The Gamma’s Second Chance (Crescent Lake #3)

26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

NOLAN

“Cassandra!” I poke my head around the stairwell to yell up to the second floor. “Get your cute little ass down here, or I will—”

“Or you’ll what?” she asks as she finishes descending the stairs, her arms crossing over her chest as she stops in front of me.

Even with one of my shirts drowning her petite body in fabric, her breasts squeeze together and lift higher with the gesture. I flick my eyes down to them, and her brow furrows more, a miniature wrinkle appearing on her forehead, and her lips turn down into a faux frown. But there is still that sparkle in her eyes that is almost always there.

“It doesn’t matter now,” I say, my lips twitching with a silent laugh at her failed attempt at a grumpy, stern face.

She turns and starts back up the stairs. “Well, now I want to know.”

I growl playfully and snatch her waist, tugging her back down the stairs and throwing her over my shoulder, much like I did a week ago when I dragged her home from the training fields. She squeals and laughs, and I squeeze her firm, round butt with my hand, the other one sliding up under the hem of her stretchy black shorts on her thigh as I make my way out of the house.

It’s been a few days since her visit with Alpha Benjamin—her brother—and each day brings her closer to her normal, sunshiny self.

I see her constant cheerful demeanor now for what it really is: her method of coping. She smiles and finds beauty in the mundane and solace in her flowers to keep her mind from lingering on her trauma, to prevent it from festering and turning her into a shell of herself. She uses all of that the way I use my routine—to stay grounded and in the present. To keep herself moving forward.

Slamming the door behind me, I continue massaging her butt as I walk down the front path. “Nolan!” she says, laughing and squirming on my shoulder as I stroll down the street, my other hand still creeping up the leg of her shorts. “Put me down!”

“No, I don’t think I will.” I tighten my grip on her. “I don’t trust you to not run back up the stairs.”

“We’re outside and halfway to the training field,” she points out.

“And you’re you, and you would one hundred percent do what I just said without a second thought.” She huffs and I laugh. “You were going to do that, weren’t you?”

She doesn’t answer. Instead, she pushes herself up with her palms against my shoulder and curls her face towards the back of my neck, sinking her teeth into it with a tiny growl.

“Cassandra!” I stop my massaging of her ass and slap it, the noise echoing over the grounds. “You’ll pay for that later,” I mutter, my voice a low rasp thick with promise. Her thighs clench and she gulps. I chuckle again, setting her on her feet in front of me, my hands resting on her hips as I stare down at her, keeping her close. “What do you want to do first?”

She raises her brow and cocks her head to the side. “I thought we were going to run up to your rock on the mountainside?”

I smile at her as the sounds of music, laughter, and general merriment reach her and register in her brain. She spins around and faces the fields, and instead of warriors training, she finds the pack’s annual spring festival, set up overnight by Luna Emily, my mom, and the hospitality team.

Booths for games, crafting, and snacks dot the field, and children frolic through the grass, pinwheels in hand and Cav yipping and chasing after them. Older pack members sit on blankets throughout the grounds, watching the younger ones and smiling at them as they enjoy food and beverages from the vendors and the snack stands.

“What…” Her eyes widen as she takes it all in, a smile growing on her face. “What is this?” she asks, looking at me over her shoulder.

“Our annual spring festival. Haven had it planned for after the mating ball, but my mom and Wesley’s mom moved it earlier to surprise her and cheer her up since she’s starting her maternity leave earlier than planned. They worked all night to get everything ready for today.”

Across the field, a beaming Wes stands behind a crying but smiling Haven, who hugs his mom as tight as she can. He nods at me, and I raise my arm in greeting before turning my attention back to Cassandra.

After our talk the other day, I promised myself I would take time off since Haven is taking her maternity leave early, and Wesley will take a long leave from work as well to focus on his duties as a mate, a father, and an alpha. I will only worry about protecting Haven when they specifically ask me to so I can find a balance between sticking to my strict routine and actually enjoying my life.

As for the other things we discussed…well, I’m waiting until there are no more lingering signs of Cassandra’s pain. I’m still unsure of how to bring those questions up or what to say. It seems odd to discuss the possibility of a future together when we’ve barely begun, and yet it feels so right to think of her by my side for the rest of our lives, filling it with her smiles and her daisies.

“So, what do you want to do first?” I ask Cassandra again, pushing my concerns regarding our future to the back of my mind so we can enjoy the festival.

“What is there to do?”

