If Only

26. Malachi

*Chapter is X rated. That is all. Please continue.*

 "Emily. No." This girl is going to kill me,
"I'm fine." She whispers back, "please." Her breath is hot on my lips, the tension between us flaring to life, waiting to burn us together.

"Alpha." My title comes out in a breathless moan. My arms tighten around her, holding her tight to me, forcing, willing my body to stay still. She isn't ready for this.
"Emily." My head falls back against the headboard, the dull pain keeps me centered. She takes a kiss from me, nipping at my bottom lip wanting more. I pull back reluctantly "Emily. No."

"Why?" She pouts, and maybe she was ready for this, or maybe that was me aching for her. Needing her, wanting to roll her in my scent, claim her. She was mine, and maybe if I had then tonight wouldn't have happened. "Do you know what this means? If you keep walking down this very tight edge you are playing with, do you know what is going to happen? I'm trying here, Emily. You are making it very hard to say no to you." My hand cups her cheek, tracing her bottom lip with the pad of my thumb. She leans into me, parting her lips and my thumb hits the small pointed canines her eyes flash up to mine, bright vibrant purple pulls a growl from my chest.

 We want her. We always wanted her.

"Yeah I know." She leans back into me, her nose running up my throat, trailing her tongue behind it, breathing me in. "You'll make me yours." She whispers against my shoulder, nipping at the curve where it meets my neck. "Watch the teeth, mate." My fingers grip lightly to her hair, pulling her away from me.

"Why? You marked me." She nuzzles into my nose.
"Yeah, cause it is your title, and Alpha's don't get marked."
"Why? You are mine, right?" Her voice is a whisper in the low light, as if she didn't believe it.

"I am, the way that you are mine. But this." My fingers trace the mark on her shoulder, while I lean in, running my tongue over it. "Means, mate. That I out rank you, that I will be your protector, your always, your support, the maybe only constant thing I can give you in this life." My words brush against her shoulder, she pulls me tighter.

"I can be that for you." I feel a smile pull at my lips, when did anyone here want to be anything for me. To me, yeah. But for me? Darcy wanted me for the power, for the title when the training got hard and I needed space she pulled away. But this snow, who didn't know me, not really. Who knew she belonged in my arms, because of the mate bond that flared to life the moment our eyes met that day wanted to be here for me. Not for what being with me brought her, but because could she love me? Did she even know what love felt like? Looked like? Did I? A father who beats you, a fiancée that cheats, mothers who leave when you need their warmth? That was the love that I knew. But the way she trusted me, here in the little patch of darkness, was that love? The way she calmed me, soothed the animal pacing in my mind, pulled me tight as the nightmares held on trying to drag her back into the past. I was her safety. I was her warmth.

How could she even love her enemy, someone she was told from day one would drag her into the deep forest, where she would never see the light of the moon again. The 'savage' forest leopards.

"You are that for me, darling. But if you mark me, it means that you out rank me. That I submitted to you. I will never submit to anyone, for any reason. I will die before I submit to anyone."
"What if I do?" She asks hesitantly looking back up at me.