Nemesis - Book 3 of the Hunted series.

Chapter 4 - The hunt starts

As much as wanted to rush, Jeremy had us wait a week while he made sure everything was checked, that Paige and Lucas could research with Elena, that I was fully rested and to make sure, probably, that he wasn't himself about to change his mind and order us to stay behind.

I woke up to breakfast and babies in bed very early the morning we were leaving, fried tomatoes, bacon, eggs, and Nick offering a piece into my mouth before I was even fully awake.

"Morning, love." He grinned at me as I opened my mouth, taking the food, before reaching for another bit.

"Breakfast in bed?"

"You're leaving soon." Nick reached down to play with Susie as I took the spoon and fed myself, his eyes avoiding mine, like he couldn't look me in the face. Couldn't face it.

"Then I'll be back."

"Yes, and I'll lock you into this room." He shivered, sense of humour dry and not working as well as usual, glancing up with that intense stare he had when he was upset. Nick reached up to stroke my hair, playing with it, hand tracing down my neck and across my chest. When I didn't flinch, or pull away, he gently cupped one of my breasts, running his thumb across the nipple through the fabric.

"Agreed. And I'll tie you to the bed." I shivered at his caress, which made him grin a little then, clearly liking my train of thought.

"You could do it now."

"With the three babies on the bed?"

"If you're serious I could move them into their bed." Nick moved closer. Lips finding my neck, slowly, gentle kisses, hand running up my leg. "Cuddles after... unless you still need time."

"Put them in their crib for a moment." I said, after a moment, and he gently lifted each baby up, kissing him or her before lowering them into the crib one by one. Once they were safely out of the way Nick jumped back onto the bed, sliding up between my legs, kissing up the bare skin.

I shivered, shut my eyes, tried to relax. I didn't want to leave like I'd been yesterday, full of fear and guilt, I didn't want the alpha to be the one to separate me from my mate. To destroy the trust I had in him. I wanted to face him loved by someone, still able to be touched, still able to care. Nick's finger tips brushed against the edge of the fabric, then stopped, waiting.

"You better undress me if I'm leaving soon." I said, softly, opening one eye. He relaxed, grinned, and slid up my body to kiss me hungrily as his hands finished undressing me. "I need you to go slow this time."

It took some time, more than usual, before my body responded to him. Nick went slow, so slow that I ended up trying to get him to hurry up, our bodies pleasing each in a way that had me lying there in a daze for ten minutes even as he brought the babies over for cuddles and kisses. No one would do this to me, ever, no one besides this man. It wasn't just fucking. Yes, we did that too, that rough version that was about release, possession and the excitement, but it was also something else.

I kissed him gently as he brought Dominic over, still the salty taste of my sweat on his lips,and he reached up to stroke my hair as I lifted Dominic against my chest and held him there, watching my son's blue eyes lift up to mine and a smile as he recognised me. Somehow Nick managed to get Lily there as well and held Susie, snuggling up to my side, the five of us dozing together.

Kids circled us like anxious sharks as we stood in the kitchen just before eight the three trying to convince us to stay. It wasn't working and Matt was loosing his temper worse than the other two, little wolf-like growls as he kept trying to yank my bag off the table and walk away with it, till we had to put it up high out of his reach. He'd shadowed me the second I'd stepped out of the bedroom.