Her hips bucked against his hand, chasing the rhythm, and she let out a muffled moan against his mouth. Her feet, quick and cunning, hooked around his pants and tugged them lower, inch by inch until they were shoved to his thighs. The bed sheets rustled around them, the faint chill of the night air licking at exposed skin, but Kade's entire focus narrowed to the woman beneath him. His cock strained, dangerously close to where her body begged for him most. He gritted his teeth, fighting to keep his hips angled away, dangling but not yet giving in. It was his last attempt to salvage reason. To give them both time—one last breath to reconsider. His chest heaved with the effort, sweat beading at his temples. "If we do this, May…" he whispered against her ear, "…it doesn't change anything."
But May was past the point of no return. She reached down with one trembling hand, brushing his knuckles aside so she could wrap her fingers around him. The contact stole the breath from his lungs, a ragged growl ripping from his throat as her small hand stroked him. His hips jerked forward despite himself, his body betraying every rational thought. He was too far gone. The man in him had lost what little will remained, and the wolf was salivating for the inevitable claim. He yanked his hand from between her thighs, slick with her need, and replaced it with the hard thrust of his cock. The moment he sank into her, the rest of the world ceased to matter—her heat, her gasp, the unbearable perfection of being inside her consumed him whole.
It took a bit of maneuvering—his pants tangled halfway down his legs, the sheets bunched awkwardly beneath them—but at last he managed to guide himself into her. May arched her hips, stubborn and determined, and together they fought for that perfect fit until he was buried completely, stretching her to the hilt. Kade stilled, his entire body trembling as he shut his eyes. The effort it took not to lose himself, not to slam forward in pure instinct, nearly shattered him. His chest rose and fell in uneven gasps, the veins in his neck taut with restraint. He wanted—no, needed—to move, but the fear of hurting her anchored him in place.
"Open your eyes, Kade." Her hand slid to his cheek, urging him out of the darkness he hid behind. "Please. I want to see you."
His lashes fluttered, and for a moment, he hesitated. He knew what she would see. Not the man. But the beast beneath his skin. The predator with golden eyes and flecks of crimson circling the edges. For a human, that sight should have sparked terror. Yet May had never once recoiled from him. She had proven herself fearless in the glimpse of his otherness. So he obeyed. He opened his eyes and let her see him.
Her lips parted as she locked her gaze on his. She didn't look away. She didn't tremble. Instead, her breath caught in a way that told him she was mesmerized. May held his gaze like she was peering into his very soul, unraveling every hidden truth he guarded so tightly. And in that look, he swore she saw it all—the shame of his past, the hunger of his wolf, the tender ache of loving someone he wasn't supposed to claim.
He moved then, gently, with a restraint that cost him dearly. Every nerve in his body screamed to thrust deeper, to give the wolf what it wanted, but he repeated the words like a mantra in his mind: Don't break her. Don't break her. His hips rolled with careful precision, each thrust controlled and measured, as though she might shatter if he gave in fully.
But even with his restraint, May saw stars. Her fingers curled into the sheets, her legs wrapping around him as she tried to pull him closer. Every slow drive of his body into hers made her gasp, every retreat left her aching, desperate for more. She felt each movement in her bones, in her heart. The ache of anticipation coiled tighter inside her, and she bit her lip against a moan, whispering his name like a litany.
"Kade," she breathed. "Don't… don't hold back so much. I can take you." Her hips lifted to meet his, grinding against him to urge the pace.
He let out a strained laugh, sweat dripping down his temple. "You think you can handle me, little human?" His lips brushed her ear as he spoke, teasing her even as his chest ached with love.
"Yes," she whispered fiercely, her eyes shining with tears and fire. "I need all of you."
Kade used one hand to grip her hips, holding her steady beneath him. His palm spanned nearly the whole side of her body, fingers digging into soft skin with a dominance he tried to temper. The truth was, she didn't understand the height of his strength. She couldn't—not really. One wrong move, one slip of control, and he could bruise or break her without meaning to. She doesn't know what she's asking for, he thought, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. She doesn't know how much of me there is to take.
"I don't want to hurt you," he ground out. His thumb stroked her hipbone gently, the smallest tether he had left on his restraint. His eyes burned with that dangerous glow as he fought to keep the beast in check.
"I can take it," May whispered back. She stared at him with those wide, stubborn eyes. And in that moment, Kade believed her. Not because she truly could withstand all of him—but because she was brave enough to try.
A broken laugh escaped him. "You're insane," he muttered.
His mouth found her nipple, lips closing around it, and the taste of her skin sent lightning straight through him. He sucked hungrily, tongue teasing as he moved inside her, each thrust measured but deep. Her back arched, a sharp cry leaving her throat before she could stop it. The sound shot straight to his core, and Kade cursed under his breath, lifting his hand from her hip to clamp it over her mouth.
"Shh—fuck, May," he hissed against her breast, glancing toward the closed door as if expecting it to swing open. "Nelly's going to kill me if she hears us."
Her muffled laugh vibrated against his palm even as her moans broke through, a heady, breathless sound. She bit gently at his hand in playful defiance, and the wolf inside him growled in satisfaction.
Then he felt it—her body tightening around him, every muscle drawing taut. May went rigid beneath him, her toes curling, nails digging into his back as wave after wave of ecstasy rolled through her. She clamped around him with desperate intensity, the slick heat of her climax spilling over him, pulling him into the storm of her release.
Kade stared down at her face contorted in pleasure, her lips parted and hair plastered to her damp skin. The beauty of it hit him like a punch to the gut. Her scent filled his lungs, the sweetness of her climax mingling with the primal heat of their sex, and it drove him wild. His wolf surged, fangs threatening to drop, the need to mark her, to claim her with blood and bite, roaring through his veins.
"No—no, not yet," he muttered, shaking his head, burying his face in the crook of her neck to hide the feral gleam in his eyes. His body shook with the force of holding back, with the frantic urgency of his unraveling control. He grunted hard, a desperate, animal sound, as he chased his release. At the very last second, he tore himself free, spilling hot across the sheets instead of inside her.
The bed creaked as he collapsed beside her, chest heaving, sweat dripping. His arm slid around her waist instinctively, pulling her close, though his mind reeled with the reality of what he'd almost done.
*****
Nelly woke up the next morning with her usual routine in mind. But the moment she stepped out of her bedroom, a thick, unmistakable scent hit her nose. The pungent, raw mixture of sweat, lust, and wolf musk clung to the air. Rage filled her lungs so quickly she thought she might choke on it. No. No. They didn't. He didn't.
Her hands curled into fists as her bare feet slapped against the floor, storming straight toward Kade's door. With every step, her fury multiplied until it practically sizzled around her like static. She threw the door open with enough force that it slammed against the wall, rattling the hinges.
Both Kade and May were tangled in each other's arms, sheets pushed aside, their bodies carelessly bare in the golden light of morning. Their limbs interwoven like they had been born to fit that way.
Nelly's eyes blazed. She reached for one of the pillows on the floor, snatched it up, and with all her fury, smacked Kade across the face.