Jaxon Spencer vs. Catherine 'Kate' Stevens

Pix: The lady boss

Video: I Got You Babe

Dedicated to JenLai29

Apologies for the delay, guys. Very tight at the moment but will try my best to post another next week. Pardon me if I'm unable to. 

PS: Pardon my errors. 

Cheers!

***

"You sure you're okay, Katie?" Stan asked for the third time.

"I'm fine."

"She's not," Will said as he stretched out on the lounge between his mate and the sexy head of warriors. "She looks as though she's carrying all the troubles of this world on her shoulder."

"And she's been this way since we left," Stan added.

"I'm right here, you know," Kate muttered. "You could snap me out of whatever y'all think is wrong with me by giving me a sexy X-rated show," she added but even her voice lacked its usual high spirits. "That should work."

"Want that right here or in the room?" Will drawled as he reached for his shades. But Kate's only answer was a disinterested chuckle.

They were relaxing by the pool at a beautiful resort in Bordeaux, in the south of France, where the annual conference for warriors was being held. They'd been on the resort for three days. They had four more days to go. And Stan couldn't help but notice how withdrawn and out-of-sorts Kate seemed. That was so unlike the feisty warrior. He had noticed something off about her when she joined them at the airport on the day of departure. First off, Kate couldn't look him in the eye. She was acting like a junkie who needed a fix of whatever substance they were on, and most shocking of all, she smelt different.

Will had immediately commented on the fact that Kate smelt different but both Stan and Kate had ignored his comment. As a newly turned wolf, Will didn't know the implication of a werewolf smelling different from their usual scent. The only thing that would make a werewolf smell differently was if they were mated, pregnant, or very sick. As far as Stan was concerned, Kate was neither mated nor pregnant. That left the possibility of his head of warriors being very sick, and that worried Stan tremendously.

He'd decided to corner Kate later and ask whether she was okay. And he had been doing that right from the airport and every day since they'd been in France. But she was sometimes evasive, and other times insistent she was okay. There was nothing Stan could do. He couldn't force Kate to tell him her problems. Even though they were a pack and very close to each other, werewolves were naturally proud beings who hated to be pitied or appear weak. Stan therefore wanted to wait till Kate was ready to tell him whatever it was in her own time rather than pressure her.

Stan was supposed to come for the conference with only Kate but had decided to bring his mate along. He didn't want Will all by himself, thinking about what that stupid rogue had done to him. Even though Will appeared strong and unbothered, as his mate, Stan could feel just how messed up and gloomy he was. He'd lost everything, thanks to that son-of-a-bitch so it was only to be expected. Stan couldn't wait to torture that rogue until he begged for death. He thought between himself and Kate, they would show Will a good time since that was his first werewolf conference. What Stan hadn't envisaged was the moody and soulful countenance of his bubbly sassy head of warriors.

'You know you can tell me anything, don't you?' Stan asked on his mind-link with Kate as his fingers leisurely combed through Will's wet hair.

'I know,' Kate breathed, knowing she would never discuss her current predicament with Stan. She knew just how much Stan hated the rogue.

If only her boss knew what her problem was, Kate thought as she tried to hold in her groan of pain. She was in physical pain most of the time. Sometimes, the sensations she felt within her body were so uncomfortably bizarre that she couldn't fully explain them even to herself. She experienced very harsh contractions in her stomach that were so painful they literally made her sick and other times, made her feel like she was going to pass out. Pain she felt all over her body sometimes left her cold, aching, shivering, and terrified.

What she felt as a result of being away from her mate was like nothing she'd ever experienced. It was as if that blinding sexual arousal she felt for Jaxon had been mixed with physical pain. Pain that worsened by the day. She had tried to get herself off, but couldn't manage that no matter how hard she tried. Kate knew that she needed her mate. She was in desperate need of his touch. But she had to try and focus on the reason she was in France by enduring the pain. It was absolute hell.

Kate was aware that both Stan and Will had smelt the change in her. Fortunately, neither could link her to Jaxon as Stan hadn't been around Jaxon except for their brief encounter in Australia. He therefore didn't know the rogue's scent. Will, on the other hand, was still new to the werewolf dynamics so couldn't connect the dots. She wondered how Stan would react if she told him that being away from the prisoner was killing her. Literally.

Fuck I miss him! As heartbroken and furious as she was about what had happened between her and Jaxon days earlier, Kate had never in her life missed another person so much. That voice, those eyes, that body, that killer smile...

"Who's that guy in brown trunks?" Will's question broke the silence and Kate's thoughts. "And why is he eye-fucking Kate?"

"That's Alpha Ronan," Stan chuckled. "Always drools whenever he sees Kate."

