Mate Set (Mating Heat Book 1) Read online

  “Jessup Lorne’s son is in town. He saw her and grabbed her. He had three enforcers guarding him and he had his damn hands on her, determined to take her. He refused to let her go because she wasn’t marked and didn’t carry my scent, since I’m not fucking her. He was actually looking forward to a fight with me.”

  “You killed Jessup’s son?” Elroy shoved the chair upright and got to his feet. He growled. “You should know better, damn it! The last damn thing we need right now is the Lorne Pack and our pack going to war.”

  Grady shook his head. “I didn’t kill him or fight with him.” Grady glared at Omar. “He told me to prove she was mine and left me no choice in the matter. He said to mark her while he watched or he was taking her.” Grady’s hands balled into fists at his side. “He wanted her so bad that he wasn’t reasonable, he didn’t care that she isn’t Other.”

  He took a deep, shaky breath. “I had to bite her. I didn’t know what else to do, other than let him take her or start a war by killing him.”

  Mika watched her uncle pale. He closed his eyes and lowered his head until his chin nearly rested on his chest, saying nothing. She knew it had to be a bad thing for her uncle to react that way. He stayed frozen, barely breathing.

  “I had no choice,” Grady said softly. “It was start a war, kill him to stop him from taking her, or let him and his three enforcers walk out of there with Mika. We’ve all heard the rumors about what he does with his women. Omar, should I have allowed him take her instead? I made a decision to protect her since she’s human and wouldn’t have survived. If I’d let him take her, it would have been a death sentence. I’m sorry.”

  Omar’s head slowly rose as his eyes opened to stare into Grady’s. “You made the right decision. We’ve all heard about how he passes his women to his enforcers when he’s done, and how abusive they are. She definitely wouldn’t survive that kind of abuse as a fragile human.” Omar looked at Mika. “Look at the trouble you’ve caused.”

  “I’m sorry.” Mika frowned. “I just wanted to go out. I’m going crazy at home because I’m not used to being locked up.”

  Grady growled softly, turning his head, glaring down at her. “I barely speak to you because you tease me, and I stay away because it’s safer for both of us if I do. Maybe no one explained mating season to you, but keeping my damn hands off you has been the ultimate test of control. I’m a goddamn saint, Mika. Yesterday morning, you walked around your house in a half shirt with no bra and tiny shorts that didn’t cover the lower half of your ass. I have bruises on my knees from gripping them so damn tightly to inflict pain, so I could concentrate on that instead of touching you.”

  “Well, excuse me, Mr. Growly. I’m not used to having a man in my home. I wake up and go eat. I’m dead to the world without coffee and some food in the morning. Be happy I slept in that much, considering I usually sleep naked.”

  “Mika!” Uncle Omar cleared his throat. “Look at me.”

  Mika jerked her gaze from Grady and met her uncle’s gaze. He looked grim.

  “He marked you as his. You don’t know what that means.”

  She frowned. “I’ll smell like him? That’s my educated guess.”

  Her uncle stood. “It takes a few hours but yes, you will carry his scent.” He walked to her and halted. “Normally that would be fine. The scent will fade from you in a few weeks if it was just a quick bite.” His gaze flew to Grady. “How deeply did you mark her?”

  Grady’s mouth tensed into a line. “I was angry.”

  Uncle Omar growled and reached for Mika’s shoulders. She flinched when her uncle bared her shoulder. He closed his eyes and then sighed. He released her after covering her injury again.

  “He marked you well and you’ll carry his scent for months. It’s mating season, so there’s no way he’ll be able to resist keeping his hands off you now. Even at this moment, he must be controlling the urges that have to be hitting him hard—to tear your clothing from your body and take you. You have no idea how strong the compulsion is during our season to…” His lips sealed together.

  “Have sex?” Mika finished softly.

  “Yes. For the next two weeks, Grady will be sharing more than your house with you, Mika. I’d send you away but it would drive him insane, because he’s in heat. He’d hunt you down and it would incite his animal in the worst way. Females who’ve run from hunting males have ended up dead, and it’s the worst tragedy since both usually die. The male never means to hurt the woman and when she ends up dying, the male can’t live with what he’s done.”

