Hey, guys! I am so sorry that I've been away for so long yet again. One reviewer commented that I'm now usually posting every three months and we're at the three month mark. I really hate that so I pushed this chapter hard. I'm not sure why but Dox was just really not happy about this chapter and he didn't want to talk to me. He finally did, and now I have this. Hopefully we'll be seeing more of Tate, Gage, and Nechole. I know you guys like them. But right now, the boys are in my head, so we'll see. I love you guys and I am so so so so so very sorry!

Please Enjoy!

AshPOV

"The baby is very healthy," Carlisle was saying to Victoria as I checked my phone one more time. Cole was keeping me updated on the arrival, interrogation, and leaving of the feds. Apparently they were on their way to talk to me. Cole was first after Casey and his dad as he was the closest to Casey after family. I was close to Cole and had been tutoring Casey for years. From what I'd heard from the conversation Cole had had with Casey after the questioning, things hadn't gone well. Will, Jules, and Dox had come to me with the suggestion that neither I nor Cole should be anywhere near the police station when Casey and his dad went in. Honestly, it hadn't really been a suggestion, more like an ordered request. But I'd agreed with the idea, so it hadn't bothered me.

"That's great," Victoria said. "Ash, did you hear that?"

Blinking, I focused on the room again and gave her a smile. "I heard. That is great news." I looked at Carlisle. "What about her? Is she okay?"

"I'm fine," she said with exasperation.

Carlisle chuckled. "Yes, Ash. I'm much happier with her health. You've been doing very well with her food intake."

"It's not just me," I said. "Mark has been helping."

"Then I guess we'd better keep him around."

She grinned. "I plan on it. So, when do you think we'll meet the little guy?" she asked, patting her stomach.

Unease wriggled through my gut. She'd been talking more and more like she was leaning on keeping the baby. Not that I would begrudge her that happiness. She deserved it. But I'd begun to get my hopes up, especially as Cole and I had started working on the nursery in our last extra bedroom.

Carlisle rocked on his heels. "Oh, I'd say about another three weeks at the most. The growth has been remarkable, but too much bigger could be dangerous to you. We'll start talking about the birth procedures and your preferences during the next few visits."

"Sounds good." Victoria eased off the bed, her hand gripped in mine for stability. "Phew, this boy's getting big." I had to look away at that, but she gripped my hand. "Your son is just fine and well on his way."

She always knew. Somehow, she could look at me and see the hurt in my expression that I was giving up hope of being a dad anytime soon, and she'd look at me directly and pointedly say "your son" or "your baby".

The smile didn't reach my eyes as I held her hand.

"Ash, please," she begged. "I've told you. Mark and I have decided that what's best for this baby is that he go to you and Cole. I'm not ready to be a mom, but I am ready to be an aunt. I need more time as a couple with Mark without kids. I want kids with him eventually. But not right now. And I don't want to risk this boy's life around Mark's instincts. This decision is what's best for everyone involved." Her eyes were pleading as she gripped my hand with both of hers. "I mean, you and Cole still want this, right?"

I held her hands tighter. "Of course, we do. More than anything. We just want to make sure this is what you still want. And we all know that you can say what you want now, but once he's born and you hold him, you may very well change your mind."

"I won't be the first to hold him. That will be you or Cole. I'm telling you, I am only this baby's mother biologically. That will be one of my preferences that Carlisle and I will be going over." She placed my hand to her stomach. "This is your baby, Ash. Please remember that. I hate the hurt look in your eyes. I'm just excited to not be pregnant anymore and for you and my brother to be dads. I can't wait to see the two of you in action, and I can't wait to be an aunt to this baby, because honestly, that's already how I feel. I feel like I'm carrying him for the two of you. I'm at peace and happy with my decision." Abruptly, the smile died as she looked down at her hands. "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course. Anything."

"I might love this baby, and I may have thought about keeping him. But he is also a reminder that I was lied to about being loved, that I was important to someone. He'll remind me of his father, and as much as I think I wouldn't do it, I know some part of me would blame him for his father's actions. To me, this isn't my son. He's Preston's son, and that's really the only way I can think about him. I hate it so much that I can't just see him for the innocent baby he is, and he doesn't deserve that. He deserves a happy home with two parents who love him. That would be you and Cole. Okay?" She shook my hands. "This boy is your son. And when he grows up, we can tell him the truth if he asks. Can you understand where I'm coming from with this?"

I nodded. "Of course. I'm sorry, Victoria. I never thought about how you would feel about Preston and that whole thing. Trust me, if he ever comes back, we'll all take turns beating the hell out of him."

She choked out a laugh. "But you can't deny this is the perfect circumstance to give you and Cole the chance to be parents."

"Yes, but I hate that it came at the cost of your feelings.

"Eh," she said waving it away. "I'm just glad everything is working out for the best. This would be so much harder if I didn't have options."

Smiling, I wrapped an arm around her in a hug. Her arms wrapped around my waist. "Are we good to go, Carlisle?"

He nodded. "Very much so. Keep up the good eating."

"I will."

"Come on," I said. "I'll take you back to the compound. I can help you pack."

At that, she grinned. "I can't believe I'm moving in with Mark," she said as we started down the hallway.

"Me, either. But I'm glad you're happy."

Her good mood dimmed. "Cole isn't very happy about it."

As we walked, I struggled to find the right thing to say.

"It's just the timing," I said, opening the car door for her when we finally made it outside. "You're so close to giving birth. And, to be completely honest, we already feel like the baby is our son. Cole's just being protective, his paternal instincts kicking in."

"What about you?"

When I started the SUV, I took a deep breath. "I don't like the idea much, either. But we want you happy, Victoria."

Her hand touched my arm. "If it's really an issue, I can stay with you until the baby's born. Mark will understand. As long as I'm on the compound, he's okay."

I swallowed hard. "Thank you."

She smiled. "Hey, he's your son. You want him close to you. I understand that."

Looking over at her across the seat, something in my chest loosened. "You really are okay with this, aren't you?"

"Absolutely."

"Well, I can still help you pack. Apparently the feds are on their way to the compound to talk to me if they don't beat us there."

There went her good mood again. She looked out the window, biting her lip. "Things are really bad out there, aren't they?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about."

