Dire Wolf Mates - Chapter 132: Chapter 132

The days sped by in blissful happiness. Those turned into weeks with no word from the Murder or the Shifter Council. Nica was too busy enjoying every moment to give it much more than a passing thought.
She was busy building a life. Days were spent working in the bar, helping with the triplets, and doing chores in the Pack House. It was fall, but that didn’t stop Thor from building her a miniature greenhouse in the back. She had been so touched by his efforts, her heart almost exploded when she saw what he was doing.
The others all pitched in, and when the outside construction was done, he’d furnished worktables and shelves, set up the plumbing, and went with her to a huge garden center to place an order for things she’d need.
“Are you sure about all this? It’s expensive,” she’d said, worrying.
“Of course, I’m sure. I think we should stop by the community college to get some course pamphlets for next semester, see if they have the kind of classes you were taking before.”
“Really? You would do that for me?”
“I’d do anything for you,” he said, his expression so serious it bordered on bafflement.
True, Nica was a homey sort, and didn’t mind housework or any work. But this touched her deeply. Thor listened to her, and if she was not already head over heels in love with the man, that right there would have done it. He was still protective, always worried about others taking advantage of her work ethic. He didn’t want her doing too much.
“You don’t have to do the dishes tonight, angel,” he told her after dinner one evening.
“I know, but I don’t mind.”
“Here, lemme get ‘em. You go sit and enjoy your coffee.”
She was still stunned a man like that would do things like the dishes, taking out the trash, and carrying the shopping. But he did things like that often. And not in any me strong man, you feeble woman sort of way. Thor was a natural born provider. A soul deep protector, but he had a sweet side, too. She was just lucky and totally happy his gentle side only came out for her.
She’d just finished unboxing an order she’d placed for gloves, hand trowels, sheers, and other gardening tools inside the greenhouse. Next week, she would get her first shipment of soil and seeds. Thor was still working on the heated lights they would need to ensure the seedlings and plants did not freeze during the winter. Once that was finished, he was going to help her build some hydroponic planters. Nica had all sorts of ideas about how to combine hydroponics with traditional gardening to grow things faster and bigger than ever.
For the first time in her life, Nica was truly happy. It was addicting and contagious, she realized, thinking about how much more Thor seemed to smile now. Their days were amazing, but their nights were even better.
It was nothing short of ecstasy, spending each night wrapped up in the man she’d come to love and worship with every inch of herself. Gods, the man was insatiable, and thank goodness, so was she. Thor brought out a side of her she never even knew she had. He might not be demanding in any other aspect of their relationship, but in bed, Thor was the master.
He'd introduced her to more carnal delights, more sensual pleasures than she ever realized existed. Sex was important to Shifters, to everyone, she supposed. When Thor was buried deep inside her, demanding she tell him who she belonged to, well, that was Nica’s favorite thing. She loved the way he made her spiral, the way he pushed her higher and higher, demanding more than anyone ever had, and yes, she complied with those demands willingly, desperately even.
Every. Single. Night.
“Tell me you’re mine, angel.”
“Yes, yes, I am yours. Always. Only yours. Yours. YOURS.”
Her body hummed even now with remembered pleasure, and she smiled as she pictured the things he’d said and done to her just hours ago that very morning. Oh yes. No doubt about it. Thor was a dream of a mate. Gorgeous, physically perfect, kind, funny, smart, sweet, with a direct approach that left her gasping.
He paid her so much attention, and he listened to her when she spoke. He offered his opinion, but never forced it. She didn’t know a mate could be like that. That men, in general, could be fair-minded and tender with their women. Back in the Murder, the males were like tyrants, dictating what the females should be doing and when.
There were only about half a dozen of them. But a more beaten group of women, Nica had never seen. So different from the females of the Dire Wolf Pack. Even Ella and Denise, who had been kind to her at first, taking her in and helping her adjust to Jack’s way of doing things, had changed the way they felt about her the moment they realized she was there to join their ranks as just another mate to the Crow King. Her naïve notions of romance were very short-lived back then. Reality in the Murder was a dream killer.