I step closer to her, wrapping my arm around her waist and gesturing around the grounds as I show her the activities, my chin hooked over her shoulder and my lips near her ear. “There’s archery, guided painting, basket weaving, loads of food stands and food trucks, cornhole—”

“Cornhole?” she asks, wrinkling her nose. “What’s that?”

“You’ve never played cornhole?”

“Never even heard of it. It’s a game?”

“Yes. You play with bean bags—well, corn bags, I guess you would call them.”

“You’re playing a joke on me.” She shakes her head emphatically. “There is no way cornhole is a real game.”

“I swear to Selene!” I exclaim, crossing my heart. “You try to get them on the board or in the hole, and you play against another team.” She stares at me, an unimpressed and unamused look on her face, and I sigh and grab her hand, dragging her over to where the game is set up. “See?” I say, gesturing to the court.

Blake, Dawson, Sebastian, and Maddie all play together. Maddie and Seb form one team, and Dawson and Blake form the other. Cassandra watches them as they toss their bags across the empty space and onto the boards or into the holes, one brow raised the entire time.

“That’s it?” she asks, glancing at me. “You just throw the bags?”

I shrug. “Pretty much.”

She watches them for a bit longer, smiling slightly as Sebastian and Maddie win and celebrate with a high five. “All right. I’m in,” she says, striding forward to where Blake stood during the game.

“Hey, Cass,” Sebastian says, waving at her.

I flip him off behind Cassandra’s back as she returns his wave and says, “Hey Seb! Do you mind if we play?”

I drop my hand to my side as soon as she smiles up at me, and I smile back, acting as innocent as I can.

“You and Nolan against Maddie and me? Or males against females?” Sebastian asks as he gathers up the bags.

Cassandra’s eyes glitter, and she swivels her head to Maddie, the two of them exchanging a look that has me terrified. I glare at Sebastian, and he pauses, watching the two females as they communicate in that silent way only females can.

“Males against females,” Maddie says, her violet-blue eyes sparkling with a mischievous glow that matches Cassandra’s.

I sigh but take my spot next to Cassandra on one side of the cornhole court while Maddie and Sebastian jog over to the other side, leaving the bags with us.

“I’ll help you just for this round,” I say, clenching my fists and shoving them in my pockets as I stand one inch away from her. She gazes up at me, leaning forward as if she expects me to give her a kiss, and I laugh and shake my head at her. “We’re enemies right now. No kisses for you.”

She pouts as I tap her nose and back away, standing on the other side of the wooden cornhole board. She takes the lime green bags, and I grab the white, tossing one and catching it with the same hand before throwing it at the board across from us. It lands on the board and slides just a little, stopping to the right of the hole.

“Ooh, so close,” Maddie says, faking a pout and feigning disappointment for me. “Maybe next throw!”

“Your turn,” I say to Cassandra, ignoring Maddie.

“So I just aim for the hole?”

“Yes.”

She nods, and I cross my arms, watching her as she weighs the bag in her hand and calculates the distance between her and the hole. She pulses her arm a few times, then releases the bag. It soars through the air and lands right in the hole, not even bumping against the sides.

“Nice!” I say as she jumps into the air and claps her hands.

“Beginner’s luck!” Sebastian yells, cupping his hands around his mouth.

She laughs, and we toss the rest of our bags. Each of hers lands in the exact same way—directly in the hole without touching the rim.

I stare at her after her last toss. She glows with excitement as Sebastian and Maddie gather up the bags and calculate her and Cassandra’s points. She beams at me, her hands clasped in front of her chin.

“Sebastian. I think we’re being hustled,” I say, still staring at her.

Her jaw drops, and her smile fades as she shakes her head, her hands falling limp at her sides. “I swear, I’m not—”

My face breaks into a grin, and I dart over to her, wrapping my arm around her waist and squeezing. “I’m teasing you, Daisy,” I say, my lips brushing her ear.

“You said no kissing,” she reminds me as I nudge her cheek with my nose, trying to get to her lips. “‘We are enemies right now,’” she adds, lowering her voice to mimic mine.

One side of my mouth curls into a half smile. “Well then, just call me a traitor.”

I dip my mouth to hers, and she reaches up on her toes, her fingers curling into my shirt. But the thump of a tossed bag landing on the board shortens our kiss. I lean away and scowl at a smirking Sebastian.

Maddie shoves his shoulder and rolls her eyes. “You are such a fucking dickhead,” she mutters to Seb as she tosses her bag. “I don’t know how those three put up with you.”

