( warning explicit content ahead)
The moment his hand slid between my thighs, everything else disappeared.
There was no cave. No storm. No danger waiting outside. Just him, this beautiful stranger with silver eyes who touched me like I was something precious.
His fingers found where I was already wet and aching. I gasped, my back arching off the cloak.
"Fuck, you're soaked," he breathed against my neck. His voice had gone rough, almost animalistic. "Is this all for me, little moon?"
"Yes," I whimpered. I'd never felt like this before. Never wanted anything as much as I wanted him right now.
His fingers circled that sensitive spot and I nearly came off the ground. My hands clutched at his shoulders, nails digging into his skin.
"That's it," he murmured. "Let me hear you."
He slid one finger inside me and I cried out. It felt good too good. My hips moved on their own, seeking more.
"Please," I gasped. "I need—"
"I know what you need." He added another finger, stretching me, and his thumb pressed against my clit. "I'm going to give you everything."
His fingers moved faster, curling inside me, hitting some spot that made stars explode behind my eyes. The pressure built and built until I couldn't breathe, couldn't think—
"Come for me," he commanded. "Let go."
I was shattered.
Pleasure crashed through me in waves so intense I screamed his name except I didn't even know his name. I just screamed, my body convulsing, my pussy clenching around his fingers.
He worked me through it, drawing it out until I was shaking and boneless.
When I could finally breathe again, I looked up at him. His silver eyes were glowing brighter now, almost fire in the darkness. And there was something wild in them. Something dangerous.
"I need to be inside you," he said, voice strained. "Right now. Tell me to stop if you don't want this."
I grabbed his face and pulled him down to kiss me. "Don't stop. Don't you dare stop."
He groaned into my mouth, positioning himself between my thighs. I could feel him hard and hot against my entrance.
"Wait," I gasped. "I should tell you... I haven't done this before."
He went very still. "You're a virgin?"
I nodded, suddenly embarrassed.
"Shit." His forehead pressed to mine. "So am I."
My eyes widened. "You are?"
"Never wanted anyone enough." He kissed me softly. "Until now. Until you."
Something in my chest went tight. "Then we'll figure it out together."
"It might hurt at first," he warned.
"I don't care." I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him closer. "I want this. I want you."
---
VAE'S POV (VAELOR)
Vaelor had never lost control like this. Never wanted anything as desperately as he wanted to be inside this woman.
His little moon.
The poison had made him touch-starved, feverish. Or maybe that was just her. Maybe she was the fever burning through his blood.
He positioned himself at her entrance, the head of his cock pressing against her wetness. She was so damn tight already. He'd have to go slow. Be careful.
Even though his Lycan was howling at him to claim her. Mark her. Make her his.
"Look at me," he said. "I want to see your face."
Her eyes locked on his and they were glowing too. Gold, like molten honey, shining in the darkness.
Beautiful.
He pushed inside slowly. So tight. So hot. She gasped, her nails raking down his back.
"Breathe," he murmured, kissing her jaw, her neck. "Just breathe and let me in."
She nodded, panting. He pushed deeper, inch by inch. When he felt resistance to her maidenhead he paused.
"This will hurt for a second," he warned. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry." She pulled him down for a kiss. "Just don't stop."
He thrust through the barrier in one smooth motion. She cried out against his mouth, her body going rigid. He could smell the faint copper of blood mixing with her arousal.
"I've got you," he said, holding completely still to let her adjust. "The worst part is over."
It took everything in him not to move. She felt incredible. Perfect. Like she was made for him.
His Lycan was going insane. Demanding he move. Claim her. Knot her—
Wait. Knot?
That only happened with true mates. During the mating bond.
But he didn't have time to process that thought because she rolled her hips experimentally.
They both groaned.
"Okay," she breathed. "I'm okay. You can move."
He pulled back slowly, then thrust back in. Shallow at first. Gentle. But with each thrust he went deeper, harder.
