Queen of Midnight

Chapter Seven.

I leant in first. I didn't know how I mustered up the courage, but I didn't argue with myself as I smashed my lips into his, capturing his mouth completely. He replied with ease, giving me his all and more as I pressed my body harder against him. Our tongues happily explored each other's mouths, dancing with each other in an ancient rhythm we had somehow perfected between the two of us. I couldn't believe how good he tasted, and felt. It was like we were made for each other. And we were. The Moon Goddess had given me a second chance with James, and he was not like Ethan. Not one bit. And he never would be. He was a King. And he wanted me.

I pulled back abruptly, breathing hard and looking down quickly, not wanting to make eye contact. The mate bond was at its strongest pull right now, and it would be impossible to stop if I didn't do something now. I felt his hands gripping my hips tightly, but he didn't move away.

"I'm sorry," I whispered finally, not sure what was wrong with me. We could have sealed our bond right then and there, and we would be able to be together forever. But something kept stopping me. He was a King, and he loved me. I couldn't be a queen. I was raised as a slave my whole life, regardless of whether that was in my blood or not. I didn't know how to act like royalty, or run a pack, let alone a whole kingdom of packs. Was this really what I was fated to do?

"Please don't be sorry," James murmured back to me, trying to get me to look into his eyes. "Never be sorry. I'm not going anywhere, okay? I will wait for you. However long it takes."

"Why?"

"You already know."

I had to physically pull myself away from him to stop myself from kissing him again, and something in his expression told me he knew this because all he did was smirk as he let me go, drifting backwards in the water slightly to put some distance between us before I let him take me right then and there.

"Let's go home for some food and a sleep," he announced finally, gesturing with his head to our pile of clothes by the shore of the lake. I nodded shyly and watched him climb out just as shamelessly as he walked in, almost as if he was doing it on purpose. I let my eyes drift up and down his muscular, tanned skin, but made no move to follow him until he was fully dressed and facing away from me to give me some privacy. I almost slipped trying to hurry out of the water and get changed, which made me laugh nervously, but if James was wondering what was going on, he didn't voice it.

When we were both dressed and ready to go, James reached out and took my hand, leading me back through the woods slowly.

"Are you allowed to go out and spend your days away from the pack often?" I asked as we walked, feeling like I needed to fill the silence with something.

"I can do whatever I want," he admitted with a sly smile directed at me. "I don't often, however. I've never really had reason to, before now."

I blushed. "What will your people think? Do they not need you?"

"They can function quite perfectly without me," he replied. "Sometimes, I think they prefer it if I am not around so they don't have to act."

"Do they all think you're some big, scary monster?" I joked, laughing at the thought.

"Apparently," he laughed back, his eyes glinting with humor. "They aren't all scared of me, you know. Just the ones that don't know me."

"So that woman... she knows you, then?"

James hesitated, and I swallowed the fear that rose up in my throat at the thought of his answer.

"I hate how she makes you feel," he announced with a sigh, and I averted my gaze to my feet. "Noble wolves can be... well, stuck up, I guess. She does not know your blood, or where you came from."