Her Noble Owl (Marked By The Moon Book 4) Read online

  He pumped into her and she jolted. Then he hunkered down and licked her clit as he pumped his fingers into her again.

  “More,” she whispered.

  He pumped again, ramping up the tension, and building up speed. He set a rhythm that had her writhing and her fingers clawed in his silvery hair. She was so close, so ready. She was going to come any moment, right there on his hand, moving with him. Then she froze.

  “Stella,” he said, frustrated. But then he heard it too. Russel’s footsteps as he climbed the stairs. Shit. He hadn’t locked the door.

  “Stop, stop,” Stella said frantically. She breathed heavily and whimpered as she crawled away from Cedric, got off the bed, and quickly grabbed her clothes on the floor.

  She barely got dressed, the evidence of their lovemaking hastily covered up, by the time Russel came barging into the room.

  “We’re going to have to work on knocking,” Cedric said as he quickly wiped at his mouth. Oh God, and his dick was so fucking hard right now. Being interrupted like this was fucking torture.

  Russel didn’t seem to hear that remark. He crinkled his nose slightly, probably his wolf nose picking up the sex in the air. Hopefully, he wouldn’t think about that too much. Damn wolves and their noses. Cedric caught Stella fidgeting slightly, very hot and bothered, but she was hiding it remarkably well.

  Russel held out his Spitfire. The plane was finished. Completely done. To say Cedric was impressed would have been an understatement. He was blown away. Russel had the controller and everything in hand, ready to see the thing fly.

  “Let’s see if I did it right,” Russel said.

  “We’ll need to shovel some snow in the driveway for a landing strip,” Cedric replied.

  “Yeah, I tried launching it in my room. Bad idea, but it seems to work.” He held out the controller and plane, enthusiastically moving them up and down.

  “That’s amazing, Russ,” Stella said as she held out her hands for the plane.

  Russel let her inspect it. Cedric came over and did the same with his eyes only. Definitely looked like the kid had it down.

  “You did good,” Cedric agreed as he gave Russel a nod. “We’ll test it out, but take a shower and then we’ll do breakfast first.”

  “Kay.” Russel accepted that without question as he dashed out of the room.

  Cedric quickly shut and locked the door. When he turned back around to face Stella, she was already dropping her clothes to the floor. Her actions were desperate. As soon as she was naked in front of him, one of her hands went in between her legs and she started touching herself, apparently too turned on to wait for him to get back to what he was doing. Watching her please herself like this, the moans, the look on her face, made him weak in the knees, but this was unacceptable. He wanted to make her come.

  He rushed over to her, grabbed her left forearm, touching her Lunas Sigil deliberately, as he forced her back onto the bed and placed his hand on her sex. “That’s my job,” he said. “I’m going to make you come.”

  Stella gasped, but she didn’t complain. They resumed the position they were in before the interruption. He pumped into her hard and fast with two fingers and she let out a strangled scream as her body convulsed around his fingers. He groaned with her because seeing her like this was almost enough to make him come too. He didn’t think his cock had ever been this hard and swollen in his life.

  Stella breathlessly said, “We need to take a shower because Russel will be quick. He’s excited.”

  “Then we’ll be quick too,” Cedric replied. “Unless you’re done.”

  Stella’s response was to shove his sweats and briefs down his thighs. Then she grabbed his thick cock.

  He groaned as he assisted her in removing them all the way. Then he sat back, held captive by Stella as she held his length again, offering a quick caress before she rose to her knees and shimmied onto his lap and positioned his cock at her entrance. Hell, she was so sexy, taking total command like this. The heat in her gaze ran so hot he got chills. As soon as she pierced herself and slid down farther onto his length, they both let out shuddering gasps. She moved lower until they were as close as they could be, and then she moved against him. He reached down to kiss her at the same time.

  She moved and moved, never fully escaping his cock, keeping him inside of her at all times. She came close a time or two, but then she came slamming back down on him again, crying his name, clawing at his skin because she was lost in the throes of passion. He wanted to do this to her every time.

  Every time.

