Chapter Twenty

T hankfully, Idris called a pegasus for me to mount, and I was able to fly to the hanging valley beneath Meja, the tallest mountain, watching over Silver Meadows. The hike alone would have taken me all night, but it wouldn’t have mattered. All that mattered was finding Daxton. The winged horse neighed as we gracefully landed on the outskirts of the hanging valley with a serene meadow clearing just up ahead. I dismounted quickly, affectionately patting the mare’s neck before sending her off.

Zola told me where she believed I could find Daxton, but I didn’t need her direction. I could feel the essence of his magic by simply following my instincts. It was the same draw I had felt with him since we met. Bravely, I swallowed my nerves, allowing the pull of his magic to lead me to him.

I hardly noticed the beautiful landscape around me as my eyes fell on the lone male sitting atop a large stone boulder. His shoulders were hunched over, with his silver sword, Valencia, twirling in his hands. The tip of the majestic weapon pressed against the earth, swirling in his palms like the waters in the nearby babbling brook that flowed through the clearing. He… He seemed almost lost, like the hope that burned so brightly inside him was flickering, threatening to fade away.

“Daxton.” He didn’t turn to face me. “Daxton,” I said again, stepping into the clearing.

“Why are you here?” he grumbled, closing his eyes and tensing the muscles along his shoulders. “It’s dangerous for you outside the Summit, Skylar … and clearly, I’ve failed in my duty to look after you properly.”

“It’s apparently dangerous no matter where I am,” I answered, halting my approach. “But this. This isn’t about me right now. I didn’t come here for—”

“I came here to have some space and to clear my head. Is it too much to ask to be granted that peace?”

“And I’m not trying to stop you from—”

“ Yes , you are,” Daxton interjected, the ice in his voice trickling onto the flowing waters at his feet, creating a barrier between us. When he looked back at me, his eyes mimicked the cold, hard stone he sat upon.

“We’re worried about you, Daxton. What’s the reason for this distance? Why did you leave like that?”

Daxton scoffed and turned his back to me again, gazing off into the meadow with his sword spinning in his grasp.

“If this is about Anjani, you can talk to me, you know. I’m here for you.” I didn’t know the price he would pay, but I did understand that Daxton would be forced to atone for his actions against Anjani and Aelius.

“I didn’t take the most tactical approach in addressing the threat today.”

“All right, that’s a start,” I said, cautiously stepping forward.

His hands clenched around the hilt of his sword, freezing in place, as the rest of his body strained like he was in pain. Gods, I didn’t want to be the reason for him to feel any kind of distress. No matter how much I wanted to be here for him—to help him. If he needed me to leave, I would.

“Do you want me to go?” He remained silent, but to my surprise, his posture seemed to relax as a breeze of wind swept past me in his direction. “You didn’t say no, so I’ll take that as a maybe or even a stretch of a yes. And I’ll stay,” I said crossing the frozen blockade created by his magic. I was only an arm’s span away from him, but even that minuscule distance seemed like miles. “Dax. Dax … Look at me, please,” I whispered, praying he would answer.

He shook his head, refusing to meet my gaze. “I crossed a line today. I knew better. And still, I crossed it.” A heavy weight seemed to press on his shoulders, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it all entailed. His disposition didn’t solely stem from what he did to Anjani.

I lowered myself to the earth, kneeling before him as I timidly reached for his clenched fist. “I didn’t want you to endanger yourself or your people because of what she did to me.”

“That’s the problem,” Daxton roared, tearing his hand away from mine and standing with his back toward me. His sword vanished from sight as he faced the never-ending looming night. I had never seen him like this, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t beginning to worry. “When it comes to you, Skylar,” Daxton lowered his voice to a hushed whisper, yet I heard every word. “There’s no line, simply because none exist when— ”

My throat bobbed with a heavy swallow, still kneeling on the cold stone earth, barely allowing myself to breathe with heightened anticipation.

“What are you not telling me, Daxton?” Rising to my feet, I squared my shoulders, finally ready and willing to shatter every wall that separated us .

“For you …” his voice trembled with emotion as he turned. “For you, I would watch the world burn if it meant keeping you safe. All reason—all sense of logic and responsibility I carry—is thrown to the side when it concerns you.”

My heart started racing as my hands began to shake.“Daxton, I…”

Dax shook his head, glancing down at his feet. “I need you to know that if I were given the chance again, I would make the same decision. You don’t carry any burden or guilt. I will gladly suffer the consequences of my actions— alone .” He slumped back into a seated position on the boulder, the glimmer in his eyes fading behind his mask of stone.

