“Why did you do that?” she asked.
“I needed to.” He collapsed against her body knowing he’d take her back in the shower in a minute. The need to mark her was ebbing away, but it was taking its time.
Opening his eyes, he stared up at the ceiling. Victoria turned over, wrapping her arm around his chest.
“I love you,” she said. “I’d love you no matter what you did. I don’t care about Chain or the protection you’re giving me. What I feel for you is real, and it feels alive inside me.” She circled his heart with the tips of her fingers.
“I love you, too, baby.” His wolf was humming, satisfied. Scorch noticed whenever she was close, his wolf eased from all tension. When they were together he felt whole. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he held her close never wanting to let go. The danger would be coming to them in the next couple of days. “I’m going to hurt that bastard for trying to kill you.”
He felt her tense on him. “Don’t hurt yourself or risk you turning into some kind of monster. I couldn’t handle that. You’re so much better than him.”
“How do you know?” he asked.
“Your pack adores you. When you see the pack I come from you’ll see the difference. You’ll be shocked at it in fact. They deserve a lot more peace than they’re getting from him.” She shrugged, circling his nipple with her fingertips. “I’m sorry for making our time together morbid.”
“It doesn’t feel morbid to me.” His seed coated her skin satisfying the animal part of him.
“I’m covered in your cum. I’m not surprised you don’t feel morbid.”
Scorch took her through to the bathroom, washing them both thoroughly before taking her back to the bedroom. Wrapping a blanket around them, he carried her toward the window. They lay together in each other’s arms looking outside. “It’s so totally beautiful,” she said, sighing. “How has my life changed so much?”
“What do you mean?” He caressed the curve of her stomach wishing for more time with her. There never seemed to be enough time to him, and all he wanted to do was take her to bed, make love, eat, and rule a happy pack.
“Less than a month ago I was terrified of being noticed. I tried to stay out of Chain’s way because I knew what he was capable of. Everyone was always on tenterhooks. Now, I’m so happy. I’m scared for what we’re going to do, but I know we’re going to get rid of them.”
“Without Chain sending you to me you’d still be living in a nightmare,” he said, pushing the red hair off her shoulder.
“Yeah, I can’t help but feel weird about that. I hate him for everything he’s done, but at the same time he brought us together.”
Kissing her shoulder, he stared up at the night sky. “He’s a monster, Tori, and he’d make sure you would suffer if you didn’t give him what he wanted.”
“I know. I’m not going to ruin things. I love you too much and this pack too much to risk hurting you.”
Sitting in the darkness of the room, he slid inside her core feeling the heat of her cunt grip him tightly. Scorch made love to her, neither of them rushing to find completion. They were together and in love, and when they finally found release they found it together, crying out in harmony.
Taking her to bed, Scorch held her tightly as he started to relax after the long run.
Protect her first, then lay claim to her.
Scorch thought about the coming days and knew he would need to bring the rest of his pack up to speed before he went out and risked the whole of his life with what he was about to do.
Chapter Ten
It was the day, and Victoria was panicking. Scorch was outside chopping some firewood, and she knew what she needed to do. Mandy sat on the edge of the bed waiting. Victoria continued to pace up and down the room wishing there was something she could do to bring her whole world into focus.
“Your pacing is starting to hurt my head,” Mandy said.
“I can’t help it. I’m thinking, and I can’t think sitting down. I have to pace.” Pushing some hair out of her eyes, she looked up at the ceiling then down at the floor. Her mind was all over the place, scaring her.
“Scorch is waiting for you. So are David and the rest of the alphas. You need to do this, or you’re never going to be free of him.” Mandy was her voice of reason. Victoria couldn’t believe it took her so long to finally have a friend in her life.
“I know. I know. I know. I know.” This entire day was driving her insane. Last night she’d been in Scorch’s arms as he made love and f**ked her. He’d taken her pu**y twice and then her ass once. “This is f**king insane. He’s putting his life at risk by doing this.”
“If you don’t do this, Victoria, your parents and everyone you know would have died for nothing.”
“I know that,” she said, yelling the words and wincing. Her heart was racing. Glancing down at the front yard she saw Scorch pause in chopping wood. He looked up and smiled at her. Shaking her head, she looked at Mandy. “I can’t do this.”
“If you don’t do this then you’re risking everyone at your old pack along with all of us here. Chain will come for us, and then you’ll be regretting not taking this chance today.”
Tears fell from Victoria’s eyes as she stared at her friend.
“I could lose David today if this all goes wrong. He’s my life-mate, and I can’t stand the thought of living without him.” Mandy stared at her showing the real fear. “Please, put us all out of our misery and be the queen we all know you can be.”
Biting her lip, Victoria lifted the phone in front of her and typed in the number she remembered for most of her adult life. Placing the cell phone to her ear she listened to it ring. All the time she listened to it ring she couldn’t help the need to hang up, go to Scorch and run.
No, no more running.
“Hello,” Chain said. His voice sent a shiver up her spine. He scared the living daylights out of her.
“It’s me. It’s Victoria,” she said, wincing at the strain she heard in her own voice.
“Ah, Victoria, I’ve missed you. I take it our meeting has finally caught up to you.” Gritting her teeth, she stared at the silver chain on the bed beside Mandy. Picking up the chain she recalled the silver chain wrapped around her throat as Chain threatened her.
Time to stop running.
“I hadn’t forgotten what I was doing. Your marks made Scorch worried. He’s by my side constantly.”