"Bullshit."

The whip-like crack of her voice made me look at her with raised brows.

Victoria was glaring at me. "Don't give me that shit, Ash. You're practically my brother-in-law. My brother wants to become a member of the pack. The man I love is a member of the pack, an enforcer, a fighter. What's going on out there is my concern."

There was real fear in her eyes as well as anger. There was no way to ignore that.

I gripped the steering wheel. "It's not that bad yet, but it looks like it's heading that way. All this time we've been so concerned about our little slice of real estate that we haven't thought about what the rest of the world is seeing and putting together. We're not just legends anymore. Humans outnumber us, so even with our supernatural abilities, we could lose if we go to war. I don't want that. I don't want to hurt anybody. My family, my people, we're supposed to protect those weaker than us. We can't do that if they're shooting us to death. And unlike the Children, the Quileute pack won't survive lead bullets."

"So, this is really happening," she said, her voice shaking.

I nodded. "Yes, it is. I mean unless these feds are part of the X-files branch of the FBI willing to keep our secret, we're perilously close to getting outed."

"What do you think will happen?"

"I don't know."

She gave me a look. "Come on, Ash. You're too smart not to have a theory or two."

Now I swallowed hard. "There are a few theories," I said quietly. "They could find out about us but leave us be. That's the least likely to happen. If they find out about us, more than likely the world will explode. We'll be captured and taken to military labs for experimentation. Or the government will want us wiped off the face of the earth. A widespread panic will start if the news gets it out to the general public. I really don't know, Victoria. There are so many scenarios."

We both fell quiet as I kept driving toward the compound. The rain was heavy today with the promise of a storm. I could smell the ozone on the air from far off lightning. The square of the compound was subdued and emptier with the coming storm. Several people were running around with firewood and other supplies. Some of Quinn's people were with some of Piper's, following them around to learn the area.

I turned onto the road through the woods that led to the large houses that were home to me and Cole, Ryell and Dox, and Piper and Jason as well as the smaller cabins that surrounded Piper and Jason's place for their little pack. We had our own neighborhood on the compound. I had to hold back the groan when I saw the unfamiliar car parked to the side of the road in front of my house.

"Is that them?" Victoria asked.

"Probably. I don't recognize the car."

"Damn. What do we do?"

"Act normal. You don't know Casey."

"No, but I do know you and Cole. Cole is my brother and I live with the two of you."

Reaching over, I patted her leg as I pulled into the driveway. "I won't let them question you too much. If I have to, I'll play the no-stress card due to the pregnancy. And I'll call Carlisle." The side mirror showed me two doors opening on the car and two men getting out. "Go inside. I'll see if I can keep them from wanting to question you."

"I'll be okay, Ash."

I gave her a stern look. "Go inside, Victoria."

For a moment, she studied my face with a frown before nodding and getting out. I stepped out of the SUV and went toward the two men walking up to the carport. They were both in suits with crisp ties and shiny shoes. Then they were both flashing badges at me. There was something off about them, but I couldn't place it.

"Mr. Black," the taller of the two said.

I nodded, trying my best to look surprised. "The feds, huh? What can I do for you?"

The second one smirked. "Don't play stupid, Mr. Black. Your…housemate…called you after we were done questioning him. You know why we're here."

The moment he refused to call Cole my boyfriend, I knew my expression had turned cold. I did not like this guy. "Yes, my boyfriend called to say you asked him about one of his players. But he cares for those boys, so he didn't want to give me details. He was just letting me know he might be late or unable to show up to an appointment."

"And just what appointment might that be?" the first one asked. His eyes flicked to the door Victoria had gone in through.

Crossing my arms, I demanded, "What does that have to do with anything? Is Cole in some sort of trouble? And what did you say your names were?"

"We didn't. Can you answer the question?"

"Answer mine."

"That's not how this works, Mr. Black. We can arrest you for obstruction."

"I'm not obstructing anything. You haven't asked a damn thing that pertains to any sort of crime."

"And how would you know that?"

I glared at them. "Cole hasn't done anything wrong. What is this about?"

The second guy flipped through a small notebook. "Your housemate said that you tutor one his football players, a Casey Simmons."

The housemate comment was pissing me off enough that I had to grit my teeth. After a moment, I took a deep breath trying to find that calm that I always used to have. "I tutor half the team. Casey's a good kid. What of it?"

"Are you aware that his father has two homes, one in Forks and one in Seattle?"

"Yeah. Mr. Simmons works construction and most of his work takes him to Seattle. He rents a house there instead of hotels so that Casey can visit."

"Are you also aware that Casey was visiting Seattle not long ago?"

I shook my head. "Look, I'm just Casey's tutor. I don't know his visiting schedules."

The first guy frowned at me. "He said he'd told you that he was going to visit his dad over the weekend, so he wouldn't be able to make a tutoring appointment with you."

"Yeah and? Maybe he did. So, I made other plans. What is this about?"

He held his phone out to me and hit play on the video. I already knew what I was going to see, but I pretended to be confused and horrified. But the confusion was slightly genuine since the video was blurry. Whoever their tech was, he sucked.

"What the hell is this?"

Using his finger, he paused the video and then pointed. "Don't you recognize Casey? Your boyfriend said that you two have seen this video on the news, so why so horrified?"

"Yeah I've seen it in passing. We have the news playing in the background all the time. And honestly, Casey looks like every seventeen-year-old high school football player. That video is so grainy that of course I didn't recognize him. Are you crazy? How long did it take you and your people to clear that up enough to run through your database, huh? And you expect me to be able to recognize him in passing?"

The man tucked away his phone. "Mr. Black, did Casey tell you he was attacked?"

"What? No."

The second man stared at me. "No? Just no?"

I shrugged. "What else do you want me to say?"

"What about the girl that went inside earlier?" the first one asked.

My voice went cold. "What about her?"

"Who is she?"

"None of your business."

His blue eyes narrowed. "I thought you and your boyfriend were gay, Mr. Black."

"We are. Very much so. What of it?" All I could think of was the memory of fucking Cole into the mattress this morning. Oh, how the angry, homophobic agent would hate to see that.

Disgust wafted from the second guy.

