ONE WEEK LATER
Raelynn has stayed true to her word on if there was a swing in the garden. A week ago, she mentioned that she’d stay outside twenty-four-seven if there were a swing, and here we are a week later, and she’s taken up residence in the garden. A lot of work had to be done pulling the weeds, and it was nice having Raelynn helping me. Being connected to her through the blood bond has brought us closer together. I was prepared to wait a while for us to complete the bond, but she promised me that she was ready. We have one week ’til the full moon.
I can see Raelynn in the garden, sitting on the swing with her head tilted up toward the sky. This is our last night in California, so we ate dinner in the middle of the garden, and it’s Raelynn’s plan to sleep out there, too. Once I have her glass of wine poured, I grab a beer out of the refrigerator and head outside. When I get out there, Raelynn is already sprawled out on our makeshift bed on the ground, consisting of three blankets and eight pillows.
Raelynn gasps with excitement when she sees me. “I just saw another shooting star. So that makes two already tonight.”
I hand her the glass of wine and sit down beside her. “Did you make a wish?”
Her grin widens. “I did.”
Discreetly, I try to see in her mind to get a glimpse of what those wishes could be, but she shuts me out.
“Nosy, much?” she teases. “It won’t come true if you know what I wished for.”
“Hey, you can’t fault me for being curious.” I laugh, taking a swig of my beer.
Raelynn’s phone beeps beside her, so she rolls over and scoops it up. The light on the screen illuminates her face, and I can’t help but stare at her. She’s mine. After all this time, she’s mine.
She types away on her phone and cuts me a sly glance, saying, “Always,” in my mind. Once she’s done on her cell, she moves closer to me, and we lie back on the pillows. “That was a text from Dany. She said they’re still working on their assignment but that they’ll get back to Wyoming soon.”
Cuddling into my side, Raelynn rests her head on my chest. I breathe in the fresh scent of her skin and the fruity smell of her shampoo. I’ll never get tired of having her in my arms. Gently, I trail my fingers up and down her back, making goosebumps fan out over her skin.
“There’s only a week until the next full moon. Have you thought about where you want to be when we complete the bond? We can go anywhere you want,” I promise her.
Raelynn wraps her arm around my waist, pulling herself in tighter to my body. “I’m fine being anywhere. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just being at your cabin would be perfect.”
“Our cabin,” I correct her. “It’s your home just as much as it is mine.”
I can’t see her smile, but I can feel the warmth through our bond. “It’ll be nice not having to hide anymore. With me not being mated, I’m still a target. I hate always having to hide my presence … it gets exhausting after a while.”
“I know,” I whisper. “Soon, you won’t have to anymore.”
“I can’t imagine what it was like for Faith when she was abducted and having all those wolves fight to the death for her.”
It was the worst time of my life. I made the statement a week ago about how I’m glad I didn’t fail Faith’s parents in keeping her safe, but when the Blue River pack alpha took her, I felt worthless as a protector. Granted, if magic weren’t involved, I would’ve killed them all myself. The Blue River pack alpha had a powerful witch who could put sleeping spells on anyone, including royal wolves. It all worked out in the end, but there was a time when I doubted it would.
“It was a sketchy situation,” I admit in all honesty. “We were outnumbered. All I could do was keep Faith safe while everyone else butchered each other. It was such a waste of life.”
Rae nods. “All those wolves had mates somewhere. They were power-hungry and wanted royal blood. Very selfish of them.”
Lifting my gaze to the moon, I blow out a sigh. There are many rules when it comes to the shifter world, especially with finding your mate. “The Great Luna supposedly only gives us one mate, but hopefully, she found it within herself to give the potential mates of those bastards a chance to find someone worthy of them.”
Raelynn tilts her head up and smiles at me. “I have to believe she will.”
I lean down to kiss her, and she opens up to me. The need inside of her explodes, and it drives me in-fucking-sane. “Dammit, love. You kill me with that.”
Raelynn snickers. “What can I say? You drive me crazy, too … especially when you kiss me the way you do.” She straddles my lap, thrusting her hips playfully against my cock. It’s so fucking hard it’s about to burst out of my jeans.
“Are we going to finish this out here or inside?” I ask, grabbing onto her waist.
Her eyes glow, and the desire within her heightens. “You’re not going anywhere. We’re going to finish this right here.”
