"Stop struggling."
A warm breath tickled my ears and finally made me aware of the soft line of sparks the arm wrapped around my middle was causing. There was only one person who had such an effect on me.
"Ja—" I began to mumble through the hand still clasped over my mouth.
"Sh!" Jared shushed me and pulled my even tighter against his front.
Before I could start to form any ideas on what he was doing, a snap of movement from the other end of the hallway caught my attention. A dark figure rushed forward and gripped Sasha's wrist just before she could descend the first stair.
"Holly Priestess!" The said girl squeaked and jumped around to face the culprit.
"Where do you think you're going?" The cold question came from Dyson, who was holding Sasha's wrist in what looked like an unbreakable hold.
"Dyson! You scared me." She tugged on her arm, but Dyson continued to hold on to her. "Let go of me."
"Not until you explain where you're going in the middle of the night," he growled.
"The underground floor, why?" Sasha lifted her leg back up from the stair and straightened her spine. "Don't tell me you actually think I'm running away?"
"What else am I supposed to think?"
"How about the fact that I forgot all of my herbs and the new potion down there?" she said "It's your fault, you know? If you hadn't barged in there and kissed me, I wouldn't have forgotten about them."
"The kiss affected you that much?" Despite the darkness I could hear the smug undertone that sneaked into Dyson's voice.
"Th... That's not the point," Sasha stuttered. "The point is—"
"Come." Dyson tugged on her arm and pulled her back down the hallway where he had come from. "I'll help you forget about the potion again."
A moment later they disappeared around the corner, which left Jared and me alone in the now deadly silent hallway.
"I think they're going to be alright," I whispered the second Jared removed his hand off my mouth and spun me around to face him. "Dyson already looks smitten."
"At least he'll stop being a brooding ass now." Jared shook his head and then focused his eyes on me. "Mind telling me what you're doing out of bed at this hour?"
"I couldn't sleep."
Even before I finished the last word, Jared grasped my hand and forced me to follow him back down the hallway. Instead of escorting me back to my room, he stopped in front of his room. Without wasting a second he pulled me inside the said room and then shut the door with a soft click.
"I'll help you fall asleep," he whispered.
An instant blush flushed across my cheeks, which made me more than just a little grateful for the darkness the room was enveloped in.
"What are you thinking?" He tugged me toward the bed.
"No... Nothing." I felt like my body had turned into a stiff board by the time we reached the king-sized bed.
"Don't worry. I only mean to sleep," he chuckled and then pulled me onto the bed.
He settled on the side closer to the door, and lay down on his back. For a second I contemplated making a run for my room, but then I pushed the silly thought away. There was no denying that I actually wanted to stay with him.
I settled onto my side, facing away from him. The second my head hit the pillow, however, he flipped me around. I ended up with my head propped against his shoulder, and his arms keeping me pinned to his warm body.
"Sleep tight," he whispered and kissed me on my forehead.
For the first time I became painfully aware of the fact that his upper torso was completely bare. So, what I actually had my cheek pressed against was his smooth skin. I fought against my racing heartbeat and wandering thoughts, but nothing helped. My eyes refused to shut, let alone allow my brain some time to recharge. All I was aware of was the heat he was radiating and the squirming of the butterflies inside my stomach.
As I lay there in his arms, I realized there was no denying it anymore. The place I now felt safest in was right here. Wrapped in Jared's arms.
"Jared?"
I waited for seven heartbeats, but all that came from the said werewolf was a rhythm of steady breaths. I couldn't believe that while my body was squirming with life, he could be fall asleep so easily. It didn't seem fair.
"Serves me right, I guess." I sighed. "It did take me much longer than you, so I guess I'll just have to wait a little longer to tell you this. But I still want to say it... Jared, I... I... I love you."
In an instant I landed with my back against the bed, while Jared hoovered right above me. His face was so close to mine that even despite the darkness I could see his wide open eyes. Eyes that didn't hold a single sign of sleep.
"What did you just say?"
"I thought you were asleep." I tried to turn my face away from him, but with a soft finger underneath my chin he forced me to look back at him.
"What did you just say?"
He moved his arms, so he was leaning on his forearms on either side of my head. There was no where I could escape to. And looking up into his shinning eyes I knew there wasn't a place on earth I would have rather been than right here, right now.
"I... I love you."
His breath hitched at my admission and then a second later his lips crashed onto mine. Our previous kisses were nothing compared to the hungry kiss. His hands were like steel keeping me pinned to the bed, but I didn't care.
He bit my lower lip and gained entrance into my mouth, while fireworks erupted behind my eyelids. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him even closer to me. I didn't care how heavy he was. All I knew was that I wanted him closer.
He broke the kiss just before I would run out of oxygen and lifted himself far enough, so he could look into my eyes.
"I love you too."