"Well, I can't blame him." Will turned to look at Kate with a naughty grin. In her cheeky white leather strappy two-piece swimsuit with its rhinestone embellishments, she was hands down the sexiest woman at that poolside. "She's a dish," he drawled, drawing a chuckle from his mate and an eye roll from Kate.

"Are you going to speak to him?" Stan addressed Kate. "You did have a crush on him once."

"Not anymore," Kate responded quietly. The only person she was dying to have fill her up in the most deliciously carnal way possible was definitely not on that resort.

"What's he doing here, by the way?" Will asked. "Didn't the alphas just have their conference?"

"Anyone who's on a higher rank than a warrior is free to come," Stan explained.

"So a warrior cannot attend a conference for Alphas or Betas, right?"

"Right," Stan nodded. "But we can attend theirs."

"I'm not a warrior, though..."

"You're here as my guest," Stan chuckled. "You are an alpha, remember? The fact that you don't own a pack doesn't make you any less of an alpha. Most importantly, I need my mate," he added the last part in a soft, low, husky purr that made Will flush.

"You mean your dick needs a workout," Will murmured.

"Not just my dick," Stan rasped as he leaned over to plant a kiss on Will's grinning lips. "I can mention a few places that need work..."

"Will you two cut it out?" Kate snapped as she swung her legs to one side of her lounge chair and sat up.

"Didn't she say something about wanting a sexy show?" Will chuckled as he opened his mouth to accept his mate's plunging tongue as if Kate hadn't just protested.

The two went right ahead to kiss each other senseless whiles Kate looked on. That only reminded the warrior of the passionate kiss she'd shared with her rogue. Her eyes closed as she recalled what had happened inside her body during that kiss. Her nipples tightened into pebbles inside the cap of her bikini top. Her breathing became laboured and her toes curled as she remembered the tender caress of Jaxon's tongue. She needed Jaxon... ached for that mouth that had wreaked havoc on her sanity. Kate knew she would give anything to be inside that dungeon with her rogue that very moment. He was right...if not for Ryan's spell, those iron bars would not have stopped her from jumping his bones every day.

So far, she had been proud of herself. Her restraint, control, unwavering determination...then Jaxon had fucked all that up by giving her the bite. She could feel the mark on her inner lip. Anytime her tongue ran over it, a sweet tingle whirled through her. In as much as she wanted to be back on pack land to see Jaxon, she was dreading it because with the intensity of need brought on by that mark, the last thing she cared about was right or wrong.

All she cared about was assuaging the tremendously uncomfortable need and pressure building between her legs. She was going to have Jaxon and damn the consequences. She didn't have any control over that now. In her current state, Kate was worse than a bitch in heat. And bitches in heat didn't really give a fuck about anything. Now, she understood why the elders always said it was a big mistake to be away from one's mate immediately after getting marked. She was so fucked!

Thinking back, Kate could only think of one reason Jaxon had bitten her. It had been an unconscious need for him to mark her. As a werewolf, it was only natural for Jaxon to have that instinct to bite a mate, especially when they were both under a sexual haze. And even though he didn't know what was going on, he'd given her a bite so deep it had drawn blood as a marking bite was meant to. She hadn't missed the look of pure dominance mixed with confusion in the wolf's eye. Although it didn't understand what was happening, it had felt the bond.

Kate looked at the warriors having fun all around her and wished she could relax and have fun too but she knew it wasn't possible. All she wanted was to be with Jaxon, feel his calming touch, satisfy the hunger that was burning through her, and hopefully, bring some sanity to her system. She just had to hold on for four more days. Fuck, I shouldn't have come!

Kate stood up abruptly. Remembering what had happened with her mate had only resulted in an unbearable ache that she just knew was going to worsen by the minute.

"Going for a swim," Kate announced, and then dove into the pool.

She knew that had it not been for the fact that it would be disrespectful to leave his boss in the middle of the conference to go back home, she'd have done exactly that.

***

"So...how are you feeling today?" Ryan asked as he took a seat. He knew it was a silly question though because the rogue looked terrible. "Yesterday..." he trailed off and gave a soft groan.

"There you are," A wet Sylver in a blue swimming trunks materialized into the dungeon. "Kirk got hurt by a Frisbee."

"Oh, god." Ryan stood up, ready to go and see to the boy.

"Relax, I've already healed him," Sylver giggled.

"So why did you come here?" The incredulous look on Ryan's face was comical.

"I just wanted to inform you," he shrugged.

"You could have done that here." Ryan tapped the side of his head, indicating that his son could have communicated on their mind-link.

