Chapter 23 - Yvonne #2
As soon as the words leave my lips, Dawson has his lips on mine for the softest kiss we’ve ever shared. Claiming me as his mate is his declaration of love, and he begins by peppering gentle, open-mouthed kisses on my neck, while all I can think about is how whole I feel in this moment.
It’s exactly what I wanted, all I could ever dream of when his sharp canines distend from his lips and the pointed tips pierce my flesh to draw enough blood to be mixed with his saliva before the exchange of fluids is considered the claim to his territory.
The mark of his fangs will remain on my neck for the rest of my life, to show his possession as the mate to whom he has devoted himself. It’s all I could have wanted in the past, and I never thought that it would eventually happen for us.
It feels like a dream come true, and what’s most important is that now Gio gets to grow up in a complete family with both his parents present.
I couldn’t have asked for more, and now I realize that all the challenges we faced were orchestrated by fate to lead us back to each other and realize how important this bond is.
I see that realization reflecting in Dawson’s eyes when he draws back, a trickle of my blood caught in the corner of his mouth. I lean in a lick his lips, and it turns into a kiss as he slowly begins to thrust inside me.
Feeling so whole, I never thought I’d feel this way, and there’s something so freeing and liberating about being the alpha’s mate, that I’m more determined than ever to train myself in using my psychic abilities and the gift that filters through my hands.
This is what I always needed—to be claimed by Alpha Dawson Black.
Our slow lovemaking carries on throughout the night, until we’re both spent and my eyelids are too heavy to keep open.
Sighing, I nuzzle my face between Dawson’s heavily muscled arm, letting my eyes drift closed as I settle into the comfort of his warmth while tingling continues to spread through my body.
“I’d like you and Gio to move into the main house,” Dawson whispers just before he sighs.
I peek through one eye to notice that he’s falling asleep, simply smiling to myself as I bask in this feeling of bliss that has finally come.
We’re going to be a real family now, and nothing could have prepared me for how happy that makes me feel.
***
“Wow! You’re really good at this!” Aurora praises as she watches from the side as I wield my magic bolts of energy and charge up the amethyst crystal.
I turn to her when I’m done, feeling the magic receding and changing my vision until it’s clear enough to see her proud smile.
“I’m learning,” I giggle shyly as I shake out my hands, my fingers tingling with the aftermath of sensation that I’m learning to release once I’ve finished harnessing my powers in my palms.
“I take it things are good between you and Dawson,” Aurora says cheerily as she comes closer, warmly placing a hand on my shoulder.
Blushing profusely, I reach up to the scarf tied around my neck and pull it to the side to reveal the mark Dawson had left with his canines. Aurora gasps, a hand slowly lifting to her mouth as her eyes widen with wonder.
“Oh, my Goddess!” she claps her hands excitedly. “When did that happen?”
Straightening the scarf to once again hide the mark because I haven’t determined if I’m ready to make it public knowledge that I’m claimed by the alpha, I give her a shy smile.
“The other night, after he announced to the council that I’m his mate…”
“Hm,” Aurora hums thoughtfully. “It’s no wonder you’re getting better at using your magic. I told you—it’s heavily linked to your emotions and your mate.”
Aurora throws me a wink that has me feeling shy all over again, but it’s not because I’m not proud to be claimed as Dawson Black’s mate.
The only reason I haven’t worn the mark like the priceless jewelry it is and flaunted it for everyone to see is because I’m waiting for Dawson to pick the right moment to announce our mate bond to everyone in the pack.
It’s not like everyone in the council had been glad to hear that he wanted me as his mate.
Some of the elders, especially, have their reservations because of my family’s history within the pack, and it feels almost as if I need to prove myself to the council by using these powers to help Snehvolk defeat the demon.
Besides, Dawson has been busy trying to hunt the demonic spirit with the other alphas. After it attacked the group of Moonshine wolves who’d cornered us in the forest, the demon dog appeared to be a greater threat than anyone had anticipated.
We need to be prepared for anything.
That’s why I’ve been practicing my magic for five days straight after the night he claimed me. I’ve been more determined than ever to aid in the fight against the demon, the bond formed between Dawson and me somehow giving me the courage and push to do what I need to with my gifts.
Just as I’m about to prepare for another round of practice, a familiar knock on the door signals Alpha Elias’s return from the evening’s hunt for the demon. It’s familiar because it follows a specific pattern, since no one else is allowed inside the magic room under their house.
Aurora had also cast a spell on the room to bind it from being discovered by the demon. Our magic, when wielded, attracts the demon, as if it’s drawn to the powers when they’re in full blast.
That’s probably why that group of Moonshine wolves was discovered by the demon in the forest. The malevolent being had sensed that I was using magic and encountered those wolves instead, deciding to feast on them. A shiver runs down my spine every time I think about that afternoon.
It could easily have been us whom the demon discovered in the forest that day.
Aurora rushes to the door when the familiar knock sounds again, and she embraces Alpha Elias warmly as soon as he comes in.
He chuckles as he leans in to press a kiss to her head, and I’m surprised to see that he’s not alone when Dawson suddenly emerges from behind him.
I instantly sprint toward him, crashing into open arms that wind around me with equal excitement. It’s the first time he’s visited the magic room after his hunt, and he has no idea how much this visit means to me.
“There’ll be a meeting with the council in thirty minutes,” Alpha Elias announces, breaking the embrace between Dawson and me.
The main alpha’s hazel eyes twinkle with recognition as he glances at me with a nod of approval. I glance over at Dawson, who simply smiles, as if silently telling me that Snehvolk’s head Alpha is aware that we sealed the deal of our mate bond.
“You will need to attend as well, Yvonne,” Elias continues. “You are now officially part of the council.”
Dawson takes my hand and squeezes with gentle reassurance. He nods at Alpha Elias, who excuses himself to check on their son.
As Aurora is about to follow her mate out of the room, she turns to me. “Oh, another thing…” Aurora giggles as she nods suggestively to Dawson. “Lose the scarf, okay?”
Chuckling sheepishly, I wait for Aurora and Elias to disappear down the hallway before turning to Dawson, but he’s wearing a glum look, his eyes wary as he takes a deep breath.
“Before we attend the meeting, there’s something I need to tell you,” he begins, holding both my hands tightly. “The demon didn’t stop with attacking the group led by Alpha Owen. It went on to massacre the entire village of Sunrise.”
My eyes fly wide as horror pales my face, the heat seeping from my cheeks as I realize what this means.
If Dawson hadn’t saved us from the Moonshine Pack and brought Gio and me to Girdwood, we would have easily lost our lives in the isolated village far from any form of help.
Dawson’s immediate response is to fold his arms around me, consoling me while the thoughts run through my mind, creating a safe space for me to consider the extent of what this news means.
The Moonshine Pack was full of omega misfits like me and children of Gio’s age. The horror of what happened to them only further drives the determination to make an impact in this fight against the malevolent creature from the legends.
“Come on,” Dawson urges when I’ve calmed down from feeling the weight of the news. “Let’s go get washed up and ready for the meeting.”