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TWENTY

HELENA

H elena stood tall and victorious in the clearing after the battle with Victor and his small army. The fire that had moments ago danced along her fingertips and blazed across the castle grounds had disappeared, leaving only scorched earth and the acrid scent of smoke.

Her eyes found Sol’s wolf form across the clearing, magnificent and powerful, his black fur gleaming like polished onyx under the moon’s glow. He padded toward her with a predator’s grace, each step purposeful and precise. Helena’s heart hammered in her chest, but not from fear. A strange, primal recognition coursed through her.

“You’re beautiful,” she whispered as he approached.

Sol’s wolf form stood taller than any natural wolf, powerful muscles rippling beneath his thick coat. His green eyes – the same piercing emerald as his human form – seemed to see straight into her soul. The connection between them pulsed like a living thing, carrying emotions that didn’t need words: pride, relief, and something deeper that made her throat tight.

Sol’s wolf nudged her hand with his muzzle before turning, clearly wanting her to follow. She walked beside him, matching his pace as he led her away from the chaos and into the castle gardens. The night air felt cool against her skin after the heat of battle, and the scent of roses and jasmine replaced the smell of smoke and blood.

In a secluded corner of the garden, Sol stopped near a stone bench. Helena watched in fascination as his form shimmered and changed, bones and muscle rearranging until the man she knew stood before her, gloriously naked in the moonlight. Without embarrassment, he reached behind the bench and pulled out a bundle of clothes – a simple T-shirt and jeans – and dressed quickly.

The silence between them felt too heavy for Helena to bear.

“I’m so sorry,” she blurted out, her voice cracking. “For leaving you. For not believing you. For everything.”

Sol took a step toward her, his expression unreadable. “But you came back.”

“I didn’t have much choice,” Helena laughed nervously, then sobered. “But I would have. Eventually. When Victor told me what he planned to do to you, something... broke open inside me. It was like someone turned on a light in a dark room. Suddenly I could feel you – here.”

She pressed her hand to her chest over her heart. “The mate bond you talked about. I felt it, Sol. Everything you tried to tell me from the start. That unbreakable connection, that soul-deep recognition. It hit me all at once, and I knew I was meant to be with you.”

Sol’s eyes blazed with intensity. “And now?”

“Now I know where I truly belong.” Helena stepped closer, close enough to feel the heat from his body. “With you. With the pack. As your Luna.”

Sol laughed and cupped her face with one large hand, his touch gentle despite the strength she knew he possessed. “Those words are worth fighting a hundred battles to hear.”

“I should have said them sooner.” Helena leaned into his touch. “I was just?—“

“Scared. I know.” His thumb brushed her lower lip. “Any sane person would be.”

“Are you calling me crazy now?” A small smile tugged at her mouth.

“No. Brave,” Sol corrected. “The bravest woman I’ve ever known.”

He dipped his head, claiming her mouth in a kiss that started gently but quickly blazed into something more primal. Helena melted against him, her body recognizing its missing piece. When they finally pulled apart, both breathless, Sol pressed his forehead to hers.

“Welcome home, Luna.”

Helena smiled, feeling the rightness of it settle into her bones. “Home,” she agreed. “It has a nice ring to it.”

Sol wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. “Helena,” he murmured, “will you become my Luna in every way tonight and accept my mate mark?”

Her pulse quickened at the question, the weight of it settling in her chest. She knew what it meant—the bond, the commitment, the forever. A part of her still marveled at how quickly her life had spiraled into this moment, but the other part, the deeper part, felt the undeniable rightness of it. She loved him. She wanted him. She wanted this.

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice steady despite the lump in her throat. “It’s time.”

His eyes darkened with a mix of relief and desire. “Come with me. There’s a place where this is meant to happen.”

He led her through the castle grounds and into the forest. The moon bathed the path in a silvery glow, and the air smelled of earth and pine. Helena’s nerves buzzed with anticipation, but Sol’s presence beside her was grounding.