I gripped my chest, swallowing a heavy breath, barely hearing, let alone understanding, what he was telling me. Did he think I would let him do this alone? Did he believe I would not stand beside him in a hurricane and refuse to leave? Does he truly not know?

“You’re not alone in this, Daxton,” I said in a hushed tone, carefully enunciating every word.

“I’ll—”

“No!” I shouted, staring him down and forcing him to lock his gaze on only me. “No. You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone .” Standing, I leaned forward, taking his hand in mine while my other cupped his cheek, meeting his hardened stare. My magic flared, linking with his in a silent melody that intertwined our beating hearts—the same serene music I had heard in the depths of the hunter’s lair, that had kept me alive. That kept me breathing and hoping for a light to follow out of the darkness.

Silver Shadow’s stare bore into me, and just like the first time I saw him in the meadow, I remained unafraid. There was no part of Daxton I feared. I loved every broken and shattered piece of his heart and soul. I would never abandon him. I would stand by his side through his darkest times, just like he had for me.

“You say this, but—”

“Daxton,” I said in a firm tone that silenced his tongue. “You’re never alone because you will always have me.” I moved closer, stealing his undivided attention. “You’ve had me since that first night in the meadow,” I said with a sincere smile, trying desperately to reach him. “And every moment since then.”

His gaze softened. The muscles in his jaw relaxed as his lips briefly parted to inhale a sharp breath. I could see the depths of his true soul come forth. His mask falling to the side to reveal the Dax I had grown to love.

My voice quivered with anticipation. “Meeting you was no coincidence. These trials were a gift from the Gods themselves.” My chest heaved as I swallowed a heavy breath. “Even if I fail and never reach the end, all of this, every step or twist of fate in my life was worth it because it has led me to you.” I encircled my arms around his neck, trying to steady myself against his immovable strength. “Of all the people in this world, you’re the one I was meant to find.”

His arms tightened around my middle, but I shut my eyes, pressing my brow to his to summon my courage. My animal’s presence pushed on my subconscious, encouraging me with a flood of strength to bare my soul to the male who held my heart.

“With you, I feel at peace. No longer searching because I’ve found where I belong.”

Daxton’s voice was barely a whisper against my cheek.“What are you saying, Skylar?”

“I love you, Daxton Aegaeon, High Prince of Silver Meadows … my Dax. I will always find you because it was you, I’ve always been searching for. ”

Without hesitating, Daxton pulled me into his lap as my legs wrapped around his waist, consuming my mouth with his and leaving me utterly breathless with a soul-binding kiss.

My hands threaded through his hair, pulling it free as his calloused palms traced over the curves of my hips before migrating under my shirt. Electricity sparked between us as our magic combined, enhancing the feel of him that vibrated over every inch of my scolding flesh. I felt like I was on fire. His touch. His kiss. I would never have enough of him—of this. Even if my mortal life somehow lingered for eternity, it would never be enough.

Gasping for breath, Daxton pulled his lips from mine. “Ask me,” he rasped, teetering on the edge of his self-control.

“W-what?” I stammered, barely able to think, let alone ask a question at a time like this. “Wait, what ?” I fought to regain my senses for the moment. “I tell you that I love you… and you reply with, Ask me ?” I released my hold on him. “What the actual fuck, Daxton?”

His smug smirk, paired with his dark, humorous laugh, was unequivocally infuriating.

“Ask me,” he repeated with a devilish grin, revealing the dimple along his ebony bearded cheek. “Ask me what I couldn’t answer our first night together in Crimson City.”

My mind was a whirlwind of confusion, finding my way back to our first intimate night together after he saved me from the nightmares brought forth by Seamus’s mind-reading magic. I looked up and met those mesmerizing eyes that flowed like liquid silver in the moonlight.And then, I knew .

“What were you discussing with Adohan and the others in Crimson City?”

Daxton reached out to caress my cheek, looking at me like I was the only fucking person that mattered in this entire world. The intensity of his stare was enough to send me over the edge right then and there.

“Skylar,” he said my name softly, leaning forward to kiss my lips before trailing a line of kisses across my chin and down my neck. “I’ll never forget that first time I laid my eyes on you. How you took my breath away with your fierce beauty and even more with your cunning bravery, my Spitfire.” He stilled and closed his eyes before a bright, beaming smile unfolded across the span of his mouth. “That night, my soul found its other half. What it’s been aching for—for centuries. You’re the reason why I believe and hope for a future because you are my future.”

