Wolf Mountain Peak Complete Series, page 42
part #1 of Wolf Mountain Peak Series
“Helena, please!” Melissa cried, her voice broken as she stared down at the witch. “Don’t hurt him! I told him to come here!”
“Foolish little girl!” Helena snarled, snapping her head towards her, her eyes fading to their normal, red shade, as she jerked her staff away from him. Joe inhaled hard, shutting his eyes, as his brows twisted. “I warned you about him, and what do you do? You bring him right in our town!”
“He needs help,” Melissa stated, struggling to maintain a calm tone, as she took a short step towards Helena. “He wants to break free.”
“Free?” Helena squeaked, her eyes glinting with amusement, as she cocked her head towards Melissa. “My God…” She sighed, running her hand through her hair. “You really have no idea about the mess he is in, do you? What about you, counselor?” She asked, turning her gaze to him. “What do you think is going to happen, when the demon comes to harvest your soul? Honestly, do you believe that you’ll die peacefully in your sleep?”
“Enlighten us, please,” Melissa requested with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
“First of all, he is beyond redemption,” Helena replied in an emphatic tone, as her smile fell from her lips. “I don’t know the name of the demon who offered you that deal, but demons are not famous for their mercy. The most common method of harvesting one’s soul is the use of hell hounds. Large, black dogs, invisible to the eye will tear him apart. His death will be brutal, yet mercifully swift.”
“Azazel,” Joe interjected, settling his gaze on her face. “His name is Azazel. And I already knew about how I would die. He told me.”
“Will you please help him?” Helena frowned at the sound of her pleading tone. She threw one look up at Joe, and then slid her gaze back to Helena.
“Come with me,” The witch urged, starting forward. Melissa sucked in a deep breath, as the witch’s words swirled in her mind. She didn’t want to believe that Joe was doomed, not even for a second. Nevertheless, Helena’s judgment was rarely mistaken. Her beliefs had been shaped by decades of experience: watching a vast number of battles, and living through a vast number as well. The chances of her being wrong were very slim indeed. After putting enough distance between them and Joe, she moved around a balsam fir tree.
“No wonder you are closer to Dean than you are with Raul and Ray,” Helena whispered, stealing a glance at Joe, as she leaned closer to her. “You’re both suffering from the same disease.”
“What disease?”
“The Messiah Syndrome,” the witch explained, slightly raising her feathery voice. “Dean meant to save your friend Kate from her misery. To accomplish that, we had to face a strong, vicious foe. But still, Marianne McIntyre could be managed. She was a powerful witch, but a witch all the same, not a creature of the underworld. This…” she faltered, exhaling hard. “This is way more dangerous. I’m sailing in uncharted waters. My knowledge on demons is quite limited.”
“I’m not asking you to fight anybody, Helena. I just want to know if his soul can be saved.” Melissa clarified, her voice fading, as she risked a sideways glance up at him. “That demon took advantage of his weakness. He shouldn’t have to pay with his life for that mistake.”
“Theoretically? Yes.” Helena gave a firm nod. “Your counselor could offer Azazel someone else’s soul in his stead. But demons are foul creatures, my young one. They cannot be trusted. There’s no telling what he will do. He could come back later, and claim what is his. Anyway, I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you,” Melissa sighed in relief. This time, the witch did not come up with a rebuttal. Her lips curved into a sweet smile, as she tapped her staff on the ground. A red cloud of smoke sprang from the bottom end of the stick, as her ears caught the sound of his quick footsteps. Melissa realized that she was just seconds away from the most challenging revelation of the night, as Helena vanished into thin air.
“Stay right where you are, Joe!” She commanded, turning to lean against the tree.
“Was that a real witch?” His question put a smile on her face. Still, she had no time for jokes. Melissa pulled her shirt up and over her head, feeling her pulse rising.
“You’ve sold your own soul to a demon,” she muttered, reaching behind her back to unclasp her bra. “This shouldn’t surprise you.”
“Unbelievable,” he sighed, shaking his head in disbelief, as she kicked her shoes off.
“Not as unbelievable as what you are about to see.” Melissa thought to herself, unbuttoning her jeans. She pulled them down her legs and off her feet, readying herself for what she was about to do. Finally, she tipped her head back, closing her eyes, as she drew in a sharp breath. Joe ducked at the gunfire-like noise of Melissa’s jaw stretching and growing, as big, pointy ears sprouted from the back of her head. Her hips changed shape, her legs shortened and thinned, as her light-gray fur replaced her human skin. The wolf whirled around, and padded out of her hiding spot, her gaze locked on him. Joe opened his mouth wide, awe and amazement written all over his face, as their eyes met.
