14. Sophia

Oliver takes another step closer, his presence filling the space between us with electricity.

”Fated mates? Really? And you just happen to know I”m yours?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nods, his eyes burning. “You know it, too.”

I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. The idea of being so intrinsically linked to someone, especially someone as complex and infuriating as Oliver, is both thrilling and terrifying.

Oliver reaches out, his fingers grazing my cheek. ”Sophia, I”m coming to you without a title, without power, without legacy. I”m only asking for you to let me show you the man I can be, for you.”

There”s a rawness in his voice, the vulnerability that I glimpsed before now fully on display. The mask of the temperamental Lycan lord has slipped, showing me that beneath the power and the burden of his title, he”s still a man—a man who can shift into wolf form, of course—but still a man.

”I”m not asking for blind faith or instant forgiveness,” he continues, now reaching out his thumb to trace the curve of my jaw. ”I know I”ve hurt you, and I”ll gladly spend every day making amends for that. I”m sorry I didn”t believe you. I”m sorry I didn”t tell you the truth, right from the beginning. You are mine, and I am yours. You”re all I want or need. Please believe me?”

The feeling of his hand on my skin ignites something. We”re held there in time for a moment, held in place only by his touch. I search his eyes for the truth he says he”s telling me, and damned angels of love if I don”t see it.

”Oliver, I”ll give you one chance…,” I say.

He nods, brightening just a little.

”I”ll give you one chance to prove to me that this thing you say is real, this fate, is one I want, one that maybe, I can”t refuse.”

“I can be very persuasive,” he says, suddenly grinning slyly, a naughty smile that is part human but all wolf.

I laugh in response. Oh shit. If this is true, I’m about to be really and truly fucked.

He takes my chin again and gently pulls my mouth to his. His tongue darts over my lips, a featherlight touch that connects instantly to my core. I”m frozen, my body responding to his touch even as my mind races to catch up.

Then he steps forward into my space, the heat of his body radiating over me. It”s intoxicating, the scent of him, the solid presence of his form so close to mine. His hand moves to my waist, pulling me against him. We touch at the core, and I feel myself begin to melt into him, a power that is more than physical, as though we are melding together.

His lips capture mine, gentle but insistent. I yield to him, my own lips parting, inviting him deeper. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, tasting, exploring, claiming. I”m drowning in the sensation, in the overwhelming rightness of being in his arms.

His hands roam over my back, tracing the curve of my spine, leaving trails of heat in their wake. I arch into him, my own hands fisting in his shirt, anchoring myself to him. He growls softly, a sound that vibrates through me, awakening something primal within.

We break apart, both breathing heavily. His eyes are aflame, the amber glowing with an inner fire. ”Do you feel it now?” he whispers, his forehead resting against mine. ”The bond between us?”

I nod, unable to speak. I do feel it, a tug at my very soul, a connection that goes beyond the physical. I want to burn in it. I don’t want to live without it. How can this be?

He takes my hand, placing it over his heart. I feel the steady thump beneath my palm, the rhythm seeming to sync with my own heartbeat. ”This is what it means to be fated mates,” he says softly. ”Our hearts, our souls, they recognize each other. They call each other. And our bodies, too.”

I look up at him, seeing the raw honesty in his gaze. In this moment, there are no more secrets, no more barriers between us. Just this, just us, just the truth of what we are to each other.

He leans in again, his lips brushing against my ear. ”Let me show you,” he murmurs, his breath hot against my skin. ”Let me show you how it feels to be loved by your mate.”

I shiver, my body already responding to his words, to the promise in his voice. He takes my hand, leading me towards the bedroom. I follow willingly, eagerly, ready to learn, to explore this bond between us.

He leads me, his hand warm and firm in mine, a statement that what happens next, he controls. As we cross the threshold, he turns, pulling me into his arms. His lips find mine again, more urgent this time, more demanding. I respond in kind, my own hunger rising to meet his.

His hands slide under my shirt, his fingers splaying across my back. The contact sends a jolt through me, a current of energy that seems to flow directly from his skin to mine. I gasp into the kiss, overwhelmed by the sensation.

He breaks away, his eyes searching mine. ”Do you feel that?” he whispers. ”The bond, the connection between us?”

I nod, unable to find words. It”s like nothing I”ve ever experienced before, a physical manifestation of the emotional tie between us. Every touch, every caress, seems magnified, intensified by this mystical link.

He smiles, a tender expression that makes my heart flutter. ”Let me worship you,” he murmurs. His hands skim up my sides, taking my shirt with them.

I raise my arms, allowing him to slip the garment over my head. He takes a moment to admire me, his gaze hot and appreciative as it roams over my newly bared skin. I flush under his scrutiny, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable.

But then he”s touching me again, his hands cupping my breasts, his thumbs brushing over my nipples. I arch into his touch, a soft moan escaping my lips. The sensation is electric, sparking through me like a live wire.

