*Warning- Long Chapter*
Leah
I could remember a time when all I cared about was getting through school, traveling out into the world, and hopefully making a difference. When I could finally be free of the horrible pack I called my home, maybe become the doctor of my dreams, and save people's lives. Besides that, I didn't have a care in the world.
I wanted that life back. If I could just go back in time, back to when I was as little as Sohpie, and redo everything about myself knowing what I know now, I'd make sure Markus never saw me. I'd make sure I changed the path of my fate, find Kane sooner- before he married Katherine- and have my happy ending.
But that was impossible.
The trail was long and narrow, only giving room for my shoulders to squeeze through the branches of the surrounding red oak and birch trees.
I was blindly navigating in the dark, only going by my scent to help guide me. Here, in dense foggy woods, every small noise sounded like monsters coming out of the darkness to snatch me up and take me away again.
I voyaged through my old school's hallways like this once. Back in my Sophmore year of high school, a few friends and I decided it was a good idea to sneak into the building and wander around. All the lights were off, every door basically locked, and no one was around for miles. By the time we were near the gym, I was the only one left; everyone else had chickened out.
Armed with nothing but my sensitive hearing and sense of smell, I found my way to the cafeteria and, thankfully, to an exit. But it was somewhat different out in the woods. It appeared to be endless, the only exit being behind me.
I was in search of a cave. Carved out of a side of a cliff, it was the current resident of Kane's beast. I prayed to the Moon Goddess that he was there, otherwise, I'd be going there, risking myself, for no apparent reason.
"Hey! You're strong, girl. You got this," Wendy had said to me back at the packhouse. I was still tired from my long journey and the blood loss, but I could've sworn she was right beside me.
"Go get him, tiger," Lander said giving my shoulders a one-armed squeeze before I left.
Was I crazy for venturing out into the forest like this? Was it wrong of me to chase him after he said he wanted to be alone?
He gave me an hour. I waited three.
He spent months chasing after my heart, and now it was my turn to chase after his. If I was going to be rejected, at least I could say I tried.
An owl, grey and spotted, flew over my head. I screamed, ducking to avoid the large bird and its sharp talons. The prey that it was after was a mouse. The little guy scampered between my feet, jumping into a large hole in the dirt. When he thought the coast was clear, he poked his head out and searched through the night.
Bad choice, I thought to myself as I watched. The owl swooped down from a tree branch it had perched on and snatched the little mouse up in its claws. He screeched, struggling to get out, but it was too late. The owl squeezed the life out of the tiny creature in seconds, flying off to his home to feast.
I shuddered.
Sniffing the air, all I caught was pine, oak, and bluebell flowers. The dang flowers grew almost all summer long, mostly on rocky terrain and dense forests. They were everywhere I stepped and covered Kane's scent perfectly.
Soon, I found myself standing in front of two distant mountains. A single light cut threw the veil of darkness that covered my vision.
It must've been him.
I sprinted over rocks and branches, stumbling on my feet most of the way there. The closer I got, however, the rockier the floor beneath me became.
"Ah!"
I skidded on my belly, landing face-first into a pile of rocks that resembled a pyramid. It had to be man-made, I thought. The pile was stacked neatly, each stone fitting nicely together.
My hands and knees were scraped up and bleeding, but the initial pain was mostly from the shock of falling than the cuts themselves, so I pressed on, slowing my pace to a steady walk this time to avoid damaging myself any further.
I reached the entrance to the cave within minutes and peered into it. The entrance was wide and rounded, making an almost smooth semi-circle on the cliffside. It appeared like a giant, toothless mouth waiting to swallow anyone who entered.
Hay and grass covered the dirt floor. A large heap of the stuff was in the back right corner, looking to be a bed of some kind. A lamp was placed at the side of the entrance, illuminating the small cavern with firelight.
A stack of clothes was pushed into the corner by the bed; its contents included jeans, t-shirts, shorts, a dress shirt, and a pair of hiking boots. On top of that was a stack of papers.
