Chapter 21

Odhran

Letting her go, walk away from me, was a hard fucking pill to swallow.

Although I could still feel Larkin's presence on the property, and could find her within minutes if need be, I was antsy and nervous about not being at her side.

I exhaled a harsh breath and ran my hand over my hair, mussing the strands. I had Lycan sentries sprinkled throughout the entire property, but they kept their distance from her unless I specifically told them otherwise. And right now, I knew they were far enough away that she still had the privacy she so craved and deserved.

Realistically I knew I couldn't be her shadow forever. She needed to be able to spread her wings to explore, to taste the freedom that had been so cruelly taken from her.

It was the crack of thunder, the flash of lightning that drew my thoughts and had me tilting my head back so I was gazing at the sky.

Although it was dark, I could still see the thunderclouds rolling overhead; I could smell the promise of rain in the air. Then the sky opened up as if weeping for the world, the rain pelting down and soaking me in a matter of seconds.

Fook this. I need her, need tae hold her, need tae look intae her eyes and tell her I love her.

I stepped into the woods, feeling the pull of her pulse like a beacon for me to find her. And when I inhaled deeply, I felt my brows pull down low on their own as I picked up on a scent that twisted my heart like a knife plunged deep inside.

I was moving faster, eating up the distance before I slowed to a stop and found Larkin kneeling on the ground, her palms resting on her thighs, her head lowered, her dark hair wet and hanging on either side of her like a curtain, shielding her and offering a semblance of protection.

"Lass," I whispered, and moved toward her before sinking to the ground in front of my wee mate. The aroma… her tears knocked me on my ass, and I reached out to tip her head back with my index finger under her chin.

Her blue eyes were filled with this fire I'd never seen before. It wasn't sorrow that I was scenting from her, but frustration and anger zapping around her like the lightning whisking through the sky right now.

I knew that kind of anger well, an old friend I'd clutched on to for far too long. I pulled her onto my lap as I sat on the ground; the rain was slightly letting up but still there was a steady mist breaking through the tree line and covering us.

Fog started to roll in, but I paid no mind to anything but Larkin, of how she curled her hands around my shoulders, her nails digging into my shirt. She clutched at me, her eyes taking on this wild note as her breathing picked up.

"I love ye, sweetheart. I love ye with everything I am, everything I'm made of. Ye are the very makeup of the male who is before ye pleading for yer heart and love." I leaned in and rested my forehead on hers. "I'm just flesh and bone, a male who is looking into the most gorgeous blue eyes I've ever seen, and praying tae whatever gods will listen that they'll never take ye away from me again."

I pulled back and saw her eyes widen, her pupils dilated, and I lowered my gaze to her pink, parted lips.

She licked them, and fire burned in my body and settled in my cock. I was already stiff because she was near, because she smelled so good and felt even better.

Larkin pressed her chest to mine, her lips slanting against my mouth, her tongue plunging in. She made this soft, almost desperate sound in the back of her throat, and I wrapped my arms around her, tilting my head to deepen the kiss.

She was clawing at my back, trying to get as close as she could, as if she wanted to burrow herself inside of me. Her actions were frantic, panicked, and although I didn't want to stop kissing her, didn't want to pull away, I did just that.

With my hands gently curled around her upper arms, I broke the kiss and controlled my breathing as I looked down at her face.

She shook her head. "Don't stop this," she whispered and tried to lean in again. "I need you. I need to be with you. I need to replace the memories that haunt me. I need you to help chase away the demons that live in the far dark recesses of my mind."

She tried to kiss me again but I held firm, seeing that desperation in her eyes. I knew it all too well, the kind that made you do anything just to stop feeling the darkness that was trying to pull you under, trying to bury you alive.

"Lass, I'm here for you. Always. In any way. I'd give my life for yers. We donna have tae do anything ye're no' ready for. We can find other ways to cope. Together. We can get through this pain as one—" When she vehemently shook her head, I clenched my jaw, seeing that steely determination on her face.

My female. My strong, powerful mate.

I ground my teeth again because I knew I was weak where she was concerned, knew I'd give her anything her heart desired.

"I'm tired of being angry and weak. I'm tired of feeling powerless." Tears trailed down her cheeks but they weren't ones of sorrow. She was frustrated. "I'm tired of the hand that life dealt me. We finally have each other's backs and I want to move forward. I want to start a life with you. Tiptoeing around the trauma is only going to keep me down in that hell. I want you, and you want me, Odhran. And I want to be with you now."

