~Slam!~
The sound of the door slamming shut made Julian tense. He blinked, the fluffy white towel barely clinging to his fingertips.
He stood frozen, a towel draped around his waist, water dripping from him and leaving wet spots on the floor.
Heâd just stepped out of the shower when it seemed Maya had decided she needed to talk to himâ¦or ~yell~ at him, judging by the slammed door and the angry look on her face.
Her cheeks were as red as her hair. ~This wasnât good~.
âYou could die,â she finally said, breaking the silence as she approached him.
~Ah, yes, he was aware of that.~ Wasnât she the one whoâd yelled at him not long ago because heâd ~attempted~ to sort of die before they were mated?
Was she the one with memory issues now?
ââ¦I know?â
âWhen we fight that bastard, you could die.â
âSo could you.â
âMy chances are better than yours.â
~True.~
~âSo~â¦why are youâ¦telling me this?â
âIâm really pissed itâs you.â
Julian had to press his lips together to suppress the laughter bubbling up in his chest.
âI think youâve made that abundantly clear, many times. But thanks for the reminder,â he said, winking at her.
âThatâs not what Iâm saying.â
âThen what are you saying?â
âI DONâT KNOW!â she yelled, her fists clenched at her sides, trembling. âI donât know. Okay? I always say what I want, I do what I want. I think about me.
âI care about my pack. I care about everyone. But I care about me. And I donât think thatâs wrong.â
âIt isnât.â
âOh thanks, but I wasnât asking for Alpha validations of my feelings.â
~Maya.~
Maybe he didnât really know Alex, considering that despite her constant presence and her attitude, the man was patient.
Julian found it amusing, annoying, and charming all at once.
~But he was her mate, so what did he know about being objective~?
âThen what do you want from me, Maya?â
âIâve been on my own, Iâve been with my pack. Iâve been with peopleâ¦â âThis is not what I do best, okay? You might die.â
âItâs starting to feel like youâre ~hoping~ Iâm gonna die,â he joked.
~He didnât know what she wanted him to make of this~. If he died, he wouldnât be the one suffering. She would be.
Thatâs why heâd tried to spare her the pain, but as sheâd so eloquently put it, ~it had been some dumbass thinking~.
But was she now understanding what heâd been trying to do?
âIâm better with my actions,â she said.
âOh?â
But Julian didnât have to wait long for an answer. Maya launched herself at him, throwing her entire body at him.
He almost fell backward, but the wall behind him provided the support he needed to stay upright.
He pulled her into his arms, his towel dropping to the floor. Her lips met his, and he surrendered to her touch. This wasnât just a kiss.â
It was ~something more~. Her hands roamed his body, causing him to shudder.
He was already aroused.
Maya pulled away from him, disentangling herself, and stepped back. ~Was that all? Just one passionate kiss~?
He couldnât let it end there. His inner wolf was howling for more, and despite his respect for her independence, he couldnât let her go.
His alpha instincts craved her touch.
But it seemed she could read his mind. She held up a finger, signaling him to wait. He watched, eyes wide, lips parted, as she undressed.
She tugged at the bottom of her blue T-shirt, pulling it over her head, and dropped it at his feet.
The sparkle in her eyes was impossible to miss as she continued to undress, her clothes forming a pile at his feet. ~Sly little thing~.
Once she was naked, she stood still in front of him.
~Waiting~.
It wasnât a game of chase, but he felt an irresistible pull towards her. He closed the distance between them and grabbed her.
In one swift move, he spun her around, pressing her back against his chest, one arm wrapped around her waist.
He had other plans for his free hand.
A smirk spread across Julianâs face as he gently slid a finger inside her already wet core.
Feeling how tight she was around his finger, he had to suppress a groan.
As Julian began to pleasure her with his finger, he felt her back arch.
Deciding to give her more, he added another finger, and felt her tighten around them.
He desired her. He wanted to make love to her.
Julian withdrew his fingers from her, and felt her hips buck, missing his touch. But she wouldnât be without him for long.
He held onto her hips, using his grip to lift her onto the bed. She lay there, panting, watching him.
He took hold of her knees and spread her legs. Positioning himself at her entrance, he felt her wetness enveloping him. He had to fight back a moan.
Julian leaned down and wrapped his arms around her, his hands gripping her shoulders.
He felt her bury her face in his neck and for a moment, Julian thought she might say something, but she remained silent.
~The words she couldnât voice~.
He had barely started when he felt her legs wrap tightly around his waist. Her back began to arch, and she slowly pulled away from his neck.
Julian looked down at her.
Her eyes were locked on his face, her breathing shallow. Her normally clear light blue eyes were now clouded with desire.
He let go of her shoulders and took hold of her hips, laying her on her back and lifting himself up. Julian held her down with his hands as he quickened his pace.
He thrust into her faster and faster, and she began to toss her head from side to side as if overwhelmed by sensation.
She bit down hard on her lower lip, hard enough to draw blood.
The scent of her blood mingling with her arousal was almost enough to drive Julian wild. Unconsciously, his grip on her hips tightened, sure to leave a mark.
~But he knew Maya liked that~.
He thrust himself deeper within her, perhaps too deep. The rougher he was, the more aroused she became, driving him wild.
He saw her close her eyes and it spurred him to move faster. ~He needed her, all of her~.
He wanted to claim every inch of her. He wanted his hands everywhere. He wanted to touch every part of her.
~So if he did die, she wouldnât forget him.~
She would remember how he possessed her, how he gave more than anyone else could.
He didnât have the luxury of time, and he didnât have memories to give her. Julian didnât even know if he could give her a future. ~But this he could do. This was all he could give Maya~.
Her moans grew louder, and he knew she was close. He thrust into her even harder; he wanted her to climax. And after a few more seconds, she did.
She screamed his name, her body shaking beneath him as she climaxed.
Afterward, her body trembled from the intensity of her orgasm, but he didnât stop.
~He was close to his limit, but he couldnât stop now~.
Julian gently turned her onto her stomach, maintaining their intimate connection. She let out a deep breath, lying face down, and then felt his hands on her backside.
He held her firmly, a sudden desire to spank her rising within him.
He felt her tighten around him, causing him to tilt his head back slightly. He heard her heavy breathing beneath him, felt her squirm under his touch.
The sensation was overwhelming, and with each thrust, she tightened around him even more.
His fingers dug into her skin, marking her once again. But it didnât matter. No one else would see these marks because no one else would have her like thisâonly him.
~He had to believe that.~ She was ~his~ now.
Her knees were on the verge of giving out, and her soft cries were growing louder. ~Perhaps he could bring her to climax one more time.~
One final time. One last memory for her to cling toâ¦
Because he couldnât say the words either.
It wouldnât be right. Not when everything was so uncertain.
Julian clung to her as if she might slip away, driving into her, the sound of their bodies colliding echoing in the room.
~One last taste of her.~ One last moment to feel like his heart was about to explode.
He watched as she arched her back, her eyes tightly shut, screaming his name as she released around him.
The aroma, the sight... it was all too much for him, and before he could stop himself, he released inside her, groaning deeply.
They fell onto the bed. Nearly spent, he almost collapsed on top of her. Then he withdrew, eliciting a soft whimper from her.
Julian wrapped his arms around her and rolled onto his side, pulling her close. Their bodies pressed together, he buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent.
~If he were to die, heâd die with her scent in his memory.~