Free Mountain Moonlight by Jaci Burton

Carpathian wolves were in  danger from hunters and those out to destroy them. The Devlins had been  their last hope. And she’d screwed that up.
    “I can’t believe Conner thought you’d machinate such a devious scheme. What an arrogant ass.”
    Katya allowed a smile at Elena’s diatribe. “I’m not sure I blame him. If the situation were reversed, I might have thought the same thing.”
    But it wasn’t true, and Conner hadn’t believed her. He’d  said hurtful things to  her,crushing her heart. But she couldn’t really  blame him.  By Carpathian law, they were mated now. Not by his  choice. And frankly, not by hers, either.
    Circumstance had thrown them together. She should have told him last night what would happen if they had sex. If she’d had a  clear thought in her head at the time, she would have told him. But her mind had been  fuzzy, her emotions scrambled after what happened with Peter. Then she’d consumed  way too much brandy. And Conner had been there. A lifeline in a moment of crisis. Warm, comforting, and totally irresistible.
    Desire flared and ignited at  the memories of what they’d shared last night. She hadn’t expected sex to be so overpowering,  so all consuming. Once she’d started down that road, the urge to mate had taken over.  Still, she should have  had the presence ofmind to understand the repercussions of  her actions. She should have stopped.
    “Now what?” Elena asked.
    “I have no idea. Clearly Conner isn’t going to be agreeable to bonding with me.”
    Elena’s eyes widened. “He has no choice. It is our law.”
    She nodded and crossed her arms. “But it isn’t his law. It’s not even Romanian or
    American law.”
    “It doesn’t matter. He’s lupine. There’s honor at stake.”
    That much was true. At least for the Carpathian packs.  By mating with her, Conner had forged a life bond as written in the laws  of the Braslieu principality. It was legal  and binding.
    “Yes, it’s true. I could force him to marry me.”
    “Wasn’t that what you were intending all along?”

    44

    Mountain Moonlight

    She whirled at the sound of a deep male  voice. Conner and Noah stood in thedoorway. Her heart lurched, her sex moistening as her body recalled his  touch, hisscent, the feel of him moving inside her.
    Despite what happened, she still wanted  him. Rather, her body thought it still wanted him. Her mind and her  heart wanted  nothing more to do with Conner. She’d only allow herself to be stupid once. “Why are you still here? I would have thoughtyou’d be on  a plane back to America by now.”
    She turned away, refusing to let him see how much he hurt her.
    “I’m surprised you didn’t have your pack drag  me  off  in  chains  and  toss  me  in  thecastle dungeon to await the marriage.”
    She rolled her eyes, refusing to dignify his  idiotic statement with a comment. But she couldn’t stand the silence and finally turned around, hands on her hips. “Is there something you want?”
    The way his gaze lazily roamed over her body should have angered her. Instead, her pussy quaked and her nipples pebbled. She crossed her arms over her chest to hidethe clear outline of the erect  buds, but  could  do nothing to hide the telltale blush that crept up her neck and flamed her face.  The corners of  his mouth lifted. Damn him, he knew exactly the effect he had on  her.
    And she’d bet he wasn’t the least bit interested in sex right now. He looked at her
    that way to assert dominance.
    Two could play at that game. She stared back, looking him over from the top of his  thick black hair, refusing to look away when  he pinned her with  his sharp  blue-green  eyes, lingered at his full lips, then traveled  slowly down over his broad chest, narrow waist and hips, finally settling at  the obvious bulge in  his jeans.
    Now it was her turn to smirk. She met his  eyes and said, “Again, is there something  you