"I can't keep you caged." He says the words like he's repeating them from another source. "You're so full of life. It's unfair, no matter how much I want it. I just thought I had more time."

His words surprise me. Then I remember he walked in with Dom, and I'm guessing he had a talk with my mate. Dom seems to be the only other male in the pack he trusts.

"You do have me, but Ruby and Dom are our friends, and they need our help right now. Just like I'm sure if we need them when our babies come, they'll be there for us, too." It's a step in the right direction. He might not be ready to be a part of the pack as a whole, but this is pulling him in little by little. "I want us to be together all the time, too, but if we are going to have all these babies like you want, then we're also going to have to learn to be apart at times."

"I'm fighting my instincts, but I want to give you this, give us this." Xavier nuzzles my neck for just a moment, then looks back into my eyes.

"One day at a time. I'm not going anywhere. If I'm ever at the bakery or running errands, you can call me and come right to me. I know it's been a while since you had one, but you can track me with your phone."

He seems pleased with that idea. "I love you," he growls, before taking my mouth in a deep hungry kiss.

Thank G.o.d we have a little time before Winnie shows up.

Chapter Thirteen.

Xavier

I'm on my way to pick up Gwen from work when I stop in the woods. I catch her scent leading to another trail, and it has me on alert. It's faint, but I don't remember smelling it this morning when I walked her to work.

The past two weeks have been difficult for me, but as the days go by, it gets easier. I walk her to the bakery every morning and then leave her there while I work on houses. Dominic told me that there was a need for a builder in the shifter community, and he recommended me to a few people. The work keeps my mind busy while Gwen is away from me, but I don't know that I'll ever be completely okay with her being out of reach.

I pull out my phone and check the tracker. I see that she's still at work, or at least her phone is still inside the bakery. I put my phone away and smell again. Her scent is coming from the opposite direction of the bakery, from a trail that leads to the stream.

I decide to check out the scent just to be safe and to see what's going on. I take a few steps down the trail and follow the smell. When I make it a few feet, I stop. I can smell Gwen's wolf, and she's close. Suddenly, I can feel a wicked smile spreading across my face. My mate is trying to play hide and seek.

I slip off my shirt and jeans and leave them in a pile beside a tree. This is shifter territory, and no one will bother things that smell of other shifters. The snow is light today, only just having started falling yesterday. The afternoon sun is peeking through the trees, and the cold breeze lends a crisp chill to the air.

Gwen and I have gone for runs in the woods a few times. At first, I was really nervous, keeping her close to me and never letting her out of my sight. But like all things with my mate, she opens me up to life. I would have kept locking us inside our home for the rest of our lives if she'd let me, but she keeps reminding me that there's life outside our bubble.

Once I'm naked, I shift, easily slipping into my large black wolf. I catch her scent even faster this way, and I take off in the direction she's headed. I lengthen my stride as I prowl through the woods, bringing her closer and closer to me. I run through the trees, letting my wolf come to the front and control my instincts as I track my mate with precision.

When I come to a small meadow, I stop, sensing she's close. I crouch down on all fours, looking around and waiting for her to make her move.

This place is several miles from town and utterly beautiful. I've been out this way before, but most shifters don't come out this far. It's still in the protected zone, so I know my mate is safe. I scent the area again just to be sure, and she's the only other one out here.

The meadow is small and surrounded by thick trees, covered with a light dusting of snow. I lie in the shadows and wait until she makes her move.

After a few moments, my patience pays off and I see her breach the trees. Her wolf walks through the clearing, slowly making her way to the center.

Each time I see her, her beauty takes my breath away. Her wolf is solid white with crystal blue eyes, and she's long and lean. She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, and I'll never get tired of looking at her.

Silently, I creep forward just to the edge of the trees, and I watch as she goes to the middle and stops. She looks over in my direction as if she senses me, and lowers herself to the ground, growling.

Oh, my mate wants to wrestle? Done.

Digging my feet into the snow for traction, I leap out of the trees and into the small clearing. As I come down to land on my mate, she rolls over and kicks up her paws, knocking me off her.

I can feel my wolf grin as I run back to her, and we begin to roll in the woods playfully. I can't remember a time before our mating when I played. Since mating with Gwen, she's opened my eyes and my heart to life. I had shut down who I was and what I wanted for so long, just existing and not living. Thanks to her I laugh every day. I say 'I love you' every day. And I never forget to tell her just how important she is to me. I have a family again.

After we are both covered in snow, I pounce on her one final time, holding her to the ground. I playfully nip at her neck and watch her shift under me. I shift at the same time, both of us naked in the middle of the meadow.

"I knew you'd find me," she giggles, reaching up and rubbing my face. She likes to pet me, and we've both discovered I like to be petted.