“My God…” he whispered, banging his hand against his forehead. “This can’t be real.”
Melissa’s response came in the form of a loud yip, as she paced towards him. All of a sudden though, he jumped up. Disappointment unfurled in her chest, as he spun around.
“Damn it,” Joe groaned, frantically looking around him. “Where the hell is my cell phone?”
Before long, he noticed a white glow, a few yards across from him, on the right of a tree.
“Please don’t act like an idiot. Don’t take a picture of me, or I swear to God, you’re going to regret it,” Melissa thought once more, as he picked up the device from the forest floor. But Joe did no such thing. Instead, he turned on the flashlight on his phone, and then pointed down at her face. The blinding light forced her to tear her gaze away from him.
“You’re the wolf I saw, up at Acheron River,” he remarked, his surprise sending his baritone two octaves up, as he stared down at her. “Are you a magician of some sort?”
His last inquiry was not at all entertaining. Melissa’s wolf let out a deep snarl, lowering her head, as she padded back towards the tree. Unfortunately, Joe was ignorant, especially for a man who had some awareness of the supernatural. Shifting back into human form, Melissa bent down and picked up her panties.
“Don’t move unless I tell you to,” She grumbled, putting her underwear back on. “You’re disappointing me, Joe. I thought you’d have figured it out by now.”
“Which part?” Frustration was lingering in his voice, as he thrust his arms out.
“Hold on. I’ll be right with you,” Melissa replied, clasping her bra against her breasts. His sweet scent rose above every other smell in the woods which gave her goose bumps as she once again bent down to grab her jeans. Just when she was about to stand up his black boots came into view.
“You took your clothes off,” Joe remarked, his tone of voice sounding suspicious. “How come?”
“I’m a shape shifter,” She replied, a hint of anger in her tone, as she raised her eyes to glare up at him. “Part human, part wolf: I had to undress myself, because clothes get ripped during the transformation. And it’s not polite to peep.”
“Sweet mother of God,” he whispered, his eyes widening in surprise, as he stared into the void.
“You told me the truth about you. I just thought I should do the same,” Melissa stated, pulling her jeans up her legs, as she gauged his reaction. Suddenly, Joe raised his gaze up. The corners of Joe’s lips lifted upwards, as he leaned in towards her. Lifting his hands up to her shoulders, he gently held her closer.
“I couldn’t care less,” he said, his deep voice softening, as he gazed down into her eyes. “You barely know me, and you offered to help me. Nothing else matters.”
His words sounded like music in her ears. The warm look in his eyes – that had enthralled her ever since she saw it in the cemetery – made her heart thump against her chest. Yet, before Melissa could react in any way, Joe tilted his head down, angling his lips. His kiss ignited the fire within her, as he slid his large hands across her shoulders and up her neck. This time, the notion that it would be their last kiss would not spoil it for her. She felt her feelings dissolving, her joy, deep inside her, growing like wildfire, consuming everything in its wake, as she threw her arms around his neck. There was no bitterness in it like their first time, or any haste, like the night before in the parking lot. Instead, it was filled with care, and a desire that had been kept secret from her, up until that moment. Joe was cupping her cheeks in both of his hands, holding her, his fingers trembling as he conquered her mouth. Raising his lips from hers, he laid a quick kiss on the dimple above them, and one more on her forehead, as he eased her into his embrace.
“And to think that I treated you like crap…” he sighed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
“Stop thinking about that,” she whispered, savoring the closeness, as she rested her head on his chest. “You’ve already apologized for it.”
“Hey…” Joe pitched his voice louder, opening his eyes, as he leaned back. “Is that why you scared the hell out of me when I ran into you?”
“Yeah,” Melissa snorted in amusement, nodding at the same time. “I had to pay you back somehow.”
“Well, I deserved that,” he admitted, dropping his gaze from her.
“Now, can I please finish dressing myself?” She requested, making her voice sound sweeter.
“Sure.” Joe said with a smile, glancing down at his watch, as he brushed past her. “Damn, it’s late. I must be on my way soon.”
“Not before I offer you a drink in my cabin,” Melissa retorted. “Don’t worry. It’s pretty close.”
