Page 9

NINE

DRAKEN

D raken leaned against an ancient oak tree and watched Lorelei practice her earth manipulation. She lifted her hands, concentrated, and a large boulder rose from the ground. Her face lit up with pride, and something inside him shifted.

His wolf preened at her accomplishment. The beast inside him had known from the start - this woman was meant to be theirs. He’d been the stubborn one, letting prejudice cloud his judgment.

Power surged through his veins, stronger than he’d felt in centuries. His wolf’s strength had returned tenfold since being near her these past two days, and when they touched during her training, the energy between them could have lit up the entire castle.

The memory of her that morning in the tunnels came back to him. The way she’d traced the stone walls with reverent fingers, explaining architectural terms he’d never heard. Her genuine appreciation for his ancestors’ work had touched something deep within him.

“Did your ancestors carve those support arches by hand?” She called over to him, focused on her floating rocks. “I was just thinking how impeccable the craftsmanship is.”

His chest swelled. Here was this human woman, appreciating his heritage in ways some of his own pack never had. He suddenly realized he’d been gifted not just any mate, but one who could truly understand and appreciate the legacy she’d be helping him protect.

“Keep your breathing steady,” he instructed. “Remember, your power flows better when you’re relaxed.”

She nodded, adjusting her stance. The rocks lowered gently back to earth. Such control, such precision - and she’d only just begun learning.

His wolf howled with joy. Human or not, Lorelei was who they needed. Who he needed.

His feet moved of their own accord, drawn to her like a magnet to steel. “There’s one more technique I want to show you.”

“What’s that?” Lorelei turned her head slightly, acknowledging his presence behind her.

“It requires precise control.” He moved in closer, his chest touching her back. “May I?”

At her nod, he placed his hands on her hips. The connection sparked between them instantly, making his fingers tingle. “Raise your arms like this.” He guided her movements, sliding his hands up her sides to position her arms.

The power surged between them, electric and alive. Small stones around their feet began to vibrate in response.

“Now, picture the earth moving in waves,” he murmured near her ear. “Like ripples in water.”

She shivered against him. “Like this?”

The ground undulated in gentle waves, but Draken barely noticed. All he could focus on was the soft press of her body against his, the racing of her pulse beneath her skin.

His wolf demanded action. For once, Draken agreed completely.

He spun her in his arms, one hand sliding into her hair as he claimed her mouth with his. She tasted like summer storms and wild magic. Her lips parted with a gasp, and he deepened the kiss, groaning as she pressed closer.

“I was wrong,” he whispered against her mouth. “So wrong about everything.”

“About what?” She pulled back slightly, her fingers curling into his shirt.

“About you. About us.” He kissed her again, softer this time. “You’re exactly what I need.”

Draken’s hands tightened around Lorelei’s waist as he lifted her effortlessly, her surprised gasp ringing in his ears like music. She didn’t fight him, didn’t protest—just looked up at him with those wide brown eyes that had been driving him insane since the moment he’d first seen her. His wolf howled in triumph. Finally , it seemed to say. Finally, she’s ours.

He carried her to the picnic blanket, the soft grass brushing against his boots as he stepped carefully, as if she were the most fragile thing in the world. Except he knew better. Lorelei was anything but fragile. She was a force of nature wrapped in the softest skin. He laid her down gently, her hair fanning out around her like a halo against the blanket.

“Draken,” she whispered, her voice a little shaky but not uncertain. He could sense she trusted him. That trust alone made his chest tighten.

“Shh,” he murmured, lowering himself over her. His lips brushed hers, soft at first. But when her hands slid into his hair, tugging him closer, he deepened the kiss, claiming her mouth with a primal hunger. Her taste was intoxicating—sweet and wild.

He smiled against her lips, pulling back to see her face. “You’re perfect,” he said, his voice rough with need. “Every inch of you.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she let out a breathless laugh. “You’re supposed to be teaching me control, not kissing.”

“Who says I can’t do both?” he countered, his grin widening as he reached for the hem of her shirt. He tugged it over her head slowly, letting his fingers graze her skin as he went. Her bra followed, and then she was bare before him, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths.

His wolf growled with approval, and Draken couldn’t help but agree. She was stunning—her skin like sunlight, her nipples already peaked and begging for his attention. He lowered his head, dragging his tongue over one taut peak, and she gasped.

“Draken,” she breathed, her voice trembling.

He nipped gently, and she arched into him, a soft moan escaping her lips. He repeated the motion on the other side. Her body was so responsive, so perfectly his.