She lifts her shirt over her head, exposing her bare breasts—my mouth waters at the sight of them. I want to taste her, to feel her nipples pucker the second my tongue flicks across them. Raelynn stands and shimmies out of her jeans and underwear, her body gloriously naked above me.
“Damn, you’re beautiful,” I state, admiring her smooth skin and curves.
Her eyes rake down my body. “I think it’s time we get you out of those clothes.”
Smirking, I rest my hands behind my head. “Go for it. Get me out of them.”
A low growl rumbles inside of her. “Don’t mind if I do.” She unbuttons my jeans and slides them down my legs not too gently, tossing them clear across the garden. Then, with my T-shirt, she grips it and rips it in two, snickering when it falls off my body in shreds. “Much better,” she says, sliding down to her knees.
She crawls up my body, keeping her gaze on my rigid cock. The second she wraps her hands around me, I suck in a breath; it feels so fucking good. My eyelids drift shut because I know what she’s about to do. When her lips close over the tip of my cock, the euphoric sensation shoots through my entire body. Raelynn sucks me hard, her mouth sliding up and down my dick. I can feel my release, but I hold back. I want to be inside of her when I come.
Growling, I grab her by the shoulders, and she looks up at me. I use this moment to flip her onto her back and spread her wide. I kiss her, tasting the sweetness of her tongue as it mingles with mine: apples and honey.
Raelynn giggles as the stubble on my chin grazes across her neck. “I like this,” she gushes, tickling my cheeks. “It feels good.”
“I know what’ll make you feel good,” I say, moving down to her breasts.
Eyes closed, Raelynn arches her back, making her perfectly plum nipples perk up, inviting me to them. I flick my tongue across one and smile when I look up and see her biting her lip.
My dick is so hard it hurts, but I love watching her squirm. I circle my tongue around her nipple before closing my lips and sucking them as hard as I can. Gasping, Raelynn clenches her legs tighter around, trying to thrust her hips up. I want the friction, too, but I don’t give in. Not yet. Instead, I massage her breasts, delighted in how they’re the right size to fit under my hand.
“Do you like it when I suck hard like that?” I ask, kissing my way down her stomach.
“Yes,” she breathes. “It feels so damn good.”
As I move down her body, tasting every inch, she runs her fingers through my hair and holds on tight. I love it when she touches me, and even more so when I can feel her shaking with the need to have me inside of her. I kiss the insides of her thighs until I get to the delicious spot between her legs that’s already swollen and ready to be touched. Spreading her legs wider, I tease her clit with my tongue, watching her tremble as goosebumps fan out across her skin.
“Please,” she begs. Her voice comes out as a strangled whisper, and it’s all the motivation I need—no more teasing, no more playing around. As deep as I can go, I taste her and watch her face as I bring her to climax. She’s so fucking perfect, and she’s mine. If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that I’ll never be apart from her again. “Never,” she breathes. “We’re a package deal.”
Slowly, I crawl up her body so I can gaze down at her clear blue eyes when I make love to her. “That we are,” I agree. “Did you enjoy me tasting you?”
Raelynn giggles and wraps her legs around my waist. “You have no idea how much. Now I want to feel you inside of me.”
Pushing in just a little bit, I circle my hips to get her ready for me. “Like this?” I ask, thrusting in a little deeper.
She shakes her head, her voice a seductive whisper. “No, I need more.”
She’s so tight it feels as if I’ll lose my fucking mind if I don’t give in to my release. Her pleasure is my pleasure and vice versa. When I enter her fully, she grips her legs tighter around my waist and moves her hips along with mine as I thrust inside of her. I lick and suck her nipples one after the other as I pound my hips against hers. Her cries and moans are about to send me over the edge, especially when she groans out my name.
“Micah …”
“I love you, Raelynn,” I murmur in her ear.
She gasps and meets my gaze. “I love you, too. I think I always have.”
Slowing my pace, I lean down to kiss her. “Same. There wasn’t a day that went by when I didn’t think of you.”
Her need spikes, and she digs her nails into my back, the muscles in her pussy clenching tighter around my cock. There’s no way I can hold off now; it’s game over. Raelynn screams as her orgasm starts to peak, but I cover my mouth with hers, muffling her cries with my own as I come inside of her. Gazing down at her and that beautiful smile on her face, I realize there’s nothing in the world I wouldn’t do for her.
Still connected, I cup her face in my hands. “I’m so ready for you to be my mate.”