Chapter 27
Cody's POV.
I watch as Tess takes Willow into the kitchen. Her attention to Willow warms my heart. I can see that Tess loves her as if Willow were her own. Just that simple action makes me love her even more, more than I thought possible. Tess catches my eye just before walking through the door and she gives me a wink. My gosh, she's perfect. I can't imagine my life without her. She's everything.
"So, you're going to be in the hospital with me?" The pack doctor... Justin, that's his name, Justin comments.
I lean back and take a drink of my beer. "Yeah. I was a field medic in the military. I've been an EMT for four years, part-time. I've never worked in a hospital before."
Justin nods. "Alpha says you're a quick study." Micco catches my eye and nods. Justin continues. "Working with wolves is a bit different, but I'm sure you'll get the hang of it. It's not like a human hospital, we don't get sick. It's mostly putting pieces back together and delivering pups."
"Well, I have plenty of experience patching wounds."
Marco's phone chimes so he checks his message. "Holt. Can you be back here in two weeks? The council will need your input."
"I can do that." He answers then takes a drink of his beer.
"Does the council know about me?" I ask.
"Only a few," Marco answers and "My Grandpa will be here. Should I give him any information about what's going on?"
Marco shakes his head. "I have no control of what you tell your Grandpa. I'm not your Alpha, I can't command you to keep quiet." He says with a smirk. Holt chuckles to himself.
"What is the Alpha command? I've heard I've done it, but I don't know when." I ask both Marco and Micco.
"You've done it?" Justin asks, skeptical and Holt gives me an incredulous look.
"That was really a sight to see today." Beta Morris explains with a slight chuckle. "Nunez and Bram get into fights all the time. Bram was shoved into Cody here, but Tess was standing behind him so she got hit with his elbow. Cody commanded them to cut it out, and they did. Everyone in the room could feel that command. My dad and I are both behind you stepping up when Micco steps down, Cody."
"Thanks, Beta Morris, but I still don't understand."
"Call me Ben." He offers and I nod.
"As the Alpha, I have the final say. I give a command and it must be followed. Basically, it's the final word. Ben has had to do it a handful of times. I tell someone what to do, but I put my power behind my words." Micco explains. I think I understand the concept, but I don't know how I could've done it.
Willow comes skipping up to Marco. "Can we run now? Mommy said it's getting late and you promised."
Marco smiles at my daughter. "I did promise, didn't I?" She nods happily. "Alright, go inside and have your mommy help you shift into your wolf. Grampy and I will be waiting for you." She rushes off and the Grandpas go into the woods. The night is getting darker and the idea of Willow running around scares the hell out of me. Tess's hands grip my shoulders and she begins massaging. "She'll be safe. My dad has a link with her and they can talk to each other." "How do they have a link?" I wonder.
"When we mated, you both became part of the pack. Since she's your daughter and you're connected, the links were established then. The only reason I had a hard time feeling her before was because she was too far away. Alphas can reach farther so my dad was able to link me still. I feel connected to her like she's my own daughter."
I close my eyes and feel for my daughter. "Willow?"
"Daddy? You can talk to me too!" She answers then her tiny puppy body comes rushing out of the house and jumps onto my lap. I chuckle as she squirms in my hands. Two monstrous beasts step just into the backyard from the woods. I recognize Marco's gigantic wolf, but Micco is right beside him and I can feel the power radiating off him in waves. His wolf is slightly larger with massive white paws. The rest of his body is gray and black in color. If I didn't know Micco, I would be terrified to come across him.
"Aw, she is adorable." Indy comments as she sits in Justin's lap. She reaches over to scratch behind Willow's little ear.
"Thank you. But I guess I can't really take credit in this department." Willow squirms and scratches her ear with her hind leg, just like a puppy.
"Sure you can. She's dominant. You said her mom was a runt, that would mean a submissive offspring, but you're obviously dominant. Also, she has your eyes." I look up to Tess and she nods then kisses my cheek.
My pup scampers off to bat at Marco's thick tail then dart in and out of his and Micco's legs. "You listen to Grampy. Be a good girl and stay safe."
"I will, Daddy."
I look at Micco's wolf. "She'll be fine. I'll keep her safe. She is my granddaughter after all." I give him a nod then he guides Willow into the woods.
Tess takes my hand and pulls me to my feet. "Let's go."
"We're leaving her here?"
