Chapter 22 Kaidan
TWENTY-TWO
KAIDAN
Kaidan's tongue swept against Tessa's with devastating thoroughness, as if he could claim every breath she'd ever take through this single kiss.
The taste of her—sweet with hints of wine from dinner—drove his bear wild with possessive need.
His large hands threaded through her dark waves, anchoring her against him as the storm outside battered his domain with unprecedented fury.
The howling wind and rattling windows only emphasized their complete isolation, sealing them away from the world in this firelit sanctuary.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, Kaidan's chest heaved as he struggled to find words for what burned in his soul. Tessa's lips were swollen from his kisses, her green eyes dark with desire, and the sight nearly shattered his resolve to speak first before claiming her completely.
This is it, his bear roared inside him. Mark her. Make her ours forever.
But the human part of him—the king who'd learned to consider consequences—knew this moment required more than primal instinct. This was the most important decision of his life, and despite his body screaming to complete their mate bond, he needed her conscious, willing choice.
"Tessa." Her name came out breathier than he'd intended, laced with need and vulnerability he'd never allowed himself to show another soul. "There's something I need to ask you."
She searched his face, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "What is it?"
Kaidan's throat went dry. In thirty-five years of life, through battles for his territory and decisions that affected hundreds of his people, he'd never felt fear like this. The terror that she might say no, that he might lose her before he'd truly had her, made his hands shake.
"I want to mark you," he said, the words falling between them like stones.
"Tonight. I want to make you my mate officially, completely, for the rest of our lives.
" Kaidan pressed on before he could second guess himself.
"I'll scratch your hip when we climax during sex, leaving a permanent mark that bonds us spiritually and physically.
We'd be connected in ways that can never be undone. "
The silence stretched between them, punctuated only by crackling flames and howling wind. Each second felt like an eternity while his bear paced frantically, terrified of rejection.
What if she's not ready? What if the permanence scares her away?
"Will it hurt?" she asked softly.
"Only for a moment," Kaidan promised, his thumb stroking her cheekbone. "Then it becomes pleasure. Pure, immense pleasure."
Tessa's gaze searched his face, and he could practically see her analytical mind working through the implications. The pause made his heart almost beat out of his chest.
Please, he thought desperately. Please don't leave me.
Then her lips curved into that smile that had been undoing him since the day they met. "Yes."
The single word hit him like lightning. "Yes?"
"Yes, I want to be yours forever," she whispered, her fingers fisting in his shirt.
Joy exploded through him so powerfully he nearly roared with it. Instead, he channeled that overwhelming emotion into action, laying her down on the thick fur rug. The firelight painted her skin golden as he braced himself above her, his eyes drinking in every perfect detail.
"You're sure?" he asked one last time, though his hands were already reaching for the hem of her thermal shirt.
"I've never been more sure of anything."
Kaidan's control snapped. His fingers found the edge of her shirt, peeling the soft fabric up and over her head with reverent care. Her skin emerged inch by tantalizing inch—the flat plane of her stomach, the curve of her ribs, the black lace of her bra that made his mouth go dry.
"Beautiful," he murmured, his voice thick with awe. "So damn beautiful."
Her pants came next, his hands skimming down her legs as he removed them completely. When he reached for her bra clasp, their eyes met and held. The trust he saw there—absolute and unwavering—nearly made him collapse.
The black lace fell away, revealing her full breasts to the firelight. Kaidan's breath stopped short for a moment at the sight of her, gloriously naked except for her tiny black panties that he removed last with worshipful hands.
Now she lay before him on his furs like a goddess, her dark hair spread around her face, her skin glowing golden in the flames, and Kaidan knew he'd never seen anything more perfect in his life.
"Mine," he whispered, the word carrying the weight of an oath.
"Yours," she agreed breathlessly.
Kaidan didn't hesitate a second longer. He claimed her mouth again, kissing her with a hunger that bordered on desperation.
Her fingers clawed at his shirt, tearing at the fabric until he helped her rip it off, his muscles flexing as he tossed it aside.
The moment his bare skin met hers, a shudder ran through him—electric and primal.
His lips moved to her neck, sucking at the sensitive spot that made her gasp.
"Kaidan…" His name on her lips was a plea, and he reveled in it, and in the way her body arched beneath him.
"Patience," he growled against her skin, though patience was the last thing he felt.
His bear snarled inside him, demanding he take her now, claim her in every way possible. But this—this moment—deserved reverence.
He kissed down her neck to her collarbone, and then lower to her breasts, his tongue flicking over one peaked nipple before drawing it into his mouth. Tessa cried out, her fingers grabbing his hair, holding him there as if she feared he might stop. As if he could.
"You taste like heaven," he murmured against her skin.
"Less talking," she gasped, her hips lifting against him. "More—"
He chuckled, the sound dark and possessive, before lavishing the same attention on her other breast until she was writhing beneath him.
Then he kissed lower still, his lips tracing the curve of her ribs, the dip of her navel, and the softness of her stomach. He lingered there, breathing in her scent—sweet, intoxicating, his.
When he finally settled between her thighs, her breath hitched. He could feel the heat of her against his lips and could already taste her on his tongue.
"Kaidan," she whispered, her voice trembling with need.
