Chapter 4 Chapter 4

He knelt down and came closer. His eyes stayed on me the whole time. He leaned in, face almost touching mine, ready to kiss me.

I pulled back fast. “Eww. No kissing.”

His brows shot up. He stared at me like I had grown a second head. “Are you being serious right now? Oh… this is your first time, isn’t it? It’s supposed to start with kissing.”

I frowned. “What? How many girls have you been with to know that?”

A small smirk tugged at his mouth. “Wait. Are you jealous?”

I shook my head. “No. I don’t care.”

He softened a little. “Don’t worry. It doesn’t matter, does it?”

Then he kissed me. Slow at first. Soft. Our mouths moved together. I started to sink into it—

“Awww!” I cried out.

He jerked back at once. “What?”

I pointed down. “You stepped on my injury.”

His face fell. “Oh. I’m sorry.” He looked at the blood still on me, then back at my eyes. “Your first time might hurt a little. Do you still want this?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Lie down.”

I lay back on the ground. He worked carefully, sliding my trousers down, then my shirt. One by one he peeled the bandages away until I was bare, skin still marked with blood and wounds.

He kissed me again, slower this time. A part of me wanted to keep going, didn’t want the kiss to stop.

He took himself in hand, stroking once. “This will hurt a little.” Then he rubbed the tip against me, circling slowly. Soft sounds slipped from my throat. He pushed in, careful, inch by inch, moving gentle and steady.

Something strange happened. The more he moved, the more the pain in my body eased. I watched the cuts on my skin start to close, the blood slow.

He sat down on the ground and pulled me with him. “Come. Sit.”

I climbed onto him. His hands settled on my hips, guiding me up and down in a slow rhythm. His mouth found my chest, warm and wet against my skin.

He breathed against my ear. “You’re too beautiful. This is the best moment of my life. I wish it didn’t have to end.”

“Go a little faster,” I whispered.

“As you wish, mate.”

He turned me around, hands firm on my breasts as he took me from behind. Faster now. Harder. My voice broke into sharp cries. I felt him tense, shake, then spill deep inside me.

He slowed, breathing heavy, and pulled out. We both dropped onto the ground side by side.

He looked over, still catching his breath. “That was good.”

“Yeah.”

His eyes drifted over my body. “Are your wounds all healed now?”

I checked myself. Scars remained, but most of the open cuts had closed. The worst of the pain was gone.

“Well… at least it’s manageable.”

He let out a short laugh. “Manageable?”

I shrugged. “I guess so.”

He grew quieter. “I don’t mean to pry, but… why don’t you want a mate?”

I stared up at the sky. “Having a mate, being with a man… it means I can’t fulfill my destiny. I’m not an average woman. I don’t want what they want. I want more from life. I want power.”

He sat up a little. “If you want power, then don’t go fight your father tomorrow. If he left you like that once, he can do it again. He’ll be waiting. Get stronger first.”

I shot him a look. “I’m not taking advice from a naked boy.” My eyes dropped, then came back up. “And don’t say that naked boy was inside me minutes ago… because he’s still naked.”

He stood. Dusted himself off. His voice stayed even. “Fine. I’ll leave you here. I just hope you survive and get the power you want. For the record, I don’t know which pack I pulled you from. I only followed your scent. So stay safe, mate.”

He turned to walk away.

“Wait.”

He stopped. Looked back over his shoulder. “What?”

I met his eyes and spoke the words clear and cold.

“Reject me. Now.”