Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
RYDER
T he clinic feels too small, the air too thick, as Bella moves around me, her steps hurried, her movements sharp. I sit on the edge of the exam table, trying not to notice the way her lips press together in concentration or the way her hair falls loose around her face when she leans over the cart of supplies. I tell myself I’m focusing on her efficiency, her precision—but I’m lying to myself.
The soft scent of lavender and antiseptic fills the room, but beneath it, I can smell her. That warm, subtle sweetness that’s uniquely Bella. It’s been driving me insane since we walked in here. My damp hair curls against my neck from the cold shower I took, but I can still feel the residual feral energy from the fight, the ache in my ribs, the cuts in my skin. Not that I’d admit it.
“I’m fine,” I say, my voice low and rough. I watch her carefully as I speak, taking in the way her shoulders stiffen, the way she refuses to look directly at me for too long. She’s been like this since the fight—tense, wound tight.
“You’re not fine,” she snaps, and the spark in her voice sends a jolt through me. She doesn’t back down, not even from me, and that’s only one of the things I respect and admire about her. Maybe Lucas is right. Maybe pushing her away is a bad idea. “Sit still.”
I lean back slightly, resting my hands on the table’s edge. My muscles are tense, and not from the wounds. It’s her. She steps closer, pulling the cart with her supplies, her movements measured but uncertain. She’s trying too hard to focus on the task, and I can see her hands trembling when she picks up the cloth.
“This is going to sting,” she says, her voice quieter now.
“Doubtful.” My lips twitch in a half-smile. I know I shouldn’t tease her, not when she’s this close, but I can’t help it. She presses the cloth against the cut on my side, and the antiseptic bites into my skin. I hiss, more from the heat of her touch than the pain. Her fingers linger against my side, soft and warm, and I feel my pulse spike.
“Hold still. This doesn’t look too bad. You’re not going to need stitches,” she murmurs. Her voice isn’t sharp this time; it’s soft, almost pleading, and it does something to me. My gaze locks on hers, and for a moment, her breath catches, her chest rising and falling just a little faster. She’s trying not to look at me, but when I shift slightly, leaning into her touch, she freezes.
“Bella,” I say her name, low and quiet, testing the way it feels on my tongue. Her eyes snap to mine, wide and uncertain, but she doesn’t pull away. She leans closer instead, her hand brushing my skin as she inspects the cut near my collarbone.
“What?” she whispers, her voice trembling.
“You’re shaking.” I reach out slowly, brushing my fingers against her wrist. The contact is light, but I feel the way her pulse quickens beneath my touch. Her breath hitches and her lips part, but she doesn’t pull away.
“I’m not,” she says quickly, but she’s lying. Her fingers linger on my skin, and I feel a flicker of something dangerous—something I can’t hold back much longer.
Her bravado cracks when I hold her wrist, keeping her close. The cloth falls from her hand, and for a second, the tension between us feels like it’s about to snap. She looks at me, her expression vulnerable and unsure, but she doesn’t move away.
“Ryder…” she starts, her voice soft, uncertain.
“Tell me to stop,” I murmur. It’s a challenge, one I’m not sure I want her to take. I lean in, just enough to let her feel the heat between us, the gravity of the moment. She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t push me away, and my resolve to remain aloof frays further.
She swallows, her lips trembling. “I can’t,” she whispers, so quiet I almost miss it.
That’s all I need.
I lift my hand to her face, letting my fingers trace the curve of her jaw. Her skin is impossibly soft, and when her breath catches, I feel it down to my core. She leans into my touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment before opening again, locking on mine.
When she presses her hands against my shoulders, her palms warm against my skin. I lean in, my lips finding hers, and the world is irrevocably altered. Her taste is intoxicating, her kiss desperate and hungry, and I lose myself in it, in her. My hands tangle in her hair, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss, and I feel her melt against me, her body soft and yielding.
The table creaks beneath me, but I don’t care. Nothing else exists but her—the way her breath hitches when I trace my fingers down her back, the way she clings to me like she’s afraid to let go. My heart is pounding, my body aching with need, and I know this is reckless, that I should stop. But I can’t.
I won’t.
She murmurs my name against my lips, and a growl rises in my chest as I pull her closer, my hands exploring the curves of her body. Letting go isn’t an option anymore.
I silence any protests she might have had, capturing her mouth in another kiss. At this moment, the connection to her is of primary importance to me. We may have different backgrounds and beliefs, but we are bound together, and nothing will change that bond.
Bella doesn't fight against me at all, she gives into our kiss, surely feeling everything I am. There is no fighting what we are. We're mates; we're destined to be together, and nothing the Elders think can change that.
As our lips mold together, a surge of electricity shoots through my veins. The taste of her, a subtle mix of sweetness and defiance, ignites a wildfire within me—primal, undeniable. I deepen the kiss, pouring every ounce of possessiveness and dominance into it.
Bella's hands find their way to my chest, her fingers curling into tight fists. A soft moan escapes her lips, muffled by the intensity of our connection. With each passing second, I can feel the doubts and insecurities that must be clouding her mind begin to dissipate.
Pulling away, I breathe heavily, my forehead resting against hers. Our breath mingles in the heated space between us. "You feel it too, don't you? The pull." My voice is husky with desire, tinged with the unspoken promise of pleasure that lies ahead.
