Chapter 10 #2
We made it back to the cabin and settled in for the storm. Thane was in the kitchen brewing some tea while Gareth and War poured over more of the lists of names. They were deep in conversation while I joined Thane in the kitchen.
As Thane poured the hot tea into mugs, I couldn't help but feel grateful for his presence. He had been a rock for me throughout this entire journey, and I knew that I wouldn't have been able to make it this far without him.
"Thank you," I said softly, taking the mug from him.
"For what?" Thane asked, raising an eyebrow.
"For everything, I guess," I replied. "For being here for me, for helping me with my magic, and for cracking stupid-ass jokes when I'm freaking out."
Thane smiled at me, and for a moment, I could see the sadness behind his eyes. "You don't have to thank me. I'm just doing what feels right. You're precious to me. More than you realize."
My belly flipped with nervous excitement.
I could feel the tension between us, the unspoken words hanging in the air.
I knew that things had changed between us since our soul bond had formed.
There was a familiarity and closeness that hadn't been there before, and it was both comforting and confusing.
"Thane," I said quietly, placing a hand on his arm. "Can we talk?"
Without a word, Thane followed me to the living room, where we sat down on the couch. I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to say.
"I know what it means to have a soul bond," I admitted. "It freaks me out but excites me, too... I’m sorry, I'm not explaining this right."
Thane looked at me, his expression softening.
"I'm new to this, too," he admitted. "I've never had a soul bond.
I never thought it would happen to someone like me.
But I do know that I feel a connection to you that I can't quite explain.
It's like we're intertwined. I can feel your presence even when you're not here.
It's bloody overwhelming, but in a good way. "
I nodded, feeling the same overwhelming sense of connection. "I feel it, too," I said, taking a deep breath. "But...I also feel something else. Something that I don't quite understand."
Thane raised an eyebrow, urging me to continue.
"It's like I can feel your desires," I said, blushing slightly. "Your needs, if that makes any sense."
Thane's eyes darkened, his expression turning almost predatory. "Is that so?" he murmured, leaning closer to me.
My pulse quickened, my body responding instinctively to his proximity. "Yes," I whispered, my breath catching in my throat.
Thane didn't say anything else, but his actions spoke volumes. He leaned in and captured my lips with his, his hands tangling in my hair as he deepened the kiss.
I felt the fire between us ignite, and I knew that this was different. This wasn't the gentle kiss between War and me earlier. This was something rough and primal, something that had been building between us for weeks.
Thane pulled back for a moment, his eyes hooded with desire. "I think we have an audience," he said, his voice thick.
We glanced at the kitchen table where Gareth and War sat, both staring at us. I felt a blush creep up my neck, and I quickly pulled away from Thane, feeling embarrassed and exposed.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, avoiding eye contact with both Gareth and War.
“Don’t be sorry,” Thane whispered, his hand reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “We all feel the same way. And it’s okay to act on it. I watched you fuck my brother, and I'm still here.”
Gareth cleared his throat loudly, causing us to jump. He looked between the two of us, his expression carefully neutral. “Are we done with tea time?” he asked, tossing the list of names onto the table. “Because we have work to do.”
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief at the change of subject but feeling slightly worried about the bite in Gareth's words.
Thane squeezed my hand reassuringly before standing up.
“Right,” he said, picking up his own mug of tea. “Let’s get to it then.”
We spent the rest of the night poring over the lists of names and trying to come up with a plan to track down Estelle’s contacts.
It was slow going, and it seemed like for every lead we found, we hit a dead end.
But we didn’t give up. We were determined to bring her to justice, no matter what it took.
As the night wore on, I found myself stealing glances at Thane every chance I got. The kiss we shared earlier had changed something between us, and I didn't know how to process it. Our connection was stronger than ever, and I could feel his presence even when he was across the room.
But as the hours ticked by and exhaustion set in, we all knew that we needed rest. We decided to take shifts keeping watch, and Thane offered to take the first watch.
I settled into the bed, burying myself under the thick quilt and sheets, trying to relax my mind and let sleep take over. But a nagging feeling at the back of my mind kept me awake.
I couldn't stop thinking about Thane and the damn soul bond. Was it a mistake? Did it mean something more than just physical desire? Was it another mating bond?