"Then who's the girl?" the first guy asked.

I gritted my teeth. "Cole's sister. And no, she doesn't know Casey. She's about three weeks from giving birth and under strict orders not to be stressed under any circumstances."

"Does she live with you?"

"Yes."

"Are you sleeping with her?"

"No. I'm sleeping with her brother."

The second guy flinched and looked away with distaste written all over his face. "Pervert," I heard him mutter as he turned his head away from me.

The growl almost slipped up my throat, but I held it back by force of will. "Excuse you?" I didn't even have to pretend to be outraged.

"Shit," the first one breathed. "Davis."

Davis blinked. "What?"

"Don't what me," I snarled. "I heard you call me a pervert."

"I didn't-,"

I glared. "Is this how you treated my boyfriend? If it is, then like hell I'm going to let you talk to his pregnant sister. Get the fuck away from my house, you prejudiced bastard."

Davis stepped forward, his own glare glowing out of his hazel eyes. "We're not done talking to you."

I stepped up to him and dwarfed him by a good four inches. "Yes, you are," I said in a low voice.

"Are you threatening me?"

A slow, evil smile pulled my lips up. "You aren't worth me going to jail."

Those hazel eyes darkened as the first guy grabbed his arm. "Davis, don't do anything stupid."

"Yeah, Davis," I drawled. "Violence is a turn-on. Might wanna calm that down a bit."

At that, Davis cursed and spun toward their car. He was muttering all sorts of curses and names at me, but I couldn't acknowledge them. He was talking too low for a normal person to hear him, and I was trying to play normal.

The calmer guy looked at me. "Mr. Black, I apologize for my partner. If I had known how strong his prejudice was, I would have had him somewhere else."

I shook my head. "Just get him away from me. And keep him away from Cole."

"Of course." He took a card out of his wallet. "I'm Agent Stinson. Please call me if you remember anything else."

As I took the card, our fingers brushed. We both froze, and I flipped my eyes up to his face. Those blue eyes were cool, revealing nothing.

Swallowing hard, I took the card. "I've got nothing else to tell you. Casey is a good kid. Whatever happened in Seattle wasn't his fault."

"I agree with you, Mr. Black. That's not why we're questioning him and those around him. We're trying to figure out who attacked him. Casey says he doesn't remember, and the suspect didn't show up in our system."

Crossing my arms, I frowned. "Out of curiosity, how did Casey show up?"

A small smile lifted his mouth. "He participated in one of those child safety exercises when he was in middle school. His fingerprint was on record as well as his photo."

"And just how did you get his fingerprint from a video?"

Another secretive smile as he buttoned the suit jacket. "You'd be surprised what type of technology we have access to, Mr. Black. Have a nice day, and please call if you have anything else to say."

With that, he walked back to the car where his partner was glaring at me from the passenger window.

That last comment left me feeling more afraid than anything else they'd said as they drove off toward Dox's place.

I pulled out my phone.

DoxPOV

"Smells good in here," I said as I came back into the house.

"It's dinner," Rye said from the kitchen. "Lunch is heating up now."

Walking into the kitchen, I found my little mate running around the kitchen putting stuff on the table. The crockpot was on the counter as well as cutting boards, leftovers from veggies, and meat wrappers.

Rye smiled up from putting two glasses on the table. "Hey. How'd the appointment go?"

"Carlisle said I could phase so I can run with you tonight."

Her smile brightened. "That's great."

Clapping my hands together, I went to the counter to see what she was making. "What's for lunch?"

"Pasta alfredo with grilled chicken."

"Smells amazing. But what's gotten into you? Not that I'm complaining."

She chuckled and shrugged as she scooped some pasta into a bowl. "I don't know. Things went so well last night. I can't wait for us to be mated. And having an actual house with an actual kitchen makes me feel domestic. I just feel better than I have in a while."

I grabbed my own bowl and scooped a healthy portion before sitting down next to her at the oval table.

We ate in silence for about ten minutes before Rye suddenly reached out to grab my arm. "I want kids," she said with excitement.

I choked on the bite I'd just eaten. Coughing, I banged a fist to my chest a couple times. "Wh…what?"

She grinned, her eyes shining brightly. "I want a baby. With you."

Reaching out, I took her hand. "Ryell, honey, I want babies with you, too. But what's going on with you? Are you peaking again? I thought we fixed that problem."

Rye got out of her seat to come to me. I moved my chair out so she could straddle my thighs and sit down. Her hands rested on my shoulders but started to pet my neck, shoulders, and chest. "We did. I'm not peaking. We're now cemented to take over once Dad decides to retire. We have our allies, and we're soon to be mated. Dad built us this beautiful house. I want to start our lives."

I chuckled nervously at her exuberance. My hands wandered over her thighs and hips. "Sweetheart, I want that, too. But we're still teenagers. Don't you want to enjoy it just being us for a while longer? Not to mention we still have to deal with the threat from Seattle, worrying about the feds, and all the babies coming to term soon. And we still have to be mated ourselves. There's a lot to do."

Her happiness died a little as she slumped. "I thought you wanted this?"

"I do."

"Dox, we are always going to be busy and ass deep in alligators. When is it going to be a good time to think about kids? When we're fifty?"

"No, of course not. And I know pack wolves start kids young. I get that. But I want to enjoy us alone for a while longer. I love us together and the quiet times we get to love one another. I'm not ready to let that go." I gripped her tighter when she looked away, trying to hide her eyes and emotions from me. "Hey, Ryell, sweetheart, don't be like this, please. I love you and I want babies with you. I don't want any other female, but I want to wait."

She swallowed hard enough for me to hear it. "What if I'm already pregnant?" she whispered.

My gut clenched as my heart dropped into my stomach. It was my turn to swallow hard. "Are you?" When she didn't answer, I squeezed her again. "Ryell, are you pregnant?" I demanded sternly.

After a long moment, she shook her head. "No," she said quietly. The breath I let out made her angry, and she turned those angry, hurt eyes to me. With jerky movements, she pulled out of my hands and stood up to look down at me. "I thought you wanted kids?"