My entire body trembled. Everything he was telling me was leading to an answer I never thought could be possible.

“Can’t you see that you’re my everything , Skylar Cathal? My hope. My salvation.” He pressed his brow against mine, taking a full breath and holding it captive before releasing it into the night. “My heart…” He paused, and the world outside us ceased to exist. “You, my Spitfire. You are my mate , and I’m hopelessly and eternally in love with you.”

Mate.

A bond more powerful than any spell or magic cast in this world—a union that transcended all logic and reason. A connection that spanned through time itself, forever linking two souls together in this life and the next.

“I-I don’t understand,” I stammered, unable to move or even think. “Why can’t I— ”

“I believe it’s because you haven’t shifted yet,” Daxton answered plainly, like it was a simple response one would give a small child. “I know you feel at least a whisper of our connection, but our mate bond will not be sealed until you can shift. Your other half can’t recognize it until your animal form emerges.”

“That’s why you didn’t tell me? You didn’t want to—”

“Yes, but I also couldn’t place this additional weight on your shoulders, not to mention the danger of it. Not with everything you were facing and striving to overcome. But now…” His voice trailed off.

The trials, Minaeve… Gods above, even Gilen.

“How long?” I asked, grasping his hands but forcing myself to take a step back. I needed answers, and I couldn’t think straight with his arms wrapped around me. “When did you feel the mate bond between us? How long did you keep this to yourself and think it was okay not to tell me?”

Regret flashed across his somber face, making me rue my harsh tone, but I had to know. I had to know how long he’d hidden this from me. And why he had kept this secret. I deserved to know.

“The night we first arrived in Solace.” Despite my frustration, Daxton couldn’t help smiling as his eyes shone in that special way that made my core melt. “When a spitfire shifter demanded I stay alive after trying to kill me.” His scoff of a laugh was endearing despite my mood. Asshole . “Since that first moment, a part of me knew.”

“How? When?” I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms, trying my best not to let his charming humor soften me. “ How did you know?”

“Looking back on it, I knew before I ever met you. It was the sole reason I wandered into the meadow that night. I was drawn to you.” Dax became quiet, lost in his thoughts and memories, which I knew spanned beyond my comprehension. “When I bit you on the arm,” he motioned to the scar above my wrist, “and tasted your blood, my mind became a haze. Thoughts of you consumed every waking moment, even my dreams.” Dax stilled, his eyes never leaving me. “Before you arrived to heal me later that first night, I knew … but I still questioned it.” His brow furrowed as he tried to pull me closer, but I shuffled back to keep my distance, silently demanding for him to continue.

“Since meeting you, my soul has been tethered to yours, a bond forged beyond my control. As much as I tried to resist getting to know you, or forming any type of relationship in fear of what Minaeve or any other may do … Alas, my heart inevitably became yours. The bond drew me to you, but I fell in love with you because of who you are—my intelligent, stubborn, brave, and indescribably beautiful Spitfire .”

I glanced at my right wrist, where his bite mark scarred my flesh. “Not even the mage could heal this scar,” I mumbled, “because it was the mark of a mate bond. High Fae stake claims on their mates like shifters?”

“Rarely,” Daxton replied quickly, shifting uneasily, and rubbing the nape of his neck. “But that’s not exactly what I did to you.” He was quiet, letting this information settle before continuing. “Please don’t think I staked a claim on you that night; I honestly didn’t mean to bite you. It isn’t the true mating mark of the High Fae. That act is performed with willing partners during more intimate moments together,” Daxton countered with a shadow of unease pooling in his eyes. “I researched your culture as best I could regarding this. Determined to understand your mating bonds and how they align with ours. I was desperate to find explanations for why I was feeling the influence of our bond, and why you might not,” he added, his eyes cast downward.

“It’s because I haven’t—”

“Shifted,” Daxton finished for me. “That’s what I concluded.”

“Why did you do this?” I asked, holding my arm out between us.

“Instinct.” He almost sounded ashamed as he swallowed. “I was dying, and … there’s no real excuse. Just an explanation of why.”

“Instinct?” I repeated, shaking my head. “Wait.” I paused. “This? This was how you found me in the hunter’s lair. The mate bond led you to me?”

