Chapter 15

Chapter

Fifteen

Lana

A slow, burning ache bloomed within me as I gazed at Destin. The wine still lingered on my tongue, sweet and heady. His eyes glinted with an intensity I'd never seen before. He was right. Our easy conversation. The heat building in my veins. It wasn't normal.

But even though I understood I was being acted upon, I didn't especially care. I lifted my hands and slid them over his chest. That movement alone sent ripples of pleasure over my skin, and I bit back a sigh.

We shouldn't do this. Destin and I weren't anything. We couldn't be anything. He was against the very mission I'd recently dedicated my life to. Not dramatic . It was almost laughable what my life had become.

But again. Right then? I didn't especially care.

What was it about this situation that made me want to throw caution to the wind? The wine? The food? The fact that we were in the middle of a mystical forest, and my wolf was suddenly rabid for his?

Not suddenly. She'd been paying attention to him since the first moment we saw him.

And you wouldn't listen , she snapped.

I almost laughed out loud. What was it about him—about his wolf—that was driving her mad? He was strong. Wild. The thought of him swinging his ax made me shiver.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "This is?—"

Destin's lips twitched. "Mmhmm."

"Even after shots of whiskey, I've never . . . felt this." Why was I still talking? A slow breath slipped through my lips, and I realized my eyes were closed, my chin tilting so high, my back arched.

He reached out, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from my face, and my skin lit up like he'd struck a match. "Lana," he murmured, his voice a low rumble, and my wolf begged for him. My body begged for him.

My eyelids fluttered open. "This is probably a mistake."

"Probably." Destin's eyes darkened, and his hand slid to the back of my neck, pulling me closer. My breath hitched as our bodies pressed together, the hard planes of his chest against mine. His lips hovered over mine, and the heat of his breath on my skin made me melt like butter on a hot pan.

Time seemed to slow as he closed the distance, his lips brushing against mine. It was a feather-light touch, but it sent a shockwave of sensation through me. I gasped, and he took that for what it was. An invitation. His mouth crashed down on mine with a ferocity that stole my breath.

The already misty world around us disappeared as I melted into him. His hands roamed my back, pulling me closer, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, tangling my fingers in his hair. Damn it, his unruly hair was so hot.

His lips were rough and demanding, and I met him with equal intensity, pouring all my longing and frustration into that kiss. I clung to him, digging my nails into his shirt, wishing I could?—

Dustin pulled back, his breath ragged. He glanced around, searching for something. My thoughts exactly.

The idea of sleeping in the woods should've given me a thrill, but I didn't want Destin on the pine needle-covered ground. Even if we couldn't feel it. The night air was warm, and my senses were lit up like a damn festival, and the only thing I wanted to do was lay down. With him.

Then it appeared. Out of nowhere, like a gift from the universe, a bed materialized. Not just any bed, but a masterpiece of nature. The frame was woven from thick, gnarled vines, interspersed with soft moss and trailing ivy. It looked like it had grown out of the ground, a living sculpture that had been there for centuries. The mattress was plump and inviting, covered in a quilt that seemed to be made from petals and leaves, stitched together with threads of gold.

Above it, a canopy of branches arched gracefully, their leaves forming a delicate lattice that filtered the moonlight into a soft, dappled glow. And then there were the lights. Tiny, ethereal orbs floated around the bed, twinkling like fireflies.

I took Destin's hand and stepped closer. It was like something out of a dream.

He pulled, turning me back toward him, and then his hands were at the hem of my shirt. The air was thick, almost syrupy. "Well, I guess that's one problem solved."

My heart beat against my ribs. "Only one?"

He dropped his head, pressing into my neck. "I still have to solve this one." He pulled my shirt up, dragging his hands over my bare skin, and I had to bite my lip to keep from gasping.

That's when I started to panic. "Destin, I—" My words caught in my throat as his hand slid up my spine, his fingers underneath my bra clasp.

"You what?" He sucked my skin into his mouth.

