Dire Wolf Mates - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

True, he was an Alpha, and power seemed to ooze from his pores when he walked into a room. But Lucy was not frightened of him, nor did she feel compelled to obey him. On the contrary, his inner strength, that special Alpha magic he had, turned her on like nothing else ever had.
She loved his inky hair and the way it fell to his chin and brushed his shoulders in dark waves. Her fingers itched to brush the constant shadow that seemed to always cover his chiseled features, making him even more outrageously gorgeous than seemed fair. He hadn’t kissed her again, but the curve of his smile and the heat in his eyes made her want to climb him like a mountain and slam her mouth to his.
Rrrr.
Going to his room after cleaning the bar to shower and dress did nothing to cool the fire in her blood. Lucy felt her heat coming on, and it worried her something fierce. If her animal had her way, she’d be wearing Derrick’s claiming mark already. She tugged on her uniform, grinning at the shirt Sheila had dropped off earlier that evening, as promised.
Lucy had laughed out loud when she’d seen it. Clearly, Sheila was trying to get her laid. Her so-called uniform was nothing but a pair of tight, high-waisted cutoffs that showed a little too much of her ass cheeks. Two Wolf paws were painted on each back pocket in hot pink. That alone would undoubtedly draw eyes to the bottom half of the ensemble.
As if that was not bad enough, she’d paired it with a skin-tight, black tank top that left the tops of Lucy’s creamy rounded breasts bare. Across the front of the shirt was the Serious Moonlight logo, written in a brash, hot pink scrawl with a glowing white, full moon above it. The moon sat right on her left nipple, and made Lucy laugh even harder.
On her feet she wore a pair of black leather, mid-calf harness boots that she’d picked up at a second-hand store during her travels. They’d been barely used and too good a deal to pass up. Glad now that she’d grabbed them, even though they cost more than she’d ever spent on shoes before.
Living on the road meant little opportunity to make money, but she’d always managed. Her she-Cat was agile and hearty, enabling her to do physically demanding jobs when need be. Though she was short, and a fair bit curvier than most Shifter females, Lucy was happy with her body.
This outfit left more of it than usual on display, but she was comfortable with herself, and it would be easy to work in. Thank goodness she’d shaved. If her shirts were any shorter, her hooha would be hanging out.
Snort.
Bad enough her skin was pasty and pale, white as milk. She’d have liked having a tan to at least give the appearance of slimmer thighs, but it was what it was. Most customers would probably not be looking past her cleavage, which was pretty impressive if she said so herself.
Big boobs, big ass, thick legs, hell yes, Lucy was the real deal when it came to being curvy. She liked her body and did not mind flaunting it. So, take that, assholes of the world who thought all women were supposed to fit into the same size pair of pants!
Truth was, she’d never stuck around a man long enough to find out if her body was a problem. If Derrick had anything to say about the way her rounded body filled out the stupidly skimpy uniform, then he could go to hell. She pulled up short, realizing with a gasp that she was nervous about him seeing her like this.
When the hell had it ever mattered to her what a man thought about her looks? Eyes narrowed, she decided to grab her wobbling self-confidence by the horns. She was not gonna stand outside and worry about anything as ridiculous as whether her mate—no, not her mate, her boss—liked it or not. He picked the damn thing out, after all.
“Dammit,” Lucy muttered to herself as she pulled open the heavy double doors and sauntered into the bar with the wind blowing back her thick, blonde hair.
She’d taken time to blow out her long locks to a glossy sheen. Yeah, the rumors were true, Cat Shifters were really into their fur. Lucy was proud of her golden locks and her plus-sized shape. She’d taken extra care tonight with her makeup, too. She’d put on liquid eyeliner and mascara, some glittery shadow on her eyelids, and a smear of gloss over her already pink lips.
The place fell quiet the second Lucy walked in. It was half an hour till opening, so it was just the guys and Sheila, but still. Lucy looked up to see several pairs of glowing eyes staring at her, beneath them, mouths were hanging open.