  Grady growled again and Omar flinched as he shot Grady a sympathetic look. “I know. It’s begun for you. I won’t send her away. I’m afraid you’ll hurt her, or worse, lose control and mate her if you have to hunt her.”

  Grady shook his head. “Thank you. I’d never hurt her, and I sure as hell won’t mate her. I want one of our own for a mate when I take one. But my control is starting to slip. I’ve had sex with humans plenty of times so I know not to hurt them. I’m aware of how fragile they are. I give you my word that no harm will come to her.”

  Omar nodded as his gaze slid to Mika. “I’m really sorry, Mika. You should have stayed at home like I warned you to do. I know that I threatened to spank your ass, and I know you’ll think this is a much harsher punishment, but he won’t hurt you.” He turned and stared at Grady. “Remember she’s my heart. She’s yours until mating season ends.”

  Shock tore through Mika. “I’m not his.” Her gaze flew from her uncle to Grady, noticing her uncle looked teary-eyed while Grady’s eye color had gone pitch black. “I’m not yours. What the hell does that even mean?”

  Omar answered. “I’m giving you to him, baby, but just until mating season is over, when he’ll be more in control. He’ll be able to let you go without having the urge to track you.”

  “But what does that mean?” Her heart was hammering in her chest. “You can’t give me to someone. I’m an adult, a person, and not an object to just be given away! I know I should have stayed home but this is crazy.”

  A tortured look crossed her uncle’s face. “There’s no choice in this. Would you prefer I have to injure him so severely that it takes weeks for him to recover, just so he can’t touch you? Do you realize how severely he’d have to be injured?”

  Elroy growled, glaring at Omar. “That won’t happen. He’s my son.”

  “I know. That’s why I’m giving her to him.” Omar lowered his gaze and his head. “I know what must be done, Elroy. Take her, Grady. Get her out of here but don’t hurt her. She’s a daughter to me.”

  Grady gripped her arm and turned, yanking her toward the front door. Mika could only gasp as Grady dragged her behind him from the house to the bike.

  “Get on. We’re going to your house right now. Don’t fight me. I don’t want to lose control.”

  Chapter Five

  Grady unlocked her front door and firmly pushed Mika into her house. The door slammed behind them and the deadbolt slipped into place with a distinctive sound. She turned as he released her arm to look up at him.

  His eye color remained that eerie black and his features were tense, making him appear a little harsh. His lips parted and she saw his teeth as he breathed hard. He kicked off his boots and then yanked his shirt off over his head, dropped it on the floor. His gaze was locked with hers.

  “Undress quickly if you don’t want me to destroy those clothes, because I’ll tear them off otherwise.”

  Shock tore through her. “I…”

  “You wanted me, and now you’re going to get me, Mika. You bought condoms when I took you to the store. You wondered how long it would be until we found ourselves in bed together and now you have your answer. In about two minutes, we’re going to be in your bed. If you don’t undress and get in your room now, I’ll take you here on the damn floor. My control is all but gone. I can still taste your blood in my mouth.”

  She backed up and Grady followed, stalking her with his graceful, fluid movements. H
e reached for the front of his jeans, tore open the top button and grasped the zipper. Mika backed into the bedroom, flipping on the light, and kicked off her shoes as she continued backing up. Her heart pounded as she watched his every movement.

  This wasn’t the perfect situation that Mika had in mind when she’d fantasized about her and Grady in her bedroom, but she wanted him bad. The large man following her looked wild and untamed as his gaze burned into hers. He paused and then tore down his boxers and pants, dropping them to the floor.

  Mika stared at Grady’s naked body. He was better looking than she’d even imagined. Tan skin and a muscular body greeted her eyes. Muscles ridged his stomach, each one clearly defined. Her focus lowered and she swallowed hard, her body responding instantly. Grady naked, in good lighting, made her feel damn impressed. He could proudly hold his head high in any men’s locker room. She wanted him as much as he obviously wanted her, judging by how hard he was.

