14. Lena

All I want is my mate. Ever since I felt the pull to him, I've felt unsteady without him by my side. There's a comfort when I think of him, it's even stronger when I see him, but I am desperate for his touch. He glances back at me and I now know what a mate's pull is. My heart races and I turn only once to check on my pup one last time.

I don't want to leave him, but I know I have to do this for Jude. Both women were extremely willing to watch him. More than willing. They've been trying to take him from me every moment they could for the last few nights that we've been in Gray Mountain. Four days have passed since Jude's become Alpha and the transition has been seamless. At least for Jude it has been. I'm still getting used to the new faces. At least I have Devin and his pack here for the moment. They've decided to stay as guests, no doubt also for protection.

I can tell both Veronica and Grace are a bit jealous of Lizzie's pregnancy. Not in a malicious way, but they both want to give their mates young. I can't blame them. Every time I see Jude holding our son, I want to have a dozen more.

I'm not in heat, so I doubt tonight will bring more young. But he will claim me under the full moon, and I will be the Alpha mate the seers foretold. A chill goes through my body as I walk alongside Jude. I'm not sure I'm ready for this. I don't know that I'll ever feel ready, but I want nothing more than to be his, so I'm willing to let him claim me tonight.

It's not enough that I feel the pull to him. I know I need to let him claim me. My fingertips glide over the small indents in my neck. Where I was first bitten and claimed by Shadow. My body trembles remembering the pain. Not just from the claiming, but from giving myself to him. I gave him far too much. I push the thoughts away, not liking the memories gathering. Jude takes my hand in his and I squeeze his hand, needing his confidence and his strength.

Touched by the glow of the moon as we walk out to a clearing in a distant, protected woods, Jude pulls me closer. He brings my knuckles to his lips and gives them a kiss before stopping us in front of a large group of willow trees. He pulls back the hobble branches and I duck to move under them with him. The soft leaves brush against my skin and give me goosebumps. His hand grazes along my shoulder and the small curve of my waist as I stand in the opening of the willows. The sight is breathtaking. We're in a circular clearing surrounded by trees and sweet honeysuckle. The grass is lush and nearly a soft cushion beneath our feet. The bright white of the full moon shines down and illuminates the natural beauty surrounding us.

"It's beautiful." I whisper the words, almost too afraid to speak and disrupt the picturesque surroundings.

He murmurs at the shell of my ear, sending a needy warmth to flow down my shoulders and pebble my nipples. "Not as beautiful as you." Without waiting for a response, his large hand cups my chin and brings my lips to his. His soft lips against mine steal the breath from my lungs. He gently nips my bottom lip, making me part for him. His hot tongue dances with mine as his hand deftly unzips my dress. He lets it fall to a pool of fabric at my feet and pulls back to look at my body. His half-hooded eyes roam my body and light with lust. "So fucking beautiful." I blush at his words and smile as he opens his pants, all the while his eyes stay on me and my heart races.

We both stand naked in front of each other, ready to bare ourselves to one another and fortify our bond under the power of the full moon. I'm ready to let him claim me as his. Truly his. This is what was always meant to be. My fingers run along his jaw, loving the scratch of his stubble. I close my eyes as he kisses the crook of my neck and lifts my body easily before gently laying me under him. His large, muscular frame cages me in. I lay breathless under him as he parts my legs and moves his fingers to my clit. My head falls back as his blissful touch shoots a numbing pleasure to my core. He licks and kisses my neck, and the sensation is linked with the throbbing need in my aching heat. He doesn't let up, between the soft kisses and forceful touch. I moan for him and let the pleasure distract me from what's to come.

"Come for me baby." My pussy pulses at his command, sending a wild wave of shudders to paralyze my body. My body trembles as I whimper helplessly under his relentless touch. He draws out my orgasm and I nearly push him away from the intensity. With my body trembling, he readjusts and I'm all too aware that the time has come.

His hard, chiseled chest presses down on me slightly as he pushes the head of his dick at my hot entrance. "Good girl, hot and wet for your mate." A wave of arousal wets my core even more at his words.

