Chapter 18
Phoenix
Icould barely wait to get through classes so that I could see Karrick again.
Every minute felt like an eternity as I watched the clock, my leg bouncing impatiently under my desk during Advanced Magical Theory.
Professor Wormwood’s droning voice faded into background noise as my thoughts drifted to Karrick, his massive form, those intelligent brown eyes, the way his claws had gently traced my skin.
When the final bell rang, I practically leapt from my seat, stuffing my grimoire and notes haphazardly into my bag. I rushed through the crowded hallways, dodging other students with mumbled apologies.
The campus grounds were bathed in the golden light of sunset when I finally made it to our meeting spot behind the athletic building.
My heart hammered in my chest as I rounded the corner, and there he was, all seven feet of muscled, fur-covered Beastkin, leaning against the brick wall with his arms crossed.
“You came,” he rumbled, those tusks glinting as his lips curled into a smile.
“Of course I did,” I said, trying to sound casual despite the heat already spreading through my body. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”
Karrick’s cheeks darkened. “I’ve been thinking about you too.” He glanced around quickly, then extended his clawed hand. “Come with me. There’s something I need to tell you, and we can’t talk here.”
I took his hand without hesitation, feeling the rough pads of his palm against mine. He led me toward the eastern edge of campus where the boundary wards were, moving with surprising stealth for someone so large.
“We’re leaving campus?” I whispered.
“Just for a bit,” he promised, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down my spine. “I know a place where we won’t be bothered.”
We slipped through a gap in the old stone wall, and I muttered a concealment charm that shimmered around us. The forest beyond the academy grounds was dense and dark, but Karrick navigated it effortlessly, guiding me deeper until we reached a small clearing.
In the center stood an ancient oak, its massive trunk hollowed at the base to form a natural shelter. Inside, someone, Karrick, I realized, had placed soft blankets and a pair of enchanted lanterns that cast a warm, intimate glow.
“You planned this,” I said, unable to keep the smile from my face.
Karrick looked almost shy, a strange expression on his bestial features. “I needed somewhere private. To talk. And... maybe more.”
We settled on the blankets, and Karrick took both my hands in his. His thumbs traced circles on my wrists, sending waves of pleasure up my arms.
“Phoenix, there’s something you should know…” he began, his voice uncharacteristically serious. “I didn’t know this until today actually, but I guess certain Beastkin can... connect with someone. I guess it can be kinda of strong.”
“Are you saying you feel strongly about me?” I asked, feeling my cheeks burn even though I already knew the answer.
“Of course I do,” he sighed. He glanced away nervously. “It’s more than that though.”
My heart skipped a beat at the nervousness in his voice. I’d never seen Karrick this uncertain about anything. “What do you mean?”
He took a deep breath, his massive chest rising and falling.
“It’s called a mate bond. It happens sometimes between Beastkin and.
.. well, usually other Beastkin, but apparently it can happen with other races too.
” His brown eyes met mine, searching. “It means we’re connected, Phoenix.
Like, really connected. Souls tied together kind of connected. ”
I blinked, processing his words. A mate bond. The concept wasn’t entirely foreign. I’d read about such things in books concerning the monster races. That kind of bond was most common in werewolves. But I never knew Beastkin were susceptible or capable of such things.
“So that’s why I can’t stop thinking about you?” I asked softly. “Why being near you feels like the most wonderful thing in the entire world?”
Relief flooded his features. “You’re not... scared? Or angry? I thought you might be upset or feel like I’d corralled you into something too fast.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Karrick, I didn’t even know you were alive until a few days ago.
And now you’re telling me we’re magically bonded?
” I shifted closer to him, my hand coming up to rest against the soft fur of his chest. “Honestly? It explains a lot. The way I felt when I first saw you after I got my memories back, like something clicked into place...”
His hand covered mine, dwarfing it completely. “So, you’re okay with this?”
“More than okay,” I whispered, leaning into him. “It just makes sense now. I thought I was being childish and falling for you too fast, but this explains it all. And it doesn’t scare me either. You’re the person I trust most in the entire world.”