I exhaled hard, my breath coming in short gasps as I tried to focus. "I don't think—taking a mate, that wouldn't?—"

Dustin's pulled back. His eyes darkened, his pupils expanding until the green was almost completely eclipsed. He cupped my face with his hands, his thumbs brushing over my cheekbones. "I'm not looking to be owned by anyone."

Owned. The thought of being owned by him sent a spike of desire straight to my core. "Then what are we doing?"

Dustin leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear. "We can do this without taking the bond. I won't mark you."

I shivered, my body responding to his words even as my mind tried to make sense of them. "How?"

He pulled back, his eyes dark and pupils blown wide. "Trust me."

The wolf in him took over, his movements insistent and feral. He gripped my shirt and pulled it over my head, then tore at his own clothing. Wild. His hands were on me again, his touch like fire against my skin. He found the clasp of my bra and unhooked it with a flick of his fingers, then slid it off my shoulders. I gasped as the warm evening air hit my bare skin, and he groaned, his hands sliding up my stomach to cup me.

I reached for him, fumbling with the button of his jeans. I couldn't think straight, couldn't focus on anything other than the need pulsing through my veins. I finally managed to get his pants undone, and he kicked them off, then pulled me against him.

The press of his bare skin against mine was electric, and I arched into him, my hands exploring the hair on his chest, his stomach, the tight V of muscle?—

His fingers hooked in my waistband and yanked my pants down, and I stepped out of them, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I was stripped mostly bare, standing in front of him, and I felt like the damn Venus with the way he looked at me.

Destin's eyes roved for one second longer, and his hands followed, exploring every dip and curve. He trailed his fingers over my hips, down my thighs, then back up to my waist. His thumbs hooked in the waistband of my underwear, and he paused, his eyes meeting mine.

I nodded, and he slid them down, exposing me completely. Destin's breath quickened, and he pushed me back, guiding me to the bed. The moment my legs hit the edge, I sank down onto the mattress, and he followed, his body covering mine. I slid my hand down, reaching for him, but he grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head.

"Not yet," he growled, his voice rough with desire.

I whimpered, and he smiled, then lowered his head to my chest. I cried out as his mouth found my skin, his tongue swirling and flicking. My body arched off the bed. I was a whimpering mess by the time he kissed his way down my stomach, his hands gripping my hips. I couldn't think straight. I'd forgotten all about the mating bond or my responsibilities with the Shadow Pack or anything other than the fact that I needed him. Now.

Destin paused, his breath hot against my skin. I looked down at him, and his eyes met mine with a silent question. I nodded, unable to form words, and he didn't need anymore encouragement.

Destin's mouth descended, and I forgot how to breathe. It was like the universe had hit pause. Every breath, every touch, every heartbeat between us was amplified, echoing in the stillness of the forest. My mind was a whirlwind of awe, fear, and an overwhelming need that consumed every rational thought.

I thought I might come apart at the seams. My breath hitched, and I bit my lip, trying to hold back the sounds that threatened to spill from my throat.

"Let go," he whispered, his voice rough. "I want to hear you."

I couldn't have held back if I'd tried. He lowered again, and I shattered, my body arching off the bed as waves of pleasure crashed over me. My wolf howled, and I reached for him, needing his weight. My hands gripped his shoulders, dragging him over me.

He was flushed, his breathing ragged. I loved that I could affect him as much as he affected me. I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him closer. He was everywhere, his scent, his touch, his breath on my skin. It was intoxicating. I was drunk on him.

Destin's lips were on mine, swallowing my cries, and I clung to him like a lifeline as our bodies finally connected.

"Okay?" he asked, his voice strained. I nodded, gasping.

He moved. Slow at first, and I matched his rhythm. And then it was everything . All at once. Gentle, raw, primal. He took his time, and I clutched at him, my fingers digging into his back, my thighs trembling. I was flying, tumbling, soaring above the trees, and when I finally plummeted back to earth, Destin was there shuddering with me.

He collapsed over me and we lay there, our legs tangled together, panting. The forest was quiet, the only sound the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant call of an owl. It felt like we were the only two people in the world.

"Yes." The word slipped out of me on a breath, and Destin tugged his fingers through my hair. Kissed my cheekbone with lazy, swollen lips.

"Yes."