Chapter 36

Colette stirred from the deepest sleep she’d ever known. She sat up, taking in the trees that surrounded her. It was around midday, judging by the sun’s high position. ~Them.~

She turned to find Sorin, still asleep, his dark hair falling across his face. She reached out to brush the hair away, wanting to admire him, when he caught her hand and brought it to his lips.

He kissed her arm, drawing her into a hug. He nestled into the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply.

“You smell incredible, my love,” he whispered against her skin. “I could never get enough of your scent.”

His tongue traced a path along her skin. “Colette,” he said suddenly.

“Mmm?” she responded, her head tilting to the side, lost in the pleasure of his touch.

“There’s a thing that mates do to show everyone they’re taken,” he said, sounding nervous again.

“Yeah?” she murmured, reaching up to stroke his hair.

“It’s kind of like getting married?”

Colette froze, pulling back to look at him in disbelief. “Are you asking me to marry you, Sorin? You haven’t even said you love me or anyth—”

“I love you,” he interrupted, his voice rough.

Colette just blinked at him.

“I—” He swallowed hard. “I love you, Colette. I want you…forever.”

She didn’t respond.

“Colette,” he said softly. “Please, say something.” He’d never confessed his love before. “It’s not exactly marriage. It’s a physical mark, a bite on each other’s necks. It changes our scent, and other wolves will know we’re mated. Colette.” Her name came out as a plea.

She just stared, not moving. He didn’t know if she’d shut down, or if she was just processing his words.

“I can wait, my love. You know I can. I waited weeks to mate with you. I’ve heard that mates usually consummate right away,” he said quickly.

~Really~? Colette hadn’t been able to wait even a few minutes before sleeping with him. Even as a virgin, she’d wanted to jump him the moment she’d shifted.

“I don’t want to wait,” she finally said, brushing her hair off her shoulder and baring her neck to him.

The sight of her submissive posture nearly sent him into a sexual frenzy. He’d wanted to have sex with her from the moment he’d seen her that first day in the cabin and wasn’t sure how he’d held out so long, but marking her now as his own made him incredibly nervous. Excited nervous, but still nervous.

“Sorin,” she asked quietly, looking up at him through her lashes. “I want it. I promise,” she said in a pleading voice.

He leaned over her neck, his teeth lengthening.

Only a moment passed. Colette almost begged him to do it, but the words never left her as his jaw clamped down. She’d been expecting pain, tremendous pain, but it wasn’t. Incredible pleasure rolled through her.

He pulled his teeth out of her neck and ran his tongue along the new sensitive mark. Beyond the pleasure was a slight stinging. “Now…it’s your turn,” he said, tilting his head for her.

She was less nervous and licked her lips excitedly. She moved quickly, climbing onto his lap to lick along the cords of his neck. She spent a lot of time nibbling along his skin.

His excitement was evident by the now hardening rod between his legs. He thought she planned to mate with him once more before marking him, but just as the thought flitted through his mind, her new lycan canines punctured his skin.

Of all the stories he’d heard about mated wolves, he’d heard very little about marks. Marking another was still something that could be done between wolves not destined, but no one really did it. With very few she-wolves, the women typically never stayed with one man.

The marking was sensual and even felt binding. He could feel Colette within him, the feeling of possession. They were one. A pair, a couple, a partnership.

Their souls had been twined, far more binding than that of a human marriage. He could feel her in the recesses of his mind. Feel her joy, her giddiness, her skin suddenly on him again.

He looked down to see her rubbing against him, preparing herself to be taken once again by him. He allowed her this time, having nothing to add to their conversation.

Colette straddled his lap, like the sensual savage she-wolf she now was. It was like she was trying to make up for the years of celibacy in just one afternoon. Not that Sorin minded, he was honored that she enjoyed his body.

Sorin rolled her over into the dirt and gripped her hips, slamming deeply into her. She was unbelievably soft and wet.

He fit perfectly inside her like she was made for his cock. Her beautiful body fit perfectly in his hands. It didn’t take much longer before he was roaring to completion once more.

Sorin rolled over onto the ground to rest, but Colette stood. She was a sight, despite the dirt smeared across her pale skin. A few twigs caught in her hair as she untangled a leaf from her tresses.

Sorin groaned playfully, trying to grab Colette, but she stayed out of swiping distance. “Why don’t you lay with me, my love?” he begged.

She smiled softly but shook her head. “Sorin, we can’t stay in the woods all day. I feel dirty and gross. I’d just like a hot bath and to sleep on a bed,” she said dreamily. Three weeks and no steaming baths.

“Of course,” he answered happily, jumping up quickly. He scooped Colette into his arms to carry her back. “There’s clothes stashed every few miles,” he let her know.

They walked for a while. The journey back to the compound took much longer than when she’d run out in wolf form. ~Wolf form?~ she wondered.

“Can you put me down?” she asked, and without any hesitation, he did. “Can you teach me how to turn back into a wolf?”

He paused then, uncertainty clouding his features. “It’s a personal journey for everyone. You’ll figure it out, I’m sure.”

She let out a soft, “Oh,” disappointment lacing her voice. “Yeah, I suppose I’ll give it another shot later.” With that, she trailed behind him.