Taking His Mate Read online

  “What can I say, my beloved, the truth will out,” said Darby, clearly enjoying herself. “And as for you, Griffin Owen, you can have no quarrel with your mate. She didn’t leave the house and she is with three wolves.”

  Griffin turned to Jean-Michel. “I’m not sure your mate is going to be a good influence on my mate.”

  “Probably not,” laughed Jean-Michel, “but if you wanted easy, I think you may have been called to the wrong mate.”

  “Alas,” said Griffin, joining his host in laughing at the gamesmanship shown by the four women on the balcony. “I fear I had no choice. I knew the moment she entered the foyer alongside your beloved.”

  The four men entered the house, came bounding up the stairs, and collected their mates.

  Griffin was laughing as he led Maddie back to her room. “You are not going to be one of those sweet women who minds her mate and never gives him a moment’s pause, are you?”

  “Afraid not.”

  He grinned and chuckled as he pulled her close and kissed her. “Thank God. Jean-Michel is right, the best mate for an alpha is one who is his equal in strength and passion.”

  Maddie shook her head. “You know in my novels I try really hard not to write insta-love stories but now I find myself living one.”

  “Wolves are passionate creatures and we mate for life. Never doubt the feeling I have for you just because it didn’t take me weeks or months to recognize you.”

  “It may be the tequila talking, but having spent time with Darby, Summer, and Megan, I’m inclined to just let the feelings sweep me away. Just promise me we’ll figure everything out and be happy.”

  Griffin nuzzled her neck and pulled her close. “Aye, cwningen bach, we will.”

  * * *

  Dinner that evening had been full of laughter and an easy camaraderie. Maddie had greatly enjoyed Griffin’s company and solicitous attitude. He was romantic without being over the top and she found herself falling into the role of his mate with great ease and little concern. For once, Maddie realized she was engaged in her own life as opposed to sitting on the sidelines of others observing.

  After dinner the pack had spread out but separated into groups of people versus individuals. The two unmated females seemed to be enjoying the attention they were receiving, not just from the unmated males in the pack but from everyone else as well.

  Griffin had left her side to go speak to Geoff about something concerning the gathering that was to begin tomorrow. Maddie stepped out onto the patio and breathed in the fresh air. It was easy to get swept up in the lives of these vibrant, engaging people. That they would even consider allowing her to become one of them was humbling. Maddie couldn’t help thinking what a dramatic turn her life had taken over the past few days.

  She giggled to herself. If she’d written this in a book, she’d have scrapped it as being completely unrealistic. Or was it? She thought about the difference between one of her heroines being swept up by an alien dragon shifter and taken away to a new life. Falling madly in love and living out her every fantasy. Was it so different that what was being offered to her? A new life with a gorgeous sexy shifter.

  Maddie looked toward the river and watched as it rolled lazily by. Without thinking, she stepped off of the patio and walked out into the darkness. It crossed the back of her mind that Griffin has asked that she not be outside alone. She shook her head and smiled. He hadn’t asked, he’d told her that she wasn’t to do it. Well, they weren’t mates yet and so he had no, what had Darby called it, dominion over her.

  Rivière Du Loup was truly beautiful. Darby had mentioned that the small barrier island that had been the home of Bae Diogel had been beautiful as well, but in a far different way. Where Rivière Du Loup was graceful, elegant, and serene, Bae Diogel had been vibrant, wild, and limitless.

  Maddie wandered down to the banks of the river and began to follow it. The lighting was better along the river as the full moon was unobstructed by any trees or buildings and reflected off the river itself. She had wandered to what appeared to be the edge of the estate and was walking along the tall stone fence line. Maddie trailed her fingers along the stone as she slowly made her way back to the main house.

  A lone howl cut through her reverie. She knew it was Griffin as she could feel his call in addition to hearing it. She smiled. This time the feeling wasn’t unsettling, but rather felt more like a comforting old quilt being wrapped around her. She giggled, thinking the sexy Welsh wolf would probably not like being compared to a duvet.

