Running with Wolves Ch. 08

I just love all of you people. Thank you for the support and criticisms, it really is helpful to hear all of your likes and dislikes. For the issues that came up in the comments, the medication was a continuation error, which will be fixed. Flint, however, was not. For the group, Flint is still 'one of them'. His loyalties still lay with his pack and not with the group. For Dominic, his number one priority is his family and their needs, so it isn't their responsibility to make sure Flint is being taken care of. They like him, and feel an attachment, but Flint is with his people and Dominic's group has other things that need to be taken care of before they can begin to think of how others are faring outside of their group.

Hope that makes sense to everyone. All other questions will be answered and resolved with the story line.

On another note, my editor, mordbrand, is not feeling well and cannot continue to edit my story. He has been wonderful to have as an editor and I hope he gets better soon. I am now looking for a second editor again, so if anyone would like to do so, drop me a PM and we can get started!

Oh, and one last thing. Many of you have told me to write faster, but another chief complaint is you want longer chapters. I can't do both, so if I don't post at my usual rate its because I'm writing a long chapter, not because I have died or given up on writing. I will be sure to let you all know if either of those things should happen.

~~~~~

Kate fell onto her bed face first, her red, bouncy curls flopping all around her head, sighing and closing her eyes to rest. She had been shifted into her wolf form ever since Dominic had run that van through the Pine Glen fence in front of the Mayfield Estate. Her body wasn't sore, but having her wolf mind in the forefront for so long had exhausted her mentally. For someone like her who had not been born to this life, having her wolf brought forward for such a long time was draining. It felt nice to be back in her own personal apartment that she shared with Cliff. Each mated couple had an entire apartment type section to themselves that was well soundproofed for privacy. It was nice to have a small area just for the two of them.

Kate could hear Cliff come into their shared rooms, his claws clicking on the floor. She heightened her hearing a bit and could just make out the sounds of his body shifting back amidst the foot falls, his four pawed steps becoming two fleshy 'plats' on the hardwood.

"You, my sweet, have to be exhausted." Cliff murmured as he entered their bedroom. Kate hummed as he placed his hands on her calves and began to gently rub with his thumbs. He worked his way up her legs slowly, dipping slightly inwards as he got closer and closer to the panties she had slipped on before lying down. She lifted her ass up a bit, groaning in light frustration as her mate skipped her intimate folds and continued up, over her butt and to her lower back. Kate wiggled a bit, wanting him to return to his previous spot. Cliff just chuckled, leaning down to drag his nose up along her neck. "So impatient. Haven't I told you before you need to learn restraint?"

Kate grumbled, then moaned as he pressed right on a sore spot near her spine. "I can't help it. I love it when you touch me like this."

Cliff hummed his agreement, pushing hard as he made it to her shoulder blades. "You deserve it. It's only been a couple weeks since you were given the title of Unit Leader, and then you are immediately faced with protecting our Alphas while they finalized the agreements with the other packs, and this situation with our new pack members. I'm proud of you, my sweet Kate."

As he whispered his last words, his lips began kissing back down her spine, his tongue licking each indent of her vertebrae. He worked his way down to the top of the lacy panties again, gently pulling them down to place kisses on the two dimples on her lower back. He had once told her they were one of his favorite things on her body, and always took time to pay them attention with kisses and nips.

Once he felt enough time had been spent on the two spots, her slipped the thin lace material farther down, over another of his favorite spots; the round globes of her ass. On her right cheek, she could feel him kiss the raised scar of the bite mark he had given her while in his wolf form. It had been an act of passion during the first few days of their mating. His wolf had wanted to mark the ass that belonged to him now. She still teased him about it.

Kissing the scar always made Kate wet. Once he caught the scent, he abandoned the scar and grabbed her hips, pulling her ass up with force while pulling the underwear down her legs. Kate giggled at his change in behavior. "I thought I was the one who needed to learn restraint?" She wiggled her lower half once again, taunting him while she spread her knees farther apart to release more of her aroused scent.

Cliff growled at her teasing, smacking her on one round cheek. "Hush your pretty mouth and let me love this pretty pussy."