He lowers his head, replacing his hands with his mouth. His tongue swirls around the sensitive peak, drawing it into the wet heat of his mouth. I cry out, my hands fisted into his hair, holding him to me.

He lavishes attention on my breasts, nipping and sucking, sending waves of pleasure crashing through me. I”m lost in the feeling, in the overwhelming rightness of his touch on my body.

His hands drift lower, skimming over my stomach, dipping beneath the waistband of my jeans. I buck my hips, silently urging him on. He chuckles against my skin, the sound vibrating through me.

With deft movements, he undoes my jeans, sliding them down my legs. I step out of them, kicking them aside. Then with one claw, he tears away my panties. Now I”m standing before him in nothing, my chest heaving, my skin flushed with desire.

He stands back for a moment, his gaze raking over me. ”You”re so beautiful,” he murmurs, his voice rough with emotion. ”I can”t believe you”re going to be all mine.”

His possessive tone thrills me. I reach for him, my hands tugging at his shirt. ”Show me,” I whisper. Show me what it means to be yours.”

He grins, a predatory expression that makes my knees weak. In a flash, he”s stripped off his own clothes, standing before me in all his glory. I drink in the sight of him, the hard planes of his chest, the ripple of muscle in his arms and stomach, his beautiful cock, full and thick and long, ready to enter me.

He steps forward, gathering me into his arms. Our bare skin meets, the contact sending a shockwave through me. I gasp, clinging to him as the mystical energy surges between us.

He lowers us to the bed, his body covering mine. Every inch of me is alive with sensation, every nerve ending firing with pleasure. He settles between my thighs, the hard, long length of him pressing against my core.

”I swear to love you,” he whispers, his eyes locked on mine. ”I swear to love you with every part of me, with everything I am.” He slides a finger to my core, testing my readiness. “Gods, you are wet. Wet for me, only?”

Tears prick at my eyes, the depth of emotion in his words overwhelming me. ”Only for you. I love you too,” I manage, my voice choked with feeling.

And then he thrusts into me, his body joining with mine in the most intimate of ways. I cry out at the sudden sensation, my back arching off the bed as he fills me. It”s more than physical, more than just the joining of our bodies. It”s a merging of our souls, a binding of our hearts. I want to rush ahead, to experience this ecstasy but he stops and pulls back, withdrawing from my body, leaving me aching.

“Did I do something wrong?” I ask, rising up to pull him back to me, feeling so empty without him inside me.

”No. It’s me. It”s too soon,” he whispers. ”You must know me to accept me.”

With a howl, he begins to shift. I watch in awe as Oliver transforms before my eyes, knowing this is the most intimate of acts for any shifter—showing me who he really is.

It starts with a shimmering in the air around him, like heat rising from a sun-baked road. Then his form begins to blur, to shift and reshape itself. Fur rises from his skin, a sleek black pelt that ripples over the muscles of his arms and back. His face elongates a little, his features becoming sharper, more angular but still human. His eyes, always so intense, now glow with an inner fire, the amber transformed into flickering flames.

But even as he changes, even as he takes on this new, wild form, I can still see the man beneath. The broad planes of his chest, the strong line of his jaw, the curve of his lips--they remain, integrated into this new shape. He”s breathtaking, a perfect blend of man and beast. Power emanates from him, a raw energy that makes my heart race. My eyes scan down his torso, to the dark forest of fur at his groin and to his cock, fully erect and bigger than ever.

He steps towards me, his movements fluid and graceful, belying the strength I know lies beneath. His eyes are fixed on me, burning with a possessive intensity that sends shivers down my spine.

”Sophia,” he growls, his voice deeper, rougher, but still undeniably his. ”Do you see now? Do you understand what it means to be mine? Do you see what I hide from the human world?”

I nod, unable to speak, unable to look away from the magnificent creature before me. He reaches out, his hand—still a hand, despite the claws that now tip his fingers--cupping my cheek. I press a kiss into his palm. His touch is electric, sending sparks racing through my veins. I lean into it, my eyes fluttering closed as I savor the sensation.

”You are my mate,” he rumbles, his breath hot against my skin. ”My partner, my equal. Together, we are stronger than anything that dares stand against us.”

I open my eyes, meeting his gaze. In those fiery depths, I see love, I see devotion, I see a fierce protectiveness that takes my breath away.

”I am yours,” I whisper, the words a vow, a promise. ”As you are mine.”

A smile curves his lips, revealing the glint of sharp teeth. But there”s no fear in me, only anticipation.

He leans in, his nose skimming along my jaw, inhaling deeply. A low, appreciative rumble emanates from his chest.

”Mine,” he echoes, the word vibrating through me. “Your scent. Gods alive, it is intoxicating me.”