  Maddie could see him standing on the patio. She saw him scent the wind and knew when he’d found what he was seeking. He started toward her. Maddie was struck again by the power and grace with which he moved. He was every inch the predatory wolf. When he growled at her, she stopped. It suddenly occurred to her that he was angry.

  Maddie decided that the best defense was a good offense.

  “Don’t growl at me. I don’t like it,” she said as she tried to brush past him.

  His hand on her upper arm prevented her from doing so.

  “When it’s an angry growl, you aren’t supposed to like it. Given that it is in response to you disobeying me, I would think it would give you pause to consider how you want to deal with me. I told you not to leave the house without me or at least another wolf. And for the record, I mean a male wolf.”

  “That’s rather chauvinistic, don’t you think?” she quipped.

  “Probably, but you’ll get used to that.”

  She tried to loosen his grip, but could not. He growled again, low in his throat and menacingly. Maddie was coming to understand that her reaction was not that of fear, but rather of arousal. She could feel her nipples hardening and a pool of wetness beginning to gather between her legs. He subtly sniffed at her and smiled. He could smell her arousal; she was certain of it.

  He smiled. “Admit it. You disobeyed me tonight, didn’t you?”

  “I’m not a shifter or your mate; you have no dominion over me.”

  He chuckled. “We both know the dominion I have over you has nothing whatsoever to do with you not being a shifter. You are my fated mate—human or shifter—and I am claiming dominion over you. Now, you were a naughty mate tonight, weren’t you?”

  “I’m not your mate and you can’t claim anything.”

  He smiled. “Oh, but I can, I will… and I do.”

  He sniffed again and looked pointedly at her breasts; the nipples were showing their state of arousal through the loose-knit sweater she was wearing. Turning toward the house, he started up the stairs. Maddie resisted until he pulled her close.

  “You, my beautiful mate, can walk up these stairs like a good girl or I’ll toss you over my shoulder again. I’m thinking the former would be less embarrassing for you, but I have no problem with the latter.”

  Maddie looked up into his face. He was angry, but she also saw love and concern. She noticed that his eyes had taken on a distinct glow and she thought she might ask him about that at some future time. She accompanied him up the staircase and to his room. He opened the door and closed it behind her once she was inside.

  Chapter Eleven

  Once inside the door, Griffin spun her around, pressing her against the wall. Before she could utter another word, he lowered his head and his mouth took possession of hers. There was nothing tentative about the kiss. It was strong without being rough. He was claiming her mouth as surely as he meant to claim the rest of her. He could feel her acknowledgement of that in her response. Maddie’s body arched up into his and her arms wrapped around him as she moaned her desire into his mouth.

  Griffin smiled at her sensual response. His tongue explored her mouth and tempted hers to do the same. He stroked her tongue with his own as his hands stroked down her sides. He could feel Maddie give herself up to his kiss. He spun an ever-increasing sexual web around her. He broke the kiss, leaving her wanting.

  “God, I think I could spend days just kissing you,” he said softly.

  “We probably
don’t have days, but certainly hours,” she teased in a husky voice.

  He smiled. “Oh, I intend to spend a good many hours pleasuring you, but first we need to address your penchant for being a naughty mate.”

  He drew her into the room. Maddie came willingly and when he stopped, wrapped her arms around him and pressed her body into his.

  * * *

  Griffin could feel his erection straining against the confines of his jeans and knew she could feel it as well.

  “I want you naked,” he said with a voice that promised everything.

  She smiled and drew her sweater over her head. Griffin returned her smile and reached up to unfasten the hooks at the front of her bra, allowing her ample breasts to be free of their confinement. Her nipples were aroused and sat centered in beautiful, dusky areolas. He could well imagine suckling them at his leisure. He ran his thumbs across them and she moaned again.

