Back to back updates! Happy 4th of July/Independence Day to those who celebrate it as a holiday, and just Happy Reading to those where it's just another day!
Enjoy!
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"I'm glad you came," Neal whispered against my lips.
His words marched their way down my spine and the hair raised on end.
"I was starting to think that you may be right. There could be something to talk about."
"You want to say that part again?" Neal asked with a smile, pulling back enough to look into my eyes.
"You may be right. Don't get used to it." I smiled back at him and he leaned forward to kiss me again.
"But perhaps we can do... other things while we talk?" I asked him, running my tongue against our bottom lips.
A low growl came from Neal's throat as he laced his fingers between my own. He quickly turned us, pressing my back against the wall, pinning my hands under his. He moved his mouth to my neck, his lips pressing against the skin, tongue flicking out, "so talk." His words were barely a whisper, but I could hear them clear as day over the sound of blood pumping in my ears.
"I think it's safe to say that there's something here between us," I whispered, my fingers tightening on his hand as Neal's mouth continued to work along my skin.
"mmhm." Neal bit my collarbone.
My body erupted in a flash of heat, my thoughts temporarily clouded. I tipped my head back giving myself over to the feel of him.
"I don't... I don't think either of us is ready to walk away quite yet," I said between gasping breaths.
Neal's mouth worked along my neck, tongue flicking along, teeth dragging. He placed a kiss over the pulse on the side of my neck. "I know I'm not," he said against my skin.
A shiver went down my spine. The movement made Neal press his hips into me. His mouth opened on my neck as he sucked on my pulsing skin.
I closed my eyes, my breathing labored. "We could become melded mates." I barely managed to get the words out. "Which means-"
Neal's hand covered my mouth and his teeth bit down gently on my pulse.
I moaned into his hand.
"I know the story," he said, his voice low. His hand other hand travelled down my body, stopping around every curve to get a good feel as he made his way down to my waistband. His fingers expertly slipped past the fabrics.
"When an Alpha and his mate choose to be together..." he slid his fingers further, rubbing slowly against my nub.
I moaned into his hand again, my hands going to his hair. He bit down harder on my neck before pulling back again.
"They can go through a merging ceremony." His fingers continued to tease me, and my legs started to shake.
"Once the ceremony is complete, their souls merge..." he slid two fingers deep inside my wetness.
I moaned louder, the sound still muffled under Neal's hand.
"They become one, never truly complete without the other for the rest of their lives."
Neal moved his hand from my mouth, immediately replacing it with his own mouth. Our lips and tongues working together as his fingers worked inside me.
Neal freed his hand, bringing it up to lick his fingers, pressing his hips into me again. His hardness pressed into my belly.
I gasped and looked into his eyes.
Burning desire looked back at me.
Tapping on glass broke our trance.
Neal took shook his head, took a deep breath, and stepped back. He looked at the window, making a gesture.
"Who was that?" I asked. I took a step forward, and Neal tried to push me back.
I saw a flash of long, pale, naked leg and jet black hair.
"Who was that?" I asked again. This time louder.
"Cynthia, look..."
"No. No looking. Tell me who that was." I pushed him back from me.
"It was Ophelia." Neal sighed.
"Ophelia? In your bedroom?" My chest ached. It felt like something heavy was pressing down on me. Like it was going to keep pressing until I was flat on the ground.
"Cynthia, I swear to you that we haven't done anything. The Alpha of the Oak Creek pack and his family are staying in the guest house."
"And that explains what she is doing in your room?" I asked. I could feel my power starting to bubble under the surface. "I can't keep doing this with you, Neal. I can't keep doing this start and stop. I can't be sitting here wondering if you want me or you want her," I gestured at the window.
"Please, Cynthia. I want you. You should know that I want you. Ophelia is here as a treaty between two packs. Our fathers believe that it will be the best course of action as the packs have a history of tension. A union would bring everyone together and create stronger forces to face our enemies."
"That's what they want." I crossed my arms. "What do you want?"
Neal ran a hand through his hair.
"It's not a matter of what I want. If it were then it would be you, without a doubt."
"Then choose me, Neal!" I covered my mouth to stop the sob forcing to the surface.
Neal's head dropped. "It's not about what I want, Cyn, it's about doing what's best for the entire pack." He put his hands up to his face.
"And you think that what's best for the pack is to keep yourself in pieces to have a larger army rather than ruling as a whole Alpha?"
"You don't understand the pressures I'm under right now," he said through gritted teeth.
"You're right, I don't understand. What I do understand is that I'm a half Wolf, half Mentalist who has been paired by the goddess with the son of the very people who killed my father. I know all this, and yet I still chose to give us a shot."
Tears burned hot as they spilled down my cheeks. I crossed my arms over my stomach to stop the ache inside. It was like a knife in my gut. I finally realized I never had a choice, even in the beginning. I was always going to end up standing right there, ready to give him everything.
And he would never be willing to do the same for me.
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And here we are with a major cliff hanger. What do you all think so far? What do you think is going to happen next? What should our little Mentalist do?