Mated in Mist (Talon Pack #3)(30)

Ryder was on his knees in a flash, his face buried between her legs and his beard scraping along the skin of her inner thighs. He lapped at her, using his fingers to tease her until her body shook and she gasped for breath.

He growled low, the vibrations going straight to her clit, and she came, calling his name. Before she could blink, she was flat on her back and Ryder hovered above her. His condom-clad cock pressed against her opening as he stared intently into her eyes.

“You ready, little witch?”

“Goddess, yes.”

He smiled before thrusting hard. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she tried to call out his name but couldn’t formulate the word. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his biceps as he pounded into her, his cock stretching her yet relieving an ache she didn’t know she’d had.

Ryder kissed her then, bringing her back to him as he made love to her, hard, fast, and thrilling. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her nipples hard and aching. When she met his gaze, her heart pounding for more than one reason, he pulled out and gripped her hips. She felt empty at the loss but soon found herself on her stomach with her face practically pressed into the mattress as he f*cked her from behind. Her toes barely reached the floor, but he kept her steady, pounding into her. She bit into the sheets so she wouldn’t call out, and her fingers gripped the cotton so hard she was afraid she’d tear it.

When he reached around and slid his fingers over her clit, she came again at his touch, this time with him as he filled the condom within her.

She came down from her high faster this time, aware she’d been thoroughly f*cked and had come without looking at him—without him having to see her.

Leah knew why he’d done it. Not only had it been hot and an awesome position, but it had also kept a distance between them that was needed. He hadn’t looked at her when he’d come and she’d been grateful. Because if he had seen her as she’d come again, he’d have seen too much.

And she was afraid she might not have seen enough.





Chapter Eight


Ryder was a f*cking idiot. He’d let his demons win, but there hadn’t been another option.

You’re nothing.

You’re tainted.

Ryder closed his eyes and let his uncle’s voice wash over him. The bastard had beaten him almost to death in life and now taunted him in death. One day, he might be able to push out the demons that plagued him, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever find the way. It wasn’t as if he knew of another wolf who had the same so-called powers as he did. As far as he knew, he was the only one.

That wasn’t all that uncommon, however. He knew of a few Redwood wolves who held special powers. Such as Bay Jamenson. She had the ability to glean the histories of certain objects just by her touch. She could actually see the past wrapped around a pocket watch or random antique. Her mating with Adam over thirty years ago had only heightened her senses.

And that was something Ryder couldn’t allow to happen.

If he were to mate with another, he might increase the number of voices he heard, or worse, intensify the voices’ power over him. He could even pass it on to his mate, as Maddox and Ellie had found out when the former Redwood Pack Omega mated with her.

He couldn’t allow Leah to lose any more of herself by mating with him.

Hence why Ryder was a f*cking idiot.

He’d never felt as alive as when he was deep inside Leah, lying to himself that making love to her was only because of the need and not something more. When he’d been on top of her, sliding in and out and having to hold onto that bare thread of control, he’d felt his fangs elongate, ready to mark, ready to claim.

His wolf had needed to mate, and Ryder couldn’t allow that to happen.

So he’d pulled out of her and forced her onto her stomach so he could bring them both to completion without having to make eye contact. He hadn’t wanted her to see the truth in his eyes—the truth that told her he wanted so much more than a hard f*ck at the end of the day.

He wanted a true mating. Wanted someone he could share his life with. Wanted to form a mating bond that would heal them both from the inside out.

But that couldn’t happen so he’d had to be an *.

After he’d pulled out of her and disposed of the condom, he’d spooned behind her, unable to be as crass as to leave her spent in the middle of the bed, alone and shaking. She hadn’t looked behind her but had wrapped her hand around his as he cupped her breast. They’d slept like that without another word, but when he’d woken up early the next morning, he’d needed to leave her.

He’d wanted to wake her up by sweetly making love to her and kissing every inch of her skin. He’d wanted to show her that she was worth more than a damaged wolf.

As he couldn’t do any of that, he’d left her a note on his pillow and gone for a run.

His body still ached from the exertion, the bones in his body not quite settled since he’d shifted as quickly as he could. He’d needed the pain to help tone down the desire running through his veins. Maybe if it hurt enough, he’d be able to forget who lay in his bed.

Ryder ran a hand through his hair before leaning against a tree, his chest hurting from either the strain of the run or what he’d done—maybe both. The sun slid through the clouds, warming his flesh; though he would have thought he’d be warm enough already with all the exercise he’d just done. He stood in the middle of the forest on Talon Pack land, safe enough behind the wards, and as alone as he could be.