Page 37

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

NOVA

T he moment stretches, the steam curling around us. My wolf, restless now that Callum has stepped into the hot springs, pushes against me with a desire that’s maddening. But for once, it feels like we’re in agreement.

I reach out, fingertips trailing across the surface of the water until I grab his hand. The contact sparks something—small, fleeting, but enough to send heat racing through my veins. He doesn’t pull away. Instead, he watches me with an intensity that makes the air feel thicker than it already is.

“Callum,” I murmur, barely recognizing my own voice. It’s softer, unsteady. Vulnerable in a way I rarely let myself be. There’s a definite whine on the end of it.

He leans closer, the crimson moonlight catching the drops of water beading on his skin. “Aye, lass?” His voice is deep, the lilt of it rough around the edges, but there’s a tenderness there that softens it, that draws me in.

I close the gap between us, my palm pressing against his chest, the wild thrum of his heart beneath my hand as it curls against the fine dusting of hair. “You don’t always have to be so careful with me, you know.” My lips curve into a small, teasing smile, even as my pulse races. His thunders under my fingertips. “I’m not made of glass.”

His brows knit, the barest trace of a frown crossing his face. “Careful’s all I know with you,” he rasps, his accent thickening, his words brushing over me like velvet. “You’re …” He trails off, his hand coming up to rest against my waist, hesitant, as though waiting for permission. “You’re worth it.”

I bite my lip, trying to ignore the way my wolf practically howls her approval.

Yes, he is ours.

“Well,” I whisper, floating closer, the heat of his skin, the water, me—it’s almost overwhelming. “What if I don’t want careful right now?”

He blinks, stunned, but it’s gone in an instant, replaced by something deeper, something darker that ignites the desire pooling inside me like a match to oil.

His fingers flex against my waist, gripping tighter as he pulls me flush against him. The water laps gently around us where he sits on a natural rock formation. I tilt my head back, meeting his heated stare, and the intensity there steals my breath away.

“I might no’ have a knot, but I reckon I can still make ye come, aye?”

A slow grin crawls across my face before he heaves me into his arms, depositing me right onto his face, my knees resting on the slushy ledge of the hot springs. I let out a startled squeak, which quickly morphs into a moan as his tongue darts out, licking a slow, measured stripe up my folds.

I throw my head back, my fingers tangling in his damp hair as he devours me with a single-minded focus. Snowflakes land on my heated skin, as if they, too, want to know what I taste like.

His tongue swirls and flicks, sending jolts of pleasure racing through my core. I grind against his mouth, chasing the blissful sensations, my moans echoing off the rocky walls surrounding the springs. He grips my thighs tighter, holding me steady as he feasts, lapping and suckling like a man starved.

"Oh gods, yes, right there," I gasp, my head lolling back, lost to the exquisite pleasure building inside me. He hums against my sensitive flesh in response, the vibrations making me shudder and buck.

With expert strokes, he drives me higher, stoking the flames until I'm writhing and panting above him. Pressure coils tighter and tighter low in my belly. I'm close, teetering on a razor's edge.

Then he seals his lips around my throbbing bud, sucking hard as he plunges two thick fingers deep inside me. I cry out, my back arching, slick drenching his face. He continues his strokes perfectly in time with the pull of his lips, shoving me into an orgasm.

I come undone with a hoarse shout, my walls clamping down on his fingers as I ride out the high, grinding wantonly against his face. He never lets up, licking and pumping me through it until I'm a trembling, mewling mess.

When I finally still, chest heaving, he gently lowers me back into the warm water. I collapse against his chest, boneless and sated. He wraps his arms around me, holding me close as I catch my breath.

"Fuck," I manage breathlessly.

He chuckles, a deep rumble that vibrates through me. "Aye, I aim tae please," he murmurs, nuzzling into my neck. "And we're jus' gettin' started, lass. I plan tae worship every inch o’ yer sweet body before the night is through.” His husky brogue stirs something primal in me.

I tilt my head to capture his lips in a searing kiss, tasting myself on his tongue. He groans into my mouth, his hands roaming over my slick skin, mapping every curve and dip. I can feel his hardness pressing insistently against my bottom, and I grind back, eliciting a low growl from deep in his chest.

"Ye're playin' wi' fire, lass," he warns, nipping at my lower lip.

"Then burn me," I whisper against his mouth, a brazen invitation.

Water sloshes around us as he lifts me effortlessly, urging my legs around his waist. “Say the word, lass, and I’ll stop.” His lips find my throat and I arch into him. “I know I’m no’ like them, Nova, but I’ll love ye as best I can.”

With one smooth thrust, he sheaths himself inside me to the hilt. I gasp at the sudden fullness, my walls stretching deliciously around his thick length. He pauses, giving me a moment to adjust before he starts to move.

His strokes are slow and deep at first, stoking the embers of my desire back into a raging inferno. I cling to his broad shoulders, my nails digging into his skin as he picks up the pace, driving into me with increasing fervor. The water churns around us, lapping at our joined bodies.

