Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Y ede froze at Gemma’s words. He couldn’t believe that she’d said that, that she’d touched him, that she was looking at him as if he were the best thing she’d ever seen.

She looked up at him, waiting for his response. His head spun. He wanted this—her touch, her warmth, the sweet look in her eyes—so much that he ached, but the fear was still there. His carefully constructed walls had crumbled, leaving him exposed and vulnerable. Images of his lost family flashed through his mind, followed by visions from his nightmare—Gemma and Liam vanishing into darkness.

He started to pull away.

“I can’t—” he began, but she curved her small fingers around his cock and he couldn’t move.

“Let me take care of you, Yede,” she said quietly. “It’s just you and me here. Nothing else exists.”

“But—”

“I know you’re scared. I am too. But running away won’t make it better.”

His muscles tensed, caught between flight and surrender, but he couldn’t deny the truth in her words. Three years of isolation and he felt as raw and vulnerable as he had the day he heard about his family.

“Let me take care of you,” she repeated and bent her head, her hair tumbling over his thighs.

The first touch of her lips on his sensitive shaft sent pleasure arcing through him, obliterating any further protest. His fingers curled against the stone as she licked a long path down his length.

“Mmm.” Her eyes flicked up to meet his and a shiver shot down his spine. “You taste wonderful. Sweet and minty.”

He barely managed to gasp out a thanks before she circled the tip of his cock with her tongue. The combination of her warm tongue and the cool air on his damp skin made him shudder. He could feel his pre-cum leaking from the tip of his cock, and her soft hum of pleasure vibrated through his body, leaving him quivering.

Her small hand couldn’t circle his entire shaft, and he felt the pressure of her fingers as she squeezed. She licked her way down the side of his erection until she reached the sensitive point where his cock emerged from the sheath. Her mouth was hot and wet as she sucked the tender flesh into her mouth.

He growled, his hips instinctively arching upwards, and she moaned and took him in even deeper. Her other hand stroked his length, the rhythm picking up pace. Her hair brushed against his stomach, and he buried his hand in the silky strands, needing something to hold onto as she worked his cock. Her tongue lapped at the base of his cock and he groaned. He was already on the verge of coming.

“You have to stop,” he gasped, but she only tightened her grip.

“Not yet.”

She licked her way back up to the tip of his cock, her hot little mouth impossible to resist. She looked up at him at her lips closed over him once more, her eyes dark with desire. She took him in deep, his entire cock surrounded by her hot, wet mouth, and he couldn’t hold back. He exploded, a roar escaping his lips as ecstasy ripped through his body and he erupted into her mouth. His body shuddered and his vision blurred as his seed poured out of him in pulse after pulse while she swallowed eagerly.

He fell backwards, his back hitting the stone with a thud, as the last of his climax shuddered through his body. He was completely spent, utterly drained, and shaken to the depths of his being. She smiled up at him, her face so warm and… loving that he panicked.

“I… I have to go.” He expected her to object, but she didn’t say anything, just watched as he scrambled awkwardly to his feet, her eyes dark and unreadable. “I’m sorry.”

He turned and fled, not even bothering to pick up his clothes before racing down the hallway and out into the blizzard. The water on his fur froze immediately, sending spikes of cold though his system but he ignored the pain, falling to his knees in the snow. The guilt battering him was far more painful, threatening to crush him. He’d allowed himself to hope, to feel, to connect—and in doing so, he’d risked not only his heart but hers as well. He had no right to offer her something he knew he couldn’t fully give.

Can I?

Memories flooded his mind—her smiling at him across the table, helping Liam with his lessons, concentrating on the decorations to brighten his home, the gentle way she’d broken through his defenses time and again.

I can’t lose her. I can’t lose them .

The thought of returning to his solitary existence, of never seeing her smile or hearing Liam’s laughter again, created an ache deeper than any he’d felt since losing his family.

The connection between them wasn’t something he could simply ignore or push aside, no matter how much safer that might feel. Every instinct screamed at him to retreat, to protect himself from potential pain, but for the first time in years, the walls he’d built didn’t feel like protection—they felt like a prison.

If he wanted to be part of her life, he would have to dismantle them completely and give her everything. He knew the risks, but as he knelt there in the snow, he knew the rewards were worth it. He only hoped he hadn’t ruined everything with his panic attack.

Between his wet fur and the blizzard he was practically encased in ice and he had to struggle to break free. A fitting metaphor, he thought as he finally managed to rise. He hurried back inside and returned to the hot springs cavern. The cavern was empty, silent and deserted. His heart ached but he refused to be daunted. He dipped himself in the water long enough to wash away the last of the ice, then toweled himself dry and went in search of her.

The living room was empty, the decorations sparkling softly in the dim light, and he padded quietly to her bedroom door. The door stood slightly ajar and enough light reflected off the snow outside for him to see that she was there, Liam tucked against her side, safe and protected.

She looked at peace, and he hesitated, reluctant to wake her, but then her eyes fluttered open. Instead of accusation or hurt, warmth filled her expression. She lifted her hand toward him, palm up in invitation.

“Come here,” she whispered, her voice soft in the stillness.

His heart thundered against his ribs. One step would bridge the gap he’d torn between them. One step would change everything.

He went to her.