Zayne
When I woke in the dark, her slight form pressed against me, my heart stopped.
“Are you okay, little one?” I asked, worried. She had never sought me out like this.
“I’m fine,” she whispered, her voice soft. “I just needed you.” My breath caught in my throat. I closed my eyes for a moment, sending a silent, desperate prayer of thanks to every god that she was finally, truly mine.
“I’m here, Lysaria,” I whispered into the darkness. “Whenever you need me, however you need me, I’m here.” What followed was the most sensual, erotic thing that I had ever experienced. Her request was nearly my undoing.
She was a temptress, a siren singing a song only I could hear, and I was powerless to resist her call.
I devoured her, my hands roaming over the softness of her skin.
She was so open and responsive, it took everything I had to hold myself back, to maintain the rigid control I had sworn to ever since that first night.
I still hated myself for scaring her and had vowed, never again.
She seemed to have other ideas, though, and the moment her fingers closed over me, I was lost. Her tentative caresses were more arousing than anything I had ever experienced. There was an honesty and an openness about it that was intoxicating.
“You are testing my control, little one,” I said, growling a warning. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t hurt me, Zayne,” her whispered words of trust were the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. My control snapped. The wolf took over, flipping her onto her stomach with a growl. I pulled her towards me, that delectable little bottom in the air, presenting her to me like an offering.
I pressed myself against her opening, rubbing myself in her wetness.
She pushed back against me, eager and wanting.
My instincts took over. I was an animal, growling and entering her in one hard thrust.
At the same time, I marked her, my teeth biting down on the soft flesh where her neck met her shoulder.
I held her there, pinned beneath me, as I claimed her.
I thrust into her wet heat with reckless abandon, reveling in the way she bucked and writhed beneath me, crying out in pleasure.
I released her neck, straightening up and gripping her hips roughly and pulling her towards me as I plunged into her.
“That’s right,” I said, stroking my hands down her back as I plunged into her again and again. “Take it all. It’s all for you, my beautiful girl.” She screamed as her muscles clenched around me, milking my cock and triggering my own release.
Mine.
The word was a declaration, a claim, from her wolf to mine, and my wolf responded, howling ecstatically. I looked down into her wide sapphire eyes and smiled.
“Zayne!” she said, her voice thin with shock. I gathered her in my arms, cradling her against my chest.
“It was different this time,” she said, her eyes now wide with wonder. “She was stronger, and her eyes were different, they had bits of blue in them, like mine.”
“You’re becoming one,” I told her, stroking her hair.
“She’s trusting that you’re safe, and she’s emerging from the shadows. It’s a beautiful thing, my love. You are the most beautiful, strong, and wondrous person I have ever met. Thank you, little one, for trusting me.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she buried her face in my chest, the pain finally finding an outlet as she began to sob.
She shook and she cried, and I let her, holding her tightly and stroking her back in small, soothing circles.
“How could he do it, Zayne? Why? What did I do?” My heart broke at the pain in her voice, and I cupped her chin gently, coaxing her eyes up to meet mine.
“Hey, you didn’t do anything, do you hear me?”
I kissed her forehead gently, then her closed eyes, the tip of her nose, her cheeks, then gently kissed her lips.
“He is a monster, and he will answer for his crimes, but you are not responsible for him, Lysaria. All you need to do is be. Just relax, and allow yourself to heal, to process, and know that I am here.”
She sighed and relaxed against me, burrowing her face into my neck.
“That’s it, little one, let me carry the weight,” I said, kissing the top of her head, pulling the blankets over us and settling her against me. “Rest now, I’ll be right here.” Her breathing slowly evened out, taking on the steady rhythm of sleep.
I laid there in the dark, my wolf almost purring in contentment. He had claimed his mate, and she had claimed him in return. For now, that was enough. I shifted slightly, settling her more comfortably against my side and gazed down at her sleeping face.
She had come to me, not in fear, not just because of the heat, but because of the comfort of my presence. It was the greatest gift I had ever received: her trust. Nothing had ever been more precious to me, and I vowed to do whatever it took to always be worthy of it.
I felt sleep tugging at my consciousness, but I fought against it, not ready to lose the feel of her in my arms. She sighed lightly in her sleep, whispering my name, and my heart stopped, then restarted, racing like a trapped bird.
And as I lay there in the dark, holding in my arms the greatest treasure the world had ever known, I knew in that moment that I would do anything, give anything, to just hold her and feel her soul next to mine, I'd kill anyone who tried to take this from me.
I felt complete, whole in a way that I had never experienced and hadn’t even realized I was missing.
I lay there for a long time, just watching her sleep and holding her. I knew I should sleep, but I couldn’t give up the sight of her, so soft and trusting in my arms. Eventually, I lost the fight and drifted into the darkness of sleep.