Kane sat with his shoulders resting on the very back wall. His sharp, defined cheeks and jaw only accentuated by the shadows the lamp created.
I took a step forward and watched as his body tensed.
I sighed. "I thought I'd find you here," I said to him, coming closer, resting my hand on the wall to my left for support. He scooted farther away, pressing himself harshly against the rock.
I was in the center of his makeshift living space. For a wolf, this was as homie as one could get. I was surprised I didn't see a pile of bones and carcasses anywhere. That would have made it a real wolf's den. I chuckled softly.
I was dumbfounded on what to say. What could I say to make it better? Nothing, I concluded. All I had to do was hope he didn't hold a grudge against me.
I sat on my knees a few feet away, hating the way the sticks, grass, and hay pressed into my shins. Placing my hands palm-side down against my thighs, I bowed my head and closed my eyes, submitting to my alpha as I should have a long time ago.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled, tears pricking the corners of my eyes.
His index finger came under my chin and raised my head, eyes glistening with unshed tears. It hurt me to see him this way. Never in my life would I think I'd see an alpha cry, but here I was, for the second time today, it looked like I would.
"Don't do this. You know I hate it when you submit to me," he said, giving me a hesitant smile.
"I don't know what to do, Kane." I cried, wanting to wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face in his hair. "What can I do?"
He sighed, sitting back on his haunches and avoiding my teary gaze. "What you did was inexcusable, Leah."
Was it? Was being selfless and acting out of love that horrible?
"But," he continued, "deciding to sacrifice yourself to defend my people is an act that I can't let go without praise. I would have done the same, and I know how hard it must have been on you," he said staring at my wrist.
He took my hand gently, closing his eyes as he lightly brought his lips to the opened bite wound. The pain was there, but not unbearable. It helped to have Kane's touch to soothe the burning beneath the skin.
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," he said, forehead pressed against my open palm. I struggled not to tear away and hold him, instead, letting my hand cup his face and let him take as much comfort from me as he could.
"You silly idiot," I said with a smile. "I was protecting you."
He tore away from me, face as red as a turnip. "I'm still furious," he grumbled, pressing himself once again on the stone wall behind him.
I moved through the thick, tense bubble he put around himself and invaded his space. We were sitting side-by-side, hands and shoulders almost touching.
"Kane," I murmured, using my fingers to guide his face in my direction. "Forgive me?" His eyes blinked down into my own, stunned.
His lips descended on my forehead again, his hand coming up to cup the back of my head.
"I forgave you the second I saw you behind that fence, little rogue," he said smiling against me.
I blew out the air I was holding and rested my head against his shoulder, his arm now around my waist. Now that that was settled, I could focus on the next big elephant, of which we had many at the moment.
"What does this mean about us?" I asked, scared of the many answers he could give me.
He tugged me to his side, resting his chin on the top of my head, and exhaled slowly. The pause between his response was not sitting well in my stomach. I waiting, but all I got was more loud breathing.
I pulled back forcefully, glaring at his face. "I won't be your mistress," I said bluntly. His eyes widened with shock, mouth hanging open for a second too long.
"What? No!" He growled, eyes flickering gold. "I would never make you do that," he added as an afterthought as he returned to normal.
"Then what? I am so confused right now."
I pressed the back of my hand against my forehead to check for a temperature. None, but it felt burning hot in this stuffy cave.
"I've already told you how I felt. It's your choice what you do with that knowledge." He turned away and ran his fingers down the rough surface behind him. "What do you want from me?" He asked in a whisper.
I wanted everything. I wanted him, his pack, his body, heart, and soul. I wanted to someday grow old with him by my side, have a house to ourselves, maybe a few pups- no more than three!- and to one day die together.
But all those things could wait for another day. Right now, all I wanted to do was kiss him.
