Chapter 19 - Evan

We shouldn't be doing this. Not out in the open where anyone could walk up and find us, but the longer I kiss her, the more I'm having a hard time caring about what we should and shouldn't be doing. The only thing I care about is how good it feels to have her lips against mine and her body pressed against me.

The little whimper that escapes her throat only spurs me on. My fingers dig into her hip, and the hand in her hair tightens. I don't want to let her go, not even for a second. It's like she's a drug, and I'm high off the rush.

She breaks the kiss and rests her forehead against mine, her breathing heavy. Her cheeks are flushed and her eyes are closed. "What are we doing?"

"I don't know." I shake my head. "But we should probably take it inside before we get caught."

She opens her eyes and looks at me, the question dancing behind her irises. I'm not sure if this is the moment she changes her mind. If she does, I'll respect it, but I'm not ready to walk away from her yet. The seconds tick by, and finally, she gives a small nod. That's all I need to take her hand and lead her inside the house.

"Come on. This way."

We enter through the side door, the one that opens up into the kitchen, and Shawna flashes me a sly smirk. She doesn't say a word, though, and Mia and I sneak past the crowd and head down the hall to a room I know is used for guests. Shawna will have the party going all night, so it's doubtful we'll be disturbed.

Once we're inside, Mia leans back against the wall and tucks her hair behind her ear, a nervous energy bouncing around her. She doesn't speak, and neither do I. What is there to say, really? We're here because we can't keep our hands off each other, and we both know it.

I step forward and lift her chin, tilting her face toward mine. I dip down and capture her mouth with mine, kissing her with everything I have. There's nothing tentative or hesitant about it. Our tongues duel and fight, and I slide my hands into her hair and pull her against me. She wraps her arms around my neck, and I move my hands down to her waist and lift her, urging her to wrap her legs around me, but she doesn't.

Instead, she snakes her hands between us and shoves me back onto the bed. I blink a few times, surprised at her sudden show of dominance. I wait for her climb on top, but she doesn't do that, either. She's just standing there, watching me with dilated pupils, panting.

When her shaky fingers reach for the hem of her cover-up dress, she slowly, inch by inch, lifts it up and then lets it drop. Her swimsuit is red and covers just enough of her breasts to be decent. It has a pair of cut-out sides, giving me a peek at the smooth skin of her hips. The bottoms are the same red color and cut in a cheeky style, exposing a lot of her ass.

"Fuck," I breathe, staring up at her. She's so goddamn beautiful, and she doesn't even realize it.

She reaches behind her neck and unties the strings of her top, and then she slowly pulls it down, exposing her bare tits to me. They're full and firm with a fresh tan line, and the dusty pink nipples are stiff, begging for my mouth. She tosses the top to the floor, and the air whooshes from my lungs. I reach down and palm my aching dick, giving it a squeeze, and she smiles.

"Like what you see?" she asks. Her voice is a low, seductive purr, and it shoots straight to my cock.

"You know I do."

She moves her hands down and hooks her thumbs under the straps of her bottoms. She drags them down her legs and steps out, and holy fuck, she's completely bare. All that creamy skin, just for me. She stands tall, her posture straight, her chin held high. Confident and proud. She's never looked more beautiful.

She saunters toward me and reaches for my shirt, pulling it over my head, and then pushes my shoulders, forcing me back onto the bed. I sit down, and she climbs onto my lap with her hands on my chest and kisses me. Her warm, soft curves press against my body, and my hands wander over her hips and thighs. She rocks against me, grinding her hips down, and the friction makes me hiss.

I'm already so hard, it's painful, but she's in no rush, so neither am I. She breaks the kiss and leans back, and the look she gives me is pure sin. Her green eyes are dark, and her pupils are blown wide. I reach up and cup her face, and then she dips down and kisses me again, harder and hungrier than before. She rolls her hips and rubs herself against me, and my cock strains, begging for attention.

Mia seems to sense my growing desperation, and she breaks the kiss, moving her mouth over my jaw and then my neck. I lean back and give her better access, and she continues to explore my body. She scrapes her nails down my chest, and when her hands move to the waistband of my bathing suit, I'm ready to burst. I lift my hips, and she undoes the button and zipper, freeing my throbbing erection.

Her breath hitches as she takes in the sight, and then she lifts her gaze and meets mine. "I want to taste you."

"Fuck," I groan, my eyelids drifting shut. The idea of her mouth wrapped around my dick is almost enough to send me over the edge, but I hold it together.

She moves down my body, her hair tickling my thighs. The bed dips and shifts, and then her warm, wet mouth is on my cock, and I moan. She takes me all the way in and then pulls back, swirling her tongue around the tip. One hand strokes the base, and the other moves up and down my thigh. I thread my fingers through her hair and guide her, showing her how I like it. She moans, sending a vibration down my shaft, and I suck in a breath.