Then his lips are on mine again, harder this time, claiming, possessing. The kiss is searing, igniting a fire within me that threatens to consume me entirely. I cling to him, my hands fisting in the thick fur at his neck, anchoring myself to him.

He nips at my bottom lip, the sharp sting followed by the soothing sweep of his tongue. I open my mouth for him, welcoming him, the taste of his kiss flooding my senses.

His hands roam over my body, leaving light scratches on my skin. Each touch is magnified, intensified by the bond between us, by the magical energy that now surrounds us.

I”m lost in him, in the feel of him, in the overwhelming rightness of being in his arms.

“This is for you,” he whispers and begins to trail kisses down my body, his lips stopping at every curve, every hollow. When he reaches the apex of my thighs, he pauses, his breath hot against my sensitive skin.

I look down at him, my breath catching in my throat as I see the amber flare in his eyes, hunger evident in his gaze. He parts his lips, revealing the sharp points of his canines. A thrill runs through me, a mix of fear and desire at the sight of his predatory teeth so close to my core but at the same time, I feel a surge of wetness. I could cum just looking at him, seeing his wolf alive in him, waiting to devour me.

But then he”s lowering his head, his tongue darting out to taste me. I gasp, my hips bucking involuntarily at the contact. He growls in approval, the vibration sending shockwaves through my core.

His hands grip my thighs, his claws pricking my skin as he spreads me wider, opening me fully to his attentions. I feel exposed, displayed for his pleasure, but it only heightens my arousal. He puts my legs over his shoulders and bends down to my clit as though it”s the only thing he”s ever wanted in his life.

He explores me with his tongue, tracing every fold, every hidden place. It”s like he”s learning me, memorizing my taste, my scent, the way I respond to his touch. He finds that sensitive bundle of nerves at my center and I nearly fly off the bed, arching with pleasure that ricochets from my head to my toes.

He chuckles darkly, the sound muffled against my flesh. He focuses his efforts there, lapping at my clit with his tongue, sucking gently, nipping once or twice, until I”m writhing beneath him. The pleasure builds, cresting like a wave until I”m crying out, my body shaking, wanting release.

But he doesn”t stop. He continues his sweet torment, pushing me higher, drawing out the bliss until I”m teetering on the edge again. I”m lost in a haze of sensation, my world narrowed down to his mouth on me and the pulsing ecstasy that seems to have no end.

I”m vaguely aware that I”m begging, pleading with him to take me, to claim me fully. The need to join with him to complete our bond is overwhelming, eclipsing everything else. I never thought I”d be prostrating myself at the feet of this inscrutable, demanding man, but he”s all I want. I will do anything to become his, and I feel he will do anything to take me.

As if he senses my desperation, he suddenly pulls away. Before I can protest the loss of his touch, he”s flipping me over onto my stomach and pulling me to my hands and knees. I feel him behind me, the hard length of him nudging at my entrance. He”s teasing me, running a finger up my slit, back and forth.

”Please,” I whimper, pushing my hips back, seeking that delicious friction. ”Please, Oliver...”

”We can never go back after this, Sophia. We will be bonded physically and psychically. We will not be able to lie to each other. We will know each other”s inmost secrets. Forever.”

He leans over me, his chest pressing against my back. I feel the brush of his canines against my shoulder and I shudder, the gesture igniting something deep within me, the animal that hides beneath my humanity.

”It will hurt for a moment,” he says. ”But I can”t stop, not now. If I can’t have you, if you don’t consent, I may be driven mad from desire. I’m warning you. Do you understand?”

”Take what you need,” I gasp. ”I want only you.”

”Mine,” he growls, the word vibrating through me. ”You”re mine, Sophia.”

And then he”s pushing forward, his huge cock entering me in one swift thrust. I cry out, my core stretching to accommodate him. He fills me completely, the fit so perfect it feels like something beyond the physical, as though we are remaking ourselves in this moment to fit together forever.

He sets a rhythm, deep but not too fast, each stroke hitting that sweet spot within me. I”m lost to the pleasure, to the feeling of him moving inside me, claiming me, a buzz of electricity inside my body that connects to my soul.

Oliver murmurs over and over against my neck, “Mine.” He leans down scraping his teeth over my skin, gently at first. Then he continues more firmly, the sharp points of his canines nipping at my shoulder, teasing, testing. My heart pounds in anticipation, a heady mix of fear and desire coursing through my veins. This is it, the moment of no return. Once he marks me, I”ll be his forever, bound by a tie stronger than any human vow.

”Now, Oliver,” I whimper, arching my neck in invitation. ”Make me yours.”

He howls, a low urgent cry that vibrates through me. I feel his teeth pressing harder, the pressure building until suddenly, he bites down. I gasp as his fangs pierce my skin, grabbing onto the muscle as though he would tear it away. I should be screaming in terror, but there is only a brief flash of pain, quickly overwhelmed by a surge of pleasure so intense it borders on euphoria.