She nods, her eyes glazed over with a raw hunger. "I don't know what this is, though," she admits, her voice barely above a whisper.
A flicker of frustration washes over me as I listen to her protests. The mating bond demands surrender—a surrender that she seems hesitant to give. "This is our connection, something we can't fight. You are mine, and I am yours."
Bella's eyes search mine for any sign of doubt or deception. Finding none, she exhales softly, releasing the tension in her body. "I want to believe you," she confesses, tracing circles on my chest with her fingertips.
Cradling her face in my hands, I look deep into her eyes. "There is no other reason for the way we're feeling right now. You’ve been angry with me since we met—and I haven’t given you any cause not to be, but now that you know the truth about your lineage and I'm holding you close, everything has changed."
Bella sucks in a sharp breath and nods. Her eyes drift to my lips, and the connection is irrefutable. I slide a hand around the back of her neck and pull her against me, slamming her lips against my own.
This time our kiss is different; it's intense and before I know what's happening we're pawing at each other, ripping clothes off, tossing them on the ground. We move as quickly as possible, the desire between us leading our charge.
I slide off the exam table, our bodies crashing together in a frenzy of need, a primal hunger that consumes us both. The heat of our arousal fuels the flames that lick at our skin, igniting a fire that threatens to devour everything in its path.
As our lips mold and melt against each other, a symphony of moans and sighs fill the air. My tongue slides past her teeth, commanding hers as it tangles over and around. I tilt her head to the angle I want, seduction and mutual need turning to dominance as I take over. My tongue dances with hers, foraging into the deepest recesses of her mouth as she arches into me.
There is an urgency in our movements, driven by a need so powerful it eclipses all rational thought. Hands roam, exploring every inch of exposed flesh, igniting sparks that send shivers down my spine.
My fingers delve into her hair, tugging gently as I claim her mouth with an unmatched fervor. The taste of her lips, soft and pliant, fuels my need and leaves me hungry for more. She reciprocates with equal fervency, her nails digging into my back as she pulls me closer.
We stumble backward, trying to find balance amidst the chaos of our desire. There is nothing but bare skin and the sweet scent of lust hangs heavy in the air.
A flicker of uncertainty crosses her eyes before being replaced by a resolute determination. "Yes," she breathes against my mouth, her voice husky with desire. "I want this."
With those words, any remaining doubts or hesitations are cast aside. Our bodies collide once again, caught in a primal dance older than the very trees that tower over these mountains. Our kind has witnessed their growth. Waves of pleasure crash over us as we continue our intimate embrace.
I lift her and place her on the examination table, aligning my erect manhood at the entrance to her womanhood. Time would normally be taken for this act, but we are past such formalities in our intense desire for each other. She is so soft and ready for me, enticing me to enter her depths. With a feral growl, I thrust inside her, reveling in the tightness that surrounds me. We are now one entity ignited by passion's flames.
Her legs wrap around my waist, pulling me deeper into her as if urging me to discover even more of her ecstasy. I eagerly accommodate, setting a rhythm that echoes with our pounding hearts. Each movement brings us closer to the edge where euphoria and oblivion meet. The exam table creaks beneath us, strained under the force of our ardor.
Moonlight filters through the window, bearing witness to our wild symphony of lust. Moans and gasps fill the air, harmonizing with the sound of flesh colliding against flesh. Our bodies move in perfect synchronicity guided by a longing that transcends mere physicality. Lost in a world of sensation, time holds no meaning as we indulge in the pleasure we share together.
Her nails leave their mark on my back as she arches against me, craving more. I oblige, reaching between us to stimulate her sensitive clit with my thumb. She responds by tightening around me, matching my hunger with her own.
As our bodies move together in a desperate rhythm, the room becomes unbearably hot and sweat glistens on our foreheads under the dim light. The heady scent of sex fills the air.
The walls of her pussy grip my cock tighter with each thrust, making it swell and throb with need. It's as if she's drawing me deeper inside her, pleading for me to fill her completely.
"Ryder," she moans.
Her words ignite a primal fire within me, driving me towards an animalistic state of pure desire. Our moans blend together, becoming a symphony of pleasure that echoes through the room.
I hold onto her hips tightly, my fingers digging into her skin as I pound into her harder and deeper. The sound of our bodies colliding fills the space, drowning out any rational thoughts or inhibitions. In this moment, nothing else matters but fulfilling each other's needs and reaching the heights of ecstasy.
With every thrust, I can feel her unraveling beneath me. Her body trembles, her breath quickens, and I know she's close. All I want is to see her unravel completely, to prove that our bodies are in perfect sync just like our wolves will be.
I tease her swollen clit with my thumb, increasing the pressure until she lets out a deep moan. Her muscles tighten around me even more, begging for release. And when I finally give it to her, it's like a powerful explosion that takes over both of us.
She arches off the exam table with a primal scream as waves of pleasure wash over her body. I watch in awe as she rides out her climax, leaving red marks on my back with her nails. Her orgasm triggers my own, sending me into a frenzy of release.
I fill her completely and it's all I want to keep doing, to continue marking her as mine. It's the wolf inside me, wanting to claim her as his mate, to sink his teeth into her neck and leave a lasting mark that will show she belongs to us forever.