“Wowza! I wasn’t sure you’d wear it,” exclaimed Sheila, before running over to grab Lucy in a girl hug.
The redheaded beauty wore a similar outfit, only her legs were tan and about a mile long, and her high, perky breasts seemed to stand up and salute. Sheila held Lucy’s arms wide, eyeing her body in a mock-leer that had Lucy giggling.
“You look great, girl. My goodness, you are gonna get so many tips!”
“Oh, please, look at you. You’re like runway model gorgeous,” Lucy replied sincerely.
“Damn, ladies,” said a Wolf with red hair two shades darker than Sheila’s. His name was Weylin, and he’d been quiet but friendly to Lucy over the past two days. “We’re used to this one here, but Lucy, you look good enough to eat!”
Similar comments and a long wolf whistle sounded just before a menacing snarl came from the back of the room. Everyone shut up and Weylin backed away, hands raised in surrender. His glowing eyes were averted, and he bared his throat in deference to his super pissed off looking Alpha.
“It was a compliment, man. No disrespect intended,” Weylin ground out, throat still bared.
She’d seen Derrick staring at her with his eyes glowing gold, that angry rumble still coming from his throat. Instinctively, she stepped forward, shoulders back, head high. So much for being nervous about him seeing her this way. Her inner kitty lent her some much needed cool, and she approached him with the slinky gait of her kind. Sex and confidence dripping with each step as she got closer to him.
He liked what he saw. She could tell by the wicked gleam in his eyes and the bulge in his tight jeans. Fuck, she really liked the way he wore his jeans, perfectly molded to his muscular thighs and calves. Lucy bit her lip, watching as he tracked the movement, but she didn’t slow down.
Derrick tensed, as if waiting for her to stop, but Lucy had other plans. She walked right past him, not stopping until she reached her post at the bar in the back room. Of course, she could not help but shiver when she passed him by, noting the heat that seemed to radiate off his skin.
“Back to work,” Derrick told the rest of the males, who seemed stuck where they’d been standing.
Lucy had to work hard not to grin stupidly. Truth was, she enjoyed rattling the big, bad Alpha. It made her feel powerful, knowing he couldn’t stop staring at her with all the intensity of a hunter stalking his prey.
“What are you wearing?” Derrick’s voice asked from just beside her ear, and she realized he’d snuck up on her while she’d been checking the coolers.
“My uniform. Sheila gave it to me,” she replied.
“Fuck. We don’t have a uniform, Lucy. If we did, it would have more material,” he muttered, and ran a hand through his hair. “Go throw something else on.”
“What?”
“I said you don’t have to wear that.”
“No, you said I should ‘go throw something else on’. What I want to know is why me? Sheila’s been in here for hours, and no one said a word about her outfit. But suddenly, I show up, wearing the same thing, and it’s a problem?” Lucy’s voice was growing louder by the second, but she couldn’t help it.
“Lucy—” Derrick growled, but she did not let him finish. Not this time. Lucy was pissed.
“Is there something wrong with my body? Too many rolls and jiggles for you, Mr. Muscles? Is that it?”
“What? Fuck! Lucy, of course not⁠—”
“Is there something showing I should be ashamed of? Or would you prefer I wear a tent to cover my fat?” Lucy demanded, angry and shaken that he had been so serious in his command.
“Dammit, Lucy! Fuck, no. That’s not what I said or meant. Here, come here,” he growled and took her hand, tugging her down the hall.
She was so angry she went without hardly a fight. Her heart was pounding so hard it was liable to explode from all the hurt and rage. She hardly had time to think about what she was going to say, let alone how to react to the way he quickly pushed her up against the wall the second he closed the door inside his office.
Derrick was vibrating with his own emotions, his ever present growl filling the space and turning her on so much, she wanted to die from embarrassment. Damn him for making her want him, even when he was clearly ashamed of her.
His hard, muscular body pinned hers in place. She felt the thick ridge of his cock pressing against her soft belly, and she couldn’t stop the whimper that escaped her lips. His face was so close she could smell the peppermint he’d sucked on after they all had dinner an hour ago.
