The Wolf's Cub (The Wolf's Peak Saga Book 3) Read online

  “I want to,” I whispered, my voice husky.

  He swallowed. “All right.”

  Jasper shucked off his jacket and tossed it on the chair. He made a move for the bed, but I stopped him. I dropped to my knees and kept eye contact as I slowly, tortuously unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants. Now I understood why he liked to tease me. This was fun.

  I rubbed at his growing member through his pants, and he let out a throaty moan. Encouraged, I hooked my fingers around the waistband, pulling his pants down. He kicked them off as his cock sprung free. In one move I took it in my mouth until it hit the back of my throat. Jasper moaned again. I reached my hand up to grasp what I couldn’t fit in my mouth. I pumped him in and out until I knew he was close.

  “Wait,” he said, drawing out of my lips before I could protest. He pulled me to my feet and his lips crashed with mine. His hands cupped my breasts through my dress, and I held them there to encourage them. He continued kissing me so intensely I was sure my lips would be bruised in the morning. He reached to undo the buttons on my dress, but instead of unbuttoning them one by one, he pulled the fabric apart. Buttons scattered across the floor.

  “I’ll buy you a new one,” he promised in my ear. “But I need you now.”

  He yanked the dress off my frame, then pulled my slip over my head. I pressed my body against him, fumbling with the buttons on his shirt. Finally his shirt flew open, revealing the hard, chiseled chest underneath. I pulled him to me, flesh against flesh. Jasper grasped me underneath my bum, lifting me up. I thought he was going to carry me to the bed, but instead, he pressed me against the wall. I wrapped my legs around him as my back hit the wallpaper. In one swift motion he thrust into me, and I cried out in ecstasy as he filled me.

  Jasper nipped at my neck as he pulled out and then thrust into me again. My nails dug into the fabric of his shirt, so deep I was sure I’d leave a mark. I didn’t care, and he wouldn’t either. Jasper thrust again, then began moving faster and faster while I stayed in his arms, pinned against the wall.

  “Oh God, Jasper,” I moaned.

  “Christine,” he grunted.

  “Harder,” I breathed in his ear. “Go harder.”

  He acquiesced, my shoulders hitting the wall with every thrust. He was perfectly positioned to penetrate me deep inside, continuously hitting my pleasure spot. Little black dots appeared in my vision as he moved deeper, harder, faster inside me. Finally, the sensations were too much. With a moan of pleasure, I couldn’t take it anymore, and the rapture ran through me. My muscles contracted, and Jasper followed soon after, biting my neck and filling me with his seed. Both of us collapsed together on the bed.

  Chapter Thirteen

  I woke up the next morning on the very edge of the bed. Somehow Jasper and Lowell had taken up all the space on the mattress. Still, I had to smile as I rolled over and looked at my boys.

  I climbed out of bed, careful not to wake my family. Crossing the room to the window, I pulled aside the curtains to look outside. I watched the people bustling about in the rain. Why did it have to be raining still? That was no fun.

  I heard movement behind me and turned to see Jasper stretching. He glanced over and grinned at me, and I grinned back, returning to the bed.

  “How did you sleep, my love?” he asked.

  “Not too badly. Yourself?”

  “Wonderfully.”

  Lowell started squirming, and after a moment his blue eyes were staring back at mine.

  “Good morning!” I told him, and he giggled. He yawned, then began to make the sort of puckery face he made when he was hungry. I picked him up and made preparations to feed him.

  Jasper climbed out of bed. He was only wearing trousers, and was still shirtless. I watched, admiring, as he opened the door to grab the paper. He sat down in the chair beside the window and picked up his glasses from the table. Heat ran through my body as I ogled him. Glasses, no shirt...I was thinking some very impure thoughts. As memories of the last night came flooding back to me, I felt my face flush red.

  When Lowell was finished eating, I changed him, then changed my clothes as well. I could feel Jasper’s eyes on my body as I stripped off the thin nightgown and climbed into a lavender dress for our day out in London. Jasper eventually got around to getting dressed as well, and I tried not to pout as he slipped his glasses into his pocket.