"Leslie has her clothes, she'll get her dressed when she gets back. They'll look after her. She'll be safe, I promise." I trust Tess and I know Micco will keep her safe so I relent and say goodbyes and thanks then follow Tess to her SUV. Tess drives to the end of a dirt road in the middle of nowhere and parks. "We're here."
I squint, trying to see through the trees, but it's so dark that I can't even see the stars through the canopy. "Where is here?"
"We're close to the border." She takes my hand and leads me farther into the woods.
"Darlin', I can't see a thing," I tell her.
"It's a good thing you trust me." She snickers.
I pull her into my body then smack her luscious ass. She laughs again. I palm her cheek and rub out the sting. "You love it when I smack your ass, don't you?" I can't see her face, but I can feel her body as she's chuckling.
"I love everything you do to me." She whispers. I can't resist her. My need for her is constant. I get a firm grip on her thick hair and press my lips to hers. She moans against my mouth but pulls away. "Come on." She pulls me along with her. I grip her hips and stay close behind her.
We walk in silence for a long while when suddenly everything feels different, awkward, like a sudden disconnect. "What is that?"
She turns around in my hands and I can feel Tess looking at me. "It's the border. I was just about to tell you. How did you know?" I explain what I feel to answer her. I hear her hum slightly then she turns back around in my hands. We follow the border for a few minutes until the trees begin to part and the sky is clear overhead. The moon is sitting low in the sky, with its light glowing across a bed of crystal-clear water. The stars reflect on the surface like a thousand fireflies blinking in and out. It's breathtaking.
I sink closer behind Tess, wrapping my arms around her. "This is amazing," I whisper into her ear, then pull it between my teeth. She practically purrs from the sensation. I move my mouth lower, my teeth grazing her skin. She shudders in my arms. Her fingers comb into my hair and I let my hands roam free over her gorgeous body. I can hear each pant that escapes her sensual lips.
Tess's body is on fire and I'm the only one that can put out the flames. I pop the button on her sexy shorts and my hand slinks under the silky fabric of her panties. Her skin is smooth and firm. Moisture greets my finger as I glide down her slit then press into her. She gasps so I continue to move in and out of her, using my thumb to manipulate her swollen clitoris. Adding a second finger, I delve deeper until I find the sought-after magical soft spot. The spot I know will give her absolute pleasure. Her body quivers against mine as I nibble her mark and she cries out as fluid coats my fingers and she gasps to collect her breath. I kiss her mark and pull my hand free.
Tess turns around to face me, her arms snaking around my neck. She says nothing, but the look in her eyes, I can clearly see, says how much she desires me. I press my lips to hers.
A howl sounds beside us and Tess abruptly pulls away with a gasp. "Silas. Don't do anything stupid." The wolf walks out from between the trees, snarling at me. Tess steps in front of me, shielding me. "I'm serious, Silas. I will kill you to protect him. Back off." The wolf, Silas sniffs the air and I know he can smell Tess's arousal. I slowly move my fingers to my lips, taunting him as I taste my mate's fluids, so sweet, so erotic. The wolf growls and takes a threatening step forward. "He's my mate for fucks sake." If you could describe the look of shock on a canine's face, that is how Silas looks now. His head moves only slightly as he looks between us. Tess lifts her hair to show him my mark. With a soft whimper, the wolf turns and leaves us in the clearing. "Shit." I barely hear Tess say.
"Old boyfriend?" I guess.
She nods still looking in the direction the wolf left. "Kind of. He would've been my choice if it came down to it." My heart aches momentarily at the thought of her choosing him. But she didn't. She chose me. I'm her mate.
I grip her tight and sink my teeth into her neck, deepening the mark already there. She grips my arm and cries out. Shock overwhelms me as I realize what I've done. I remove my teeth from her neck and step back in shame. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me."
Tess turns to face me. "It's our bond. You're possessive of me." She holds my cheek and makes me look into her eyes. "You didn't hurt me, Cody." She softly nibbles her lip. "It actually made me cum, again."
I grunt at the thought of her having that kind of reaction, but I'm still horrified by my actions. "That doesn't excuse my actions. I'm not some kind of animal."
Tess lifts her chin. "I am."
The look of defiance on her face makes me realize my words. "I'm sorry, Darlin'. I didn't mean that. I love you for who you are, I don't care if you're not human. Forgive me."
I watch her eyes as they slowly soften. Finally, she nods. "Forgiven. I know this is all new for you."
I pull her closer and rest my cheek on her silky hair. "Thank you, love.