Forever Is Not Enough [Council Enforcers 2] (Siren Publishing Classic)

brushed against the seam of her mouth. Although she was innocent when it came to anything sexual, she wasn’t naive. She knew what he wanted and happily obliged by parting her lips. It was her turn to moan when Ben thrust his tongue into her mouth.
    Jacqueline became more and more aroused with each thrust. She felt her panties dampening and couldn’t stop her hips from shifting forward as she rubbed herself against Ben. She felt his erection pressing against her stomach and wondered what it would feel like inside of her. When Ben slid his tongue back, she followed with her own, tangling it with his before she let it go. She licked his bottom lip before sucking it into her mouth and releasing it with a pop .
    Panting for breath, Jacqueline pulled back and stared at Ben. “That kiss was beyond anything I’ve ever imagined. Thank you.”
    “I should be thanking you, little mate, for allowing me to kiss you.” Ben trailed his lips down her neck as he spoke. “I’ve wanted to do that since I first laid eyes on you.”
    “Why? After what I did to you, how could you be so forgiving? I don’t understand why you even tried to save my life in the first place.” Pulling away from him, Jacqueline sat up. She knew it wasn’t the time or place to get into the conversation they were about to have. She was ruining the mood, but she needed answers. She also needed to know what she was feeling wasn’t one-sided. “Also why do you keep calling me little mate?” The first time he had called her that, she had been able to ignore it. Not this time, though. There was no way she could brush it off as something said in the heat of the moment. From everything she had heard from her father and hearing his men talk, shifters didn’t just throw the word mate around at random.
    Ben sighed and propped his head on his hand. “I know you don’t know much about shifters, but do you know what mates are?”
    Jacqueline felt her stomach knot. “I’ve heard a few of my father’s men talking about them. They are supposed to be the one person fate chooses for each shifter. Once they meet, they won’t be able to live without each other. That is about all I know. “
    Ben nodded. “That’s close. Mates are chosen for each other by fate. They are perfect and complement each other in every way. Once a shifter meets their mate, they never want another for as long as they live. I’m sure you already know, but we don’t get sick. We can’t catch human diseases, and we heal pretty much instantly. Because of that, we can live for a really long time. We aren’t immortal, but barring a horrific accident or someone killing us, we can live practically forever. Knowing there is someone out there specifically meant for us gives shifters something to look forward to rather than the burden of living forever alone.” He paused before continuing, “The night I met you, I scented you before I ever even saw you. I knew then you were my mate. That’s why I saved your life that night.”
    Jacqueline was stunned silent. She didn’t know whether to jump for joy at him confirming she was his mate or to run from the room screaming and crying because of what she had done to him. “If what you say is true, then you should hate me.” If he didn’t hate her now, then he definitely would once he found out he was dying because of her. All his talk about not getting sick and shifters being hard to kill meant little because he would soon see just how untrue that was unless she found a way to cure him.
    “I don’t hate you, little mate. From what you’ve told me, you did what you had to do to stay alive. How can I be mad about that? Besides”—he brushed the hair back from her forehead—“you made the right decision when it counted the most. You went against your father to help me escape. You more than likely saved my life.”
    Jacqueline jumped from the bed and began pacing. She didn’t want or need Ben’s praise. “You say all of that now, but when you find out what I’ve done, I wouldn’t be surprised if you never wanted to see me again.” She wanted to scream at fate for being such a cruel bitch. It wasn’t fair. He was the first man she’d had a connection with in her life, and she had to go and try to kill him.
    She sat on the side of the bed and covered her face with her hands. Tears burned her eyes, and she didn’t want Ben to see them. The last thing she needed at the moment was his pity. Jacqueline bit her lip to keep from sobbing,