I reached for her hands, but she stepped away. My hands dropped to my knees. "Ryell, I've told you a thousand times that I do, and I mean it. But, babe, we're only seventeen and eighteen. Can't we enjoy being teenagers before we have to grow up even more? We'll be taking over the pack soon enough. There's so much responsibility that we'll be taking on. I want us to be settled in those roles before we bring children into this world. Don't get me wrong, I love Cordelia and her sibling. Ash already sees Victoria's baby as his son, and I love that. I'll love any kids that my sister has. I want a family, Rye. I really do. But I want stability for them. Mom and Dad waited for me and my siblings. But more than that, I want to enjoy you, us. Just us. We haven't been in this house long. I mean, I know we can't use protection so it could happen anytime, and I will love any child we have at any time we have it. I swear to you that I want a family with you. I'll take it as it comes." As the next thought raced through my head, my heart constricted. "Don't you love me enough to want to be with just me? Am I not enough for you?"

As she soaked in my words, her angry expression melted. She came back to sit across my lap, her arms going around my neck. "Oh, Dox. I'm so sorry. Of course, you're enough for me. And I do love you. I just thought-,"

"I don't have baby fever. I wish I could want to give you what you want, but I'm just not ready for rugrats. We are enough for me. I want to enjoy you whenever we want to instead of having to wait to find a moment to be alone. Hell, we're already having that problem. I don't want to break your heart, Rye, I just-,"

She covered my lips with her fingers gently. "I understand. I'm sorry I made you think you're not enough. You are." Leaning in, she pressed her forehead to mine. "I'm so sorry."

Wrapping my arms around her, I held her tightly. "I'm not mad, but where did this come from?"

She moved her head back and forth against mine. "I don't know. I just look around at all of them starting families and I feel like we're behind."

I put my fingers through her hair to massage her scalp. "Baby, we're not behind. Our lives aren't a race. We're still teenagers. Our kids will happen when they're supposed to happen." Pulling back so I could look at her face, I said, "I promise you, we will have babies. Lots and lots of babies if you want them. Hell, we can adopt if you want." My words worked, making her laugh a little. "It'll happen, and we'll have a family. Okay?"

Sniffling, she nodded with a soft smile. "Okay," she said, passing her palm over my chest. "I'm sorry."

I took her hand and brought it to my lips. "It's alright. You want what you want. I'm more than willing to deliver, but I'm just asking for a little more time."

She rubbed her knuckles against my lips. "I can handle that. It's not like you're refusing forever."

"I'm not refusing now. If you'd told me you were pregnant right now, I'd be happy. Worried, but happy. I realize that we can't control when it happens. Like I said, I'll take it as it comes."

Rye swallowed hard, her eyes misting over again. "I don't deserve you," she whispered.

My expression went hard as I gripped her fingers. "Don't," I ordered.

Her gaze rose to meet mine. "I just threw a tantrum, Dox. Just because I wasn't getting what I wanted when I wanted it. Even after all the promises you just made that you want a family with me, I was still mad that you didn't want to throw me down on the floor and fuck me until we came out the other side with a bun in the oven."

Putting my fingers to her chin, I forced her to look at me. I put all the heat, lust, and love I felt for her into my eyes. "Rye, I will never not want you. I will always want to fuck you, to make love with you, to mate with you. I want you on the floor, in the bed, against the wall, on the couch, in the shower. Wherever. It's a constant struggle not to stare at you and remember what it feels like to be inside you, to have your nails in my skin, to hear you scream my name in ecstasy. I want you to ride me, take me, make me your male. I want to be so far inside you that we merge souls, Ryell. You are everything I could ever want or need. Don't ever think that I don't want you at any given time."

Her pulse sped so fast that I could see it pound in the side of her neck. Her breath shuddered as her eyes grew hooded. She swallowed so hard that I heard it.

Growling, I leaned forward to bite her lower lip. "If you wanted me to take you," I whispered, "all you had to do was ask."

Her hands gripped my biceps, nails digging in. "I've missed you," she breathed, our breath mingling. Her hands moved to my chest, sliding down to the hem of my shirt. She was trembling as her hands glided over the bare skin of my stomach. "Are you-?"

"Cleared for everything."

Her nails dug into my flesh. "Then take me," she breathed.

The frenzy hit hard as our mouths clashed together. Gripping her ass, I hefted her up. I would have put her down on the table, but there were plates of food there. My instincts were there enough to know we didn't want to risk hurting our mate by slamming her down to break dishes. Instead, I moved for the bedroom. We hadn't been together since before the injuries. I needed my fill of her, and that would be more than just one orgasm. Before the day was over, neither of us were going to want to move.

By the time I made it up the stairs to our bedroom, her claws had shredded my shirt before disappearing to leave her human nails digging into my bare shoulders and neck.

My hands gripped her ass hard as we both growled. But I threw her onto the bed, and before she finished bouncing, I was straddling her thighs. Her eyes were amber when I reached for her shirt, ripping it down the middle of the V-neck. Rye arched, her breaths forcing her breasts to push the limits of the bra.

Using what Caden had taught us, I concentrated my power to grow a claw to slice through the front of the bra, freeing those tempting mounds. But I'd gotten her skin, blood welling up from the cut. She gasped as I leaned over to drag my tongue over it, savoring the burst of energy her blood gave me. It left a tingle in my mouth, almost like popping candy.

As I was leaned over her chest, Rye reached between us to unbutton her pants and wriggle out of them. Chuckling, I licked her peaked nipple before blowing on it. Hissing, she arched.

"Fuck," she punched out.

Growling, I bit her other breast, making her shout out and reach back for the headboard. We were at the foot of the bed, so the closest thing she could actually reach was a pillow. Letting out a frustrated scream, she threw the pillow off the bed before grabbing the back of my head.

I rolled my eyes up to meet her amber glare but kept my mouth working her breast.

"If you don't get inside me right now, I might just spontaneously combust. Get naked. Now."

I chuckled. "So demanding."

Her expression went flat and cruel. One eyebrow went up. "Demanding, huh?"

Faster and stronger than I'd seen her be in a long time, she flipped us so that I was underneath her. Blood trickled from between her breasts as a continuous growl pumped from her chest. With hands tipped in black claws, she gripped the tops of my jeans and ripped them. The buttons of the fly went bouncing around the room and off walls as my erection was freed.

