Chapter 17 - Killian

Fighting against Rocky’s determination to rip the throats out of Leah’s parents was one of the hardest things I had ever done. If it hadn’t been for Leah’s soothing presence and assurance that she wasn’t going to leave when her parents demanded it, I was positive that tonight would have ended with their deaths.

It still could, my wolf growled. They aren’t too far away. I could catch them.

No, Rocky, I commanded. They’re Leah’s parents, and she asked us to let them go.

I sensed him huff, but he accepted my order.

I walked to the front door and shut it calmly, hoping that the bad vibes that had come with the Smiths had left when they did.

“Leah, are you alright?” I asked.

“I will be,” she responded. “Are you?”

I shook my head. Adrenaline was still coursing through my veins, and I felt like I might pass out from the effort of controlling my baser instincts.

“I’m going to message the other alphas,” Leah said.

She grabbed my phone and sent a quick text to Jasper and Nile while I paced the living room. I wasn’t sure what she typed, but whatever it was had the desired effect. Within minutes, they both arrived.

“Tell us what happened,” Nile said calmly, entering the house without knocking.

They waited for me to begin, but when I was unable to answer, they turned to Leah. She gave them an explanation of what had happened with her parents while they listened intently.

“It’s a good thing that they left before things got too physical,” Jasper said. He turned to me. “To be honest, you showed much more restraint than I would have if I were in your shoes. But that doesn’t mean this is over.”

“There will surely be consequences from Sparkle Hollow,” Nile added. “No pack takes a threat against their pack mates lightly, no matter how wrong the actions may have been.”

“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault,” Leah said quietly.

“No.”

All three of us alphas had spoken in sync. I gave them a look of gratitude that they were sticking up for my mate after everything that had just happened. The risk to their own alliances was tenuous because of us, but they were still standing by our sides.

“No matter what the response is from Alpha Lex and Sparkle Hollow, we will be behind you,” Nile said to Leah.

“You two should get some sleep,” Jasper said. “Let us know if you get any calls or messages. We’ll be on standby.”

“Thank you,” I said.

They left. I was glad that Leah had called them, but now that we were alone, I was ready to get some answers from her.

“Leah, we need to talk,” I said.

“You’re right,” she sighed.

I patted the spot next to me on the couch, inviting her to sit, and angled my shoulders toward her. As she sat next to me, I saw how guarded her stance was. Her shoulders were hunched as she stared at the floor, hands between her knees.

“Help me understand,” I began. “What happened between you and your parents?”

She took a shaky breath and closed her eyes.

“My parents are the reason I was an outcast in Sparkle Hollow. I was never allowed to have friends. If anyone showed me kindness, they were quick to put a stop to it. From the time I was a small child, I was forced to rely only on them for love, affection, and friendship.

“By the time I was four, the verbal abuse began. Physical abuse followed soon after. Any form of disobedience—any mistake—was met with a harsh punishment. They made me believe that they were doing it for my own good, and because I had no one else to turn to, I accepted that. I believed that I deserved to be punished—that it was the only way to become the daughter they wanted me to be. If I could do that, then maybe someday they would love me.”

Her voice began to break as she poured her heart out to me, and I could tell that she had never spoken about any of this before. I reached out and squeezed her hand gently, letting her know that I was listening.

“My best friend, Sienna, was the only person who ever put up with my parents long enough to become my friend. They were scared of her, and of her coven, and that was why they couldn’t force her to leave,” Leah continued.

“Did she know what your parents were doing to you?” I asked quietly.

Leah shook her head. “It wasn’t until I met you that I realized my life could be different. I fell in love with you so quickly that it felt like a fairytale,” she said with a sad smile. “You told me I could leave Sparkle Hollow with you someday, and the thought of being with you and being free from my parents gave me the strength to continue living under their thumb.”

My heart sank as I realized where her story was heading.

“And then you left,” she said with a quiet sob. “I felt so alone and so defeated that I wondered if life was even worth living anymore. Sienna helped me realize that I still had things to live for, but it was a long road. While I was recovering from my heartbreak, my parents were even crueler than usual.”

She shuddered at the memory, and I lowered my hand from hers. I had never imagined that my departure could have caused such pain to someone as perfect as Leah. Guilt riddled me as feelings of worthlessness filled my heart. No wonder she had been so opposed to our marriage. I had destroyed her happiness without any explanation and left her to the cruelties of her parents.

“I’m so sorry,” I mumbled. “Those words don’t even come close to expressing the remorse I feel for the pain I put you through. I never should have left. I don’t deserve you and wouldn’t blame you if you hate me for the rest of your life.”

I didn’t expect a response from her, but she surprised me by turning toward me and lifting my chin to meet her gaze.

