Page 35 of Violet Moon (Pitch Mountain Pack #1)

In one swift motion, Parisa slipped her arms around her and hoisted Sera up by her thighs.

Sera wrapped her legs around her as they fell back together, sharing open-mouthed kisses and panting breaths.

They stumbled backwards towards the bed and collapsed in a heap when the backs of Parisa’s legs hit the mattress.

Straddling her Alpha, Sera felt her own want stirring low in her belly.

Her Alpha was soft but strong beneath her hands, and she felt the same kind of power laced with tenderness when Parisa’s hands slid up under her shirt along her back.

They melted into one another, Parisa’s heat pouring into every inch of Sera’s body.

Sera spread her legs wider on the bed and pressed her body against the firm muscles and soft curves below her, opening herself to feel Parisa everywhere.

Her Alpha fit so well in her arms and along the lines of her body.

Their lives fit together and had for decades.

It didn’t need to be any more complicated than that.

“Pari,” she gasped.

Parisa stilled for a moment, pulling back to look Sera in the eyes. The amber in her eyes gave way to an emerald green. “ Eshgham , please, can I —”

“Anything. You can do anything.”

Parisa nuzzled against her neck. Her warm breath and her touch made Sera shiver, and she sighed into the touch as Parisa began peppering her neck with kisses. She rolled them both to the side until Sera’s back was against the soft, white sheets.

Parisa gave Sera a look that pinned her in place, and stood.

She reached behind herself and pulled at the zipper of her dress until it loosened around her shoulders and fell to the floor.

Everything else soon followed. Parisa stood there, naked and confident.

Sera couldn’t tear her eyes away. Parisa eased back onto the bed and slowly unbuttoned the rest of Sera’s shirt, kissing each inch of skin as it was revealed.

Sera squirmed under the attention, part of her wishing they could go back to how it was before — fast and frantic. It was so much easier not to think that way. With Parisa making her way down her body, there was nowhere to hide.

Parisa pressed kisses up her body and claimed her lips once again.

Sera could lose herself in this. With Parisa’s bare chest against her own, the weight of her pressing her into the bed, Sera kissed her back, desperate to rediscover the same hunger they’d had moments before.

Parisa answered every kiss, every touch with one of her own.

Back and forth, they traded need until soft moans passed in the scarce space between them.

It would have gone quicker if they could separate, but Parisa managed to get Sera’s trousers off.

They were tossed somewhere in the room, along with her shirt and everything else, until they were a tangled mess on Parisa’s bed, rocking together to feel more of each other, to take everything they were offered.

Parisa’s skin felt sacred beneath her palms. She worshiped every inch of her that she could reach with her lips or her hands. She was corded muscle and strength. She was soft curves and tenderness. Parisa was everything.

Parisa’s hand wriggled between her thighs, fingers slipping past her sensitive skin.

Sera broke their kiss, her head pushing back into the bed on a gasp.

Her Alpha trailed a finger along where heat pooled between her legs before gently slipping in.

Sera choked on a stuttered moan and Parisa was there to taste the sound with her tongue, sliding into her mouth as she moved her finger.

The touch was gentle, barely there, but it was enough to wipe Sera’s brain clean. Parisa responded to every buck of Sera’s hips, every moan and gasp. She was unraveling at the hands of her Alpha.

Parisa straddled her thigh and Sera could feel her heat pressed against her skin, rocking gently, but deliberately. Her Alpha was using her body to feel good and that made Sera’s need burn hotter.

She ignored what lay beyond these walls and was as loud as she wanted to be. The louder she was, the more Parisa gave her until she felt telltale prickles of pleasure building. She cried out Parisa’s name, and her Alpha kissed her the moment her pleasure overtook her.

Parisa pulled her head back on a shuddered sigh.

Her eyes were closed, mouth open, hair falling loose around her face and past her shoulders.

The most beautiful sounds poured from her lips as she rode Sera’s thigh, parting her legs until Sera’s skin was wet.

She was perfect as she finally let go. Sera cupped her chin, in awe of what she was allowed to see.

Parisa’s hips stuttered and her hands gripped Sera’s waist as she rode out her release.

Sera needed more of this version of Parisa. She took hold of her sides and flipped their positions, settling between her thighs and kissing her way down her body.

“Sera! What are you —”

She nestled between Parisa’s breasts and kissed her soft skin.