“Yes.” He nodded his head slowly. “There’s nowhere you could go that I wouldn’t find you. Even if our bond is not sealed… death itself would not keep me from your side. The bond would lead me to you. Once a High Fae recognizes their mate, even if the other rejects it, they will always have a vague sense of each other.”

Silence passed between us as I paced along the babbling brook, holding myself tightly and staring blankly at the ground.

“Skylar, please understand that I would never force this. I could never do that to you. When you were chosen as the champion, it only complicated things more. I couldn’t burden you with another twist of fate that you didn’t ask for.” Daxton spoke with a sense of urgency laced with a dash of fear in his voice. “That’s why I didn’t say anything. Why I tried to keep my distance, and even when—” He froze, his voice becoming nothing more than a whisper. I turned to see every muscle of his body tensing. “Even when I forced myself to step aside and allow you the chance to find happiness in a life that didn’t include me. A chance to renounce your role as champion and mate another male. To keep you safe, I would force myself to step aside.”

Gods above. He was talking about Gilen and the loophole that allowed another shifter to take my place.

I recalled the night he left me his first letter. He’d picked up Gilen’s painted stone and placed it back into my hand. And then the morning after I refused Gilen’s claim, Daxton was a raging lunatic in the training field with Castor. The reason why he was so pleased to hear I had slept alone in the forest that night was now so clear. The violent interactions with Gilen during my last night in Solace.

It all made sense now.

Even if the mate bond was not sealed, the strength and willpower required to allow your mate to be claimed freely by another was unthinkable . Yet he was willing to do that for me . To keep me safe. To find happiness if I should choose a life without him. I didn’t know what to say. His actions went beyond what words could articulate.

“But I couldn’t bring myself to stay away.” Daxton’s hand tentatively reached out to brush against my arm. “Our night together in Crimson City, I submitted to the feelings I had been trying to hide, but in the end … I could never stay away. The night before the first trial, I knew I would forever be at your mercy. I belonged to you.”

Everything he was saying … was true.

“And now,” Dax said, “hearing you confess those three words shattered every barrier I’ve fought to build, and I could no longer keep this secret. I’m yours, Skylar.”

I turned away and continued to march along the smooth stones that framed the gently flowing waters. Trying to wrap my head around the fact that Daxton was my mate.

My mate.

A half-human shifter mated to one of the most powerful High Fae in history. What the fuck kind of twist of fate was this?

“Skylar, say something … Anything,” Daxton pleaded, his hands splayed at his side with his stare bearing into me. “Yell at me. Ask all the questions I know you have spinning in that cunning mind of yours.” I marched along the meadow’s edge, wordlessly working through all this. “Fuck … please, just say something!”

“I love you, you idiot!”

Daxton’s expression softened as hope gleamed in his bright eyes.

“I meant what I said earlier, Dax. I’m not a fickle female who breaks down or runs away when things are … complicated .” I paused, and I swear the air itself froze between us, heavy like morning fog over the vast seas. “I love you,” I said, seeing his panic vanish. His chest heaved, as he finally allowed himself to take a full breath.

“I’m just trying to get a grip and understand all of this.” I glanced around the meadow and took in the beauty of the surrounding mountains, which sparked a faint memory or perhaps even a dream. “Wait. Where are we exactly?” I asked. “I… I’ve been here before.”

Daxton cautiously approached, placing his hands on my shoulders as he stood behind me. The warmth and comfort of his touch was exhilarating, and I couldn’t help leaning into him. My love for him was never in question, but the gravity of a mate bond was monumental. Practically unheard of outside of a species, but then again, I had always questioned if my existence stemmed from just that .

Had my father, a shifter, experienced a mate bond with my mother, a human? If the veil had not separated us, would more mate bonds appear between our species?

“This hanging valley is my sanctuary, comparable to the green sand beach for you,” Daxton said as his arms encompassed me in a fortitude of strength and support that made me confident enough to take on the world. “Remember me telling you about my work with plants and creating different types that would grow and bloom in the moonlight?”

“Yes.”

“The moondance flower. Your favorite, as I recall?”

“Yes.”

“I created it.”

The next second, if almost by magic, the clouds parted overhead, and the moonlight danced across the meadow, bringing to life the ebony-stemmed flower from my dreams. They fanned open, revealing the vibrant orange and silver pedals that stretched out to the sky. I gasped, clutching onto Daxton’s arm with one hand while the other flew to my gaping mouth. I couldn’t hold back my tears if I wanted to. This was the meadow from my dreams. My place of solace in times of turmoil and defeat, and this place was all created by him .

