Chapter 71

Rachel POV

Wright House

I was a quivering, limp mess on the bed as Tyler finally took mercy on me. He turned the toy off and tucked it back into its box before placing the gift bag on the bedside table. I had never seen such a deceptive package. The damned thing looked innocent yet carried pleasure almost certainly too good not to be a sin.

"Good?"

"Good?" I echoed in disbelief.

We shared a laugh as Tyler moved to lie beside me on the bed. He used a hand to pull my skirt back down my thighs to cover me though I was still sensitive enough even closing my legs caused a residual jolt to strike through me at even that slight movement.

Rolling to my side, I said, "I am not sure I'm healthy enough for your gift. I'm pretty sure one more minute? I would've had a heart attack."

Tyler and I laughed together again as my body settled down. I noticed Tyler was still aroused and moved to my knees only for Tyler to gently press me back down.

"No, no need. I wanted to see you enjoy yourself. I've spent too many of our nights together only looking after my own pleasure. Can I safely say this gift is one you don't want to return?"

"You can safely say I want one in every color," I said, feeling wicked and wonderful all at once, "You know I've never felt you were a selfish lover, right?"

"You may not have felt it, but that doesn't mean it wasn't true. I never went out of my way to see to your satisfaction."

"You always pleased me," I admitted, knowing I was still flushed from exertion.

"Wynd pleased Rayne," Tyler said, raising a brow as his wolf again flickered behind his eyes.

I was afraid of Wynd sometimes. He was the most powerful Alpha I had ever known. His devotion to my Rayne kept me safe and I knew it, but I still worried what might happen if Tyler ever lost control of him completely.

"Rayne is awake again. I see hints of Wynd. Is he waking up, too?"

I wondered if we made love, would our wolves overtake us both? They loved one another with their whole souls. On full moons when we let them run together, their joy at being together eclipsed all their other instincts. I couldn't imagine a world in which one existed without the other.

"I can feel him on the edges of my mind. He's there. He just isn't quite ready to be---"

Tyler shrugged one shoulder as if the words eluded him. I found myself fascinated by the idea of Tyler Wright without words. He had always been so superior to me in sophistication, experience, and speech. It was oddly intimate to witness him being speechless for a change.

Sex should have been the most intimate experience we could share, yet our mating had started with sex and finished with words.

Words were what it would take for us to bring our mating back to life. I knew I was right about that as surely as I knew my own name.

"I'm taking Nathan with me to Moonglow territory. Are you going to be fine with that?"

I was taking Nathan no matter what Tyler had to say, but I did want to know how he felt. I would respect his feelings in all the ways I could while still protecting myself.

"Yes. Windsor told me first. I think he was worried I might tear into him or Lewis or both of them at once. He should be worried, too. I'd love to sink my teeth into him."

Tyler smiled showing a mouthful of sharp teeth. He was all hard angles and sharp edges even now when we were lying together in bed. I knew I had ruined a part of our mating by betraying his trust from the beginning; I wondered if I would ever earn his trust enough to be shown the softer sides he kept hidden.

"I'm afraid to go. But I have to. I need to know where I come from. Who my mother was before she met Patrick. If I have any other family out there. Do you understand?"

"I understand you need answers. I don't blame you there. I like knowing the answers to my questions, too."

Knowledge was power.

Tyler didn't say the familiar phrase aloud, but it was implied in his musing. I could tell he was taking my questions seriously which helped me relax. I wanted him to see me as a valuable part of the conversation rather than only some female to be protected.

"I'll be safe with Nathan and Art. You agree, right?"

Tyler smirked at me as he asked, "Are you trying to get me to admit I think they're capable of protecting you or to say I would protect you better? Both are true. I just want to know which you're fishing for since they have different angles."

My flush returned as I realized he was right though I hadn't been consciously fishing for anything in particular.

"I know you would protect me better. I also know they'll protect me just fine. I wasn't fishing on purpose. You should have pity on me. My brain is still scrambled."

"I love the idea I scrambled your brain. Very good for my ego."

Tyler stole a kiss which, in turn, stole my breath away. We swapped kisses for long minutes until I shifted away out of desperation for air. I would have kissed him all night if only I didn't need to breathe.

"You're a terribly wicked man, Tyler Wright."

"Only for you, Rachel Flores."

"I wonder if that's right," I mused, suddenly entertained by the idea of changing my name for my mother's sake since I had never had cause to change it for Tyler, "Do you think I will need to change my name? If my father is a Campbell, am I really Rachel Campbell?"

"You're still Rachel Flores because your mother was married to Patrick when you were born. Unless their marriage wasn't legal. What do you know about that?"

"Not much. I guess I have a lot of questions to be answered. I'm going to try to solve as many mysteries as I can on this trip. To be honest? I don't think I'll want to visit Moonglow Pack again after this trip. There had to be a reason my mother was desperate to get away from them if she did run."

"You're right. Be careful. Think of me often?"

Tyler seemed satisfied with the moment all at once. He sat up then left the bed. I watched him straighten his clothes for several minutes before I raised myself from the bed to put my own clothing to rights. He wanted me to know it was time to leave and I could take a hint much more subtle than the one he was giving me.

"I will do that, I'm sure."

I was sure, too.

Tyler made up most of my thoughts during the days. I spent more time thinking about him now we'd severed our mate bond than I ever had while we were mated. I supposed I had only myself to blame for the preoccupation with the Alpha; Rayne gave a sound of agreement inside my mind.

I wasn't going to be given much quarter from my wolf where our mate was concerned. I almost wished she would go back to sleep except the pleasure associated with her waking still coursed through my veins too strongly for me to regret anything at all.

"I'm going to have Adam take you home. I have to work. I spent a little too much time on your gift today. You could say I got caught up in it."

I was charmed all over by the flush on Tyler's face. It wasn't very dark, but it was there and I knew he was telling me he had spent his day thinking of me in his own way.

"Goodnight, Tyler. I'll call you and I will definitely think of you often."

I took the small gift bag as he held it out to me and grinned even though I doubted I'd be able to use the toy on my trip. I felt sexy just holding the bag as we made our way to the door.

Adam was waiting outside which made me wonder if Tyler had called him with mindspeak or if he had just been waiting there this whole time. I knew he would be discreet so I didn't bother to hide my self-satisfied smile as I slid into the backseat of the sedan.

I waved my farewell to Tyler as Adam pulled away from the circular drive of Wright House; Adam winked at me in the rearview mirror when I looked up to see if he was paying any attention to me. I blushed while I hoped he had no idea what I'd been up to with Tyler.

I wondered idly if the place he'd bought my gift might have something I could send him too...