Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

DAKOTA

T he last words of the ancient lore faded into silence as Landon closed the book with a soft thud. Dakota's room, dimly lit by the morning sun, seemed to shrink in the wake of the story's end—a tale that had moved dangerously between myth and reality, leaving her skin tingling with promise.

Dakota's breath hitched as she watched, entranced by Landon’s almost ritualistic undressing. He unhooked his belt buckle, sliding it through the loops, and let it fall to the floor. Unbuttoning his jeans, he shucked out of them, leaving him standing before her, a figure carved from the very essence of granite and desire.

A battle waged within her, curiosity dueling with a hunger that gnawed at the edges of her restraint. She wanted to reach out, to trace the lines of muscle that wound their way under his bronzed skin—a map of his soul laid bare.

"Is this...?" Her voice trailed off, unable to articulate what she was about to see.

"Part of who I am," Landon's voice rumbled through the tempest that seemed to be swirling around him. It grounded her in a way to time and place in the midst of the supernatural display. His presence was a solid fact in a reality that had suddenly expanded beyond her wildest dreams.

"Show me everything," Dakota said, her voice a whisper of velvet darkness.

Landon's eyes glinted with a knowing look, as if he perceived the tumult of her inner landscape. Then, without warning, the space around him began to shift. A subtle vibration filled the air, a prelude to the spectacle about to unfold. Colors unseen by the human eye danced into existence, swirling around Landon in an ethereal maelstrom.

The air grew heavy, crackling with an energy Dakota could feel deep in her soul. Mist began to rise from the floor, swirling in ghostly tendrils that climbed around Landon like they were alive. It wrapped him in a veil of silver and shadow, obscuring his form until only the outline of his broad shoulders remained. Dakota's breath caught as she watched, her pulse quickening with both awe and a hint of fear.

Dakota watched, entranced, as sound joined the visual cacophony; a low hum akin to the distant rumble of thunder, intertwined with the whistle of wind through desert sage. Electricity crackled, palpable in the atmosphere, charging every molecule between them with the promise of the unknown.

And there, in the center of it all, stood Landon. His body became the eye of the storm, the calm epicenter around which the chaos spun. Dakota could feel the pull of it, the seductive lure of power and danger that emanated from him. It beckoned to something primal within her, awakening a latent dominance that hungered for release.

He moved closer, and the distance between them felt charged with the remnants of the otherworldly storm. As their bodies aligned, the boundaries between human and beast, reality and myth, blurred into insignificance. Only the magnetic connection that drew them together remained—a force as ancient and compelling as the call of the wild itself.

The mist churned faster, almost alive as it cloaked his transformation. His bones shifted as muscle and sinew accommodated them in a way that made her want to look away—but she couldn’t. Fur began to cover his skin, a flowing cascade of sable streaked with silver, the colors gleaming even through the swirling mist.

Dakota couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, as the human face she knew disappeared. His features morphed, stretching into a powerful muzzle, sharp teeth glinting as his jaws set with primal strength. His eyes, though remained the same, cutting through the haze to meet hers.

The mist began to dissipate, and Landon stood before her, fully transformed. He was massive, his powerful form sleek and gleaming under the faint light of the morning sun. His fur rippled with every subtle movement, the silver and sable blending like shifting shadows. He was beautiful, terrifying, and undeniably wild.

As he lifted his head, a low growl rumbled from his chest, vibrating through the air around them. Dakota felt it in her bones, a primal sound that spoke of both power and protection. She should have been afraid—any sane person would have been—but as she stared at the wolf before her, she felt something else entirely.

Well…she’d wondered about the meaning of her grandfather’s words and the fairytale Landon had told her. She was still curious—and in shock—but perhaps most importantly, she felt safe. Dakota stood motionless, her breath caught in the wake of the dissipating storm. The air crackled with the remnants of energy that had swirled around Landon, leaving a scent of ozone and wildness that teased her senses. She watched, not with fear but with a relentless fascination, as the man before her seemed to command the very elements themselves.

"Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back," she murmured, her voice a mixture of trepidation and tease.

‘Good thing I'm not a cat, then.’ She heard Landon’s voice, not coming from the wolf who stood before but in her head. The way he looked at her belied the intensity of his stare, which held her captive more securely than any lasso.

