The Omega's Heart (Wilde Creek Four) Read online

“You’re the part of my heart I didn’t know was missing. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

  “Oh, Jer,” she whispered, her eyes shining with tears. Their lips met and she melted against him. A weight lifted off his shoulders as he held his mate in their new home. He didn’t have to change his whole life because he’d suddenly become able to shift. He was right where he wanted to be, with his mate by his side.

  “Let’s go see the rest of the house,” he said, breaking the kiss.

  “I can’t wait.” She smiled.

  Clasping their hands together, they headed down the hall toward the kitchen, ready to see their new home.

  Chapter 13

  On Sunday afternoon, Honey was scanning the tops of the kitchen cabinets to make sure she’d gotten up every last bit of grime and dust.

  “I had no idea kitchen cabinets could get so gross,” she said as she turned to look down at Jeremiah.

  “Me either,” he agreed, wrinkling his nose.

  She stepped off the counter and into his arms. He kissed her and set her on the floor. “Who needs a ladder when I have you?”

  “I’m glad to be of service.”

  She looked around the kitchen, which she had decided to tackle while Jeremiah cleaned the bedroom. The room was yellow, which happened to be her favorite color, and had cute curtains with sunflowers on them. Although the appliances were old, they were working, and that’s all that mattered for now. Jeremiah promised they would upgrade the appliances once they were settled, but cleaning was the most important thing.

  Tonight they were spending their first night in their new home, and they were trying to get as much cleaned as they could. Since they were starting their new duties as stewards tomorrow, this was the last night of their mating time – what humans would consider a honeymoon.

  “What?” Jeremiah asked, his hands cupping her hips and drawing her close.

  “I was just thinking that we’re kind of on our honeymoon.”

  “I suppose so. I should’ve taken you somewhere instead of spending our time cleaning.”

  “I wasn’t complaining,” she said, leaning against him and resting her cheek on his chest.

  “The kitchen looks great, sweetheart.”

  “Thank you.”

  They walked back to the master bedroom. It had a full-sized bed and one nightstand, and a walk-in closet next to the attached bathroom.

  “Are you even going to fit on the bed?” she asked as she sat down. Earlier they’d washed the mattress pad and sheets, but they’d had to add pillows to their shopping list because the ones that had been left behind were so old they disintegrated in the washing machine.

  “I’ll manage. We can order a bigger bed this week.”

  There was a lot to do still, but the two main rooms in the house were clean, and that was what mattered.

  “What should we do for dinner? We could go to Luna’s again,” she suggested.

  “I’ll make something. Why don’t you clean up and I’ll meet you in the kitchen?”

  “You don’t have to cook for me.”

  His head tilted slightly. “Are you going to say that every time I make a meal for you?”

  “I know how you feel–”

  He stepped close and went to his knees, resting his hands on her thighs. “Honey, this isn’t like me working for the alphas and other pack members. Anything that I do for you is because you’re my mate and I’m crazy about you. It’s no different for me to cook for you than for you to do it for me.”

  “Are you really?”

  “Really what?”

  “Crazy about me?”

  He grinned. “Completely.”

  She returned his smile. “I’m crazy about you, too.”

  “Good. Then let me make dinner for us on the last night of our ‘honeymoon,’ and tomorrow after work we’ll talk about the mundane stuff like who’s in charge of laundry and cooking.”

  “Okay. But I’m telling you right now that I don’t like cleaning toilets. It’s just… gross.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll make a note of that.”

  He kissed her gently and stood, giving her one of his devastating smiles which hinted at future naughty activities, and left. She stretched out on the bed with a sigh and looked at the ceiling. The room smelled like wood polish, and she peeked backward and saw the old wooden headboard was now gleaming. Jeremiah took pride in his work. He looked at every job as if it was important, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential.