Moving to straddle his legs, I forced his eyes to fix on me. Nothing was going to prevent me from my mission. I needed to kiss him, if not for his sanity, then for my own.
My lips found their target, brushing gently against his. When I pulled away, a pinkish blush stained his cheeks and neck.
"I want you to love me," I said, giving him another peck. "I want you to cherish me."
He yanked me close, our bodies having no room in between them. I laughed. "I want to be with you, Kane, more than I've ever wanted anything in my life."
"Good," he smirked arrogantly.
He came in for another kiss, but I pushed my index finger against his lips to stop him. "Just know," I warned, "that I don't need you. I want you."
This time I let him kiss me. It was soft and warm, melting my insides into putty.
His chest rumbled with laughter. "I wouldn't have it any other way, little rogue."
"You need to find a new nickname for me," I grumbled bitterly as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He bit his lip as he thought.
"How about...my little rogue?"
I frowned, glaring at him.
"Fine," he conceded. Then, his mouth grew wide with a smile. "How about little one?" he said, beaming. I couldn't help but laugh at his boyish grin, but the words sounded sweet and endearing.
"Little one!?" I exclaimed, holding back my laughter.
He shrugged.
I grinned from ear to ear, my heart racing with every second I was with him. "So does that mean you're my big one?" I asked wanting an excuse to joke.
He nodded, nuzzling the crook of my neck. His hot, steamy breath blew against his mark there, sending pleasant shivers up and down my body.
There was another thing I wanted from him, but I was hesitant to blurt it out. I wanted his permission to mark his shoulder. I wanted to feel the sinking of my teeth, the warm blood oozing from his skin, and to finally understand what being fully connected with him felt like.
"Kane," I moaned when he nipped at the sensitive area. "I want to mark you." It came out in whisps, sounding breathless and needy.
He stopped, pulling back to search my face. I wasn't lying. I wasn't trying to please him. If anything, I was being selfish and only wanting to do it for myself.
Not seeing any dishonesty in my eyes, he gradually tugged the collar of his shirt down past his shoulder. He guided my trembling hands up to the area on his neck- the same place where mine was- and pressed my fingers against it.
"Here," he groaned, clenching his teeth. "Don't worry, it won't hurt me."
My hesitation wasn't from fear of hurting him, though it was a small part of it. No, it was mostly because I was inexperienced. I didn't know the first things about marking someone, and I felt like I would disappoint him since Katherine had done it to him so many times before.
Speaking of Katherine's mark, I could see the outline of one right at the curve of his shoulder, right where the socket was.
What if I didn't compare?
Kane followed my gaze and hissed to himself, moving his shirt just a smidge to cover it up. Did he think hiding it from me would make it better?
A tear escaped me before I could stop it. Glancing down, I saw my own horrid scar and cringed. Would it stay there forever? Would Katherine be on his body forever, too?
He wiped the tear away. "We don't have to-"
But I wouldn't let him finish. I wouldn't let my own jealousy get in the way of what I wanted.
"It's not that, I just...I can't help but feel a bit jealous of her, that's all," I admitted, staring at the crook of his neck with longing. "I mean, she had all your firsts, right? And you're getting all of mine."
"She's gone," he blurted out suddenly. I paused my train of thought to stare at him, bewildered. "We split the day I realized you were missing."
"Oh."
Why did I feel sad all of a sudden? Did I really have sympathy for that woman after all?
"Yes, she was my first love," he said with a sigh. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from growling with envy. "...but she's not you, Leah. No one can compare to you."
"But-"
He silenced me with a kiss. Passionate and desperate, he pushed his tongue past the barriers of my lips and tasted me. I moaned into him, the heated air mixing together to form one current that gave the both of us life.
We pulled away, breathless.
"Will you finally stop denying me?" he asked, head tilted up to the ceiling, eyes tightly shut.
Instead of answering, I nodded and began kissing down his neck, starting from behind his ear. He groaned desperately, hands clawing at my back as I descended.
