Sassy Ever After: A Hot Piece Of Sass (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read online

  Almost as if he’d read her mind, he pulled her close. Placing the tip of his finger gently under her chin, he tilted her face up to meet his.

  Sparks flew as his lips, hot and moist, covered hers. Her nipples pebbled against his hard chest. Hannah moaned in his mouth when he wrapped his other hand around the back of her neck before tunneling his fingers through her hair, holding her head steady and close.

  His hips rocked against her stomach, letting her know just how much he wanted her. Tanner’s kiss was like no other kiss she’d ever encountered in her life. Demanding, forceful—but at the same time, unexpectedly tender. She wanted to strip bare and plead for her mate to claim her.

  Chapter Nine

  “I’ve never in my life felt such a strong pull to another wolf. I need to claim you, Hannah. My wolf is going out of his mind, and I’m not sure how long I can contain him.” Tanner pulled back briefly from the kiss, trying to explain the urgency he felt. He wanted to hear her out, but he was stuck in a full-blown battle with his wolf. A battle in which he knew, when push came to shove, exactly who would come out on top.

  Tanner struggled with his wolf, urging the beast to remain patient. Her voice was music to his ears, but he had an ulterior motive as well. He wanted to hear what she had to say, but even more, he wanted to hear her thoughts—the unspoken snippets running through her mind that would tell all. His ability was something he had always hated with a passion, but now, when he actually wanted to hear a person’s thoughts more than anything, he heard nothing.

  Tanner waited, expecting to be overwhelmed by his curse at any moment. Instead, something unusual happened, and he heard what he had always wished for: Absolute silence. Puzzled, he tilted his head to the side as if waiting for some mysterious majik to kick in and correct all the wrongs in the universe, thus allowing him to hear his mate telepathically.

  “You’re going to have to hold off on that whole claiming thing, buddy. My wolf recognizes you as her mate, but I don’t. I’m not the type of woman to be ruled by my base animal instincts. I need more. I need a man who’s not afraid of commitment. A lover who sees only me. A friend who makes me laugh. A wolf who’s strong enough to protect whatever family we may have, and the pack. While I’ve seen one of those traits, I have yet to see the others. For me, it’s kind of a package deal. If it’s meant to be, those are all things that will come naturally, but it requires time and patience for both of us.”

  That’s what she says now, but what does she really want? Tanner tried listening to her thoughts once again… and… nothing.

  “What the fuck.” Tanner hoped his wolf would have the answer to his problem.

  Was it because he was distracted by his wolf who tried his damnedest to take over again? Or did it have something to do with the mating instinct surging through his veins? Either way he heard nothing. Tanner didn’t know what it was, but something was acting as a barrier, effectively blocking his ability.

  He was barely hanging on to his human shape. The wolf wanted his mate, and Tanner found that denying his instinct proved to be a painful lesson for both of them. He tried to find the words, any words, to respond to Hannah, but instead he stood there looking like a goober.

  Maybe his wolf was right. He sucked when it came to this whole ‘conversation with women’ thing that his wolf accused him of, but he had to try. After all, she wasn’t just any woman, she was his mate. The one he had searched for his entire life. The one he was destined to spend the rest of his days with.

  What surprised Tanner the most was that he actually cared what his mate thought about him. It was more than the mating instinct. For the first time ever, he wanted a woman to know everything about him and he wanted to know just as much, if not more, about his mate.

  His wolf, on the other hand, was not amused. “Is she kidding?” The animal paced back and forth in his mind, agitation setting in. “She is mine. How dare she make demands on us?”

  “Patience.”

  His wolf huffed once again. Patience was not something he wanted to hear or consider. The only thing he wanted to think about was how fast he could mark and claim his mate. Nothing else mattered.

  “We have the rest of our lives to get to know each other,” Tanner said.

  “True, but I’d like to know more about my potential mate before he goes all alpha-male on me.”

  “Ask away.” With a slight wave of his hand, he conveyed a gesture of invitation.