She was breathing harder, tears sliding down her cheeks. It broke my fucking heart. I brushed them away with the pads of my thumbs, searching her face, feeling and hearing and sensing her truth.

"Ye're the strongest creature I've ever met. Ye're no' powerless. Ye're powerful."

This time when she kissed me it was full and deep and thorough. I didn't stop her, didn't try to talk her out of this. Her arousal and the sweet scent of her need for me coated the air, one that my wolf answered with a roaring howl inside of me.

The rain started to pick up again, the mist turning into a drizzle, the fog increasing.

"I'm so…" It was clear she struggled for the right word. "I'm pissed, Odhran. I'm so fucking pissed. Make it all go away. Make me feel good."

"Ach, my girl, my sweet and tender, soft-hearted girl." I cupped her cheek. "I wish I could take it all away from ye, that pain and sorrow and anger. I'd take that burden for ye if it would give ye an ounce of peace. Gods, I wish that, lass."

She shook her head slowly. "I'd never wish that on you. Never. You've been through your own hell too."

She leaned in and was the one to press her lips to my mouth. It was a soft kiss, almost as if she were relishing the fact I had her in my arms. Larkin pulled back, breaking the seal of our lips, and I watched as a tear trailed down her cheek.

And then I was leaning forward, my tongue touching that droplet of salty water as I licked her, following that trail and taking her sorrow into myself. Her little inhalation of breath had me pulling back even more.

We stared into each other's eyes, my wolf at the surface, wanting to protect his mate.

"I just want to forget," she whispered. "I want to pretend nothing ever happened, that I was never taken from you, that we never experienced all the pain and sadness and hurt." Her breath hitched and when her gaze dropped to my mouth, a low growl left me.

"My darlin', how I wish that too."

"Let's make new memories." She wrapped her arms more firmly around my shoulders, pressed her breasts to my chest, and parted her lips to sweep her tongue into my mouth.

I growled and curled my fingers around her waist, unable to stop myself from pushing her down on my thick length. My canines ached something fierce and my mouth watered. I wanted more.

I wanted it all.

We kissed even deeper until she was rocking back and forth on top of me, her soft moans fueling my desire and making me fucking primal.

"It feels so good, Odhran."

I growled and nipped at her bottom lip until she gasped and ground herself against me even harder.

"I want tae make ye feel even better." I gently bit her lip again and soothed the bite mark with my tongue before plunging it inside again and stroking her.

A second later she broke the kiss, her hands going between us as she gripped her shirt and started pulling it up. I leaned back and flattened my hands into the earth, curling my claws into the dirt so I didn't tear the material off her in a frantic rush of carnal desire.

Staying still and keeping my hands to myself was damn near torture, but to see the firm peaks of her breasts revealed, how her nipples tightened from the chill in the air, and to watch as the fog swirled around her as if she were an ethereal goddess, had my cock jackknifing in my jeans.

"I want tae give ye sweet, slow, and easy for the first time." Of course my wolf demanded I take her in the primitive, primal way of our kind, where my cock was deep in her virgin pussy and her neck was bared to me, my canines deep in her flesh. But that wasn't how this first time could go.

We both needed to take things slow. And I could wait to give her my mark, because making this perfect for her was of the utmost importance to me.

She didn't speak for a second as she stared at me, breathing heavily, her firm, perfectly hand-sized breasts shaking from the force of her respiration.

"I know you won't hurt me?—"

"—never," I said, cutting her off and making that lone word rumble out of my chest so there was no doubt.

"And I won't break." She leaned in and was the one to kiss me now, once, twice, and on the third time deepening it and sucking on my tongue.

I groaned and had my hands back on her waist, knowing I smeared dirt on her, but the scent of the wilderness all around us, the feeling of my mate on top of me, and her need for me to finally claim her, clouded everything else.

"So I'm asking you to be with me. Don't think of me as the girl who can't handle her mate. I know you'll take care of me. I know you'll be gentle."

I tilted my head and plunged my tongue between her lips, groaning at the same time we both started frantically working at each other's clothing. Material tore apart, fabric being tossed aside like tissue, and then we were both naked and she was right back on my lap.

I closed my eyes and felt my muscles contract as her wet, warm slit moved against my cock. Her small sound of pleasure, her moan of need, had me moving her back and forth.