  “Ready, my dear?” he asked.

  I looked down at Lowell. “Are you ready?” I asked. He just stared up at me.

  We took the split staircase down to the restaurant for breakfast. As we approached the table, Daisy came running up to me.

  “Ma’am! Ma’am!” she said, eyes wide.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked her, handing Lowell off to Jasper.

  “It’s Bridget! She didn’t come back to the room last night!”

  Panic seized my body, and I took a deep breath. She had been at dinner with us the night before, and when we went back to our room, she had been chatting by the fire with Conor.

  I shook my head and turned to my husband. “Jasper, who is Conor rooming with?”

  “Adam.”

  “And who is Hazel rooming with?”

  “She has her own room.”

  I looked back at Daisy, who hadn’t seemed to make the connection. “I’m sure Bridget is fine, Daisy. Please don’t worry about it.”

  Indeed, it was only a few minutes later that the two couples appeared in the dining room.

  “Bridget, where were you last night?” Daisy exclaimed loudly. “I was so worried!”

  All four blushed a deep red. Everyone in our party was staring. Bridget glanced at them, then whispered something in Daisy’s ear. Daisy’s eyes went wide.

  “Oh, sorry,” she said faintly. I turned to Jasper. He rolled his eyes and I laughed. The two couples sat down at the far end of the table, faces filled with mortification.

  Tea and biscuits were brought out for breakfast. As we ate, I glanced at Jasper. “What are we seeing today?” I asked.

  An impish grin spread across his face. “It’s a surprise.”

  “I hate surprises,” I complained.

  “You do not. You liked the nursery surprise.”

  Jasper had done up the nursery as a Christmas gift for me. “That surprise was lovely,” I admitted. “But I don’t like knowing that a surprise is coming. That’s too much suspense.”

  He only shrugged, not revealing anything more. He really could be insufferable.

  “Is anyone else coming with us?” I asked.

  “I thought it would be just us three,” he said.

  I glanced down at the baby in my arms. He was watching everyone, content to sit. “He’s coming with us?”

  “Yes. There are some people I wanted you two to meet.”

  Now I was intensely curious, but Jasper refused to explain any further. When breakfast was over, I went back up to our room to grab Lowell’s bag. Jasper and the baby waited for me in the lobby on one of the chairs by the fire. I put on a hat and grabbed my umbrella to keep out the rain, and returned downstairs. Jasper had the doorman summon us a carriage, and after a few minutes one arrived. The air was thick with moisture, and even the seats seemed damp. Jasper gave instructions to the driver, and we started off down the busy streets of London.

  “How far are we going?” I asked.

  “It should take us about a half an hour, give or take,” Jasper said.

  “And you’re not going to tell me where we’re going?”

  “I’m not.”

  I sighed. “That’s really not fair, you know.”

  “It’s all part of the fun.”

  “It’s only fun for you.”

  “Now, that’s not true,” Jasper said. “I know you like to be teased.”

  Heat spread across my face, even though there was no one there to hear or understand his double entendre. We continued down the streets, and I watched as the buildings passed by. We rode by several stunning buildings, much more beautiful than anythin
g we’d had in Ervine or Weylyn. I enjoyed watching the throngs of people through the windows, but it made me a bit homesick for the quiet of Wolf’s Peak. Our home was in the middle of a dense forest, nothing like the busy city of London.

  After an eternity of suspense, our carriage finally began to slow. We were at a gate, but I couldn’t see what sort of building we were in front of. A man came to the door, wearing an official–looking uniform.

  “Your Grace, welcome back,” he said. The man turned to the driver. “You may proceed.”

  The carriage went through the gate and took a turn, and I could finally see our surroundings. The buildings were large and made of stone, and we passed by a tall, elaborate fountain. It wasn’t until we climbed out and stood in the court that I understood where we were.

  “Jasper,” I asked breathlessly, “is this Buckingham Palace?”