  “Where are you from? What pack?”

  “Black Paw Pack.”

  “Why are you so big?” Hannah flushed when she realized her question hadn’t come out quite the way she’d intended.

  “Uhh… the better to see you with?”

  “Ha ha. Very funny. Seriously, not that it’s a bad thing, but you are ginormous. Are all the wolves in your pack as large as you?”

  “I’m the largest in my pack, but the wolves from Black Paw are different from ordinary wolf- shifters. We’re all descendants from Odin’s clan of ancient Nordic berserkers.”

  “Wait—are you the crazies I read about who fly off the handle in some sort of rage, killing everyone in sight?” Hannah backed up cautiously.

  “Wow. Talk about stereotyping. Most of us at Black Paw keep a very firm hold on our berserkers. The only time we lose control is when there is an immediate threat to those we love—like our mates, our children, our pack. It’s a killing instinct we were born with.” Tanner leaned close to Hannah, his lips a breath away from hers. “Do I seem out of control to you?”

  His wolf whined in his head, wanting more of his mate than she offered. Any ability the wolf had to concentrate on their surroundings or the conversation vanished. All he could think about was the sweet smell of strawberries, and how fucking good they tasted on his tongue. Usually his wolf hated any type of fruit, now the wolf’s mouth watered as the delectable scent swirled around him, clouding his mind. He forced himself to back away once again, or else he would’ve had to strip her naked and claim her right there, then fuck her like she’d never been fucked before.

  “No. You seem like your control is pretty solid right now—even when you were fighting those guys. You didn’t kill them. Why?”

  “Because I don’t enjoy killing. Barbara and Tristian will deal with them as they see fit. They’ll be punished according to the laws in Blue Creek.”

  “How would they be punished at Black Paw?”

  “The Alpha would strip their wolves from them and force them to live out the remainder of their lives as humans.”

  Hannah gasped in shock. “He can do that?”

  “Yes. It’s one of his powers. I’ve seen it done. It’s not a pretty picture.”

  Hannah nodded. “I can imagine. How did you end up in Blue Creek? Did you come for the Scenting Ceremony?”

  “The Alpha’s mom needed me to deliver a special package to Barbara Wolfe for the ceremony. So here I am.”

  “I should’ve known Aunt Barbara had something to do with you showing up here.”

  “She’s your aunt?” Tanner cocked his head to the side, wondering if he had indeed been set up by Grace, and why he’d never detected it.

  “These nosy old women are going to drive me nuts. They’re forever butting their noses into everyone’s business.”

  “Do you really think we were set up?”

  “Honestly? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. And Barbara has never needed anyone to bring her anything for the Scenting Ceremony before. I have no idea how it was explained to you, but it’s nothing more than a bunch of wolves getting together in a field and sniffing around for their mate. There are no magical enchantments, no items or talismans used in the ceremony.”

  “How would Barbara and Grace have known we were meant to be together?” Tanner watched as Hannah twisted a lock of hair around her finger, deep in thought.

  “My aunt has always had a sixth sense when it comes to finding mates for her family members. I guess it’s one of her gifts or something.”


  “So… now what do we do?” Tanner stepped closer to Hannah, needing to feel the heat from her body, wanting to feel the softness of her touch.

  “I think we need to call for someone to take out the trash.” Hannah pointed to the three broken males on the ground.

  “I don’t think they’ll be moving for a while. Surely we have a little more time to ourselves, right?”

  Hannah slowly stepped backwards, trying to separate them. Tanner wouldn’t allow it. For each step she tried to take away from him, he took one step closer. Finally she ran out of options when her back pressed up against a tree.

  “Have I answered all of your questions?”

  “Hardly. I’ve only just begun.”

  “You know we have all the time in the world to get to know one another. Right now, I just want another taste.”

  Tanner moved in for the kill again. His lips closed over hers, taking what he wanted. When no protests were forthcoming, he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue in to meet hers. Sweet goddess above. The unmistakable taste of fresh, ripe, sweet strawberries flooded his senses.

