Wolf Lake Ch. 09

Dresden rubbed his cheek back and forth across the top of Jude's head, breathing deep and filling his lungs with her scent. He'd come to expect her scent on just about everything from his clothes to his sleeping blankets. It felt strangely disturbing to think that when this was all over he would leave and her scent would eventually fade. "Run with me," he said.

Jude shook her head. "I can't. Sam's forbidden any of us from beyond the clearing. She'd skin me herself if I left."

"I forgot," he said. Nuzzling her hair aside, he bent his head and pressed his nose against the pulse point that beat steadily at the base of her throat. "Come away with me."

"Where?" Jude asked, shivering as his breath feathered across her skin.

"Anywhere," Dresden said, "somewhere we can be alone."

Jude tipped her head back and look over her shoulder at Dresden. Something was different about him. Three months as lovers had taught her a lot about the solitary panther. She knew that he prefered to be alone, that he was rarely if ever actually lonely and enjoyed the travel. She also knew that he was a passionate lover, attentive and inventive. But what she was seeing was a softer side, something not previously present in their coupling. "Alright," she said. "There's a couple of smaller alcoves further inside the mountain. They're used mostly for guests and only in winter as they tend to get too hot during the summer."

"Show me," he said, his voice going rough with desire.

Jude caught the bright green of his eyes and felt her body warm and soften. It was a look she was familiar with, a look that never ceased to thrill and excite her. Nodding, she took his hand and led them deeper into the mountain.

They passed smaller groups of pack members, most of them talking or working quietly while others prepared to travel to see family. There was a sense of quiet anticipation, a sense of waiting but no fear. They trusted in their pack leaders and would do whatever was necessary to see them all safe.

Jude was happy to see many of them smile at both her and Dresden as they passed by. It had taken a bit of time for the trust to grow and for people to get used to the idea of her coupling with someone other then another wolf. But Dresden had proven himself to be a friend of the pack, someone they could trust. The fact that their coupling was temporary didn't matter to many.

Dresden followed Jude back into the mountain passing several smaller family alcoves busy with activity. Eventually, the activity grew quiet before disappearing altogether leaving them alone in front of a small alcove.

Jude pulled back the curtain and motioned Dresden to enter. Inside the small alcove was warm, a slight musk of disuse lingering in the summer afternoon heat. He was pleased to see a thick pallet on the floor and a folded blanket. The lack of such things wouldn't have stopped him but he perfer they both be comfortable. Turning, he watched Jude slip inside allowing the curtain to fall closed behind her.

He didn't wait, didn't hesitate in reaching for her and wrapping his hands around her waist. She came to him willingly, her body softening into him as he took her mouth in a kiss.

Jude sighed and surrendered her mouth. Immediately Dresden slipped inside, his tongue gliding between her lips to touch and taste. It wasn't hard and fast, not yet, but slow and languid with a hint of desperation.

For several minutes he contented himself with exploring every nook and cranny, licking along the length of her tongue before nibbling along the lines of her lips. He savored the sensation, her bottom lip slightly fuller then its mate and reveled in the taste of her. He found himself not so much imprinting her onto his memory but confirming what he already knew.

Jude wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Using their differences in height, Jude pulled herself up the front of him, dragging her breasts across his chest. She wanted to get closer, wanted to feel the press of his skin as their bodies moved as one.

Dresden growled in response to the feeling of Jude pressed firmly against his chest. His hands on her hips, he pushed her from him, smiling in satisfaction at her growl of displeasure. Ignoring her attempts to draw him back, he released her hips long enough to pull her t-shirt up and over her head. "Jesus..." he purred. She wasn't wearing a bra. A fact he'd not realized until her breasts sprung free from her tight fitted shirt.

Jude smiled at the look of greedy desire on Dresden's face. Stepping back as he reached for her, she tossed him a look of pure female satisfaction and reached for the front of her jeans. Slowly, making sure he was watching, she slid the button free.

Dresden would have sworn he could hear the button release in the heavy silence that permiated the alcove.

Jude went for the second button, careful to draw out the moment as long as possible.

Dresden inhaled sharply at the small expanse of tan skin that was suddenly revealed as the second button gave way.