  Never in my life had I imagined I would be here. I grew up most of my life in Ervine, and when my father fell ill, we were in poverty. A year ago, he was on his deathbed, and I was unsure how I was going to afford food for the next day. I never imagined I’d be sitting in Buckingham Palace, visiting with Prince Edward and his wife.

  “So good to see you again,” Edward said, kissing my hand. “And this must be Lowell?”

  I held out the baby so the prince could get a closer look.

  “He is so sweet,” Alexandra said in her slightly accented English. She seemed much more reserved than her husband, but her smile was warm. Alexandra was lovely, with stunning dark hair, while Edward was a bit portly and balding with a full beard.

  Edward led us to sit down near the fireplace, summoning a servant to bring us some tea.

  “Is this your first time visiting London?” the prince asked me.

  “It is.”

  “And what do you think?”

  I wasn’t sure how to answer that. I was enjoying my visit here, but I wouldn’t have wanted to live here. I much preferred the privacy of Wolf’s Peak to the hustle and bustle of city life.

  “It’s lively,” I told him, and the prince laughed loudly.

  “So diplomatic, this one!” he told Jasper. Then he turned back to me. “You can tell me what you really think.”

  I glanced at Jasper, and he nodded. “It’s a beautiful city, and I wish we could spend more time here—”

  “But?” the prince prompted.

  “But I enjoy the peace of Wolf’s Peak,” I finished.

  He laughed again, loudly, and Alexandra shifted somewhat uncomfortably. “That’s fair enough,” the prince said.

  The servants returned with tea for us, and I sipped at the warm beverage. Despite the beauty of the castle, it was a little bit drafty. Much like our hotel, red and gold seemed to be the decorator’s colors of the choice. The carpet was a rich red and the walls were a soft ivory, but both had gold accents. The couches we sat on were threaded with gold as well. From the elaborate crystal chandelier to the flowing gold curtains to the medallion patterns on the floor, the room exuded elegance. Perhaps we should hire a new decorator for Wolf’s Peak. The rooms there had a tendency to be a bit dark and depressing sometimes. A few more crystal chandeliers could brighten our home up.

  I was thinking it over when a figure passed by the doorway, and Edward stood up. “Mother!” he called out. It didn’t quite register until I saw her enter.

  Even in her later years, the queen still held herself with poise. Her hair was beginning to gray, and was pulled back under a hat. She wore a stunning dress of black velvet with a cameo choker. I vaguely remembered Jasper mentioning that although her husband had passed just over thirty years ago, she was perpetually in mourning.

  “Jasper, I didn’t realize you were visiting today,” Queen Victoria said as she approached. Jasper rose and bowed. I rose to curtsy to her, but the queen held out her hand. “You have the little one, please, don’t worry about standing.”

  She crossed and sat down in a chair next to the sofa we sat on. “You must be Christine,” she said.

  “I am,” I said, swallowing, still not quite believing she was sitting beside me.

  “And this is Lowell?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  She held her arms out. “May I?”

  “Oh! Of course,” I said. I stood from the sofa and gently handed the baby to her, my hands brushing hers. I had touched the queen!

  Lowell looked up at her with interest. I wish I could have taken a photograph of that moment, of the queen holding my son. Nevertheless, I was never going to forget this. I’d be telling my grandchildren about it.

  “What brings you into London, Jasper?” the queen asked as she gently bounced Lowell in her arms.

  “We stopped here on our way to Sweden,” my husband said. “Christine had never been to London before, so I wanted to stay for a few days.”

  The queen smiled at me. “Are you enjoying our fair city? Well, perhaps not so fair today. The weather is miserable.”

  “I’m enjoying it very much, Your Majesty,” I said.

  Edward had to interrupt. “She prefers the peace of Wolf’s Peak,” he said.

  My face burned red. “Your city is wonderful,” I said quickly. “I just prefer the country to the city.”

  “No explanation necessary, my dear,” Queen Victoria said. “I completely understand. I myself prefer to spend my time away from London when I get a respite.”