My fingers spear in his hair and I pull his lips to mine with a desperation I've never felt before. He moans into my mouth as he moves slowly, deeper and deeper inside of me. I gasp as he stretches my walls with a hint of pain that only adds to the pleasure. My legs wrap around his hips and my heels dig into his muscular ass as he flexes, pumping agonizingly slow, shallow thrusts into my heat. Each thrust pushes more of him inside of me. I moan and writhe, thinking I won't be able to take him all. He hits against my wall with each pump, making me grip onto his shoulders and bite his neck to keep the screams of pleasures from escaping. Another orgasm rips through my body, quickly heating and numbing my core. It's too intense and not enough all at the same time.

"Yes! Bite me baby." At his words and quickening pace, I sink my teeth deeper into his flesh. His thrusts become hard and deep, each one jolting my body against the ground. Fuck, he feels so good. I'm lost in the pleasure of him. I've never wanted more in my life than to have more of him in every way for as long as I live. He brings me to the edge of yet another orgasm and I find myself desperate to hold onto him. I feel as though I'm falling as a blinding light flashes before my eyes. A sharp pinch makes me gasp as his teeth bite into the mark on the left side of my neck. I grip onto him as the pain is washed away by wave after wave of pleasure. The tides come in slow and threatening as they overwhelm my body. My body begs to thrash under him, but I'm paralyzed, gently shaking beneath him.

He bites me again and again. Rutting into me wildly with his own desperation. My back digs into the dirt as he snarls against my neck and fucks into me mercilessly. My own teeth dig deeper into his neck and the metallic taste of his blood filters into my mouth. I whimper as he thrusts into me brutally, biting into my neck again. Tears form in the corner of my eyes as he savagely ruins Shadow's mark. I have no doubt that Shadow's claim to me, the scar, will be completely unrecognizable. And although I can feel the slight pain over the overwhelming pleasure buzzing through every part of my body, I love the fact that it's destroyed. I love that Jude has ruined it.

I love that he is taking me for himself.

He pulls away from my neck and the move makes me release him as well. He stares down at me as he shoves himself deep inside and stills as I tremble under him. My blunt nails dig into his shoulders as I cry out his name. His eyes never leave mine. They shine with love and possession.

"Mine." He leans down and kisses me with passion and desire. He pounds into me again and again before kissing the right side of my neck. My body heats to an impossible temperature as he kisses the crook of my neck and lights every nerve in my body aflame.

"Yes!" I scream out as my pussy spasms around his cock. He growls low and deep and it's the sexiest fucking sound I've ever heard. And then he does it. He bites the crook of my neck and holds me down as he pulses deep inside me with his own release.

My body flames with love and completion. My mate, my Alpha has claimed me. My lips part as I struggle to breathe. My chest swells and my body trembles as he releases me. His strong arms lift his body above mine. His eyes focus on his mark as a slow smile grows on his face. My heart softens and I relax on the ground beneath him, feeling proud that I've given him this. He deserves every piece of me and I of him. Life has kept us apart for too long.

Just as the thought hits me, the burning starts. I wince and try to avoid showing pain. I can't disappoint him. I don't want him to see how weak I am, but the pain grows and my hands fly to my neck. One on each side. Tears well and I start to thrash as it radiates down my shoulders in sharp stinging lightning pains. Jude pushes my hand away and I involuntarily fight him, feeling the need to get away from his hot touch, but he pins me down. His tongue laps at the marks on the left side and a wave of cooling relief flows down that side of my body. As I start to plead for relief on the other side, he moves to the right and gently licks the wound. My chest rises and falls with surrender as he moves back and forth, licking and kissing my neck. He doesn't stop, not until the shocking heat has nearly vanished.

I wrap my arms around him and close my eyes as the chill of his touch eases the pain, leaving only the slight aftershocks of pleasure to lull me into deep relaxation. All at once, my body feels heavy and swayed by the moon. My eyes fall with exhaustion. "I love you, Jude," I whisper into his ear before kissing his neck.

"I love you, Lena." The last words I hear as I fall into a deep and much needed sleep are "my love; my mate."