It”s like nothing I”ve ever felt before. A connection snaps into place, a bond that goes beyond the physical. I can feel him, not just his body joined with mine, but his very essence. His thoughts, his emotions, flow into me, intertwining with my own until I can”t tell where I end, and he begins.

He”s still moving his cock inside me, his thrusts deep and purposeful. Each stroke sends a fresh wave of ecstasy crashing over me, the pleasure amplified by the psychic link between us. I”m drowning in sensation, in the overwhelming rightness of being claimed by my mate.

I can feel his pleasure too, feel his monstrous satisfaction in marking me, in making me his. It”s a heady rush, knowing that I affect him just as deeply as he affects me. We”re locked in a feedback loop of sensation, each driving the other higher.

His teeth are still lodged in my shoulder, his mouth hot against my skin. His hands pin mine to the bed, his knees holding me open to his thrusts. The pain in my shoulder has faded, replaced by a dull, throbbing ache that only adds to the intensity of the moment. I”ll wear his mark proudly, the scar a visible sign of the bond we share.

He releases his bite, laving his tongue over the wound. The action is soothing and erotic all at once. He soothes the hurt with soft kisses, worshipping the site of our joining.

”Mine,” he rasps, his voice rough with emotion. ”Now and forever, you”re mine.”

”Yours,” I echo, the word a solemn vow. ”I”m yours, Oliver. Always.”

But we’re not finished. His wet cock pulses inside me, filling me, pushing me to the brink again. He thrusts with a grunt and I moan, coming apart beneath him again. My howl of pleasure is tuned to his now. This time, the force of it echoes in the room, the sound bouncing off the walls.

I feel his wolfish, primal possessiveness throughout our entwined bodies, starting from deep within him, igniting every nerve ending, every cell.

”More,” I plead between gasps, my hands tangling in the sheets. I can”t get enough of this sensation, this merging of souls.

His hands grip my hips, lifting me off the bed ever so slightly before slamming me back down, filling me completely. I cry out for him, my body arching into his touch. The sensation is too much, too good.

”Sophia,” he says my name like a prayer. “All I lived for before you was nothing.”

He increases the pace, pumping into my tight channel, hitting that spot inside me again and again. I melt into the sheets, into the world, into the depths of my own being where I find him in me and me in him.

”Do you feel it, Sophia?” he whispers, his lips grazing my ear. ”The bond between us, the way our souls are intertwining?”

I nod, unable to form words. It”s like nothing I”ve ever experienced before, a connection that goes beyond the physical. I can feel him, not just his body, but his essence, his very being.

”I”m opening myself to you,” he continues, his voice low and intimate. ”Letting you see all of me, all that I am. My hopes, my fears, my deepest desires. And I am inside your soul. You and I are never to be apart.”

As he speaks, I feel it happening. It”s like a door opening in my mind, allowing me access to parts of him I”ve never seen before. I gasp at the intensity of it, at the raw vulnerability he”s showing me.

”Oliver,” I manage, my voice trembling. ”It”s... it”s incredible.”

He smiles against my skin, his hips still moving in that perfect rhythm. ”This is what it means to be mates, to be bonded. There are no secrets, no barriers. It”s just us, just this.”

I feel tears prick at my eyes, overwhelmed by the depth of emotion, the profundity of this moment. ”I want it,” I whisper. ”I want all of it, all of you.”

He groans, his grip on me tightening, claws sinking so deliciously into my hips as he holds me in place for his climax. ”Say it, Sophia. Say you”re mine, that you accept our bond.”

I don”t hesitate. ”I”m yours, Oliver. Completely and utterly yours. I accept our bond, with all my heart and soul.”

The words seem to trigger something, the energy between us surging, the link strengthening. I cry out as it washes over me, the pleasure intensifying until it”s almost too much to bear.

”That”s it, my love,” he encourages, his own voice strained with the effort of holding back. ”Let go, let the bond take you.”

I do, surrendering myself to the sensations, to the overwhelming love and acceptance flowing between us. It builds and builds, cresting like a wave until I”m shattering, my body and soul splintering into a million pieces only to be reformed, reforged in the heat of our union.

He follows me over the edge and we cling to each other, riding out the aftershocks, basking in the glow of our newly sealed bond.

Finally, he rolls to the side, gathering me into his arms. I rest my head on his chest, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat. It”s a soothing sound, a reminder that this is real, that we”re here, together.

”I love you,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my hair. ”More than I ever thought possible.”

I tilt my head up to look at him, seeing my own feelings reflected in his eyes. We lay there, wrapped in each other, in the warmth of our love and the strength of our bond. I wish that we could stay here like this forever.

But tomorrow night is the Gala, and I’m newly afraid that everything I’ve discovered and everything Oliver has at risk will collide, with disastrous results.