She slides her mouth up and down my cock, and every time she moans, my balls draw up. When she releases me with a pop and starts lapping at my sac, it's almost too much. I tug her hair, urging her up, and she comes willingly. She climbs onto me, and the head of my dick slides between her slick folds. I grip her hips and press against her, teasing her.

She throws her head back and rocks her hips, and I move a hand between her legs and rub her clit. Her hips jerk, and her nails dig into my shoulders. Her pussy is soaked and primed for me. The idea of being inside her, of filling her with my cum, has my dick throbbing.

She reaches down and positions me at her entrance. Then, without warning, she sinks down. A deep, guttural growl tears from my throat, and her eyes flutter shut. Her mouth falls open, and her brows pinch together.

I grip her hips, my fingers digging into her flesh, urging her to move. She rolls her hips and rides me, her breasts bouncing as she goes. I can't take my eyes off her. She's fucking breathtaking. She's so wet, I can feel her arousal dripping down my balls. She's making these sexy little moans and whimpers, and it's driving me wild.

I release her hips and grip her face, crushing her mouth to mine. I move a hand to her ass, encouraging her to move faster. She picks up the pace, and her walls clench around me, squeezing my cock. The pressure in my spine intensifies, and the muscles in my lower abdomen tighten.

"Fuck, Mia."

"Evan, I'm going to come," she pants, and I reach between us and rub her clit, pushing her over the edge. Her eyes fall shut and her lips part as she cries out.

The sight of her, so blissed out, is all I need. My cock pulses, and I empty inside her.

She collapses on top of me, and I wrap my arms around her and hold her close, stroking her hair and basking in the afterglow.

We lie there for a few minutes, and when our heartbeats slow, she sits up and gives me a sleepy smile. "I guess we should get dressed. They're going to wonder where we are."

"Or..." I trail off, dragging the word out.

"Or?"

"Or we could just stay here." I shrug.

"But what about the party?"

"They won't even notice we're gone."

"Okay." She rolls onto her side and cuddles against me, draping her arm across my waist.

I kiss the top of her head and settle in, holding her close. I don't know what the hell I'm doing, but I can't stop now. Not when things are finally starting to fall into place.

She's quiet for a long time, and her breathing is soft and steady. I'm about to drift off when she speaks, her voice barely a whisper. "Evan?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you sleeping?"

"No," I reply, stroking her hair.

"I want to know about this curse you spoke of," she whispers, tilting her head up and meeting my gaze. "It's the reason you brought me here, isn't it? To Green Lake, I mean."

We're not supposed to talk about this. My father said no one outside of the family could know. But Mia's not just anyone. She's my wife. And as far as the Green Lake Pack is concerned, she's part of the family now.

"You're right. That's the reason." I nod, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I was born with a curse. My entire family has been cursed going back hundreds of years. If we don't have a mate, our pack will suffer."

"Why would someone do that?" She cocks her head to the side.

"My great-great-grandfather was a cruel man, and he forced a mating between his beta and a beautiful woman who wanted no part of werewolves. But he didn't realize the woman was a witch. As a result, she cursed him. Ever since, we've suffered. Anyone who hasn't found their mate who meets very specific criteria by a certain age will become impotent, and if they do manage to find that mate and have children, then the eldest will inherit the curse."

"And I met that criteria." It's not a question.

"Yes," I admit. "I pushed it right to the limit, and because of that, my pack started feeling the effects. We've had crops die, awful weather, sickness. Things were only getting worse, and we lost a lot of members because of it. Many have left and sworn their allegiance to other packs, thereby removing themselves from the curse's reach."

"Like Callie," she observes. "Is that why she really left?"

"I don't think so. In that particular instance, I think Dante really was the driving force. He treated her horribly, and when we took his side without gathering all the information, I don't think she had much of a choice. That was the reason her leaving and Dante's death was such a big deal to the pack. It was a double blow."

"I see. And that's why Green Lake hates Stardust Hollow so much. Because they associate us with that loss."

"Yeah." I nod. "We've always had a strained relationship with them, but the last few years, it's been pretty contentious."

"Well, maybe this marriage could help heal those wounds."

"That would be nice," I concede, though I see little hope for that. The animosity runs too deep, but it's a nice thought.

She rests her head on my chest, and I kiss the top of her head. I know we should probably get back out there. I was lying when I suggested the pack wouldn't notice. Of course they're going to miss their alpha, but I'm just so comfortable here with Mia. I don't want to leave, and the second that realization hits me, I know I'm in trouble.

This whole thing was supposed to be out of obligation, but now... now I don't think it is anymore. At least not for me. But if Mia feels the same, I have no idea. All I really know is she's not pushing me away, and for the first time in my life, I don't feel so alone. Mia has become an unexpected ray of sunshine in my dark, dreary world, and I'm afraid I've let her become my sun.