They soon reached a clearing, and Helena stopped in her tracks, her breath catching. The space was magical, bathed in moonlight with soft moss covering the ground and the trees forming a natural canopy. It felt ancient and sacred as if it held the echoes of countless unions before theirs.

“This is where the alphas of the Sunflare pack have claimed their Lunas for centuries,” Sol said, his voice warm with pride. “And tonight, it’s our turn.”

Helena turned to face him, her heart swelling with emotion. “It’s perfect.”

Sol stepped closer, his eyes locking onto hers, and began to undress her with deliberate, unhurried movements. His fingers brushed her skin as he slid her dress off her shoulders, letting it pool at her feet. He then removed her lace bra and panties with the same deliberate slowness. The night air kissed her bare skin but she didn’t feel cold. Not with the way his hungry gaze made her heat from the inside out.

She reached for him, her hands trembling slightly as she pulled his shirt over his head. His chest was solid and warm, and the intricate tattoo on his arm caught the moonlight perfectly as if it was designed for this exact moment. When they were both bare, he took her hand and gently guided her down onto the soft moss.

“You’re breathtaking,” he murmured, his voice thick with reverence.

He settled over her, his weight pressing her into the ground in the most delicious way. His lips found hers in a slow, deep kiss that left her dizzy with want. His hands roamed her curves—her hips, her waist, her breasts—as if memorizing every inch of her.

When he pulled back, he began trailing kisses down her neck, his tongue flicking against her skin in a way that made her shiver. “Sol,” she breathed, her fingers tangling in his hair.

“I’m going to take my time with you,” he said, his voice a low growl that sent a thrill through her. “Tonight, every moment is ours.”

He kissed a path down her body, his lips and tongue worshiping her skin. When he reached her thighs, he spread her legs gently, his breath hot on her most intimate place. Helena’s pulse raced, her body already humming with anticipation.

His tongue flicked against her folds, and she gasped, her back arching off the ground. But he didn’t rush. His movements were slow and deliberate as if savoring every sound she made. He licked and teased, drawing out her pleasure until she was squirming beneath him, her hands fisting in the moss.

“Please,” she begged, her voice breaking. “I need more.”

Sol chuckled against her skin, his breath deliciously hot on her most sensitive spot. But he obeyed and he quickened his pace. His tongue focused on her sensitive nub while his fingers slipped inside her, curling in a way that had her crying out for more.

The pleasure built, hot and intense, until it shattered her. Her orgasm ripped through her with a force that left her breathless. She cried out her pleasure, the sound echoing into the night, and he didn’t stop, drawing her through the waves until she was trembling beneath him.

When he finally pulled back, he kissed her thigh, his eyes glowing with satisfaction. “Mine,” he breathed, his voice a husky whisper.

Helena’s heart swelled with love and desire, her body still humming from his touch. “Yours,” she whispered, reaching for him.

She pulled him up on top of her until his body caged hers. His weight pressed her into the soft moss, the cool earth beneath her contrasting with the heat radiating from his skin. His eyes locked onto hers, and she felt the intensity of his gaze like a physical touch.

“Are you ready?” Sol’s voice was low, rough with desire, but there was a tenderness there too. His hand brushed her face, his touch achingly gentle.

Helena’s heart pounded with excitement, anticipation, and something deeper—something that felt like coming home to him. She nodded, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling within her. “Yes. I’m ready.”

Sol’s lips curved in a slow, triumphant smile, and he kissed her deeply, his tongue tangling with hers in a slow, sensual dance. When he pulled back, he positioned himself between her legs, his hips pressing against hers. Helena’s breath caught as she felt the hard length of him against her, hot and insistent.

He entered her slowly, inch by glorious inch, stretching her, and filling her completely. The stretch was a delicious burn, a perfect ache that made her gasp and arch into him.

“God, you feel incredible,” Sol growled, his voice rough with restraint as he buried himself fully inside her.

Helena’s nails dug into his shoulders, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. “Move,” she whispered, her voice trembling with need. “Please.”