A wide smile stretched my lips, while he lowered himself back down. This time he trailed a line of soft kisses down my jaw and neck, until he reached the spot of my mark. With his hands still on my hips, he softly bit into the mark. A wave of intense pleasure cut through my body, making me unable to hold in a loud moan. It felt so good.
His entire body stiffened and a heartbeat later he propped himself up onto his elbows. We were both out of breath as he rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes.
"We have to stop."
"Why?" I didn't care how whiny I sounded. I didn't want him to stop.
"Because I won't be able to stop if we take this any further," he said through gritted teeth. "And I promised you we were only going to sleep."
The rigidness in his body screamed at me about what an effort it took for him to stop. At the same time, it told me that at least a part of him didn't want to stop.
Knowing exactly what I was doing, I asked, "What if I don't want you to stop?"
"You don't know what you're saying." He shook his head.
"I know exactly what I'm saying. Are you going to talk me out of having sex with you?"
Before I could die of mortification for having used the word sex in front of him, his lips settled back onto mine. The restraint which had been present a second before, was now long gone. He kissed me like there was no tomorrow.
"Hell no, I'm not talking you out of anything." He paused to murmur and then crashed his lips back onto mine.
While one of his hands remained at the side of my head, his other travelled down my front. He hooked his fingers underneath my shirt and began to slowly travel upwards.
I wrapped my arms back around his neck and pulled him closer to me. There was no going back now. Once and for all I had sealed my fate with this werewolf. And for some unexplainable reason I wasn't afraid.
While his hands travelled all over my body, I realized I completely trusted him. I didn't regret my decision, even after we both lay panting. I wanted to know what it was like to be joined with him as one. And I got my wish when he took me to places I had never even dreamed of.
*
The first thing I became aware of was that my cheek was resting against something incredibly warm and not at all plush. I snapped my eyes wide open and came face to face with a chest. A very naked and muscular male chest.
My arm was thrown over the said male's stomach, while a strong hand was wrapped around my waist, keeping me tucked against the male's body.
With everything I had I hoped that the said guy was still peacefully asleep as I slowly lifted my head. Instead of meeting Jared's restful face, I came across a pair of wide open blue eyes. Oh, he was definitely awake.
"Eh," I cleared my throat. "Good morning."
"Good morning," he drawled, with a spark shining in his eyes.
"Hmm... You see..." I struggled to find anything that I could say in a situation like this. "I..."
"Don't tell me you regret last night?" His arms tightened around me.
"No," I quickly reassured him.
"Good." He smiled at me and then pecked my lips. "I love you."
"Love you too."
I snuggled back into his chest, wanting nothing else than for us to spend the rest of the day in bed. Reality, however, came crashing back on us. The chatter and the noises coming from the rest of the pack house told us it was time to face the day.
With matching sighs, we disentangled our bodies and got out of bed. I slipped on my pajamas and grabbed my new necklace before he could even reach his closet.
"I'm going back to my room," I mumbled and then rushed across the hallway.
Luckily, I entered an already empty bedroom. The last thing I wanted was for Aiko to start questioning me where I had been last night. I grabbed a shirt and a skirt from the pile of clothes the pack women had donated to Aiko and then hopped into the shower. After I was refreshed and ready to face the day, I exited the bathroom.
I froze in the open doorway the moment I caught Jared sitting on the edge of my bed. With a slow grin he crossed the distance between us and without pausing captured my lips in a soft kiss.
"Ready?" He hooked his hand around mine.
I wasn't sure what I should be ready for, but I still nodded. Whatever the day was going to bring, I could take it. As long as I had Jared by my side.
We didn't even reach the kitchen when we crossed paths with Dyson. He clasped Jared on his back, saying, "Congrats, man."
I glanced from one to the other, wondering what I was missing.
"I am so happy." Mrs. Braxton followed right behind Dyson as she blocked our path into the dining room. "I have been waiting for this for such a long time."
More than just a little bewildered I allowed her to wrap me in a tight embrace. Because Jared refused to let go of my hand, I awkwardly patted her on her back.
"Now that the two of you have finally mated," she let go of me and took as step backwards, "you are officially the Luna of Blue Moon. I know it's a big step..."
My eyes bulged out when it finally dawned on me what the fuss was about. They were all congratulating us because we had slept together.
I had never wanted to die so much as right at that moment. Nothing on the entire planet could be more embarrassing than your boyfriend's mother congratulating you for sleeping with said boyfriend.
I didn't care what different customs and traditions these werewolves had. This was beyond ridicules, even for them.
"Now, about the celebration. I know it's short notice, but I can manage to get it ready by tomorrow. There will, of course, be a lot to do, but if we all work hard, we can make it work."
"The celebration?" I whispered.
"Yes, the celebration of you becoming our official Luna." Mrs. Braxton smiled at me.
So, not only did everyone know I slept with Jared, but they also wanted to throw us a celebration? I would have to stand in front of every single pack member, knowing they were there because I had slept with Jared.
I felt like I was going to be sick.
***
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- E