Titus ran through the forest so quickly I could barely make out the passing landmarks before we came to an abrupt stop at my house. He growled low in his chest, "please change your clothes."
I looked up at him as he gently set me down. I only just realized that I am still in Phil's shirt and I must reek of him after our encounter in the forest. I tentatively walked up to the porch, grabbed my clothes and motioned for Titus to follow me inside. He hesitated for a moment but followed closely behind me.
We crept up the stairs to my room as my brother and father had clearly returned home through the night. I could smell them both but it was clear that they had come home and retired to their rooms for the evening. When Titus and I were both securely tucked into my room I silently closed and locked the door behind us. Although we had soundproofed each room, it was sometimes possible with the heightened Alpha hearing for my brother to hear me sneaking through the hallways after one of my late night runs.
I quickly marched myself into the bathroom and closing the door behind me, stepped into the shower to scrub away the dirty feeling of Phil all over me. I scrubbed my neck so hard I was sure I was going to start bleeding. Finally, the tears that I had been holding back flowed with the hot water from the shower. My attempts to contain the sobs were useless. How could Phil do this? How could he really not understand? Why would he try to force me? What happened to all those years of hoping that we would find our mates and live happily ever after? Didn't he want that for me?
There was a soft knock at the bathroom door reminding me that Titus was just outside the door waiting. I turned off the shower, dried myself off quickly and put my clothes on. I stopped for a moment, looking at the shirt that Phil had given me and wondering what I should do with it. I scooped it up in my hands and exited the bathroom.
Titus was sitting on the edge of my bed with his head in his hands, his dark hair messy from running his hands through it. He looked up as I walked out of the bathroom and straight to the small balcony attached to my room. I opened the doors, walked to the edge and threw Phil's shirt into the wind.
"Titus..." I started, but I didn't get very far. Before I could fully turn around his hands were on my shoulders spinning me into a tight hug.
"Liana..." I waited for him to finish but he just held on, towering over me. I settled into the embrace and rested my head on his muscular chest. I could feel the fireworks firing between us as we stood there in silence.
"Titus... I'm sorry," I whispered into his chest.
He looked down at me with sadness in his big green eyes. "Why on earth are you sorry?"
"I shouldn't have gone out there alone. I didn't realize that Phil would be done with the doctors so quickly. And then you come along and find me while he-" a sob cut me off.
"Tell me what happened Liana," Titus said as he brushed a strand of hair behind my ears. He pulled me over to my bed. He sat cross-legged against my headboard and I sat the same, directly in front of him.
"I wanted to go out to the rock wall because it has always been my happy place. I like to go there to think and to enjoy some privacy. No one ever bothers me out there. I wanted to see it one last time before we leave tomorrow." Titus nodded, prodding me along. "Phil came out of nowhere and started saying that I had been promised to him, that I was his Luna and that I should reject you and honor the arrangement we had made." Titus growled loudly. His eyes started to darken but I could tell that he was controlling his very angry wolf. "Should I stop?"
"No," he gritted out.
"When I tried to tell him I wasn't going to reject you... I guess he thought he could force me to by marking me... and then you came."
Titus continued to growl and his eyes flashed more frequently. I could see he was starting to lose the battle with his wolf. I followed the only instinct I had and I crawled into his lap. He wrapped my legs around him and pulled me closer, his nose found the spot on my neck and he inhaled deeply a couple of times. It wasn't at all what I felt when Phil had done it. I felt myself leaning into him, a heat growing in my stomach.
"I should have come faster," he whispered.
"It's not like you knew where I was or what was going to happen."
"I knew you left the house but I figured you were coming to find me. If I had known that your wolf was heading into the woods, I would have asked your guards to follow behind you."
"Guards?" I pulled back and looked at him.
"This isn't my territory, there are lots of pack members and members from other packs that I don't know staying here tonight. I couldn't leave if I didn't leave you some kind of protection. And I know, I know that your dad and your brother are perfectly capable of protecting you but I wanted someone from my pack that I know and trust."
"Where are they now?"
"I've sent them off."
"You think I'm safe now?"
"I think I'm not leaving you again. If I'm here, you're safe."
I nodded. There was a brief pause where we just looked at each other.
"You threw his shirt out the window," Titus stated with a smile.
"Yes, throwing baby out with the bathwater seemed like the best idea." We both started laughing. Titus had a beautiful, deep and husky laugh that only made me more sure that this was the right choice.
"Liana?"
"Yes Titus?"
"We should get some rest."
"We should."
"Would you like me to tuck you in?"
"Hmm?"
"I'll sleep on the floor."
I looked up at him puzzled, "why would you do that?"
"Do you not want me to?"
"I want you to sleep right where you are."
"As you wish," he smiled and made himself comfortable. I stood up to turn off the lights. When I turned to ask if he was ready my eyes nearly fell out of my head. He had shed his shirt and was only wearing loose grey sweatpants. My mouth watered at the hard, well-defined abs and the deep V that dipped below the pants. He clearly saw me staring as he chuckled. "Lights, dear."
"Oh right," I muttered turning them off and crawling back into my bed beside him.
"Like what you see?" He whispered. I could hear the smirk on his face.
"I can't see anything, the lights are out. Now go to sleep." I rolled my eyes and turned toward him, reaching my arm around his waist and resting my head on his chest. "Is this okay?"
"This is perfect." I heard him sigh and we both fell silent. After a few moments Titus spoke again. "Liana?"
"Titus?"
"Do you accept me as your mate?"
I giggled. "Yes Titus, I accept you as my mate."
"And I accept you."
There was another long silence.
"Liana?"
"Titus?" I sighed looking up toward where his face was.
"Can I kiss you again?"
I smiled in the darkness as I felt the blush creeping up to my cheeks.
"Yes, please."
Without any hesitation he moved his body so his face was right in front of mine and he pressed his lips softly against mine as his hand came to rest on my cheek. It was very sweet and gentle. I leaned into him and I could feel myself pushed up against his body. I gasped softly as he licked my bottom lip and I willingly let him deepen our kiss.
His tongue slowly and softly explored my mouth as I did to him. His hand slid through my hair and pulled me closer to him. I could feel the heat growing between my legs as the will to keep myself somewhat respectable depleted. Titus was pushed up against me and I could feel he was as excited as I was. But he had far more willpower. He pulled back and rested his forehead against mine while we both caught our breath.
He pecked my lips once before he spun me around and whispered, "go to sleep my love."