Chapter 29: When The Flame Meet Flesh
The Artesian mansion was still and silent, save for the muffled creak of the front doors closing behind them. Outside, the night wrapped the world in darkness, but within these walls, a different storm was brewing—one far more dangerous than the battle they'd just survived.
Amber walked beside Zach, her arm gently supporting him, though he did not lean heavily on her. He refused to show the pain, even as blood soaked the side of his shirt and his steps slowed. He was stubborn, as always—but she knew better. His wounds, though healing slowly, still pulsed with heat and ache.
"You need treatment," she said softly once they reached his room, her voice more command than suggestion. "You may heal faster than a human, but not in this form. Not without help."
Zach didn't argue. He only looked at her, eyes dim with exhaustion and something else—something quiet and burning. He sat on the edge of the bed as she gathered the salves and gauze from the drawer. The room smelled faintly of pine and smoke, as if the forest had followed them home.
She knelt in front of him and began tending to the long gash across his ribs. His skin flinched under her touch, and he hissed through gritted teeth, but not once did he look away from her.
Amber tried to focus. On the wound. On the act of healing. But Zach's gaze lingered—intense, unreadable, unwavering. It made her breath catch.
"Stop looking at me like that," she whispered, not meeting his eyes.
"I can't," he murmured.
Her hand stilled on his skin. For a moment, neither of them moved. The air shifted—charged, electric, and dangerously quiet.
Zach's fingers reached out, calloused and firm, gently lifting her chin. Amber's heart pounded as their eyes met. Something in his gaze had changed—gentleness now replaced with something hungrier, deeper. Her lips parted, unspoken words lost between them.
Then, slowly, like a tide pulled by an unseen moon, Zach leaned in.
Their lips met—not in hesitation, but in surrender. It was not the kiss of firsts. It was the kiss of memories, of promises unspoken and desires long buried. His lips were warm, searching, desperate for the comfort only she could give. She kissed him back, just as fiercely, hands trembling as they tangled in his shirt.
Amber felt herself slipping—falling into him, into the space where pain faded and only the beat of his heart remained.
While Zach remembered the first time she saw him at Luna Café, how her presence had stirred something unexplainable in him. That very night, he had dreamed of her—visions too vivid to ignore. And now, here he was...
real.
alive.
in his room.
She broke the kiss first, breathless, but Zach followed. His hands framed her face, his thumb tracing her cheekbone. "This isn't a dream," he whispered. "You're here. And I can't pretend anymore."
Amber didn't speak. Her hand slid to the back of his neck, pulling him back to her. This time, the kiss deepened—fiery and unrestrained. Their bodies moved with instinct, not thought. She felt his desire, his restraint unraveling as her jacket slipped from her shoulders.
Zach eased her onto the bed, hovering above her without pressure, without demand—only a question in his eyes. Are you sure?
Amber nodded faintly, and Zach kissed her again—slower this time, reverent and aching. His hands moved across her waist, memorizing every curve, every sigh she gave him. She wasn't afraid. Not of him. Not of the fire that had been building between them since the beginning.
"This..." she breathed against his lips, "This is what it means. To be yours. Your mate."
He pressed his forehead to hers, exhaling as if he'd waited years to hear those words. "I've been holding back," he confessed. "Not because I didn't want you. But because I wanted to protect you. From me. From what's coming."
Amber's fingers slid along his jaw, tilting his face toward hers. "Then don't hold back anymore."
His lips claimed hers once more, this time with urgency. Their connection ignited, a wildfire in the quiet. She arched into his touch, feeling the rawness of his need—and the tenderness buried beneath it.
In his arms, she didn't feel like a warrior. She felt like herself. Seen. Desired. Safe.
"My moon..." Zach whispered
He kissed her neck, her shoulder, tracing the path of her heartbeat. Every kiss felt like a vow, every breath shared like a promise. She trembled beneath him, not out of fear—but out of the sheer intensity of being wanted so completely.
And still, Zach moved with care—listening to her body, reading her every reaction. His hands worshipped, never rushed. There was strength in his touch, yes—but also patience, reverence, love.
Amber closed her eyes as his hand gently brushed across her chest, her breath hitching in her throat. She gasped softly, a moan caught between pleasure and wonder.
He paused, looking into her eyes. "Tell me if you want me to stop."
She shook her head. "Don't."
The heat swelled between them—two wolves drawn together by fate, bound not just by instinct, but by choice.
Zach kissed her again, down to her breast, lick it but there's no urgency, slower... with intensity.
And then kiss her back again.
The kind of kiss that spoke of a bond forged in battle and sealed in fire. Amber responded with equal intensity, her hands exploring the scars that marked his skin—proof of how he had fought for her. For them.
Everything in that moment slowed. Time no longer mattered. Outside the world could burn, but inside this room, they found something sacred.
And when he finally whispered her name, voice low and raw,
They both gasped their breath.. Amber moan in pain, "So this is what it feels like... painful, burning—but still, it feels good."
Amber knew this wasn't just about desire. It was something deeper.
They moaned in unison, reaching the peak of their passion together.
Amber knew she had surrendered herself to Zach—and she had no regrets. That night had sealed more than desire—it had forged a bond no force could ever sever. A connection etched in soul and blood, destined to last a lifetime. To be Zach's mate was an honor in itself, a mark of fate and strength. But to be loved by him... that was a gift beyond anything Amber had ever imagined.
Zach leaned in, his voice a low whisper against her ear. "Oh Amber..."Stay with me... I'll protect you, no matter what happens. I love you." Zach's voice was steady, but his eyes burned with fierce devotion.
Amber gently cupped his face, her touch filled with longing—soft, tender, and overflowing with love. Her eyes searched his, as if memorizing every line, every unspoken vow written in his gaze.
It was love—feral, aching, and undeniable.