I rocked her against me, letting her pussy frame my cock, the stiff length nestled between her folds as her slickness aided in the movements. And soon that slow and steady rocking became a little faster as she worked her hips over me, as she found a rhythm that could get her off.

And all I could do was watch her face in wonder and try like hell not to come before I made my mate feel good.

"Ye're mine," I growled and let my wolf rise up. "Only mine. Forever." My voice was distorted. "Say it, tell yer mate."

She moaned and let her head fall back on her neck as she moved back and forth a little quicker.

"Say it," I growled harshly, instantly hating myself for taking on a feral tone. But when she pressed her pussy down on my cock even harder and moaned louder, as if she liked it, I gnashed my teeth together and let my gaze travel down to the arch of her neck. Fuck, I could see her pulse throbbing beneath her pearlescent skin.

My mouth watered.

"Put me inside of ye, lass." I wasn't looking at her when I said the harsh words, my gaze still latched on to where my mark would go.

The sound she made had me snapping my focus up to her face. She wore this hooded expression. Her lips were parted, pink and swollen and wet from my kisses. I found myself reaching out and snagging a lock of her hair, rubbing it between my fingers, mesmerized.

Then my gaze dropped to her throat, where I saw her pulse beat wildly.

When I dropped that lock of hair and dragged the thick pad of my finger down her jugular to stop at the tender spot where her neck and shoulder met, my entire body heated… hardened.

"This is where my mark will go."

And then she was reaching between us, wrapping her small hand around my thick cock enough that I hissed out in pleasure and pain, and rose up to notch the head of my dick at her entrance.

She was hot and slick, her juices sliding down my crown and along the length of my shaft. I wanted this claiming to be messy, to have her arousal on my thighs, to smell it coating the air as she got off. I needed that.

I had to control my breathing because I would've come right then and there, not even penetrating her, not even feeling the hot clench of her inner walls gripping my cock.

But when she froze, her eyes wide, I told myself to stay calm.

"Sweetheart, we donna have tae do this…" My words were a harsh bark out of me, cut off as Larkin sank down, enveloping the head of my cock in her tight heat.

My jaw went slack, and then my teeth gnashed tightly together.

Her gaze was latched on to my teeth, her breathing harsh as she whispered, "Your canines are so long." She slowly looked into my eyes. "I know you've been wanting to mark me for so long, Odhran. So long."

I groaned at those words, my eyes rolling back in my head as she sank down another inch.

She gasped and said, "You're so big. Too thick."

I opened my eyes and just saw glowing, fierce, and possessive blue.

"Help me, Odhran."

I curled my hand around her hip, trying to be mindful, knowing that I had to be gentle. I was so far gone right now I couldn't see straight, couldn't think rationally or humanly.

"Ye're doing so good, baby." I gritted out those words as I pushed her down at the same time I lifted my hips, making her take another inch.

She squeezed her eyes shut then instantly snapped them back open, this almost panic being projected on her face.

I placed my hand right over her heart, my palm flat over her sternum. "Look at me. Look intae my eyes. Know that ye're right here with me." She panted as we sat there frozen. I felt her heart race under my hand. "Ye know I'll always take care of ye, always be here tae keep ye safe." She closed her eyes again.

"Odhran," she said, a little moan spilling from her as I pushed another inch in.

"Ye're doing so well, Larkin. Look at ye, my girl taking all of me, so strong, so perfect."

She had her hands on my shoulders, squeezing tightly as she pushed down at the same time I thrust up, burying the rest of my thick inches into her tight, scorching heat.

And when she was flush with me, her perfect, small ass resting against my heavy balls, I exhaled in a sharp rush.

"Take control, baby. Ye have the power. Ride me." For a moment she looked like she wanted to argue, that hesitancy on her face almost my undoing.

I gave her praise, whispered how good she was, that she was the best, how I'd never felt anything better. And when I flexed my hips upward and she mewled, that was when she started working herself over on me.

"Oh."The broken-up noise that left her had male pride filling me because it was one purely of pleasure. I gripped her waist and rolled my hips so that her clit was rubbing against my stomach.

She was so wet, her juices covering my abdomen and thighs. It turned me the fuck on, had me nearly coming right then and there.

I couldn't keep the foul, sexual, filthy laced words from spilling from my mouth, but at least I was mindful enough to speak them in Gaelic, not scandalize my mate with the vile things I said.

How tight her cunt was.

How I wanted her pussy juices to cover me.

