Gods. Yes.
“There isn’t anyone or anything that’ll ever keep me from you.” I should’ve censored my words, knowing I might scare her away, push her, cross lines. She wasn’t from my world, maybe knew nothing about the supernatural. She probably thought it was all in books and movies, not real, big, breathing, and currently holding her close. “Does that frighten you?” I could smell she was still very much aroused. There was no fear, no worry… nothing but, dare I fucking say… acceptance?
She wanted me more than she wanted to worry about how fast this was moving, or how confused she felt because she was so drawn and connected to me.
And when she slowly shook her head, staring into my eyes, I looked at her mouth again, knowing she could feel how hard my entire body got. I wasn’t tensing from the shock of her accepting me and this. I was hardening because my Lycan was so close to the surface.
And when she gasped, I knew she’d seen my eyes change color, the whiskey shade morphing briefly to the blue of my inner beast.
“Your eyes,” she whispered, and I closed them and shook my head.
“It’s nothing,” I assured her and only opened them when I felt I was more in control. “Don't worry about them.” But fuck, I was losing this battle, and I knew they flashed right back to blue the moment I locked gazes with my mate.
Her brows furrowed, and then she shook her head, closing her eyes and exhaling slowly.
“What is it?” I asked gently, coaxing her to share anything with me, because I was starved for it, hungry for every little piece of information about my female.
“It’s silly,” she whispered and opened her eyes again.
“Nothing you have to say would be construed as that to me. I assure you.”
She gave me a ghost of a smile, her fingers curling slightly on my shoulders. I gritted my teeth to hold off my desire. “It’s just that Mini, the owner of the cottage I’m renting, spoke about these creatures in the woods with glowing blue eyes.” She lifted her hand and ran a finger right below her own blue eyes—ones the same shade as my Lycan’s.
My heart was racing now, the truth on her lips, but she thought it nothing more than fable.
“It’s silly. I know. Wolf-like creatures roaming the woods of Romania, these animals that are part-man, part-wolf, living in the Carpathian Mountains.”
If only you knew, my female. But you soon will, and I fear I’ll frighten you so badly you’ll run from me.
“Sometimes, the truth in this world is far stranger than what we could ever imagine.”
Her vision cleared as she stared into my eyes. “Yes,” she murmured, then placed her fingers on my cheek. “I feel myself focusing on other things though… things that may not make sense.” Her brows dipped low again before she slowly shook her head. “I feel this… connection with you, Ren, one that makes me not want to question anything, because this all feels so right.” She was looking into my eyes now, her arousal climbing higher as her mind pushed away everything else but this moment with me.
Yes. Gods, yes, Mikalina. The same as I feel for you.
17
Ren
“Please tell me it’s not just me,” Mikalina whispered, maybe to herself.
I wound my arms tighter around her, needing her closer. Gods, I needed her so much closer. I needed us fused, irrevocably tied together for all of eternity. “I’ve known you were mine before you even came into my life, iubirea mea.” I knew my words would make no sense, and I wanted so desperately to tell her what she really was to me.
Patience.
“What does that mean?” she asked softly, her body warming for me further. I could smell the heat of her, the arousal slowly growing like a fire from kindling.
I pushed her hair away gently, lingering on the smooth, soft, and warm expanse of where her throat met her shoulder. I couldn’t help but let my gaze focus on that area… right where my bite would go.
My mouth watered, my canine incisors elongating in preparation.
Patience.
“My love, or something to that extent,” I murmured, my focus still on that sweet spot at her neck. My cock was so hard, thick and long, and I couldn’t help but roll my hips, knowing I was digging the fucker against her.
She gasped and tightened her nails into my arms, holding on, but also pressing down on me.
I tipped my head back slightly as a shot of ecstasy slammed into me. My eyes dropped to half-mast, my gaze trained on her eyes, seeing she was getting to that moment right with me… the one where she was so fucking primed she couldn’t think straight.
I kept my mouth closed so she wouldn’t see my fangs, so she wouldn't see how much my mouth watered to pierce her flesh and give her my mark.