Marisol woke up to the sounds of birds chirping and the feel of Cedric's strong arms wrapped around her waist.
Her heart jumped as she remembered where they were and what happened last night. A blush crept up her cheeks at the intimate closeness between them.
She hurriedly tried to wriggle out of Cedric's embrace, her mind racing with thoughts of what the other pack members would think if they were caught in such a compromising position.
"Come on, we need to go," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper as she attempted to extract herself from his hold.
But Cedric only tightened his grip around her waist and groaned.
"We need to go before someone sees us," Marisol muttered nervously.
Cedric, still half-asleep, simply shrugged and pulled her closer, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. "I don't care," he murmured softly.
She sighed in frustration, "We're naked in the forest. Plus, we need to warn Caleb about the rogue attack."
"He knows," Cedric muttered groggily. "I alerted him even before we began ripping them apart."
"That means they'll be here soon to inspect the bodies." Marisol panicked. "What if they see us like this?"
"Relax, Marisol," he murmured, his voice husky with sleep. "I don't care what anyone else thinks."
Marisol remained silent as she tried to relax like he said. But it seemed as if someone was waging war on her head. Everything about the night before and that moment replayed in her head. She couldn't help the flutter of excitement she felt at his words. She knew that she would be worried about the consequences of their actions, but at that moment, all she could think about was how safe and loved she felt in Cedric's arms.
Suddenly, Cedric let her go and was up on his feet. "Okay, princess, let's go. I think they're on their way. Plus, I don't think I can stomach any other eyes on my woman. It'll make me murderous, and I might begin to rip off their eyes." He said.
With a gentle tug, Cedric pulled her to her feet, his touch sending a shiver of anticipation down her spine. As he helped her brush off the dirt and leaves from her body, his lips brushed against her skin in fleeting kisses, leaving her feeling both exhilarated and self-conscious. His fingers lingered on the spots where he had left his marks, sending a jolt of pleasure through her.
Marisol let out a hiss as their bodies pressed together. She loved the feeling of his hands on her. Her hands wandered to his chest, then his back where her own mark lay.
He let out a growl and pressed her onto the closet tree. Their lips met clumsily as they teased each other's mark.
Mine. She heard his voice loud and clear in her head.
Yes, yours. She responded.
Suddenly, she sensed footsteps approaching and it made her break the kiss.
"You worry too much, Marisol," Cedric grumbled.
"I can't help it." She sighed frustratedly. "I don't want them here. They need to be stalled or change their direction."
Cedric paused and raised a brow, "So you're telling me that you don't want to leave."
Marisol blushed and tried to hide her face.
Chuckling, Cedric pulled her closer. "You're adorable when you blush."
Giggling, she said, "Stop it, Cedric."
With a smug smile, he planted a kiss on her cheek, then her lips and whispered "Never."
"Come on," She whined, kissing him back. It seemed she'd become addicted to him.
"Okay, okay," he said, stepping back with his hands raised.
Then he fetched their clothes and helped her put hers on. When they were somewhat decent, they headed out of the forest.
With each step they took toward civilization, Marisol became increasingly self-aware. She couldn't keep the smile off her face, and yet she wanted to hide away from everyone.
Despite her shyness, Marisol couldn't help but be drawn to Cedric's infectious laughter, his carefree attitude easing her nerves. With his arms around her, as they walked, he continued teasing his mark on her neck. His other arm somehow reached into her clothes where his fingers trailed teasingly.
Marisol's legs turned to jelly, causing her to stumble as she tried to stifle the moan that threatened to fall out of her mouth.
"Cedric," she breathed.
"Yeah?" he croaked, "Your wish is my command princess. Should I stop..."
Marisol caught herself shaking her head in refusal. He chuckled.
"No .... I meant..." she trailed off, pressing her eyes close as she tried to form thoughts and piece her words together.
She loved what he was doing. It made her hungry for more. With every passing second, the growing need to have him inside her multiplied.
How fast could they get into their room? She thought.
They'd stopped moving, and he'd wrapped his hands around her. His mouth hovered over her ear.
"Careful Princess, thoughts like that make me want to go wild," he growled, rubbing his growling bulge against her.
Marisol's eyes flew open. She'd forgotten that he could hear her thoughts now. They were connected. They were now one. Their lips met again, and this time he kissed her tenderly until they started reaching into each other's bodies, wanting... needing more.
When they broke apart gasping for air, Marisol realized that they were standing before the pack houses.
Marisol's cheeks grew even hotter as she realized that they were drawing attention from the other pack members who were starting to emerge from their homes. She hurriedly straightened her clothes and shot Cedric a pleading look, silently urging him to hurry.
But Cedric only grinned mischievously and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Don't worry, Marisol. Let them talk. I only have eyes for you."