Chapter 10
Norri
As I stirred awake, the sun streamed in through cracks in the walls, casting warm, dappled shadows across the rough-hewn floorboards beneath me. I'd forgotten I was in this place. Still, it wasn't much better than my apartment.
The shack creaked softly around us, settling into its ancient bones after another night of weathering storms. Beside me, Gali slept peacefully, his chest rising and falling steadily, his arm draped protectively over my waist.
Last night had been...intense. Incredible. Life-changing. I'd never experienced anything remotely similar before. The way he'd taken me, possessed me, claimed me — it was unlike anything I'd ever imagined.
But even as I relived those passionate moments, a niggling thought tugged at the corners of my mind, demanding attention: Could I be pregnant? Was it even possible after just one time? And then a voice deep in my head told me that, yes, it was very much possible.
Gali stirred beside me, his arm tightening reflexively around my middle before he opened his eyes, focusing on me with an intensity that made me blush. "Morning," he murmured, his voice still heavy with sleep. Or maybe it was something else.
"Hi," I replied, keeping my voice low and shifting slightly to face him. Our noses almost touched, our breaths mingling. I could've stayed like that forever, lost in those stormy gray depths, but reality intruded, forcing me to speak up. "Gali, about last night..."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Yes?" He prompted, brushing a strand of hair away from my eyes gently.
Swallowing hard, I forged ahead, pushing past the nervous butterflies fluttering in my stomach. If I didn't say what I was thinking right now, I would never try again. "Do you think I could be...pregnant?"
His expression softened immediately, eyes crinkling at the edges as he cupped my cheek, the touch soft and comforting. "It's possible," he said quietly, thumb tracing my bottom lip. "Especially given how strong our connection is."
My heart fluttered at his words, at the implication that this might not just be some fleeting infatuation but something deeper, something real. Something fated — and something I had been thinking about.
"But what if I am?" I persisted, needing to know what he truly thought, truly wanted. "What happens then?"
Gali paused, considering me solemnly before speaking again. "Then we'll deal with it," he vowed, his gaze unwavering. "We'll figure it out, whatever comes our way."
Relief flooded through me, washing away fears and doubts I hadn't even known I held. I leaned into his touch, closing my eyes for a brief moment and basking in the warmth of his reassurance.
"And what about the cartel?" I asked finally, voicing the question that had haunted my thoughts ever since we'd fled their compound. I just couldn't stop thinking about them. "What do we do now?"
His jaw tightened, a hint of the formidable alpha I knew lurking just beneath the surface. "We run," he answered simply. "For as long as it takes until El Lobo loses interest or gives up altogether. Or, I find a way to kill him."
My stomach churned at the thought of living on the run indefinitely, always looking over our shoulders, never able to settle anywhere. How could we even for a family living like that?
Yet even as dread filled me, so too did determination. I would face whatever came next alongside Gali, no matter how daunting the challenges ahead.
Besides, maybe there was more to consider now...
"What about naming our child?" I ventured hesitantly, testing the waters. Was he ready to talk about something like that? I didn't know, but wanted to find out anyway. "If we do end up having one, I mean."
Gali's eyes shone with unshed tears, his grip on my cheek tightening slightly. "I've always liked the name Orion," he admitted softly. "Strong, resilient, a leader among stars."
Orion. A name fit for a warrior, for someone destined for greatness. It suited Gali perfectly, and maybe someday, our son would too.
"I like it," I agreed, smiling back at him. "And if it's a girl?"
He thought for a moment before answering, his expression thoughtful. "Luna," he decided at last. "Because she'll be the moon to your sun, lighting up your life when you need her most."
The tenderness in his voice brought fresh tears to my eyes, overwhelming me with emotion. How had I ever doubted that he was my mate? That we were meant to be together?
"We'll make it work," I whispered, wrapping my arms around him, holding him close. "No matter what obstacles we face, we'll find a way."
Gali pulled me tighter against him, burying his face in my neck, inhaling deeply. "Of course," he agreed, voice muffled against my skin. "As long as I am with you, I feel I can do anything."
In that moment, surrounded by nothing but the rustic shack and the vast wilderness beyond, I felt invincible. Unstoppable.
Yet even amidst the heady haze of love and optimism, doubts lingered. What if El Lobo found us? What if we couldn't escape his reach? What if I wasn't really carrying Gali's child after all?
But I pushed them aside, refusing to let fear taint this precious moment between us.
"You know," Gali murmured suddenly, pulling back slightly to look at me once more. "I think I saw a small town not far from here a few days ago. Maybe we could stop there, stock up on supplies, and gather information."
I nodded right away, eager to embrace any distraction, any excuse to prolong this interlude. Besides, it sounded like a good idea. We needed food, water, medicine — things we couldn't exactly grow wild on the island.
"Maybe they'll have a place where we can stay for a few days," I suggested, my voice carrying my hope. "Somewhere quiet, out of sight."
