Page 19

NINETEEN

LORELEI

M oonlight filtered through the trees and cast silver shadows across the ruins of the wooden cabin. Lorelei’s heart pounded as Draken held her close, his muscular arms wrapped protectively around her.

“I thought I’d lost you,” Draken murmured against her hair. “When I found out you were in danger...” His arms tightened. “I’m sorry I didn’t understand before. This whole situation - it must have been overwhelming.”

Lorelei pressed her face into his chest, breathing him in. “I’m the one who should apologize. Running away from you was stupid. Once I was back home, I realized my old life doesn’t fit anymore.” She pulled back to look up at him, taking in his sharp features softened by the moonlight. “My apartment felt empty. My work felt hollow. Everything I thought I needed just... wasn’t enough for me anymore.”

“Because you want me in your life?” His voice was barely a whisper.

“I do.” She traced her fingers along his jaw. “I love you, Draken. And I want to be your Luna. I want that life with you in the castle, helping the pack and being there to support you.” She paused and took a deep breath. “I just thought I needed time away from the whirlwind. I’ve never been one to rush into anything or follow my heart blindly, especially with love. But it only took me one day apart to realize that we belong together.”

He grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “I should have given you that time more willingly instead of expecting you to adapt instantly. You’re the strongest person I know - human or wolf. I was a fool to ever doubt you.”

“A stubborn fool,” she teased, earning a playful growl.

“Watch it,” he teased back. “I’m still your alpha.”

“My Alpha,” she agreed softly. The words felt right on her tongue. “Take me home?”

“In a minute.” His eyes glowed with possession as he dipped his head to capture her lips. The earth trembled beneath their feet - just a tiny shiver of happiness this time as Lorelei melted into his kiss, finally exactly where she belonged.

When their kiss broke, Draken’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Want to experience something amazing?”

Lorelei’s heart skipped. “What do you have in mind?”

“How about a moonlit ride back to the castle?” He stepped back, that dangerous grin still playing on his lips. “On my back, in wolf form.”

The idea sent a thrill through her body. “Really? You’d let me?”

“Let you? I’ve been wanting to share this with you since the moment I met you.”

Lorelei watched in fascination as Draken shifted, his massive wolf form emerging where her sexy alpha had stood moments before. He was magnificent - powerful muscles rippling beneath thick fur that gleamed silver in the moonlight. He lowered himself to make it easier for her to climb on.

Her fingers sank into his soft fur as she settled onto his broad back. The connection between them intensified like an electric current running through every point of contact. She could feel his power, his strength, his wild nature calling to something equally untamed within her.

Ready? His voice rumbled through their mental connection, making her gasp in surprise.

“You can talk to me like this?”

Only because you’re my Luna. Possession colored his words. He let out a howl strong enough to shake the trees, calling his pack to head home. Hold on tight.

The world blurred as Draken took off through the wilderness. Wind whipped through Lorelei’s hair as they raced beneath the stars. Her thighs gripped his sides while her fingers clutched his fur, but she wasn’t afraid. She felt safer than she ever had.

They flew past ancient trees and leaped over fallen logs, moving as one being. Lorelei’s laughter rang out across the night as pure joy bubbled up inside her. This was freedom. This was magic. This was where she truly belonged.

When they finally reached the castle grounds, Draken slowed to a stop. Lorelei slid off his back, her legs shaky from the ride and the rush of adrenaline. He shifted back to human form and retrieved pants from behind a nearby boulder.

“That was incredible!” Lorelei bounced on her toes, still buzzing with energy. “I’ve never felt anything like it. The speed, the power - it was like flying!”

Draken pulled her close, his bare chest still radiating heat from the run. “Most humans would have been terrified.”

“Well, I’m not most humans.” She poked his chest playfully. “I’m your Luna, remember?”

His expression softened as he cupped her face. “My Luna. My everything.”

Draken’s hand was warm and firm around hers as he led her through the grand halls of the castle. Lorelei’s heart raced, a mix of excitement and nerves fluttering in her chest. The castle’s stone walls, ancient and imposing, seemed to hum with a quiet energy tonight as if aware of the significance of the moment. She glanced down at their joined hands, marveling at how effortlessly they fit together despite their differences.

When they reached his master suite, Draken pushed the door open with a quiet confidence, guiding her inside. The room was as she remembered it—spacious, warm, and distinctly his . The scent of pine and earth lingered in the air, mingling with the faint aroma of the fireplace that crackled softly in the corner.

Draken turned to her, his eyes dark and intense, the kind of look that made her stomach do a little flip. “You’ve been in here before,” he said, his voice low and slightly teasing. “But this time, it’s different.”

