hair up to let the long, thick strands tumble free.
She moaned into the kiss. Christ he was so good with that tongue, rubbing and grazing it back and forth over hers. Her nipples puckered tight under her top. They ached with an intensity she’d never felt before. All her muscles locked into place. It was like none of the kisses she’d ever been given had been real. Nothing compared to Gray’s lips pressing over hers. To his tongue fondling hers. To his hands gripping her hair. And to, oh dear God, the hard bar of his cock rubbing on her belly. Lust pooled at her core and heated her from the inside like a forest fire.
Need grew in her for the man doing with a single kiss what others could not do with months of sex. She moaned. He grunted and moved his hands down her neck to cup her breasts over her shirt. Hot shudders raced down her spine to her clit. A new throbbing took hold of her pussy. She wanted this big, sexy guy naked. Now.
He fondled her breasts, massaging and tweaking her nipples. With every squeeze her pussy fluttered. Her panties had gone past damp to soaked.
She pulled away from him, just enough to catch her breath and look into his bright golden eyes. The need and lust she saw there made her shiver.
“I want you,” he said, his voice firm, low and rough.
Those had to be the best words any man had ever said to her. Not because she’d never been told she was wanted before, she had, but because he said it in such a way she knew it was true. He said it as if it was killing him to not be inside her and by God that made the words all the more special.
“I—”
She didn’t get a chance to say anything. Her words died in her throat. His gaze jerked up from her face and his features turned feral, animalistic and angry. The warmth inside her died a sudden death and was replaced with icy fear.
He turned around, pushing her behind him until she was pressed between him and a tree.
Loud roaring sounded all around her. She tried to peek over Gray but it was hard since he was so damn big. She was, however, able to listen to the conversation without any problems.
“Leave.” Gray’s voice was loud and harsh.
She finally got around his arm enough to see two tall men standing several yards away.
“We’ve come to speak with you,” one guy said. He glanced down and caught sight of her. He frowned, his face twisting in anger. “You’ve got no mate. A pride leader needs cubs to ensure his line.”
She didn’t really understand what all that meant, but Gray clearly did. His muscles tensed, almost shaking.
“My mate is not of your concern, Lucas. Why are you and Eli really here?”
Great! Now she knew the guys’ names. The bigger, staring daggers at her, was Lucas and the shorter, not as evil-looking, was Eli.
“There’s been talk.” Eli glanced at Lucas, shifting from foot to foot. “Some are saying you won’t be leader for long.”
“We need to know what you will do about the mate problem,” Lucas said, his gaze never wavering from Lyss. “Or do you plan to fight to keep your place.”
“Again, not your business. You are overstepping and you both know what happens when anyone questions me.” He didn’t yell the words, but the effect was instant. The two men took hasty steps back and eyed each other. “You have thirty seconds to go before I decide you’ve come here to fight me yourselves.”
Eli was first to rush back, tugging a hesitant Lucas with him.
“We’ll go,” said Lucas. “But this doesn’t change anything. Others will come. You can’t be leader without a mate.”
Lyss swallowed at the fear clogging her throat. She gripped Gray’s T-shirt so hard in her fists her knuckles had gone white. They stood there a few minutes until she felt his muscles loosen.
“Let’s go back,” he said and turned to face her. His eyes were filled with anger. “I don’t think you should be out here right now in case they decide to come back.”
She frowned. This pride of his sounded