Page 43 of Mating Season

Ranger nodded. “Does your wolf want that?”

She does.My beast raised a paw.

This sounded way too much like a marriage proposal to me. I wasn’t stupid. I knew mating season usually ended with a claim and a possible pregnant belly. But I wasn’t sure if––

I forced a smile, not wanting to see Ranger’s face fall again like it had earlier tonight. This was inevitable. I felt it in my bones. Why was I still dragging it out?

“We’ll play it by ear,” I said, full of fake confidence as I leaned forward to kiss him again.

He caught me by the chin, staring into my eyes with his brows furrowed as if trying to make sense of my words. “Play it by ear?”

“Oh, you know.” I shrugged, hoping he wouldn’t hear the rapid beat of my heart or sense the pulse of fear running through my veins. “If you can catch me and all that ceremonial stuff.”

His laughter echoed through the night as he leaned closer, feathering his lips across mine in the ghost of a kiss as he whispered, “Are you going to make me chase you?”

Well, when he put it like that…

Yes, please.

18

Ranger

I was so painfully hard that my bones ached and the muscles were shaking in my lower back. I’d have fucked Aspen against the tree, pressing myself into her tight and eager cunt, if my cock-blocking sister hadn’t cleared her throat behind us.

“We have an audience,” I spoke through clenched teeth, half-hoping Aspen wouldn’t care.

As expected, her body tensed like a coiled spring while she gasped and tried to shove me away.

“Is it time already?” Aspen gathered the edges of her flannel shirt and held them closed in front of her, smoothing down the material as if it’d always been buttonless. It was cute, this illusion of modesty. Like I wasn’t covered in her desire and she hadn’t gushed for me when I told her to run.

I groaned as she slid past me. The hem of her shirt barely covered her round ass. Spanking it hadn’t been enough. I wanted to sink my teeth into it.

“Is something wrong, Alpha?”Beau trotted over in wolf form with lighter saddlebags after he’d rounded up everyone who needed to run with us this season.

“No.” Not if we weren’t counting the obvious tent in my shorts and the way Aspen literally bounced over to the group of shifters who’d gathered around my sister and John. I held to my growling beast,hoping no one would choose this moment to test my patience and look too long at my mate.

They’re breathing too close to her.

I shook my head, wishing I could dunk my face in cold water and sober up from the thrumming lust that was clouding my brain.

“Do me a favor and check the inlet to the pond. See if we can follow the creek,”I told Beau, too anxious to leave Aspen alone here to scout myself. Beau’s wolf rushed to fulfill my orders.

“You look thirsty.” Aspen smiled and blinked her long lashes as she handed me a bottle of water from the saddlebags Beau left behind. “I don’t want you to get dehydrated.”

This woman was going to be the death of me.

I licked my lips discreetly, testing the air to see if her sex hormones were coming on as strong as mine were.So close.We could taste it on the tip of my tongue. I wasn’t sure if the rut hitting this early would send the females into an earlier heat, but I wasn’t going to stand around wasting any more time to find out.

Now that Aspen stayed to run, my job was to lead these mutts as quickly as possible so I could tend to her needs this season.

I’m ready. Let’s get started.

I chugged the water as I did a quick headcount. Sixteen males including myself were here. I didn’t expect Chad, Brett, or Scott to show up until the last minute if they were coming at all. It surprisedme that Trenton wasn’t lurking somewhere nearby, but I sensed it wouldn’t be a problem.

The other three would be though. I didn’t know when, but it was coming. I’d have to cross the bridge when I came to it. There were more pressing concerns now.

John’s wolf caught my attention and I frowned, watching my sister standing next to him as she spoke to Aspen. Her normally painted nails were bare and her hand was buried in his fur. I wasn’t sure if she noticed what she was doing, but John did and he growled at me for staring too long.