  Cedric’s entire body froze for an instant before he burst, spilling his seed into her and filling her to overflowing. They did not slow their frenetic pace. They were both eager to milk every possible ounce of pleasure out of their coupling. Even after they were both spent, Stella stayed seated on Cedric’s lap, his tired cock fitted inside of her. She seemed reluctant to move.

  She wrapped her arms and legs around him, and he wrapped his arms around her in return. She pressed her face into his shoulder and gently rubbed his skin with her nose. He rubbed his cheek against her hair, catching the gold and brown strands in his scruff.

  Having her like this, intimately, was magical. His Lunas Sigil was a constant and content stream of energy. He was sure hers was, too. The Moon approved of this. Cedric wasn’t sure before, but now he was convinced Stella was his Fated Mate. He wanted to stay with her always. He wanted to keep Russel. He wanted them to be his family too. He wanted to introduce them to Opal.

  Stella moved back so she could look at Cedric. Her starlight eyes were sparkling. They were once void of light, but no more. Cedric’s heart swelled as he smiled.

  “I want to stay with you. So does Russel,” Stella told him.

  “I want you both to stay with me,” Cedric replied. “But we need to take care of some things first. After we fly Russel’s plane, we need to drive into the city so I can get some cell reception. I know a shifter, Rogue. I think he’s looking for Tyler. If we can give him any information, he’ll be able to put a stop to him for good, or if he already has, he’ll let us know. I also think you should still give Blue Pack a chance. We could check the pack out before you make your final decision. I really do know how important a pack is for wolves.”

  Stella was silent for a moment, but she ended up nodding her head. “Okay.”

  “Don’t worry, Stella. I’ll keep my promise.”

  Cedric held his right arm between them. Stella held her left to his, pressing their Lunas Sigils together.

  “I know you will,” she whispered. Then she kissed him sweetly.

  Chapter 15

  STELLA AND CEDRIC PREPARED breakfast together. She didn’t have much experience doing any of this stuff, but they were just making some bacon, scrambled eggs, and waffles. Cedric told her what to do, and she was fine from there. It felt good to be doing this like a normal mother. She especially enjoyed working side by side with Cedric. They kept stealing glances at each other, heated looks that hadn’t cooled at all even after what they did.

  If she wasn’t sure before, she was now. She wanted to keep Cedric Snow.

  “Russ, put your airplane on the couch,” Stella scolded. “You’ll get it dirty leaving it on the breakfast bar anyway.”

  Russel sighed dramatically as he took the plane and set it and its controller on the couch in the other room.

  “Waffles look perfect,” Cedric informed as he hovered over Stella’s shoulder. He rested a hand loosely on her waist and she backed into him for a sort of improv hug. She loved being close to him.

  “How is it you know how to cook, Cedric? I thought for sure you would have had ass-loads of butlers doing it for you.”

  “I happen to enjoy cooking.”

  Stella whispered so only Cedric would hear, “Sexy man.”

  He grinned at her.

  Once the food was all plated and everyone was seated at the breakfast bar, they dug in.

  “How does it taste, Russ?” Stella asked nervously.<
br />
  “Delicious,” he said as he shoveled in another mouthful.

  “Agreed,” Cedric chimed in.

  “Thanks to you.” Stella placed a hand on Cedric’s thigh.

  “Next time you want to make something like this, you won’t need my help.”

  Cedric made her feel stronger. He didn’t coddle her. He was supportive. God, she had never felt as happy as she did this morning with her boys.

  “Hey, Russ,” Cedric said. “How would you feel about being part of a wolf pack?”

  Russel shrugged. “If they were nice, okay I guess—if you’ll be there.”

  Stella grinned and gave Cedric an I-told-you-so look. Her son was attached to Cedric, and she understood why. She felt the same way.

  Cedric shook his head and laughed. “Okay. I’m going to take you both to meet Blue Pack sometime soon then.”

  “But you won’t leave?” Russel asked.

  “I won’t leave. I’ll stay with you two.”