  Griffin could scent her ever-increasing arousal. He wished he would be able to partake of all the pleasure her body offered without having to take her to task for her disobedience. But he knew that she would need to learn from the get-go that she would have to mind him or pay the consequences.

  Leaning in to capture her mouth once more and then nibbling down her neck, he reached between them to slide her leggings down her body, past her well-rounded ass and down past her thighs. He knelt down to remove her leggings. She stepped out of them and gasped as Griffin lifted her in his strong arms and carried her toward the bed.

  Setting her on her feet, he sat on the edge of the bed, drawing her between his legs. He couldn’t resist taking a nipple into his mouth and sucking it deeply. Maddie pushed her breast more completely into his mouth as she threw her head back in pleasure. Griffin released the one nipple only to take the other in his mouth and give it the same treatment, running his tongue all around the areola before sucking it in.

  Griffin had to remind himself that before he could enjoy all his mate had to offer and the promised passion her body was telling him could be found between her legs that he needed to first punish her for her disobedience.

  He turned her slightly and then pulled her over his knee, trapping her legs between his and holding her in place with one hand.

  “Oh, no, you don’t,” Maddie said, suddenly understanding his intent. She began to struggle to get away from him but he held fast. “You are not going to spank me.”

  “I am afraid, sweetheart, that I most definitely am going to do just that. You, my mate, disobeyed me after I told you to stay inside the house. There is trouble brewing and it is of a wolfen kind. You are not a wolf. I will not allow you to risk yourself foolishly.”

  Before she could formulate and express an argument, Griffin’s hand came into sharp contact with her bare buttocks.

  “Ouch,” she hollered. “That hurt.”

  Griffin smiled. She had no idea what was coming. He intended to make her first punishment spanking memorable.

  “Not nearly as much as it will before I’m finished.”

  With that Griffin began to spank Maddie’s backside, swatting each cheek alternatively. Maddie squirmed and struggled and tried to get away from him. It did her no good. Griffin’s hand descended repeatedly onto her bottom with considerable strength. He focused mainly on the fleshiest part, but ensured that the whole area was well covered.

  Maddie had beautiful pale ivory skin. Her derriere was fast changing hue from ivory to pale pink, to a deeper pink and then to red as Griffin ensured she would think twice before disobeying him again. He had no doubt she would misbehave again, but he hoped she would at least give pause to consider the consequences to her pretty backside before doing so.

  Maddie tried kicking her legs but trapped as they were, it was ineffectual. She tried squirming over his thigh, but that too garnered her nothing more than harder swats to her already punished backside.

  Time and again, Griffin’s hand came down on her bare bottom and further fanned the flames of heat from each previous swat. He assumed she’d never been spanked, never been taken to task for her disobedience, but he knew with trouble looming just over the horizon, she needed to learn to mind him. Each strike caused her to kick her legs and squirm to get away from the pain that was radiating off her backside.

  “Griffin, stop!”

  He continued to lay into her. “You will mind me, Maddie. And when you don’t you can expect to find yourself face down, over my knee getting this pretty bottom of yours spanked for failing to do so.”

  “Stop! Please! It really hurts!”

  “Best you remember that the next time you think to disobey me,” he said, landing two hard swats to her tender sit spots.

  “Griffin,” she wailed. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

  Griffin smiled. He didn’t believe that for even a moment, but it seemed he had finally broken through her resistance and she was ready to yield.

  * * *

  Maddie realized he had stopped. She started to raise up, but his hand gently pressing her back down and a low warning growl made her go limp and start to softly cry.

  The hand that had been so harsh and had inflicted so much pain was now rubbing her bottom soothingly. Her buttocks were still painful but at least this contact was not increasing the pain she was feeling.

  “There’s my good mate,” he said seductively.