A low growl rumbled through his chest, and suddenly his arms were around me, pulling me against him.
Our lips met in a kiss that was hungry and desperate, all the longing from our day apart pouring between us.
I could taste the wildness on his tongue, feel the careful control in how gently his tusks grazed my lower lip.
My hands roamed over his broad shoulders, fingers threading through the thick fur. He was so warm, so solid and real beneath my touch. When we broke apart, we were both breathing hard.
“I want to take my time with you,” he murmured against my neck, his voice rough with desire. “Show you how much you mean to me.” He paused for a moment. “And… mate you properly.”
My breath caught in my throat at his words, heat pooling low in my belly. “Mate me properly,” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. The phrase sent electricity racing through my veins.
His brown eyes darkened as he nodded slowly. “If you want that. The bond... it makes me want to claim you completely. Mark you as mine.” One massive hand cupped my face, his thumb brushing over my cheekbone with infinite tenderness. “But only if you want it too.”
I leaned into his touch, my eyes fluttering closed. “I want everything with you, Karrick. Everything. And I’ve fantasized about this in particular quite a bit.”
The growl that escaped him was pure want, vibrating through his chest and into mine where we pressed together.
His lips found mine again, this kiss deeper, more possessive than before.
I melted against him, my hands fisting in the thick fur of his chest as his tongue explored my mouth with careful hunger.
When we parted, I was already breathless and aching for more.
Both of us were already hard, our cocks grinding together through thin fabric.
Karrick’s claws made quick work of the buttons on my shirt, his movements surprisingly deft despite their size.
The fabric fell away, exposing my chest to the warm air and his burning gaze.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he rumbled, his voice thick with reverence. His hands spanned my ribcage, thumbs brushing over my nipples until I gasped and arched into his touch. “I’ll never get enough of this.”
I reached for him in return, my fingers tracing the defined muscles beneath his fur.
He was magnificent, all raw power held in careful check, every line of his body speaking to barely restrained desire.
When my palm pressed flat against his chest, I could feel his heart hammering just as wildly as my own.
“Show me,” I whispered against his throat, tasting the salt of his skin. “Show me what it means to belong to you.”
His cock throbbed hard against my thigh and all I could think of was how it would feel inside me.
Just the thought took my breath away. I wanted more, everything he could give me and then some.
And I wanted to be his, to belong to someone other than the world I’d finally escaped.
He was the freedom I craved and the love I’d been missing my entire life.
I knew there was no going back after this, but I didn’t care.
I wanted him and his cock buried deep inside me.
Karrick’s hands stilled on my skin, and for a moment I thought he might pull away. Instead, he cupped my face in his massive palms, forcing me to meet his gaze. The intensity there made my knees weak.
“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. “Once we do this, once I claim you properly... there’s no taking it back. The bond will be complete.”
I pressed closer, letting him feel every inch of my rock-hard cock against his thick thigh. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
Something primal flickered in his brown eyes, and suddenly I found myself being lowered onto the soft blankets with a gentleness that contradicted his obvious need. He knelt above me, all seven feet of him blocking out the enchanted lantern light, and I felt deliciously small beneath him.
“Then let me worship you first,” he growled, his claws trailing down my chest with exquisite care. Each touch sent sparks of pleasure racing through me, and I arched helplessly into his hands.
He took his time removing the rest of my clothes, his mouth following the path his claws had traced. When his tongue flicked over my nipple, I cried out, my hands fisting in his thick fur. The contrast of his soft lips and the slight scrape of his tusks against my skin was maddening.
“I love how sensitive you are,” he murmured against my ribs, his breath hot against my skin. “The way you react to me is… delicious.”
By the time he worked my trousers off, I was trembling with want. My cock stood hard and eager, precum already beading at the tip. Karrick’s eyes fixed on it with hungry appreciation, and I felt myself flush under his intense scrutiny.
“Beautiful,” he breathed, one clawed finger tracing along my length with feather-light touches that had me gasping and throbbing. “All of you is so perfect.”