Standing outside training with his men, Ryan couldn't help but look back at the house every few minutes waiting for Lenah to join them.
He was nervous at the thought of seeing his mate after what had happened the night before and still hadn't figured out what he was going to say to her.
The men in front of him were just beginning their warm up before starting their drills.
Before everything happened with Poppy the pack would keep track of training but it was always on a casual basis. Now, they had regimental sessions in place and training had become a serious part of pack life. There was a regular cycle between training, patrolling and time off for all the male wolves but it was proving more and more difficult to maintain.
It was why he wanted to start the women's training sessions but so far none had seem interested.
He breathed deeply and stretched out the muscles in his leg. He'd chosen to wear black jogging bottoms and a grey T-shirt knowing that in all likelihood he would be shifting later on anyway and the clothing was comfortable.
As he was straightening up he noticed all his men staring back towards the main house. He turned to see what they were staring at and felt all the water evaporate from his mouth.
Lenah was strolling towards the men wearing black workout leggings and a tight black crop top with pink stripes across the side. He watched the material pull tight across her chest revealing the tops of her breasts.
As she came to stand next to him, he noticed that many of the other men were undressing his mate with their eyes and he couldn't help but let loose a little growl. It was satisfying to see their eyes drop to the floor. Only he should see his mate looking so delicious.
Turning back to look at Lenah he couldn't help but notice the smug look that covered her face. It was apparent that his mate was playing her own game today.
Originally he'd planned for some of his men to join them on their walk around the perimeter but he refused to allow them any closer to his mate whilst she had so much skin on show.
He had yet to claim her which meant she was still open to other male wolves, a thought that had his own wolf howling to mark her now in front of his men.
Trying to battle against his instincts was proving to be more difficult than he'd originally anticipated but he willed himself not to close the distance between them.
"Are you ready to go?" Lenah's voice drifted over his skin and did nothing to stop his rising hormones. Her husky voice was like the purest symphony to his ears and it drove him ever wilder for her.
He nodded his head quickly, not trusting himself to speak.
Raising his hand, he indicated the direction they needed to go and she began walking away, swinging her hips as she went. The tight leggings highlighted every curve and Ryan envisioned gently biting into her glorious bum before spanking her.
"Are you coming?" She turned back to him and motioned him to follow and Ryan obeyed silently, growling lowly when some of his pack went to follow.
There was no way he was having his men looking at her for an extended period of time.
As he jogged to catch up with her, he could see his second smiling widely at him so he flipped him the finger which caused Luke to smile wider. Luke could think what he liked but Ryan knew he was making the right decision.
As they passed into the forest Lenah let him lead since he knew the territory.
They walked in silence, the sounds of the pack dying down behind them, until they were cocooned in the natural sounds of the wilderness.
Ryan tried to think of something to say to apologise for what happened the night before but nothing came to him. Her silence was driving him crazy but he knew why she was so quiet. She must hate him after Becca's lies.
He needed to at least try to explain things to her.
"Lenah look about last night...it wasn't...it wasn't how Becca made it sound. I'd never do that to you-" He saw Lenah stop moving beside him and turned to look at her.
"Ryan I know. I didn't mean to, but I heard your conversation, I heard you reject her and stand up for me. So thank you." Her dazzling smile told Ryan that he had been forgiven.
He didn't think about his next action before enveloping his mate in a tight hug being careful not to hurt her. She was so small when he wrapped his hands around her. The feel of her tentative hands holding him back almost broke his heart.
Pulling away from her, he kissed her head delicately before looking down at her hands. They were still bandaged from last night so he leaned down and kissed them as well. When he straightened back up he released all but one of them.
His wolf needed the skin to skin contact with his mate and even just holding her hand was enough to satisfy him. For how long, Ryan didn't know, but he was going to enjoy this moment.
Lenah looked down at their joined hands in some confusion but he was surprised when she didn't pull away. She may be fighting her feelings but he knew a part of her wanted this and as long as there was a part of her that wanted him he'd be there for her.
They walked hand in hand to the border where Ryan wanted the spells to be cast. He held the branches out of her way and kept them on course, never letting her hand slip from his, always making sure he was never hurting her with his grip.