Kate's laugh was cut off as he shoved his tongue deep into her folds, pressing his stubble covered chin roughly against her clit. A ragged moan was dragged from her throat. She shoved her face back into the comforter, clutching fistfuls of it to the sides of her head as her entire body tensed in pleasure.

He continued to taste her weepy slit, enjoying her groans and gasps as she humped her hips to get more contact. He purposefully brought her to the edge of orgasm, watching for her telltale toe curl that signaled its imminence. When one foot started to rise up, he pulled his face away, going back to his nips and licks on her rear.

Kate cried out in frustration, bucking into his hands. "Oh please don't tease! I need you so bad right now. Please, Cliff!"

Her mate smiled against her flesh, nipping the skin around her sensitive scar. "But I'm showing restraint, sweet. Isn't that what you wanted?"

She rocked her whole body forward and back, feeling the wonderful pull of her orgasm begin to fade. "No. No restraint." Her voice was a whimper. "Take me. Don't hold back, please. It's been too long." With everything that had been going on, it had almost been three full weeks since they had been able to be with one another like this. A blowjob and finger fuck in the back of the van didn't count.

Cliff growled as he knelt on the bed, knees pushing her legs farther apart and arms caging her in. He hadn't bothered to put anything on after he shifting, which she was so grateful for. His voice was husky as he grabbed his cock and rubbed the head up and down her wet slit. "I used to be in complete control of myself before you, sweet. I could listen to a woman beg for hours as I tortured her with pleasure and not feel even the slightest laps in resolve. And yet, a single plea from your lips and I can't help but fuck you like a young pup with no self-restraint. What have you done to this old wolf?"

Before she could tell him being 230 did not make him old, he pushed forward, making her choke on her words and a cry a pleasure to take their place. She felt his wolf push forward as he fucked his mate. It thrilled her to know that someone that prided themselves on their self control would lose it while being with her.

Kate moaned and begged as he rammed into her willing body, his thrusts passionate but becoming measured so as to prolong their coupling for as long as he could. Three weeks did a number on one's stamina. She could already feel her cum running down her thighs and his balls as they slapped against her clit. She came hard, her back arching and her feet coming up off the bedspread.

Cliff never stopped, or even slowed his pace. He just road her continuously through two more limb numbing orgasms before his knot finally began to form. 'No self-restraint my butt.' Kate joked to herself as she felt the edge of the knot press against her lower lips. He put some force behind his next thrust and filled her with it in one mighty push. She cried out louder than before, the sudden pressure in her pussy forcing another orgasm. She whimpered to him. "Oh my Luna, Cliff. I love you so much. I love it when you fuck me like this. I love it when your knot pushes inside my tight cunt. Please cum! Fill me up with your cum PLEASE! I can't take it anymore! Fucking cum!"

Cliff responded to her cries by slamming his pelvis against hers in short strokes as he began roaring his completion. She felt his cum begin to flood her channel, filling her to the brim. When it had nowhere else to go, the warm fluid began filling her womb. It still shocked her to this day how much her mate could cum inside of her. He had explained to her long ago that it was natural for werewolves, but to be told what it would be like and to feel it filling her were two very different things.

She orgasmed again, milking his cock for all it was worth, before finally collapsing fully onto the bed. Cliff followed her down, balancing on his elbows with his forehead pressed between her shoulder blades. She could feel his panting breaths ghost over her sweaty back, making her shiver.

He placed a sloppy kiss on her back as he wrapped an arm under her torso, just under her breasts so that he could help her move farther up the bed. With practiced ease, she crawled up the covers, moaning as she felt the knot rub her channel, and grabbed the sheet. It took a bit of maneuvering, but they finally got settled, the sheet tucked around their waists.

Cliff buried his face in her neck, taking a deep drag of her scent. "It's going to happen soon. I can smell it on your skin."

Kate's eyes widened and she turned her torso so she could look him in the eye. "Really?" His smile grew, as did hers. She hadn't gone into heat during her six years as a wolf, but it seemed that was going to change very soon. She laughed in joy of the news, placing a big kiss on his lips. They would finally be able to start a family of their own.