"Uh-uh," Jude said when Dresden took a step forward.

Dresden's growl of impatience turned to one of anticipation as Jude skipped the next button and instead slipped her own hand down the front of her jeans.

Jude slipped her hand inside her panties and between her legs closing her eyes as her fingers brushed the top of her clit. "Hmmm..." she hummed in pleasure. Already she was close, knew that it wouldn't take but a few quick flicks of her clit to send her over the edge. Opening her eyes she saw Dresden staring at her from across the alcove. His green eyes had gone bright and he was panting with barely contained desire. Slowly she withdrew her hand and brought it to her mouth. Their eyes locked as she slipped her fingers into her mouth and tasted her own desire. "Yum," she said.

Dresden snapped and launched himself across the room. Taking them both to the ground, he twisted in midair, taking the brunt of the impact before rolling and pinning her beneath him. "It is unwise to poke at an aroused cat," he said a second before ripping the jeans from her body.

Jude jerked at the sudden movement followed by a groan of pure pleasure as Dresden thrust two fingers into her ready body.

"Oh god," he groaned at finding her wet and ready for him. He had meant to take things slow, to relish in being with her on one of their last peaceful nights together. He should have known that it wouldn't end that way. His coupling with Jude was never peaceful, never slow. From the first they had always come together in an explosion of desire.

Jude bucked against Dresden's hand, her hips thrusting up and forcing his fingers deeper inside. "Don't stop," she said.

Dresden growled in response and thrust a third finger deep inside. Sliding down her body, he shouldered her thighs apart and buried his face in her pussy. "I want to taste you," he said. "I want to feel you riding my tongue as you cum."

Jude spread her thighs wider, her head tossing from side to side at his words. She could feel his breath blowing across the swollen heat of her flesh moments before he licked at her with that wickedly rough tongue. Like all felines, Dresden's tongue - even in human form - was slightly rougher then normal. That rough contrast against the delicate skin of her clit was all it took to send her over the edge of her first orgasm.

Dresden licked his way up the length of her slit, his fingers still thrusting in and out of her body, before taking her clit and sucking it deep into his mouth. Immediately, she cried out as her body shattered, the walls of her pussy contracting around his fingers holding them deep within her body as she came. "That's it," he cooed against her quivering flesh.

Jude rode wave after wave of pleasure, her body contracting and releasing until finally collapsing back against the pallet.

Dresden eased his fingers from her body and gave one last, long lick of her flesh before crawling back up the length of her body. He got distracted at the sight of her nipples and realized that he had yet to pay them proper homage. Bending his head, he circled her left nipple with the rough pad of his tongue before drawing it deep into his mouth and sucking hard. Beneath him, Jude bucked and brought her arms up and around his neck. He took it as a good sign that she didn't try and push him away despite her overly sensatized flesh.

Slowly he pulled his head back, stretching her nipple until it popped from his mouth with a wet pop. "Now this one," he said and bent his head to her right nipple.

Jude groaned as her nipple was encased in the wet, warm heat of his mouth, the gentle suction causing her clit to throb in time to her heart. "Dresden..."

"Hmmm?" he mumbled, not yet ready to release her nipple.

"Now, I need you inside of me now," she said and tried to pull him the rest of the way up her body. She succeeded in getting his shirt off and groaned as flesh met flesh but it still wasn't enough. "Please," she whimpered.

Dresden reached down between their body and ripped open his jeans. Instantly, his cock sprung free, the head brushing against the wet heat of her pussy causing his hips to jerk and pulling a moan from deep within his chest.

"Yes, god yes!" Jude struggled to meet him, wrapping her legs around his hips and digging her heels into his flank.

Dresden reared up, the last of his control gone, and positioned himself at the entrance to her body. "Look at me," he ordered.

Jude opened her eyes and stared up into the face of her lover as he thrust balls deep into her body.

They both cried out as the wet heat of her pussy met the hard steel of his shaft. Even after three months he still stretched her, filled her to the edge of pleasure and pain, yet her body quivered to feel him sliding in again and again.

Eyes locked, Dresden braced his hands on either side of Jude's head and pushed himself away from her body. At the same time, Jude lifted her knees to his hips, angling her hips and thrusting her pelvis up to meet each downward thrust.