"I wanted to see the look on your face when I told you." Sylver laughed. "I did tell you that a Frisbee was going to hurt one of them today so we should play another game but you said no one was going to get hurt. I just wanted to tell you I told you so." His grin was downright naughty.

"Didn't your father tell you it's wrong to gloat?" Ryan looked stern. "And couldn't you have waited to tell me when I got back home?"

"But someone would have told you before I got the chance," the little boy mumbled, drawing a chuckle from Jaxon...which drew Sylver's attention. "Hi." He hopped onto the bed and fixed intent green eyes on Jaxon.

"You will make the bed wet, Sylvester," Ryan admonished. "Get off it."

"No, don't," Jaxon chuckled. "That's okay. I'm Jaxon." He stretched a hand for a handshake. He didn't have to be a genius to know that the little boy was Ryan's son. Those eyes gave it away.

"I'm Sylver," the little boy grinned as he shook the larger hand of the rogue. "Happy to make your acquaintance."

Ryan rolled his eyes as Jaxon laughed softly. Ryan wanted to tell his son to leave but Jaxon's countenance stopped him. It was good to see a smile on the rogue's face.

"Why are you here?" Sylver asked as his eyes shifted around. He had never been inside the dungeon but even he could tell it wasn't a good place. "Did you do something bad?"

"Sylver..." Ryan groaned but the two on the bed ignored her.

"Well, that's debatable," Jaxon chuckled. "You see, I think what I did was in order. But your pack thinks otherwise. So here I am."

"Then there should be a compromise, as my daddy always says," Sylver said with a thoughtful look. "Whenever we don't agree on something, he tells us to come to a compromise. Can't you do that?"

"Your daddy sounds like a very fair person."

"He is," the little boy nodded.

"Are there a lot of things you don't agree on?"

"Yes." Then he tilted his head closer to Jaxon and whispered, "especially with Dad here. You see, he's a bit extra..."

"Sylvester," Ryan growled but couldn't stop the smile that widened his lips.

"He asked," the boy shrugged. Then in the next instant, he was shifting to lie on Jaxon's bed. "Your bed is very comfortable." He laid his head on Jaxon's pillow which was saturated with his scent. "Whatever you did must not be that bad if you were given this comfortable bed."

"Okay, that's it," Ryan said with a resigned look. "Time to leave."

"Wait, are there any rogues around?" Sylver suddenly asked, sitting up excitedly.

Jaxon's brow shot up. "Why do you want to meet a rogue?" he asked the little boy.

"Because I've never met one?" Sylver responded as if that should be reason enough.

"And what do you plan on doing when you meet one?" Jaxon couldn't hide his amusement.

Sylver giggled. "It's for the rogue to find out."

That response piqued Jaxon's interest. He really wanted to know what the little boy would do. "I'm a rogue," he stated simply, his gaze on the boy.

"Really?" Sylver breathed.

"Really."

What happened next shocked both Jaxon and Ryan. Sylver threw himself at Jaxon and gave him a fierce hug.

"What the..." Jaxon bellowed as he tried to push the little boy off him but it was like attempting to push off a wall of steel. "Get him the fuck off me, Ryan," Jaxon looked terrified. He wasn't one to give or accept hugs. Definitely not from kids.

"Shhh, Dad says it's not good to swear," came the muffled voice. His face was pressed against Jaxon's neck.

"Well, tell your dad to kiss my ass," Jaxon growled but Sylver hung on. "You're wet for fuck's sake."

"You didn't mind earlier," the little boy said.

"What are you doing, Sylver?" Ryan asked calmly, trying very hard to hide his amusement.

"You said rogues are lonely wolves and needed to be shown some kindness, remember?"

"Right." At this point, Ryan was trying very hard not to laugh. "Don't fight it, Jaxon," he murmured. "In his own time, he will let you go."

"Fucking hell..."

But after a moment, Jaxon began to relax. Ryan remained silent, his eyes on his son and the rogue. When he saw Jaxon's arms move to wrap around Sylver, his breath hitched in his throat. Jaxon turned his face such that it was pressed against Sylver. They looked as though they were fused together...like a work of art. The little boy and the big bad wolf. The innocence and sweetness of it all got Ryan misty eyed. Kids were so precious, Ryan couldn't help but think. Their innocence and thoughtfulness was very refreshing. The world needed such love and thoughtfulness. 

When Sylver attempted to leave the embrace after what seemed like hours but was only minutes, Jaxon instinctively tightened his arms around him. He didn't want to let the boy go. And Sylver stayed. It was only after Jaxon eventually released Sylver that Ryan saw from his red eyes that he had been crying.

"Remember what I said," Sylver whispered. "Compromise." Then he pressed a kiss to Jaxon's temple and teleported out of the dungeon.