Before I could even groan, her hands and mouth were on me. She knew just how to torture me, her growl vibrating around me.

It was my turn to reach for something, anything as she brought me close to the edge over and over. All I could find were the sheets, so I held on for dear life.

About the third time I came close to orgasm before she backed off, I panted and begged. "Okay, okay. Enough. Please."

Laughing evilly, she slid off the bed to pull my pants down my legs and shimmy the rest of the way out of hers. When done, she put her hands on her hips. "Are you going to fuck me now, like you promised?"

Before she could blink, I was off the bed, tackling her to the floor. My hand was behind her head so it didn't hit, but that was all the protection I offered her as I snarled.

"You want me to fuck you?"

Her claws came up to scrape down my arms, trailing blood.

I bit her lower lip hard enough to bring blood, that tingling searing my mouth once more. "Fine. I'll fuck you."

Pulling back, I went to my knees. I gripped her hips, lifting her ass off the floor and positioning myself.

"No going back," I snarled. "You're going to take whatever I give you. Understand?"

Rye sucked her lip under, lapping at the blood as she nodded. Her blood was vibrant red smeared on her chin and down her torso. More than anything, I wanted to lick it off. But first, I needed us both to come, to explode around each other. Later. Later I could take the time to give her a tongue bath.

Going up onto my knees, I gripped her hips and shoved inside harder than I ever had before. Her scream held something other than pleasure. There was pain there, genuine pain, but also the kind that came with rough sex. It was that pain that was confused with the pleasure and something that you wanted to both pull away from and beg for just a little more.

Her body arched as I hammered our bodies together harder and deeper than I had in a long time. There was nothing gentle about this coupling, and neither of us wanted it that way.

The sounds spilling from her mouth were more than just the usual whimpers and groans. They were screams and cries and begging. But not yet; I wasn't ready for her to come yet.

When I pulled out, she whimpered. But I flipped her over onto her stomach, keeping her hips up.

She tried to lift up onto her arms to be on all fours, but I put a hand into the middle of her back. "Down," I growled. "Stay down."

Before I got back inside of her, I saw that her core was red and glistening.

She started to growl and squirm underneath me. Just as I was moving to hold her down, her leg lifted and kicked back, knocking my left leg out from under me. Cursing, I toppled over and to the side to avoid landing on top of her. In the work of a moment, she had me rolled onto my back and was on top of me.

Her eyes glowed amber and black flashed at her fingertips. The wolf was at the surface, more than likely brought around by the pain. The wolf couldn't distinguish that Rye was in the midst of pleasure and her wires were mixing in the heat of the moment. The animal was coming forward to protect her host but also to play the mating game. She wanted a fight and to know that the male trying to mount her was strong enough to do so.

Her hips started to grind on my erection, but I wasn't inside her. She was baiting me, telling me she bested me. It was there in her amber eyes. Her teeth started to elongate, turning to fangs. Unfortunately, this wasn't just a game. This could affect our relationship if I let her win. It was the day of the full moon; anything done today could affect us.

So with that in mind, I held her back just as her claws began to skim over my flesh, leaving fine lines behind that filled with blood in places. I managed to get a leg up and around to her chest to push her away and down, rocking us so that I ended up on top again. Grappling was a strength of mine, but Rye was in full wolf mode which made her just as strong as me.

We rolled, growling and snarling, over the floor of our bedroom. I didn't want to hurt her. In order to do that, I had to block her blows. Her claws raked down my forearms before I gripped her wrists, pinning them down to the ground. One part of me was very nearly terrifying to know that I had to get inside of her, or we would tear each other apart. That or our relationship could get seriously damaged. But the other part loved the thrill of the chase.

I managed to get her wrists clamped into one hand and pressed down to the carpet over her head. With my other hand, I tried to separate her thighs. But her body kept bucking underneath me, trying to throw me off and get free. There was a wild fire in her eyes as her neck stretched up to get her fangs close to my throat.

A growl percolated in my chest and up my throat as I manhandled my mate. Her heel came up to catch me too close to the groin. My grip slipped just enough for her wriggle out, and before I knew it, Rye's feet were planted on my chest and I was airborne.

Our room was big enough that I landed on the floor and rolled into a crouch instead of hitting the wall. Rye mirrored my pose, her fingers tipped in black daggers. When she snarled, her teeth were fangs, her face elongated to accommodate them.

"Ryell, honey, please don't do this."

She shifted on the balls of her feet, but there was nothing human in her eyes as she looked at me.

"You're my male," she said, her voice vibrating with the growl. Her words were distorted from the fangs. "But you have yet to best me, to earn the right to mate with me."

I frowned but held my hands out in surrender. "We marked each other while we made lo- while we mated." The wolf didn't understand love the way Ryell did, and right now, Rye was in the passenger seat of her mind and body.

"Not in this form, Maddox. You took me in my human form. But we both know that I can match your strength as I am now." When I didn't answer, she continued. "There was big talk at the party, mate, but I need to know that you can back it up. If you can best me here and now, I will believe you can protect us, that you can be strong enough. The human half of me knows you can, but the animal is skeptical." A shot of pain tightened her expression. "Please, Dox. The full moon is coming. We need to sort this out now."

"But why is this happening now? We've spent years' worth of full moons together?"

Her body arched. "We've never been under threat as we are now."

Well, she had a point. "I don't want to hurt you."

"We are alpha, Dox. Pain has always been a part of our pleasure. You know the prize spot to get me to submit. All you have to do is get your teeth locked around the back of my neck. But until then, I will fight. There's no other way."

With that, a punch of her power sent a shockwave through the room just before it hit me square in the chest. I had enough warning to brace, but I still staggered back under the brute force. This was going to be harder with her using the kind of power that her type of wolf could throw around. I was outmatched in that area, so I needed to outsmart her or at least bluff. Her back needed to be to me which meant that I needed her to get close enough for me to grab her.

Rye laughed. "You're plotting. I can see it in your eyes."

I shrugged. "You're right. I can't overpower you either physically or metaphysically. So, I need to find another way."