She could feel herself growing wetter, her flesh swelling as they crashed together again and again. Her hands gripped at the pallet beneath her trying to hold herself still, her body yielding and open.

Dresden dropped to his elbow and fisted his hand in Jude's hair holding her immobile. With his free hand he grabbed her behind the knee and raised her leg higher towards his chest. The new position opened her even more and gained him deeper access.

Jude groaned as Dresden changed the angle of their position, his next thrust pushing the head of his cock up against her cervix.

Dresden rolled his hips, shifted slightly once more and the next thrust slammed his pelvis up against her clit.

"Yes!" Jude cried, her hands gripping at his forearms and her nails digging deep. Maintaining the angle, Dresden pounded into her flesh. Again and again he drove himself home watching as she thrashed beneath him. The scent of their desire hung heavy in the air, the sound of flesh on flesh competing with the sounds of their breathing.

"Give it to me," Dresden panted, his release racing up on him. "Let me see you cum."

Jude arched beneath him at his words, riding the edge of her release. She knew that he could hold her here for hours or force her over with a single touch.

Dresden released Jude's leg and reached down to where their bodies were joined. Keeping his eyes locked on her face, he grasped the tip of her clit between two fingers and squeezed.

Jude screamed as her orgasm ripped through her, pleasure shattering her and leaving her gasping.

Dresden watched Jude come apart in his arms, felt the walls of her pussy contracting around his cock gripping him like a fist and followed her over.

Jude felt Dresden's hot seed shooting up against her cervix, triggering another orgasm and groaned. Her body felt both strung tight and satiated. For several minutes it was all she could do to hold on as ripples of pleasure spread out from her womb and washed across her body.

Dresden collapsed, his cock still buried deep inside Jude and enjoyed the sensation of aftershocks that rippled the walls of her pussy. Each one seemed to milk a little bit more out of him until he was certain she'd wrung him dry. His own body seemed incapable of anything beyond simply lying there.

Sometime later Dresden managed to move most of his lower half off of Jude although his head remained plastered to a spot just beneath her breast. "Am I still alive?" he asked.

Jude snorted. "Barely."

Dresden purred at the sensation of Jude sinking her fingers into his hair. He'd come to appreciate these moments after their coupling when the first rush of lust had been burned off and they could take their time with each other.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

Instead of answering Dresden asked a question of his own. "You'll fight with them?"

Jude stilled. "Of course," she said. "You weren't expecting anything less, were you?"

"No." Dresden traced the tip of his finger across the flat plane of her stomach. "I find myself worried and I'm not certain that I like the sensation."

Jude laughed.

Dresden lifted his head and frowned. "This is no laughing matter."

"No, it's not." Jude stopped laughing but humor still lit her eyes. "I forget that you're not pack. Inconvienent and unwanted feelings are a part of life when you're pack."

"What the hell am I supposed to do about this?" he asked.

"You'll do what the rest of us do. You'll trust that I can take care of myself and those pack members that depend on me." Jude had been dealing with her own insecurities over the coming conflict but refused to give voice to them. It was one thing to care for and defend submissive pack members from the more dominant ones. Fighting against an unknown and armed enemy was entirely new.

"I'll do more then that," Dresden growled, rolling onto his back and drawing Jude into his arms. "I may not be pack but I take care of what's mine and that includes you. I will see that you are safe."

Jude smiled at the absolute certainty in his voice and decided not to argue. She knew that when the time came Dresden along with the other men would be fighting on the front lines working together to keep Storm and his Unit away from Sam and the rest of the pack. He would have enough on his mind without worrying about her. Still, it warmed her that he cared enough to worry.

Two days later a search of the area indicated that Storm's scout was gone. They could only assume that he had returned to report his observations to Storm. So far the plan was working.

"Sam, sit down," Nafarius ordered gently. "Everything will be fine."

Sam shook her head but didn't stop pacing. She couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out. She'd woken that morning with a deep sense of unease and urgency that had grown steadily worse throughout the day. Nafarius was certain it was because today was the day that they were set to move the Council members and the twins. Sam wasn't convinced.

"You still don't feel it?" she asked.

