Carol's Mate

Chapter Eight

The next eight weeks put his time in the military to shame. He thought he‟d worked hard for Uncle Sam. The government had nothing on the training Thomas Wolfe put him through.

The first order of business was to declare his allegiance to the Raven pack and Tom Wolfe as alpha. Next, he quit his jobs, packed his belongings, and moved in the dark of night to a small hunting cabin deep in the mountains of what he was told was Raven pack territory.

His new alpha taught him everything he needed to know about being a wolf-shifter. His lessons included how to hunt, track, and fight in wolf form. For the first three weeks, the only food he was allowed was what he managed to catch. Any aversion he might have had to eating raw meat was quickly lost when the hunger of his beast kicked in.

Next Tom taught him how to tap into the power of the wolf while in human form, using its advanced senses to his greatest advantage. Once Mark learn how to control the shift and change in an instant, the alpha taught him how not to lose himself in his beast while in shifted form. He taught him how to control his emotions, and therefore control his wolf rather than let it control him. Most importantly, he taught Mark how to think like a man while in the body of his wolf.

And that was just the beginning.

He called in the pack‟s historian, a little Chinese man named Hiram. From Hiram, Mark learned the history of the Raven pack specifically and wolf-shifters in general. He learned who the Ravens had alliances with, those they maintained an uneasy peace with, and those he needed to avoid at all costs. He learned which packs and species ruled what territories, and what size and type of packs or groups they were. The complexities of interpack/intraspecies relations made NATO seem juvenile by comparison.

From Ms. Lulu, a large, elderly African American woman who reminded him of his paternal grandmother, the first thing he learned was that with shifters, neither race, color, nor ethnicity mattered. Shifters didn‟t see in terms of color but species and strength. A person was either human, shifter, or vampire. Among shifters, there were wolves, cats, foxes, coyotes, hyenas, bears, and so much more. Vampires were the strongest of all the supernaturals and generally distrusted.

She also taught him wolf-shifter etiquette, which varied from pack to pack but had common rules governing them all. Mark likened it to being in the armed forces, dealing with the different branches. For instance, the army did things one way, the navy another, but they were all part of the United States Department of Defense and therefore governed by the same laws. Like the military, each person within the pack had their own rank and file, from the highest to the lowest, and there were rules governing the way each rank was to be treated.

From Mona he learned how to treat the females of the pack and, more specifically, how to claim and treat his mate after the mating. Lessons were given in how to care for the young and the proper respect given to the elderly. The young and elderly were to be protected above all. Mates were to be treated with love and respect. She taught him how to dominate his mate without being domineering.

After eight weeks of intensive training, the alphas deemed him ready to be introduced to the pack. They called a special, surprise gathering of all the Ravens.

Mark stood downwind in the shadows, watching as they poured in—by car, on two feet, and four legs—until the clearing was full to capacity. They stood around talking in small groups, their curiosity palpable.

Mark kept his gaze focused on the object of his desire, his reason for suffering through shifter boot camp hell, wondering now that the moment was at hand, did he have what it took to succeed? Then his natural arrogance kicked in. He‟d survived the gangs in his hood, everything Uncle Sam threw at him, and six years of college. He could do this too.

Standing on a natural rise were Tom and Mona. Flanking them were Carol and Alex. To either side of them were Lulu, Hiram, and the other four pack elders.

They faced a crowd of almost three hundred men, women, and children. As had been explained to him, the women, children, and elderly were placed in the center, surrounded on three sides by all the men of the pack who were of age. Mark moved until he was slightly behind and to the left of the pack, almost hidden by the trees, waiting for his moment.

Thomas raised his hands, calling the gathering to order. “Tonight I‟d like to introduce you to the newest member of the Raven pack.” That was his cue. As the crowd murmured and looked around, he shifted into a large gray wolf with black markings and stepped forward. As his presence was noticed, they parted like water, allowing him to make his way to the front.

“His name is Mark Johnson, and he‟s already given his allegiance to the pack,” Tom continued.

Carol gasped and took a step back. Alex and a few others immediately began to growl. As Mark neared the center of the clearing, a blur came flying at him from the right. A challenge for position, to determine his ranking within the pack. If he wanted to stand by Carol‟s side as her mate and cobeta of the pack, it started here.

With no hesitation, he called on all the training he‟d received and fought off his opponent, and the next, and the next, until he lost count. Good thing his instructors had warned him his induction into the pack wouldn‟t be easy, and the hardest part was yet to come.

Bloody, bruised, but not cowed, Mark continued toward his goal: Carol, his mate.

Three more wolves stepped out of the crowd to bar his way. From the smell of them, Mark knew these were the jokers that had shadowed Carol around campus before she left, and the guys that had held her back the night he came to the house.

He let out a snarl and charged forward, anger and justice on his side. He and his wolf united as one. Every obstacle would be defeated. Nothing would keep them from their mate.