The smirk she gave me was more snarl because of her fangs. And two seconds later, she launched herself at me in a flurry of claws. Thanks to my training, my arms were up in front of my face, getting sliced all to hell. I moved until my back hit the wall.

"Fight back!" she growled.

The next hit was so vicious that she managed to get past my arms and streak claws down my cheek. Going back to my training, I swept my foot out to catch her ankle at the same time I snapped a fist out to her breastbone. Her eyes widened in surprise as she fell back and tumbled to the floor. Before she went down, her hand gripped my arm, pulling me down. Her feet went into my sternum, and with her momentum, she vaulted me into the air. This time, I did hit the wall hard enough to crack the plaster.

I fell to my hands and knees, coughing through the lost air in my lungs. Rye gripped my shoulder and forced me onto my back before straddling my hips. I managed to get some air to whistle into my body as she leaned over me, getting our faces close together, so close our lips brushed.

"If I take you now, you lose. You're not strong enough to be with me." Her hands worked their way down my body, whispering over my skin, the tips of her claws tickling my hipbones. Underneath her, I started to get hard again.

Before she could grab my erection, I gripped her wrist. But we were at a stalemate. She matched me in strength in her partially shifted form.

She tutted me, shaking her head slowly. "Maddox, Maddox. We're too evenly matched. To win, you're going to have to bury that protective instinct and embrace the one to win, to earn the right to mate."

I stared up at those amber eyes, and something clicked. I couldn't think like a human because she wasn't. Hell, my blood had barely a hint of human, so I needed to channel into one of my two monsters: vampire or werewolf. My werewolf side wasn't like hers, not the same instincts. Quileute wolves weren't as related to actual wolves as the Children. But vampires had the ability to be cold and calculating. That was what I needed right now.

While still holding her off, I closed my eyes and sank into the vampire side of my bloodline. Instantly, my senses heightened. I could hear the blood running through her veins, her heart thundering in her chest as the beat of my own heart slowed down to a crawl. Her scent drove me wild, instantly priming my body to fight and fuck. But there was also a cold center to my chest, right where I suspected my feelings would be.

Slowly, almost as if drugged, I opened my eyes to look up at her. At first she smiled, but that died down. Those amber eyes flared in both wariness and excitement.

"There you are," she whispered.

"You want me to fight dirty?"

She leaned over me again. "Oh yes," she breathed.

Leaning up, I nipped her lips. "Then I'll fight dirty."

Before she could react, I dug my hand through her hair to grip a handful and pull. She yelled out as I yanked her off of me. But her claws dug into the flesh of my arms, bringing me with her so that I landed on top of her naked body. My face hit her shoulder and suddenly I was so very close to the scent of her blood, that pounding liquid of life rushing just under the skin.

In the blink of an eye, my teeth were wrapped around her throat. She yelled out as I bit hard enough for that blood to spill into my mouth. Locking my jaw as best I could, I fed.

"No!" Rye screamed. Her claws scratched at my head, tugging at what little hair she could grab.

"Oh, yes," I whispered before going back to feeding.

She struggled underneath me, adding to the excitement of the hunt. My body was ready to take hers, and under the burning scent of her aggression, I could smell her arousal like a hot spring rain. When I slipped my hand between her scissoring thighs, that arousal coated my fingers.

Rye moaned at the touch but still struggled against me.

Without warning, she jabbed a hand into my throat. I reared back as the mouthful of blood I'd been about to swallow spewed all over the both of us. While I sputtered, she pulled a move that ended with her shin hitting across my chest to send me flying again, landing next to my bedside table. But my vampire blood was fired up, reinforcing my recover time. I was up in a crouch before she could get off her knees. Her hands were pressed to her throat, and with nostrils flared, she stared at me with astonishment and anger.

"I am not your food. I am alpha."

"And I am vampire. I don't drink you for food, but because you are my mate. I want you inside me just as much as you want me inside of you, spilling myself in your warmth."

She snarled. "You haven't bested me yet." Blood was seeping from between her fingers to cover her breasts and stomach, all the way down to her thighs.

"No," I said, cocking an eyebrow as a smirk stretched my lips. "But I'm about to." I could feel the blood splattered on my face.

I lifted up my hand with a pair of silver handcuffs dangling from two of my fingers.

Rye's eyes went wide as she looked to the bedside table she'd thrown me against. The drawer was still open. Her amber gaze met mine as she growled. These cuffs were lined and used for nefarious purposes. She liked to be restrained but kept breaking normal restraints. We'd had to resort to handcuffs made with a silver content. There was an attachment to the headboard that I could clip the chain to. I just had to get her there.

"You told me to fight dirty," I drawled. "I'm just obliging my mate." Not to mention that that wound needed to be closed. Unlike my relatives, there was a coagulant in my saliva which was why my siblings and I fed so rarely. Too much biting involved that it looked like we were chewing them up like chew toys.

"I am not an animal to be chained and leashed."

"Then stop this and let me fuck you like we both want."

Her body shuddered and a fresh scent wave of arousal shoved itself up my nose. But she said on a wavering note, "I can't. I have to know."

I took a step forward. "But you do know. You know I am your true mate and that you are my imprint. One of my main purposes in life is to be anything you need me to be. As long as you're breathing, I don't have a choice to be anything else."

I walked as I talked, watching Rye fight the desire in her body. She was fighting two urges: to fight and to fuck. All I had to do was win, either by brute force or cunning. The cuffs were silver; once they were around her wrists, she wouldn't be able to break them, which would take those claws out of play. Honestly, I'd had my fill of being sliced and diced for a while. As it was, I could feel blood seeping from the cuts she'd already left on me.

I was almost within touching distance of her arm when her eyelids flipped open and she growled viciously. But she made the mistake I'd been hoping she would. In her fury to keep me away, she swiped out with her arms, trying to keep her body out of my reach. What she didn't realize was that I needed her arms. On the third swipe, I grabbed her left arm, twisted, and pulled it up into a joint lock before securing a cuff onto her wrist. Holding onto the empty one, I let her swing out and around to try to get me with her free hand. I grabbed that wrist and secured the cuffs on her.

Screaming in fury, she pulled away, trying to tear the cuffs off. Something about silver being around her wrists rendered her nearly as weak as a human. She couldn't break them no matter how hard she pulled. Blood started to pool and spill over her hands.