She mouthed along her curves, stopping to flick a pert nipple with her tongue.

Parisa squirmed and Sera grinned against her skin.

She licked a long stripe in the valley between her breasts before sucking a nipple into her mouth, her free hand wandering to the other to gently pinch it between her fingers, harder when it made Parisa hiss and lift her hips up from the bed.

Slowly, she let her hand glide down Parisa’s body, down her stomach, past her waist, until she could tease her with the tip of her finger.

Parisa squeezed her thighs together, hands flying up to clutch at Sera’s back and the nape of her neck.

Sera rubbed a soothing palm along her stomach, then did it again, slipping inside a little more each time, and Parisa responded loudly, encouragingly, chasing more of her touch.

Emboldened, Sera kissed down the same path, taking her time to give attention to every bit of skin she passed, burning this feeling into her memory as she mapped Parisa with her lips.

Parisa tensed the lower she got, but she had no plans on stopping unless Parisa told her to.

She’d listen to the sounds she made, listen to her body, but she was high on the desire of giving everything she could to her Alpha.

Sera reached the heat between Parisa’s legs and with the first pass of her tongue, Parisa cried out, gripping the back of Sera’s head involuntarily as her hips bucked up from the bed.

Her thighs squeezed around Sera’s head as she moaned, the loudest of the night so far.

Sera felt prickles of pleasure between her own legs.

She tried to slow herself, but the want inside of her was too great.

Sera grabbed hold of Parisa’s thighs, guiding them apart as she tilted her head to give Parisa more of what she was crying out for.

Parisa squirmed under her attention, but Sera held her still, focused on coaxing more unbridled shouts of pleasure from her Alpha.

Parisa’s groans became a litany of Sera’s name.

She gripped the sheets for anything to hold onto as her words melted into a low moan that hitched every time Sera gave her what she needed.

Sera buried her tongue inside of her, licking her warmth with gentle but firm, insistent strokes.

Parisa let out a primal growl and Sera glanced up to see her face pinched in pleasure, eyes screwed shut.

Her chest rose and fell in quick, shallow breaths.

Parisa rocked her hips to meet every pass of her tongue. “There. Right there. Don’t stop. Don’t stop.”

With her breathless demands making her want run thick and hot through her veins, Sera gave her more of what she needed until her mouth was tired, until spit and her slick dripped down her chin, and Parisa came, moaning and crying out, hand gripping the back of Sera’s neck.

Sera slipped her tongue through the mess as much as she could before Parisa was writhing from overstimulation.

Sera crawled back up the bed, falling beside Parisa. She heaved out a breath as Parisa collapsed against her, hair spilling everywhere as she found a place for herself in the crook of Sera’s neck.

“So that was nice,” Sera panted, stroking her fingers through Parisa’s hair.

“Everything with you is good.” Parisa’s voice was muffled by Sera’s body. “But heavens, that was something else. I’ll have to pay you back for that soon.”

“Anytime, Pari. There’s no rush.”

Parisa lifted her head, fondness in her gaze. “There might not be a rush, but I tend to do what I want to do.” She glanced at the floor and made a face. “Sorry about your shirt.”

Sera puffed out a laugh. “I really couldn’t care less at this point.”

“I got a little carried away. Adrenaline can do a lot to a person.”

Sera curled her lips into a grin. “Would you like to get carried away again?”

“Absolutely. Yes.” Parisa yawned. “Just give me a few minutes. After that last burst of energy, I think I’m spent.” Her eyes fluttered shut.

“Take as much time as you need,” Sera said, snuggling into the sheets and closer to her Alpha. It took her a moment to realize Parisa was already asleep, her lips parted as steady breaths came in and out.

With everything that happened today, Sera was far too awake to sleep now.

She hadn’t fought like Parisa had and, after what they just did, her body was buzzing with energy.

Her mind raced after each passing thought until she wasn’t sure what she was thinking about.

She lay there, staring at the ceiling with Parisa next to her, and finally let herself process the day.

She could have lost everything. She could have lost Parisa. In her rational mind, she knew that it wasn’t going to happen, but her emotions refused to listen. The delayed fear set in and she rolled onto her side to hold Parisa closer.

She couldn’t make it through losing the family she had now. Losing her family once already made this one even more precious.