“I’ve been dreaming about you my whole life, Daxton.” I turned and looked into his storm-gray eyes that shone with a depth of love and devotion that made dreams a reality.

“You are my mate.” Tears fell to my cheeks as Daxton pulled me closer to him, cradling me in his arms as the rest of the world faded around us. “I love you,” I murmured, turning my head to kiss his cheek. “I love you,” I breathed again, trailing a light caress across his bearded chin. “I love you,” I repeated once more, the words falling short of how deeply I felt.

Grasping my chin between his thumb and finger, Daxton guided my lips to his and kissed me. The world beneath my feet gave way, and I could have sworn I was flying. I parted his lips with my tongue, tasting his sweetness that intoxicated my senses, leaving me numb to anything but him.

A strong surge of desire overtook me as his hands crept up from the bottom of my shirt. His rough palms fondled my hardened nipples, teasing them between his fingertips. Slowly, I trailed my hand along his growing shaft, needing to feel him, touch him, taste him in every way possible. My arousal lit up like a candle as our kiss deepened. Consumed by the feeling of him, I moaned into his mouth.

“Do you want this?” Daxton rasped as he forced himself to pull away, his hooded eyes blazing with desire that was solely centered on me. “You have a choice,” he said, his deep voice trembling. “I’m in love with you, Skylar Cathal. My heart will always belong to only you, but if you don’t want this bond…” He paused to steady himself. “If you don’t want the mate bond, we can stop.” His tone shifted with a hardened edge. “I need to know because, once I take you, once I taste you and devour you fully, I will never allow another to ever take my place.” Gods, the intensity of his stare, the way he held me, the pure essence of this male was mind-altering.

“You belong to me,” I answered with a low growl in my throat, my power rising within me alongside my animal’s acceptance. “You’re mine , Daxton Aegaeon.”

I wouldn’t allow any other to ever claim me—nor would my animal. Daxton was the only one who ever could. “And I willingly accept our bond… Even if it’s not sealed. I can’t deny feeling the threads of it co nnecting us. But, regardless of a bond, I’ve already decided that there’s no one else for me. I love you. I’m yours.”

The smile spread widely across Daxton’s decadent lips. He looked at me with nothing other than pure ecstasy and bliss. “I love you,” he declared once more, his heated gaze traveling down my torso. “Are you wearing my shirt?” he asked playfully.

“Guilty.”

A deep growl of approval echoed in his throat. “You have no idea how fucking hard that makes me. To know that even when I’m away, you wrap yourself in my scent and keep me tucked around your perfect body.”

“Show me,” I said.

“See for yourself.” He chuckled, taking my wrist and guiding my touch toward his pulsing length.

“Cocky, are we?” I teased, as I pressed my palm against him. “Would you like me wearing nothing but your shirt?” I whispered into his ear.

“I’d prefer nothing.”

Daxton bent to lift the bottom of his tunic I was wearing, devouring my already taut nipple in his mouth. He meticulously swirled his tongue around the pink-skinned bud and sucked on it until it hardened like the silver peaks surrounding us. I moaned loudly, lacing my fingers through his free-flowing hair, leaning my head back and soaking in the haze of pleasure. He migrated to my other breast, coveting the previous one with his hand as I whimpered in delight. The ever so fucking delicious pleasure of his mouth on my skin, of me in his arms, of our love for each other… was downright sinful.

Quivering beneath his touch, I rasped, “I’m calling on your promise.” His mouth made a popping sound as he released my nipple from his lips. “I believe you promised to make me come with your mouth, fingers, and then finally, that delicious cock of yours the first time you had me—”

“Making that beautiful voice of yours hoarse from screaming my name over and over again.” His hooded eyes closed as he raised to kiss me hard and fast. “I remember,” he purred. “And I believe I told you the first time I fucked you, you wouldn’t be able to leave my bed.”

“Yes,” I said with a heavy breath, my chest rising and falling rapidly against his. “Something like that.”

“Then I know exactly where we should be then.”

In a silver flash, Daxton teleported us from the earthy meadow onto a soft, luxurious surface clouded in shadow and darkness. My back lay on plush bedding, with Daxton looming over me. My thighs opened to take the weight of his body while his forearms rested on either side of my head.