  A deep, rumbling growl came from him. Her attention jerked up his body to his face. “Undress now.”

  She gripped her shirt and lifted it over her head. She had wanted Grady and now she was about to have him. This was what she’d wanted for days and she’d fantasized that it would come to this. The attraction between them was too strong to deny. A slow smile spread across her lips as she backed toward the bed. Grady followed her, inching closer. She couldn’t wait to feel his hands on her body.

  “The condoms are in the nightstand behind me.”

  Grady watched her tensely as she undressed. She stripped out of everything until she was totally naked. His look was hungry as he slowly raked every inch of her body with his intense gaze. He growled softly and then was moving again. He walked past her but a gentle hand shot out that made contact with her skin, shoving her.

  Mika landed on the bed flat on her back. She was shocked that he’d done that to her as she watched him jerk open the drawer of her nightstand. He used both hands and just tore the box in half, causing condoms to spill out onto the floor. He bent, grabbed a roll of them, and tossed them on the bed after tearing one off. He used his teeth to rip open the condom wrapper and looked down at his body as he fit it over his cock.

  “In a hurry?” Her voice shook.

  Grady’s head snapped up. “Have you ever slept with a wolf?”

  “No.”

  The word he cursed under his breath made Mika flinch. She saw his jaw jerk as he clenched his teeth hard. “Usually that wouldn’t be a problem but I marked you. It drives me crazy to smell myself on you, and I want you bad. I’m also suffering mating heat. This isn’t going to be romantic but I won’t hurt you. I hope you don’t mind raw sex because you’re about to get just that. Spread your thighs now.”

  She had to close her gaping mouth. “I don’t…”

  He moved. She suddenly found her legs spread wide by Grady’s hands, which held them that way. In the blink of an eye, Grady dropped to his knees next to the bed and yanked her toward him until her ass was at the edge of the mattress. Large, strong hands adjusted her thighs to push them wider and higher. Mika met his intense black gaze and then he looked down at her exposed sex. She could only widen her eyes in surprise as Grady buried his face between her thighs and his mouth attacked.

  Shock tore through Mika as Grady’s mouth and tongue ravaged her. He shifted his hold on her so his thumbs spread her sex open to his seeking, teasing mouth. He stabbed his tongue inside her and then slid it out and upward to torment her clit before he sucked on the swelling bud. The pleasure increased in intensity when his teeth lightly raked her clit. Sensations overwhelmed her.

  Mika threw her head back, clawing at her comforter as moans tore from her. She didn’t fight since what Grady was doing to her body was amazing and too damn good to even want to resist. He growled and she moaned louder from the vibrations it caused where he was latched on to her. His tongue and lips had no mercy as he licked and suckled. He figured out just the right tiny spot that sent her pleasure into overdrive and zoned in on it.

  Mika screamed as her body tensed and the climax hit her hard. It shocked the hell out of her how fast she’d come.

  Grady’s mouth released her entirely as he eased away from her a little. She was feeling the climax starting to ease back and she relaxed. Large hands gripped her hips and Mika cried out in surprise as she was flipped over as though she were a rag doll. Those hands yanked her back until her knees touched carpet and she found herself kneeling over the bed. Mika’s eyes flew open.

  Grady caged her, his chest pushing her down, pinning her securely under his large body. His hands left her hips then slid down her thighs. He gripped her knees and jerked them farther apart then lifted her hips higher so her knees left the floor.

  She turned her head and stared into his dark eyes. They weren’t almost black anymore—they were completely black and didn’t look human, even in shape. His lips were parted and she saw his canines. She made a soft, terrified sound.

  “Easy.” His voice was really deep—too deep. “I’m that turned on and I’m slipping just a little but I won’t hurt you. Look away if I’m scaring you, babe. It’s still me.”

  Mika turned her head away from him, not really wanting to see just how far he was going to slip. She was a little freaked out by having him partially turn into his wolf but he wasn’t hurting her or changing much, except for the shape of his eyes and his longer teeth. She glanced at his arms, not seeing a mat of hair but tan, smooth skin instead, and relaxed completely.

