Simon (Promised Mates of Monktona Wood #3)

15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Simon

My mate didn’t fall asleep until dawn.

The towering tree we had sought refuge in shielded us from the relentless downpour that had continued off and on through the night. Its gnarled branches, covered in lush foliage, had provided a sturdy haven for us.

The rustling of leaves in the wind had whispered a soothing melody, as the scent of damp earth mingled with the crisp freshness of rain. Nestled in the protective embrace of the tree, I felt a comforting sense of security.

It felt safe. It felt right being here with her.

My mate held onto me before she fell asleep. I knew it was because she was scared, but I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride that she knew I would protect her.

I wanted to stand up and bang on my chest.

Except my mind was on the ogre to celebrate for too long. They were persistent in hunting for what they wanted, and when I lusted after my mate, I had forgotten just how powerful her arousal was.

No longer. I would make sure her scent was no longer detectable when she hungered for me.

Because I would always give her what she wanted.

A small shudder ran through Lucy as she nestled under my arms. I didn’t want to let her go after the encounter with the ogre. My body shielded her scent. The ogre would not know my smell, and he only wanted my mate.

Unfortunately, she was still wet from soaking in the deep stream, and I knew she would become sick if I did not get her dry.

Once the first hint of a light source entered the sky, her body relaxed, and she fell limp in my arms. I gently pressed my nose against her neck and encircled my hand around her throat, feeling the steady beat of her pulse beneath my thumb.

No one would touch her. Not those souls that brought her here and definitely not that wolf shifter, Dutton.

I grabbed several leaves nearby and laid them down in the wide area of the tree where I had held her. It cupped inwardly deep enough. I knew she wouldn’t roll out of the tree. It would have been the perfect nesting area for us while she rested and I figured out what we should do next.

I pressed my lips gently to her forehead, feeling the warmth of her skin against my own. As I let go of her body, a slight shiver ran through her, causing a pang of concern to stir within me. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was a longing for my touch or a sign of her falling ill.

I leaned in close, my trembling finger tracing the delicate contours of her face. As I brushed my finger against her flushed cheek, I could feel the warmth radiating off her skin, a stark reminder of the feverish nights Calliope used to endure when she would become sick. A deep sigh escaped me, laced with frustration and impatience.

I could not let my mate get sick.

I reluctantly released her, inhaling her scent once more. With anticipation coursing through me, I cautiously ascended a sturdy, moss-covered branch, and my eyes diligently surveyed the canopy. And there it was, my desired prize, beckoning me from three trees away.

Agilely leaping across branches, I reached out and tightly grasped the giant leaf, its majestic hue a fusion of deep purple intertwined with delicate pink veins. With a vigorous tug, the leaf severed from the tree, causing a cascade of ethereal white downy cotton to erupt from beneath the leaf. It will serve as a good blanket, and I could peel the rest to make a nest around her.

I repeated the process until I had gathered enough of the white fluff that would work as her bedding. I raced back toward Lucy, who was groaning in her sleep.

I let out a nervous bleat and fell to my knees.

“Lucy?” I brushed her hair from her face.

She didn’t wake, and I let my hands touch various parts of her body. She was warm and still wet.

I swallowed harshly, knowing what I was about to do. She would not like this. She thought being naked was improper, but I didn’t mind her naked.

This was for her health, which was most important. I took my claw and undid the string that held her dress together. The fabric fell easily off her body.

I groaned when her breasts fell free. I should not look; I should take care of her, but my body refused to listen.

“Simon,” she breathed, the sound barely audible above the rustling leaves, and my body froze.

I laid behind her in order to keep her warm. My arm reached around and cupped her breast. She eased back into me, and I felt my shaft erupting from my pouch.

“Lucy, mine.”

She wiggled against me and used my body to heat her own. She sighed, and my body filled with pride that she wanted me close.

I fondled her breasts, kneading them beneath my palm. “Mmm, Simon.” Her backside rubbed against me, and I let out a whine. As I took a deep inhale of her hair, I nuzzled deeper, taking my tongue and licking up the side of her neck.

Yes, she wanted me. This was okay.

She settled, her body knowing I was near, and she fell back into a deeper sleep. I was happy she was more comfortable with my touch and could sleep again. However, that gave me a problem I needed to take care of.

A sweet but sufferable problem.

My mate didn’t say another word, and I continued to peel the rest of the clothes off her body. If she had hair on her legs like mine, I would have begged her just to go naked. Unfortunately, she was raised as a human, and I knew my dreams to always see her naked would never come true.

But what if others saw her naked?

I let out a snarl and rubbed my head on her shoulder.

No, no one would see her naked but me.

Once I had the dress off her body, I laid it on a nearby branch. She stirred slightly, mumbling incoherently as I placed the fluff around her body. My heart ached at the sight of her pale skin, goosebumps rising from the cold and the fever that threatened to take hold.

She nuzzled into the fabric, seeking solace even in her unconscious state.

Was it possible to be jealous of the fiber that kept her warm? My fur could do the same.

The nest where she now rested made her look like a goddess. I was nearly stunned with awe at how beautiful she was.

I had a mate.

My shaft fell out of my pouch when I saw her move her arm. One of her breasts was exposed, and my balls hung heavily inside my pouch with a need I must express.