  Her grace relaxed me a bit. Really, if I could be as poised as the queen was, I could conquer anything, including testifying. How on earth did she do it?

  “You are traveling to see the elders?” the queen asked Jasper.

  “Yes, Your Majesty. We’ve been summoned for Seth’s trial.”

  “Of course.” She nodded. “Say hello to Benedict for me, please.”

  “Benedict?” I asked Jasper.

  “He’s the elder from Great Britain,” he explained. “We met him when they captured Seth.”

  “That’s right.”

  “A wonderful man, a close friend of mine,” the queen said. “He helped me through my transition.”

  Jasper had once mentioned to me that the queen was a werewolf, but I had forgotten. Since lycanthropy only exhibited itself in males when passed on genetically, that had to mean that she was bitten.

  I turned to her. “How did it happen, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  She sighed. “An assassination attempt. Our carriage broke down, and we were attacked. I was bitten, but they didn’t manage to hurt me any more than that. I already carried the gene, so I knew what would happen to me, but I had still never expected to be turned.”

  We sat and chatted with the queen for a while until she became fatigued and excused herself. Jasper and I left not long after; Lowell had begun to get fussy and was needing some food. Alexandra had offered the privacy of a side room, but Jasper told her that we should be getting back to the hotel.

  “We’ve got a busy day tomorrow,” he explained, “and we need to get ready.”

  Jasper and I thanked the prince and his wife for their hospitality, then left the palace and boarded a carriage. I managed to hold in my excitement until the horse had begun leading us out of the gate.

  “Oh my God, Jasper, I met the queen!” I breathed.

  He smiled. “A wonderful woman, isn’t she?”

  “She’s fantastic. I can’t believe it. The queen! I met the queen!”

  Jasper continued to grin at my energy.

  “I never in my wildest dreams have I imagined I would meet Queen Victoria,” I said, shaking my head.

  After my excitement died down a bit, I turned to Jasper. “Where to next?”

  “We’ll return to the hotel for lunch and so you can feed the baby and so he can nap.”

  “You know, I think he would have been all right if I went to a side room, like Alexandra suggested.”

  He chuckled. “I know. But I can really only take Edward in small doses.”

  “He is a bit boisterous, isn’t he? What do you do when you have
to stay in the city for a week?”

  “We meet for a few hours in the morning and a few in the evening, and I attend to other business in between,” Jasper said. “That seems to be about all I can handle of Edward.”

  “His wife seems lovely,” I commented.

  “She’s too good for him, truly.”

  I yawned. I had slept well, but perhaps a nap would be nice after all. “What time do we leave tomorrow?”

  “Early,” he said. “About six in the morning.”

  I sighed. “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?”

  He kissed me on the forehead. “I would never.”

  We returned to the hotel, meeting up with a few from our group for lunch. Dinner was a busier affair. Everyone knew we had to leave early in the morning, so we had all returned to the hotel early. I gushed about our time at Buckingham, and Hazel and Annabelle had talked about the sightseeing they had done. Finally, we finished our dessert, and all of us parted ways. Jasper and I headed upstairs, and I fed Lowell once more before putting him down for the night. Now, I just had to figure out how I was going to get some sleep.

  Tomorrow, we would begin the journey to Sweden.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I was half asleep when we boarded the train that would take us to the coast. Our journey would take us three days if all went well. Half the day would be spent taking the train to the English Channel. Then we’d take a ferry to France, board the train in Calais, and take that train straight through to Sweden. The train from France to Sweden was expected to take two days. Thankfully, there were no transfers or connections we’d have to make, so we would be able to stay in the same bunks both nights.

  Jasper and I had been to the coast once before, but that was farther north than we were now. We had a late lunch at the station before we boarded the ferry. Of course, now that we were leaving the island, the sun was out, but it allowed us to sit on the deck and watch the waves lap against the side of the boat.

  “Oh, it’s so beautiful,” I sighed as I stretched out on the deck chair.

  “It really is,” Annabelle said. The warm sun beat down on us as we relaxed.