38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

-Naomi-

I awoke to the sensation of hands gliding over my body, and lips teasing my neck and shoulders. Though I knew who it was, the reality of having Reese in my bed filled me with a profound sense of joy. He continued to caress and tease me, revealing his desires with every touch. I couldn’t help but moan in delight, stretching my body, before I found myself suddenly on my back, with him hovering over me. Smiling up at him, I saw his smile mirrored in return.

“Do you feel any different?” he inquired, his voice soft with curiosity.

“Are you searching for something specific?”

“I simply wondered if this night changed anything for you. Does our connection feel different?” he pressed, prompting me to delve into my feelings. What I discovered wasn’t a weakening of our bond, but rather a surge of desire unlike anything I had felt before, directed toward something that startled me. My gaze fell upon his still-bare marking spot, and a tingling sensation spread through my canines, causing them to elongate slightly. It frightened me, this sudden emergence of such potent feelings, and I instinctively covered my mouth to hide the transformation.

“I want to say go for it,” he murmured huskily, his eyes drawn to the hand concealing my mouth.

“I-I can’t,” I whispered.

“I know, but that doesn’t change the fact that I want it,” he confessed. “I even want to reciprocate.”

“Perhaps you were right,” I admitted, lowering my hand as I struggled to regain control. “Maybe this night did change something.”

“But then why won’t our wolves claim each other?”

I shared his bewilderment. It made no sense why our primal instincts refused to align.

“Perhaps...” I began tentatively, catching his attention. “Maybe we should run together.”

Excitement ignited in his eyes, his smile widening at the suggestion.

“I can’t guarantee she’ll join us,” I cautioned.

“No, I understand,” he replied.

“And it can’t be today.”

“Agreed. I have work to catch up on, and Rosa...”

We both groaned as Rosa’s name entered the conversation, yet Reese’s suggestion lingered in the air, prompting me to entertain the possibility that perhaps they weren’t meant to be together. It was a fleeting thought, tinged with wishful longing, imagining a reality where Reese belonged to me and me alone. With a soft touch, I ran my hands through his hair, drawing him closer until the heat between us ignited into a burning desire.

“I wish we could stay in bed all day,” he murmured, his lips trailing kisses down my neck, his proximity sending shivers down my spine.

“We should probably get dressed and stop indulging,” I chuckled softly, though the allure of his touch made it difficult to muster the will to move.

“Just a moment,” he whispered, slipping further beneath the sheets until he disappeared from view.

A giggle escaped my lips, anticipation mingling with excitement as his ministrations sent waves of pleasure coursing through me. His skilled tongue teased and tantalized, coaxing me to the brink of ecstasy. I longed to surrender to the pleasure completely, but the knowledge that we weren’t entirely alone tempered my cries of delight.

Suddenly, he withdrew, the blanket falling to the floor as he claimed my lips in a passionate kiss. I watched as his breathing quickened, his hand finding its way to his hardened length. Before I could fully comprehend his intentions, he released his cum onto my lower stomach, his fingers trailing through it to tease my sensitive clit. With a low scream of pleasure, I surrendered to the sensations.

After a refreshing shower together, we dressed and prepared to return to the main house. My mother once again offered us food, her presence a comforting reminder of support in this newfound journey. As we walked through the forest, our glances exchanged spoke volumes, desire simmering beneath the surface. Though tempted to reach out to him again, I knew the implications of our actions. Our bond was strengthening, whether our wolves acknowledged it or not. They would have to come to terms with each other, for I couldn’t envision a future where I let Reese slip away.

As we approached the house, he suddenly reached for me, pulling me into a deep kiss that spoke volumes without a single word. As he pulled back, his hand caressed my cheek, silently conveying his emotions.

“I’ll see you soon,” he assured me.

“Yeah,” I replied, though we hadn’t established a specific time to meet.

It seemed our agreed-upon evenings had become more of a loosely defined arrangement. Despite the lack of structure, I didn’t mind. Watching him enter the house, I chose a different path inside, preferring to avoid any prying questions about our relationship. Getting straight to work, I found fewer interruptions than usual, allowing me to focus on my tasks. However, as I dusted some shelves in a small room, the sound of approaching footsteps caught my attention. Turning, I saw Rosa standing in the doorway, her smile sending a chill down my spine.

“Naomi,” she greeted, her tone tinged with an unsettling edge.

Stand up to her! If we want to prove Reese can be ours, then we need to be able to challenge her too.

I wasn’t entirely convinced. Besides, my wolf hadn’t fully claimed Reese yet.

“Can I help you with something?” I asked, as she entered the room and closed the door behind her.

“Perhaps,” she replied cryptically.

“Oh?” I prompted.

“I’m just curious about your relationship with Reese. Do you feel... different?” she inquired, her gaze probing.

“Um...” I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to divulge intimate details to her.

“Are you feeling closer? More attracted? Or is it the same?”

“I’m not entirely sure.”

“I understand what it’s like in the beginning,” she asserted.

“Oh?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, all those intense feelings you have with Reese, I experienced them too,” she declared, positioning herself squarely in the center of the room.

“Well, you’re mates too.”

“And now he’s pulling away from me,” she lamented.

“I’m sure he—”

“What? Will come back to me?” she interjected sharply.

I shrugged, at a loss for words. “I can’t say.”

“Because let me tell you, if our bond breaks, then what’s to stop yours from breaking too? How do you know you’re not just another test for him?” she challenged.

“Have you... spoken to Reese?”

“Barely. He had work to do, but we’re planning to talk later,” she explained. “Although, I have a feeling I already know what he’ll say.”

“What do you think he’ll say?” I asked, trying to maintain a composed demeanor despite my growing excitement.

“He’ll question our connection, because we both feel it. He’ll say he’s being drawn to you,” she disclosed.

I attempted to temper my enthusiasm at her revelation, but it was clear I wasn’t fooling anyone.

“Don’t get too excited,” she cautioned. “As I’ve already pointed out, you could be just another in a long line of female wolves Reese has to go through to find the right one. Although it’s unheard of.”

Her words struck a chord, causing my heart to sink. What if our bond was indeed fragile? What if Reese was somehow incapable of forming a deep connection? Despite my efforts to conceal my concern, I knew I wasn’t doing a very convincing job.

Show some backbone! my wolf urged.

“Or what if it’s the two of you?” I asked.

“Sorry?”

“Maybe it’s just your connection. Maybe it’s not me and Reese,” I suggested.

“Are you willing to bet on that?” she retorted sharply.

“Listen, I’m not here to come between you two,” I asserted.

Rosa huffed in response.

“No, truly, I’m not. I even suggested we rejected each other. I understand this is a complicated situation, but if Reese chooses me, then that’s his decision.”

“And why would he do that?”

“We might belong together,” I insisted.

“You and him? Do you really believe that?” she scoffed. “Just look at yourself.”

She gestured toward me, and I glanced down at my plain dark attire, feeling a pang of self-consciousness. Despite my doubts, Reese had looked at me with desire this morning. Yet Rosa’s words stung, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around myself.

“You’re nothing special. You’re not someone an Alpha would look twice at,” she declared.

I swallowed the hurt, knowing deep down she was right. Rosa gave me a shrug, as if to emphasize her point.

“Don’t get your hopes up, Naomi. If he leaves me, you can never be certain he won’t do the same to you,” she warned before walking away.