Her bag lands in the hole, and Cassandra raises her arms in triumph, forcing me to switch my glare from Sebastian to her. I shake my head and give her a quick kiss before backing away from her. “I’m watching you,” I say, pointing two of my fingers at my eyes and then at her.

She blows me a kiss and gives me a wink before turning her focus back to Maddie and Seb as they finish taking their turns, but my attention stays on her. Her hair catches the sunlight, creating shimmering ribbons of gold among the brown that match the gold in her eyes. Her smile radiates from her soul.

She claims she paints her smiles on, but that is a lie. Her smiles are genuine, an outside representation of the joy she finds and creates for herself despite her pain. And that makes them even more beautiful, valuable, and special.

The game continues, and every round, all of Cassandra’s bags land right in the hole. Her excitement grows with each toss, and so do Sebastian’s suspicions. Her and Maddie win fast and handedly, and as we all meet in the middle of the court to shake hands at the end of the match, Seb says, “Are you sure that was your first time playing cornhole?”

“Pinky promise!” Cassandra says, lifting hers in the air towards him.

“I don’t know,” I say, rubbing my jaw. “I still think you hustled us.”

“And what if I did?” she asks as Maddie and Seb head off in opposite directions to enjoy the festival.

“I’m sure I could think of some acceptable form of punishment, if that was the case.” I glide my hands up her arms as I close the distance between us, leaving only an inch of space. “I think I’d punish this pretty little mouth for lying,” I say, tilting her chin up with my hand and padding my thumb over her bottom lip.

Her heart thuds in her chest, and she rubs her thighs together, her tongue darting out to tease the tip of my thumb. “Is it really a punishment if I enjoy it?” she asks, her lashes fluttering as her neck and back arch, pushing her breasts forward.

A laugh rumbles in my chest, and I shake my head at her, lowering my face so our noses touch and my breath teases her mouth. “It is when you have to wait all day to receive said punishment.”

I squeeze her neck as she leans forward, trying to kiss me, but my hold on her keeps her in place. “Nolan…” Her voice is low and needy, and she strains against my hold, but I’m unrelenting.

I stroke the front of her throat with my thumb and wrap my arm around her waist, bringing her body flush to mine while still keeping our lips from touching. “We should walk around,” I say, even as I press my palm against her lower back and thrust my hips forward subtly so my dick rubs against her body. “There is still so much for us to do out here before we can go home.”

The front door slams shut behind us, and the second it’s closed, Cassandra is on me, her hands clutching at my shirt and her mouth slamming against mine in a fierce kiss. I match her intensity, lifting her into my arms, my hands cupping her ass as she wraps her infinitely long legs around my waist. There is none of the lingering sweetness or drawn out romance from the weekend. We find ourselves in pure, frenzied lust, driven by the anticipation and tension built up over the entire day.

The moonlight pouring through the windows bathes the house in shadows. But I navigate by memory, climbing the stairs and heading into the bedroom with her body in my arms, her lips attached to mine, and her moans and sighs playing in my ears.

The tips of my fingers graze her pussy through her tight shorts as I massage her ass, and her thighs tense and relax as she rolls her hips against me, searching for friction from my dick.

“Holy fucking Goddess,” I groan as her nails score across my back through my shirt, and her mouth moves to my jaw and down my neck.

My eyes roll from the feel of her lips so close to my marking spot. My dick twitches and my balls tighten, threatening an unexpected orgasm. I grab her ponytail and yank her head back and away from my neck. We pant, chests brushing each other with each inhale, and I hold her heated, darkened stare, freezing all my other movements.

I’m so close to coming, and she hasn’t even wrapped her lips around my cock yet.

I need her to. Now. Before I explode.

I lower her to her feet, keeping her body pressed to mine and her ponytail wrapped around my hand. I lift my free hand to her throat, extending a claw and dragging it gently down the length of her neck before I slice through her shirt and her sports bra. The fabric slides down her relaxed arms to the floor, leaving her topless before me. Her nipples tighten in the cool air, and I circle each with my still-extended claw, sending goose bumps skittering over her soft, ivory skin and a shiver down her spine. Her body trembles and her lips part, her chin tilting higher.

“So fucking beautiful,” I say, dipping my head to where her neck meets her shoulder. “How wet are you?” I ask, lowering my hand to her waistband.

Her breath hitches, and her heart skips a beat in her chest as I blow on her skin. “Soaked,” she murmurs, her hands curling into the hem of my shirt.