Once they reached the edge of the estate Lenah let go of his hand to walk along the area. Ryan could already feel the loss of her hand in his. It seemed the more he touched, the more of her he wanted. He felt like a man starved and it only intensified the more he got to know her.
Watching her eyes darken, she drew symbols in the air and muttered unknown words under her breath. Ryan once again felt the magic soar around him before dissipating once she was finished.
"I've looked at a map of your land and found some key points to set up the spells are you okay to take me there?" He watched intrigued as she pulled out a folded map from her pocket and indicated where she wanted to go.
Some of the areas were close to where his patrols had spotted enemy wolves and he wasn't too happy about taking his mate there but her determined face was not to be messed with. He knew trying to talk her out of it would be useless so he'd have to shift. It spoilt his chance to talk with her but at least she'd be safer with his wolf watching over her.
"I can take you but we'll have to be careful." His tone was serious as he regarded his mate
Walking away from her, he began pulling his T-shirt over his head but stopped pulling at his trousers when Lenah let out a strangled cry.
"What are you doing?" Her breathy voice shot straight to his groin as she looked at him with hooded eyes.
"I'm shifting. Why? Does my nakedness bother you?" He chuckled slowly at her obvious discomfort. Nakedness was such a part of pack life he truthfully had thought nothing about it.
"You've seen me naked before, the night the wolves attacked, remember."
With her eyes still covered by her hand she whispered an unknown word.
"It wasn't like I was focusing on you that night. You might say I had other things on my mind." She said in a breathy hiss.
He was enjoying her reaction so much he decided to throw caution to the wind and shuck down to just his boxers.
Lenah peaked from behind her eyes as she heard his trousers hit the floor.
She just stared at him, desire now clear in her eyes, as they roamed over his chiseled chest leading down to a trim waist and sculpted legs. No man had ever been as perfect as the man that now stood in front of her.
Ryan was now questioning his judgement as his cock began twitching in his boxers drawing Lenah's gaze downwards.
She could see the outline of his cock straining towards her and felt her mouth go dry. The guy was huge.
The sweet smell of Lenah's arousal teased Ryan's senses and had him closing the gap between them in milliseconds, his wolf now fully in control.
Their lips crashed together as their passions took over. He felt Lenah nibble at his lips and he moaned in appreciation allowing her to enter his mouth.
He felt their tongues swirl together as the scent of their combined arousal surrounded them.
Ryan felt himself fall backwards onto the soft grass taking Lenah with him so that she straddled him. Her core resting enticingly close to his cock as he held her face, still kissing her passionately.
He opened his eyes to look at the view of his mate on top of him and found her eyes open looking at him. The fire in her eyes made him ever more harder for her and he felt his hands lift without his permission to caress her curves.
She started to kiss down his throat, grinding herself against him, making him almost dizzy with need.
His hand snaked down to rest on her bum where he urged her to grind against him harder and faster. He almost growled when she obliged.
Raising his hips he met every grind, wanting to feel every inch of her pressed against him.
Her little moans of ecstasy drove him on and he found his hand edging around the band of her crop top where it stopped. He wasn't sure whether he would be welcomed there but his indecision was interrupted by his mate's lust filled voice.
"Ryan, please don't stop, touch me." He looked up at Lenah and saw nothing but acute need that only he could relieve. His wolf howled in victory as his hands pushed her top up freeing her glorious breasts for his pleasure.
He flicked his thumb over one of her straining nipples and felt his mate flinch in pleasure. Holding both her breasts he played with her nipples noticing how her pace increased as she ground her hips against him.
He'd never thought she'd be able to make him harder and yet as he looked at her breasts in his hands he felt his cock swell.
Lowering his head, he drew one of her nipples into his mouth and sucked hard whilst still fondling her other breast.
"Shit Ryan, this feels so good." Ryan could already feel the jerkiness of her movements and knew she wouldn't last long.
He stopped sucking on her one nipple and transferred his mouth to the other, drawing a long moan from his mate.
Her breathing increased, coming in bursts now as she neared her orgasm.
Ryan moved his mouth away from her breasts to kiss up her neck.
"Look at me Lenah." He hadn't meant it to come out as a command but his wolf was too close to the surface. He was glad when her eyes met his.