Ryan looked at Jaxon who was wiping at his eyes and gave him a gentle smile. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, that son of yours, though..."

"I know. He can be a pest. Sorry."

"He's special."

Ryan smiled. "Thank you. You know you can tell me about anything, Jaxon. Anything."

"I know," the rogue nodded. "But not this time."

"But why?"

"I promised, okay," Jaxon sniffled. "I promised."

Ryan could only nod. He couldn't force whatever it was out of the man. He knew that at the right time, he would find out what had broken the proud rogue. He was a patient man.

***

Black Diamond was easily the classiest and most expensive nightclub in Bordeaux. The werewolves had taken over the club and were having the time of their lives. Kate had decided to go clubbing with her species because she knew that staying in her chalet alone would definitely not be the best. She'd had to sternly tell about fourteen men that she wasn't in the mood for their flirting. She didn't blame them though. She knew she looked good in her super sexy two-piece crystal see-through backless outfit. It was alluring, stylish, and classic. Her silver high heels completed her sexy look.

"Sure you don't want to dance?" Will slurred loudly above the noise of the loud music. He was drunk.

"Positive," Kate smiled as she gestured for him to go and join his mate on the packed dancefloor. "I'm enjoying watching you two do whatever you were doing."

"It's called dancing," he said, tongue-in-cheek.

"You call that dancing?" Kate scoffed. Her boss and his mate had practically been fucking each other on the dancefloor. The only thing standing in their way were the clothes on their bodies.

"Come on!" Will grabbed a protesting Kate's hand and drew her onto the dancefloor. "Get ready for a steamy sandwich session," he murmured as he plastered his front to her back, coiled an arm around her waist and began to sway to the music.

"Guys..." Kate laughed despite herself when Stan plastered himself to her front and swayed with them. "Oh my god." She knew she would have enjoyed the hell out of what was going on if she were in the right frame of mind. It still felt good to be sandwiched between two of the sexiest men in that club. With a resigned sigh, Kate let herself go and enjoyed the feeling.

People stared at the three werewolves from Stanwood Pack as they moved sensually to the music on the dancefloor. Some cheered them on raucously, a trait typical of werewolves. The sexy black goddess sandwiched between two Caucasian men and totally in sync with one another was fascinating to watch.

Kate felt so safe and relaxed in the arms of Stan and Will she didn't even move away when the two began to kiss above her head. It was a slow and passionate kiss. Kate closed her eyes and imagined Jaxon's lips moving against hers. Her head buzzed as if she was drunk. She could feel the hardness of the men she was dancing with. One on her arse and the other in front. She was dying of lust.

"Fuck!" Kate pushed Stan back. 'Guys, I need to go to my room,' she informed Stan and Will on their mind-links as she moved to the counter to pick up her clutch.

'Want us to come with you?' Stan asked even as he continued to plunder the mouth of his mate.

'No, have fun. We'll talk in the morning.'

By ten the following morning, Kate was on a flight back to the States. She just couldn't stay away from Jaxon for one more second. She had to see her mate.

***

"Are you okay?" the old lady sitting beside Kate on the plane asked with concern.

"I'm fine, thank you," Kate breathed as she flashed the lady a quick smile.

But the old lady didn't look convinced. "I don't think you are," she frowned, taking in Kate's wet brow and how badly she was shivering. "Do you want me to alert the air hostess?" she asked, stretching her neck to look down the aisle. "I'm sure there's a doctor on the plane."

Kate almost burst into laughter. A doctor? What was going to be the diagnoses? Hey lady, you need dick? 'Cause that was the only remedy for what was ailing her that very moment. A particular someone's dick.

"Oh, please don't," She managed to tell the lady as she opened her handbag and pulled out a tissue. "Just a bit of anxiety I sometimes get during flights," she lied. "I will be fine."

"Oh, dear." The old lady relaxed into her seat and gave Kate a sympathetic look. "My grandson had the same anxiety you have whenever he traveled on a plane. That dear boy," she laughed softly. "But his doctor gave him something for it. Now he's fine. The silly boy now laughs when he hears..."

Kate tuned out the old lady's voice. She was in pain. Pain that was so bad it was literally draining her energy. All she needed was Jaxon's touch...at least. He could call her a slut or stalker or whatever he wanted but by Luna, he was going to bring her some relief.

She relaxed her seat and closed her eyes; the luxury of flying first class totally lost on her. Kate wasn't in the right frame of mind to enjoy anything. She had to suppress a groan when she recalled the look on Stan's face when she informed him, that dawn, that she had to leave the conference.