"Oh my god, I can hear you," she said, her voice steady despite the surreal tableau that had unfolded before her.

Landon's eyes, dark pools reflecting a surreal glow, held hers with unwavering intensity. ‘Yes,’ came the reply, again not from his lips, which remained still, but inside her head, a voice as clear as if he'd spoken aloud.

"Are you... housebroken then?" Dakota couldn't help the wry quirk of her lips as she posed the question, her wit surfacing even amidst the extraordinary.

‘More than most,’ the internal voice assured her, tinged with amusement that resonated through her mind.

"Does one need a license for being a shifter?" she continued, her questions revealing the layers of her thoughts, each one peeling back to expose more of her burgeoning wonderment.

‘No licenses, just secrets,’ he answered, and there was a depth to his telepathic words that spoke of untold stories and hidden truths.

“How am I hearing you when you’re not actually speaking? I can hear you. It’s your voice in my head.”

‘It’s the link or bond between mates. I didn’t actually think it existed, but I was wrong.’

“Are you immortal?”

‘No. We can shift between our dual selves at will. No moonlight required.’

With each silent answer, the connection between them deepened, a bridge forged of shared confidences and an innate understanding. Dakota found herself ensnared by the paradox of Landon Savage, the man who was also a wolf, and something else entirely—something that beckoned to her own undiscovered nature.

The pull of that realization tugged at her, an undercurrent of desire mingling with the call of the unknown. She stood on the precipice of a world where myths breathed and boundaries were redrawn, and Landon, in all his mysterious glory, was the key to unlocking it all. The room felt smaller somehow, the walls pressing in with the intensity of their encounter, every sense heightened and attuned to the other.

"It’s really you, isn’t it?” Her questions were whispers against the backdrop of their electric connection, her voice barely above the sound of her own racing heart.

‘Who the hell else would I be?’ Landon's thoughts as a wolf held the same wry sense of humor that his human self did. His gaze never wavered. ‘It is a part of me as much as my human form.’

Dakota's heart pounded in her chest, each thump like a drumbeat echoing through the quiet of the room. The scent of leather from his discarded belt and boots mixed with the wild sage and lavender that drifted through the balcony doors, a heady aroma that anchored her to the man who stood before her, baring not just his body but something far more dangerous—his vulnerability.

‘Is it the book, or is it me that has you so... torn?’ Landon’s voice inside her head was teasing yet edged with a raw need that matched the storm brewing inside her.

"Maybe a bit of both," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, betraying the maelstrom of emotions swirling within her. "But right now, you're the one making it hard to think straight."

‘Then let's not think,’ he suggested, closing the distance between them. ‘Let's feel,’ Landon finished.

The hazy cloud swirled up again, encompassing his entire body as wolf changed back to man. When the mist fell away, he was completely nude and fully aroused. She let herself be drawn back into the embrace of the bed, into the promise of pleasure that awaited within the circle of Landon's arms. And as they lay down together amidst the soft rustle of fabric, the room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the fire that would soon ignite between them.

As Landon's bare skin met the cool air of the bedroom, Dakota's breath caught in her throat. The heat from his body seemed to radiate across the room, washing over her in waves. She lay back against the pillows, her mind a whirlwind of undulating thoughts and desires. Her gaze traced the lines of his form, lingering on the contours that spoke of raw strength and untamed nature. If the tales of wolf-shifters were true, what other secrets did the day hold?

"Perhaps," she murmured more to herself than to him, "reality is far wilder than I ever imagined."

And in that statement, she acknowledged the truth of what she’d seen, of what she had wanted—to witness the transformation, to understand the duality of the man who had captivated her so completely. There was no fear within her, only an avid fascination and the burgeoning awareness that she was connected to this paranormal existence in ways she had yet to fully comprehend.

The room pulsed with unseen forces, the shadows dancing to a rhythm set by their intertwined fates. Dakota knew that once she crossed this threshold, there would be no turning back. But looking into Landon's eyes, she realized she didn't want to turn back—she wanted to leap into the abyss and discover where it would take her.

“You’re beautiful,” Landon whispered, each word laced with emotion. “You’re everything I didn’t know I wanted, Dakota.”