Sera buried her face in Parisa’s thick hair and breathed her in.

Parisa awoke some time later, slowly stirring to life. Sera had spent that time swaying between worry, grief, and gratitude for what she had.

Wrapping an arm around Sera’s waist, Parisa whispered, “Nice to wake up and find you so close.”

“I wasn’t going to leave.”

“Somehow I knew that.” Parisa buried her face against Sera’s chest.

Thoughts swirled within her and Sera knew she could choose to bury them again or open the door wider and let Parisa in. “Do you ever think about your past? Your human past?”

“Sometimes, but it was so long ago that often it feels like it happened to someone else. Why? Do you?”

“More lately than before.” She paused, feeling that twist in her chest. “Jo reminds me of my brother. Memories that were fuzzy are clearer now and I see his face in people I see at the bakery or around town. It’s like he’s haunting me.”

“Or still with you.”

“But that’s the thing. Can he still be with me when I barely remember him?

Or any of the rest of my family? The transformation took so much away from me.

So did those years of madness. You helped piece me back together —” Sera turned onto her side to face Parisa.

She grabbed hold of her hand and intertwined their fingers.

“But there’s so much I lost. Can’t it all stay buried? ”

“Do you want it to?”

Sera nodded against her pillow. “It’s easier that way.”

Parisa snuggled closer, tucking her head under Sera’s chin and resting against her chest, their hands still woven together between them.

“I used to think the same. I pushed away any thoughts of my family because they’d never been who I’d needed them to be for me.

And it worked for a long time, but slowly, those bitter memories were replaced by softer ones and I began to long for their company even though many of them were long since gone. ”

“I’m sorry.”

“I made my choice and I don’t regret it. But you didn’t have a choice.” Parisa pressed a hand to Sera’s heart. “I mourn for you, those years you lost.”

Sera wanted to brush it off with some dismissive remark, but instead she sat with the feelings that welled up inside of her.

“I wish I could forget, but there’s something bittersweet about not being able to.

It hurts, but I want it to.” She shut her eyes tight.

“Not that I want to hurt, but at least then they’re not —”

“Completely gone,” Parisa finished.

Sera wrapped her arms tight around her back and nodded into her hair.

“It hurts to remember but it’s a good kind of hurt,” Parisa added, giving voice to the feelings Sera had been trying to figure out all this time.

“It’s hard to know what to do when what I do remember is strong but fuzzy. I can’t make out details most of the time, and then other times, it’s crystal clear, like I’m still there.”

Parisa wrapped an arm around Sera’s waist. “Thank you for telling me. I don’t talk much about my past, but I’ll try. I’ve had too much practice burying it and what I let out is only what I choose and only small bits that don’t hurt much. You’re brave, you know that, right?”

Sera laughed.

“I mean it. You tell me how you feel even when I’d said that you and I couldn’t be together. You share your deepest wounds with me so openly.”

“I wouldn't call this ‘openly,’ it’s just me —”

“Own it for once, will you?”

“Is that an order, Alpha?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t always follow the rules,” Sera deflected.

“Sera,” Parisa said in a warning tone.

She broke their stare to look up at the ceiling. Despite everything that she’d said out loud, this was even harder. Sera blinked back the stinging behind her eyes and sighed. “Sometimes I’m brave.”

Parisa cuddled closer again. “Was that so hard?”

“Yes. Yes, it was.” Sera poked her in the shoulder.

“Keep doing it and maybe I’ll be brave, too. I have things I haven’t allowed myself to think about in decades, let alone speak aloud.”

“Take your time.”

“I need to be at least as brave as my Beta.”

“I don’t think you need to worry about that. I saw you fight today.”

Parisa sighed against Sera’s skin. “Your bravery is a much scarier thing to embrace.”

“Maybe.” Sera ran her fingers through Parisa’s hair.

“I don’t want to get so caught up in chasing these pieces of the past that I forget the present.

What I have now — you, the pack — is so important to me.

I feel a heaviness inside about the life I didn’t get to have, but I have this one now and I wouldn't change anything.”

She tucked her face against Parisa’s hair and held her close. “I’m glad you’re here. Now. Everyday. I’m so glad I have you.”

Sera felt it again — a good kind of hurt. Laying herself bare was frightening, but as she held Parisa in the quiet moments after, she felt more whole than she had in years. There were no more pieces missing.