Chapter 26 #2
“I don’t understand—” she stopped herself, swallowing. “I do, but I don’t.”
“I wasn’t chosen by the Moon Goddess, not like André and Dante were.”
There it was. The truth.
“Your mother, Viscountess Anastasia, came to visit her friend, my mom. They spoke about you. About her struggle, everything she had risked to get you back throughout the years, and how she had finally seen a vision of you getting out of there.”
Natalia’s eyes widened, and once more I expected the disappointment to show in her eyes, but she just looked at me, intrigued.
“I accidentally heard them when I went to my mother’s office, I didn’t want to interrupt but the more I heard her talk about you, the more my feet became rooted to the floor. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t leave. Everything inside me said I was supposed to be there.”
Natalia gripped my hand, stopping my caress on her neck, and sat up, her breaths becoming faster. “What else happened?”
“She was searching for the men she had seen in her vision of you. The two men who would be your mates… and protectors.”
Understanding illuminated her eyes. “So, you offered yourself?”
“As your shield,” I admitted, sitting up too. “I sold myself, my powers, my strength. I vowed to her that nothing would ever harm you with me by your side…” A humorless chuckle left me. “And I failed her.”
She reached for my arm, her hand affectionally caressing me.
“You chose me…” she whispered, but the emotions in her eyes seemed too conflicted to decipher.
“I did. André and Dante saw her visions because your mom offered them as proof that they belonged in your life. They were meant for you and you for them. It was pre-destined. I didn’t need proof. I needed you.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew deep inside me, in the darkest corners of my being, that only you could give me what I would never have if my life remained the same.”
Her white and red strands swayed with the shake of her head. She seemed so confused.
“Your life is perfect, Hannes. You grew up with a beautiful family that loves you and respects you, in a gorgeous castle, with powers no other being in this world could ever dream to have. You have an entire race who bows at your feet and will rejoice the day you become king to finally rule them. What could I possibly give you that you don’t already have? ”
Taking the chance that she wouldn’t reject me after knowing the truth, I cradled her face in my hands, bringing our faces close.
“Pain,” I breathed. “Agony. Fear. Need. Helplessness, and love so fucking strong that I would give up everything you just mentioned, all that I was raised to honor and protect, just so I could be with you.”
She became silent as powerful emotions inundated her gaze, emotions I couldn’t understand.
The fear I’d just mentioned gripped every inch of me.
“I know how it sounds, but before I met you, Natasha, I’d never felt pain.
I’d never been in agony, yet it tore through every part of me when your fire threatened to consume me, reminding me that I was alive.
Neither had I experienced the fear of losing someone I couldn’t live without.
Helplessness captured me when you were taken right from under our noses, and I couldn’t get to you fast enough to stop them from hurting you… ”
Unexpected tears gathered in her eyes, making her gaze glisten in the moonlight that seeped through the window.
“You have shown me I am vulnerable under all this power because losing you that night would have destroyed me far worse than your fire ever could. You taught me that when it comes to you, I’m not invincible after all. Not in any way that matters, not even my beast.”
Pressing our foreheads together, I took in her scent, in case this was the last time. A couple of her tears fell, sliding over my thumbs on her cheeks.
“Please, don’t let me go. I know I wasn’t chosen. I know I bargained my way into your life, but please have me anyway, Natasha. You are the only one who could ever get to me. Affect me. Hurt me. But I’m trusting you not to do it because I was told that’s what love—”
Her mouth crashed against mine in a desperate kiss that said she forgave me, and she still needed me as much as I needed her.
Sweet life returned to me as Natalia pulled me to her, gripping my arms tightly, not wanting to let me go. She surrendered to every ounce of emotion my confession invoked inside of her.
I instantly took over the kiss, relief coursing through me when I lay her down on the mattress, resting over her.
She gave in to me, her legs wrapping around my hips, and allowing our bodies to fall into place together perfectly, lips dancing passionately, tongues caressing each other with each need-filled kiss.