His confession was a balm to the scars left by past lovers who had never seen her, the real her. Landon kissed her belly, releasing the butterflies that had been pooling in her sex.

A shiver raced up her spine as he moved lower, parting her thighs with a gentleness that belied his fervent gaze.

“I’ve been dreaming about this,” he admitted, his breath hot against her skin, “about getting your taste on my tongue.”

And as he explored her, devotion and desire merging in each caress, Dakota realized this was more than a physical union. Landon’s hands were a soft whisper against her heated skin, grazing her nipples and sending waves of pleasure coursing through her.

“Landon, maybe we should—” she began, her breath hitching as his tongue flicked over sensitive flesh.

“Shh,” he soothed, his hand splaying warmly on her belly. “Just feel.”

Dakota moaned as he silenced her doubts, her hands fisting in the sheets. The tension within her coiled tighter, each pull of his lips drawing her closer to a precipice that had always seemed just out of reach.

“Landon,” she gasped, her voice breaking on his name.

“Let go, Dakota,” he murmured between kisses, his voice raw with desire.

She knew she was building up to something monumental. He reached up, pinching her nipples, amplifying the storm brewing within her. The low growl that rumbled from Landon vibrated through her entire being.

“Landon, I, I can’t…,”

“Yes, you can,” he assured, his dedication to her pleasure unwavering.

The world narrowed down to the sensation of his mouth, the mastery of his touch, and the overwhelming certainty that she was about to shatter into a million pieces. When the climax hit, it was like a supernova inside her, dazzling and all-consuming. Her back arched off the bed, every muscle tensed as wave after wave of ecstasy washed over her.

“Landon,” she cried. The feeling was a revelation that left her breathless and clinging to the remnants of earth-shattering bliss.

As the aftershocks of her orgasm subsided, Landon’s movements became a languid crawl up her body, his skin scorching against hers. Her hands found him, hard and insistent, as she wrapped her fingers around him. His breath hitched as she began to stroke, a rhythmic pull that matched the still-rapid beating of her heart.

“Landon,” she murmured, feeling the raw power of his need pressing into her palm.

“Are you sure, Dakota?” His voice was strained, the words barely a whisper against her lips. It was the vulnerability in his eyes, the silent plea for affirmation that undid any last thread of hesitation within her.

“Absolutely,” she breathed.

The corners of his mouth lifted in a half-smile filled with promise before his lips crushed against hers. The kiss was a maelstrom, devouring any remnants of restraint. There were only the two of them, the heat of their bodies entwined, demanding fulfillment.

His length pressed at her entrance. With a strong, steady push, he joined them together, and a soft gasp escaped her throat. The fullness, the intimate connection, sent ripples of pleasure coursing through her.

“Landon…” The word was a sigh, a prayer, as she wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him deeper. He began to move within her, each thrust punctuated by a shared breath, a shared heartbeat. They moved in sync as desire bloomed between them.

The world outside ceased to exist. Dakota felt as if nothing could touch her, not the shadows of her past nor the whispers of any lingering doubts. In Landon’s arms, entwined with his soul, she felt invincible.

Their rhythm quickened, a crescendo of motion and emotion that spiraled tighter with every thrust. The heat of his body seared against hers, an inferno that promised to consume them both. She clung to Landon, her fingers digging into the cords of muscle along his back, each movement driving her closer to the edge.

“Landon,” she gasped, her voice hitching as the building pleasure coiled within her. With every stroke, he hit a depth that sent stars bursting behind her closed eyelids.

“Let go, Dakota,” he urged, his breath hot against her ear, his voice a rough whisper that wove through the haze of her senses. “I’ve got you.”

Then, as if his words were the key to release a lock, another orgasm snapped open. The explosion of bliss was blinding, all-consuming. Her body shook with the force of it, waves of ecstasy rolling through her in a relentless tide. She cried out, a sound that echoed off the walls, raw and full of wonder.

“God, yes…Dakota,” Landon groaned as he pounded into her, his own release following close on the heels of hers. She felt him grind into her and then shudder, his body tensing above her in powerful spasms. As the tremors lessened, he collapsed on her, his weight a comforting pressure that anchored her to the new reality in which she found herself.