“These need to be on.” He waved his hand, illuminating the fae lights in what I soon realized must be his room. “I need to be able to see all of this gorgeous body I’ve been dreaming about taking for months.”

I didn’t bother to notice the details of his room. The only thing that drew my attention was the gorgeous male with far too many clothes on.

Daxton remained deathly still as I moved to sit up. His intense stare bore into me, waiting for me to take the lead. My fingers danced along the opening of his tunic, feeling the hard muscles of his chest rise and fall with each heated breath. Looping my arms around his neck, I pulled his lips to mine. Daxton followed my guided touch without hesitation, eagerly coveting my mouth with his.

This kiss was different from before. It was soft, gentle, and above all else, it conveyed the depth of his love and devotion to me. Whatever I needed, I knew Daxton would do everything in his power to see it done.

My hands wandered to the bottom of his shirt, and I hurriedly pulled it over his head and tossed it onto the floor. Gods, this male was absolute perfection.

Kissing him once more, I pressed a palm to his chest, taking my time to admire his sculpted physique carved from hundreds of years of battle training. My fingers danced along the tops of his shoulders and the marks adorning his skin before I threaded my fingers into his hair along the nape of his neck.

As I shifted to lean forward onto my knees, Daxton froze, granting me full control. My lips moved to find the scar I’d made the night we first met. I kissed across the swirling tattoo designs that danced along his skin, the only place on his body that was inked.

“What is it?” he asked as I stilled.

“I can’t believe I didn’t know,” I spoke softly. “When you tattooed this on your skin, I should’ve guessed it was more than just highlighting a scar.” His eyes softened at my remark, but he didn’t move to take me just yet.

My hands moved along the bumps and bulges of his rigid abdomen muscles, leading to the cut-in lines of his hips. He adjusted one leg, moving off the edge of the bed while another remained bent on the mattress. I reached for the fastening of his pants, unleashing the tension that held them up along his hips.

I bit my bottom lip in anticipation, watching him like a predator ready to strike as he stepped back to strip them away. His hard erection sprang outward, coming to life in front of me, causing my mouth to water with the desperate need to taste him again.

I eased forward, eagerly taking the base of his shaft in my hand while sucking on the tip with my swollen lips. His moan encouraged me, urging me to take him deeper into my throat and swallow him whole, just like I had the night before the first trial. Slowly, I sucked, teasing him by remaining on the head of his magnificent cock before quickly swallowing his length until it collided with the back of my throat. I gradually backed out, returning a moment later. His girth choking me in the best way possible.

My arousal was beginning to build. My apex ached for his attention, but I hadn’t had my fill of him just yet.

Daxton fisted my hair as his hips thrust forward, his shaft disappearing in my mouth, making it impossible to breathe let alone think about anything besides the taste of his delicious cock.

“Fuck… yes,” he growled. “Take all of me, Spitfire.” Daxton cursed as he released his grip, allowing me the chance to breathe. The slight twinge of pain and sliver of danger heightened the intensity of pleasure. Once I caught my breath, I dove back down his shaft, fondling his balls with my free hand while the other wrapped around the base.

“Yes, Gods. That feels so fucking good.”

He tensed, his balls contracting in my hand as I worked him with my mouth. Gods above, having control over him like this was invigorating. This huge powerful male was completely at my mercy, and I fucking loved every second of it.

Suddenly, Daxton pulled himself back. His cock popped out of my mouth as he reached down to grab my shoulders and push me backward onto the bed.

“Sorry, my mate .” His predatory growl sent trickles of lightning up my spine, the wetness between my legs pooling in response to him calling me “mate.” “But I believe I have a promise to live up to. ”

Hooking his fingers into the waistband of my pants, he managed to grasp my soaked underwear as well, pulling them free and adding them to the pile of discarded clothing on the floor.

“And I believe I may have misspoken before.” The hunger in his eyes glowed as he looked me over. “Having you in nothing but my shirt is a fucking masterpiece. Anytime you want me to shut up and kneel before you like the queen you are, all you have to do is walk into a room with nothing on you but this, and I’m at your mercy.”

“Noted,” I answered, my chest heavily rising and falling with heated anticipation as I removed the tunic.

“But naked,” Daxton rasped. “You naked is— Fuck . It’s indescribable.” His cock pulsed in response as his eyes devoured me.

Rough hands splayed over my thighs, spreading them as Daxton lowered himself onto his knees at the edge of the bed. His calloused palms rubbed against the smooth skin on my ass, admiring every inch of my body. His touch migrated across my feminine curves before gripping my hips and pulling me down toward him.