  The scent of cooking meat made her stomach growl, and she got up to pull clothes out of the dresser. Saturday evening they’d gone to the mall and shopped, because most everything in Jeremiah’s home had been ruined by either smoke, fire, or water. Even Stacy’s quilt and diary, the only material things that had mattered to her, had been ruined. She knew the important thing was that they had survived; even if she couldn’t replace the quilt, she still had her memories, and those couldn’t be destroyed with fire.

  The bathroom was tiled in pale blue, with a white vinyl floor patterned with blue flowers. It was spotless, even the toilet. She smiled to herself as she turned on the faucet in the tub. Jeremiah could definitely take over the bathroom cleaning when they split up the chores.

  As she showered, she thought about Jeremiah saying that he was crazy about her. She was definitely nuts about him. They’d only been together for a week, but she felt like she’d known him forever, no matter how clichéd that sounded in her mind. He’d accepted her, fought for her, and stood by her through some of the harshest circumstances she’d ever endured. He was sexy and sweet, and she loved how he was a gentleman to the core. Her feelings for him were slowly deepening, and she knew that she was falling in love with him. Somewhere between her wandering into his yard on the full moon and him cleaning the toilet, he’d proven that he was the only male for her.

  By the time she walked out into the kitchen, the sun had gone down, and Jeremiah had set the table for dinner. Candles burned in the center of the table, and she paused and looked at him as he stood next to a chair.

  “What did you do?” she asked, walking to him and sitting down as he pushed her chair in.

  He moved to the oven and opened it, used hot pads to remove two plates, and closed the door with his hip.

  As he set the plates down and took his seat, he said, “I thought it was appropriate for us to celebrate tonight by candlelight. It has absolutely nothing to do with the light bulb in the overhead light burning out and us not having any replacements.” He waggled his eyebrows at her, and she grinned.

  “You’re so romantic, Jer.” She chuckled and leaned over for a kiss.

  Their plates held steak and baked potatoes, hers topped with shredded cheese and bacon just like she liked. A glass bowl held creamed corn and a wicker basket held rolls.

  She watched him fill up their glasses with wine, and then they lifted them for a toast. “To the first of many, many nights in our house,” he said.

  The heat between them simmered, and she was tempted to just forget dinner and take him back to bed, but then his stomach growled and she couldn’t help but smile. Dinner first, sexy wolf mate later.

  As they ate, they talked about the future. Now that they were stewards and he wasn’t going to be anyone’s lackey, he had a better outlook on his place in the pack, and she was glad for it. She was excited to meet the other retired wolves and to work side by side with her mate.

  “We have to meet with Dade in the morning, and then we’ll stop by each retiree house, and find out their needs, and make a list of the things that need to be done and arrange them by priority.”

  “What do you think we’ll be doing?”

  “Well, it depends,” he said, putting his fork down and leaning back in his chair. “Some of the retirees are mated and probably won’t need much from us outside of regular home and yard maintenance. But there are some who will need a lot of help – cleaning, repairs, grocery shopping, being driven to appointments, and that sort of thing.
Once spring comes, I’ll need to organize a few omegas to do the yard work. If I have to mow every yard, I’ll be doing nothing but mowing.”

  She reached for his hand. “Don’t forget that you’re not the only one working now. You’ve got me, and I’m not the best at mowing but I can weed gardens and plant flowers, and I’m not bad at grocery shopping either.”

  “I’ll bet,” he said, chuckling. Then he sobered and stared at her intently. “I know I’m not alone anymore, Honey, and it’s the best feeling in the world.”

  “Aw, Jer,” she said, tears stinging her eyes at his sweet words.

  She reached for him, and he pulled her onto his lap, curving his strong arms around her and holding her close as their lips pressed together and then opened, their tongues seeking and dancing against each other. Her stomach flipped as her whole body warmed in response to his kiss. His hands slipped under her top, the warm, calloused fingers finding their way up her back in a slow caress. He undid her bra and stroked his hands up and down her back as their kiss deepened, and she felt the hard ridge of his arousal under her hip.

