Page 23 of Spellbound & Speechless (Witches of Starbrook #2)

Mac

She’s gone in the morning, but her candy perfume is still with me. It doesn’t matter how far she goes. A tug in my chest pulls me closer to her, guiding me to my feet.

It also urges me to put on some clothes. We were exhausted last night, only having enough energy to move into her larger bed. Our sweat is still clinging to me. I’m a goddamn mess.

I’ve always known about my primal side in the bedroom, but I wasn’t expecting Aspen to match it. Of course, she did. She’s my perfect mate. Admitting it, even in the quiet of my mind, still makes guilt prickle at the back of my neck.

The last thing I want is to put her in danger. To lose her.

I amble outside, sighing to myself. What the hell is she doing up so early? She should be in bed with me.

Their house has ample land behind it. It was perfect for my wolf the night before and gave me enough time to run off my energy. Of course, it wasn’t enough. I needed her.

I usually wake up the night after a full moon with a lingering discomfort—an urge to run, or something like a hangover. Those feelings, the ones that have stuck around for so damn long, disappear when I spot her in the distance.

She stands on her tiptoes, reaching into the apple tree, struggling to grasp the fruit. Aspen is the tallest of the Hawthorne sisters, just an inch or two shorter than me, but that isn’t saying much. Most of them are short as hell.

I could help her, but my wolf has other ideas, and I’m beyond trying to get him to stay in his cage. After a night with Aspen, there’s no more holding him back, and I don’t think she would want me to. Not everyone can handle that side of me. She can.

A low, playful growl builds in my chest. I tackle Aspen to the ground as carefully as I can, placing my hand on the back of her head to ensure she has a safe landing.

Her gasp turns into laughter, as though she knew I was there all along. Considering our strengthening bond, she probably did. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I know I should put an end to this before the bond solidifies. I can’t. I need her.

I press my lips to hers, soft but confident, wanting her to know I won’t run away.

And it’s okay if she does. She ran away in the morning, and I won’t be surprised or offended if she does it again. A bond like ours can be intense for any werewolf, and she’s not even one of us. I want to crawl into her head and know what she feels.

Aspen may still not have words for our mating bonds. Witches have mating rituals, but I don’t know if they have the same strength as a werewolf bond. She may not feel this at all, but if she can…

I’ve been an ass. I can’t keep running away.

When I try to part for air, her hand moves to the back of my neck, holding me in place. Her tongue slips past my lips, and I allow it, sighing softly as her tongue swipes against mine.

“We need to talk,” she mumbles into my mouth.

I finally pull back enough to look at her. “Oh, I agree. There’s a lot to talk about. Starting with… where did you go this morning? Leaving me already? Hm?”

She pouts. “I was going to make apple pancakes for us… so we could talk over breakfast.”

“Were you?” I lift her hand, kissing the bandage on her finger. “I don’t know if I can trust you in the kitchen.”

“It was an accident.”

“I know, but I’ll hate myself if something bad happens to you.” I press her hand into the grass behind her, pinning it over her head.

Aspen wants me to be rough with her, and I know that, but I’m gentle, all too aware of her little injury from the night before. She’s a witch, and it’ll probably heal in no time, but I won’t take any chances. There’s a lot of scary shit in this world. I won’t add myself to the list.

“Since when do you care about what happens to me?” There’s a challenge in her eye; I’m no longer afraid to meet it.

“Since we met.” I brush my nose against hers. “From the first time that witch attacked you. I gave a fuck. A lot of fucks.”

“But that’s not the only reason you were there.”

All I want is to be soft with aspen, but I bristle. She can already see through me. “I have my history with that witch. She hurt someone I care about.”

She lifts a brow. “Another lover?”

“No.” My jaw tightens. “My father. ”

She frowns, squeezing my fingers where they’re held above her head. “I understand.”

We’ve been through similar losses. For the first time in a long time, someone understands me. There are still so many things I can’t tell her yet—about my mother, my fear, and my upbringing. Those things will have to wait.

I nod. “I know you do.”

“Was he… did he lead a pack?” Her eyes narrow.

Aspen is more perceptive than I gave her credit for. She must have noticed the size of my wolf.

I let out a low sigh. “Sort of. My mother was the leader, and he was her mate.”

“But you… don’t want to lead their pack?”

I shake my head. “Their pack is long gone, and I don’t want to lead any pack. I’m a lone wolf for a reason.”