Nafarius shook his head. He didn't have the same sense as his mate but her constant state of agitation was starting to wear on him. It wasn't like Sam to overreact and she was insistent that something was wrong. It had gotten to the point that he'd finally ordered several patrols out into the surrounding area as a precaution.

"We'll get Jonas, Lillian and the twins out tonight and you can relax." Nafarius stood and caught Sam by the wrist as she walked passed.

Sam looked up at her mate. "The problem with that is that I don't want them to go. I'd feel safer with them here with me."

"We talked about this..."

"No," Sam said. "You decided and I went along with you. I understand why you want them away from here and it's the logical, right thing to do. But every instinct in my body is screaming for me to keep them with me."

"You won't be able to fight like that," Nafarius offered.

"Or maybe I'll fight harder knowing what's at stake," Sam said.

Nafarius stared down into the face of his mate and realized for the first time that she was fully prepared to fight to the death if it meant protecting their young. While the certainty of it scared him he said nothing to change her mind.

"Nafarius! Nafarius!" Brian came running into the cave.

Sam instantly went on alert.

"What is it?" Nafarius asked.

"They're here!" Brian said in between gasping for air. "Storm and his men, they're coming up the final part of the pass to the lake as we speak." Nafarius swore. "Call all of the patrols back, I want all of the men gathered in the clearing within the hour."

Sam grabbed Glenis who was rushing past. "Get all of the women and children inside. Now!" she growled when Glenis started to ask why.

Glenis turned and bolted for the clearing.

Sam turned to look at Nafarius. "They'll be here before nightfall."

Nafarius nodded. "No time to get them out."

Sam turned and took off running. She found Maddie with the twins in the alcove she'd shared with Nafarius since her first night here.

"I'm almost done," Maddie started and then stopped. "What is it?"

"They're coming. There's no time to get you out now." Sam stuck her head out and shouted for Jonas and Lillian. The two Council members came quickly indictating they already knew what was happening. Sam ushered them into the alcove. Taking a quick look around she spotted Kaysen and Zane sleeping peacefully. The alcove was far enough into the mountain that she knew she'd be dead before Storm or any of his men got this far.

Kissing both of the babies, she turned to Maddie. "You guard them with your life."

Maddie nodded, her eyes wide.

Turning to Lillian, she said, "Promise me, if I don't come back that you'll take them both with you."

"Samantha..." Lillian started.

"Promise me!" Sam couldn't leave until she knew that her children would be safe.

"I promise," Lillian said.

Jonas stepped forward. "I can help."

Sam shook her head. "No, you're both too important. Stay here where it's safe."

"If it's my age, I assure you I can still fight," Jonas said.

Sam gave him a small smile. "I have no doubt, in fact, I'm counting on it. If anyone gets through I need you here to protect the women and children."

Jonas looked at Lillian and Maddie, both women holding a child close to her chest, and nodded. "I will make sure that they are safe."

"Thank you." Sam pressed a quick kiss to his weathered face before turning to leave. "With your life, Maddie."

Maddie watched as her pack leader slipped out of the alcove. Sam was the first one to look out for her, to have given her a sense of self and teach her that she had worth. She would not fail her.

Sam walked out to join the men of the pack. Most of the women would remain inside, a last line of defense between Storm, the pack and the twins. Only Sam would move out with the men.

Nafarius turned to stare down at his mate. "They're about a mile out. We underestimated the speed at which Storm would move. Apparently, the thought of losing you motivated him to move quickly."

"How many?" Sam asked.

"Twelve, maybe fifteen." It was Dresden that answered. "Storm is getting sloppy."

"What makes you say that?" Sam asked.

"That's not even half of his unit," Dresden said. "I think we caught him more unawares then we had thought. He moved in without all of his resources."

"That will work in our favor," Sam said.

Dresden nodded. "For now. I have no doubt that he's ordered the rest of his team to join him as soon as they can. It means that we may have to deal with them in waves."

Nafarius shook his head. "We get to Storm and the rest of the team falls."

"Cut off the head of the snake," Roland muttered leaving the rest unsaid.

Sam stood and stared out into the forest that surrounded the only true home she'd ever known. She'd found happiness here and a family that took care of their own. "We take Storm now, deal with the rest if and when they come."