The fight was vicious and bloody. In the end, Mark proved to be more determined, and the other wolves gave way, allowing him to pass. Less than six feet away from his goal, he was brought up short. A huge, snarling gray wolf with black tipped fur and golden eyes stepped forward, barring his way. Alex.

For the first time, the alpha intervened. “No.” Alex swung his muzzle around and growled at his father.

Thomas narrowed his eyes at him, and when he spoke again, his voice was entrenched with power, reminding Alex who was alpha. “You want to fight? Fight as men.”

Mark was shifting to human before the last word was completely out of his alpha‟s mouth. “Gladly.”

Alex changed as well, and the grin on his face would have scared a lesser man.

Mark raised both hands and motioned for Alex to bring it on.

Alex came forward, and the first punch snapped Mark‟s head backward. Mark gave his head a brief shake and rotated his jaw to loosen it. “That‟s your free one,” he told Alex. “I owe Carol that much.”

Then the fighting began in earnest.

The two were fairly evenly matched in terms of size and strength, though Alex stood about a head taller. Alex drew on his shifter reflexes and strength, but he didn‟t have the same edge that Mark did. Mark had grown up on the streets of Philly and knew how to fight dirty. What he hadn‟t learned growing up, the military had taught him, giving his already prominent fighting abilities a lethal sharpness.

They fought until the alpha called a halt. “Enough!” Alex sank to his knees, sucking in deep gulps of air. Mark had the satisfaction of still being on his feet, even if he was bent over at the waist, his hands braced on his knees the only things keeping him upright. He panted, trying to catch his breath. Alex packed a hell of a punch for a civilian.

The alpha was announcing to the pack that Mark, until recently, had been human. That he‟d spent the last few weeks learning what it meant to be a shifter, all with the goal of claiming his mate—his true mate—Carol.

While the alpha was speaking, Mark regained his equilibrium. As soon as he finished, Mark pinned Carol with a look. “Carol…” She looked uncertain at first; then her jaw firmed. “Yes?”

“Run.”

Her eyes grew big, and she glanced around at her parents, Alex, and the rest of the crowd. Maybe seeing if anyone would stop him? Not a chance in hell, sweetheart.

“Now,” he added gently.

She took one step back, and then another, before turning on her heel and sprinting off into the woods. Mark slowly straightened from his position. He rolled his shoulders backward a few times and shook his arms to loosen them. Then he bent his neck from side to side, grunting in approval as it gave a satisfying crack.

“If you‟ll excuse me,” he said to the alphas, “I have a mate to claim.” With those words, he shifted to wolf and took off after his mate…

Remembering how he‟d caught and claimed her, first as a wolf and then as a man, reminded him of his promise this morning to make it worth her while if Carol took it easy today and didn‟t overdo it. As his cock rose to attention, he figured now was as good a time as any.

Striding into the room, he walked over to his mate, grabbed her by the forearm, and pulled her to her feet. “It‟s time for all good little mommies-to-be to call it a night. Tell everyone good night, Carol,” he instructed as he towed her behind him.

“Mark,” she scolded, sounding scandalized.

“Night, everyone,” he called over his shoulder. “Feel free to stay as long as you like. Lock up on your way out.”

A chorus of good nights and a few suggestive remarks greeted his announcement. He grinned, knowing they, as well as his mate, could smell his lust.

Just as he could smell her embarrassment and growing excitement.

“You have until the count of five to get naked and onto the bed before I rip the clothes right off your body,” he told her as he closed and locked the bedroom door.

“Five seconds? That‟s not a lot of time,” she argued, hands on her hips.

“Four,” he counted down as his shirt hit the floor.

“What about a bath? Don‟t you think after the day we‟ve had, we need to take a shower?”

“Three.” His pants dropped to the floor. “You‟ll just get sweaty again.”

“What about our guests? You know they can hear us in here,” she protested, but she was fighting back a grin, and he could smell the cream oozing from her sheath.

“Two.” He stepped out of the white boxers he wore.

“You‟re not really getting ready to tear my clothes, are you? I like this outfit, and it‟s new, purchased for today.”

“One.” He held his hands out and watched his fingernails grow into claws.

There were times not being human had its advantages. This was one of them.

Carol slowly and deliberately bent over to untie the shoelaces on her ankle boots, turning in a way that made sure he got a good look at the luscious ass that he loved so much. The tease! He let out a low growl.

“Time‟s up.” He came forward determinedly.

She straightened, an expression of false alarm on her face. “Wait, wait! See, I‟m undressing,” she stated, reaching for the hem of her shirt.

“Too late.” A few slashes of the claws, and her red velour tunic with the Christmas tree on it, whose ornaments really lit up, and the matching pants were history. He paused when he caught sight of the red itsy-bitsy thong she wore beneath it and the matching push-up demibra.