“I see,” she murmurs. “Where does this leave us, lone wolf? Can a lone wolf be with someone like me?”

I chuckle. “You’re not one to beat around the bush, are you?”

“No amount of magic can make a relationship work if you aren’t willing to talk. Both parties have to be open to communication.” She lifts a brow.

I press a gentle kiss to her lips. “My little love witch. You’re going to be the only reason we make it out of this, aren’t you?”

“What do you mean?” She pushes her hands against my chest, stopping me from kissing her again. “I just said it takes two!”

“I know, but what I mean to say is… I’ve never been in a relationship. Not really.”

Her eyes widen. “And why haven’t you? You’re quite the catch.”

I smile playfully. “Because I was waiting for you. ”

It’s not the real reason, and we both know it, but it could be. Some wolves wait for their mate; that was never me. I ran from mine, and I’m still fighting the urge, even when she’s underneath me. She doesn’t push the topic further.

“You have me now.” She lifts her head enough to brush her lips against mine. “I’m yours, and you are mine. You can trust me.”

Arousal stirs. The words alone make my pants tighten. I grab her free hand, pinning it into the grass.

“Say it again.” My voice is harsh, but I would whine and beg to hear her repeat it.

“I’m yours.”

Fuck .

“And…?”

It’s not enough for her to be mine. I want her to want me in the same way, to demand I belong to her. I need to hear it again.

“And you’re… all… mine.” She takes my lip between her teeth, scraping against the soft appendage.

The nail marks on my back are a sign that she’s right. While she has the means to cover her marks, she didn’t. Red and purple bruises still litter her chest and neck, dozens of tiny signs that we belong together.

“Mine.” I suck at the flesh on her chest and bite down.

Her legs sprawl open, making it too easy for me to thrust against her clothed core. The only thing between us is a tiny strip of silk, already damp enough that I feel her wetness through my pants.

“Let me fill you again.” I let go of her hand long enough to push the bodice of her sundress down. “I need to feel your perfect pussy around my cock… clenching around me… filling with my seed. Taking it all. Can you go again? ”

“Yes.” Her back arches, and she squirms under my grip, but I only hold her tighter. “Yes, please.”

I wrap my lips around her nipple, sucking and rolling my tongue over the hard nub. My body has a mind of its own, hips grinding into her core over and over, chasing my release. Desperate to make her wet, needy, and begging for me.

Our mating bond is getting stronger, and I know it, but I can’t find it in me to pull away. The urge to run has gone. She’s mine, and she wants to belong to me, like I belong to her. As long as I can hold her like this, she’s safe.

My claws come out, eyes flashing red as she lifts her hips, pushing her heat against my bulge.

“You’re going to come like this, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” she says, trembling.

I thrust harder, lifting my head to watch how her face contorts. “Good. You look so pretty when you come. Eyes on me. Let me see.”

Her eyes flicker open. Each breath comes out shaking, panting, and needy. Without touching her, she unravels beneath me. The sun illuminates her face perfectly, letting me see exactly how she looks when she finishes.

How she gazes at me, how her lips part, how her pupils dilate.

She can’t move, come, or go anywhere without me letting her. The wolf in me growls, my claws grazing against her thighs as she twitches and writhes.

My brain buzzes. I can barely think, barely hear. My claws swipe against the soft fabric, and her underwear falls away.

Shouldn’t have done that .

“Sorry.” My cheeks darken.

“I don’t care about this pair.” She shakes her head as if dismissing the apology. “Fuck me. Please. Forget the underwear. Please…”

“Please, what?” I hold her hips, pressing my claws into her flesh.

She squirms and gasps. “Please… sir?” A sly smile plays on her lips as she tries the word on for size.

It’s not what I want to hear, but it’s close. She can’t know to call me her mate yet, and even with her begging me for more, I’m not ready to tell her.

I let out a grunt of approval. “That’s right.” With a swift motion, I turn her around on all fours.

After pushing my pants down, I grab her ass in both hands, scraping my claws against the soft skin.

“Tell me if you need me to stop,” I murmur, lining my cock up to her entrance. My wolf is seconds from bursting free, and each time it does, I worry she won’t like it—that I’ll fuck her too hard, or she’ll decide she doesn’t like how my claws feel against her skin.

She arches her back and smiles at me over her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I will.”

My hesitation melts as I push into her. She is made for me, ready for me. This time, her body accepts my size with ease…

She’s already so wet. So perfect.

My mate .