As I lay there, lost in thought, I heard a soft rustling sound. I sat up, straining my ears to hear better. Then I heard it again. It was coming from the direction of the back door.
I quietly got out of bed and made my way toward the door, stepping out onto the back porch. "Thane," I called out softly, not wanting to startle him, "is everything okay?"
But there was no answer. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw Thane in the distance, sitting in his borrowed, ahem, stolen car.
I approached the car and knocked on the passenger-side window. He unlocked it, and I slipped inside, music blaring and the heater on full blast.
Thane turned down the music as I closed the door, trapping us both inside.
”What are you doing in here?” I asked, rubbing my cold hands together and blowing into them.
“I thought I’d get out of the cold for a bit and let you get some shut-eye. War’s out running the perimeter and brooding in the moonlight.”.
I chuckled, warming up quickly. “Gareth is still asleep. I think being in his human form is exhausting after spending so much time as a wolf.
Thane looked thoughtful. “I’m shocked you were able to coax him back so quickly.” He glanced at me with a sly smirk on his lips. “So…mates, huh?”
I groaned, rolling my eyes. “How long have you known?”
“Since the moment you two dirty devils stumbled back into the cabin smelling of sex and depravity.”
I threw my face in my hands and groaned. “Don’t say it like that, ughh... I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face, though. “It just happened; I can’t explain it.”
I felt a strong hand on my thigh and looked up to find Thane suddenly a lot closer than before, his blue eyes shining in the moonlight. “You don’t have to be ashamed of it, little wolf. It was only a matter of time until he claimed you. Especially with us in the picture.”
”What do you mean?” I asked with a frown.
He gave me a look. “That wolf has been after you since day one. Maybe longer than that. He’s a prickly bastard, but he’s not very subtle.
” As Thane spoke, his hand began to move up my thigh, his touch sending shivers down my spine.
I bit my lip, trying to suppress the whimper that threatened to escape my lips.
“But He isn’t the only one who wants to claim you,” Thane continued, his voice low and husky. “I feel the bond growing. It’s reaching for you whenever you’re close, and when you’re not... I feel empty. I think I’m done with pretending. Gareth laid down the gauntlet, and I’m picking it up.”
He leaned in, his lips inches from mine. I could feel his warm breath on my skin, and the scent of his cologne filled my senses.
“Thane…” I murmured, my eyes closing as his lips finally met mine. The kiss was slow and deep, our mouths moving in perfect sync. His tongue traced the seam of my lips, and I eagerly parted them, inviting him inside.
Our kiss grew more urgent, with his hands moving to push aside my clothing. I moaned as he cupped my breast, his thumb brushing over my hardened nipple.
“We shouldn’t…” I breathed, my back arching.
“We should,” he argued, his voice rough. “Can you honestly say you don’t want this? For me to tear your clothes off and show you how I like to fuck?”
I sucked in a sharp breath, my belly fluttering with heat and nerves. I couldn’t deny it—I wanted him more than anything else at that moment. And with a sense of recklessness, I gave in.
I was on him in seconds, grabbing his face and pulling it to mine, kissing him hard and violently. He groaned into my mouth, nipping at me, tasting me, his hands roaming my body, feeling my exposed skin.
The driver’s seat slid backward, making room for me to climb over the gear shift. Thane guided me over it carefully, pulling me onto his lap. We never broke our kiss, devouring each other as if we’d been starving for months.
I grappled with his black shirt, pulling it over his head, revealing his hard muscles beneath and his skin covered in tattoos that stood out in the moonlight.
They were all black-ink tattoos with fine line work and intricate designs that blended into one another, as if it was one large tattoo that spanned his whole body.
His silver hair glowed ethereally, and his eyes were bright with the magic that swirled inside of him. A buzzing sensation crawled over my skin, and I closed my eyes, relishing the vibrations between us.
Thane pulled my oversized pajama shirt over my head, exposing my bare breasts, which he wasted no time bringing to his lips. He sucked my puckered nipple between his lips, nipping at it gently as I started to whimper.
My hips undulated, seeking out the friction that I desperately craved. Thane was wearing a pair of gray sweatpants, thin enough that I could feel how hard he was.