17. Mike

SEVENTEEN

It wasn't long before the hospital cleared Beatriz to go home, but Mike couldn't make his peace with leaving her home unsupervised. What if something happened to her?

"I think you should come back to my place for now. You're still recovering," he insisted. "I don't mind staying at your cabin with you, but my place is bigger. And it's right on the lake. You can think of it like a mini-vacation while you recuperate."

Luckily, Beatriz didn't argue. She seemed content with the suggestion, so he ran back to her cabin while the doctors finished up her discharge paperwork and packed a bag of essentials.

A few hours later, they were pulling up to his home. As they walked in the door, him holding her duffle bag in one hand while helping steady her with the other, he opened his mouth to offer her a tour of the residence.

Beatriz, however, seemed to have other ideas.

"I want you to mark me as your mate."

Beatriz's request took him by surprise, but it would be impossible for Mike to refuse her anything. The thought of marking her, of making her his truly and completely, was almost too much for him to comprehend. She had been injured, and he worried that making love to her would hurt her further.

"Please, Mike?" she begged with wide eyes. "I need you to do this for me. I want to be yours."

Slowly, he stripped away her clothing, each piece removed with the utmost care, his wolf raging to grab her. All the while his gaze was locked on her. The margins of reason and desire blurred into an indecipherable haze, and all that remained was an overwhelming love for Beatriz.

As if under a spell, he traced his fingertips gently down her bare skin, drinking in every curve and dip of her body. Her scent washed over him, a heady mix of warmth and longing that made him dizzy with need. The touch of her skin beneath his fingers elicited gasps from them both … soft whispers into the silence of the room that echoed their shared yearning.

"We have to be careful," Mike said huskily, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face. Even as he said it, his hands continued their exploration.

"Okay," she replied softly, her voice quivering with anticipation and trust. She looked up at him through lashes wet with unshed tears. "Just … just make me yours."

His heart pounded erratically against his rib cage as he lowered his lips to hers, promising himself not to cause her any harm. Even the slightest hint of discomfort would be too much for him to bear.

Their lips met in a tender kiss that spoke volumes about their connection. Intertwining their fingers together, Mike took Beatriz into his arms, holding her close as they succumbed to their passion.

Before he gave her the mating bite, he wanted to lavish her, to make her orgasm before he took her. He lowered himself down the length of her body, taking in the sight of her, beautiful and vulnerable beneath him.

His tongue traced a slow path from her navel to the inside of her thigh, savoring the taste of her skin and causing Beatriz to gasp in surprise. His wolf growled as he smelled her scent, his need growing. She trembled, but when Mike looked up into her eyes, he saw only desire and trust. Encouraged by her response, he continued his ministrations, each stroke of his tongue followed by a soft kiss.

Her quiet sighs turned into muffled cries as he found the sensitive spot between her thighs. He was gentle at first, but as her hips arched off the bed, he applied more pressure. The room filled with the sounds of their heavy breathing and the soft whimpers escaping from Beatriz"s lips.

His heart pounded in his chest as he felt Beatriz stiffen beneath him. Mike looked up to see her biting down on her lower lip, trying to suppress a moan. No amount of control could stop him from smiling at the sight of her abandon.

Feeling the tremors running through Beatriz"s body urged Mike on. His fingers slipped inside her at the same time that his mouth found her again. Her back arched off the bed, and she cried out his name, looking lost in the onslaught of pleasure he was bestowing on her.

It didn"t take long for Beatriz to climax under Mike"s touch. Her body shuddered and tensed before finally relaxing into the sheets beneath them. But he didn't give her time to recover before he moved over her again, capturing her lips in a deep kiss while his hands roamed over every inch of her body.

"Mike …" Beatriz whispered into his ear, her voice laced with satisfaction and yearning. Though she already had one wave of pleasure, it was clear that she wanted more.

His eyes locked onto hers as he moved carefully above her. His concern for her safety was ever-present in his mind. "Beatriz," he murmured softly. "If I hurt you …"

"Shh … you won"t," she reassured him, arching up to meet him halfway.

Slowly, cautiously, he entered her. The gasp that escaped Beatriz"s lips was a mix of surprise and pleasure. Mike stilled himself for a moment, giving her time to adjust to his presence before he slowly started moving again.

Their pace was slow at first as they took the time to explore each other. He paid attention to every gasp and sigh that escaped from Beatriz"s lips to every movement of her body against his. It was a dance that only two could participate in, a dance as old as time itself.

Their movements quickened as their passion grew. The world outside ceased to exist for Mike. All that mattered were their shared gasps and moans, the feeling of their skin against each other"s, and the unspoken vows being made in the silence.

The scents of their skin mingled together, musky and intoxicating. The room was filled with the smell of their desire, a heady aroma that intensified as their passion grew. Their bodies moved with a frenzied urgency, their limbs entwined and skin flushed with heat.

Mike captured her nipple between his teeth, gently tugging and causing a series of gasps to tumble from Beatriz"s lips. He continued his assault, alternating between each sensitive peak with a ravenous appetite.

And then Mike shifted his weight above her. He paused for a moment, looking down at Beatriz. As they moved together, Mike realized that Beatriz was fine. Her injuries had healed, and that gave him a sense of relief so profound he nearly fainted. He increased his tempo, his hips thrusting into her harder and harder until their bodies danced to a rhythm that was all their own.

Every gasp, every sigh, every cry from Beatriz drove him further into the depths of desire. Beatriz met his every thrust with one of her own, her nails digging into his back, her legs clamping around his waist. Her heels urged him forward in a primal dance of love and possession.

Their bodies were slick with sweat, the friction between them becoming more intense with each passing moment. Mike's hands were everywhere as he sought to map out every inch of her body.

"Beatriz," Mike murmured against her skin, his voice strained with the effort of control. His wolf was begging him to let go. "I … I …"

"Mike … I"m …" she whimpered, arching her back off the bed as she neared her orgasm.

Just as she reached her peak, he sunk his teeth into her shoulder, marking her and claiming her. She cried out from the pain and the intensity of the orgasm.

It was the most profound moment of his life. As he marked her as his mate, Mike felt his control slipping away. He had been careful not to hurt her, but now the intensity of his orgasm was imminent and unavoidable. The sight of Beatriz writhing beneath him, whispering his name like a sacred chant, was enough to send him spiraling into ecstasy.

With one final thrust, he groaned out her name before collapsing beside her, holding her trembling body close to his. His heart pounded in his chest as he tried to regain control over his breathing. He could feel Beatriz"s heartbeat matching his own erratic rhythm, two lovers finally spent after the tumultuous journey they had embarked on.

But this was only the beginning, a taste of their eternity together. They lay there, bodies intertwined, hearts pounding in sync with one another.

Mike tenderly caressed the mark he had made. His fingers traced over the delicate bite wound, wanting to soothe her with his touch but also admiring the unique bond it symbolized.

"I"m … I"m okay," she whispered, tracing her fingers down his arm to his hand, intertwining their fingers together once more.

"Does it hurt?"

"A mild sting," Beatriz admitted. "But it"s worth it. It"s a mark of love that will bind us together forever."

He looked into her eyes, feeling himself glowing with an intensity that was as beautiful as it was terrifying. It was his love for her manifesting physically. He kissed her forehead lightly before whispering into her ear. "I love you, Beatriz."

His confession lingered in the air between them. A three-word sentence that held more power than anything else in their world. Beatriz looked at him, a soft smile spreading across her lips before she answered just as sincerely. "I love you too."

With those words echoing in his mind, they fell asleep in each other"s arms. Even as he slept, his dreams were filled with promises of shared tomorrows and endless love.