Chapter 36: Hunter

My mate is divine. Her scent washes over me, and mine over her, and as the bond solidifies, I can feel her there. Her presence a glittering shadow in my mind directing me to her—a blinding beacon.

I rumble a low satisfied purr against her back, and her light giggle is enough for me to feel it all the way to my cock. Which was softening but stiffens again at the small vibrations.

I don't fucking care if I'm connected to her for the rest of the night. There's no place I'd rather be.

Pressing up on my elbow, I lean up enough to see Lottie's face as she lies at my side. Her white dress crumpled up to her breasts with small grass stains and a leaf stuck to it. She looks perfect, like a wild animal. My wild animal.

Gently brushing back her tangled windswept hair, she looks up at me and gives me a smile that I'll remember for eternity. Whenever I'm overworked, stressed, agitated or angry, sad or contrite, I'll think of this smile, and every worry I've ever possessed will disappear. Because when a woman looks at you like this, you know you'll never love another, and you'll never want for anything more than her.

I hold myself over her and lean down to steal a kiss.

"I love you, Lottie Pickle," I whisper in the quiet stillness of the meadow. "With every fiber of my being I promise I will always protect you and love you. I would gladly give my life if it would ensure yours. You may think we haven't known each other long enough to claim such a thing, but we have the rest of our lives for me to prove you wrong."

I press another soft kiss to her lips, and Lottie loops her arm around my neck, holding me close.

"I love you too, Hunter Evans. I may not know everything about your world, and it may take me time to figure things out, but I do know that. Even if it scares me, somehow I just know everything will turn out okay."

Her words soothe the last aching fear inside. Melting away the lingering doubt and filling the space with euphoria.

"Good, because I plan on making you extremely happy for the rest of eternity," I proclaim with a nuzzle against her neck.

She giggles again, stoking my ever-present desire for her.

"You keep making that sound, Mate, and we'll be here all night."

"What sound? You mean my laugh?"

Her voice is laced with a purring seduction that goes straight to my balls, pulling them tight against the base of my knot. Which was coming loose from her pussy but now swells again with fresh arousal.

"Yes, that," I grind out between clenched teeth.

Then, my tempting Nightingale masterfully seduces me all over again, sending me into another rutting frenzy. This time I roll onto my back, shifting her to straddle me backwards, watching her perfect ass bounce on my cock until we both come again. Her hands firmly planted on my chest behind her, and her back arched like a goddamn contortionist, as trickles of my cum leak around my knot and down my thighs.

It takes at least another hour to satiate our hunger for one another and to get my knot to finally slip free. It didn't help that she kept tempting and seducing me every time it got close to releasing. Eventually, even my Nightingale tires from all the orgasms, and I carry her back to the house.

When we arrive at the edge of the clearing, I set her down and redress in the discarded clothing I tossed on the ground when I took off after her. My shirt is ripped as expected, but my jeans managed to survive my manic undressing. Her white panties are still tucked securely in my pocket. I don't give them back to her.

Lottie tries to straighten her dress and hair, but there's not much she can do about the grass stains. I rather like seeing them on her. I may have her frame this dress in remembrance of tonight. Stains and all.

Others have also returned to the house in just as disheveled a state, but most have shifted so often that they look just as put together now as they did when they first arrived, like Ginger. I don't see Ryder anywhere, though. Hopefully, he's keeping that blogger away. I'm not sure I trust her, even if she could be my brother's mate.

Ginger runs up to us, holding Lottie's Polaroid camera.

"Smile," she yells before snapping a picture of us. Barely allowing time for us to prepare.

She pulls the photo from the camera and waves it around, trying to get it to develop faster, even though we both know it does nothing.

"That is going to be a good one."

Ginger hands the camera and the photo to Lottie and catches sight of the healing bite mark on Lottie's neck. It will heal, leaving only minimal scars, just enough to be visible and remind us of our bonding.

"I see everything went well," she says with a joyous grin. "Y'all must be famished after such a vigorous night. There's still plenty of food; make sure to eat," she says, eyeing both of us.

"Yes, Mom," I chide in a sarcastic tone.

Ginger doesn't even scold me for mocking her. She's too happy for us both to care.

My parents meet us at the food table, all smiles and knowing glances. They make conversation but don't mention the bite marks or Lottie's state of dress, thankfully.

Every time a small breeze blows through the yard, Lottie has to hold down her skirt since she's not wearing any underwear. When I notice goosebumps on her skin as the night goes on, I bring a blanket from the living room and wrap it around her shoulders. It's long enough to cover her past her knees.

By the end of the night, it's only Ginger, Evelyn and her mate Abe, and Lottie and I sitting around a dying fire in the fire pit on the back porch. Lottie curled in my lap, wrapped in my arms and blanket, resting her head on my shoulder. Her fingers twine in mine, fiddling mindlessly. Her body has gone lax in my lap, and I can feel her drifting off.

"Come on, Lottie, let's get you to bed."

She mumbles something incoherent, nuzzling her face into the crook of my neck. Looping my arms around her back and under her knees, I cradle her close and stand.

"I think it's time we turn in. You're welcome to stay as long as you like, but my—" I pause, deciding if I should reveal our new mated status. Here, among my sister and two close friends I trust, I feel comfortable enough that they'll respect Lottie and me. "My mate seems to be tuckered out after her first lunar eclipse celebration."

A chorus of quiet goodnights rings out, and even though I said they could stay, they all stand and gather their belongings to leave.

Carrying Lottie inside, I make my way up to our room and sit her on the bed, untangling the throw blanket from around her shoulders. It along with her white grass-stained dress end up on the floor, and I strip out of my own clothes before climbing into bed next to her.

Her warm, naked body curls against mine, and the moment we touch, I purr in contentment. I fall asleep with the scent of our mixed scents from our mating filling my nose. The feel of her soft golden hair tickling my neck and the heat of her body warming my own.

My mate .

My Nightingale.

My Lottie.