"Christ, ye feel amazin'," he pants against my throat, his accent thicker with arousal. "So tight and wet, graspin' me like ye never want tae let go."

His filthy words only heighten my pleasure, and I moan shamelessly, tilting my hips to take him even deeper. The new angle has him hitting that perfect spot inside me.

"That's it, lass," he encourages huskily, his hand sneaking between our bodies to rub firm circles over my aching clit, his tongue tracing the column of my throat. "Let go for me. I want tae feel ye come undone around my cock."

His gruff command is my undoing. I shatter with a keening cry, my inner muscles clamping down on him like a vice as wave after wave of mind-numbing bliss obliterates me. He follows me over the edge with a guttural groan, his hips jerking erratically as he spills himself deep inside my fluttering heat.

We remain locked together, chests heaving, as we slowly come down from our euphoric high. Callum’s forehead rests against mine, a shy smile adorning his face, and it steals my breath all over again.

Water laps gently around us as I lift off of him. He climbs out first, then offers me his hand, pulling me into his arms.

“So, there’s a drying spell, but I don’t know how to do it yet. And the last time I tried to use a warming spell of any kind, I caught the woods on fire.”

His head snaps up, as though he could see the charred woods from here. “That was you?” He grins.

“Yep.” I gesture vaguely in the direction towards campus. “Guess we’ll have to air dry for now.”

Callum chuckles and pulls me closer, his strong arms enveloping me. “I dinnae mind one bit, lass. As long as I get tae hold ye close, I'm content tae stay like this all night."

I wrap my arms around his neck, pressing the full length of my body against his. “And you don’t have to worry, I already drank my birth control tea this month.”

He sucks in a sharp breath. “Gods above, we can actually make a bairn?”

“A what?—”

“A bairn?” His breath hitches, his hands settling on my hips like he needs to hold onto reality. “Ye mean …” His words cut off as a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth, hesitant but growing. “We could actually have one? A wee mix of human and fae?”

“Yeah? That’s what happens when two people have sex.”

His lips part, and for a second, he looks stunned, like the thought had never crossed his mind but now he can’t stop imagining it.

He cups my face, his thumbs brushing over my cheeks. “Nova … I’ll no’ lie, that’s a lot to take in. But if it’s with you? Gods, I think I’d like that. Someday.” His voice drops lower, quieter. “If ye’d ever want that with me.”

He can breed us now.

Not the time, Wolfy, I grumble internally, as I shiver against the chill.

I could make it time, she purrs, her voice dripping with smugness.

What the hell does that even mean? I fire back, my frustration mounting. But she doesn’t respond, which only puts me more on edge. Her silence is never a good sign.

Callum is already picking up his shirt, before he’s pulling it over my head. “Here.” His heated eyes scan the length of my bare thighs. “Better?”

I nod, clutching the shirt tightly, his scent clinging to the fabric, slipping into my lungs with every breath. Earthy, clean, threaded with his cologne—it’s everywhere, wrapping around me, sinking into me. It does nothing to stop the warmth pooling low in my stomach, though.

A warmth that shouldn’t be there.

“I’m carryin’ ye back.” He crouches to lace his boots before fastening his belt over his jeans. He doesn’t seem to notice—or maybe he doesn’t care—that his chest is bare. And he’s human.

I raise a brow. “You’re gonna carry me? Miles? In the snow? You know I’ve got legs, right?”

He glances up at me with a smirk. “Aye, I know. But you’re not wearin’ much more than my shirt, and I’ll no’ have ye freezin’ to death on my watch. Now, up ye get.”

Before I can protest, explain that I can shift instead, his arms hook under my knees and back, lifting me as though I weigh nothing. I huff but don’t fight him, partly because my wolf is too busy practically preening at his touch.

He’s strong, she croons, entirely unhelpful.

Shut it , I shoot back, trying to ignore the rapid flutter in my chest.

As he steps into the snow, his boots crunching against the frozen ground, the warmth in my stomach spreads. It’s unsettling—hot, insistent, like the embers of a fire refusing to die. I press my thighs together instinctively, my breath hitching when the friction sends a ripple of something through me.

Callum tilts his head down, his brow furrowed. “You alright?”

“Fine,” I say too quickly, my voice strained.

But then it happens—a soft, unbidden whine escapes me. My cheeks flame as I clap a hand over my mouth, horrified.

Callum freezes mid-step. “What was that?”

“Nothing,” I mumble behind my hand, willing the ground to swallow me whole.

His stare narrows slightly, but he doesn’t press. “You’re not cold, are ye? You’re heatin’ up more than I expected.”

Oh, I’d say we’re heating up, my wolf teases, her amusement dripping into every word.

What the fuck is going on? I demand, panic threading through my thoughts.

But she doesn’t answer. Instead, she’s practically humming with satisfaction, leaving me to stew in confusion as Callum adjusts his hold on me.

“Let’s get ye back quick.”

