Chapter Five
In the silence that followed in the wake of their departure, Remy glanced down at his little mate. She was truly magnificent, even in slumber, yet each breath she took highlighted just how fragile she seemed.
Although looks could be deceiving.
While there were a couple of fairy hybrids and several pixie members of their pack back home, his understanding of their race was fairly limited. He knew they were renowned for their ethereal beauty and possessed powerful magic but didn’t know much more than that.
Perhaps that was by design.
In general, fairies and pixies were a secretive bunch.
On the surface, they all seemed to radiate a gentle sweetness and openness that was slightly misleading.
They displayed personalities that were warm, compassionate, and generally laid-back, regardless of gender.
Yet, beneath that amiability, there were definitely layers of complexity hidden beneath their enchanting exteriors.
Those traits were most evident if someone ever pissed them off.
Fairies and pixies could be remarkably fierce and protective when provoked.
Their vindictive nature often caught others off guard.
It was clear that earning their trust meant enjoying their kindness, but any type of betrayal could reveal just how powerful and unpredictable they truly were.
On the other hand, shifters were pretty basic, known for their brute strength and animalistic natures.
The majority of shifters were also known for being blunt and not wasting time with lies and subterfuge since a lot of them could smell and sense them.
It was easy for shifters to offend pixies and fairies with their direct attitudes and brutal honesty.
Some saw it as a lack of respect, while others just thought it was rude.
Thankfully, those who lived in the Fortier pack were more forgiving.
Remy had never really considered how the different races handled the mating heat. Of course, he’d heard stories of different pairings, but he’d never paid much attention to them. For some reason, he had always assumed he would end up with another wolf shifter, just like his parents.
Obviously, he’d been very wrong.
He wasn’t disappointed, though. Quite the opposite.
He felt blessed having such a beautiful fairy as his mate.
He still wasn’t sure exactly how he had found her, but he thanked whoever had sent him that message.
Some people spent lifetimes without finding the other half of their soul, but he had literally run into his.
He couldn’t help feeling like some benevolent god had given him a shove in the right direction.
Although he wasn’t sure why fate had chosen to favor him, he was grateful.
The joy he felt meeting Starla was deeper than mere happiness.
She belonged to him now, just as he belonged to her.
Knowing that gave him a sense of fulfillment he’d never known before.
Now, he just wished he had paid more attention to the fairy lore.
He felt a desperate need to learn everything he could in order to care for his mate but reminded himself that would come with time.
Even though he knew that Damien had purged the potion from her system, he was still worried that she hadn’t woken up yet. A small part of him hated that he wasn’t able to hunt down the bastard who had drugged her himself, but he trusted that his friends would handle the situation without him.
Above everything else, his priority was his mate.
Remy barely spared a glance at the gym bags his friends had dropped on the ground, choosing to ignore them completely as he focused on his mate.
Without hesitation, he teleported straight into his apartment, not bothering with any of the items left behind.
While his teleporting skills were good, he had to be touching an object in order to take it with him.
The two-bedroom unit he shared with Anton was tucked away in the far-right corner of the courtyard, just beyond the pool.
Its location offered a bit more privacy and quiet, which Remy appreciated, especially now that he had someone so precious to care for.
The familiar space instantly made him feel more at ease, but a faint grimace tugged at his lips as he cast a quick glance around his bedroom.
Although he and Anton had a cleaning service that regularly tidied up the shared living spaces, Remy was particular about his privacy and never let anyone set foot in his personal sanctuary.
Normally, he prided himself on keeping his room neat and well-organized, but lately, the string of late-night training sessions and practices had left him with little energy or time for his usual routine.
As a result, his private space now showed subtle signs of neglect.
There were clothes haphazardly draped over a chair, a pile of books gathering dust on his desk, and the covers on his bed were still thrown back from when he’d gotten up that morning.
Thankfully, he had changed the sheets a few days ago, so they were still relatively clean.
He leaned down to lay her on the bed, then froze when Starla let out a soft moan and turned her head to rub her cheek against his chest. He sat down on the side of the bed, holding her on his lap.
Partly because he didn’t want to let her go, but another reason was that the simple touch had made his knees go weak.
Using his magic, he turned on the bedside lamp, keeping it on its lowest setting. He figured she would be frightened by the unfamiliar surroundings when she woke, and he hoped the dim light would make her feel a little more comfortable.
She moved as if struggling to take off the leather jacket she was wearing.
Remy hesitated briefly, then decided her comfort outweighed the worry of her thinking he was trying to take advantage of the situation.
Concentrating, he used his magic to remove everything she was wearing, replacing it with a nightgown the color of night fog.
He made sure the nightgown was as soft as a cloud so it wouldn’t damage her delicate skin and long enough that she was completely covered and wouldn’t feel exposed.
While he managed to replace her outfit with relative ease, he failed at the simple task of folding her clothing and placing it in a neat pile on the chair as he intended.
Instead, her clothes, shoes, necklace, and hair clip ended up scattered across his floor.
Sometimes, the simplest tasks were the most difficult for him to accomplish using his new magic.
He was about to correct that mistake but was distracted when she stirred against him again.
“Starla? Are you feeling okay? You’re safe now,” he assured. “A friend of mine healed you, but you still might feel a little tired after—”
He swallowed the rest of his words when one of her delicate hands reached up to stroke the side of his neck, then it slid beneath the collar of his shirt as if seeking more warm skin.