The way she kissed me appeased almost every doubt I’d harbored about belonging in her life. Even if she didn’t recognize it yet, it wasn’t just Starlight pulling her to me, she wanted me too… I just needed her to accept that to herself and me.
Natalia’s hands roamed their way down my chest and arms over and over, claiming me with her fiery touch. All I could do was kiss her, breathe the whimpers from her mouth with the intimate way our bodies pressed together, and how hard I was for her—only a layer of thin fabric separating us.
We couldn’t seem to stop but I knew tonight couldn’t go past a make-out session because if I had her fully naked in my arms once more, I wouldn’t be able to hold myself back.
I would make her mine.
Our lips only left each other long enough for us to gasp much-needed air, resuming their sensual dance until we slowly calmed. When I glanced at her from under hooded eyes her lips were beautifully red and swollen from my kiss, and she’d never looked that stunning.
Her core ground against my hard-on once more, and my eyes briefly closed, allowing the pleasure the feel of us like this brought to reach every part of me. She did that every few minutes, provoking me, trying to tempt me into giving in, but Natalia knew this was as far as we would go tonight.
“I can’t claim you until you are whole, Mein herz. We both deserved that.”
Her lips curved into a sensual smirk after I finally called her my heart, as the guys did.
“You are such a party pooper.” She fixed herself under me, pressing us even closer and stroking my hard-on with the movement.
“You are playing with fire… Natalia.”
Her eyebrow arched at me, but the smile on her lips turned naughty. “It is my thing, after all.” Caressing my neck, she guided her touch down my chest, pulling at my waistband. “Just let me feel you skin-to-skin again. I promise I won’t do anything.”
Shit.
My hips lifted, letting her push my pants down, and she pulled off her silky slip over her head. Her bi-color eyes darkened with desire when she gripped my ass, pushing me down against her until our laps flushed together and she got exactly what she wanted.
Our future flashed before my eyes in that moment. That was exactly how our life would go, with her getting everything she craved.
The delicious feel of her ready-for-me skin reached me, and pleasure shot through my groin. She was so fucking drenched it was a dream.
Her perfectly perky breasts squeezed against my chest with my weight—her puckered nipples teasing me—and I took a long, settling breath, willing myself to stay in control. It wasn’t difficult now that she was in my arms, but I was a beast, after all.
Not to mention that just like Starlight, my wolf was always getting ideas.
“Thank you,” Natalia breathed before settling under me.
Relief visibly spread through her being with the intimate contact of our bodies, confessing how much she really needed me.
“No funny business,” I warned, turning our bodies on the bed so I could hold her fully in my embrace.
A mischievous light illuminated her eyes, but we relaxed into each other’s arms, kissing again, all while the feeling of her hand caressing my tattoo began to lull me. Perhaps I would be able to sleep tonight…
And then she gasped.
“What is it?”
“Look!”
My gaze focused on her eyes; they were glowing blue… No. Her face was glowing blue.
“It’s your arm,” she whispered, pulling my eyes to the bond tattoo. Its lines seemed to become alight every time she stroked it.
I watched, awed as her nail dragged down my bicep, the outline of the tattoo glowing with her touch, especially once it reached her wolf. When her hand left me, the light receded, as though it became dormant, but it immediately returned when her fingertip continued its trail.
It was as though its mating power was already inside of me and was just reacting to her touch.
“Did this ever happen with the guys?” I already knew the answer, but I had to ask.
She shook her head. “Their tattoos only glowed after we mated fully.”
Her confession left me speechless. What exactly did this mean?
“Your tattoo also glows when you are a wolf…” Starlight reminded me, and the image of me as the white wolf flared to life in my mind’s eye.
I swallowed hard with the realization. She was right. My tattoo had always glowed in my wolf form. From the very start.
Natalia cupped my face, silently calling my gaze back to hers. “Do you still think my mom didn’t see you coming?”
A smile beamed onto her lips, and she lifted her head, claiming my mouth.