When she lunged at me, I grabbed the chain of the cuffs to hold her hands down and then twisted her around so that her back was against my front. Still she struggled but the fight was won.

Growling, my body achy and hard with the need to claim her, I harshly gripped her hair and pulled it to the side, baring her neck.

The need to feed reared up again, cramping my stomach so hard I had to fight not to double over. Instead, I pressed my lips to her skin, breathing hard. "I am your mate, and I am strong enough. I've won this fight, and now I will claim you."

Before she could fight, I clamped my teeth down on the top of her spine. Instantly, she went limp in my arms, a whimper making its way from between her lips. Her ass pushed back into my hips and thighs, her body undulating against me. Those sharp claws of hers were digging into my arms where she could reach from being twisted up in the cuffs.

Yeah, she wanted this.

With her in my arms and my teeth still in her flesh, I turned us toward the bed. Though I'd won, I still wanted her claws neutralized while I took her, and I had just the plan to do it.

Gripping her hips, I released her neck and then threw her onto the bed hard enough that she landed at the headboard. I was on her before the fight came back to her, straddling her and racing for the chain attached to the headboard and its carabiner that would keep the handcuffs attached.

Rye tugged and pulled but the silver held as I moved back down her body. The back of her was relatively free of blood but not for long. The front of me was covered, and I planned to get us both messier before the full moon rose for the night. Again, I straddled her, our bodies now lined up. I moved her hair so that I could lick at the wound I'd left behind as well as the one on the side of her throat. The bed was already smeared in red, but I didn't want her bleeding out.

Underneath me, she kept struggling, her ass rubbing against my erection. I wrapped my legs around hers so that my feet kept her thighs spread. And as I slipped myself down to her opening, pushing in just enough to tease, I leaned over so that my mouth was next to her ear.

"I win," I whispered, and thrust into her.

The sex was fast and hard and driving, our bodies machines racing for the climax. Rye was screaming and writhing under me while I hammered her body with mine. Blood was now smeared all over her sun-kissed skin from shoulder blades to thighs as I used my entire body to fuck her with every ounce of strength I had.

I wanted her to feel the effects of this mating for at least a week just to remind her who and what I was to her.

Eventually I reared up to grab the headboard. I needed the leverage to pound harder and deeper. Blood was seeping from the wounds on my body and nothing about this coupling was human as we both screamed and snarled.

Our bodies came to a crashing halt as we both froze, screams punching out of throats, as the orgasms slammed into us. Mine burned through me, nearly scalding as I emptied into her. Rye's body squeezed hard onto mine, forcing me to stay in place until this played out.

When everything calmed, my body went limp in all aspects. My hands slid off the headboard and barely managed to catch my upper body before falling onto Rye. I slid to the side, one of my legs still entangled with hers. Reaching out with a shaky hand, I brushed her hair back.

"Rye? Sweetheart?"

My fingers smeared blood on her cheek, but her eyes were their normal sherry-hazel as they lazily looked over at me.

"Dox?"

Relief thundered through me. "Hey, you okay?"

She blinked sleepily. "I think so." The chains and handcuffs jingled as she moved her wrists. Frowning, she looked up. "What happened?"

Alarms went off in my head. "You don't remember?"

"I know we had sex. I remember what we talked about and coming up to the room but…shit." Her eyes looked around, widening as she took in the blood. "What the hell happened?"

I leaned over to kiss her head. "Let me get the cuffs off, and then I'll explain."

Rolling over, I grabbed the key and did just as I said. Rye moved stiffly as she rolled around. Her hands hovered over her wrists, but she didn't touch them because they were healing. The sheet had been pushed away at some point so that it was only spotted here and there with blood. I pulled it up and wrapped it around her before pulling her close.

For a long while, we stayed quiet.

"This was bad, wasn't it?" she said softly.

I tightened my hold. "Not bad, but not good either. I don't like hurting you, but I had to become more ruthless to beat you in your half-wolf form. You…she challenged me. I knew I had to win because if I didn't, it would damage us."

"There's a lot of blood, Dox."

"I bit you. Twice. Once to feed and once to subdue you. I sealed the wounds, but you also clawed me up."

"So, it sounds bad."

"Do you remember what you said?"

She shook her head against my chest. "No."

I stroked her matted hair down her back. "You said that you didn't have to challenge me until now because we hadn't been under threat. You said you needed to know if I could really be what you needed."

Her hand stroked my chest. "Damn. So, what now?"

"We rest before you have to shift tonight."

She moved against me, her hand sliding over my body. "What if I don't want to rest?"

I looked down to find her eyes flickering.

Slipping out of the sheet, she pushed me onto back to straddle my thighs.

I swallowed hard. "Is this really you?"

"Yes," she answered, running her hands over my chest. "It's me. My wolf is calm and at peace. She's waiting for moonrise to shift. It's just us."

Despite my hesitation, I ran my palms up her thighs. "You're not too sore? Really, Ryell, we were rough."

Her hips started to undulate. "I'm fine. You know how I am on the day of the full moon."

"I do, but-," her hands took mine to cup her breasts.

"No buts. Be with me."

"I am with you."

"Promise?"

"Always."

Cupping her face, I pulled her down so that I could kiss her softly.

Her breath was soft on my lips.

Unfortunately, the doorbell rang.

Rye sighed, pressing her forehead to mine.

I kissed the tip of her nose before moving out from under her. "Stay here. You're bloodier than I am."

While she wrapped herself back in the sheet, I went for the bathroom and my robe. But first, I needed to take a wet washcloth to the skin that was visible.

"Hey, Dox?" Rye asked as the doorbell rang again

"Yeah?"

She appeared in the doorway behind me, frowning and holding my phone. "Ash texted. He said the feds were just at his place. That's probably who's at the door."

"Well, shit." A change of clothes was needed, then.

"Yeah, he said it didn't go well. He pissed one of them off. The short one is a homophobe. And he said something is up with the tall one, but he couldn't place what."

"Fuck me," I breathed.

"Get back in bed and I will," she said suggestively but it was half-hearted at best.

