He had turned into his father, having sex with women to ease his pain. Oh, they understood his terms. No commitments. Zip. But some enjoyed it so much they wanted to use him just for physical relief.

  Hell, he’d have been better off using his fist because at least then, he wouldn’t have hurt Sam by leaving behind a trail of women. As his friend Kyle had once laughingly told him, “You go through women like a NASCAR driver goes through tires.”

  “Never again.” He shook his head so violently, his curls flew out. “You’re right, Sam. And I’m over that part of my life. Done. I’m reforming. I’m never sleeping around, ever again.”

  “Doesn’t matter. What we had was long ago, Darius. There’s nothing between us now.”

  “You bear my mark.”

  “No more.” She lifted the long curtain of her blonde hair. Mouth dry, he stared. Darius felt kicked in the gut.

  Gone were the intricate runes swirling on her neck after he’d sunk his fangs into her soft skin.

  Cold horror pulsed through him. “Sam, what the holy hell did you do?! How—”

  “I asked Tristan to remove it. He was nice enough to oblige, seeing that I’ve been placed on hold for ten years.”

  Making a mental note to kick the sorcerer’s ass next time he saw him, Darius tried to control his panic.

  No mark.

  She was unprotected from other males’ savage lust. Including his own.

  “Did Tristan tell you the consequences of removing my mark?”

  “He said the only way we could bond was through a mating rite. I didn’t see a problem.”

  Not a problem. Oh, sure, no problem, if the female were sexually experienced and strong enough to withstand the exhausting, intricate and somewhat savage sexual ritual. Darius gritted his teeth. Damn it, how could she have done this?

  Sam had been scared when he’d bitten her. How the hell could she handle the vigorous and sometimes rough sex of a mating rite for them to bond as mates?

  And sweet hellfire, she was a virgin. Even if he managed to coax her into bed first, giving her a sensual and gentle introduction to sex, Sam wouldn’t be experienced enough to handle the ritual they must endure to mate for life.

  Thanks, Tristan, you asshole, for removing my mark. Now getting her to become my mate will be even harder.

  “Do you know what a mating rite is?” he asked in a low voice edged with anger.

  Sam shook her head. “I thought it had something to do with a Lupine’s right to mate.”

  Oh yeah, something to do all right. Something that makes a Skin fetish club look like a day at Disneyland.

  “It’s an ancient Lupine sex ceremony bonding together a male and a female for life. When a mating mark is removed from a female, the only way for the same two Lupines to mate is through a mating rite.” Sweat trickled down his back.

  She frowned. “It sounds a little like a marriage ceremony for Skins, only with sex.”

  “It’s much more sexual, and more permanent than a Skin marriage,” he said darkly. “It’s very rare for a mating mark to be removed. So in order for the female to prove she’s willing to mate for life with her intended, she must, ah, prove her willingness.” He gave her a frank look. “In bed.”

  A delicate flush colored her cheeks, but Sam held his gaze. “How?”

  This was not going to be easy. He couldn’t do this here and now, with Sam’s scent filling his skin senses and all his wolf senses triggered to pounce on her and rip off her clothing.

  He beckoned to the waiter and then glanced at Sam. “Do you like white wine? Have a glass with me. Please?”

  Because if I’m going to explain the sexual specifics of a mating rite, I’m going to need a drink. A drink? Hell, a whole bottle of whiskey might help…

  “Pinot Gris.”

  He ordered the same. The waiter gave Sam a wide smile. A very male, very interested smile. She beamed at him, and Darius restrained the possessive male growl rising in his throat.

  Claws began emerging from his fingertips. He hid them under the table.

  “I’m Tom. If you need anything else, just wave.” The waiter spoke to Sam, his gaze centered on her.

  His claws scrabbled against the marble as Darius gripped the table’s underside. He narrowed his eyes at the waiter, suddenly not caring if they flashed amber, signaling the rise of his wolf. “You may leave us. Now.”

  Seeing Darius’ expression, the waiter’s smile vanished and he scurried away.

  This was hell. Now that Sam had erased his mark, every male with a pulse would find her sexually desirable. Maybe one might even coax her into bed. Everything Lupine and male urged him to stake his claim now. But he knew he had to move slowly, or he’d scare her off.

  Not this time. Darius was ruthless when pursuing something he wanted. He must earn her trust again, push past his womanizing reputation and court her.

  Court? What is court? his wolf asked. Does it have to do with licking?

  She deserved honesty, and he wasn’t going to dance around the brutal truth. But first, he had to forge a new connection with her.

  “Let’s talk about you. Sam, I’ve missed you. A lot.” He breathed in a tendril of her scent, and engraved it once more into memory so he could track her no matter where she went.