“Very different,” Lorelei agreed, her voice steady despite the butterflies in her stomach. She took a step closer to him, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. “Draken, I’m ready.”

His brows lifted slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before it melted into something warmer, more possessive. “Ready for what, exactly?” he asked, though the smirk tugging at his lips told her he already knew.

She rolled her eyes, though her cheeks burned. “Don’t make me say it.”

He chuckled, the sound deep and rich, and pulled her into his arms. His lips brushed against her ear as he murmured, “Say it. I want to hear it.”

Lorelei huffed but couldn’t suppress her grin. “I want you to mark me when you—“ He cut her off with a kiss that was as possessive as it was tender.

“Good,” he growled softly, pulling back just enough to look at her. “Because I’ve been waiting desperately for this moment.”

Before she could respond, he was already moving, his hands deftly undoing the buttons of her shirt. She shivered as the fabric fell away, the cool air brushing against her skin. His hands were everywhere—tracing the curve of her shoulders, skimming down her arms, cupping her waist. She reached for his shirt, yanking it over his head with a little more force than necessary, eager to feel the heat of his skin against hers.

He laughed, a low rumble that vibrated through her as he lifted her off her feet and carried her to the bed. The moment her back hit the sheets, he was on her, his body solid and unyielding as he bracketed her with his arms. His lips crashed down on hers, hungry and demanding, and she met him with equal fervor, her fingers tangling in his hair.

When he finally broke the kiss, he breathed, “This is it. No turning back.”

“I’m not turning back,” she assured him, her hands roaming over the hard planes of his chest. “I’m yours, Draken. Completely.”

That was all the encouragement he needed. His hands moved to the waistband of her pants, yanking them off with a growl of impatience that made her laugh. “Someone’s in a hurry,” she teased, though her breath hitched as he kissed a trail back up her stomach.

“You have no idea,” he said, his voice muffled against her skin.

When he finally settled between her legs, he slowly entered her, inch by glorious inch. His eyes locked on hers, and Lorelei felt a surge of anticipation so intense, it stole her breath. His thrusts started off slow but soon became relentless. He thrust into her with a deep, primal rhythm that made her toes curl and her back arch. Each movement was deliberate, each stroke sending sparks of pleasure through her body.

The connection between them was palpable, a current of raw energy that tied them together in ways she couldn’t fully understand. She clung to him, her nails digging into his shoulders as she gasped for air.

Her thoughts were a blur, a mix of pleasure and exhilaration. This is it, she thought, her heart pounding in time with his thrusts. This is where I’m meant to be. She could feel the tension building in him, the way his muscles coiled like a spring ready to snap. His lips brushed against her neck, a silent promise of what was to come.

“Draken,” she breathed, her voice trembling, “don’t stop.”

“Never,” he growled softly, his movements becoming even more intense, the pace almost frantic.

The room was filled with the sound of their breathing, their mingled gasps and moans, the soft creak of the bed beneath them. Lorelei’s world narrowed down to Draken—his scent, his heat, the feel of his body against hers. She was so close, teetering on the edge, but she held on, waiting for that final moment when he would claim her as his.

He paused, pulling back to meet her gaze again. His eyes were wild, glowing with an intensity that made her shiver. “Lorelei,” he said, his voice raw, “are you sure?”

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside her. “I’m sure.”

He groaned, a sound of pure raw pleasure. She could feel the tension in his body, the way he was holding himself back, waiting for her. And she was so close, so very close, teetering on the edge of something immense and overwhelming.

“Draken,” she gasped, her back arching as her body tightened around him. “I’m— I’m?—“

Her words cut off as the world seemed to explode around her. Pleasure surged through her in waves, crashing over her with a force that left her gasping for air. She clung to him as the intensity of it threatened to consume her. Draken’s movements became erratic, his own release cresting and exploding as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, his breath hot against her skin.

And then she felt it—a sharp, searing pain at the base of her neck that made her gasp. His teeth sank into her, marking her, claiming her as his mate. For a moment, the pain overwhelmed everything else, but then it melted into something else entirely—a warmth that spread through her body, a tingling sensation that started where his teeth had marked her and radiated outward, filling her with a strange, electric energy.

He pulled back slightly, his lips brushing against the mark he’d left, and Lorelei could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. “Mine,” he whispered, his voice soft but no less possessive.

“Yours,” she agreed, her voice barely a whisper as she tried to catch her breath. Her body felt like it was humming, the tingling sensation growing stronger, spreading through her limbs and into her chest. It wasn’t unpleasant—if anything, it was exhilarating.