When he finally kissed his way down her stomach, her breath hitched. “What are you?—“

“Trust me,” he interrupted, his hands moving to the button of her jeans. He made quick work of them, sliding them down her legs and tossing them aside. Her panties followed, and then she was completely bare.

He settled between her thighs, his hands gripping her hips to hold her steady. She let out another surprised gasp when he leaned in, his tongue tracing a slow, deliberate path over her most sensitive spot.

“Draken!” Her voice was a mixture of shock and pleasure, and he couldn’t stop himself from chuckling, the sound vibrating against her skin.

“Relax,” he said. “You’re in control, remember? Just let go.”

Her hands tangled in his hair, tugging slightly, and he took that as permission to continue. He licked and sucked, alternating between slow, teasing strokes and faster, more insistent movements. Her moans grew louder, her hips rocking against his mouth as she lost herself in the sensations.

The ground beneath them began to tremble, tiny vibrations that grew stronger with every passing second. Draken smiled against her skin, his wolf preening at the knowledge that they were the ones making her lose control. He pressed harder, his tongue working in relentless circles until her body tensed, her back arching off the blanket.

“Oh—oh my—“ Her words were cut off by a cry of pure pleasure as she came, the earth shaking beneath them in a way that was anything but subtle. Draken held her hips steady, drinking in every last tremor of her orgasm as it rocked through her.

When she finally collapsed back onto the blanket, her chest heaving, he climbed back up her body. “Still think I’m just here to teach you control?” he teased, brushing her hair from her face.

She laughed breathlessly, her eyes still dazed. “I think you’re here to drive me insane.”

“Good,” he said. “Because I’m nowhere near done with you.”

Draken lay back on the picnic blanket, his chest rising and falling as he kicked off his boots and shucked his jeans and boxers. His member sprang free, thick and hard, and he couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face when Lorelei’s eyes widened.

“Surprised?” he teased, his voice low and gravelly.

She let out a breathless laugh, her cheeks flushing. “I mean, I wasn’t expecting… that .”

“You’re welcome,” he quipped, reaching for her hand and tugging her toward him. She faltered slightly, landing with a playful laugh against his chest. “Straddle me,” he commanded, his tone firm but gentle. He needed her to take control—this was about her pleasure, her comfort right now.

She hesitated for a moment, her brown eyes searching his. “I’ve never… been on top before.”

“Then let me be your first,” he said, his grin turning wicked. He guided her hips, helping her position herself over him. “Take your time. Go as slow as you need.”

She bit her lip, her hands resting on his chest for balance as she lowered herself onto him inch by agonizing inch. Draken’s jaw clenched, his fingers digging into her hips as she enveloped him completely. She was so tight, so warm, so perfect. His wolf howled in approval, and he had to fight to keep himself from thrusting upward and taking her fully. This was her pace, her control.

“Good,” he murmured, his voice strained. “You’re doing perfect.”

She let out a shaky breath, her body adjusting to his size. “You’re… a lot .”

He chuckled, the sound ragged. “You’ll get used to it. Now, move when you’re ready.”

Lorelei began to rock her hips, slowly at first, her movements tentative but growing more confident as she found her rhythm. Draken’s hands gripped her waist, guiding her as she set the pace. Her head fell back, her hair cascading down her back as she moaned softly. The sight of her—so lost in pleasure, so beautiful—was almost enough to undo him.

“That’s it,” he encouraged, his voice rough with desire. “You’re in control. Take what you need.”

Her pace quickened, her body moving with a natural grace that made his breath hitch. Draken’s hips began to meet hers, thrusting deeper and harder, driving her to the edge. Her moans grew louder, mingling with his own as the tension between them built to a fever pitch.

“Draken,” she gasped, her nails digging into his chest. “I—I’m—oh?—“

Her climax hit her like a tidal wave, her body trembling as she cried out. The ground beneath them shuddered in response, rocks and dirt moving as her powers surged with her release. Draken grinned through gritted teeth, his own orgasm barreling toward him. He wanted to mark her, to claim her as his mate in every way possible, but his rational mind held him back. She didn’t yet understand what it meant to be his Luna, to be bound to him and the pack. He wouldn’t take that choice from her.

Instead, he gripped her hips tighter and thrust into her one last time, his release crashing over him with a force that left him breathless. He spilled inside her, his body shuddering with the intensity.

Lorelei collapsed onto his chest, her body still trembling with aftershocks. Draken wrapped his arms around her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

His heart swelled with a warmth he hadn’t felt in centuries. This woman—this human—was more than he’d ever dared to hope for. And he was determined to show her just how much she meant to him.