  She lowered her face into mattress as the blunt tip of his cock nudged against her pussy. He was thick enough that her body resisted slightly, even though she was wet and ready for him, as Grady gently pushed into her, going really slowly but deeper until he was fully seated inside her body.

  “Balls-deep,” he growled. “Thank God you can take me because I was afraid you couldn’t. You ready? I won’t be real gentle but I’ll try damn hard to not hurt you.”

  She nodded into the bed. Grady braced his arms next to hers until they were touching, pressed skin to skin. He withdrew partially from her and thrust forward.

  Mika moaned at the sensation. It felt really good as every thick inch of him brought sensitive nerve endings roaring to life.

  Grady growled and withdrew then pushed into her deeply again. He had her pinned tightly between the bed and his body. She was unable to move; all she could do was feel the pleasure as Grady rode her faster and harder, increasing the pace.

  Mika had never felt anything close to the way Grady made her feel, and she was no slouch in the sex department. She’d had lovers before but none of them had even come close to feeling as good inside her as Grady did. She realized another climax was coming. She never came during straight sex without more stimulation to her clit, but that wasn’t the case this time. She tensed and came hard.

  Grady rode her harder, if that was possible, as her muscles went crazy and the pleasure made her scream. She clawed the bed and bucked frantically against him.

  He suddenly gasped loudly and his hips started to jerk violently against her ass. A loud groan came from him as he lifted his chest off her back. His hands gripped her hips to hold her steady as he snarled something she couldn’t understand as he came.

  His hips finally stilled.

  They were both panting. Mika acknowledged silently that Grady had just given her the best sex she’d ever had in her life. He was still gripping her hips but his hold eased and he shivered against her. When he slowly withdrew from her body, she was glad she was lying half across the mattress as he backed away, knowing that if the bed wasn’t holding her up, she would have collapsed. She forced her eyes open and turned her head.

  She watched Grady straighten and tear off the used condom before he turned away to go into her bathroom. Mika was shaky as she forced her legs to move. She climbed all the way onto the mattress and collapsed on her side. She lay there while Grady turned on water in the other room and quickly realized he was using her shower.

  She was tem
pted to go join him but she couldn’t find the energy to get out of bed. She had to catch her breath. The shower shut off in under two minutes so she guessed that Grady must have just wanted to rinse off. He walked out of her bathroom with dry hair but water beaded on his chest and arms. One of her pink bath towels was slung low around his hips. His dark eyes had lightened from black to dark brown when his gaze locked with hers. He looked grim.

  “Did I hurt you?”

  Mika couldn’t resist grinning. “If that was pain, sign me up for more.”

  His eyes widened in surprise and then a smile tugged at his lips. “You’re signed up for the duration of mating season.”

  Questions filled Mika’s head. The top one came pouring out of her mouth. “Does that mean that I’m the only woman you’ll be sharing a bed with for the next two weeks? I don’t share.”

  He blinked and his smile faded as he studied her.

  Mika found the strength to sit up. “I know we’re not in a relationship or anything but don’t expect me to be a part of that shit. It won’t happen. If you plan on bed-hopping, then don’t try to climb back into mine.”

  He slowly nodded. “That’s fine. Any other rules you want to lay down?”

  She shook her head. “That’s the only one I can think of.”

  “You shouldn’t worry about that, since we’ll be in your house until you go home. I won’t be around other women.”

  “We still have to stay here? I’m marked by you and carry your scent. Aren’t I safe from being a walking sex toy?”

  He cocked his head and then nodded. “You should be safe but if we do go anywhere, you aren’t getting out of my sight since we aren’t mated. You’re just marked with my scent. Some bastards might still go for you.” He raked a heated look over her body. “You’re very tempting, Mika.”

  Her eyes lowered down his body and she saw he wasn’t soft anymore. His cock was growing hard as she watched the bulge under the towel lift it slightly. Her eyebrows arched as she looked into Grady’s eyes. “Let me guess. Werewolves have good recovery time?”