I snorted and shrugged off the robe. "Get some rest," I said to her reflection. "I'll take care of the feds." Walking past her, I went for the closet and a pair of jeans I didn't mind getting blood on. I didn't have enough time for a shower. But I did put on a ribbed tank. I was too hot to want sleeves right now. The hormones from the mating were still coursing through me, especially with Ryell standing there in nothing but a sheet and her skin.

"Maybe I should go tell them you'll be a minute," she said as she went for the door.

"Ryell," I said sharply.

She stopped to give me a look over her shoulder.

I looked pointedly at the sheet.

Her eyes dropped down to see where I was looking. "Oh. Right."

"We just had another claiming session," I said, pulling the shirt over my head. "I'm not in the mood to share you with two men I don't know. And since one of them is a 'phobe, that means he's hetero. No way is he going to see you in nothing but a sheet. You're mine until we have to shift tonight. So, get your butt back in bed."

A shy smile spread her lips as she walked over to me. Pressing a hand to my chest, she went up on her toes to softly kiss me. "I love it when you get territorial."

I kissed her back. "Yeah, yeah," I muttered. I reached around to grip her ass. "Get back in bed."

She grinned and pressed her body against mine. "How about I change the sheets? Those need to be tossed. All the peroxide on the compound isn't going to save them."

I growled. "Do that. Then-,"

"Yes, yes, I know. Get my butt in bed. I'm assuming you'd prefer me naked."

The next growl was louder when the doorbell went off again.

She kissed me again before whispering, "Yes, sir." Then she pulled away, leaving me hard and achy again.

Dammit.

A couple minutes later, I was opening the door and talking before I got a good look at the men. "Didn't expect you to wait this long."

They flashed their badges.

"Agents Stinson and Davis," the tall one said. "And we knew you were home."

I quirked a brow. "Oh? How?"

Stinson cleared his throat. "We heard…sounds."

The short one, Davis, glared at me. "Screams. We heard screams."

Smirking, I crossed my arms over my chest. "My girl likes things a little rough. Just giving her what she wanted. I hate to disappoint her."

"Is that the reason for the blood?" Stinson asked, his gaze on my shoulder. Of course, there were cuts all up and down my arms, some still bleeding a little.

I chuckled. "Yeah, she keeps her nails long just for that reason." Losing the joking, I leaned on the doorjamb. "What do you want?"

Stinson flipped through his notebook. "You're…eighteen years old, correct?"

"Yep."

His eyes looked at the house. "Nice place for an eighteen-year-old without a job."

Now I stood straight, narrowing my gaze. "My fiancée comes from a wealthy family. They wanted us to stay close, so they built this house for us."

"Why is there a compound in the middle of the woods?" Davis demanded angrily. Boy, Ash sure did piss this one off really well. "Are you part of a cult?"

I sent a flat stare in his direction. "Excuse me?

Stinson sighed. "For fuck's sake," he breathed.

"You heard me," Davis spat. "You and your freak brother living here on this compound. Your families are separate from the community here. There's something going on."

Instantly, I knew my expression and stance had changed.

Stinson put a hand on his partner's arm. "Davis, please."

Davis was too busy glaring at his partner to see it. And now that Stinson had said something, Davis looked up at me only to go pale.

I spoke low and as precisely as I could to avoid letting the growl out. "My brother…is not…a freak."

"My apologies," Stinson said, holding a hand out to me as he blocked his partner's body with his own. He turned back to Davis. "Go back to the car."

"I'm not a dog," Davis hissed.

"You are today. Get your ass back to the car."

Davis sent us both glares before he cursed and walked away.

"I'm so sorry about that," Stinson said. "I had no idea he was so…such a…"

"Douchebag?" I offered.

Stinson's head ducked down in embarrassment. "I'm really very sorry."

"Save it. What do you want?"

"Where is your fiancée?"

"Upstairs. In the shower."

"I would like to speak with her."

"No."

He blinked. "What?"

"I said no. You're not here for anything to do with this compound. You're here to ask about what happened in Seattle. I'm assuming you figured out who is on that tape, and that's why you're here? So, who was it?"

He cleared his throat. "Casey Simmons."

I frowned, feigning ignorance. "Who?"

"He lives on the reservation with his father. Your brother tutors him, and your brother's significant other is the football coach."

I crossed my arms again. "Okay. What does this have to do with me? Or Ryell?"

"Well, your brother and his boyfriend are quite close to Casey. We were just wondering if there was something you might be able to add to our investigation into what happened."

"Listen, I met the kid a couple times when he came here for tutoring, but other than that, I don't know anything. He's a good kid, and I'm sorry he got attacked. But that's all I got, man."

Nodding, he frowned. "Did you know there have been reports of massive wolves in Seattle?"

I blinked as I processed what he was saying, and my body went still. "Excuse me?"

He nodded factually. "Yep. There have been several, and some just a couple weeks ago or so. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you, Mr. Black?"

Stinson's blue eyes were cool and calm, like he knew the answer but wanted to see if I'd squirm.

I met his gaze. "I rarely go to Seattle. Whatever I know about that city, I see on the news. And as for the wolves, well, I just hope they stay the hell away from here. As you can see, we've got families walking around, kids out playing. I'd hate to see any of them attacked the way Casey was. Wouldn't you agree? Agent Stinson?"

Turning, he looked out through the trees to where the square could be seen. He took a deep breath and nodded. "That I would, Mr. Black, that I would." He took a card from his pocket and handed it to me. "If you see or hear anything about Casey or those wolves, call me. I'm going to have Davis replaced as soon as possible. But know this, Mr. Black: he isn't wrong. Something is happening in this area and it's only a matter of time until it's discovered. You should remember that, and tread carefully."

Frowning, I took the card without touching him. Now, I knew what Ash had meant. There was something about this man that was off. He knew too much about something, and he was testing us. I didn't like it, and I sure didn't like him snooping around with whatever secretive knowledge he had.

He dipped his head. "Good day, Mr. Black."

Alarm bells triggered in my head as the sky opened up, dumping rain on his receding form.

This wasn't going to end well. Not at all.

So how are we feeling besides homicidal toward me? This chapter was so very difficult for me to get out of Dox so blame him! But we all love you! xoxoxoxoxo