  Stella didn’t know how that would work with Cedric being a Snow. He couldn’t stay in hiding forever. Or, perhaps he could, but she had a feeling that wasn’t his intention when he came back to fix things. She supposed they’d cross that bridge together when they got there, but she would have been lying if she had said it didn’t make her nervous.

  “I promise,” Cedric added as if he could sense Stella’s doubts.

  Stella turned to him, placed her hands on either side of his face, and kissed him. She couldn’t help herself. Russel was staring at them both when they stopped, even though the kiss was short, a peck on the lips.

  “I like Cedric, too,” Stella said quickly.

  Russel shrugged it off, apparently satisfied with that explanation. He wolfed down the last of his food and asked, “Can we fly my plane now? Please?”

  “Yes,” Cedric replied as he finished the last of his food in a couple bites. “Show us what you got.”

  Everyone dressed up warm for the cold. Stella wore the cute outfit Cedric bought her. Then they shoveled snow in the driveway, creating a landing strip for the little plane to hopefully find some traction and take off into the overcast sky. A few snowflakes drifted down from the clouds, but otherwise, it was a clear, lovely day. There was no wind either, so flying conditions were pretty ideal as far as Stella could tell.

  “Let’s give it a try,” Cedric said.

  Russel set his Spitfire down and manned the controls like an expert. Whatever test run he had done in his room must have helped him figure everything out because that plane rolled down the smooth cement of the driveway and then took off into the air.

  “Nice take off,” Cedric commented.

  “Look! It’s really flying!” Russel exclaimed as he took the plane higher. He got creative and made the thing to do a loop-the-loop.

  Stella clapped her hands. “Encore!” she shouted.

  Cedric whistled. “You don’t even need any tips. You’re a natural, Russ.”

  The plane zipped around in the air, darting through snowflakes that were falling more densely as time went on.

  “You sure you’re not secretly a bird?” Cedric commented. “Last time I checked, wolves didn’t know the first thing about flying.”

  Russel laughed and beamed at the man he adored. “Maybe your owl rubbed off on my wolf.”

  “Maybe he did.” Cedric grinned.

  Stella’s heart was full. It had never been so full. Once she had a pack that loved her, and she wanted for nothing. She was happy, but that happiness knew no pain. Her happiness now was the result of years of pain. It made this moment that much sweeter to taste. Stella’s heart soared along with that plane. Was it too soon to feel relief, to feel safe? Because that was what she was feeling.

  A soft breeze blew a familiar scent into Stella’s nose. A scent she hoped she’d never smell again. The hair on the back of her neck prickled as she turned around wildly, in time to hear a howl rip out from the field. And it was close. She could hear his paws hitting the snow with a crunch. Tyler shot through the snow like a bullet, his black and brown blotched fur making him an easy target in the snow—if she had only noticed sooner.

  “No!” Stella screamed as Tyler leaped into the air. She was in the process of ripping off her clothes and shifting, but he would pin her first. She needed to move, but she reacted just a moment too slow. This was it. Tyler was going straight for her throat.

  Stella threw her hands instinctively in front of her and waited for impact, but a streak of white blasted through the air and knocked Tyler back into the snow. Cedric? The snowy owl circled back in the air and screeched with his obsidian talons outstretched and ready to gouge the wolf sprawled out in the snow. One of Tyler’s legs was not right. It looked broken, but he felt no pain. Berserkers felt no pain.

  Cedric dove from the sky, talons first. Tyler had just managed to get back on his feet when Cedric pierced his left eye. He scratched long and hard with a furious flapping of wings before he had to retreat in order to keep air born. He took Tyler’s eye with him. Tyler was scrambling in the snow again, but he was on his feet faster this time. He was snarling with teeth bared, saliva dripping from his black gums. He had an empty bloody socket on the left side of his face where one of his eyes used to be. Drops of red fell from his thinning fur and dyed the snow below in red. His one good eye, yellow and wild, wasn’t trained on Stella. He was hunting Russel.

  “Shift, baby!” Stella screamed as she proceeded to rip off her clothes in a hurry and shifted in a chorus of snapping bones. As soon as her brown and gold highlighted fur had spread across her body, she ran for Russel, using her body to protect him while he was still in the process of shifting. She growled and warned Tyler away, but it meant nothing to a Berserker.

