They went for a walk through the woods, her muscles twitching and stretching beneath her skin. There were many things to jump on, climb, and fall off of. She enjoyed how energising the exercise made her feel, almost as much as running. She didn't realise she had lost track of Alex because she was too focused on how her muscles were moving and the sounds around her. The sound of cicadas singing, hooves beating, and streams running through the trees filled the forest with life.
"Be careful, truffle."
His voice barely registered in her mind. She jumped over rocks that scraped the arches of her feet. There was a small cliff in front of her, and beyond it was a breathtaking view of the valley below.
"Truffle, stop." Alex warned her.
"Rosalie !"
She crouched to jump across the small cliff. But Alex grabbed her arm and pulled her back just in time, saving her from a dangerous fall.
"You almost went over the edge," he said, relief evident in his voice.
"What is your problem? I could easily make that jump." She pushed herself hard off the ground and glared at him.
Alex sighed.
He picked up a rock and threw it at the ground, where she had been prepared to jump. As the rock landed, the ground beneath it crumbled away.
Now that she actually looked, she could see other places where the ground had fallen away. Alex turned and headed in the direction he had been going before. He hadn't really said anything; the scowl hadn't left his face either. Rosalie was quick to follow him. Keeping in step with him, she followed closely behind. It was a few moments before either of them spoke again.
"Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you. You were just trying to help me. I just don't like it when people do stuff like that."
"Like what? Save you from dying ? I'll try to keep that in mind next time."
She sighed. He had every reason to be upset, but she didn't like that feeling. Their connection was filling her up with guilt about what had happened when all she wanted to do was enjoy the scenery.
"Why do you keep calling me truffle? I am neither a mushroom nor a chocolate."
She tried to lighten the mood, and she could just see the hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth.
They didn't answer right away, but he did when they got to the top of another hill.
"But you are my truffle, my chocolate truffle. Hard on the outside, soft on the inside. It takes a little work, but once the shell of yours is cracked, I always find a smooth, gooey melt in your mouth centre."
She blushed, heat pouring over her body from the middle of her scalp to the tips of her pinkie toes. Even if her mind had been in turmoil, her libido wasn't. The dreams she had about him these last few nights had made sleep worth it. She looked up at his back again, the smile still tugging at his lips.
"I'm not sure how I feel about that. I assume that there is nothing I can do about it; I will just have to get used to it."
His smile grew bigger, but he didn't respond.
"So, how did you know about the ground back there?"
"My parents and I used to visit this place often when I was little. They used this spot as a small refuge. Once, I was having a good time racing with my dad. I noticed the same nice patch of grass that you saw, and even though I was winning, I wanted to leave him behind. To cut a long tale short, I ended up with two shattered ribs, a broken arm, and a badly damaged ankle when the earth gave way, exactly as it had with the rock. Even though I knew it would heal fast since we were wolves, the pain was still excruciating."
"Oh ! Were you badly hurt ?"
"Yes, it was a painful experience, but I learned my lesson about being reckless," he replied.
She picked up her speed, walking fast and coming up to him. The light was peeking through the cracks where the trees had thinned. They emerged from the woods onto a level bluff overlooking breathtaking treetops. It was roomy and extended to the horizon. The view was absolutely stunning, with the sun casting a warm glow over the landscape.
As they stood there in awe, she turned to him and said, "This is truly magnificent. I'm glad we took this path."
He nodded in agreement. Alex put down his backpack and spread the picnic blanket. He then set up the food basket that Estela had prepared.
The food was great. Alex loved how the sun made her face glow as it went down. As she leant back, her feet just barely touched the edge of the cliff. She took slow, steady breaths. They talked for a long time about his childhood and some of the silly things she did as a child. As the sky turned from blue to orange,.
He leant over and kissed her neck softly. He felt her legs stop moving and her breathing hitch, but she didn't pull away. He slid closer, placing his leg behind her back, and kissed her again, moving up and down before moving to her face. He could feel her eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks. He slid her closer, settling her against him. He started to bite and nibble at her neck, loving her taste and smell and the erotic sound of her increased breathing. He let his hand slide slowly across her stomach, only to feel it quiver.
He couldn't get close enough to her. He slid them away from the edge of the cliff and placed her on the blanket. Her eyes were cloudy and timid beneath him, and she was soft. With each powerful tug and sharp nip, he returned to his feast on her neck, loving the feather light gasps and moans that slipped past her. He maintained his palm on her stomach as she tightened, enjoying the quivers and shivers. He moved his hand up and away from her tummy as he strained forward to capture her lips. His finger stroked the underside of her bra, just slipping under it, and she gasped.
He ran his hand beneath her shirt, delicately teasing her skin from the small of her back to the bottom of her breast and around her navel as the heat of the moment wore them down. She did the same, and he lifted his arms to remove his shirt as her hands moved higher on his back. Rosalie went in close and began kissing him over his neck and shoulder, her fingers dancing up the sides of his abs. Their tongues seemed to dance and play with each other in swirls as she made her way back up to his lips. They cracked their mouths as she made her way back up to his lips.
"I'm not sure how much longer I can handle it." He whispered.
"You don't have to," she replied.
It only took her a few seconds to skim her jean skirt down over her hips. Her fingers drifted up and quickly loosed the few buttons on her shirt, and it slipped down her shoulders to fall in a silky puddle behind her. Alex smiled and reached up and trailed his fingers across her breasts, pausing briefly to pinch her nipples to attention. Then his fingers drifted down to her hips, and the tiny scrap of cloth that called itself pants hit the ground. He just sat there, enjoying the slight chill of the air across her moistened flesh and the way her eyes drank him in.
"You had this planned all along, didn't you?" Rosalie teased.
Alex chuckled, his eyes gleaming mischievously. "Maybe I did," he replied, pulling her closer.
Later, they lay on the blanket, just enjoying the sun and the mild breeze in each other's arms. Rosalie lay in his arms for a long time after her heartbeat had returned to normal, tracing patterns on his chest with her finger. Alex's eyes were closed.
"Alex," she hesitated, unsure of what to say, "you never found your mate? What I mean is, you never tried to find your true mate." Slowly, she inquired.
"You're my mate," he stated without opening his eyes.
She raised an eyebrow and said, "Our mating was an accident, Alex. However, I don't have any regrets," she swiftly added.
Alex opened his eyes and looked down at her.
"To put it another way, I am not your real mate. Chris had imprinted on me. Your wolf didn't imprint on me because you chose me, but what if you meet your true mate one day? What will become of us?" Rosalie inquired, her voice trembling.
For a brief period, his face was expressionless, then he replied softly. "You don't have to be concerned about that; it will never happen." Rosalie wondered whether she had spoken too much as his body tightened.
He sat up and ran his hand through his hair after releasing himself from her grip.
"Alex, please listen to me." She begged. "Alex, I'm sorry; I didn't want to upset you," she pleaded as she sat up and placed her hand on his arm.
He murmured, "It's fine; your concern is justified. You don't have to worry about it, though. My mate is dead!"