Savage Awakening (Alpha Pack #2)(82)

"Shit," he moaned. "Please..."

"Well, since you beg so nicely."

Her tongue traced circles around the tip, captured the tiny beads that continued to seep out. He was hard as a freaking rock, the shaft red and throbbing. When she slid him into her mouth, down her throat, he thought maybe he'd died after all. She sucked him, putting just the right amount of pressure, laving the ridged underside. His hips canted upward and he buried a hand in her silky hair, urging her on.

"I'm not gonna last, sweetheart," he panted. "Oh, so good."

The tingle started at the base of his spine and his balls tightened. True to his word, he couldn't have stopped if he'd wanted to. There would be more time, all of their lives, to make love any way they wanted.

That thought alone made him lose control. With a shout, he shot hard, pumping his seed endlessly down her throat. She drank him greedily, not spilling a drop, then released him to sit up and wipe her lips, grinning.

"Next time, I want this bad boy inside me," she said in a naughty voice. "As soon as you're on your feet."

"Nothing will keep me away from you. That's a promise."

"One I look forward to you keeping."

They snuggled together again, and Aric focused on healing. For himself, and his mate.

Chapter Sixteen

"Aric? Honey?" Rowan called across the rec room to her man, who was busy in a life-or-death battle with Jax on the Wii.

"Yeah?" Her mate continued leaping around like a frog as they played whatever stupid game they'd started almost an hour ago.

"Is the honeymoon over already?" she muttered, scratching her arms.

"What?" He jumped again, and hooted as he scored a point against Jax.

"I'm itching." The more she scratched, the worse it got.

"Stop scratching!"

"I can't!" Damn it, it was everywhere. Her arms, neck, stomach, hands, and feet. "I'm about to lose my mind."

Finally he stopped playing and walked over to her, frowning in concern. "Did you use some of that cream Melina gave you?"

"Yes, and it hasn't helped." She sighed. "I'm going back to our quarters to take another shower."

"I'll go with you." Taking her hand, he called "Later" to Jax and walked back with her. Once there, he punched in the code and let them in. "You want something cold to drink? It might not help, but it would taste good, right?"

Bless him, he really was worried now and was trying to be of help. She gave him a smile and kissed him soundly. "Sure. Some kind of soda would be great."

"Okay. Be right there."

She continued on to the bedroom, started stripping off her clothes. Every fiber of her shirt and jeans seemed to aggravate the problem, and it was annoying as hell. Once naked, she inspected herself in the dresser mirror, and saw nothing out of the ordinary. The only marks visible were the ones from her own fingernails as she'd scratched like a dog with fleas.

Or wolf. Could it be... ?

Just then, a sharp pain gripped her stomach. Clutching her middle, she gasped, managing to stifle a cry. Maybe it would pass, and she didn't want to scare Aric. But a second pain followed on the heels of the first, this one radiating to every limb. Her legs folded and she hit the floor with a thud, but that didn't hurt an ounce compared to the knives stabbing her arms and legs.

"Aric!" she cried, tears welling. Curling into the fetal position, she grabbed her stomach.

"Rowan, what- Oh, shit!" The can of soda went rolling as he dropped to his knees and scooped her into his arms. Quickly, he laid her on the bed and started checking her for injuries. "What happened, baby? Where does it hurt?"

"All over," she whimpered. "I-I'm being stabbed."

"Where?"

"Arms and legs. It hurts!"

"I'll call Melina." He started to get up, but she grabbed at him.

"Don't leave me! Just hold me, please," she begged. Never had she been so needy. All she wanted was Aric. "I've never felt anything like this."

"Is the pain better?" he asked anxiously. Sitting on the bed, he moved her into his lap, holding her protectively in the circle of his arms.

"Some. But I'm tingling and I don't feel good. Sort of sick, like I ate something bad."

He fell silent, rubbing her back. When he spoke again, he was much more calm. "Sweetheart, this is exactly the way I felt right before my first shift. And it was about two weeks after I'd been bitten."

"Same as me." As she looked into his face, sweat popped out on her forehead and her fear increased. "I don't know if I can do it," she whispered. "Not if it will always hurt like this."

"It doesn't, baby, I swear. Just the first time." He kissed her, slow and soothing.

"I don't know what to do." She hated the whiny tone in her voice. Hated feeling weak.

"Okay, let's see." He thought for a second. "Try opening your mind to your wolf. Let her in. Do you feel her?"

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and concentrated on relaxing. Wasn't easy with the pain still twisting her limbs, but she reached down with her mind. "I sense something. A presence?"

"I'd bet that's her," he said, starting to sound excited. "Do it again, and try not to think so hard."