“Show me.” I back away from her. She blinks as I leave her quivering and alone, her top half exposed for my eyes to feast on. “Show me how wet you are, Cassandra.”

Her throat bobs, and she slides her shorts and underwear off in one go, her hands shaking and her breaths quickening. She backs up towards the bed, palms resting on the mattress, ready to scoot herself back, but I shake my head. “Turn around.”

She pauses for only a moment, then spins—slowly—giving me a wonderful presentation of her gorgeous naked body. Her round breasts, her cute ass, and her long, smooth legs all fight for the attention of my eyes. But I’m focused on that spot at the top of her thighs as she plants her feet on the floor, lowers her upper body onto the mattress, and spreads her thighs, showcasing her beautiful, dripping wet pussy to me.

“Goddess, look at you.” I stalk up behind her, eyes locked on that delightful, glistening pussy. “Were you thinking about my cock in your mouth all day?”

She nods, the movement frantic and needy. “Yes.”

My palms skim up the back of her thighs, my thumb stroking over the first letter of my rewritten name on her skin, barely visible between her spread legs. She moans, her neck arching off the bed, and I chuckle.

“So eager and so naughty.” I swipe my fingertip between her lower lips and raise it to my mouth, sucking her wetness off the tip as I hold her green and gold gaze. “And sweet as sin, too.” My hands massage her butt, and my thumb plays with her puckered hole, teasing the outside of it. “I can’t wait to play with your pretty little ass.” She clenches, and her fingers grapple with the sheets, a shiver of anticipation rippling over her. “Not tonight. Tonight, I have to punish you. But I’ll do it soon. I promise.”

I deliver two swift smacks to her ass cheeks. The sharp sounds and her answering yelp are satisfying as fuck. I soothe the sting with my hands, caressing the now pink cheeks and grazing my thumb over her pussy lips. Her clit pulses when I reach it, and I bite my lip, my body tensing as I keep myself from dropping to my knees behind her to taste her. Her scent fills the room, decadent and heavy, and my dick twitches again.

“Get on your hands and knees on the bed,” I order her, moving around the foot of the bed and removing my clothes as I go.

She scrambles to get into position, desperate to listen and be ready for me when I reach the other side. Her breasts sway and bounce with her movements, and she watches me as I strip myself, her pupils wide and her lips parted as she catches her breath. Her back curves slightly, lifting her ass into the air, and her nipples are harder than ever, pointing at the mattress and almost begging me to play with them.

But she’s been naughty, and I have to follow through on my promise to punish her lying little mouth.

I am a male of my word, after all.

I climb onto the bed and position myself on my knees in front of her. I smooth her hair back with my hands, then cup her cheeks, holding her in place as I rock my hips forward and tease her mouth with the tip of my rock-hard dick. Just once before I ask, “Are you ready?”

She gazes up at me through her long, thick lashes, keeping eye contact with me as she opens her mouth and takes me in. Only the head at first, her tongue swirling around it and her fingers curling into the covers as I grip her face tighter.

I guess that’s her answer.

“Fuck…” The word leaves my mouth in a long groan that turns into a hiss of pleasure.

My hips rock forward in a slow rhythm, nudging my dick further into her mouth which each pulse. I grit my teeth, and every muscle in my body tenses as she takes in more of me, her jaw relaxing and moans of her own enjoyment vibrating around my cock. Further and further into her mouth I push, until my tip brushes the back of her throat.

I hold us there for a moment, staring down at her, both of us breathing through the intense pleasure and the overwhelming sensuality of being together this way. Her eyes shine, and I caress her face, using my eyes and my touches to tell her what I can’t yet put into words.

My hips shift backwards, and then I drive them forward, pounding into her mouth vigorously. Her body rocks with my thrusts, her tits dancing, and her hands white-knuckling the blankets, but she holds my gaze and takes everything I give her. Her eyes glitter with a mix of lust and trust, and I know I won’t last long with the way her pink lips feel like paradise around my dick and the way she looks like pure sin while I’m fucking her pretty mouth.

She’s sheer perfection, and she’s all mine.

All fucking mine.

I growl and thrust harder, my mental claim on her bringing me closer to my release. Her breathing speeds up, and her body quivers, her thighs inching closer together as her eyes plead with mine.