Lying beneath him, Dakota held him close, feeling the aftershocks tremble through both of them. A profound stillness enveloped the room, their mingled breath the only sound. His heartbeat pounded against her chest, a drumbeat that matched her own.

"There's more I have to tell you," Landon said as they lay together. His eyes held a storm of emotions, swirling and feral—fear, hope, desire—all etched into the intense depths of his eyes; those same eyes that seemed to see straight through her.

"Later," Dakota whispered, pressing a finger to his lips, silencing any confessions or revelations. Her heart raced, pounding out a rhythm that matched the wild beat of the land outside the rugged walls of her room. She didn't need words, not when every fiber of her being screamed for the connection that only their entwined bodies could provide.

Snuggling closer, Dakota reached up to capture Landon's mouth with her own, pulling him into a kiss that seared through the veil of uncertainty. It was fierce and urgent, tasting of raw energy and the storm that had just passed. Landon responded with equal fervor, his hands roaming over her body with a possessiveness that spoke of primal claim yet tender enough to honor the humanity they both shared.

Dakota reveled in the heat that radiated from his skin, the way his touch ignited fires along her flesh in a manner that no mere human could ever hope to stoke. Here, in the heart of Copper Canyon, in the arms of a man who was so much more, she felt the boundaries of her world expand, reshaping into something wild and magnificent.

The intensity of their connection threatened to consume her, but Dakota found that she was willing to burn, to be remade in the forge of this newfound passion. As they broke apart, panting from the ferocity of their embrace, she realized that whatever secrets Landon held, she was ready to face them. Hidden within the depths of her own soul, she sensed an answering call, a latent power waiting to be awakened by his touch.

"Tell me everything," she breathed against his lips. She seemed to know, somehow, that her journey to Copper Canyon was not just a path to self-discovery but to a destiny intertwined with the cowboy who was both man and wolf. The evening was fast approaching, and she was eager to explore the mysteries it promised with Landon as her guide.

Dakota's world narrowed to the space where their bodies met, a confluence of heat and desire that obliterated all sense of time and place. Landon, the man who was also wolf, possessed a raw virility that beckoned her own primal nature forth, a siren's call to some kind of latent wolf blood slumbering within her bloodline.

With every deliberate movement, every touch that seared into her flesh, something fierce and powerful unfurled inside Dakota. Her nails dug into his back, not in pain but in a rapture so intense it was a kind of exquisite agony. As they moved together, she could feel the stirrings of urges that were more than human—predatory and possessive instincts that matched the rhythmic dance of their bodies.

The room seemed charged with an electric current, the air thick with the musk of their union. The sun dipped below the horizon and the light of dusk spilled through the window, casting Landon's chiseled features in a silver glow that highlighted the intensity in his eyes. They mirrored the tumultuous storm raging within her, a tempest of emotions and newfound hunger.

When they finally collapsed, a tangle of limbs and labored breath, Landon cradled her against his chest. His heart drummed a steady rhythm against her ear, a soothing counterpoint to the wild pulse of her own.

"From the first time I saw you," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through her, "part of me knew. You're my fated mate."

Dakota lifted her head, searching his gaze for the truth that resonated in the timbre of his words. "Fated mate?" she echoed, the concept foreign yet strangely fitting into the puzzle of her life.

"It means that we're bound, Dakota. By destiny, by the very essence of our beings. You're meant for me, as I am for you." His fingers brushed a strand of hair from her face, a tenderness in the gesture that belied the strength of his revelation.

She lay there, absorbing the weight of his declaration in the stillness that followed their storm. It felt right, this connection, as if pieces of her soul had clicked into place. And suddenly, the cryptic message from her grandfather—the one that urged her eastward—dawned on her with startling clarity.

"Maybe this is what he was talking about," she whispered, her thoughts drifting like leaves in a gentle stream. "Not just a journey across the land, but toward something... someone... inevitable."

Landon's lips curved into a smile, the promise of more secrets shimmering in the space between them. And Dakota, emboldened by the awakening of what she believed to be her heritage and the entwining of their fates, nestled closer to the warmth of her cowboy, ready to embrace whatever came next.