They were dazed with passion and he saw her close to the edge just stopping herself whilst she looked at him.
"Come for me my mate." He whispered to her.
Ryan held his mate close as her orgasm ripped through her. Her eyes turned black as she threw her head back in ecstasy. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen and he watched in satisfaction as she called out his name and collapsed on top of him.
Wrapping his arms around her he held her to his chest waiting for her to catch her breath. Her skin shone from her efforts and it made Ryan think of tangled sheets.
When her heartbeat finally turned back to normal he regretted that he'd have to let her go. He watched her get up gingerly. Some of her hair had escaped the ponytail she'd worn it in and now stuck to her face.
As he began to rise with her he felt her eyes on him. He gasped as he felt her hand stroke him through his boxer shorts.
"I didn't think. I took what I wanted and left you..." Her big eyes bored into his as she continued to stroke him.
He wanted to hiss in pleasure but knew he didn't need anything.
"I didn't do it to get something in return. Seeing you like that because of me was all I needed." He lifted her hand away from his crotch and kissed her fingers softly.
"And what if I want to give you something in return." Her simple statement had Ryan's heartbeat hammering in his veins. He couldn't think of what to say and his eyes almost bugged out of his head when Lenah lowered herself to her knees in front of him.
Perhaps a stronger man would have tried to stop her but Ryan was done. Lenah had broken him with her simple, truthful statement.
He let out a hiss of pleasure as she eased his boxers down and his cock sprang free. It twitched as Lenah appraised him before wrapping her hand around his shaft and pumping him gently.
The feel of her silky hands around his cock had Ryan groaning in pleasure. A small drop of pre-cum eased out of his cock and he held his breath as Lenah flicked her tongue over him before licking all the way down his cock.
He had to grab a nearby tree to keep himself steady as Lenah took his entire cock in his mouth. Her warm wet mouth was going to push him over the edge.
He couldn't help grab the back of her head as she started a punishing rhythm.
Ryan had to remind himself not to grip her too tightly but soon all conscious thought left his mind. He kept his hips still not wanting to scare her by thrusting into her mouth.
Wolves as a general rule were dominant and aggressive in bed and there would be time to introduce her to this side of him in the future but right now he was more than happy just watching her.
"Fuck, this feels good baby. I'm not going to last long." The affectionate term slipped out of his mouth as he warned her, but rather than pulling away she only sucked harder. Her other hand slipped to his balls and he felt her squeeze him gently.
Ryan tried to pull away as he felt his orgasm crash through him but Lenah refused to let him move, grabbing his bum and forcing him to stay where he was.
He came in her mouth, roaring as he shouted out her name.
He watched amazed as his mate licked her lips and looked proudly up at him. He'd never seen anything more beautiful as he looked at his satisfied mate. She still hadn't pulled her top back into place so he could still see her glorious boobs and her cheeks were flushed from sucking him.
Pulling her up into his arms he kissed her deeply. No one had ever made him feel like that before. It was the strongest orgasm he'd ever had and he hadn't even made love to her.
"I think I'm in love with you." The words just slipped out of his mouth before he could think about them as he looked into her deep innocent eyes.
Lenah's whole body shuttered and she pushed his chest. Forcing him to place her back on her feet.
He hated letting her go but knew she needed to think about what he'd said. Despite the suddenness of the words he knew he meant them. He was already falling for his mate and he didn't want to stop it.
Lenah quickly pulled her top down and rearrange her hair as she walked away from him. It had his heart clenching painfully. He didn't like the distance she'd put between them.
"Lenah please-" He began but she cut him off.
"Just shift Ryan so we can finish what we came out here to do."
He looked at her back noticing how stiff her shoulders had gone. Cursing himself he gathered his other clothes ready to tie them to his leg. It would do no good to talk now, she needed time.
She refused to turn back around to face him as he shimmed out of his boxers and tied the bundle of clothes loosely around his leg.
Ryan tried not to feel disheartened by his mate's reaction but knew he'd pushed her too far.
He shifted into his wolf and felt Lenah walk up beside him ready to follow.
They walked side by side in silence whilst Ryan cursed his big mouth.