Noting his interest, she asked, “You like?”

“Yeah. I don‟t remember you having that on this morning,” he admitted.

A wicked grin crossed her face. “I didn‟t. I put them on when I changed for dinner.”

Mark reached out and ran the tip of one finger over her lace-covered mound.

“Nice,” he drawled before snatching her panties off. The bra quickly followed, drifting to the floor in a cloud of lace scraps.

“Hey! I thought you liked these,” she protested.

“I do. Make sure you purchase more,” he stated as he crowded her in the direction of the bed. “On your hands and knees. I want to see that pussy. I have a promise to keep.”

Carol‟s eyes bled to gold, and she shuddered. Wasting no time, she climbed onto the bed and presented her ass.

“Spread those legs, baby. That‟s it. A little wider now. Perfect.” He knelt on the floor behind her. Nibbling on one cheek and then the other, he bit down gently with his teeth, smiling when she gave a small moan. She was so ready for him she was shaking, but he wanted more.

“Um, look how pretty this is.” Mark ran a thumb through the moisture lining her slit and brought it to his mouth. “Since you‟ve been pregnant, your essence has changed. It‟s thicker, creamier, richer. So sweet it leaves me craving more.” Separating her labia, Mark buried his face between her legs and ate.

“Mark, baby,” she squealed, trying to scramble away. He clamped a hand around her hips and ignored her feeble protest. After all their years together, she still hadn‟t adjusted to the intensity of the feeling when he went down on her. It‟s why he loved doing it. He knew one lick and she went crazy.

Her cries became muffled, and he realized she must have buried her face in a pillow to keep from screaming out. When her knees were in danger of collapsing and he figured she‟d had enough, he stood and buried his length in her sheath.

She tightened around him. His eyes crossed, and he had to squeeze his cock at the base to keep from coming. Popping her on the ass with the flat of his hand, he scolded, “Quit that. I promised you a long ride, and I‟m going to give it to you.” For good measure, he spanked her other cheek as well. As a shifter, Carol liked her sex rough, but in her condition he couldn‟t risk it. So to give her that edge of pain that she loved so much, he spanked her ass, alternating cheeks and rhythm so she never knew when the blow would land.

“Oh, God,” she moaned and circled her hips as she clenched around him again.

“No, baby. The name‟s Mark,” he said with a wicked chuckle.

He set a slow and steady rhythm, gliding deep and withdrawing until he was almost completely out before thrusting forward again. Mark rode her until the sweat poured down his face, and his balls drew up tight against his body as he fought to hold back his wolf. Finally he couldn‟t take it any longer.

“Hold on, baby; it‟s about to get little rough. Tell me if it‟s too much.” Mark climbed up onto the mattress and covered his mate, his arms planted on the bed by her head. Then he loosened the chain on the beast that was screaming to be free. His teeth locked onto her neck, holding her in place, and the sounds of wet suctioning and slapping flesh filled the room.

Carol‟s back bowed, and she came with a scream. The feel of her milking his cock caused him to let loose with a deep growl as his cock expanded to massive proportions right before the semen erupted from his body. He drove in to the hilt and held there as he came and came and came some more.

The tension left him in a rush, and he collapsed onto his side, pulling his exhausted mate down with him. He stroked her gently from breast to thigh as her breathing slowly evened out. “Did that make up for you having to take it easy today?”

She barked out a laugh, as though his question had startled her, and he groaned as the motion caressed his cock, which was still nestled inside her body.

“Oh yeah,” she assured him with a pleased sigh.

“Good. Got to keep my baby satisfied. Too many wolves out there looking for mates,” he told her, only half joking. Mark never let himself forget how lucky he was or took his woman for granted. He didn‟t have to go far to find any number of men who‟d be happy to be in his position.

“I hope Alex finds a mate soon. I hate seeing him so unhappy.”

“He will. There are some nice women within the pack.” Carol sighed. “I know, but he doesn‟t want any of them. He wants what we have, and I can‟t blame him. Besides, Alex shouldn‟t have to settle, not in this. I know he‟d be a good mate to any one of them, but he deserves more. He deserves love.”

“Well, there‟s nothing we can do but be supportive of him and hope the Creator sends him a mate the way he did us,” Mark reasoned. He sat up and disentangled his body from hers. “Come on. It‟s been a long day. Let‟s go take that shower you wanted earlier and get some rest.”

“All right,” she agreed and rose from the bed, a pensive expression still on her face.

“Hey!” He caught her by the waist. “Stop worrying. What will be will be.” A rueful smile crept across her face, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You‟re right. I know you are. I can‟t help worrying.” Mark dropped a kiss on her lips. “Let‟s see if I can redirect your thoughts to something more pleasant.” He hustled her into the bathroom and proceeded to make her forget about everything but the two of them together.