"You shouldn't have run in the woods without telling me." I try to be stern, but my voice always softens when it comes to my mate.

"Are you saying you didn't like the chase?" She pushes her hips up, pressing against my hard c.o.c.k. She raises her eyebrows as if to prove her point.

"I'm always this way when I'm within ten feet of you. Don't act surprised," I growl low in my chest, leaning down and nipping at her neck again. This time when my teeth graze her skin instead of her fur, my need becomes stronger.

Gwen moans and turns her head to the side, exposing her neck fully to me. It's her submission and invitation all at once. Sitting up on my hands and knees, I turn her over so she's underneath me and in prime position. I have her smaller body caged under mine.

Shifter bodies naturally run warmer than humans, so the snow on the ground doesn't hurt her hands and knees. The leaves make a soft bed beneath us, and being this far away from any humans, it's as if we are in our own private world. I would never risk someone seeing my mate like this, and having her safe is my first responsibility.

"Present your body to me, mate. I want you."

Gwen spreads her knees wider apart and lowers her shoulders slightly. The motion tips her a.s.s higher in the air and exposes her p.u.s.s.y to me.

I breathe in through my nose, smelling her need, and my c.o.c.k gets impossibly harder. For some reason she's so much sweeter today. I noticed it this morning when I was waking her up with my mouth between her legs.

I grip her shoulder with one hand and keep the other hand pinned by her head, holding her steady. My c.o.c.k is so hard it's sticking straight out, leaking c.u.m and ready to enter her. I feel the warmth of her opening kiss the tip, and I thrust hard inside her, filling her with all twelve inches of me at once.

There's nothing tighter than her channel locking all around me.

"f.u.c.k. Harder, Xavier," she moans, pushing her a.s.s against me.

Pulling out halfway, I thrust back into her, harder this time. Gripping her body tighter, I hold her in place as I f.u.c.k her roughly. Her sounds of pleasure echo through the forest, and I give her everything she asks for.

Laying my body over hers, I grip her shoulder with my teeth as I rut into her. I reach around and my fingers delve between her thighs to find her wet c.l.i.t. I've gotten to know exactly what my mate likes when it comes to s.e.x, and I give her exactly what she desires most. I don't tease her or make her beg. I only want to give her pleasure.

She clenches around my c.o.c.k at the first touch, and my breath catches in my throat. I nearly spill inside her before she's had her o.r.g.a.s.m, and I bite down on her shoulder to help keep myself from going too soon.

I rub her c.l.i.t in just the right way, and she moves her hips with me. After only a couple of strokes, she's gripping me tightly and shouting out her release. She c.u.ms on my c.o.c.k, coating me with her juices, and the scent has me going crazy. I'm barely able to make it two more pumps inside her before I hold her hips and c.u.m inside her womb. Her p.u.s.s.y sucks my c.u.m out of my c.o.c.k, taking it into her body. I hold her to me as she catches her breath, letting the extra heat from my body warm and relax her.

Licking her shoulder, I seal the small wound I left, and I feel her giggle against me. "Why are you so happy today? And what is making you taste and smell so sweet?"

I press my nose against her warm skin and inhale deeply, closing my eyes. I sit up on my knees and pull her back to my chest, sitting her up with me. We are completely naked, our lower bodies still connected. In the woods, on our knees in this small meadow, it feels as if we are the only two people alive.

"I don't normally taste so sweet?" I hear the teasing in her voice and smile against her skin, giving her another lick.

"You're always the sweetest thing I've ever tasted, but this morning you were different. I can't stop scenting your skin." To further my point, I rub my beard on her shoulder and neck, wanting the new sweet smell covering me.

She hums in pleasure, and I feel her p.u.s.s.y clench around my c.o.c.k. "Do you need me again so soon, mate?"

"I always want you, Xavier." Her body leans further into me, and I wrap my arms around her. "This is the perfect place."

"For what, my love?" I ask, kissing her neck.

"To tell you that you're going to be a father."

I tense at her words, all the joy in my heart nearly bursting out of my chest. I'm speechless and overwhelmed with emotions. How do I form words? I knew this day would come, but I never thought I would feel so full of love when it happened.

I look down, seeing a drop of water land on Gwen's shoulder, and she turns slightly, looking into my eyes. "I love you so much, Xavier. Thank you for giving me babies and making me so happy."

"I love you." It's the only thing I can manage to say before Gwen reaches up and wipes away my tears. I can't say anything else, so I press my lips against hers and try to say with my heart what I can't verbalize.

My mate has shown me what love truly is and what it's like to have a family again. It's more than I ever dreamed possible, and I owe it all to her.

From the moment I laid eyes on Gwen, I knew she was special. And as I watched my beauty sleep, I hoped that one day she would be mine. As we make love, I whisper my words of devotion, telling her over and over all the ways I will worship her until my last breath.