  Hannah moaned into his mouth, and his wolf surged forward. It took all of Tanner’s strength and concentration to remain in human form. His body trembled with desire and need. His hands, usually sure and steady, shook as he ran his fingers through her hair, holding her close.

  Seconds turned to minutes as their passion flared. Tanner thought he had died and gone to Valhalla when Hannah grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, their bodies flush against one another. His cock throbbed against her belly. He wanted to tear the clothes off of her so he could lick and kiss every inch of her curvy body.

  His free hand skimmed over her breasts, caressing each one before moving lower. The curve of her hips against his palm drove him to the brink of madness. Reaching down, he pulled her left leg up, positioning it around him. The heat from her core combined with her luscious scent made his mouth water. Time seemed to slow; his only focus was his mate and how much he wanted her.

  Chapter Ten

  “Get your fucking paws off me, you creep!” Hannah screamed, but her captors held her tight. She had been so wrapped up and lost in the little make-out session with her mate, she’d let her guard down and hadn’t realized what was about to happen until it was too late.

  The sight of blood gushing from Tanner’s head sent her into a panic. She prayed to God that he was okay, all the while kicking and screaming, trying to fight off two of the men who held her captive. But even with her extra cushioning and heightened strength, she was no match for a couple of full-grown mutts.

  If she could only reach her phone, she could call for help. She had to let her aunt and uncle know about the rogue wolves, and get help for Tanner.

  Hannah’s head flew sideways as her captor delivered a sharp slap to her face. She would not give him the satisfaction of crying out in pain. Blood filled her mouth as she turned her head to meet his stare. Spitting the blood in his face, she ignored the pain that radiated from her cheek. God love her, she really did try not to let the men know she was wounded, but she couldn’t hold back the groan that escaped her.

  “Is that all you’ve got?” Hannah could feel her eyes glowing from the anger coursing through her. They’d knocked her mate out cold. She had to do something to distract the men; hopefully it would give Tanner a chance to recover.

  Her plan was cut short when one of the guys picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. She kicked and screamed again for Tanner. Her fists landed hard blows on the guy’s back and shoulders, but it did no good. He had her in a firm grip and there was no getting away. All she could do was bide her time until she could make her escape.

  “I’ve got her. You grab Scott. Let’s get out of here before anyone else decides to take a stroll through the woods tonight.”

  They carried her deep into the forest until they came upon a small, dilapidated shack. Hannah wracked her brain trying to figure out where she was. Bouncing around upside down on a smelly stranger’s shoulder wasn’t exactly the best way to gauge one’s location, especially if you were already geographically challenged.

  “This one’s pretty feisty, Mac. She’ll be fun to play with.”

  “Let me go!”

  “Now why would we want to do that?” her captor teased.

  “You’re making a huge mistake. I’m the Alpha’s niece. He’ll come looking for me, and so will my mate.”

  “Sounds like we’re fixin’ to have a party on our hands.”

  The guy named Mac kicked open the door to the shack, strolling in like he owned the place. He dumped his friend’s limp body on the stained sofa as her captor chucked her onto the floor.

  Hannah’s feet hadn’t even hit the ground before her wolf took charge. Her shift came hard and fast. Snarls flew from her muzzle. “We’ll take the little one down first.”

  “You better shift back to human form before someone gets hurt.”

  Even in wolf form Hannah managed to roll her eyes. It wasn’t her who was about to get hurt. On the contrary, she was about to take a chunk out of his nasty ass.

  Just as she was about to make her move on the smaller guy, Mac lunged toward her. With gloved hands, he pulled a small silver chain from the pocket of his jeans. Hannah backed up to avoid being hit by the deadly silver he flung at her like a lasso.

  Hannah dodged his sloppy attempts to hit her the first couple of times, but then her luck ran out. Mac had her backed into a corner with nowhere to go. She lunged for his leg, her teeth sinking deep into the muscle. He let out a scream just as he wound the chain around her neck.