“I need to taste you, Skylar.” I bit my lower lip as his intense stare bore into me. Gods above. I was already dripping wet, and he had barely even touched me yet. “I love it when I can smell your arousal, especially when I know I’m the one causing it.”

“You’re always the cause of it,” I said with a raspy voice paired with a playful wink.

“Good,” he answered as he lowered his lips, hovering just over my sex. “No one else will ever be allowed to taste or touch you like this. Not while I’m still breathing.” He flicked his tongue over the bundle of nerves at my apex, then applied the perfect amount of pressure with his lips, sending me soaring through the stars.

“Daxton!” I moaned, almost shattering.

“Yes?” he sinfully whispered against me. “Say my name again,” he commanded as he feverishly sucked the sensitive point between the apex of my throbbing center. His tongue vibrated against me, sending waves of intense pleasure rocketing through my core.

“Gods above… Fuck! Yes, Daxton, don’t … don’t stop.”

Daxton raised his head slightly, before he slowly licked downward toward my opening. He was eating me like a decadent dessert, and I loved every second. Pressure built between my thighs, everything tightening. I was craving a release, yet still drowning in the pure ecstasy of his mouth.

I reached for my breast, but before I could touch myself, Daxton’s hand was already there. “Allow me,” he said before burying himself back between my thighs.

My hard nipple rolled between his fingers as he licked my throbbing center. I almost blacked out from the waves of ecstasy he was giving me with just his mouth alone. My hips bucked and rolled, grinding into his mouth, chasing an orgasm that was building higher and higher on the verge of splitting me apart. And when I thought I couldn’t take anymore, Daxton gave me just what I needed to push me over the edge. With his mouth still on me, he slipped one finger and then two inside my dripping-wet entrance, sensing exactly what I wanted. What I needed . The sensation of him lit my world on fire.

“Oh, Daxton!” I screamed as my climax tore through me.

I groaned as he remained between my thighs, my inner walls contracting around his digits with each wave of my orgasm. His continued attention elongated the pleasure, making it last longer than I thought possible.

“Dax,” I whimpered, head still foggy.

“Keep riding it,” he rasped, only releasing his kiss on me for the briefest second.

“It’s too much.”

“Relax,” he breathed against me, gently releasing the pressure but still giving me his undivided attention. “Let it build. I want you to come for me again, Spitfire.”

I threw my head back, squirming against the soft bedding beneath me, and ground my hips harder into his willing mouth. Doing just as he said, I let go, relaxing and allowing the pressure to build again. My breathing quickened as his fingers began moving in and out of my soaked pussy, thrusting deeper and deeper with each agonizingly slow movement that brought me into a new level of heightened bliss.

“You’re so fucking wet,” he growled in a low, husky voice. “You have no idea how gods-damned stunning you are. How delectable you taste, and how hard you make me.” My entire body trembled, climbing higher and higher toward the edge again.

“Come for me, Skylar,” Daxton commanded. “I want to taste your climax,” he growled against me.

My body collapsed on the bed as my second orgasm rolled over me like a thundering hurricane out in the high seas.

“Good,” Daxton purred as he kissed the inside of my thighs, his fingers helping me ride the waves of my orgasm. “I could feel you come on my tongue. Fuck,” he cursed, eyes dark and heavy, “it’s by far one of the most arousing things in this world.”

My chest heaved as I fought to catch my breath. My limp body was useless at this point, having experienced two of the most mind-blowing releases of my life. I opened my eyes to see Daxton towering over me with one hand wrapped around the base of his pulsing cock. He stroked himself, using my release as his lubricant, never once taking his eyes from mine. “You’re ready for me now, Spitfire.”

I licked my lips, salivating over the drop-dead gorgeous male kneeling naked before me.

“The Mother herself is envious of your breathtaking beauty, Skylar,” Daxton said as he moved his body on top of me. “And you’re all mine . How the fuck am I this fortunate?”

I smiled, moving so our hips were aligned. “Everything … happens for a reason.” His gruff chuckle sent goosebumps across my skin. “I want you, Daxton,” I said with heavy breath. “I want you to be my first. My last. My only …”

“As you command, my mate .”

Mate. The title was still so new, but it also felt so fucking right.

Daxton settled between my open thighs, his hard length brushing against my slickened folds, testing my reaction before entering me for the first time. I thought I would be nervous, perhaps even scared, but I was far from either.