*

It was late in the evening when Dominic finally woke up. After returning from the meeting his exhaustion had finally caught up to him and he hadn't even waited for Thorn and Cascade to leave. The others had some questions for the pair, but he wouldn't have made it through the first question. He felt much better after the nap, stretching out on the soft bed and feeling his joints pop. It had been a long time since he had been on a bed this nice.

He rolled over, spotting Samantha lying next to him. She had also been exhausted by her hysterical episode and had crashed as hard as he had when they finally got back to their room. After the day they had had, none of them felt like splitting up and they had no issue sharing the same bed with one another.

Looking around the room, he first saw Garrett with Penny. He was dancing with her around the room, being careful of the coffee table and Ben's line of sight to the small TV on the wall. His dancing was to distract her from the discomfort of the drops he was placing in her ear. That must have been one of the things the others as asked about after he crashed.

Jarod was by the door to the hallway, organizing a tall bookshelf. If Dominic remembered correctly, they would be organized first into groups by the authors, then alphabetized by the first title of each authors section. If he didn't like how they fit on the shelves, he would alphabetize them by the author's initials, and if he still didn't like it they would be color coded instead. It was a tedious process, but so were many of his OCD compulsions.

"How long was I out?" Dominic sat up and crossed his legs, being careful not to disturb Samantha.

"It's about 5:30, so a while. Thorn and Cascade were here for about half an hour and Pearl just stopped by and told us they were bringing dinner up soon." Garrett walked over to his side of the bed, checking his bandages and taped up ribs. "How's the shoulder?"

Dominic shrugged, testing the soreness. It made him hiss. "I can move it, but it hurts like a bitch. What did you guys end up talking about?"

Garrett shrugged, helping him put the sling back on. "We got Penny and Jarod's meds, and we got the story on Pearl. Apparently she is going to be "separated" from her mate for a week or so. I don't see the real discipline of that but I'm not in charge so...Your shoulder will be tender like that for a week or two, then the bruising will go down and it will start to really heal. Just don't do anything to agitate it." He gently punched Dominic on his good shoulder and went back to walking around with the baby, who was beginning to fuss for her next meal. Samantha stirred at the sound, then settled back down. "Go ahead and wake her up. Penny will do it by crying anyway."

Dominic nodded and turned to his sleeping friend. She looked so calm in her sleep, he didn't want to disturb her, but they needed to, so he lightly stroked her head to wake her up. "Samantha? Hey sweetheart, you need to wake up."

She groaned and opened one eye, then closed it. "You take care of it." She wasn't really awake when she said it. Dominic laughed and rubbed the space between her shoulders.

"I would, but my nipples are of no use to your daughter." Samantha just groaned louder and began to rise. The sheet fell away to reveal she was only wearing a large shirt and underwear. "Where'd the shirt come from?"

Samantha looked down at it. "I'm not sure."

"Pearl dropped off some new clothes. I put you in that after you fell asleep. You were stripping in your sleep 'cause you were too hot." Ben answered. He never took his eyes off the football game. Samantha smiled and thanked him as she took Penny. She quickly lifted the shirt and helped her baby find her breast, the tiny mouth latching on quickly.

"There are showers somewhere at the other end of the hall. Pearl told us we would be the only ones with access to them so I figured we could go before dinner gets here." Garrett motioned to a stack of clean clothes and towels.

The idea of a shower sounded almost heavenly, but there was still the impulse to take caution. "You go. Take Ben and Jarod with you. After Penny is done eating we will meet you in there. You should be finishing by then and we can clean up while you get dressed."

"Alright. Are you ready to go?" Ben clicked off the TV and Jarod slid one last book into place and stood. With clothing in hand they began to leave. "The door is at the top of the stairs on the right. I'll grab your stuff now so just come on down when she's done." Garrett picked up two extra pairs of clothing and led the other two out the door. Dominic could hear them talking with a feminine voice out in the hall.

Once the door swung shut, Dominic scooted to lean against the headboard, Samantha already doing the same. For a while they just sat in silence, watching the tiny human squirm around her meal.