After leaving the club, she hadn't been able to sleep. The mere feeling of her body rubbing against her bed had started to generate some pain. After sitting up for hours, she had left for Stan and Will's chalet. Their door wasn't even closed much less locked. A resort not only filled with werewolves, but also guarded by werewolves couldn't be any safer. Her Boss and his mate had probably been too drunk to shut the door after themselves she'd thought as she entered. But she realized her suspicion was probably wrong when she entered the chalet. It looked like Stan and Will had rather been in too much of a hurry to fuck to shut the door. Their clothes were scattered on the floor, right from the doorway to where they lay bare-arsed on the floor, entwined and fast asleep.

She had watched them for a moment before shaking Stan awake. 'We need to talk,' she'd said on their mind-link because she didn't want to wake Will up.

Stan had turned to look at his sleeping mate, and then gently extricated himself from him. Then he got to his feet and picked Will up, bridal style. Will opened his eyes when Stan began to move towards the bed but Stan kissed him softly and told him to go back to sleep. After putting the soldier in bed and covering him with the comforter, Stan pulled on a pair of sweatpants and came to Kate with a curious look.

*

"I need to go back home," Kate breathed.

"What do you mean you need to go back home," he frowned.

"It is important that I do."

"But it's only day four, Katie," Stan's brow had shot up in bemusement. "You just can't up and leave in the middle of..."

"But I need to," Kate groaned. "I will be of no use here if I stay."

"What is going on with you, honey?" Stan reached for her hand but she stepped back, avoiding his touch. The beta looked even more worried at that evasion. "Talk to me," he whispered.

"I...I can't," Kate's eyes brimmed over as she shook her head. "But I promise to tell you everything soon. Just permit me to go because..."

"Want me to come with?"

"Oh, god no. I will be fine."

"Can I at least get a hug before you leave?"

But at Stan's request, Kate slowly shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself as if she was hugging herself.

"Rain check?" She gave Stan a pleading look." Given how she was feeling at that moment; she didn't think she could tolerate being touched by someone who was not her mate. Her wolf saw any mature male as a potential threat.

"Rain check is when you try to dodge an invitation to fuck or go on a date but I'm not complaining," he shrugged. "Just sort whatever shit out quickly because the next time I see you, I'm giving you a bear hug and nothing is gonna stop me. Got that?"

She took a breath that sounded like a sob. "I love you, Stan."

"Love you right back, kiddo. Now run along and pack your stuff. I'm going with you to the airport."

*

And thanks to whatever strings Stan had pulled, she had been fortunate to get a seat on the ten a.m. flight. What was killing her was how long the flight was. It was almost twelve hours for fuck's sake. Now she had nothing to do but to sit and think about the sexiest hazel eyes that made her want to say fuck it, and shout it out to the whole world that...he's mine! Fuck!

The other thing that worried Kate was that she was going to land around two p.m. That would be past her usual visiting time which was dawn. There was no way in hell she was going to wait till the next dawn to see her mate. That meant, for the first time, she was going to see Jaxon during the day and risk being seen as anyone could walk in on them. She really hoped Jaxon and Ryan would be done with their lunch routine by the time she got there. But deep down, Kate knew she didn't really give a fuck.

"Let the chips fall where they may," she whispered.

***

Jeremy watched as his son skipped happily alongside him. The weather was lovely so they were going for a walk. Ryan was again with the rogue that day because he was concerned that the idiot wasn't eating. Jeremy hoped he was on a hunger strike or ill. That way, he could die and leave them all in peace as his mate was not yet ready to allow an execution.

"Next time you need to wait for your teacher to teach Ashley himself," he advised his son.

"But all she needed were the answers to questions four and seven. And I knew it." Sylver responded as he skipped.

"I understand but the teacher would have taught her how to arrive at those answers," Jeremy explained. "If you simply feed her the answers all the time, she will never learn how to solve the problem itself. Do you understand?"

"But I can teach her that."

"You are not a professional teacher, Sylvester," Jeremy chuckled but a frown appeared on his face when he saw the hot red Porsche GT4 driving through the gate. "Leave it for your teacher to handle."

"Alright, Daddy." The little boy stopped skipping and stood beside his father who had also stopped, to look at the car. "That's Kate," Sylver said excitedly, waving at the car that approached.

When Kate got to where Jeremy stood with Sylver, she stopped the car and got out to give the alpha of alphas a proper greeting. She was in a hurry but surely a few minutes wouldn't hurt. She had on a long, black, sleeveless, cutout, bodycon tube dress which had a high slit on one side. Her cute white denim jacket and white trainers blended sexiness and class perfectly. She looked stunning as usual.

"Kate," Sylver squealed as he ran to Kate and threw his arms around her. The warrior didn't seem to have a problem with a hug from a little boy. "You look beautiful," he gushed as she went on a knee and hugged him back. "Where have you been?"

