Hunter's Heart

Chapter 42

She came awake to the feeling of lips gently pressing against the corner of hers. She was warm and comfortable, too warm and comfortable to want to emerge from sleep just yet. Through the fog of sleep, she felt that the mattress in front of her was depressed and the scent of sandalwood told her it was Christian sitting next to her. Almost as if to confirm what she already sensed, she felt a large hand gently stroke her hair, the touch unmistakable.

"Time to wake up, little wolf," Christian said softly as he gently ran his hand over her hair.

Quinn kept her eyes firmly closed, determined to try and fall back to sleep, even when the Alpha General chuckled softly and leaned down to brush his lips against hers again. "Come on, little wolf. You can't sleep all day."

She made a sleepy sound of protest and shifted, burying herself under the covers. It was Christian's fault she was so tired anyway. His possessiveness and jealousy that had been gradually building throughout the day before had finally got to breaking point and he was on her the moment they were finally alone in their suite. It seemed the Alpha General's wolf had not been pleased with having to endure seeing other males being so close to its new mate and led to him feeling the need to stake his claim on her in the most basic way. It didn't matter that the males in question were members of his family and didn't mean anything by their embraces. They'd just been glad to see she and Christian were alright after thinking they would never see them again. No, Quinn belonged to the Alpha General and he had ensure both his wolf and Quinn herself were reminded of that.

"There's breakfast waiting for us in the living room," Christian told her, his tone making him sound like he was trying to bribe a small child into doing something they didn't want to do.

"... will eat later," Quinn mumbled sleepily and rolled over away from him, pulling the covers over her head as she turned. Maybe that way he would get the message and let her sleep. The annoying male had been almost insatiable during the night and it hadn't helped that her own wolf had been all too willing to give him whatever he wanted, for however long he wanted. The moment he decided he was ready to go again, her wolf was happy to oblige. Which was why she was so exhausted now. Didn't he get that?

She sensed something similar to mischief coming from Christian for a moment, just before he pulled the covers back down and said, "The Alpha Prime is in the living room as well. Waiting for us to give him that report he needs."

"What!?" Quinn lurched up wide eyed, throwing the covers off of herself. "Why didn't you say so?"

Without another word, she shoved her mate aside without even looking at him and made to get out of bed, only to get tangled in the sheets and topple out of the bed in her haste to leave it. Christian chuckled softly in amusement and reached down to help her to her feet.

"Calm down," he said, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "Caine's not particularly in a rush just yet, little wolf. You can take your time."

He leaned down to slant his lips over hers in a soft and teasing kiss, and she grudgingly kissed him back, unable to resist. But she forced herself to pull away before he managed to distract her, and stalked over to the dresser to pull out a couple of things before she made her way into the bathroom.

"Want me to join you in there?" Christian asked suggestively and Quinn shut the door with a snap in response before her wolf decided it was tempting enough to override her human side.

*

Caine clasped his hands tightly behind his back and paced back and forth across the middle of the suite Christian and Quinn shared, mostly silent save for the odd displeased growl that rumbled from his chest every couple of minutes. His expression was dark, his brow furrowed deeply, and anger rolled off of him in waves as he contemplated everything that he had just been told. His big body was almost completely rigid it was so tense, his back so straight his spine may as well have been a broomstick.