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Exhaustion pulled me into slumber, but I vowed silently to myself and Pearl that I wouldn’t allow her to be in a position like that again. If I had to shackle her to me to keep her safe… well that was just what I was going to do.
Chapter Six
Pearl
I woke up tired and confused. Last night didn’t go as I expected, and I didn’t mean the almost dying part. Somehow, Rylan and I had gotten out of sync, or he wasn’t getting the hints I was dropping. I just didn’t think I’d have to spell it out, but maybe I did.
Rylan was pressed against my back, his hand resting firmly on my thigh just below my hip. It was deliciously distracting. I’d craved his touch before, but somehow, it had ramped up since I came back from the Between. I didn’t just crave it now; I needed it. The bond between us had gotten stronger, the pull I felt to him undeniable and hard to resist. The urge to complete the mate bond was a constant throbbing between my thighs.
While I wanted nothing more than for Rylan to distract me with his body, I couldn’t deny that it wasn’t the right time or place. Yet, a part of me was restless, needing the mate bond to be complete so I could focus on other things.
There was no other way. I had to tell Rylan what I was feeling. As my mate I had to trust that he would understand and do whatever I needed him to.
Rylan sighed then moved his head, so his nose was in my hair before inhaling. His hand on my thigh tightened, and I wondered if he could tell that I was aroused just lying in bed with him.
“Mmm,” he hummed in my ear. “Morning.”
“Morning.” I stretched my legs.
“How’d you sleep?” He nuzzled my throat and gently kissed my skin.
“I slept well,” I lied, not wanting to upset him. “You?”
“It took me a while to go to sleep,” he admitted, his tone making my chest hurt.
“Hey.” I turned over so I could see his face. “What happened last night wasn’t your fault. You know that, right?” I searched his eyes, hoping to see acceptance, but all I saw was fear. I’d ruined the tender moment, but I didn’t care. He needed to know that I didn’t blame him.
He nodded his head, but I knew him well enough to know when he was lying.
“I was so helpless.” Rylan growled, propping himself up on his hand so he could stare down at me. “You nearly died trying to break whatever was controlling me. You saved my life.”
“Then, you saved me.” I smiled, cupping his cheek. “We saved each other, which is what mates are supposed to do, right?”
“Protecting you is my job, but instead, I hurt you.”
“You didn’t hurt me; your aunt did. Plus, it’s my job to protect you too. You’re the predestined alpha that will unite the packs. You’re important.” I meant for my words to be reassuring, but when his lips pressed into a line, I knew that they were the opposite.
Rylan sat up, avoiding my eyes. Annoyance changed to anger as he turned away from me. My wolf viewed it as some sort of rejection. How could he still blame himself? It hurt that I’d saved him just for him to have to carry the burden of failure that wasn’t his to carry. Hopefully time would help him realize that.
I sat up too, swinging my legs over the mattress to the floor. My stomach growled loudly as I headed for the bathroom. I relieved myself then returned to the bedroom, ready to go raid the kitchen I remembered seeing. After that, I needed to check on Estella, the human part. She’d been unconscious when she appeared, and I prayed she hadn’t been scared out of her mind when she woke up and I wasn’t there.
Rylan grabbed my hand, tugging me closer to him, shaking me from my thoughts. “I’m sorry.”
“You’ve already said that,” I countered, unable to fight the urge to lean into him. “It’s almost like you don’t believe that I forgive you.”
“I’m trying.” He rubbed my back, and I sighed, enjoying the intimacy. “Just give me time.”
I leaned away so I could see his face then stood on tiptoe, placing a kiss on his lips. The subject had a pin in it for now, but I was determined to make sure Rylan didn’t blame himself for things out of his control.
Kissing him in this moment was a mistake. As soon as his scent filled my nose, his taste on my tongue, the urge to feel him everywhere overcame me. I deepened the kiss, dipping my tongue into his mouth and groaning when his grip on me tightened.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, pinning him against me as I pressed my front to his. Nipping his lips elicited a moan that seemed to travel from his diaphragm. It was sexy as hell and had the effect of heightening my arousal. My leg lifted, curling over his hip, allowing him access to the place that I desperately wanted him. Rylan grasped my thigh. His fingers moved upward to my ass cheek, pulling my pelvis into his.
I sighed between kisses, moaning as his erection rubbed me at just the right angle. My body heated as the foreplay ramped up to new levels. There was an ache inside me, a need that only he could satisfy.
A knock on the door startled us both. Rylan took a step back, his jaw clenched like he was struggling to control himself. I grinned inwardly because this was what I wanted, what I craved. The urge to complete the mate bond was an incessant buzzing just under my skin. Ready at a moment’s notice.
“Uh… I’ve got some food cooking and coffee ready,” Deacon called through the door after clearing his throat. “Oh, and your friend is awake.”