“Feel this?” Derrick growled and ground his lower body against her belly.
Oh yeah.
She felt that.
Holy. Fucking. Giganticock.
“I’m harder than I’ve ever fucking been, Lucy. My dick is aching like a fucking virgin in a strip club, for fuck’s sake, and it’s all because of you,” he growled, chest heaving as he tried to regain control.
“What—why did you say that then?” she asked, voice so low she hardly recognized it.
“You look fucking beautiful, Lucy, and I’m losing my mind with wanting you. My Wolf is going wild with the need to claim you, and I am trying, Lucy, I swear to fuck I am. But the longer I wait, the more possessive I get,” he grunted.
“I can’t help it. I’m trying, but I’m bound to fuck up a thousand times a day.”
“So, you don’t think, uh, I look bad in this get up⁠—”
“Fuck, no. Never. You are the sexiest female I have ever seen. I fucking love your curves, Lucy. You were made to fill my hands, and I got big hands, darlin’,” he said, and she could hear the truth in his deep, growly voice.
He was so damn hot, so masculine and forceful, and he was being real with her. She could hold herself back when he was being bossy or cocky, but when he was being honest, fuck, he made her eyes cross with need. His tone was rough but held an edge of pleading to it that made her want to swoon at his feet. It was enough to make all her pink bits throb with desire.
“Look at me, Lucy,” he told her, his long fingers catching her chin when her eyes would have dropped.
Forced to meet his midnight gaze, Lucy trembled in his arms. Derrick blinked again, his eyes glowing with the gold of his Wolf. For the first time, she took stock of the beast peeking out at her, and what she saw was stunning. His Wolf was a wild and untamed beast. A prehistoric monster full of dominance and power. The animal wanted her, wanted to sink his teeth in and claim her, and the only thing holding him back was Derrick’s human side.
The sheer force of his will was what kept her from being claimed already. He was waging an internal war with his animal, and all for her. Nothing had ever touched her so deeply as knowing what this man was doing for her. Shit. She was being selfish. Fate was not something easily denied, and his animal was clearly stronger than any she had ever encountered. If nothing else, that told her loudly and clearly what kind of man he was.
Good. Strong. Honest. True. Caring. Loyal. Trustworthy.
Derrick’s whole body seemed to tremble against hers, and she automatically reached out to cradle him. He was vulnerable with her, in that moment, and maybe that was when she first started to fall for him. Like really fall for him. Big, sexy man, letting her see his soft side.
The raw need on his face plain, and fuck, she felt it too. Lucy swallowed hard. Was she hurting him as well as herself by neglecting his claim and their growing bond? Maybe she was wrong to deny what she already knew to be truth. Derrick Rand was hers every bit as much as she was his.
“Lucy,” he whispered her name and pressed his forehead to hers, holding her as if she were something precious to him.
“No one ever really stuck with me before,” she said, feeling the need to explain a bit of herself to this beautiful, strong man. “I didn’t grow up with an abundance of love and security. My Dad walked out when I was a kid. Mom died after a string of boyfriends left her broken and bruised. If this is real, Derrick, I’ll need a little time to get used to it, to get used to you being here,” she whispered, hating her past.
“It’s real. I know you need time and I’m trying to give it to you.”
“I know you are,” she whispered, petting his chest and shoulders, loving the rumble of pleasure that rattled through him at her touch.
She was not lying. This would take some getting used to. If Derrick really was her fated mate, she’d have to accept him and his claim. She would have to open herself up to hurt. That part was scary, but worth it, right?
Yessssss.
Her she-Cat hissed in righteous joy as she acknowledged the truth, even if only to herself. Derrick’s nostrils flared, and he groaned, closing his eyes as he unconsciously flexed his hips against her. Was it wrong that she found it sexy that he was struggling with control?
She couldn’t help it. Having his body pressed up against hers was doing things to her she’d never felt before. Desire pulsed in her blood, catching like wildfire in her veins. She could hardly breathe, definitely couldn’t talk anymore.