“Mine,” he growls, a possessive rumble that resonates through his entire body and into mine. “My mate. My June.”
We stay joined for several moments, both of us trembling with the aftereffects. Then, with careful movements, he withdraws from me, and I whimper at the sudden emptiness.
“Shh,” he soothes, immediately producing more of his fine silk. With gentle efficiency, he binds my legs back together, then begins wrapping my entire body in his soft silk, like the world’s softest, warmest blanket.
Once my body’s completely wrapped, he releases the mechanism holding me suspended. I expect to fall, but his arms are there immediately, catching me and cradling me against his chest as if I weigh nothing.
“How was that?” he asks, carrying me back to the sofa.
“Perfect,” I say, feeling boneless and completely satisfied. “That was… beyond words.”
He settles onto the couch, arranging me in his lap so that I’m nestled against him, still wrapped in his silk. One of his hands strokes my hair while another rests protectively over my silk-covered body.
“For me as well,” he admits quietly. “I’ve never… In all my years…”
“First time for everything,” I murmur, feeling sleep beginning to tug at me.
“Rest now,” he says softly against my ear. “I’ll keep you safe.”
As I begin to drift cradled in his arms, I realize I’ve never felt so secure. Tomorrow, there will be conversations to have,implications to consider. But for now, all that matters is this moment of perfect connection with the most unexpected monster I could have imagined.
Just before I fall asleep, I feel him press what might be a kiss to the top of my head.
“My intended,” he whispers, so softly I almost miss it. “My mate.”
And I smile as a deep rest finally takes me.
Chapter 11
Before the Roads Clear
Riven
I wake before dawn,my six eyes adjusting instantly to the dim light filtering through the windows. The weight against my side is unfamiliar but deeply satisfying on a primal level I’ve never experienced before. June is curled against me, her smaller body fitting perfectly into the curve of my larger frame, her head tucked beneath my chin. Her brunette hair has come loose from its usual practical ponytail and spills across my chest in a chaotic tangle.
Mine.
The word resonates through me with such force that I have to suppress the instinctive rumble building in my thorax. Eighty years of solitude, and now this human woman has somehow bypassed every defense I’ve constructed and nestled herself against my most vulnerable parts—both physical and otherwise.
I allow myself the luxury of simply watching her sleep. Her breathing is deep and even, her face relaxed in a way it never is when she’s awake. Without that perpetual look of controlled competence, she appears younger, softer.
My hand hovers over her cheek, wanting to touch but reluctant to wake her. The need to provide for her, to protect her, to keep her satisfied and safe in my nest surges through me with unexpected intensity.
The scent of her sleep-warmed skin, mingled with the lingering traces of our coupling, sends a pleasant arousal through my body. I feel my specialized glands shifting in response, and am certain my silk is now at peak quality, ready to create the most perfect, comfortable bonds. My ancestors would be proud of such production; it’s a sign of a healthy, well-matched pairing.
June stirs against me, making a small sound in the back of her throat as she burrows closer. My mandibles click softly in automatic response, and her eyes flutter open, unfocused at first, then sharpening as she registers her surroundings.
There’s a moment of tension in her body as memory returns, and I prepare myself for regret, for her to pull away.
Instead, she relaxes again, a slow smile spreading across her face as she looks up at me.
“Morning,” she says.
“Good morning,” I respond, the formal greeting feeling woefully inadequate for this moment. “Here, allow me…” I use one of my sharp legs to slit open the silk wrapping her, releasing her limbs from its cozy binds.
“Oh, thank you.” She stretches against me, reminding me of a cat I once observed during my wildlife studies—all languid satisfaction and unconscious grace.
“Sleep well?” I ask, unsure of the proper morning-after protocol. My research had primarily focused on the courtship and mating phases; I’d neglected to study what humans consider appropriate behavior following successful copulation, perhaps because I never thought I’d get this far…