“I don’t hate you,” she said, shaking her head as if it was out of the question. “These past few weeks with you have been some of the best of my life, and today, you showed me more support than I ever dreamed of. You were willing to fight for me.”

“I will always fight for you,” I whispered.

The look in her eyes transformed as she processed my words, and I sensed that everything between us had just changed. With her hand still resting on my cheek, she moved toward me, softly placing her lips against mine.

I inhaled her sweet scent, feeling the soft pillows of her lips moving against mine as our kiss deepened.

Before I could process what she was doing, I felt her rise up on her knees and push me backwards onto the couch. She straddled my waist, still kissing me as I wrapped my arms around her. Her hands trailed down my torso and under my shirt. She lifted it over my head, tossing it on the floor beside us.

“Leah, wait,” I said breathlessly as I took in what she was trying to do.

“Shh,” she said, placing a finger against my lips.

She kissed my neck, my collarbone, and my chest. When she reached my abdomen, my breathing became erratic. My self-control was waning as her hands and lips explored my body freely, and my erection became more pronounced.

“Are you sure?” I whispered.

She undid my belt buckle as she stared at me with dark eyes like pools of chocolate. That was the only signal I needed to allow my desire for her to show.

I reached around the nape of her neck, grasping the zipper to her dress. Slowly, I pulled it down toward her waist, trailing my fingers along her exposed skin as I did. Her back arched as I teased her.

Once the zipper was undone, I pulled her dress down, revealing her full breasts. Her nipples were hard and erect. The pink circles stood out prominently against her pale white skin, and I drew her toward me and placed one in my mouth. Leah emitted a low moan as I kissed her, gently tugging as I licked.

“Killian,” she moaned.

The sound of my name on her lips drove me insane, and I dug my fingers into her back, desperate to get closer to my mate. Her hips began grinding back and forth against mine.

“There are too many clothes between us,” I said.

Leah slid off my lap and shimmied out of her dress, revealing a pair of lacy blue panties that hugged her hips. The sight of her standing in front of me, almost completely naked, made removing my jeans difficult, but I somehow managed it.

Without any further preamble, I picked her up, wrapping her legs around my waist and kissing her passionately as I carried her down the hallway to our room. Her long brown hair tickled my neck as my walking caused it to sway back and forth, brushing against my arm. The feeling of her body against mine caused shocks of excitement to pass through me, electrifying each touch.

When we reached our bedroom, I kicked the door shut. It felt like she and I were the only two people in the entire world.

I laid her on the bed gently, drawing my hands across her skin in worshipful admiration of her beauty. Knowing that this was going to be her first time, I was determined to go slow and make each moment count.

She closed her eyes as I touched her, a slight smile playing on her lips as she enjoyed my caresses. I grinned at her expression, happy to bring her pleasure in any way I could.

When her eyes reopened, I stared into them as I gently removed her underwear, then my own. It wasn’t the first time she had seen my penis, but her eyes widened as she took in my full form standing completely naked in front of her.

“You’re beautiful,” she breathed.

It was a term I had never applied to myself, and hearing it took me aback. Her voice was full of rapture, and I realized just how possible it might be for her to fall in love with me again.

“ You are beautiful,” I repeated.

She smiled as she scooted up on the bed so I could lie with her. I parted her legs with my hand, positioning my pelvis between them. I heard her breath hitch as the tip of my cock touched her opening, but I refrained from taking her harshly or suddenly.

Instead, I began rubbing her labia gently, feeling the soft flesh of her mound as it warmed to my touch. Her chest rose and fell with each motion until I moved my fingers inward, playing with her until I could feel her wetness begin to pool.

“This might hurt a little bit at first,” I warned her. “Just tell me if you want me to stop.”

Leah nodded as I moved into her with my penis firmly but carefully, moaning in pleasure at the sensation. She winced slightly at the insertion, but her expression shifted quickly. Her hands moved from my chest to my neck, encouraging me to continue.

With steady movements, I began to thrust my hips, moving in and out as I felt the pressure of my release rising. Each moment felt better than the last as her hips began to move in sync with mine. I lowered my lips to her neck, kissing her gently as I concentrated on her pleasure. Our tempo rose in a gradual buildup until I felt Leah’s thighs grip me tighter.

“I want you to cum for me, baby,” I whispered into her ear.

As my final word reached her ear, I felt her body shudder, and she moaned in pleasure. Knowing that I had brought her to completion, I allowed myself to fully focus on the feeling of her body and the sensation of finally being one with her. I looked into her eyes as I gave a gasp and spilled into her with a shudder of my own.

Concerned that I would crush her if I let my weight down, I rolled onto my back next to her and gathered her into my arms. Our sweat mingled together as she rested her head on my shoulder.

“Being with you is the best thing I’ve ever felt,” I told her.

Leah gave a sigh of contentment as our breathing slowed.