Free Betrayed (Wolf Gatherings Book 6) by Becca Jameson Page A

her hair. He breathed her floral-scented shampoo deep into his lungs.
    He was one lucky bastard. She smelled like heaven, and having her in his arms was a dream.
    •●•
    Heather held on to her mate for long minutes, not willing to let go for a second. Now that she’d finally touched him, she couldn’t break the contact for anything in the world.
    But they were on the front porch. Not a good place to fuck. “Let’s go back inside. We need some time alone.” She lifted her gaze to meet his, feeling the grip of his hand buried in her hair.
    He nodded and held her against his side as they reentered the house and made their way toward the bedroom she’d been using for several weeks. The Spencers had gone out the back apparently. The house was quiet.
    Heather wasn’t surprised. Obviously Heather and Marcus had a lot to consider privately.
    Marcus shut the bedroom door behind him and leaned against it. Immediately Heather felt a heightened awareness of his presence in the confined space, a room he’d already filled with his scent in both human and wolf form. Her entire body tingled as it came alive.
    He held her at arm’s length and met her gaze, his expression serious. “I don’t expect you to let me claim you.”
    “I expect you to stop talking and get on with it.” She grinned, batting her eyes playfully.
    “Heather…” Marcus rolled his eyes. “This is serious. I’m a blood relative of the man running this crazy attempt to ruin all that we have worked for centuries to maintain as a species.”
    She opened her mouth to protest, but Marcus set a finger on her lips.
    “Baby, listen to me.”
    Her toes curled when he called her that. A shiver raced up her spine, and she gripped his biceps where he held on to her shoulders.
    “I’ve not always been drug free. I don’t even know what’s been in my system.”
    “Whatever it was, it’s not there now. It’s not controlling you, Marcus, and you know it.”
    He hesitated. “I nearly forced myself on Mackenzie, and she lives on this ranch.”
    “You can’t be held accountable for that.”
    Marcus opened his mouth but appeared to be out of arguments.
    Heather was glad. She leaned forward, in part to stop him from saying more, but also because her body swayed in his direction of its own accord. She needed to kiss him. Taste him. Know the feel of his lips on hers.
    But Marcus had other ideas. He righted himself and backed her up until she hit the bed. He sat her down and kneeled in front of her, bringing his face level with hers. He stared at her long moments, a smile forming on the corners of his mouth. “Am I really this lucky?”
    She couldn’t speak. But he didn’t continue, either. It didn’t matter. Words were superfluous at the moment.
    Finally he set both hands on her knees and trailed them up her thighs.
    Heather gasped as she gripped his shoulders.
    “Are you sure?”
    “Never been more positive.”
    He continued up her waist until he held her beneath her chest, his thumbs grazing the undersides of her breasts. He stood, leaning closer. He eased her onto her back, scooting her farther across the mattress with his grip and climbing over her at the same time.
    When he lowered his body onto her, she let out a long moan, unable to stop it, instantly feeling the flames creep up her cheeks at her reaction.
    His smile widened as he nestled between her legs and lowered his lips to hers.
    Slowly. So slowly he advanced. Too damn slow.
    She licked her dry mouth, her gaze following his plump lips as they reached her, and he finally closed the distance. The kiss was tentative at first. One hand trailed up her body and held her face, causing her to meet his gaze.
    Their eyes met, and she blinked. God, how she wanted him. Needed him with every fiber of her being. She didn’t care about his past or her own, as long as he claimed her right here, right now. Her pussy clenched, desperate against the rigid length of his cock nestled over her clit.
    And then he