“One drink,” he raised his index finger in the air. “Then, I’m out.”
“Yeah, right,” she told herself, as a mischievous smile formed on her face. Melissa was not going to tell him of course, but a drink was not exactly what she had in mind. She was happy, yes, but there was only one thing that could make her even happier, and it was not alcohol.
Chapter Ten
A romantic sight caught Melissa’s eye, as she and Joe headed towards the edge of the forest: A narrow, dim patch of moonlight between two trees, at the border of the woods. And, as she looked up into the sky, she discovered the reason behind the absence of any similar patches. The moon was just beginning to peek through the foaming billows. All she could see was the top edge of the globe, casting its pale light upon the valley, as it broke through the clouds. Was this a sign of better things yet to come? She couldn’t know. What Melissa did know, was that the sensation of Joe’s hand in her’s gave her a reason to smile. Her dream of being with someone worthwhile was coming true. It was still very new; there would be many obstacles along the way, threatening to destroy it, but she would not preoccupy herself with speculating what they might be. She was walking with Joe under the moonlight. Why should she trouble her mind with anything else?
Much to her pleasure, the lights in her brothers’ cabins were out, including Raul’s. By then, Joe’s scent was so strong that an open window could give away his presence. She meant to keep their relationship secret, at least for the time being. Certainly, Raul, Dean and Ray had to know about him. Helena or their mates could have broken the news to them, and neither of them was as lenient as the witch. They could rip the poor man apart.
“Here we are.” Melissa announced, pushing the front door of her cabin open.
“Hmm…” Joe hummed, rubbing his cheek, as he strode into her kitchen. “You guys don’t lock doors around here?”
“That’s one of the perks of being the Alpha’s sister,” She responded, with a smug smile on her face. “No one messes with you.”
“Alpha?” Joe squinted down at her, as he closed the door behind him.
“Oh, man…” Melissa huffed in exasperation, shutting her eyes, upon the realization that she would have to explain the basics of her world. “Wolves live in packs. There is a pack right here in Paxton. My brother Raul is the Alpha male. He’s the leader. My other two brothers are his lieutenants. To hurt me or them is a serious offense. You could get killed for it. By the way, this stuff stays between us.”
“Alright; my lips are sealed,” Joe nodded and then pressed his lips together, miming locking them and throwing away the key.
“Go have a seat,” she urged, waving him away. “What can I get you?”
“Beer would be nice,” he responded, peering ceiling-ward as he sauntered towards her couch. “I like what you’ve done with the place. It’s pretty cozy. I feel like I’m in one of those fancy cabins in the Alps.”
“Thanks,” Melissa muttered, taking a beer bottle out of her fridge, as he seated himself on her couch. “My brothers built it for me when I graduated from high school, six years ago. They threw a huge party when they finished it. I can’t blame them; it took them three weeks of hard work.”
“Aren’t you going to join me?” Joe wondered, as she set the bottle down on the table in front of him.
“Actually, no,” she uttered, her voice a husky whisper, separating her legs as she bent down towards him. “I’m in the mood for something…” she paused, putting her knees on the couch, “…a little hotter than that.” Joe gave a short chuckle, snaking his arms around her, as she sat on his lap. Melissa pressed her lips against his mouth, lifting her own arms up to cup his face, surrendering to her impatience to taste him yet again, as his big, soft hands, snuck under her shirt. She wanted him; she longed for this lonely man, the closed book that was slowly opening up to her. She wanted to claim him as her own. Joe was a prize: a 6’3”, gorgeous, sensitive prize, who had shut himself off from women, but had not been able to resist her.
His hands traveled up her back, mapping out her skin, as the tip of his tongue teased the edge of her mouth. Darts of desire shot through her, as he traced his tongue along her lower lip. A low whimper escaped her, as she felt his fingers fiddling with the clasp of her bra. Before she knew it, her breasts had spilled out of their lace cups, as she trailed her index and middle fingers across his jawline. Rushing pleasure was quickly building inside her. She could feel his hardness under her hips, growing beneath her, as she stroked his face. Teasing her fingers up his cheek, Melissa tugged at his lower lip, as his hands crept around her back. She ground against him once, as his thumbs brushed the undersides of her breasts. Tipping her head back, she released his face, in eager anticipation of his caresses. As she reached down to grab her shirt however, she felt a strong, upward push. Her playful squeak filled the air, as her feet left the floor. Joe turned Melissa around in his arms, his eyes filled with wanton desire.
