Chapter 16 - Callie

When Justin's lips brush against mine, sending a jolt of electricity through my body, a moan escapes my lips. Butterflies flutter in my belly, and my inner wolf's excitement rages through me, begging for more.

I'm not sure where this is all coming from, but the emotions running through me are overwhelming. Everything is such a mess, and I feel so lost. But when his hands move to grip my hips, I melt against him. His touch is commanding and possessive but still somehow gentle, and my whole body quivers at the sensation.

His mouth moves to my neck, nibbling and kissing the sensitive skin there. My nipples harden as his kisses trail down the hollow of my throat and between my breasts, and I throw my head back, arching my back, offering my body to him.

Justin pulls away, and I groan at the loss of contact. I can feel his hot breath on my skin, and when he looks into my eyes, what I find there is almost too much to handle. He's on fire, burning with the same lust and desire that's coursing through my veins, and the hunger is reflected in his eyes.

He captures my lips in another fierce kiss, and the hunger is raw and wild, pouring out from him into me. I cling to him, desperate to be closer to him, and when he wraps his arms around me and lifts me from where I'm sitting, my legs instinctively go around his waist.

Just carries me to the river bank and gently lays me down, his kisses deepening the entire time. Every nerve ending in my body is on fire, and the heat spreading throughout my body is almost unbearable. I whimper, writhing beneath him, craving the pleasure only he can give me.

"Justin," I moan, tugging on his shirt.

He looks down at me, his green eyes filled with a mix of desire and love. It's like he's a completely different person, and in that moment, I see the man behind the dominant werewolf. "Patience, Callie," he teases, brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

I gasp, closing my eyes and giving in, letting his hands roam over my body as his mouth trails kisses over my jaw and down my neck.

My pants are soaked from the water, so I have to lift my hips to help him as he tries to drag them down my legs. Justin groans as he tosses them aside, and his warm breath washes over me as he dips his head lower. He presses a kiss to the inside of my thigh, and a shiver runs down my spine. My pulse thrums in my ears, and the ache between my thighs grows more and more intense.

Justin's kisses move closer to my core, and the anticipation is nearly unbearable. His lips brush against my center, and a moan slips past my lips. He smirks and repeats the motion, teasing me with the feather-light caresses of his mouth.

"Justin," I moan, arching my back and pushing my hips up, needing more.

"I've got you, baby," he says, wrapping his arms around my thighs.

His hot breath washes over me as he spreads my legs, opening me up to his gaze. A thrill shoots through me at the sight of his head looming over my throbbing sex. I'm aching for him, and I can't wait a second longer.

He grins, and before I can blink, his tongue is buried inside me, lapping up my wetness. My back arches, and a strangled cry spills from my lips. I writhe on the mossy bank, and the rush of the waterfall drowns out all other sounds.

I fist his hair, holding on for dear life as his mouth works me over. He eats me like he's starved, licking and sucking until I'm delirious. His stubble scrapes against my thighs and his long fingers dig into the flesh of my ass, holding me steady. When he moans, the sound vibrates against my swollen clit. Then his tongue is circling the aching bud, and the sweetest kind of torture is unleashed. He sucks it between his lips, and then his mouth is moving again, drawing me out like the juice of a ripe fruit.

"Oh, God," I groan, pulling his hair.

Justin's hand travels upward, his fingers dipping inside me. The stretch and burn is pure bliss. He curls his fingers, and the pressure builds in the pit of my stomach, coiling and twisting until it's too much.

I scream his name, my vision going black as an orgasm rips through me. Justin's tongue continues to move, drawing out my release. His thumb circles my clit, and the pleasure is nearly overwhelming.

When the shockwaves subside, slowly, Justin eases his fingers out of me, and I expect that he's going to climb on top of me to finally get his own release. But he doesn't. Instead, he sits up and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, looking down at me with a devilish smirk.

"Did you enjoy that?" he asks, his voice low and rough.

I'm breathing heavily, and the only thing I can manage is a nod.

"I'm glad." Justin leans forward and presses a kiss to my inner thigh. "I love how you taste. It's so fucking addictive."

Heat rushes to my cheeks, and a thrill shoots through me, knowing how much he enjoyed pleasuring me. I hold out my arms, beckoning him forward, but he just shakes his head.

"Not yet," he murmurs, though the pain on his face is clear. "As much as I want you right now, Callie, I can't. Not until you're one hundred percent ready and willing. I don't want it to be just because we got caught up in the moment. I need you to be absolutely certain before we take that step. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I... I think so," I stammer, surprised by the sincerity in his words.

"You've been through a lot, and I can't take advantage of you in this state. If we do this, it has to be something special."

"Something special," I murmur, mulling over the words.

He nods, cupping my cheek with his calloused hand. "It has to be meaningful," he says, his voice soft. "You deserve that."

Before I can say another word, he's on his feet, retrieving my pants and helping me back into them. Then he takes my hand and leads me further up the riverbank, and I realize we're headed back to the cabin.

As we walk back to the cabin, my thoughts swirl around like leaves caught in a gust of wind. In the past, every man I've ever come across has seen me as nothing more than a possession, something to be owned and controlled.

With Dante, it was expected that I would submit to him in every way. He was the male, after all, and I was just a female member of his pack. If he wanted something from me, he took it, whether I wanted to give it or not. There was no room for negotiation, no consideration for my desires or boundaries. He often manipulated me into situations I wasn't comfortable with. He had a way of making me feel small and insignificant as if my wants and needs were secondary to his own desires. Consent was a foreign concept to him, overridden by his sense of entitlement.

Now, as Justin's eyes sweep over my face, I'm struck by the tenderness there. His expression is unguarded, and his eyes are filled with something akin to admiration. I've never known a man who could be both protective and affectionate. Dante was possessive, yes, but he was also cold and callous. Justin is the polar opposite.

Justin sees me as an equal, a partner in every sense of the word. Despite his protective instincts, he respects my autonomy, at least in this sense. His want of me is not conditional, not contingent upon my submission, but freely given, a gift I cherish more than words can express. And hell, it's hot as fuck.

I can't stop staring at him, drinking him in. It's almost as if I'm seeing him for the first time. Sure, his eyes are the same color, the same shade of emerald as they were the day he brought me here. And the set of his broad shoulders is as familiar as the curve of his powerful arms and the strong column of his throat.

Yet, as I stand there, gazing up at him, a rush of understanding sweeps over me. It's like a veil has lifted, and for the first time, I can see him for what he is: the protector, the leader, the dominant. But beneath all that, he's more.

He's the man I've come to care for and who has gone to great lengths to protect me, even if I've fought him every step of the way. He's the only man who's ever treated me with the respect and kindness I deserve, and the only one who's ever looked at me like a human being.

But even with all that, I still can't let him hold me prisoner, and he has to understand that.

I take a deep breath, gathering the courage to voice my thoughts to Justin. "I don't want you to lock me up in the cabin," I confess.

Justin's brows knit together. "Callie, I have to. It's not safe for you out here alone. If something were to happen—"

"I know, I know," I interrupt. "But I promise I won't leave if you won't lock the cabin."

He scrutinizes me, seeming to search my face for any sign of a lie. "You promise?"

"I promise," I reassure him, reaching out to gently grasp his hand. "I won't go anywhere without you."

A moment of silence passes between us, and for a moment, I'm afraid his protective nature is going to win out, but then he grips my hand tighter. "Okay," he finally says. "We'll do it your way. No locks."

I beam up at him, relieved that he's agreeing to my terms. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He leans down and gives me a quick peck on the forehead, and the gesture warms me. "Just don't make me regret it."