Moon Touched (Zodiac Wolves: The Lost Pack #1)(46)

As I continued watching, he glanced up from the grill and surveyed the backyard with a look of pride and affection. It was obvious he saw the entire pack as his family.

Then his eyes landed on me, and they smoldered. The look he gave me was so intense it made my breath hitch and my heartbeat go erratic. My entire body flushed with heat as he continued staring at me as if he was singling me out as the thing that didn’t belong. I almost expected him to walk over and ask me what I was doing there, but then he turned away to say something to Jack.

I went back to chatting with Stella’s friends, who were telling me about the school they worked at, but I felt his eyes on me again, as if he was watching me.

The feeling didn’t leave for the rest of the night.





Chapter Nineteen





The weight of Kaden’s gaze seemed to follow me all the way to my room later that evening, and I couldn’t shake it no matter how hard I tried. I took a long, hot shower before crawling into bed, and tried to relax. The only saving grace was that the annoying mate bond wasn't bothering me tonight, at least. I was still riding out the rest of the adrenaline from the hunt, and it took what felt like hours for me to fall asleep.

Then I was in his backyard again, but now it was just the two of us standing under the moon. His eyes found mine, pinning me in place like they had before, and I wondered again if he was singling me out as something that didn’t belong. But when I looked again, I realized the heat behind his eyes wasn't anger or hatred. It was hunger. He looked like he was going to eat me alive. I couldn't tell if he wanted to kill me...or fuck me.

He stalked toward me with the moonlight streaming down upon us, illuminating his chiseled jawline and broad shoulders. I took an involuntary step back, and my back brushed against a tree trunk. I stopped, unwilling to press myself further against it, but even more unwilling to break eye contact with Kaden.

“You’re here,” he growled, walking toward me until we were almost touching. He leaned down so his face was only a few inches away from mine. I’d seen that look in men’s gazes before but never directed toward me. It went like a shock through my entire body, resonating deep down in my gut.

“I’m here,” I responded, completely breathless. No snappy one-liners could save me now.

He reached up and slid his hand behind my neck, his long fingers tangling in my hair. “You’re mine."

I gasped at the sheer amount of possessiveness in his voice. Before I could fully comprehend it, he closed the few inches between us, and I was trapped between the tree and the heat of his body. His lips crashed into mine, claiming me, branding me as his. I melted into it, feeling the rightness of it. He wasn’t my mate, but something about this felt as if it had been destined.

I should have pushed back. I should have demanded to know what made him think he could claim me like this when I wasn’t even part of his pack. But I couldn't.

I needed him.

Kaden's hands gripped me tightly, his hard body pressing me back against the tree. I reached up, brushing my hands against his face and down his neck. He growled against my lips, kissing me so hard I thought he was trying to break me, before drawing back and looking down at me.

I couldn’t catch my breath, so caught up in the moment. His eyes had shifted fully from danger to lust now, but I felt even less at ease than I had when I didn’t know his intentions. The possessiveness in his eyes continued to send little electric bolts through me as he looked me up and down.

He slid his hand across my stomach, much as he had in training, but it went exactly where I'd hoped it would, not staying on my hip for propriety. His fingers slid down until he was touching me through my clothes. Not enough pressure for anything but a tease, but my hips bucked against the pressure anyway. His skin was scorching me, even though the fabric.

“I will take care of you," he said.

It awakened something within me, some base, animal instinct that my logical brain should have rebelled against. I trembled with need, and Kaden seemed to chase that tremble with his body, pressing into me. I felt the hot line of his cock through layers of fabric. I drew in a sharp breath at the want that went through me, a wild thing I couldn't control.

I bared my throat to him, letting him sink his teeth into the soft flesh. It wasn’t hard enough to break skin, let alone truly hurt, but I arched my body against his, trying to get closer. Secretly wishing he would mark me as his mate for real, for everyone in the pack to see. I rubbed myself against him like an animal in heat, trying to get any friction I could. He laved my skin with his lips and tongue and somehow I felt the touch in an entirely different place, at the pounding core of me, and I let out a moan at the sensation. I was so wet, practically dripping, and I wanted more than just friction and teasing.

Kaden's lips curl into a smile at the sound of my moan. Cocky bastard. But fuck, I loved it. I wanted to see him smile like that every day.

His hands closed around my shoulders once more, and this time I felt the press of something sharp on each shoulder. He’d partially shifted to give himself claws, and I looked down to find them sinking into the fabric of my shirt. He tore the cloth as easily as a knife through butter, and I let out another sound as the shreds fell to the ground, leaving me bare from the waist up. He stepped back, and the cool air rushed in. My nipples hardened instantly in the night air, and I shivered.

He perused my body as if he was looking at a piece of art, and my breath continued to come in loud gasps. I didn’t feel exposed, even though I should. I stood up a bit taller, presenting myself to him.