Page 34 of Echoes From the Void

“Frankie,” he breathes my name like salvation as I explore his skin. “My firefly. My alpha.”

The title sends heat through me. This powerful man, this warrior, submitting to my claim while holding me like I’m precious. Both of us strong, both of us yielding.

“Mine,” I growl, letting my fangs graze his throat. His whole body shudders. “Say it again.”

“My alpha,” he gasps as I press closer, our bodies fitting together like they were made for this. “My heart. My?—”

The rest is lost as I claim his mouth again, pouring years of wanting into the kiss. His hands tangle in my hair, holding me like he’s afraid I’ll disappear. Like this is still one of his dreams.

“I’m here,” I whisper against his lips. “I’m real. And I’m going to make you mine in every way possible.”

The pace quickens as we become more eager, more desperate. My hands find the buckle of his belt, while his fingers work on the zipper of my skirt. Each piece of clothing that falls away is a breath held, a moment of anticipation heightened. Between the kisses that grow increasingly passionate, the room seems to hum with the energy between us, every touch heightened, every sensation magnified.

Our shadows intertwine, weaving together in intricate patterns that mirror our physical embrace. Bishop’s hands roam my body with reverence, tracing every curve and plane as if committing it to memory. I arch into his touch, craving more, always more as he lifts me against the door. My legs wrap around his.

“Mark me,” he whispers against my throat, voice rough with desire. “Make me yours, Frankie.”

The sound of my name on his lips sends a shiver through me. I’ve waited so long for this moment, dreamed of it countless times. Now that it’s here, I want to savor every second.

“You’ve always seen me,” I whisper against his throat, where his pulse races beneath my fangs. “Even when I was just your student. Even when I was broken and angry...”

“Never broken,” he corrects, his hands digging into my hips. “Just waiting. Like I was waiting. Like we were all waiting for you.”

With a powerful, urgent thrust, he enters me, filling me completely. My legs wrap tightly around his back, pulling him deeper, desperate to feel every inch of him inside me. I crave more, yearning for him to consume me entirely. The sensation of him stretching me, filling me to the brim, sends electric shocks of pleasure pulsing through my body. His heat radiates, and I clutch him, needing to feel every flex of his muscles, to become one with him.

Each thrust is harder, more intense, our bodies moving in a fierce, primal rhythm. Our hearts pound in sync, echoing the wild beat of our desire. The intensity builds, pushing me to the edge, where I’m lost in the raw, carnal hunger that devours us both.

His breath scorches my neck, his lips blazing a trail from my earlobe to my collarbone, leaving a path of fire in their wake. I shiver with anticipation as he growls my name, his voice thickwith lust. His hands roam my body, claiming every curve and line with a possessive touch. Each caress ignites my skin, setting me ablaze with a need so fierce it’s all-consuming.

I arch into him, meeting his every thrust with equal fervor, our bodies locked in a passionate, desperate dance. His pace quickens, driving us both towards the brink. Our breaths mingle, ragged and hungry, as our souls intertwine. The world outside disappears, leaving only us, only this moment, only this raw, consuming passion that threatens to incinerate us both.

Power builds between us, shadow essence dancing around our joined forms. His oath marks pulse with each touch, each kiss, each moment of surrender. When I finally sink my fangs into his throat, claiming him completely, his shadows surge into mine.

The bond explodes into full life.

Through it, I feel everything—his love, his protective fury, his absolute trust. Years of watching me grow into my power, of fighting his feelings because of duty and position, of finally choosing pack over tradition.

“Yours,” he gasps as my power flows into him, marking him as mine forever. “Always yours.”

“Mine,” I agree, licking the claiming bite. “My Guardian. My protector. My mate.”

His body shudders against mine as the bond settles, pleasure and power intertwining until I can’t tell where one ends and the other begins. I feel him everywhere—in my veins, in my shadows, in the very core of my being. The connection is overwhelming, intense in a way I never could have imagined.

“Frankie,” he breathes, voice rough with emotion. “I can feel... everything.”

I know exactly what he means. Through our newly forged bond, I sense the depth of his devotion, the fierce protectiveness that’s always driven him. But there’s more too—vulnerability,need, a hunger that matches my own. All the things he’s kept carefully controlled for so long.

“I know,” I whisper, cradling his face in my hands. “I feel it too. All of it.”

“The others,” he murmurs, tracing one of my shadow marks. “I can feel them more clearly now. Through you.”

He’s right. The potential bonds with Matteo, Leo, and Dorian feel different now, more defined. Like Bishop’s claiming has somehow strengthened all our connections.

“They’re waiting,” I realize. “They can feel what happened.”

“Mhm.” His fingers find the bite mark he left on my shoulder—a Guardian’s claim to match my Alpha’s mark on him. “Matteo’s probably wearing a hole in the floor pacing. Leo’s vibrating with excitement. And Dorian...”

“Is pretending he’s not affected at all while reorganizing his entire library,” I finish, feeling our newest mate’s mixture of longing and attempted indifference through the bonds.

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