How I wanted to feel her inner muscles clenching around my cock because I filled her up, and then when I pulled out, I'd watch my cum spill from her tight heat.

I wanted to cover her in my seed, bathing her in my cum so she was marked on the outside as well as the inside. She'd smell like me, and any male who got close would scent me on her and know I'd tear them limb from limb if they so much as looked at her.

And Gods I wanted to fill her up, too. I wanted to breed her, fill her womb with my seed until I got her pregnant. I wanted to watch my sweet girl grow big with my child. My cock jerked and thickened even more at the very thought.

Instinct told me what to do, how to make her feel good. When she was riding on top of me, I reached between our bodies, found the hard, swollen bundle of her clit, and started rubbing slow circles.

She froze on top of me, tossed her head back, the long fall of her raven hair brushing against my upper thighs as she came. I didn't move, feeling the contractions of her pussy clenching around my cock, watching in awe as pleasure morphed her expression.

"Ye're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. And ye're mine." I roared out, letting her ride out the pleasure, knowing that there was nothing hotter than seeing my mate unhinged for me as I was buried deep in her body.

And when she exhaled as her climax started to level out, I couldn't stop myself. My movements were fast, supernatural, as I was off the ground and had her on her back, my dick still buried deep inside of her tightness. She looked at me with a drugged expression, her mouth still parted, lips swollen and red.

"Claim your mate." Her voice was soft, barely audible from her post-orgasm. "Finally."

And when she tipped her head to the side, baring her throat, I felt my wolf push forward that last couple of inches.

I started to partially shift, my body growing bigger, my mouth watering, saliva dripping down and landing on her chest.

I leaned down and licked the beads off, tasting her sweet, yet salty sweat, starting to throw my hips back and forth again, unable to stop myself from fucking her.

"Tell me who loves ye." Thrust. "Tell me who is always going tae be there for ye?" Thrust. "Tell me who will destroy the world if any harm comes tae ye." Thrust. Thrust. Thrust.

"You," she moaned, her eyes wide and mouth parted.

"Gods, I love ye, lass."

I slammed a hand down on the ground, bent one of my knees a little more so I could dig my heel into the earth, and then I jackknifed my hips up, pushing even more of my cock into her.

We both groaned, and she looked at me, her head tipped to the side as her eyes grew even heavier in appearance. And so I did it again and again and again.

I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head, trying to keep my control, trying to keep my human side at the forefront. I didn't want to frighten her.

"You're not," came her soft reply as if she read my thoughts. Or maybe she just knew me that well, could see my expression, sense the turbulent emotions around me, and wanted to reassure me.

Gods, my girl was something incredible.

"I trust you."

I opened my eyes to look down at her, to feel her hands sliding up my arms, over the sides of my throat, and finally cupping my cheeks.

"I trust you."

Something broke inside of me, something I hadn't known sat at the edge, about to tip over, crashing to the ground into a thousand pieces.

And as I looked into her blue eyes, feeling happiness and love and pleasure swell within me, I knew I would love this girl until the end of time, until my heart stopped beating and breath ceased to fill my lungs.

I let my wolf forward and felt my orgasm approach, my balls drawing up tight, my cock thickening. She tipped her head to the side even more, her jugular throbbing, my mouth watering.

I ran my tongue over her flesh. Back and forth, over and over, feeling her pulse beat wildly under the muscle.

I closed my eyes and groaned, slammed into her once, twice, and on the third time I buried myself balls-deep inside her tight pussy and sank my canines into her throat, giving her my mark so all would know she was mine.

Finally. Finally she's ours.

My wolf howled and roared as I came and came and came, filling her up with my seed, making her smell like me from the inside out.

My mark wasn't just on her neck, but inside her body.

I came so hard, so long, that I started to feel my seed slipping out from where we were connected.

With one final full-body shudder, I was mindful enough to brace my hands on the ground beside her head so I didn't crush her. I rested my forehead on her chest, breathing harshly, dizzy, sated, and drained of pleasure.

After a moment, I rolled over but took her with me, lying on the forest floor with my mate on top of my chest, my arms wrapped around her, and for the first time in my life, I finally felt complete.

I lay there and held my girl, staring into her face, memorializing the way she was looking at me, all wonder and awe and… happiness.

There wasn't a shred of that worry that creased her forehead, or the pain that haunted her eyes.

She stared at me as if she knew I'd always have her, always keep her close, and I'd never, ever let her down.