I leaned up and kissed him, our mouths opening as the kiss deepened, setting the tone for what we shared together.

This was more than a burning hunger or mere attraction. It was a consummation of our love. Whether our bond was sealed or not, we both knew it was there.

“You have my heart,” Daxton whispered, “my soul.”

“And you have mine,” I answered, trusting that we both meant it .

His hips rolled back, the head of his cock lining up perfectly. He bent to kiss me, and all my senses blurred until no one else in the world existed outside this moment together. I fell into our kiss, devouring his mouth with my own, showing him that I wasn’t afraid. I tilted my hips up to meet Daxton’s as his tip glided into my center that was pulsing with need.

At first, the pressure was intense. The thickness of his cock stretched against my inner walls as a sharp bite of pain ripped through me with only half his length buried inside. I tensed, fingers digging into his shoulders, biting back the sting of losing my maidenhead.

“Are you all right?” he whispered. “Skylar?” Genuine concern laced his voice.

“Don’t move for a second,” I breathed, trying to adjust to his girth.

Slowly, the pain subsided, and the need to move against him grew stronger with each passing second.

I moved my hips as a soft moan purred in my ear. “You’re mine,” Daxton said, the final strands of his control disappearing. “Are you ready for all of me, Spitfire?” he asked.

“Yes,” I cried out, my pain a distant memory.“Yes, Daxton—”

Releasing the threads of his restraint, Daxton gripped my hips and thrust his entire length inside me, euphorically filling me until he slammed into his hilt.

“Daxton!” I moaned, my voice becoming harsh with the repeated screams of pleasure that were erupting from my throat. Fuck. He was huge. I didn’t know how I was able to hold his girth inside me, let alone his length.

“Move with me,” he instructed, grabbing onto my ass and guiding me in rhythm with his thrusts.

“Oh, fuck!” I cried out, reaching up and grabbing onto his shoulders for support .

I wrapped my legs around his waist, giving him the reigns to guide us through this together. The friction on my apex from his hips thrusting into me heightened my rising pleasure. His glorious cock filled me, hitting every angle and space inside just right like he was made specifically to please me. His thrusts quickened as I wrapped my arms around him. Dax leaned his head to the side and kissed my neck at the base of my collarbone, driving me wild with an entirely new rush of pleasure.

“Yes!” I roared as he moved to press me flat on the bed, forcefully pinning my wrists above my head with one of his hands.

This dominating hold he had on me heightened my shifter side, fueling me with a rush of heat against my skin that trickled along my spine. He looked me over, taking in the sight of my breasts bouncing to his thrusts before they ventured further down. Desire turned my blood to magma as I watched Daxton’s eyes lock onto the sight of his enormous cock sliding in and out of my soaked sex.

“You… are… mine,” he roared again, his free hand grabbing my hip as he continued to bury himself inside me over and over again.

I rolled in sync with his thrusts, causing him to release a gruff moan as his head tipped back and his eyes closed to sink into the pleasure we were giving to each other. “You feel so fucking unbelievable, Skylar.”

His grip loosened on my wrists, and I managed to snake out of his grasp, clutching the back of his head, my amber eyes blazing with power from my animal.

“And?” I growled.

“I’m yours,” he answered with a devilish smirk. “I belong to you, my Spitfire. My mate .” He snarled the last word, thrusting hard into me and forcing a loud gasp from my throat with the mind-blowing sensation that followed.

Daxton’s hand moved between our thriving bodies, his thumb rubbing against my sensitive bundle of nerves as his cock plunged deeper inside me.

“Oh, Gods!” I yelled as his thumb circled my clit while he buried himself to the hilt.

“Come for me, Spitfire,” he commanded. “I need to feel you come around my cock.”

My eyes rolled to the back of my head while his lips crashed into mine. Daxton’s kiss devoured my screams of pleasure with each thrust of his hips and flick of his thumb. “Come,” he commanded against my lips, and instantly, I shattered.

Daxton rose, grabbing my hips in his hands and thrusting hard once more, roaring as he came. His magic blasted out across the room, shaking the walls and coating every surface in a thin layer of ice. His body became limp as he folded over the top of mine. He turned his head to the side and kissed me, savoring our climaxes as he remained inside me.

Then, I felt the phantom strings of our bond begin to intertwine and smelled the merging of our scents until I was his, and he was mine.

Until there was only us.