"France, Sylver," Kate laughed softly. "How have you been?"

"I've been okay. You smell like him," Sylver added with a thoughtful look. Kate froze.

"Smell like who?" Jeremy asked as he came closer to the pair.

"The rogue. Jaxon."

Kate shot up to her feet so fast she almost lost her balance. She saw the confused shock in Jeremy's eyes and gave a nervous laugh. "I've been checking up on him so..."

"But you're coming from the airport right now, and not the dungeons," Jeremy pointed out. The pack had a parking slot at the airport so they usually left their cars there anytime they used commercial flights. So he wasn't buying Kate's story as she wasn't coming directly from the rogue.

"I meant I go to the dungeon often so it's not strange that..."

"No," Jeremy shook his head, cutting Kate off. It went beyond someone's scent rubbing off on you after being in the same room with them, the AA thought. "You do smell different. And you," he addressed his son. "How did you know the rogue's scent?"

"I followed Dad in there yesterday to tell him something important." He bent to pick up some pebbles. "I like Jaxon. But he's a very sad person." He paused what he was doing to look up at the adults and said with all seriousness, "Maybe Kate can cheer him up since she smells like him." With that, he got back on his feet and ran off to Clara who was beckoning him. "Bye, Kate."

Kate and Jeremy's gazes remained locked even after Sylver left. "What the fuck, Kate," Jeremy breathed. He had never laid eyes on the rogue so didn't know his scent. But the guilt on Kate's face was palpable. And his son didn't have any reason to lie.

"I told you, I check up..."

"Cut the bullshit," Jeremy growled. "Why are you back? The conference is not over."

"I have some work to do so I had to excuse myself," her voice shook. "Modeling. Modeling work," she added in a small voice. The AA wasn't fooled.

"Shit, shit, shit," Jeremy kept muttering under his breath. "How long?"

"I don't know what you're talk..."

"How long?" Jeremy's bellow startled Kate, making her heart pound hard enough to burst through her ribs.

"The day we left for the conference." Her eyes glistened with a mixture of anger and tears.

"And you still left?" The alpha of alphas looked shocked. It was one of the most painful things ever. To leave your mate right after you've been freshly marked. For four frigging days. "Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"What was I supposed to do?" Kate retorted heatedly as she blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. "He doesn't even know I'm his mate. And he doesn't know he's given me his mark. His wolf took over and did that. I...I..." She stopped talking and exhaled audibly.

"Why didn't you say anything when you found out he was your mate?" Jeremy saw how much the head of warriors was struggling and wished he could hug her, but he knew that would be the last thing her wolf wanted.

"Say what?" Kate's eyes flashed angrily. "Oh, by the way I have the hots for our public enemy number one? Or, please pardon the jerk who caused the pack all that stress because he's my only hope for happiness?"

"Aw, Kate..." Jeremy instinctively took a step closer to her but she took two steps back.

"And risk being shunned, hated, and possibly becoming an outcast?" The tears fell then. "I can't ask that of anyone," she whispered, her face etched with despair. "I'd rather die than look weak in the eyes of the pack. This is my fate and I have accepted it. You can all go ahead and do what needs to be done."

With those last words, she went back to her car and drove off, leaving the alpha of alphas staring after her.

***

Kate drove directly to the dungeons. After all, the cat was out of the bag. She shrugged out of her jacket and headed for Jaxon's cell in all her sexy glory. Even before she got to Jaxon's floor, she heard him calling out her name. Kate wasn't surprised. Jaxon had tasted her blood. Since she was his mate, his sense of smell, where she was concerned, had gotten sharper. Kate gave a sigh of relief that he wasn't still out with Ryan as she broke into a run.

"Jax..." she choked when she got to him. She couldn't stop shaking. Her chest expanded on a deep breath, her body responding to his nearness. Even though they were separated by iron bars, Kate could feel the heady attraction...the magnetic pull of being near the other half of her soul.

"Kate, you're..." but Jaxon lost his train of thought when he was hit with desire so intense that he literally staggered back.

His eyes instantly shifted. The arousal emanating from the woman standing before him was more powerful than he'd ever smelt. Overwhelmed by the realization of how much she needed him, Jaxon closed his eyes to gather himself. However, Kate saw her mate's reaction and concluded that he was trying to keep his distance because he felt she was there to toy with him. She felt all the confidence she came in with, desert her.

Kate swallowed hard and said shakily, "I swear I'm not trying to use you just for my pleasure as you think." She saw the confusion on Jaxon's face but went on in a voice barely above a whisper. "I don't have the hots for prisoners or fuck the pack's prisoners either."

