Chapter 71
CHARLOTTE’S POV
Did I hear that wrong?
“I’ve loved you since the first time I set my eyes on you. I’ve been keeping it to myself because I didn’t want to scare you.” He blinked, rubbing his thumb slowly on the back of my hand resting on my lap. “I love everything about you. I love your son. And I want you both in my life.”
I swallowed hard, trying to process his sudden revelation. I had so many things to say to him, they were sitting on my tongue. But when I opened my mouth, something else slipped out instead. “Just take me home.”
I lifted my eyes to his, and that was my mistake. His eyes shone with so much love, honesty and hope.
“I love you, Charlotte,” he repeated. He exhaled slowly, like he was trying to keep himself steady, and spoke softly. “I know you don’t trust this… or me after what Moon said to you.” His thumb kept rubbing absently on my hand. “But loving you isn’t something I’m trying to convince you of. It’s something I’ve been doing even when you were gone. I don’t need you to say it back, I just need you to know you’re my home, Charlotte. Wherever you are, that’s where I belong.”
His voice cracked when he said my name, and something inside me broke loose. My body moved before my mind could stop it. I grabbed the front of his shirt and climbed onto his lap, my knees pressing into the seat on either side of him. His breath hitched, his hands lifting and hovering in the air like he wasn’t sure he was allowed to touch me.
“Charlotte…” he breathed, my name barely a sound.
I cut him off with my mouth on his. My lips pressed into his before he could say another word. He hesitated for only a second before kissing me back, his mouth was warm. His bottom lip slid between mine and I sucked on it, holding it there, tasting him, pulling just enough to make his breath shake.
“You make me crazy…” he moaned against my mouth, the sound low.
His hands tightened on me, one gripping my waist, the other spreading over my back, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. I tilted my head and let my tongue brush his, meeting him halfway. He groaned again, my name leaving his lips louder this time, and kissed me harder.
I could feel his hardness on my womanhood, and it sent a sharp rush through my body. I began rolling my hips slowly on his, chasing that feeling. A broken sound left him, his head falling back as his grip tightened on me. “Charlotte,” he moaned, his voice strained, he was barely holding himself together. Heat spread through me, my body begging for the connection our clothes refused to give. I kept moving on him, lost in it. I didn’t care who I was anymore as long as it was him.
I broke the kiss and we both stayed there, panting heavily, staring at each other, we were both on the edge. His big hands slid firmly to my hips, guiding my movement now, meeting me instead of holding back. A low, hungry groan left him as his dark eyes stayed locked on mine. He leaned in and took my mouth again, his tongue pushing inside like he knew exactly how to undo me. It made my head spin, my body arching into him without thought. I kissed him down his jaw, to his neck, lingering there, right where his mark should have been, my lips staying longer than they should, I was already claiming what I wanted.
9:04 Wed, Feb 11
Chapter 71
8
100
55 vouchers
My wolf surged forward, pushing at my skin, she wanted out. I lowered my mouth to his neck and sucked on that spot, and he lost it instantly. His head fell back as a rough groan tore out of him, the kind that couldn’t be held in. I knew anyone outside could have heard it, but I didn’t care. This wasn’t me anymore. It was Astra. She dragged her tongue over his skin, tasting and claiming him, my teeth pressing as my fangs threatened to break through. It took everything in me to stop, to tear my mouth away before I crossed a line I had no right
- to.
Our
eyes locked the moment I pulled back, and I saw it. His wolf was right there, staring back at mine through his eyes. Astra growled low inside me, answering him, like she’d called him out or maybe he’d called her first. They stayed there, neither of them willing to back down.
I forced myself to move away, sliding back into the passenger seat even though my body screamed against it. Astra groaned in protest, my skin still burning with need that had nowhere to go. He stayed frozen and hard beside me, his hands gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. I didn’t have to look at him to know he was fighting too, dragging his wolf back down, putting himself together.
My mind wandered back to what just happened. I had feelings for Ace, yes, but he wasn’t my mate or my second–chance mate. If he was, I would have felt the bond. I would have known. So why were our wolves acting like they had known each other forever? The thought made my head spin. I almost marked him. I shook my head slightly, mentally scolding myself.
That was when it hit me. He didn’t have a mark on his neck. Moon should have given him one by now. Everything started making sense. Moon said he would mate and mark her at the festival, in front of everyone.
“Why are you not bearing your wife’s mark?” I asked softly.
He looked at me. He had regained his control back now. His wolf was gone from his eyes, but I could feel this unexplainable pull between us. “I’ve told you many times,” he said, his voice even, “Moon is not my mate. She has no right to mark me.”
“I understand that,” I replied. “But in our world, if you choose another she–wolf who isn’t your mate, like you did with Moon, you still have the right to mark each other. So even if she isn’t your fated mate, she’s still your chosen mate.”
He looked like he didn’t want to answer but did anyway. “Among the few things that came with the curse, I’m not allowed to mark any other wolf, and no one can mark me.”
I nodded slowly, processing the information. “Does she know that?”
He shook his head. “She doesn’t.”
“You should tell her. All she wants is to mate and mark you during the festival.”
“That is never going to happen. I’ve made that clear to her many times.” His gaze softened as his eyes scanned my face. “I don’t know exactly what she said to you at the hospital, but I don’t want her. I’m never going to mark her or mate her.”
I scoffed, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “Yeah right. You make out with me at the gym, giving me a love bite on my neck, and the next minute you’re making love with her, giving her the same love bite. You really must take me for granted.”
“That’s not true.” He searched my eyes, and when he saw the doubt there, he added, “Why was it easy for you
9:04 Wed, Feb 11
Chapter 71
to believe her, but you never believe anything I say?”
56 vouchers.
“I try to believe you, to take your words for it, but it’s difficult. This is the woman you chose over your mate. And then my mate also rejected me. I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
“I’m not going to let you slip away from me.” He started the engine and drove us back to the pack. He went straight inside to see Dad and discuss things. I went up to my room, my mind replaying everything that happened in the car. My lips still tingled from his, and I could feel the heat of him against me all over again. I acted like a wanton woman in the car, surprising myself. I never imagined I would ever do something like that but that arrogant, dangerously handsome Alpha brings out the wild things I didn’t know I had in me.
Ace left after the meeting with Dad, saying he had something important to do. I tucked Liam in after dinner and went to my library when Dad called me to his study. I was surprised to see Ethan and his father there. They both had serious looks on their faces, like something big was about to happen.
AD
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