  Tyler ran forward with snapping teeth. Stella snapped back when she saw he was about to leap over her to get to Russel. She was aiming for his throat, but he plowed past her with his red fury. He only knew how to focus on one target at a time or else he could have easily killed her right then and there.

  Cedric dove out of the sky again. This time he buried his talons into the back of Tyler’s neck, gripping his patchy fur and skin in a bloody hold as he flapped his wings so fiercely white feathers fell from them in a flurry of snowflakes. Tyler was biting and snapping, digging his paws and claws into the snow and trying to inch forward, but Cedric was a big and strong snowy owl. He held him back.

  What the hell was she supposed to do? Could she dive in and grip Tyler’s throat? But the sight of his snapping jaws made her think twice about that. He’d have his fangs in her before she had the chance with or without Cedric restraining him. Her hackles were raised, and she couldn’t stop herself from growling as her pup cowered behind her, but it wasn’t helpful.

  Cedric shrieked. Stella’s ears perked up as she looked into her owl’s yellow eyes. He was doing everything he could to hold Cedric back, but he tilted his head ever so slightly in the direction of Cedric’s discarded pile of clothes. Stella caught something glinting in the pile. The car keys! If she and Russel could get in, they could drive faster than Tyler could run. Cedric could follow them in the sky, and somehow they’d figure out what to do. Fuck. She didn’t know how to drive, but here went everything.

  Stella barked at Russel, ordering him to the SUV as she ran for the keys. She snatched them up in her mouth and ran back to Russel’s side. She shifted human again in a rush. It was cold as hell out here even with her warm blood, but she couldn’t complain about that now. She fumbled with the keys, tearing them out of her mouth and gripping them with her trembling fingers as she worked to unlock the door.

  She heard another angry howl and louder snarls. Then she heard Cedric scream. She unlocked the door, swung it open, and then tore her eyes away to look back. Tyler had managed to twist his body around and caught Cedric’s almost purely white feathered belly in his teeth. The white turned red.

  “Cedric!” she cried as tears gathered in her eyes. This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t lose every
thing now.

  Tyler threw Cedric into the snow as he rushed Stella and Russel.

  “Car, Russel!” Stella ordered her wolfboy inside, but he was stunned and confused.

  Stella gathered Russel in her arms and almost succeeded at shoving him inside of the vehicle, but Tyler was too fast. He barreled into her, causing her to fall and hit her head on the corner of the SUV door. She crumpled to the icy cement as her body shut down. Everything turned black for a moment.

  A yelp from her pup woke her up before she could allow the darkness to steal her away. Stella’s head was buzzing as she struggled to her feet. Her vision was blurry, but she blinked a few times to clear it and saw Tyler dragging Russel away in his powerful jaws. Seeing Russel in the clutches of that behemoth wolf made him seem smaller, younger. It made all the growing he had done these ten years look like nothing.

  Stella shook her head to clear the rest of the stars away from her vision, and she shifted once again. Red from the new wound on her head leaked into her eyes, but it didn’t obstruct her vision too much, so she ignored it. She bolted into the snow and ran after Tyler. He was much bigger and much faster, but she wasn’t going to let him have her son. She pushed her legs so hard it felt like they caught fire. She didn’t look back at Cedric. She couldn’t afford to. And, she hated to think this, but Tyler could have already killed him. She growled at the thought. One thing was for sure. If she didn’t go after Russel now, if she didn’t somehow catch up to Tyler and save him, her son would die.

  She regretted ever getting Cedric involved. If she could cry in this body, she would have. It was good she couldn’t though. She needed to keep her head. She would come back for Cedric once she saved her pup.

  Stella’s sensitive ears picked up a strange distortion in the air, like the quick thrumming of a humming bird’s wings. She glanced behind her and into the sky to see a helicopter. Then she heard sirens and glimpsed flashing red lights in the distance.

  What was going on? Did Tyler somehow orchestrate this? The sirens and helicopter were narrowing in on the cabin.