  Her expression softened, and her slender shoulders slumped. With the heel of her hand, she rubbed her forehead. Hunger shot through him. Darius suddenly wished he could bury his nose deep between her legs and take a long, slow lick. Her arousal on his tongue. Delightful.

  Oh yeah, that’s more like it, his wolf agreed. Go for it.

  He wondered if she’d willingly part with her panties. N
ot a good question to ask on a first date. Be a gentleman. He’d focus first on getting to know her all over.

  Hurry up. Then we can get to know her physically, his wolf urged.

  “Why are you here in Portland? Is there a pack you’re living with?”

  Sam shook her head. “Pack? Never. I want nothing to do with Lupines. I’m in the Skin world. I have a job and an apartment.”

  Dismay arrowed through him. The Skin world? Nothing to do with Lupines? He hated that she’d distanced herself from her Lupine heritage. She was living in the city, living among Skins, and she hated him…hell, how much worse could this get?

  “What kind of job? Nursing? You always enjoyed helping others, working as a healer’s assistant in the pack.”

  Sam laughed, the sound sweet as wind chimes, but the coldness in her eyes remained. “Far from it. I’m a marketing assistant at Comairise Energy, a firm that specializes in green power and conservation. I do research and proofread all the marketing materials.”

  Acid churned in his stomach. “You must read a lot. Do you enjoy your work?” He’d hoped to forge a connection between them, have a common bond they shared. Darius still struggled with literacy.

  “I like it, but what I really want is to manage an account, working directly with clients and seeing to their needs. With all the latest technological advances, businesses are turning more toward green power to help clean up the planet.”

  “What kind of conservation does the company do?”

  Now her face grew animated and her eyes sparkled, just like the old Sam. “Solar energy and wind power, mainly. Comairise is a terrific firm. Small, but with a lot of opportunity. Ken, my manager, recently started bringing me to meetings with new clients to pitch new proposals for solar energy. He promised that if I land a big account, I’ll get promoted.”

  Interesting. “What’s the website?”

  Fishing out her cell phone, she showed him. Darius memorized the information, smiled and made a mental note to phone the company president. So she needed a big account? Perfect timing.

  “It looks like a very efficient business.”

  “Oh, we are! We have our own manufacturing plant for solar panels, and we subcontract to businesses who actually install wind farms. This isn’t just a job, it’s a career position. I’ve been working hard, and Ken promised I’m on the fast track for promotion. I’ve learned a lot about working with humans, and business. It’s been wonderful.”

  Darius hated to burst her bubble. She looked so happy. But he must caution her. The instinct for him to protect her hadn’t vanished with the mating mark.

  “Working with Skins can be immensely rewarding. But if you’re not careful, you can get caught up in the power plays, especially where money is concerned.”

  She bristled. “I know what I’m doing. My boss says I’m invaluable to the firm and he respects me.”

  The wine arrived, and she took a huge swallow. Darius caught her wrist as she came up for air. “A toast.”

  He clinked his glass to hers. “To you, Samantha Evers, a female who’s always been strong enough to survive and adapt to any circumstances.”

  Damn, could he make her sound any less sexy?

  Her mouth turned down. “I changed my name, Darius. New life, new name. I’m Samantha Smith now. I left behind Evers when I left your father’s pack.”

  Suspicion filled him. “Why did you change it?”

  “Fresh start.”

  Right. He scented a lie. Why change her name, the only reminder of her mother and sister? He set aside the doubt for later. “No matter what your last name is, in my eyes, you’ll always be my beautiful Sam.”

  Sam sipped her wine, shaking her head. “Still the same Darius, spouting meaningless flattery that’s as sincere as the copy on a cereal box.”

  Irritated, he set down his glass. “I do mean it. You’re so damn sexy…”

  “Right. Tell that to the guy who stood me up last night.”

  She bit the inside of her cheek and stared out the window and he knew she’d let that tidbit slip accidentally. Anger rushed through him. Hell, he didn’t want other males within five feet of her, but he suddenly wanted to crush the one who’d hurt her.

  “Then that man was a fool because he missed out meeting you. There’s no comparison to you, Sam. You make all other women look dull, boring and unattractive,” he said quietly.

  As she scoffed, he plunged forward. “Maybe you don’t believe it. Maybe others have said things that hurt you and damn, if that’s the case, I’d like to rip them to shreds. You’ve always been sweet, and now you’ve grown into a lovely female, so lush and ripe… I’m sitting here with my cock saluting the air because just looking at you and breathing your air turns me on.”

  Darius drew her scent deep into his lungs, wanting to nuzzle her neck with his mouth and drop little kisses there. Reassure himself she was really at this table and alive and this wasn’t another damn dream that would turn into a nightmare when he rolled over to embrace her and felt only empty space.