I couldn't stop myself; his skin tasted so good, just as I imagined it would. Each kiss I gave, every time my tongue landed on a different section of skin, I melted, craving more of him. No matter how much I got, I was still wanted more.
Finally, my lips found the bit of flesh I wanted to forever leave my imprint on. It was soft, softer than I had expected, and when I touched it, Kane hissed.
I let go of my control, searching to find what lied beneath my surface in the depth of my primal instincts. Not surprisingly, she was ecstatic. Howling viciously, she summoned all her strength and pushed through my barriers.
My tongue danced across the patch of skin, preparing it like an alcohol swab would for a cut. His erection pulsated against the inner part of my thigh, coming to life with every stroke of my tongue.
Then I did it.
My teeth elongated, turning to incredibly sharp points, and I sunk them deep into the muscle. The metallic taste of his blood was warm and sweet, rushing over every taste bud.
He let out a sigh of relief, gripping my hips and pressing me down hard onto him. "Leah," he hissed my name through his teeth.
I bit harder, more blood gushing from the puncture. In an instant, I could hear, feel, see every thought that came to his head. It was powerful. Consuming.
[Taste good?] he asked me cockily, though I couldn't hear his voice in my ears.
Startled by this, I released him and jumped back.
He chuckled, hauling me back to him. "What?" he asked me while laughing.
"I-I..." I took in a deep breath. "We were linking!"
His smile grew even bigger. "Have you never done it before?" I know he was only teasing me, but I still felt embarrassed by it.
I shook my head, looking down at the grass and hay-covered ground.
"It's weird at first," he explained. "...but you'll get used to it. Actually, it's very useful when you want to have a private conversation."
His implication wasn't lost on me. I blushed, biting my lip.
His hand came up to cup my cheek, guiding my face back to his. "You don't know how long I've waited for this," he mumbled.
The mark on his neck was still oozing blood. Terrified that it wouldn't stop, I quickly tried to cover it with my hands, pressing down to stop the bleeding.
He hissed loudly, nails sinking into the curves of my hips. Jolted, I raised my hands and rested them on his chest.
"Might not want to do that," he said through clenched teeth. His erection was more alive than ever against my thigh. I could feel every twitch, every spark, through his jeans.
At first, I thought I had hurt him, but now, feeling him like this, it was more about pleasure. The area was at its most sensitive when it's first marked, and me being a total forget-me-not, I just pressed down as hard as I could on it.
"I am so sorry," I apologized. "I forgot-"
Grabbing the back of my neck, he pulled me down for a long, slow kiss.
My wolf howled, suddenly taking control of my body. She moaned, grinding herself on him like he was her own, personal body that she could use.
Wrapping my hair around his knuckles, he jerked down causing my face to lift up to the ceiling and my neck to be on full display. He smirked, kissing my collarbone and working his way up.
"Stop it," he said in between kisses. "You're not ready."
I shuddered, nails slowly ripping the fabric of his shirt. It needed to come off, whether he did it himself or if I did it for him. With one tearing motion, the shirt slid down his shoulders and pooled at our sides.
"I'll decide when I'm ready," I told him confidently.
We were grinding now, his hands in my hair and mine all over his bare chest. Could this actually be happening? Although my brain couldn't process it fast enough, my heart knew that what was happening between Kane and me at that moment was absolutely real.
"You're...so...bossy," he grunted, my own dirt-stained sweater ripping into pieces and following the path of his shirt.
Kane leaned forward, pressing down on my chest, and placed me on the ground under him. His weight comforted me along with his trail of kisses on my neck.
Soon, I found my oblivion with him. Nothing could come close to being as blissful as being held in his arms, rocking with his body both to the palpitating beat of our hearts and the loud, erratic sound of our mingled voices.
I begged for his forgiveness, wanting nothing but to hear those three words, but he gave me so much more than that. He gave me love and a shared experience only we had. He gave me a memory that would last with me until the day I died.