Although he desperately wanted to give in to his need for her, he fought to maintain his composure.
Even though she had been healed, he still didn’t want to take advantage of her.
He needed to make sure she was awake and aware of what was going on before making a move on her.
Otherwise, she might think he was just like the bastard who had drugged her.
Putting his hand over hers, he stopped her from moving any lower. “Are you awake?”
Instead of answering, she sighed again and tried to tug her hand free, but he refused to release her.
He sucked in a harsh breath when she began to squirm on his lap, rubbing her delectable ass against his growing erection.
He tried to stay focused, but it was damn difficult with her moving against him like that.
Fucking hell, she was killing him.
“Starla?”
The moment her eyelashes fluttered open, he found himself utterly captivated by her silvery blue gaze.
There was an ethereal aura about her that went beyond her fairy status.
While some supernaturals had a natural glow to their eyes, the radiance that emanated from hers was a visible display of power.
She was, in a word, luminous.
Simply being in her enchanting presence stirred something deep within him.
He had never considered himself a romantic or someone prone to poetic flourishes, though staring at her made him wish he were.
He was overcome by the urge immortalize her beauty in verses and lyrical prose, but he didn’t have the words to accurately describe her.
Clearing his throat, he asked, “Do you remember who I am?”
She blinked a few times as if trying to process the question, then her hand curled around the back of his neck, drawing him closer. Her perfect lips curved into a small smile before she whispered one single word that made his heart stop.
“Mine.”
The moment she pressed her lips against his, everything in his world shifted.
Fuck, his entire life changed. The kiss was gentle, yet the impact was profound.
His pulse began to pound in a frantic rhythm, and his heart hammered wildly in his chest like a primal beat urging him on.
It felt as though her touch sparked a fire beneath his skin, igniting every nerve and setting his entire being alight with desire.
The connection between them went far beyond mere physical attraction. It was soul deep. He was filled with a desperate hunger, an aching need to bond with her that was so powerful it eclipsed everything else. Every coherent thought in his mind was swept away except for one insistent demand.
To claim her and mark her as his.
When she pressed her lips more firmly against his, a dazzling display of fireworks exploded behind his eyelids in a kaleidoscope of colors.
It left him incapable of concentrating on anything but the exquisite sensation of her mouth against his.
A firestorm of need surged through him, the conflagration of flames burning him from the inside out in a mixture of pleasure and pain.
At first, he thought the intensity surging through him was nothing more than raw desire, but he quickly realized there was something far deeper at play. Power flowed out of the palm she had pressed firmly against his chest, and he could feel a steady current of her magic surging directly into him.
The sensation was electrifying. It sent shockwaves reverberating through his entire body, leaving him momentarily breathless.
She was far more powerful than he’d initially realized.
Her magic was different than his, yet it felt strangely familiar.
Rather than intimidating him, the unexpected discovery only served to make her even more fascinating to him.
Feeling her mark him as her mate made him want to laugh.
The sheer joy and intense gratitude he felt nearly took his breath away.
He’d been so worried about rushing her into something she wasn’t ready for that he hadn’t even considered that she would take that step first. However, she seemed to be acting on instinct more than following a designated plan of attack.
Either way, he was one lucky bastard.
He now understood what it meant to be favored by fate.
While others wandered through life searching for their mate, he had somehow been guided to his.
Now, she had claimed him. The realization settled over him like a comforting embrace, reminding him that he was truly blessed.
With Starla by his side, his heart had finally found its home, and he silently vowed to cherish and protect her for the rest of their lives.
Acting purely on reflex, he broke their kiss and pressed his lips against the base of her neck. The compulsion to complete their mating bond was something that he couldn’t deny. It was visceral need, an instinct that was destined from the moment she had started sharing her magic with him.
He gently pressed his fangs into the delicate curve of her neck, piercing her delicate skin with a reverence that felt both primal and intimate.
The taste of her blood exploded on his tongue, and sent a wave of hunger surging through him, filling him with a longing so fierce it threatened to consume him.
He pushed his own magic into her, completing the exchange that bonded them together as true mates.
The moment their connection solidified, all lingering doubts or guilt faded away, replaced by an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.
He marveled at the completeness of their bond and nearly purred from the pleasure coursing through him.
From this moment, they would be forever entwined.
Two halves of a whole, bound together by magic and love.
Remy was caught off guard as a pulse of strong magic exploded inside the room, sending him flying backward.
He let out a vicious snarl when his back hit the wall, then he slid back down on the bed.
At first, he thought someone had managed to sneak into the room while he’d been distracted and was trying to attack them.
Then, he blinked in surprise when he realized the magic filling the room wasn’t coming from an enemy.
It was coming from his mate.
He was a little worried that his little mate was lit up and glowing like a star.
It seemed as though their magic exchange had triggered some sort of recovery phase, as if the light was burning off the remnants of whatever spell she had been under.
It was mesmerizing watching her, and the light pulsing from her had a hypnotic effect on him.
Although she had been beautiful before, the soothing light made her look even more glorious. He couldn’t help wanting to go to her and pull her back into his arms. He didn’t like the distance between them, even if it was only a few feet, but he didn’t want to interrupt the healing process.
Whatever had been holding her back was unleashed, and now, all he could do was watch in awe.