His tongue soon dragged through her folds in one slow, deliberate stroke, savoring the way her body jerked beneath him. Her loud moans were music to his ears as he licked deeper in a maddening circular motion around her clit.
"God—" Her thighs clenched around his head, her hips lifting to seek more.
He gave it to her willingly—teasing and tormenting, until she was gasping his name like a mantra.
"Kaidan, I need you inside me," she begged, her voice breaking. "Please."
Kaidan lifted his head, and his entire body went taut with need. The sight of her—flushed, desperate, and completely at his mercy—nearly undid him at that moment.
Kaidan stripped off his pants and boxers in one swift motion, his large cock springing free, thick and hard. He then laid back on the fur rug, his muscles coiled with anticipation. His eyes, sharp and hungry, locked onto Tessa as she laid beside him, her body glowing in the firelight.
"Get on top of me," he commanded gently. "Take control, Tessa. This is your special night too."
She hesitated for a fraction of a second, her eyes searching his but then she nodded. "Careful, Your Majesty. Once I'm in charge, you might not want me to stop."
Kaidan chuckled. "Sounds like a challenge I'm willing to accept."
Tessa straddled him, her hands resting on his chest for balance.
Kaidan's breath hitched as she positioned herself, her slick heat brushing against the tip of his cock.
She guided him to her entrance, her movements slow and deliberate, and Kaidan's jaw clenched as he fought the urge to thrust up and bury himself inside her all at once.
"Easy," she murmured, her voice teasing. "Let me savor this."
"You're going to be the death of me, Tessa," he growled, his hands gripping her hips as she sank down onto him, inch by agonizing inch.
Her gasp echoed in the room as she took him fully, her body stretching to accommodate him. Kaidan's eyes closed for a moment, his bear roaring inside him at the feel of her tight warmth enveloping him.
"God, you're perfect," he breathed, his voice rough with primal need.
Tessa leaned forward, her hands braced on his chest, and began to move, rocking her hips in a rhythm that made Kaidan's head spin. Her breasts swayed with her movements and Kaidan reached up to cup them, his thumbs brushing over her nipples until she gasped, her pace faltering slightly.
"Don't stop," he growled, his voice rough with desire.
Her eyes met his, dark with passion, and her movements became more deliberate, her hips grinding against him in a way that made his cock throb. Kaidan's hands slid down her sides to grip her hips again, guiding her as she rode him, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"You feel so good," she moaned, her head tipping back as her pleasure built.
Her words sent a jolt of primal satisfaction through him, his bear growling in approval. "That's it," he murmured, his voice barely more than a rumble. "Take your pleasure, sweetheart."
As their bodies moved together, the connection between them deepened, their emotions blending through the mate bond.
Kaidan could feel her love, her trust, her desire, and it overwhelmed him in the most perfect way.
His hands moved to her breasts again, pinching her nipples until she cried out, her pace quickening.
"Kaidan, I'm close," she gasped, her nails digging into his chest.
"I know," he growled, his own climax building like a storm inside him. "I'm going to mark you now. Are you ready?"
She nodded, her eyes locking onto his, and Kaidan felt a surge of possessiveness unlike anything he'd ever known.
His right hand slid down her side, his claws lengthening as he reached her hip.
With a sharp, deliberate movement, he scratched her, the mark deep enough to draw blood but precise enough to leave a lasting symbol of their bond.
Tessa's scream was a mix of pain and ecstasy, her body clamping around him as her orgasm ripped through her.
Kaidan groaned, his hips thrusting up into her as he followed her over the edge, his seed spilling deep inside her.
The connection between them exploded, their mate bond complete.
For a moment, Kaidan felt like he was floating, euphoria washing over him in waves.
When he finally came back to himself, Tessa was slumped against his chest, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Kaidan wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as the firelight danced across their skin.
"Tessa," he whispered. "You're mine now. Forever."
She lifted her head to look at him, her green eyes filled with love and satisfaction. "And you're mine forever," she whispered back, her lips curving into a triumphant smile.
Kaidan smiled back, his heart swelling with a sense of completeness he'd never known before. She was his mate, his future queen, his everything—and he would spend the rest of his life showing her just how worthy she truly was of being his.
He gazed down at the mark on her hip—his mark—that gleamed fresh in the firelight, a permanent testament to their bond. His bear rumbled with deep satisfaction, finally at peace after years of restlessness.
The storm outside seemed to echo his thoughts, its fury beginning to ebb as if nature itself acknowledged their union.
Through the completed mate bond, he could feel everything—her contentment washing over him like warm honey, the lingering echoes of her pleasure, and beneath it all, a love so fierce it made his chest tight.
"Can you feel it too?" he asked softly, his fingers tracing lazy patterns along her spine. "Our completed mate bond?"
Tessa's eyes fluttered open, those green depths now carrying something new—a deeper awareness that made his pulse quicken. "Your emotions," she said, wonder threading through her voice. "They're so... intense. How do you carry all of this?"
"Now you'll help me carry it." Kaidan's hand cupped her face. "And I'll carry yours. Every fear, every joy, every moment of doubt—we share it all now."
The territorial possessiveness that had driven him wild for days finally settled into something deeper and more profound. She wasn't just his mate anymore—she was part of his very soul.
"Though you might regret teaching me I can take charge," she teased softly.
His laughter rumbled through his chest. "Sweetheart, you've been in charge since the moment you walked into my life."