  He pushed her away gently and slid his hands up under the front of her top, lifting her shirt and bra off as he tugged them over her head. Pushing her knees until her back pressed against his chest, he kissed her neck and cupped her breasts. Her fingers played over his arms as he ran his palms and fingertips over her nipples in a maddening motion, until they were hard, sensitive points. His teeth grazed her neck and she shivered from head to toe, her clit twitching.

  He pressed one arm across her chest, cupping her breast possessively as his other hand stroked down her stomach to the button of her jeans. She wanted to tear both their clothes off and ride him until dawn, but his restraining arm on her chest wouldn’t let her move, and the gentle scrape of his teeth against her throat made her want to let him do whatever he wanted with her.

  “Fuck, Jer,” she moaned as he unbuttoned her jeans and lowered the zipper.

  He shoved his big hand down her pants roughly and she arched back against him. She could feel how wet she was as he rubbed his fingers on the outside of her panties. He bit down on her throat lightly and she groaned. She tugged at her pants, pushing them over her hips and down her thighs. A finger slid under her panties, brushing across her fevered skin, and he chuckled.

  “So wet, sweetheart?”

  “You do that to me.”

  He teased her slit, his touch light as he slid his finger down and then up, tortuously slow. His finger pressed deeper between her lips, the tip brushing her clit in a sweeping motion that made her hips lift. He snarled softly, curling his finger over the fabric of her panties and tugging. She looked down and watched his finger lengthen and a claw curl from the tip, slicing through the fabric easily.

  As quickly as his finger changed, it smoothly shifted back to normal, and he pushed her jeans down past her knees and then trailed his fingers up the inside of her thigh.

  “You smell so good,” he said roughly, nuzzling behind her ear.

  She wiggled her legs, working her jeans down until she could pull her legs free. She splayed her legs apart on either side of his, her head resting against his shoulder as she bared herself to him completely.

  “You’re mine?” He cupped her pussy with his hand, drawing her back against his erection.

  “All of me, forever.”

  She turned her head and met his lips as he stroked her pussy with his fingers, swirling her heat around her clit. A finger slipped into her channel and she groaned, sucking on his tongue and gripping the arm that held her against his chest, her nails digging furrows into his flesh. He pumped into her, the heel of his palm grinding against her clit until she danced on the edge of pleasure, and then he pulled back, softening his strokes until the stars that lit behind her eyelids faded. Two fingers pressed into her, slowly at first and then faster and faster, as she lifted her hips and spread her legs further apart. She wrenched her mouth from his and gasped his name as he pounded his fingers into her. He stopped, fingers buried deep, his chest heaving against her back.

  She opened her mouth to protest, and then he sank his teeth into her neck and she felt the hot press of fangs piercing her as three fingers sank into her depths in a punishing rhythm. He held her tightly, not letting her move as he worked her hard, driving her swiftly back to the pinnacle of pleasure. She gasped, wanting to beg him to let her come this time, but she couldn’t find the ability to speak. His growl vibrated against her back as she once more lifted her hips to his driving fingers, closing her eyes and letting her body go. Heat coiled and twisted inside her, until she thought she might come apart at the seams, and then everything froze for one glorious moment and she exploded with a sharp scream of pleasure.

  Her whole body jerked, and he released his hold on her neck with a snarl, lifted her from his lap, and draped her over the table roughly. Her hands shot out, shoving the plates and glasses away, knocking over the candles. The flames snuffed out and they were bathed in darkness as her whole body twitched and trembled from the climax that had rocked her world.

  She heard a zipper lower and then Jeremiah’s large hands spanned her waist and he plunged inside. She screamed as a mini-tremor slipped up her spine and made her head spin. He pulled out, slamming home again and again, and she reached her hands out blindly for the edge of the table, gripping it hard. Her hands curved around the edge, her nails digging into the wood, the table creaking as he fucked her. The wood bit into her flesh as he hammered his hips against hers, his cock driving deep and fast. He growled again, the sound deeper and rougher as he slipped one hand under her body and pressed his finger to her clit, beginning to stroke the tight bud in time to his thrusts. In a heartbeat she found herself standing on the edge of climax again.