  Sam licked her lips, and he heard the increased drumming of her heart. So, she was turned on as well. Good.

  Finally she spoke. “You were going to explain what a mating rite is.”

  Such an innocent question, the words formed on her perfect mouth. Her perfect, red mouth that could tempt a monk. He shook his head.

  “I will, if you have dinner with me tomorrow night.” He glanced around. “This is not the right place to discuss something so…intimate.”

  Her mouth turned down. “I can’t.” She shook her head. “This is all wrong, I have to go…”

  He couldn’t let her slip away. Darius reached for her hand. “Sam, please. Look at me.”

  He put just enough dominant wolf into the command to trigger her seemingly dormant Lupine instincts. Finally it seemed to stir something in her. She hesitated.

  “Remember the good times we shared? Remember how much we meant to each other? I would have done anything for you. You brought life back into me. Hell, you gave me my life when you taught me to read. You were the only one who seemed to care.”

  This time, she did not pull back from his touch. Her gaze softened. “Oh, Darius. I did care.”

  His calloused thumb caressed her knuckles. Soft as the petals of the orchids she’d loved. Desire slammed into him at just one touch of her skin.

  Her nostrils flared, and her eyes widened. A delicate pink flushed her round cheeks.

  “Tell me you don’t feel it, too,” he said hoarsely.

  Sam leaned forward and her irises darkened from violet to grape. Beneath her dress, her nipples turned to hard peaks.

  “Being Lupine is part of who you are. You can’t deny your nature, or what we shared.”

  But then her lovely eyes turned troubled and she blinked hard, as if fighting tears. Sam jerked her hand away and stood so fast, her chair nearly fell over.

  “I can’t go back to what I was. Good-bye, Darius. Have a nice life.”

  Her heels clicked sharply on the marble floor as she dashed up the stairs. Leaning back, Darius stared at her retreating form, watching her head out of his life.

  Way to go. He almost heard his wolf giving a disappointed howl. You let her slip away. Never let the female go.

  There’s another way, wolf. The Skin way. It’s called business.

  Fishing out his cell phone from his inside jacket pocket, he made a few phone calls, staring into the rain-slicked street when he was finished.

  A tall, leggy blonde in a sleeveless black dress slithered off her barstool and snaked her way through the tables. She slipped into the seat Sam vacated.

  “Hi, Darius,” she said.

  Blinking, he stared. “I know you?”

  “Oh, we know each other. You don’t remember me? Last year, from the concert?”

  “I attend a lot of concerts.” He signaled to the waiter for the check.

  The blonde’s pouty mouth lifted in a sultry smile. “We met, had dinner and shared a n
ight at my sister’s place. I’m Shelly.”

  Darius wrinkled his brow, searching his memory. His wolf didn’t even wag his tail, but remained silent now that Sam had left.

  The smile slipped a notch. “We shared a very memorable night at my sister’s place. And we shared my sister as well.”

  Ah, a threesome. The one where he’d tied them both to the bed? No, that was Amanda and Amelia. Maybe they’d shared a shower together.

  “It was amazing. You went on all night…”

  No, this must have been the girl he’d taken in the backyard, naked in the moonlight. It had been cold and rainy, he remembered that much…and she liked kink and there had been playground equipment…

  “Shelly with the trampoline?” he asked.

  At her cold look, he offered a charming smile. “My bad. Shelly with the pretty sister, but not as exquisite as you. Or as talented.”

  She preened and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I’m free tonight, if you’re interested. But tomorrow we have a concert in Seattle. The orchestra is going on the road.”

  Ah, yes. It clicked. Shelly who played second chair flute…and had performed a delightful little recital on his cock while her sister sat on his face and sang in a high falsetto to each stroke of his tongue on her sex.

  A tremendous performance, indeed. Darius felt nothing now.

  The waiter placed the bill before Darius. He glanced at it and signed it to his room, leaving a generous tip. “Sorry. I’m busy.”

  “Really? I can make it very worth your while. Because you made it very, very worth my while.” Skeletal elbows on the table, she leaned forward. “I’ve never had sex like that. You’re an animal in bed.”

  “Only during the full moon,” he murmured.

  Most men would consider Shelly’s model-thin body perfect. But he desired Sam, with her generous curves and ample flesh, not a bony-assed beauty who wanted him only for sex.

  Sam’s soft body would cushion him as he mounted her; her breasts would feel so round and firm in his palms. Sam’s hips were feminine and round, perfect for bearing young. He imagined gripping them as he bent her over for the traditional mating position…

  Hello! His wolf sang out. Let’s go find her. Track Sam down.