“Do you want to touch yourself?” I ask, flicking my eyes towards her lower half, which I know is as desperate for an orgasm as I am. She nods the best she can with my cock stuffed in her mouth, and I chuckle. “I don’t know… you did tell me a lie.” Her brows furrow into a frustrated frown, and I laugh harder. “Don’t even pretend like I’m wrong. You lied to me about lying to me. You didn’t hustle us. You just wanted me to fuck your mouth, didn’t you?”

Her hand slams onto the mattress, and her eyes shut for a second, but I yank on her ponytail to get her attention on me again. “Don’t worry. You’ll get to come too. But only when I want you to, and only by my hand.”

She exhales through her nose and nods once more, and I resume my fucking of her mouth.

I’m so close. I could slow down and drag it out, using her mouth for my satisfaction for as long as I want. Her submissiveness is sensuous, and it’s so tempting to enjoy dominating her like this all night. But I want to watch her fall apart too. I need to see her face as she experiences pure bliss at the tips of my fingers. Nothing compares to her beauty when she finds release.

I slam my dick in all the way and groan as it pulses, and my cum shoots down her throat. Her eyes close, and she moans around me, swallowing every drop I give her. I hold her in place, my hips twitching with each wave of euphoria that washes over me, keeping my dick in her mouth until my orgasm ends.

Her tongue swirls around my cock as I remove it, prompting it to pulse one last time, and she greedily sucks the cum from me. “Fuck!” I exclaim, yanking her off and tugging her onto my lap as I sit back on my heels.

My fingers weave into her hair, and I remove the elastic from her ponytail, letting it tumble down her back and around her shoulders in large, loose waves. I yank the hair at her nape, tilting her chin up, and kiss down her throat as my other hand curls around her ass and my fingers thrust up into her pussy. She’s tight, wet, and warm, and I groan against her neck as she yells my name to the ceiling, her nails scratching across my naked shoulder blades.

“That’s it,” I say, pumping my fingers into her as hard as I can. Her breasts bounce as she rocks against me, rubbing her clit on my skin. “Just like that, Cassandra. Goddess, you’re so fucking beautiful.”

I shake my head and clamp my mouth onto her neck, sucking hard enough to leave a mark. It will fade by morning, but I don’t care. All I care about is leaving some type of mark on her—my name on her thigh, my cum in her pussy, my bruises on her skin, or my hickey on her neck. They all may be temporary, but it’s the only way to satisfy my need to claim her.

She continues grinding herself against me, her nipples brushing my chest, her body writhing in a magnificent erotic dance in my lap. Tension creeps into her muscles; my arm wraps around her, and I draw her in tighter, cupping her ass while continuing the thrusting of my other hand, tearing my mouth from her neck so I can watch her face as she falls apart. She shivers, her pink lips drop open into a perfect “O,” and her pussy pulsates around my fingers, drawing them in further with each wave of her orgasm. I push them in deeper as well, ruthless while fingering her pussy, wringing every drop of bliss from her and claiming it for myself.

Her pleasure is a picture I want to paint, and her sounds inspire me to write a song just for her. She gives all of herself to me as she comes, holding nothing back, releasing every inhibition.

The last of her euphoria fades, leaving us breathless and clinging to each other, sweat gleaming on our bodies in the silvery moonlight. Her chin lowers, and her eyes meet mine, soft and swirling with desire and her lycan. Her hands slide up the back of my neck, and she kisses me, long and lingering, as my fingers trail up her spine. I lay her on the bed, covering her body with mine and hugging her close, combing through her hair as I embrace her with warmth and affection.

She traces my jaw, watching the path of her fingers, the gold in her eyes more prominent than ever. “Nolan…” She swallows and wets her lips, her chest still heaving and causing her nipples to scrape my torso.

“Yes?” I ask, twirling her hair around my fingers as I prop my head on my other hand.

The determination in her eyes wavers for the briefest of moments. A split second, almost undetectable, but I see it. Then she reaches up to kiss me again, closing her eyes to hide the hesitancy from me and from the world. When she looks at me again, there is a sparkle of mischief dotting the greens and golds of her irises. “I won’t trick you again, Nolie,” she says, her playfulness leaking into her voice and her smile. “I promise.”

I laugh, deep and loud, and shake my head at her, rubbing her bottom lip with my thumb. “I think you enjoyed your punishment too much to keep that promise.”

Her laughter joins with mine, and I press our foreheads together, curling my body around hers. She snuggles into the safe circle of my arms and my chest, and her hands cup my face as she says, “I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”

I sigh and smile down at her. “I guess we will, Daisy.”