Page 72 of Moonlit Fate

She arched against me, the water rippling with every movement. There was no rush, only the deliberate exploration of bodies and hearts intertwined. My fingers dipped lower, finding the warmth between her thighs, and she froze. I reveled in the ability I had to draw such responses from her. The future alpha, my lover, my destiny.

“Atticus, please,” she said, her hips canting toward my hand, seeking more of the delicious friction.

The steam from the bath clung to us like a lover’s whisper as I pulled Aria into my arms, lifting her effortlessly from the water. Droplets cascaded down her skin and clung to her curves. The air was cooler outside the bath, and she shivered slightly against me, but it was a tremble I intended to transform into a different kind of quiver.

“Where are you taking me?” she said.

“Somewhere we can continue,” I said, carrying her to her room and laying her down in front of the fireplace on the soft rug.

I knelt before her, tracing her body with my gaze as I kissed up her inner thigh, savoring the taste of her skin. She gasped, her fingers twining through my damp hair, guiding me closerto where she ached for me most. And there, at the apex of her thighs, I worshipped her with my mouth, drawing forth cries of pleasure that echoed off the walls.

“Atticus...” Her voice was a melody, rising and falling with the tide of pleasure I wrought with each movement of my tongue.

I glanced up, locking eyes with her, wanting her to see the depth of my devotion. As she crested the waves of her release, her body pulsing beneath my touch, satisfaction surged through me. I had given her this bliss, made her come undone, even though our lives were being upended.

Climbing up her body, I captured her lips in a searing kiss, tasting the salt of our passion. It wasn’t long before she reciprocated, exploring me with fervent need. Her hands roamed over me with an urgency that matched my own, and soon I was lost in her lips and tongue as she brought me to the brink of oblivion. She took me into her mouth, and the world narrowed down to the warmth, the wetness, the exquisite pressure of her.

I groaned, my hips jerking forward involuntarily as Aria’s tongue twirled around my shaft. With her eyes on mine, she sucked me softly, her cheeks hollowing out. With a growl, I pulled out from her mouth and turned her onto her back. I positioned myself at her entrance, running the head of my cock over her slit. She was warm and wet, ready for me. Slowly, I slid inside her, the tight heat of her body gripping mine. Aria let out a husky moan as I buried myself to the hilt, filling her completely.

Our eyes never left each other as we began to move together. The slapping of our skin filled the air with a sensual melody punctuated by small cries and pants of pleasure. The fragrance of lavender mingled with the scent of our arousal, creating a heady perfume.

Her nails raked down my shoulders, leaving behind a line of exquisite pain that sent goosebumps over my skin. My hands found the delicate flesh of her bottom, squeezing gently as I thrust deeper inside her. We were in sync, our hearts pounding together in perfect unison. Aria was my other half, my better half, my equal in every way.

Aria moaned as she approached her climax again, her body arching off the floor in anticipation. This time, she met me halfway, grinding against me with an eagerness that sent shockwaves of desire through my system. Her mouth found mine, her teeth nipping at my bottom lip as we reached our peak simultaneously.

Everything became a blur of sensation, of her. Every touch, every hitch of her breath consumed me completely.

As we finished, smoothly coming down from our highs, I rolled to the side and pulled her on top of me to cushion her from the hard floor.

Aria gazed into my eyes and worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “I’m scared, Atticus. With everything that’s happening... I fear for my pack, for us.”

“I’m scared, too, Aria.” I pulled her closer. “But remember, you’re not alone. Whatever comes our way, we’ll face it as one.”

She sighed, resting her head against my chest. “It’s just so much sometimes. The expectation, the threats lurking beyond our territory. This thing with Larkin and the Crimson Fang.”

“Hey.” I lifted her chin so she would look at me. “You have the heart of a warrior and the soul of an alpha. You inspire me every day. And whatever doubts or challenges you have, I’ll be here to help you carry them.”

“Even if it means going against my father? Even if we go into deeper danger?”

“Especially then,” I said. “There’s no one I’d rather stand with than you. No fight too great, no enemy too fearsome. Together, we are unstoppable.”

Her damp hair tickled my skin, and my chest swelled with a protectiveness that latched onto my soul every time I looked at her.

“Atticus,” she said. “Thank you for being here.”

“There’s nowhere I’d rather be,” I whispered. Internally, I was waging a war with the voices of my past that echoed my insecurities and fueled my self-doubt. Those treacherous voices kept telling me I wasn’t good enough for her. I battled with the ever-present dread that history would repeat itself, that she’d grow afraid of me, see me as my old pack had: a monster unworthy of trust or love.

“Hey,” she said, her concerned tone jolting me back to reality. “I lost you. Where did you go?” She cradled my face, her touch warm and comforting, her reassuring presence melting away the icy threads of doubts. Love shone from her gaze, a love that had healed the fractures in my soul, piece by piece.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured. I caressed the delicate contours of her face, savoring the softness beneath my calloused fingertips. “What I feel for you, words cannot adequately express. I’m grateful for the experiences that have shaped me, made me who I am today, but my past clings to me like the shadows I command.”

“Your past doesn’t scare me,” she said. “It’s part of who you are, and I love who you are.”

Still, doubts lingered, whispering treacherous ideas. Would she tire of the burdens I brought? Would my presence become a weight too heavy for her, an anchor dragging her down?

But as our fingers entwined, I allowed myself to believe in the destiny that had chosen us. Love was the most formidable force I had ever encountered, and it was transforming me, molding meinto someone new, someone capable of matching the might of the woman who had captured my heart.

The cool morning breeze came through the window. After dressing, Aria and I moved to sit by the window, our bodies entwined as she nestled closer to me. The book we had retrieved from the old shack lay open on her lap, its pages a trove of information yet to be unveiled.

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