Sol obeyed, his hips rocking against hers in slow thrusts that drew out every bit of pleasure. Each movement was deliberate, calculated to drive her wild, and it was working. Helena’s moans filled the clearing, her body tightening around him with every stroke.

“You’re so tight,” Sol murmured, his breath hot on her neck. “So perfect for me.”

Helena’s body arched into his as he began to move deeper and harder, hitting a spot inside her that made her see stars. She couldn’t think and couldn’t breathe—all she could do was feel. The pleasure built and built, coiling tighter and tighter until she was on the edge, clinging to him for dear life.

“Sol,” she begged. “Please… more.”

Sol’s growl was primal and possessive, and he snapped his hips forward with a force that stole her breath. His pace quickened, his thrusts becoming faster, deeper, and more urgent. The sound of their bodies crashing together filled the night air, a symphony of need and desire.

Helena’s world narrowed to the feel of him inside her, the heat of his body against hers, and the way he seemed to know exactly how to push her higher and closer to the edge. Her fingers wrapped in his hair, tugging him down for a searing kiss as she felt the first sparks of her orgasm begin to ignite.

“I’m close,” Sol warned, his voice strained. His hands gripped her hips, pulling her even tighter against him. “When you come, I’m going to bite you.”

Helena’s breath hitched at his words, but she nodded, her body trembling with anticipation. “Yes,” she whispered. “Do it.”

The moment her orgasm hit, it was like a firestorm, white-hot and all-consuming. She cried out, her body arching off the ground as the pleasure tore through her in waves. Sol let out a guttural growl, his hips slamming into hers one last time as he followed her over the edge.

As he came inside her, his teeth sank into the tender skin of her shoulder. The sharp sting of pain was quickly replaced by a strange, tingling warmth as he licked the wound, sealing the mate mark. Helena’s body shuddered from the intensity, her fingers gripping him tightly as the bond between them solidified, locking them together in a way that felt eternal.

Sol’s lips moved to hers, capturing her in a deep, lingering kiss as they both came down from the high. When he finally pulled back, his eyes were soft, filled with a warmth that made Helena’s chest ache.

“You’re all mine. Now and forever,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

Helena melted against Sol’s body, savoring the weight of him pressing her into the moss, the delicious ache between her thighs, and the lingering pleasure still rippling through her. The bite mark on her shoulder throbbed with a strange, pulsing heat that seemed to spread through her entire body.

“And you’re mine,” she whispered back, brushing her fingers along his jaw.

Then it hit her—a wave of sensation so intense, it stole her breath. Heat bloomed from the mate mark, racing through her veins like liquid fire. Her skin tightened, muscles clenching involuntarily.

“Sol—“ Her voice caught, panic fluttering in her chest. “Something’s happening.”

Sol’s eyes widened with understanding. He rolled to her side, keeping one strong arm wrapped around her. “It’s all right, Helena. Your wolf is waking.”

Helena’s body arched as another spasm gripped her. Her bones felt too large beneath her skin, her senses suddenly overwhelmed. The scent of moss and earth and Sol intensified until she could distinguish each individual note. The stars above seemed impossibly bright, and the slight breeze against her skin almost unbearable.

“I don’t—I can’t—“ Her words dissolved into a gasp. “Am I dying?”

“No.” Sol’s voice was firm and commanding. His hand stroked her hair, anchoring her. “You’re becoming. Your wolf has always been inside you, sleeping. My mate mark woke her.”

Helena’s heart pounded so hard she feared it might burst from her chest. Something wild and ancient stirred beneath her skin, stretching, pushing against her human form. Not painful exactly but terrifying in its unfamiliarity—like her body belonged to someone else.

“I don’t know if I can control it,” she whispered, trembling.

Sol rested his forehead against hers, his green eyes steady. “You don’t need to control it yet. Just feel it. Welcome her.”

“What if she doesn’t like me?” The question slipped out, revealing her deepest fear.

Sol’s laugh was low and rich. “She is you, Helena. The fiercest part of you that’s been waiting to emerge.” His thumb stroked her cheek. “And she’s going to be magnificent.”