"Oh, shit, I'm so sorry I said all that," Jaxon groaned, reaching through the bars to draw Kate to him. "I don't know what came over me." He pressed his forehead against Kate's. "Forgive me, please. And I don't care if you use me." He slipped his fingers into her hair and laid his other hand on her hip. "I missed you so much."

"If you say so," she said quietly but she couldn't deny how the drumming pulse between her legs instantly intensified at his words.

"Stop it," he murmured, nuzzling his nose against hers. "You know I did." He drew his head back and gave her a lazily seductive once-over that made her heart skip a beat. "You look lovely." Apart from the very first time he'd laid eyes on Kate, every other time he'd seen her, she had been in a tracksuit. She looked so hot in her outfit. "More than lovely. Beautiful."

"Thank you."

"The conference ended early." It wasn't a question.

"It hasn't," Kate sighed.

Jaxon didn't need to ask why she was there. It was obvious. "Why are you shaking so much?" he whispered as the hand on her hip began a sensual caress which made Kate feel tingles of desire and need all over her body.

But Kate couldn't answer. How could she tell the rogue she needed his touch? That she needed some relief? That she needed him to end her pain? Although he had apologized for what he said, Kate couldn't help but be wary.

"No reason." She let out a shaky breath, a feeling of vulnerability sweeping over her.

"Look at me," he demanded softly and waited till Kate looked up. "What can I do to help? Tell me what to do?"

Oh shit! Kate didn't remember when she had ever been shy. But seeing all that smoldering heat in Jaxon's intense gaze and hearing the huskiness in his voice was making her feel like a teen who had met her first crush. And as if that wasn't enough, thanks to the high slit on her dress, Jaxon's hand was on the bare flesh on her thigh, his heat seeping under her skin and sending sensations through her. Sensations which seemed to be chasing away the discomfort and pain. She needed more.

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not." His eyes dropped to her lips. "Can I kiss you?"

Fuck! Kate felt her walls tighten in response to the roughness of his voice. Surely it should be a sin for an individual to sound so sexy. Her tongue darted out to wet her dry lips which made him growl low in his throat. Those eyes of his watched her, as if he could see deep inside her. As if he knew all her secrets. But she knew better. She wished he would just go ahead and kiss her already.

"I don't want you to think I'm taking advantage of you. So don't," she heard herself say instead.

"Did my apology mean nothing to you?" Jaxon groaned, the hand on Kate's thigh inching slowly to her thong-covered crotch. Kate's brain buzzed. "You have no idea how much I regret saying all that," he rasped against her lips as his fingers teased the waistband of her thong. "Shit, you're so tempting," he whispered.

"Jax..." Kate's eyes glazed over as her nipples hardened and moisture gathered between her legs. She needed Jaxon's sensual touch at that neediest part of her body...was dying for it.

"I've got you," he assured her in the sexiest whisper as if he could read her mind. "My sweet Kate," he breathed as his wandering fingers got a firm grip on her flimsy thong. "Going for days without seeing you drove me insane. I ache for you constantly," he rasped as he yanked off the thong, ruining it in the process. "I feel like my fucking sanity depends on you, Kate."

Kate bit her lip to stifle her moan. God knew she wanted Jaxon. But that tiny sane part of her brain remained cautious. "Someone might come here."

"Do I look like I care if someone sees us?" he husked as he slipped the ruined thong into his pocket. "Not being able to touch you as I want is killing me," Jaxon didn't think he'd ever been as hard as he was right then. Her scent was like a drug to his senses. He needed Kate but at that moment, giving her some relief was his priority. "You need this and I'm going to give it to you," he growled as his fingers rubbed over her slick folds.

"Fuck," Kate gave a breathless moan and reached out to grab a bar in each hand as her eyes fluttered shut.

When Jaxon saw Kate's seductively parted lips, he couldn't resist. He leaned in and sucked her lower lip into his mouth. Kate couldn't have suppressed the loud moan that tore out of her throat even if she had tried. Thanks to her mark, every tug on her lip sent a delicious shiver down her spine, igniting a passionate fire within her core. And even as her body quivered with unbridled ecstasy, her legs widened for him without a thought.

'Yes, that's it,' Jaxon urged raspingly on their mind-link. 'Spread 'em for me.' He slid a finger into Kate's moist folds. 'So wet...' He stroked that wet finger through the lips of her delicate opening, gliding teasingly over her clit. 'I'll give anything to have this in my mouth,' he husked as his long middle finger slid lazily into Kate, his fingertip stroking over the delicate tissues within.

'Jax...' Kate could hardly bear the sudden rush of pleasure. One of her hands left the bar to slide into Jaxon's hair. Then her lips began to move desperately over his as if he'd be gone at any second and she had no time to get her fill of him.

