Back and forth, he thrust into her, fighting himself as he tried to decide whether to close his eyes and savor the sweet pulsing of her pussy as he fucked her. Or he could keep them open and watch as her expression revealed how much she needed him.
She wrapped her legs around him, pulling him inexplicably closer, and he groaned, pushing and pulling as she rolled her hips with him. Her walls squeezed his cock, and he thrust into her harder still, desperate to make them both quake and shudder with release.
“Yes,” she gasped. “Perfect. Need.”
“Yes,” he hissed in response. He was everything she needed. He’d make sure of it.
“I’m gonna…” Lucy released the headboard and scrambled to snatch the sheets, claws digging into the fabric and tearing the cloth. She bucked into him harder and deeper than before as her pussy quaked and surged around his dick.
“That’s it, baby.” He didn’t let his pace falter. “Come for me. Come on my cock and let me feel you.”
And she did. A long, slow moan escaped her mouth, back arched, and lips parted as her body trembled and shook. His balls were tight against his body, the ache to let go nearly overwhelming him, but he held on. Just a little longer. Just a little…
Lucy screamed his name, mouth wide, and he watched in awe as her fangs slipped past her gums. “Let me, let me…”
He knew what she craved because he craved the same.
Mason bent low, fucking her through her orgasm, wringing every last bit of pleasure out of his mate until… Those pearly white fangs sank into his shoulder. She pierced his skin, adding pain to the pleasure that consumed him. She growled with her mouth touching his bleeding flesh, teeth sinking in deeper as if she wanted to be sure the scar took.
And that was too much for him to resist. Too much for him to hold out against. That deep pain triggered the ultimate pleasure, his body overtaken by ecstasy as he emptied himself inside her pussy. He jerked once, then twice, and slammed home a third time. His hips remained pressed tightly against hers as his cock twitched deep inside her. He allowed his fangs to burst past his gums, his wolf roaring to the forefront of his mind while pleasure still overcame him.
Mason bared his canines and didn’t hesitate to claim his mate. His one. His savior.
His Lucy.
Chapter Twenty-One
“And this one’s for my big brother,” Kade shouted into the mic as he set the needle on a record.
Frank Sinatra’s Love and Marriage blared from the sound system and the crowd cheered. Just about every member of the Blackwood pack had crammed into the pack house’s living room-turned-reception hall to celebrate the mating of Mason and Lucy. It had been a long time coming, and they’d all known what had been at stake. Consequently, Lucy had been treated like their savior—which wasn’t too far off, as far as Mason was concerned.
As the crowd sang along with the catchy tune and silly lyrics, Mason pushed his way past the bodies, his co-best man Gavin in tow. He stepped out onto the big front porch and took a deep lungful of fresh, crisp air. The music was just as loud outside, thanks to the portable speakers someone had set up.
“It’s getting a little stuffy in there,” Gavin said, leaning back against a porch rail.
“It’s not much better out here,” Mason observed.
Dozens more ceremony guests milled around outside, obviously as in need of a little elbow room as Mason. Most of the adults had champagne flutes in their hands and everyone was celebrating. And why not? Their alpha, who’d been dangerously close to losing his mind—which would have been bad for everyone—had just cemented the stability of their pack. If ever there was a day for a party, this was it.
The Tiptons spotted him from across the lawn and raised their glasses to him before Robert pulled Bonnie into his arms and started dancing with her. Lucy already had Charlie in her arms and was swinging him around and dipping him almost all the way to the ground. The kid giggled like it was the most fun he’d ever had in his life.
Kade joined his brothers, settling on the other side of Mason. Observing him. Especially the way all of his attention was focused on Lucy.
“It’s like he’s not even the same person,” he grumbled toward Gavin.
“Good,” Gavin replied. “I think Lucy is a good influence on him. I still can’t believe she killed Frank with a fucking garden tool. She’s one seriously bad-ass bitch.”
Gavin stopped short, his eyes growing wide. Kade grimaced. No doubt they were expecting Mason to react as he would have before he’d discovered his mate. Nearly feral Mason. But that Mason no longer existed. His brother was right—Lucy had a very calming effect on him, and he was no longer sent into an apoplectic rage over stupid shit. Only big shit mattered now.
“You’re right about that,” he said with a chuckle. “And she’s all mine.”
Movement caught his eye just in time to see Drew round the corner of the building. The Blackwood brothers followed.
“Hiding?” Mason asked as they caught up with the healer.
Drew smirked. “Congratulations, Mason.”
Mason gripped the man’s hand and grinned. “Thanks, even though you’re probably pissed I didn’t go feral. Bet you were counting the days till you could put me down.”
Drew frowned. “No… I never… What makes you think…”
Mason let the poor guy sputter for a few seconds and then slapped him on the back. “It’s okay, man. I wouldn’t blame you, after the all the shit I gave you whenever you came close to Lucy.”
“I’m not the kind of guy to hold a grudge,” he said with a shrug and a smile.
“Glad to hear it. Now let’s get back to the party.”
They headed back and found Agnes Dickey holding onto frail, little Arthur as they climbed the porch stairs. Mason and his brothers helped them both up and settled them onto the porch swing.
“Oh, goodness,” Agnes laughed, completely out of breath. “Let me tell you something, boys, getting old isn’t for the faint of heart.”
“I’m surprised to see you two,” Mason said, leaning back against the porch rail. “Thought you’d be at the diner.”
“And miss the mating celebration?” Agnes asked, shocked as only little old Southern ladies could get. “I never thought this day would come, let me tell you. But you’ve found yourself a keeper, Mason.”
“Thank you, Agnes.”
She breathed a heavy sigh and shook her head, topped with a hair-sprayed helmet of grey. “You’re such a nice boy. I would have been devastated if you’d gone feral, like that Riverson woman. Would have been a shame to put you down. Take my word for it, breaking in a new Ruling Circle is a royal pain in the ass.”
Silence fell over the little group, and then Mason burst out laughing so hard he doubled over. It took a good minute for him to catch his breath again.
“Glad to know my life means so much to you, Agnes.”
She shrugged. “Oh, it does, honey. Just sayin’.”
Arthur nudged his wife. “Stop while you’re ahead, my dear.”
Mason glanced over at Lucy again, now playing with a group of little kids from the lessons she was taking in how to control her wolf. They all clearly adored her. Smart kids. She wore a white dress that hugged her curves better than that one Marilyn Monroe wore. She was a vision.
Warmth spread through his chest and then all through his body. He’d do anything for her, without hesitation, and for the rest of his life. He’d bedded plenty of women in his life, but even the most passionate affair paled in comparison to his love for Lucy. He’d changed so much since meeting her, and his capacity for love startled him.
As Lucy bent down to listen to whatever Charlie was prattling on about, Mason imagined the pup was theirs. He needed Lucy on a cellular level, but just past that was a need to see her belly heavy with his baby. He couldn’t wait to hear its little squeals and yelps, to hold the squirming, shifting creature in his hands.
“Hey, Kade,” he said, beckoning his brother over while his eyes never wavered from his mate.
“What’s up, bro?”
“First thing in the morning, I need to you to head up to Pepper and pack up all of Lucy’s belongings. Her grandmother too, if she’ll let you.”