“You’ll like it better this way, little girl,” he said, his baritone dripping with lust, as he eased her down on the couch. Kneeling down on his feet, he reached towards her and unzipped her jeans, as she pulled her shirt up and over her head. Gripping them by the waistband, Joe slid her jeans down her legs, his gaze locked on her face. Stopping at her ankles, he took her shoes off, and then pulled them off her. A deep grunt fled his lips, as he wrapped the fingers of one hand around her ankle. He hadn’t touched her yet, but the lust in his eyes, along with his patience, were sending waves of heat to her loins. Joe raised her leg up in the air, and brought it to his level. Tipping his head down, he began to kiss his way up her calf as his hands followed his mouth. Melissa bit her lower lip, enjoying the sight of his masculine face worshipping her leg, savoring the warmth of his breath on her skin.
“So long…” Joe whispered, planting a fiery kiss on her knee; “…so smooth; just beautiful.”
Unable to come up with a rebuttal, she tilted her head back, feeling his fingers on her inner and outer thighs. He wasn’t just trying to turn her on. He was taking her on a sensual journey, one that she couldn’t believe she was embarking upon. His every word spurred her arousal. His touch seemed to promise an unforgettable trip to the land of pleasure, a journey to the world of sensation. Joe’s lips reached her hip, as his knuckles brushed against the fabric of her panties. Melissa believed that he would linger there. More than anything in this world, she desired to feel his mouth all over her most sensitive areas. But, he had a surprise for her. Joe flicked his tongue over her thong, as he smoothed his hand over her pussy, forcing a longer whimper from her. Narrowing her eyes to slits, her breath getting heavier, she watched, as he made his way up her stomach. By now, her wetness had seeped through her panties. His hand slid up the valley between her breasts, causing her body to tense beneath him. Opening his eyes, Joe let his gaze roam over her big, supple globes, exhaling gently on her skin. Melissa tilted her head back, a soft moan escaping her, as his lips landed on the underside of her left breast.
“Kiss me…” she whimpered, reaching forward, as the tip of his tongue tantalized her flesh. Tracing his index finger around her other nipple, he nipped her breast with his teeth first and then kissed it, as she gripped the back of his hair. Melissa pressed him down onto her, feeling her nipples hardening, as he sucked her left one into his mouth, driving stakes of lust into her belly. She could feel his warm tongue running circles around the peak, teasing, taunting, and sending every nerve in her body into overdrive. Joe pinched her right nipple lightly, before filling his hand with her breast, her delectable flesh pushing eagerly against his hand, as she knitted her fingers through his hair. He flicked his tongue over the swollen peak of her nipple, grunting, as she tipped her head forward. Melissa’s vision was blurry. She didn’t need to visualize what he was doing to her; she enjoyed it nonetheless, as Joe’s mouth and hands were offering her all the attention that she craved. Running her hands down his head, she stopped them on the sides of his neck, and pushed him back, dying for one more kiss.
“Oh, baby…” Melissa whispered, claiming his lips, as she pulled him towards her. Their mouths joined in a long, fiery kiss, as he reached down her body. Without wasting any time, Joe hooked his index fingers into the waistband of her panties, as she splayed her fingers over his cheeks. She lifted her ass off the couch momentarily, as he slid her thong down her legs. Rolling her underwear off her feet, he tossed them over his shoulder, as his other hand got busy undoing the buttons of his jeans. Joe tugged his pants down over his hips, pulling them down his legs, as she let go of his face. Melissa grabbed the collar of his shirt, as he exposed his big, throbbing cock. Buttons sprayed her floor, as she ripped his shirt open. His short laugh filled her ears, as she leaned her back against the couch. Peeling off his shirt, Joe slowly rose, running his gaze down her body. Melissa’s eyes landed on the perfect line between his pecs. She had already caught a glimpse of his masculine chest, but seeing it in all its glory was entirely different, sending sparks of arousal dancing up and down her thighs. But, not even a sight as sexy as that could compare to the one that greeted her, as her gaze roamed down his body. Joe had wrapped his fingers around his large, stiff cock, biting his lower lip, as he stared down at her pussy. A thick drop of precum dripped off his cockhead, as he pulled his foreskin back. Bending his knees, he gripped the base of his shaft, as he aligned it with her entrance. Melissa released her breath on a deep, lustful sigh, as the swollen head dipped inside her.
