Chapter 17 #2
I give it to her hard–harder than I mean to, but I’m losing control.
My wolf is in charge now, and he needs to claim Aster with a ferocity I’ve never felt before.
I catch her nape to keep her head from hitting the wall each time I shove into her.
I grip the fronts of her thighs, lifting her pelvis off the bed, so I can slam in hard.
My loins slap against her ass with a satisfying smack, reminding me how much I want to spank her gorgeous ass again.
We dance together this way for an eternity. Or maybe just a few minutes. I lose track of time completely, my brain fully embedded in my balls.
Aster’s lips are moving. It takes me a moment to focus on what she’s saying. “Mark me.”
Mark. Her.
“Mine.” I don’t even know if the syllable is intelligible with the growl rising in my throat.
My wolf goes insane. I drive into her so hard the bed bounces.
My jaw hinges open and snap down on the place where her neck meets her shoulder.
The moment I sink my teeth into her, I come like a freight train.
Even though I just orgasmed from the blowjob, an endless stream of cum pours out of me into my convulsing mate. Aster jerks and spasms beneath me, her ass squeezed up tight as her internal muscles clamp around my dick, milking it for every last drop of my essence.
I force my jaws to soften and ease my teeth out of her skin, licking the wounds to help them close and heal. Rocking my pelvis over hers, I shower kisses along her hairline, down her jaw, across her throat.
“Mine,” I repeat.
Aster smiles up at me, luminescent in her post-orgasmic glow. She touches the place I bit her, then touches my cheek. “I’m yours.”
Aster
Noah gazes down at me like I’m the most beautiful female in the world. “I’m so fucking lucky,” he says.
I bask in the glow of his regard. Every cell in my body seems to sing with joy at his claiming.
Mate, my wolf keeps whispering. Mate.
There’s a satisfaction that runs bone deep.
My wolf will keep speaking to me, even if the Grandmothers will now be silent. I reach for them, testing our connection, but feel nothing. Not even their disappointment with me over this choice. It’s just…quiet.
Which I guess is a relief.
My entire life I had this internalized sense of judgement.
Maybe human kids have the idea of Santa Claus always watching.
Or the Boogie Man. But I had the Grandmothers.
Oma was always lecturing about not shaming myself with them.
That they’d know if I broke a rule, and they’d tell her, so I could be properly punished.
Now they’re no longer in my head. No longer watching over my shoulder.
I’m…free.
I’m free!
I throw my arms around Noah, nearly strangling him in a wild hug. All the pressure to perform, to be a conduit for the pack’s visions, to survive in a toxic environment is gone.
It’s just me and Noah.
And soon, we’ll have Oriana and Liora. We’ll be a pack of four until Noah and I have pups of our own. We love each other. We’ll find our way.
I push away the nagging anxieties about whether we can safely get Liora and Oriana out without my Sight to guide us.
Or if Noah will lose his job. What Brick Blackthroat will do with us.
Or worse, what the Adalwulfs will do if they ever find me.
Kill me, most likely. If they find out I’ve lost the Sight, then I’m not only worth nothing to them, but I’ve taken their greatest asset from them.
Such a loss would be punishable by death.
But with Noah, it feels like I can face the most insurmountable problems and come out on top. Look at the miracles that have already happened–I’m out of that prison tower! I won’t be magically bound to Aiden Adalwulf.
He eases out of me, and I release his neck. “One minute.” Noah holds up a finger as he slides off the bed then returns a moment later with a warm washcloth. He cleans between my legs then lays more kisses along my skin, traveling from my mons up to my throat.
I love you. He shows me the “ILY” sign, but this time his middle and index fingers are crossed.
I shape my fingers into the same sign.
“It means, I really love you,” he explains. “The R is for really.”
“I really love you,” I whisper as I wave my IRLY hand in front of his face.
He grins and holds up his finger again, this time going to the bedroom door and cracking it, even though he’s naked. He bends down and picks up a tray from the floor outside.
There’s a tray with a red rose in a vase, a bottle of Moet champagne on ice with two flutes, and a charcuterie board with cheeses, meats, and fresh bread.
I gasp. “What’s that?”
He shows me a note. “Congratulations, Noah. You punched above your weight.” It’s signed by Billy and the whole pack.
“‘Punched above your weight.’ What does that mean?”
“It means I mated someone far, far above me.” He leans in and kisses me.
“That’s not true,” I protest.
“Oh, starlight, it is.” He looks smug.
“Which one is Billy?”
“The wolf who noticed me mooning over you when I first saw you. He’s my direct boss and an asshole. And we all tease him because he definitely mated someone better than him. And he knows it.”
I can’t help my smile. Noah seems to know these wolves so well, and they also seem to have accepted him even though he’s not pack. It warms my heart. “Do you think we’re still prisoners?”
Noah sets the tray down on the bedside table and pours the champagne. “Probably. But I think Brick might be willing to help us.” Or Sully, he adds in ASL.
I take the slender stem of one of the filled glasses from him, and we clink them together. “To us,” I say.
His eyes grow serious. “To you.”
“No. To us. There’s an us now. We’re a team. You’re not a lone wolf anymore. Not ever again.”
Noah’s eyes grow moist, and he leans his forehead against mine for a moment then kisses my lips. “We should tell my nan. Do you want to meet her?”
My heart squeezes in my chest. “Of course.”
Noah sets our champagne glasses down, and we pull on our shirts before he videocalls his grandmother with the phone propped up on the tray of food in front of the ice bucket.
A woman who looks like an older version of Liora except with dark hair cut into a shaggy layered bob answers. For a moment, their hands fly, and no one speaks out loud, so I’m lost, but then the she-wolf says, “Aster, it’s so wonderful to meet you.” Her eyes are damp with tears.
“Aster, this is Nan,” Noah says.
“Hi, Nan.” I wave and smile.
“Look at your beautiful mark. My darling! I can’t wait to hug you in person.” She signs something to Noah, who chuckles.
“Yes, she’s a wolf. She’s an Adalwulf, actually.” Noah signs and speaks out loud, so I can follow.
Nan’s smile fades and concern creeps between her brows.
“She helped me find Liora.”
Nan goes perfectly still, her body on rigid alert. “And?”
“And I have a little sister.”
Nan’s face turns pale. Her lips start to tremble. “Will she leave? Can you get her out?”
Noah nods. “We’re going to figure out how to get them both out. Liora wants out now, too. For Oriana–her daughter.”
“But they’re not with you now?” I can see the alarm on Nan’s face. She knows enough about the Moonborn to know it’s not easy for anyone to leave.
Noah shakes his head. “No, but I will go back for them. I have a plan.”
Nan frowns but nods then turns her attention back to me. “Aster, my child. I’m so happy you and Noah found each other. Please be careful.”
I nod. “We will.”
“Take care of each other,” she says.
“We will.” Noah gives her the “ILY” sign, and they hang up.
“Do you have a plan?” I ask. Because I’d like to hear it, so I know what we’re going to do.
He pops a square of cheese in my mouth. “No. Not yet. But I’m working on it.”