She was sick. I had to find supplies, but my body yearned for hers, and I could not take care of her properly with my shaft blowing in the wind.

I cautiously moved backward, my hand tightly gripping a sturdy branch for support. As the breeze swept through the trees, I noticed how it caused the tip of her breast to stiffen, creating a tantalizing sight. The sight alone made my mouth water, craving the sensation of touching and tasting her once more. A deep groan escaped my lips as I instinctively wrapped my hand around my shaft, consumed by desire.

My seed leaked from the tip, and I rubbed my thumb over the bulbous head.

The gods would strike me down.

I gripped my shaft tightly, one hand at the base, the other rubbing the exposed form up and down. My mate had always been a sight to behold, but now she was something otherworldly, a vision of beauty laying limp and vulnerable in our makeshift nest. I couldn’t help but let out a deep, guttural growl as I stared at her. The desire to claim her as mine, to protect her from all harm, consumed me.

It was the animalistic side of me. Thoughts of rutting her into the soft nest, slipping inside while she slept, painted beautiful pictures in my head.

I could not do that. I was not an animal.

I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath, trying to regain control of myself. I was the protector of my mate, and she needed me strong. But my body had other ideas. My shaft throbbed insistently, threatening to spill my seed if I didn’t take care of it soon.

Did she want to touch me?

The thought of her soft hands gripping my shaft, staring at me with lust, would be my undoing. I grunted while I stared at her and stroked myself. The veins in my shaft enlarged, my body went rigid, and the idea of having Lucy lick my shaft while I licked her brought a newfound vigor to my strokes.

With a hoarse cry, I came, spilling my seed beside the nest.

Exhausted but satisfied, I took a moment to breathe before turning my attention back to Lucy.

Kneeling beside her, I heard a soft sound coming from her and looked down to see her moving slightly beneath the cotton blanket. Instantly worried that she was cold or uncomfortable, I draped the extra cotton over her exposed breast to keep her warm and covered as much as possible.

“Lucy,” I whispered softly to her, “my Lucy.”

I licked her cheek, feeling her body tremble ever so slightly in response. It was enough to reassure me that she wanted me.

Stroking her hair away from her face, I watched over her intently as I planned to find what we needed to get through this illness. But first things first, we needed food: fresh berries, vegetables, roots, or anything edible nearby would do the trick for now.

I straightened my back. I could not afford to be weak when she needed me most. I carefully stepped over the branches that led down to the forest floor, keeping a vigilant eye out for danger. Time was of the essence. I would not have Lucy become sick because of my negligence.

I quickly raced back to the cave. I knew I had herbs that could help her.

Since being alone and no longer roaming meadows and lands outside of the Wood often, I had gathered many plants and roots and dried them in case I became ill. I couldn’t depend on Calliope and her mate to take care of me. They had each other, and I was alone.

My preparation was a blessing. Now, she will see me as a fit male.

Upon returning to the cave, I found it was not as destroyed as I had imagined. The scent of my mate's arousal lingered on the blankets, which had caused the bed to be shredded to pieces. Large rocks and boulders still sat in the cave, but I could remove them. The corner still held my preparation area for food and the spot where I kept my herbs for healing.

I sighed in relief and grabbed a leather satchel and put as many herbs as I could inside. For sickness, sleep, taste for food, and the most important of all, the yellowcress to keep our scent suppressed to a minimum.

My seed would keep the ogre away for now, but if Lucy wanted my body, I would not deny her. I would make sure she was protected, and then she would see what a fit male I was and let me claim her.

I grabbed a kettle and cups, as much as I could carry, and slung the satchel over my back. I would need to make a fire at the base of the tree to prepare her a tea that would be absorbed easier into her body, to reduce the fever.

When I returned to our nest, tears of pride filled my eyes as Lucy stirred and mumbled in her sleep for me. She unconsciously shifted closer to my warmth when I approached. I carefully lifted her body, whispering her name, but she did not wake, and my brows furrowed.

Was she sicker than I realized? Panic engulfed me as I held the iron cup filled with the herb tea, that was now cool enough for her to drink. I tickled her lips with my finger so she would part them and tried to tip the liquid into her mouth. She sputtered, and it fell down her chin.

A grunt escaped my lips as I set the cup down; the sticky sweetness of the spilled herb was already clinging to her chin as I wiped it away. She wasn’t swallowing.

I scratched my head and looked around for an answer, but I knew I would not receive one.

I sighed and cupped her face. There was one way I could get it into her mouth.

I took a sip and placed my thumb on her bottom lip to help part them. Her breath was warm when I pressed her lips to hers. She swallowed and let out a hum in contentment.

My shaft rose once again, and I cursed myself.

He came out at the wrong time, every time.

My lips lingered, even after the drink had left me. I picked up the cup and drank more, just to have an excuse to place more of the drink into her mouth.

My fingers threaded through her hair, pulling her closer to my body. Reluctantly, I let go of her lips and placed my forehead on hers.

“You will be my undoing.”

Lucy settled into a deeper sleep—one that would soon be free from fever or pain—and I allowed myself to rest too, lying beside her under the protective canopy of our branches. The desire to claim my mate still throbbed within me, but I needed to get her well.

She would not have gotten sick if it weren’t for me, but I would show her I could take care of her.