  Fuck! The silver instantly singed her fur, burning straight through to her skin. There went her plan to rescue herself and her mate. Until she could find a way to free herself from the silver, she was stuck. Now she knew exactly how the woman she’d rescued in the woods had felt.

  Mac quickly recovered from the bite with a fast shift to his wolf form. As soon as he resumed his human form, he removed the silver from her neck. Then he swung his booted foot at her as hard as he could in order to deliver the hardest possible blow to her side, forcing her back to human form.

  Hannah collapsed.

  The kick knocked the wind out of her. Just when she thought it couldn’t get any worse, Mac wrapped the silver chain around her neck again. Pulling her head back to expose her neck, he knelt down behind her.

  “Oh God, no!” Hannah struggled, knowing exactly what he intended to do.

  “Hold still, you little bitch.” His fangs lengthened, contorting his already-ugly face before sinking deep into her neck.

  This mating mark was nothing like the one she had expected to receive. Her wolf crumpled to the floor. Being marked by a male who was not her mate would set off a chain of events she was powerless to stop.

  “Now what do we do?” Hannah asked her wolf.

  Her wolf whined in response. “He becomes our mate or I die.”

  “There has to be another option.” She was just too tired to think of it.

  “Let’s leave the little bitch here with Scott while we go take care of that wolf,” Mac suggested.

  A glimmer of hope passed through Hannah. If she could regain even a portion of her strength, she would be able to get the silver off and escape. She had to do something to save her mate.

  Chapter Eleven

  Tanner’s eyes opened slowly. Confusion and pain swept through his head. What the fuck happened? A strange burning in his neck left him weak and lethargic each time he tried to move his head to look around. He reached up to touch his neck, nearly screaming in pain when he felt a thin, cold chain rubbing up against his skin.

  “It’s silver.” His wolf confirmed his thought.

  Through the pounding in his head, he tried like hell to recall the last thing he remembered. The taste of his mate was still fresh on his lips. He had been swept away by her allure, and the raw need to mark and claim her. Now he was on his ass with a throbbing headache and silver wrapped around him.
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br />   His nose twitched as he tried to pick up Hannah’s scent, but it was nowhere to be found. The smell of blood surrounded him. Tanner slowly felt the back of his head. His fingers came away covered with a warm sticky substance. His blood.

  A pang of fear surged through him. What happened to Hannah? He had to find her. Whoever did this to him must have taken her.

  The sound of branches crackling around him sent him into a frenzy. His nose worked overtime, cataloguing the unfamiliar scents surrounding him. He held back a gag when the same putrid smell he’d stumbled upon earlier reached his nostrils.

  Biting back a shout, Tanner ripped the silver from around his neck, and commanded his wolf to take control. He needed the added strength the animal would give him and the majik healing that would come with the shift.

  He winced, his shift slower and more painful than normal. Tanner could feel every damn bone in his body reshape as they all shifted into place. Each and every hair sprouting from his skin felt like a needle slicing through tissue. When the shift was finally complete, he shook off the lingering twinges of pain and took to the trees, quietly keeping a safe distance from the approaching men.

  “I know we left that bastard around here somewhere.” Jimmy looked around as if he was lost.

  “He should be right over there, near that tree. Did the brand to the balls make you lose your memory?” Mac said with a roll of his eyes.

  “Good. Let’s finish him off, then get back to that sweet little thing he had with him. I can’t wait to make her scream.”

  “Sounds good to me. After all, she’s going to be my mate. Whether she likes it or not.”

  “Man, that chunk you took out of her neck looked like it hurt like a motherfucker.”

  “Yeah, well, some bitches deserve it.”

  “We need to make this quick. We have to check on Scott when we get back, too.”

  “Fuck Scott. He’s a pussy. The dude didn’t hit him that hard. I can’t believe I had to carry his big ass back to camp. He should have been the one carrying me back. My balls are still burning.”