Cole's Redemption (Alpha Pack #5)(55)

“Fuck, yeah,” he groaned.

She clung to his shoulders as he began to move, pumping slowly into her depths. Shocks of pleasure raced along his length, tightening his balls long before he was ready to shoot. He wanted this to last. Slowing down didn’t help him hold back. In fact, it only heightened the ecstasy that set him on fire and made him lose control altogether.

Especially when his fangs lengthened and he sank them into the soft curve of her neck and shoulder, reasserting his claim.

White-hot lightning raced down his spine and wrapped around his c**k and balls. There was no stopping the intense orgasm that rocked his core, sending his seed spurting into her again and again. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she cried out, finding her own release, and they rode the rest of the waves together. At last they floated gently down, holding to each other tightly, and basked in their love.

He loved his mate. There was no doubt.

“I love you,” he said, kissing her hair. “You don’t have to say it back. I just wanted you to know.”

“Thank you.” Her arms tightened around his neck. “You have no idea how much it means to me to know how you feel. Give me more time?”

“Always.”

He couldn’t help but be disappointed that she couldn’t yet say the words. She’d been through too much in her life, so much heartbreak. He didn’t blame her for waiting until the time was right. She did love him. He believed that. Every look, every smile, her support of him, every small thing she’d done since their surprise mating showed him how her feelings had grown. And weren’t actions more important than words anyway?

That would be more than enough.

For now.

Zan left his exhausted mate sleeping and slipped from the bed, pulling on his jeans and a shirt as quietly as possible. She’d been through too much today and needed the rest. Besides, he had a visit to pay to Nick, and he preferred to do it while Selene was sleeping.

Tugging on his boots, he gave Selene one last glance and eased from the room, shutting the door with a soft snick. He strode down the lit corridor, glad he was finally learning his way around Tarron’s immense stronghold. The entire team had gotten lost at one point or another, and he still half-expected a friendly vamp to leap from the shadows and try to jump his bones like the one who’d shown him and Selene to their room.

He chuckled as he recalled how fast his mate had put the vamp in her place.

His amusement was short-lived as he arrived at Tarron’s study. A peek inside revealed that his commander was still in there, seated behind the desk. His head was bent over his laptop, and he wore a troubled frown as he stared at the screen. Zan knocked quietly.

Nick looked up and sat back in the chair. “I’ve been expecting you.”

“Had to see to my mate. She was pretty upset when she came to our room.” He kept the accusation from his tone, but it was difficult. He reminded himself that Nick was just as much a victim of tragedy as Selene. “She’s sleeping now.”

Regret and sadness were etched on the man’s face as he answered. “My daughter has been through so much. The last thing I wanted was to bring her more pain. But she deserved the truth.”

“I know.” Moving into the study, Zan took a seat with a sigh. “And she’ll be all right, eventually. I just wanted to say I’m here for both of you. Whatever you need.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

“Why did you tell her now, though? I thought she wasn’t ready.”

“Maybe it was me who wasn’t ready,” he said ruefully. “In any case, I had run out of time.” His gaze slid to his laptop screen again, and Zan didn’t miss the tension in his posture and expression.

“What’s going on?”

“I got another threat. This is the main reason why I couldn’t hold off on telling Selene the truth any longer.” Turning the laptop around slightly, he gestured for Zan to read what was on the screen. “I showed this to Jax and Micah a bit ago. First one I’ve received since we’ve been here.”

It was an e-mail. Another threat from Nick’s unknown tormentor.

Do you know me yet? Do you feel my breath down your neck, my fangs scrape your skin? Next time you won’t get away. Very soon I’ll tear you apart, just as I did your mate when I ripped out her throat so long ago. Just as I will your precious daughter. She won’t escape me a second time.

His blood ran cold. “Fuck! Where the hell are these e-mails coming from?”

“Micah’s hopeful he can trace this one.”

“You think this really is the bastard who killed your mate and destroyed your family?”

Rage and agony waged war on the commander’s face. “And he’s going to attempt to finish what he started.”

“We’ll stop him. That son of a bitch isn’t getting his hands on my mate,” he growled. His wolf bristled, ready to do battle. All he needed was the enemy.

“Zan—”

“No. I know that tone, and don’t even think about telling me to stay on the sidelines,” he said in a low voice. “I can hear now, and I can fight. It’s not gonna happen.”

Before the commander could protest further, Jax came into the study, followed by Micah, who was toting his own laptop. Both men looked excited, especially Micah. Zan hoped like hell the gleam in the younger man’s eyes was a natural high, and instantly, he felt bad for even thinking it. The Dreamwalker was working hard to regain his place on the team.