For Jaxon, there was no hurry. He fingered her leisurely as if he had all the time in the world, building her need. He gentled the kiss into a slow, deep fucking of Kate's mouth, igniting a fervent fire that caused her entire being to tremble with euphoric bliss. Jaxon lost himself in Kate's intoxicating scent, the heady kiss, and the sweet moans that tore out of her as she rode his plunging finger.

What surprised Kate was the level of control that Jaxon exhibited. His control seemed absolute, his seduction wickedly precise. The only thing that showed how much he was affected by what was going on was the sounds of hunger spilling from him and the feel of his dropped fangs. There was nothing more attractive than a man who exhibited self-control while taking full control. The surge of pride, affection, and tenderness that Kate felt for her mate in that moment was so strong her eyes shot open in shock. And that was when she heard the sound.

'Someone is coming, Jax,' she gasped on their mind-link even as her body writhing shamelessly. 'We need to stop.'

'Not until you come, baby,' his voice came out in a strained whisper. 'Brace yourself.'

Then like a man on a mission, Jaxon changed the tempo. He added another finger and began to rub the bundle of nerves embedded inside Kate with quick strokes even as his thumb expertly rubbed against her pulsing clit. He was massaging her inside and out, making her body scream for release.

Kate threw her head back with a cry, breaking their kiss. She didn't even care who heard her. Jaxon was fucking her so good with his fingers... driving her insane. She could feel the sensations building, the pressure increasing in her clit as he stroked around it and over it. Perspiration broke out all over Kate's body as Jaxon worked his magic. Her eyes lost their focus as the feelings built higher and higher until she got close to that exploding point. Her hips circled, her thighs clenching and releasing as she focused only on that impending release. Jaxon looked at her and thought he had never seen a more captivatingly beautiful woman.

"That's it, gorgeous," Jaxon rasped as he crooked a finger inside her, hitting the perfect spot. The feeling for Kate was out of this world.

"Ah...god," she cried out as she began to unravel. Her entire body quaked as hot pleasure ripped through her. Her toes curled inside her trainers and her lungs heaved in blinding excitement as the muscles of her core began to ripple around the fingers in there. "Jax..." While it felt thrilling to be receiving the first orgasm from her mate, the intensity of it was scary. Coherent thought fell out of reach as her body began to convulse and rapturous ecstasy assailed her. "Yes, yes..." she moaned, surrendering to the waves of rapture as she rode the intoxicating waves of her orgasm.

"Stunning," Jaxon moaned as he looked at Kate. Those lips swollen from his kisses, the way she looked, felt, smelt, and the sight of her losing it, reached him on a primitive level that sent his balls into a frenzy. His fingers kept stroking, rubbing, and thrusting, prolonging her orgasm until she didn't think she could take anymore.

"No more, please," Kate gasped, struggling for her very breath. "Please..." But even as she tried to bring her breathing under control, she wondered how she had ever lived without Jaxon. Fuck!

Jaxon's fingers were magical, Kate couldn't help but think. That sort of pleasure was like a drug. If his fingers could bring her that much pleasure, she wondered what his cock would do. Kate wanted more...had to have a taste of that cock. She moaned when she felt Jaxon's fingers leave her body. Her eyes opened just in time to see him slipping his fingers, which glistened with the cream from her body into his mouth to lick them clean. She couldn't control her whimper as she watched his eyes darkening on a sigh of ecstasy as he tasted her. His lashes lowered as a deep moan tore out of him.

"You taste heavenly," his rough whisper sounded tortured.

"Oh, god," Kate groaned, feeling the heat of mortification sweep over her at how wanton she had acted. Jaxon didn't miss it.

"Hey, don't," he breathed, cradling her jaw tenderly. "I have never seen a more graceful and sensual woman or tasted anything so good. I wish..." but Jaxon trailed off when the iron bars separating them disappeared.

Both gasped and turned their heads to see Ryan looking at them. With a sob, Kate threw herself into Jaxon's arms, hiding her face in his shoulder to muffle her harsh breaths, clearly on the verge of hysteria. She felt lightheaded from all the emotions running through her. Relief from her sweet release, dread for what was about to come now that their relationship was no longer secret, and fear for the life of her mate. Not even his mate's arms around her could calm her pounding heart.

When both felt Ryan's touch, neither lifted their head. 'Tell him,' Kate heard Ryan whisper in her mind just before she felt the change.

And for the very first time, the head of warriors found herself alone in a real room...with her mate...not separated by bars. The shock of that, coupled with the emotions running through her was overwhelming.

Kate broke down and wept.

***

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