Epilogue.

Gwen

A couple of weeks later...

"Do you like it?"

I've got both hands over my mouth as I try to hide my smile, and I bite my tongue to keep from laughing. Xavier is standing in the middle of the living room with the saddest-looking Christmas tree ever.

"You don't like it." His face falls, and the pout sends me running to him. Well, moving as fast as I can with my growing pregnant belly.

"No, baby. I love it. It's absolutely perfect." I wrap my arms around his waist as I look over the tree. He decided this morning he needed to go into the woods and chop one down. I was kind of excited because it's our first Christmas together, and this could be a sweet tradition. My burly woodsman mate goes to chop one down, only to bring back something that would rival Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. "It's just a little thin."

Looking it over, he nods. "I thought it could use your love. You've made me stronger."

Tears fill my eyes, and I squeeze him to me. How can I possibly say anything against his reasoning? "Well, when you put it that way," I say, sniffing.

Xavier wraps his arms around me and kisses the top of my head. "Happy tears?"

"Yeah, baby. Happy tears."

X had a hard time at first with my emotional outbursts, but he's adjusted in the past couple of weeks. Now he just holds me and loves me until it pa.s.ses. I think it's just because shifters experience pregnancy so much faster than humans, so it's all the hormones of a regular pregnancy packed into three months.

After a few moments, the emotions are under control and he kisses my lips. "Ruby and Dom should be here any minute. You okay?"

"Yes, I'm so excited to see them. I'm glad Winnie is coming by, too. She's having a time with those sisters of hers. Spending time with us will do her some good."

I set out some snacks while X puts out some Christmas decorations. It's not for a couple of weeks still, but I think he's excited to be having a real one after so long. I smile lovingly as I watch him hang up stockings on the fireplace. He insisted we hang one up for each baby, even though they won't be here until after the holidays. He hangs up two little ones in the middle and two larger stockings on either side. I rub my belly, thinking of the two pups growing inside me. Xavier was so happy when he found out it was twin girls. He said all he wanted to do was please me, so he gave me two girls so I would be extra happy.

I feel another little tear form at the memory, and he comes over to hold me. I can't wait for these d.a.m.n hormones to pa.s.s.

Hearing a knock on the door, X goes over and lets everyone in. Dominic practically carries in a very pregnant Ruby, and Winnie comes in right behind them.

After we all hug and say h.e.l.lo, I sit down on the couch with Ruby and Winnie and catch up. I hear Winnie let out a long sigh, and I look over at her.

"You okay?" I know the twins have been giving her s.h.i.t lately, and I'm really getting tired of those b.i.t.c.hes.

"Yeah, just kind of sad. I still can't remember anything. And I've been all over the place today."

Winnie has been struggling more than usual lately with her memory. For a long time, she didn't talk about her past, and we thought that was by choice. But she's opened up to me a little, and I know that she has no memory of her life before she was found wandering in the woods. I think the most frustrating part is that she doesn't know when she's going to come of age.

"You'll know when it happens. You'll feel it," I tell her, and reach out to hold her hand.

"From what Dominic says, you feel it when it happens," Ruby says, smiling softly at Winnie. I think Ruby feels a special bond with Winnie since she was once an outsider herself. Even though Winnie is a shifter, she doesn't feel like she belongs in the pack.

"Yeah. You're right. I'm just super emotional today. I keep crying. Sorry." Winnie gives us a half-smile and tries to shake it off. "If I didn't know better, I'd think I was pregnant."

I laugh at Winnie's joke and shake my head. "Tell me about it. The last time I was this crazy with hormones I was-" It hits me. The last time I was this crazy with hormones and emotions was my eighteenth birthday. When I started to come of age, it was just as bad as it is now. "Winnie, you don't think-"

I'm cut off by the front door bursting open to reveal Stone standing in the doorway.

Xavier and Dominic are in front of the females in under a second, both half-shifted to protect us.

Stone stands there, breathing hard and looking like he just ran a hundred miles. He's nearly rabid as he looks past X and Dom, glaring at Winnie. His snarl echoes through the room, and one word leaves his lips.

"Mine."

THE END.... for now The Breeding Series by Alexa Riley Everything was fine until that innocent little rich girl walked into my garage. Since the second I laid my eyes on her, all I've wanted to do is get my dirty hands on her pure body.

There's one minor obstacle standing in my way, but I've got a plan. All I've got to do is breed her, and she'll be mine forever.

Warning: This book is over-the-top, insta-love breeding. There's nothing but steamy scenes, babies trying to be made, and an obsessed bearded alpha hero claiming a virgin who will be his forever. If you want it hot and dirty, this is it!

*whispers* There's a sweet s.m.u.tty surprise at the end!