She’d been so pitifully green, wearing rose-tinted glasses when she looked at the world, so unaware of how badly Jack had abused her trust and innocence. But Nica was not the only one who’d suffered because of his lies. Jack wasn’t a heartbreaker in that cute boy cocky sense people often joked about. He was literally a heartbreaker, in that he tore the love right out of a person, leaving them bereft, gutted and hopeless.
“You think you can come here with your young ass and take him from us? Jack is ours! You’re just a little slut. He thinks he needs you to get himself an heir, but I got that handled. Don’t you worry about it, missy. Just keep your head down and when Jack comes calling, you say no!” Denise had seethed.
It broke Nica’s heart to see the tears in the older woman’s eyes hidden behind her rage and cruelty. That was part of Nica’s curse, though, seeing deeper than most. She only wished she’d seen the truth in Jack’s eyes before she’d gone with him all those years ago. But no. she would not regret the past or her decisions. After all, those had led her here, to her true mate.
Thor. My Thor.
Her Raven cawed, the animal as crazy about the man as her human side was. Speaking of the man, he ambled over to her, wiping his hands on the back of his jeans. She saw the smear of grease and grinned.
He’d been working on his bike while she’d been unpacking her boxes. He wanted to get it ready so he could take her for a ride. It’d taken days of begging, but finally, he’d given in. Good mate that he was, Thor insisted on making sure his motorcycle was in top shape before putting her on the back. As if it would be anything but, she mused.
He was meticulous with all his possessions. Careful and precise in his handling of them, including Nica. She supposed it was antifeminist to think of herself as belonging to Thor, but that was just one opinion.
She found belonging to someone was more liberating than she ever expected. Belonging to Thor was a dream come true. Gods, she loved the man. She still hadn’t told him yet. Not in those words, but she tried to show him every single day.
“Come here, angel,” he growled, his bold gaze raking her from head to toe.
Nica went readily, loving the way he seemed to always want her. It felt so good. It felt so right. After all, she was of the same mind. He kissed her eagerly, with a barely restrained hunger, sending waves of need rippling through her body. She moaned her desire right back at him. Sometimes Nica didn’t know what to do with all that stark intensity and masculinity. She returned his desire, was desperate to get closer to him. Nica only hoped it was enough for him. She wanted to be enough for him.
“You know you are, angel,” he told her, reading her thoughts now that their bond was stronger than ever.
“It’s weird with you being in my head all the time,” she murmured, clinging to him as he slowed their kiss.
Thor stilled, and when she looked up, it was to see him frowning at her. Nica swallowed. Dang. She hated her insecurities were so open to him, but she didn’t want to make him upset, but this was all so new to her. Still, she bit her lower lip and waited for his reaction.
“Do you not like it? I can try to shut it off some of the time at least,” he replied, rubbing his head thoughtfully.
“Oh, I’m not trying to shut you out or anything,” she blurted, one part relieved he was not mad, and the other part worried he might think she didn’t want him.
“No, yeah, I know,” he mumbled, not very convincing either.
He also stepped away from her, which was a first. Normally, when they were apart, even for just a few hours, he couldn’t stop touching her. But not this time. He moved back another inch, and it might as well have been a mile. Nica shivered, cold without his body heat. But there was another reason. She felt like he was distancing himself from her, and it hurt.
“Thor? It’s just, privacy was not something I was really afforded in the Pine Murder. I like that I have the choice here to be private or to share. I do love that we can communicate without words, dang, I am doing this all wrong. I’m sorry,” she said, shoulders sagging.
A long, tense moment passed while she waited for him to respond. It was impossible to gauge his reaction, and Nica was on tenterhooks.
“I hear you, angel, and I’m sorry. This is new for me too, but I’ll try to respect your boundaries, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered. It was a win, for sure, but somehow, she felt like she’d lost something.
“Um, let’s skip the ride, okay? I’m kind of tired. How about we just go for a quick run through the woods right here?” Thor suggested, nodding towards the place that had become like a sanctuary to her.