  “Jer!” she shouted as she came, her body clutching around his cock. The smooth rhythm of his thrusts faltered and he roared his pleasure as his cock spasmed and emptied inside her while he rocked into her. Something cracked loudly, and she found herself lifted and pulled away as the table shuddered and broke. It collapsed; the sound of breaking dishes and dripping liquid were all that could be heard over their panting breaths.

  “Oops,” she chuckled, holding onto his arms, which were wrapped around her. His cock twitched inside her pussy and then slipped free.

  He took a few steps backward and set her on her feet, turning her to face him. Even though there was no light in the kitchen, she knew he was smiling. “You’re amazing, sweetheart.”

  “You are, too.”

  He kissed her gently. He went to the counter, rummaging on the surface for a moment, and then she heard a clicking sound and saw a flame appear from a lighter. He found the candles on the floor and lit them, and they each held one and looked at the broken table.

  She’d never broken furniture before.

  It rocked.

  They grinned at each other as they picked up the broken dishes and tossed them in the trash, deciding to leave the major clean-up for the morning.

  She snuggled up next to him on the bed and closed her eyes as she yawned.

  “The next kitchen table we buy needs to be really, really sturdy,” she said.

  “Planning to let me ravish you in the kitchen again?”

  “As often as you want to.”

  He chuckled and pulled her a little closer. “For the record, I always want to ravish you.”

  “For the record, I always want to let you.”

  * * * * *

  Monday morning, Honey and Jeremiah walked out of their house. The air was crisp, and the sky was pale blue with a bright sun that made the light dusting of snow that had fallen overnight glisten on the ground. Honey had a leather-bound appointment book under her arm. Jeremiah took her hand, and they walked down the driveway to the sidewalk.

  “We can drive,” he said, looking down at her.

  “That’s just silly. We can walk the street. When we go visit the wolves that don’t live in this neighborhood, then we can drive.”


  “Yes, dear,” he said, chuckling.

  They walked across the street to the first house and she opened the appointment book and pulled a pen from her jacket pocket. “This house belongs to Joel. He’s the uncle of the alpha who was in power before Acksel took over. He likes rum and watching old western movies.”

  Honey jotted down the notes about Joel as they walked up the sidewalk. Jeremiah had just lifted his hand to knock on the door when it swung open.

  “I also like rum,” the man said.

  “I already said rum.”

  “It’s a truth that bears repeating. Come in and introduce me to your lovely mate.”

  Honey smiled and shook Joel’s hand as Jeremiah led her inside. Joel had big blue eyes that crinkled when he smiled at her.

  “Joel, this is Honey, my mate.”

  “Hello, Honey.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Joel.”

  Joel led them into the kitchen and Honey noticed that he walked slowly, as if his joints were stiff. He turned and leaned against the counter and smiled. “I was aging gracefully until I tangled with a bear on vacation about ten years ago. The damn thing tried to take my knees. I healed okay, but he’d really done a number on the tendons and they never did set right. Sometimes our fast healing is too fast.”

  Honey nodded in understanding. She’d known of instances like that in her former pack — when a male or female was injured and too far away for medical help. Their body’s natural healing was accelerated, but if a bone was severely broken or something was torn like a ligament or muscle tissue, sometimes it healed wrong. Then, as they aged, it became a painful reminder of their injury.

  “Honey and I are just checking in with everyone today and making a to-do list for ourselves.”

  Honey handed a magnet to Joel that had both her and Jeremiah’s cell numbers on it. Brynn had helped Honey make them on Sunday so that they could give the retirees something more permanent than a business card. Joel put the magnet on his refrigerator.

  “I have an appointment with my rheumatologist next Friday. I’m almost out of firewood, too.”