Gali nodded, fingers trailing down my arm idly, drawing goosebumps in their wake. "Perhaps," he mused, lips quirking upward at one corner. "Or maybe they won't."
I raised an eyebrow questioningly, leaning into his touch despite myself. "What does that mean?"
He chuckled low in his throat, the sound sending shivers down my spine. "It means," he began, rolling onto his back, taking me with him so I lay sprawled atop him now, "that sometimes, the best-laid plans go awry in the most unexpected ways."
Before I could respond, his hands gripped my hips, lifting me slightly before lowering me back down onto his already-hardening cock. My breath hitched, eyes widening as I felt him slide inside me, filling me completely.
"That sounds... interesting," I gasped, bracing my hands against his chest as he began to move beneath me, guiding my movements with practiced ease. I could tell he had been planning this since waking up.
Gali grinned wickedly, thrusting upward sharply, making me cry out at the sudden sensation. "Indeed," he purred, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Very interesting indeed."
As Gali surged up within me, our bodies slapping together in a rhythm as old as time itself, I clung to him with all my desperation, nails raking across his muscular chest. Each thrust drove me closer to the edge, each withdrawal left me craving more. I'd never experienced anything like this before, this raw, needy passion that consumed us both entirely. I'd never had sex twice in such a short time.
His fingers dug into my hips, holding me in place as he pounded into me, his gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that stole my breath away. There was something almost feral in his expression, a wildness that made me shiver in anticipation.
"Do something for me," he growled suddenly, voice hoarse with desire. "Show me how much you want this."
Heat flooded my cheeks at the command, but I didn't hesitate. Reaching down between us, I grasped my cock tightly, stroking it in time with Gali's punishing pace. Pleasure spiraled through me, coiling tight at the base of my spine, threatening to consume me whole.
"Yes!" Gali cried out, slamming into me one final time before freezing, body tensing as he released deep inside me. Warmth filled me, marked me as his, as I milked every last drop from him. His knot had swelled rapidly before that, locking us together, ensuring no semen escaped our joining.
For several long moments, neither of us moved, simply basking in the aftermath. Our breaths came in ragged gasps, mingling with the faint scent of sweat and sex lingering in the air around us. It was perfect.
Finally, as our heartbeats slowed and our bodies cooled, Gali rolled us over so that I lay beneath him, his weight pressing down upon me. He looked down at me, eyes soft and tender, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"I did that on purpose," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair away from my forehead gently.
My brow furrowed in confusion, my mind still fuzzy from our passionate interlude. What was he talking about? I wondered.
"Did what?" I asked, tracing idle patterns on his chest with the tips of my fingers.
Gali's smile widened, transforming his face into something almost boyish. "Cummed inside you," he clarified, his thumb tracing the seam of my lips lightly. "Again."
Realization dawned slowly, spreading warmth through me like sunlight breaking through clouds. "Oh," I breathed, my hand pausing mid-caress. "You mean..."
He nodded solemnly, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to the tip of my nose. "Yes," he murmured, voice barely above a whisper. "To make absolutely certain you carry our child."
Our child. The words sent a thrill of joy coursing through me, chasing away the remnants of doubt and uncertainty that still lingered. We were creating life together, building a future we could call our own. No matter what obstacles lay ahead, we would face them together.
I still couldn't believe that I went from a time when I hated my life most of all to finding my mate.
"But what if it doesn't work?" I ventured hesitantly, voicing the fears I knew haunted the backs of both our minds. "What if I don't get pregnant?"
Gali sighed deeply, pulling back slightly to look at me fully once more. His expression turned serious, resolve shining brightly in those stormy gray depths. To him, that happening was impossible. He was absolutely certain that I was going to get pregnant.
"Then we try again," he said firmly, as if there was never any other option to consider. "And again. And again until it happens."
My heart swelled at the conviction behind his words, at the sheer determination etched into every line of his handsome face. This was the alpha who had stolen my heart, the man who would stop at nothing to claim me as his own — and I couldn't help but love him even more for it.
"We'll figure it out," he continued, leaning in to nuzzle my neck, inhaling deeply as if memorizing my scent. "No matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes. We will be parents someday."
Someday. The word hung heavy in the air between us, laden with promise and hope. Someday soon, maybe even tomorrow or the next day or the day after that. Someday very soon.
I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close, feeling the solid strength of his muscles pressed against my own. In that moment, I felt invincible, untouchable. Nothing could harm us, nothing could come between us.
But reality intruded swiftly, forcing me to face the harsh truth: We were running from danger, hunted by men who wouldn't rest until they'd claimed their pound of flesh. Our lives hung precariously in the balance, teetering on the precipice of chaos.
Yet amidst the uncertainty and fear, there was also love. Deep, abiding love that transcended mere attraction or lust. A love that promised to stand by me, protect me, cherish me forever.
And so, as we lay entwined in each other's embrace, I whispered my vow softly against his ear. "I love you, Gali."