He quickens his pace, his strong arms holding me securely against his broad chest. The snow crunches rhythmically beneath his boots as he strides purposefully through the frozen landscape. I try to focus on the passing scenery, on the skeletal trees reaching towards the red sky, on anything but the dampness gathering at my thighs.

I bury my face against his chest, inhaling his scent, my fingers tangling in his hair. He chuckles, and it rumbles against my body, spreading a molten heat that pools low in my belly.

I squirm in his arms, biting back another whimper. My wolf is practically purring now, her satisfaction rippling through my mind like a contented stretch.

The shape of our large campus comes into focus as Callum strides through the trees, his breathing growing heavier with each step. His heart thuds against my cheek, the rhythm quickening as he clutches me tighter.

I nuzzle his neck, inhaling deeply as his scent curls into my lungs like smoke. Earthy and clean, with a subtle hint of salt and something distinctly mine. It’s like home, my sweet beta, but it does nothing to soothe the fire licking its way up my spine. My wolf hums, pleased by our proximity, and I fight the urge to bury my face against his skin again.

“Nova,” he grunts, shifting me in his arms. “Yer squirmin’ like mad. Ye alright?”

“Fine,” I lie, my voice unconvincing even to my own ears. My fingers clutch his bare shoulders, and his muscles flex under my touch. Warmth pools low in my belly again, hotter this time, more insistent.

But then the first cramp hits me so sudden, stealing my breath.

I gasp, my body stiffening in his arms. He halts mid-step, his brows knitting in concern as he looks down at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” The word is a hiss through clenched teeth, but my body betrays me with a soft whimper.

“Dinnae lie to me, lass.” His tone is firm, a note of worry creeping into his voice. “What’s goin’ on?”

Another cramp wracks my body, and this time, I can’t hold back the pained whine that follows. My wolf growls low in my mind, pacing restlessly, her thoughts of need and frustration.

You know what we need.

Shut up , I bite out, though I already feel the truth clawing its way to the surface. My skin feels too tight, my senses too sharp, and the heat—the heat —is unbearable. How the fuck will I go through a whole week of this?

A knot will make it go away.

No, it won’t.

Yes it will, until you need it again. And look, no classes for a whole week , she sing-songs.

By the time we reach the edge of campus, I’m panting, my body trembling in his arms. The cramping has grown worse, each wave of pain like a coil tightening inside me, leaving me desperate for relief.

Callum slows his pace as we near the courtyard, his attention surveying the students milling about. It’s late, but there are still groups clustered around the fire pits and walking along the snow-covered paths. I see more than a few heads turn as we pass, their curious stares lingering on us.

And then the nostrils flare.

I stiffen in his arms, a fresh wave of shame crashing over me as I catch the subtle shift in their expressions. The alphas among them seem to tense, their postures straightening as their heated stares lock on me, following the path we cut across campus. So many scents and sounds assault me at once, but none of them feel right.

“Eyes front,” Callum mutters, his voice a low growl. His grip tightens on me, his protective nature flaring as he quickens his pace.

“You’d better get her back to her room,” a female calls out.

I hear scuffling behind us, but can’t see over Callum’s back. We pass more students, and I can’t ignore the way their stares linger, the way everyone seems to know exactly what’s happening to me. I bury my face in his chest, my cheeks burning with humiliation as my wolf howls in delight.

They all want us, she purrs. But we only want him.

“Fuck off,” I whisper under my breath, though I’m not sure if it’s meant for her or the alphas around us.

None of them smell right.

Callum’s jaw clenches as we pass a particularly bold alpha, a male with pale hair and an aquiline nose who takes an audible sniff of the air. His predatory gaze locks on me, his eyes darkening with interest.

“Keep yer fuckin’ distance,” Callum lashes out, his accent thickening with his anger as he starts to jog. The alpha sneers but doesn’t approach, his leer lingering for a beat too long before he finally looks away.

The courtyard is a gauntlet, each step bringing another set of eyes, another flicker of interest. By the time we reach the center of campus, I’m trembling, my skin damp with sweat despite the cold. The cramps have become unbearable, and the heat roars through me like it’s going to consume me from the inside out.

I shift in his arms, my body arching as another wave of pain tears through me. “Callum,” I whimper. “I—something’s wrong.”

He looks down at me, his expression torn between anger and worry. “Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” I admit, my voice breaking. “I just—I need?—”

The words stick in my throat, but my wolf finishes them for me.

A knot.

The realization slams into me like a freight train, and my breath catches as panic rises in my chest, because she’s right. If I start begging for a knot, so help me, I will launch myself off this mountain.

My wolf whines, so fucking needy, but I shove her down, my mind spinning with fear.

“Talk to me,” he pleads, his brogue softening as his gaze searches mine. “What’s happenin’?”

“I—” My voice falters as another cramp hits, and this time, I can’t hold back the desperate whimper that escapes. “Callum, please. I don’t know what’s happening, but I need?—”

I don’t finish the sentence. I can’t. But the way his eyes widen, the way his jaw tightens, tells me he understands.