  The spanking he had given her was far worse than the one in the dream. Not only did it hurt more, but it was humiliating to be punished for misbehaving. Even worse was her heightened state of arousal. She prayed to any deity she could think of not to let him notice. The low, rumbling chuckle he made dashed any hope of that.

  His hand rounded the lower portion of her bottom and she felt it slip between her thighs. She tightened them against his intrusion. It was time to put an end to this.

  This time as she went to get up, she didn’t acquiesce to the soft pressure and struggled against it. Quickly the gentle pressure turned to a more firm hold as his other hand left the juncture of her legs and landed two more hard swats to her painful flesh.

  “No,” she cried.

  He swatted her again. “Yes, unless you yield. Do you want to give in to me or should I continue with your spanking?”

  “I’ll yield. But you don’t get to fondle me after you hit me.”

  He laughed. “That’s not yielding, Maddie, that’s trying to strike a deal. I should point out to you, my love, that you’re in no position to make a deal. You either agree to concede and that means letting me offer you some comfort and pleasure or you don’t. I should warn you that if you choose the latter, I will resume spanking you until you do decide to surrender.”

  “You can’t do this to me,” she argued.

  “Considering the state of your backside, I rather think not only can I, but I’ve already given it a good start. What’s it to be, Maddie—do you give in or not?”

  “I don’t want to be spanked.”

  “Then behave yourself and I won’t have to do so. But if you put yourself in danger again, I promise you the spanking you get will make this one seem like a fond memory. Do you yield, my mate?”

  “I’m not your mate,” she said but with little heat or conviction.

  The swat he landed this time was far harder than any that had come before.

  “I will make you eat those words, mate. You heard my call, felt it in your very bones. You are as aroused by my presence as I am by yours and this spanking, while painful, has only increased that. My patience is growing thin. Do you yield or do I go back to spanking?”

  She felt his hand leave her bottom. “I yield. Griffin, I yield,” she said defeatedly.

  He brought his hand back to her and once again tenderly soothed her bottom. She was limp across his thigh, but could feel his cock throbbing to get free. The worst part was that she could feel her pussy pulsing to the same rhythm.

  She felt his hand once again slip between her thighs. When she didn’t part them willingly he growled low again. This time, s
he relaxed and allowed him access. His hand came all the way to the front to cup her entire nether region in his hand. His middle finger begin to strum across her engorged clit, causing her to gasp, but this time not in fear or pain, but rather in pure pleasure.

  He chuckled as he felt the level of her arousal increase significantly as he continued to fondle her.

  “See there, when one behaves and minds her mate, she can find great pleasure at his touch.”

  Now when she squirmed it was out of a need to be closer to him and not to get away. He moved his hands, dragging his fingers back to her pussy. She could feel his fingers tracing her swollen labia, gently urging her own natural lubricant to leave its warm lair and come to him so he could make use of it in pleasuring her.

  “Griffin,” she cried in a whisper.

  “Good girl. You like it when your mate chooses to pleasure you instead of punishing you, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” she sighed.

  She felt his two fingers slide into her waiting sheath. She clamped down on them as her body spasmed with an orgasm as she cried out his name. He leaned down to softly kiss her punished ass.

  “That’s my beautiful mate. A tip to the wise, calling my name as you come will always soothe my ire with you.”

  He began to stroke her pussy—at first slowly and at not any great depth of penetration.

  “Griffin, please?”

  “Please what?”

  “Griffin, don’t make me beg.”

  “Shh, love. I won’t make you beg but I will hear you admit you are my mate and that you were naughty this night and deserved the spanking you got. And then, my mate, I will take you in my arms and make love to you until your most feminine parts are as assured of my devotion as your pretty red bottom already is from the spanking.”

  She gasped as he increased the depth, speed, and power with which his fingers stroked her wet sheath. She felt her body begin to climb toward the peak of another orgasm. She could feel her inner walls pulsing in the same rhythm as his stroking. Her imagination ran wild with the thought of him using his cock to stroke her pussy instead of his fingers.