"How are you?" Dominic asked. It was his first opportunity to ask.

Samantha didn't respond for a moment, simply staring down at her child while she held onto one of her fingers as she fed. "I don't remember much. Just the yelling, the crashing, and then being in this room and everything being calm. After that is fuzzy too but I can remember more." She had tears in her eyes, her hands shaking. "All I could think about was him, the last time I saw him, and I just couldn't...." Samantha bit her lip to keep her tears in.

"There is no shame it that, Samantha. You were traumatized, and it hasn't healed yet. There is absolutely no shame in that."

"But I was completely frozen, Dominic. I sat on that bathroom floor and was so overcome with those memories and fear; I was useless to all of you. I thought I had gotten better but I'm no different than before. I'm still so fucking broken and useless." The tears were falling now.

"Don't say that. Hey, come here." Dominic reached across himself with his left arm and pulled her head to his bad shoulder, ignoring the slight twinge of pain. "You were strong enough to run, and you were strong enough to stand up to that ass I found you with and bring this wonderful little potato into the world. You may have been broken once but you are far from useless and you are mending. What happened today pushed all of us to that same place. I guarantee Ben won't sleep tonight, Garrett probably won't either. And you saw Jarod compulsing with the books. They are all just as affected by this as you."

"But not you." She looked up at him, her green eyes shiny with tears. "You are always so strong. I wish I could be as strong as you are, never afraid of anything."

Dominic shook his head, looking away from her. "It's not strength, Samantha. It's just my fear presenting differently than everyone else's. I was just as scared as you, but I have learned to use my fear to keep myself together. I won't be getting anymore sleep over the next few days than they will."

Samantha laid her head back down, seeming to take in his words. "That day, when you ran with me, I don't think I've ever been more scared in my life, except for the time before. But you were there, holding my hand, telling me you would take care of me and nothing would happen to me or the baby. You were so calm, and it made me calm. It's been like that since I first met you. It's what got me to run away with you."

"You made the decision, Samantha. I just provided the car." He smiled down at Samantha, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Just keep moving forward and your wounds will heal eventually."

She looked him in the eye, hearing the pain in his tone that he had tried to hide. "Have yours started to healed yet?"

Dominic didn't answer, and that was answer enough.

She didn't pry any further, knowing he wouldn't share. He would never burden the others with all the darkness in his soul. He would simply continue to hold it in, until the others were truly safe in this world and he could let them go and lose himself to his demons.

"Oh, and Dominic? I've told you before to stop calling her a potato. She doesn't look like a potato." Samantha had finally regained her light and happy tone. It made Dominic happy.

"She so looks like a potato, she's even shaped like one. All you gotta do is roll her in some dirt and you would never be able to tell the difference."

Samantha made a face at him and punched his leg, which made him laugh.

After a few minutes Penny was done with her meal and they got up to head to the showers. Pearl was standing at the end of the hall by the stairs, her back completely straight, shoulders back. Everything about her body language spoke of determination. They gave a nod to her as they went by, but otherwise didn't acknowledge her.

"Hey."

Dominic turned back as Samantha walked through the shower room door. "Yes?"

Pearl bit her lip, turning her eyes down as she spoke to him. "I just wanted to apologize. For not being here to protect you. I failed in my duty and I am largely to blame for letting this happen. I want you to know that I won't let it happen again."

Dominic watched her fidget for a moment, taking in her guilty expression in contrast to her determined posture. He turned his back to her. "Just keep those assholes away from us."

The shower room was much like one you would see in a nice gym or spa. There was a front room with benches lining a wall of shelves where people could lay their things. There were no lockers, but in a place like this they were probably not needed. The floor was a rough, dark gray tile so no one would slip. Samantha was standing by the shelves, stripping Penny of her onesie. Dominic went to help her, but there was a commotion that drew his attention to the shower room.

The entrance to the showers was to the left and turned right into a short hall that kept the steam in the shower area. There were more shelves in the passageway for towels. Turning back to the left there was a large square room, each wall with a dozen or so detachable showerheads and built in cubbies underneath them for products. Looking in them it was obvious the showers were unisex.