As we lost ourselves in each other's embrace, I noted all the ways he smiled at me, the way he spoke, and the way his eyes would hold mine. He loved me, a phrase I'd never thought I'd say. When we first met, we hated each other, always trying to get under one another's skin, but as we dug deeper into ourselves, as we broke free of the bonds that held us, we started to rebuild those walls, with the exception of a tiny entranceway only we could cross.
And so, I ended the night in my mate's arms, thoughtless and undeniably happy. Nothing else in the world mattered while we were in our little cave of wonder.
I fell asleep snuggled beneath his arm for the first time, dreaming of ecstasy, his lips, and my own freed soul flying away like an uncaged bird. I was content, no thoughts of Markus or the now inevitable pack war plagued me.
I was content.
***********
The night was cold, the moon at its fullest peak in the sky. I watched as the stars glided painfully slow across the darkest shade of blue above me, twinkling like broken lightbulbs at Christmas.
My body was sore, but it was a pain so worth the experience, and I knew that the soreness and the discomfort would fade away with time and practice.
Looking behind me, I watched as Kane's chest rose and fell with his breathing. He was spread out on the pile of hay, left arm outstretched from where my own body laid on top of it, cuddled to his side.
I smiled, thinking about staying here a few more days. Would the world notice a few strangers missing? Unfortunately, these two strangers were too important to go missing for that long.
So I sat and watched the sky like a movie, forcing myself to make this moment last as long as I could. The moon was the main protagonist, while the trees and the earth were the villains. The stars were the helpful minions the moon came across on her long journey through the endless sky.
Some time passed, and a new light appeared, but it wasn't coming from the sky or the slowly dying lamp beside me. It was coming from my vibrating phone in the pocket of my discarded jeans.
It was after midnight, who could be calling? I asked myself as I pulled it out and saw the unknown number at the top. A dreadful weight pushed down on me, filling my stomach with ice.
I quietly pushed my pants to the side and stood to leave the cave. I didn't want to wake Kane from his sleep. Goddess knows how long he's gone without it.
I slid up on the screen with the pad of my finger and put the phone near my ear.
"Hello?" I asked hesitantly.
"What have you done!?" A familiar male yelled at me, panic laced in his voice.
I paused, eyes wide, as I stared off into the dense pitch-black darkness of the forest in front of me. I knew this voice; it belonged to a very important wolf. One I've only met once before, through a small peephole in a cracked wall.
How the hell did he get this number?
.
.
.
"Oscar!?"
********
Hey guys!!!!
Well, that's it...the last chapter to Bronze.
It's been so amazing to explore the fantastical side of my brain with you guys, and to see all the love this story had gained is just... *Sigh* the best.
When I first started writing Bronze, I was deep into my werewolf mates, alpha male, strong heroine phase of high school. In all honesty, I planned on this being a standalone, one-time ordeal that I would never come back to once it was finished. But that's not what happened as you can tell by the cliffhanger. *Snickers evilly*
I fell in love with the characters, the story, the world that I built, and I want to continue the story. I want to see what else I can do with it.
Soooooooooooooooooo, that being said:
BIG DRUMROLL PLEASE!
That's right! I've decided to make Bronze a three-book trilogy. A lot more action, a lot more story, and most importantly, a lot more romance. Because, really, that's why you guys are here. ;)
So, to bring the first part of the trilogy to a close, I have a few questions.
1) Would you guys like the second part to be in the same book? As in, I keep posting 'chapters' to this story, but really, it'll be two separate books.
2) What song do you think captures the feeling of Bronze? Leah and Kane's relationship?
&
3) Who would you like to see more of in the coming books?
Alright, that's all for now. Keep checking for more updates--because there definitely will be--don't forget to LOVE, LIKE, and COMMENT, and I can't wait to see you all in the next adventure!
You guys mean the world to me!!
Love,
Lydia<3