"Fuck," he growled. "You feel incredible. So tight. So perfect."
"More," she moaned, meeting his thrusts. "Harder. Don't hold back."
His control snapped.
He slammed into her, hard and deep and primal. The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the cave. She cried out not in pain, in pleasure.
"Yes!" Her legs tightened around him. "Like that. Don't stop."
He couldn't have stopped if he wanted to. His fangs elongated. His claws emerged, digging into her hips. Definitely leaving marks.
Good. He wanted to mark her.
"Mine," he growled without thinking. "Say it."
"Yours," she gasped. "I'm yours."
Something in his chest roared with satisfaction.
His hand slid between them, finding her clit. He rubbed it while he pounded into her, and she screamed, her orgasm hitting her like lightning.
Her pussy clenched around him so tight he saw stars. He came with a roar, burying himself deep, flooding her with his release.
And at the base of his cock, he felt a knot forming, swelling, locking them together.
Holy shit.
A mating knot. With a woman he'd just met. A woman whose real name he didn't even know.
"What..." she gasped, feeling it too. "What's happening?"
"Just... just breathe." He held her close, both of them trembling. "It'll go down in a few minutes. It's normal."
Was it though? He'd never knotted before. Didn't even know he could until right now.
They stayed locked together, bodies joined, breathing hard. And Vaelor could feel something forming between them a golden thread, tying them together in ways he didn't understand.
"That was..." she started.
"Yeah."
She looked up at him, gold eyes meeting his silver ones. "I don't even know your name."
He smiled despite everything. "Vae. You can call me Vae."
"Lara," she whispered back. "I'm Lara."
Both lies. But that was okay.
"Lara," he repeated, tasting it. Then he kissed her softly. "My little moon."
AELARA'S POV
We stayed tangled together as the knot slowly went down. My body ached in the best way. I felt... whole. Complete. Like something that'd been missing had finally clicked into place.
The rejection wound was completely silent. Not just quite gone.
How was that possible?
"You okay?" Vae asked, brushing hair from my face.
"Yeah. Better than okay." I looked up at him. "You?"
"Never been better."
We both knew this was temporary. That morning would come and we'd go our separate ways. But right now, locked together in the firelight, it felt like we had all the time in the world.
"Again?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips.
I felt him hardening inside me again already. Stamina of a god, apparently.
"Hell yes."
He laughed and rolled us so I was on top. "Then ride me, little moon. Take what you need."
I did.
We made love twice more that night. Sometimes slow and gentle. Sometimes hard and desperate. Learning each other's bodies. Finding what made the other gasp and moan and beg.
By the time exhaustion finally pulled us under, we were both covered in sweat and marks and absolutely satisfied.
I fell asleep on his chest, his arms wrapped around me, feeling safer than I'd felt in years.
When I woke, the cave was grey with early morning light.
And I was alone.
"Vae?" I sat up fast, looking around.
Gone. He was gone.
His torn cloak lay folded next to me. And on top of it, a silver coin.
My hands shook as I picked it up. Heavy, old, with a symbol carved into it.
A crescent moon wrapped around a crown.
The Lycan King's seal.
My blood ran cold.
"No," I whispered. "No no no—"
He wasn't just connected to royalty. This seal... only the King's inner circle carried these. His personal guard. His advisors.
Maybe even the King himself.
The King who'd ordered my parents killed.
And I'd just slept with him. Give him my virginity. Let him knot me like we were mates.
"What have I done?" I breathed, clutching the coin.
I had to leave. I had to run. Now.
I grabbed my dress, still damp but wearable and pulled it on. Shoved the coin in my pocket even though I should've left it. Wrapped his cloak around my shoulders because mine was gone.
And I ran.
Deeper into Ashveil. Away from him. Away from the mistake I'd just made.
But I could still feel him. That golden thread connecting us. And something else.
Something that wouldn't show itself for weeks.