Lyka
I had never felt like this before. Not once in my life.
It wasn't just the thrill of his hand in mine or the confidence in his smirk. It was something deeper, something that felt like it was etched into my bones. The mate bond. My wolf hummed quietly inside me, certain and steady with every heartbeat. Parker wasn't just someone I liked or felt drawn to—he was it. My one. The only one who would ever claim my heart, the one fate had carved out just for me.
I lifted my gaze to him, chest tightening. The streetlight caught his profile—the sharp line of his jaw, the slight arch of his brow, the curve of his lips tugged into that familiar smirk. He didn't even have to look at me to make me feel seen, claimed, protected.
"I don't know how you do it," I murmured, almost without thinking.
He tilted his head, thumb pressing a little firmer against mine. "Do what?"
I bit my lip, feeling warmth rise to my cheeks. "Make me feel like this."
His smirk deepened, but his eyes softened when they met mine. "Like what, Lyka?" His voice was low, teasing, but there was a knowing edge underneath. He already knew the answer. He just wanted to hear me say it.
"Like… like I'm yours. Completely. Even though I've barely begun to know you."
The words tumbled out, but instead of regret, I felt relief. Saying it aloud made it real, undeniable. My wolf stirred inside me, proud and certain.
Parker didn't laugh. He didn't tease. He stopped walking for a moment, turning to face me, hand tightening around mine. His eyes—dark, intense, burning with something more than words—locked on me.
"That's because you are mine," he said, calm and steady, as if it were the most obvious truth. "You've always been mine. You just didn't know it until now."
My breath caught. My chest swelled, stomach fluttering. There it was—the certainty I'd been struggling to put into words. He was right. I was his. From the moment our eyes met, from that very first touch, fate had tied me to him. Nothing could ever break that bond.
"I've never…" My voice faltered, thick with emotion. I swallowed and tried again. "I've never felt like this before. Not even close. It's like you've stolen my heart, Parker. And I don't think you're ever giving it back."
A slow, satisfied smirk tugged at his lips, but his eyes stayed serious, locked on mine with a heat that made my knees weak. "You're right about one thing—I'm never giving it back. Why would I? It belongs with me. Always."
My heart lurched. My wolf roared quietly with pride and certainty. He wasn't just Parker, the boy with the smirk and dangerous edge. He was my mate. My forever. My once-in-a-lifetime love no one could ever take from me.
A shaky laugh escaped me, tears pricking my eyes, though I couldn't say why. Maybe it was relief. Maybe joy. Maybe just the weight of the truth pressing down. "You're dangerous, you know that?"
His smirk deepened. His free hand lifted, almost brushing my cheek, but he hesitated, the tension stretching between us. "Dangerous?" he repeated softly.
I nodded, trying to steady my breath. "Because you make me feel like nothing else matters. Not the pack. Not the whispers. Not the future. Just… you."
For the first time, his smirk softened, gentler, almost vulnerable. "Good," he said simply. "Because that's how it's supposed to be."
And I believed him. Every bone in my body, every beat of my heart, I believed him.
I tilted my head just enough to watch him from the corner of my eye. The way his shoulders moved as he walked—relaxed but powerful—made it clear every step belonged to someone who knew exactly where he was going. Someone always in control. My wolf stirred, humming in quiet approval, and my chest tightened with that same certainty—he was it. My mate. My forever.
The silence wasn't heavy. It was thick, charged, every second stretched by the unspoken pull between us. I could hear my own heartbeat, feel every brush of his hand against mine like a promise whispered beneath the night.
"I could walk like this forever," I admitted softly, surprising even myself.
Parker tilted his head toward me, lips tugging into that infuriating, heart-melting smirk. "Then forever it is."
I let out a quiet laugh, shaking my head. "You say that like it's simple."
"It is," he said without hesitation. "You're mine. That's not complicated. That's fate."
The words struck deep, pulling at something in my chest, making my eyes sting. Fate. It wasn't just a word—it was the truth simmering under my skin since the moment I first met him.
I squeezed his hand gently, testing the waters. "You really believe that?"
Parker glanced down at me, eyes glinting in the dim light, dark and unwavering. "No, Lyka. I don't just believe it. I know it."
A shiver ran through me at the certainty in his voice. My wolf pressed closer, whispering that he was right—that this was unshakable, eternal.
I bit my lip, trying to steady the chaos in my chest. "I feel… different with you," I admitted. "Like I've been waiting for this all my life and didn't even realize it until now."
He stopped walking again, turning to face me fully. His hand tightened around mine, grounding me. "That's because you were," he said simply. His free hand rose slowly, hesitating for a heartbeat before his knuckles brushed gently along my cheek. The contact was feather-light, but it set my skin ablaze.
I froze, caught in the heat of his gaze. His thumb lingered just under my cheekbone, and my breath hitched, every inch of me trembling with the urge to lean closer.
"You're mine, Lyka," he said softly, the words a vow. "Not just tonight. Not just tomorrow. Always."
My chest ached as the truth of his words sank in, fire and comfort all at once. I wanted to tell him everything—that I knew he had already stolen my heart, that no matter what came, he would always be the love of my life. But all I managed was a shaky whisper:
"Always."
His smirk softened into something else—tender, dangerous. He leaned just slightly closer, close enough that I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin. My pulse thundered, my wolf clawing to close the distance.
But instead of kissing me, Parker pulled back just a fraction, a smug glint in his eyes, as though he knew exactly how undone I was. He gave my hand another squeeze and turned back toward the path.
"Come on," he murmured. "Let's keep walking. I like watching you struggle to breathe around me."
Heat rose to my cheeks, a mix of embarrassment and thrill. I tugged lightly at his hand, trying to glare, but the smile tugging at my lips gave me away.
We walked slower now, each step deliberate, caught in the gravity of something far bigger than us. Every brush of his thumb against mine made the truth sink in deeper—a truth I could no longer ignore.
Parker wasn't just the one. He was my only.