Chapter 30 (mild sexual content)

Mila didn’t see Jed again for the rest of the evening. She was certain that he was unscathed. She couldn’t imagine the kind of situation with the remnants that might bring him any sort of harm. Surely, he was just off enjoying himself as he often did.

She, meanwhile, was tending to Dillon until he fell peacefully asleep. She sighed loudly when she finally pulled herself away from the wolves to lay down in her own little tent. She stripped down to a tunic and combed through her hair with her fingers, willing herself to relax.

She was mildly annoyed with Jed’s carefree way of disappearing and showing up at his convenience. She didn’t necessarily hate that part of his nature, but it wasn’t exactly helping in her endeavor to make the wolves more accepting of the other species.

The unicorn had come back to her shortly after they’d regrouped. At first, she thought the sound of someone entering her tent was it checking in.

“You all right for the night?” Kody asked.

Mila glanced at him over her shoulder. He had to crawl on his hands and knees to enter the small space. Once he was fully in, he took up most of the available real estate, sitting awkwardly with his head bowed toward her to keep from rubbing his head against the canvas top.

“Yeah, I’m alright.” She smiled easily now that he was there.

Besides Winnie and Dillon, he was the one that was most easy for Mila to smile at. She leaned toward him reflexively. Wolves tended to like skinship. It wasn’t something that came naturally, but she was getting used to the closeness with which they spoke to each to each other.

Kody’s eyes dropped down to look at her body, but he looked away quickly seeming embarrassed by her lightly clad flesh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t ask if you were injured earlier.”

Mila shook her head. “I would have kicked up a bigger fuss if I was. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”

His hand reached forward to tuck a loose curl behind her ear. His hand was very different from Jed’s. He was much larger and warmer. Jed, at best, had matched her own body temperature or felt cold. Kody felt feverish by comparison.

His finger lingered a fraction too long against her cheek. He felt even warmer than usual. The entire tent was heating up from his presence.

Mila had noted how he sometimes looked her way. He wasn’t entirely subtle about it. Anyone could see that Kody was smitten with her.

But Kody was a gentleman too. He knew that she and Jed were close and respectfully kept his distance. Even so, his body had some distinct tells whenever he was around Mila.

Now, in close proximity, Mila could practically feel his hormones coming off of him in waves. His scent had changed a little, tainted by pheromones he was unable to control. His tiny, involuntary blush made the temperature in the tent spike.

Mila’s mouth watered slightly. She couldn’t help responding to him slightly. Something in her stirred when he touched her.

Feeling a little mischievous, she tilted her head, leaning her cheek to his hand. She blinked slowly, enjoying the increase in temperature and the spike of his pheromones. “What about you? Did you get injured anywhere?”

She leaned closer to his hulking form, curved over his lap to get a good look at his torso. He’d pulled his legs up, crossing them in front of himself where he’d sat.

She could see his throat convulse. His thumb rubbed her cheek lightly. He couldn’t keep his eyes from darting down to catch a glimpse of her cleavage as she leaned forward.

“N-no, I’m uninjured.” He stammered slightly, trying to pull his mind from the gutter it had most definitely fallen into.

She could see him getting harder. It was honestly very hard to miss. Every part of him was so large.

He was lying though. She could see a small smear of blood on his abdomen. He had a small, red scratch stretching from the left of his navel down toward his hip. He must have clipped it on something during the run, possibly when he’d jumped onto the truck.

“Doesn’t look like it to me,” She reached out her comparatively small hand, brushing over his abs.

He really was an Adonis. He was absolutely picturesque. He could’ve been a cover model on a magazine or one of those trashy human harlequin romances. He didn’t even need airbrushing.

So close to him, she could even hear the increase of his heartbeat. He quivered under her touch in a way that made her want to tease him.

She pulled away from his hand, pressing closer to press a small kiss to the cut. She blew on it a little, watching him tremble more. He was wearing loose sweatpants and they were tented. It was almost impossible to lean so close without brushing against the prominent bulge. Her chest did when she kissed a fraction lower.

In a wrenching motion, he pulled her up by the shoulder. His massive hand cupped the back of her neck and his leaned in to kiss her. He was hot and demanding, hardly able to bother being gentle. It wasn’t the wolf nature to be gentle when mating.

It felt pleasant. He was so warm and she’d heated in response. Uncomfortably hot even. She wanted him.

But did she? A small part of her mind recoiled slightly. Was she being unfair to Jed? They hadn’t put labels on anything. They were close, but she couldn’t call him anything like a boyfriend.

Kody pulled her up so she straddled his lap. She could feel him pressing desperately between her legs. He was so eager. It would be so easy to just let it happen.

Jed didn’t own her. He hadn’t even broached the subject of commitment. And he wasn’t even here now, being a part of the team.

She could have this, she decided. She reached her hand down, stroking Kody gently and kissed him back to match his intensity. He growled in satisfaction and need.