Sharing my research with Cassy felt like a genuine release. I'd kept it hidden from everyone else, burdened by my father's insistence that I prioritize my duties as crown prince and the needs of the kingdom. My mother, in her own way, pressed for me to find a mate and ensure the continuation of our lineage, neither of them grasping the profound truth of what I'd uncovered. The Moon Goddess had spoken to me for a reason, revealing the impending doom of the werewolves.
The sincerity in Cassy's questions was palpable, a refreshing departure from the perfunctory inquiries I'd grown accustomed to. Each moment spent with her solidified a truth I already held: she was my destined mate. This wasn't simply the intensity of my attraction; it was in the very fabric of her listening, her sharing, the way she wove me into her world, proving that a chosen companion could never measure up.
Our meal concluded swiftly, and hand-in-hand, we made our way to the car. I guided her to a charming little ice cream shop, and the spark in her eyes told me it was a good choice. She eagerly pulled me inside, and we happily shared a scoop. Afterwards, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the local park as the sun dipped below the horizon. With an early start looming, we decided it was time to head back to the hotel.
I was eager to get back to the hotel. I'd arranged for Matt to have a dozen roses waiting, and the surprise was even better than I'd hoped. The moment she opened the door, her eyes fell on the vibrant red roses in the vase on the table, and she practically ran towards them. She pulled them into her chest, breathing in their fragrance, while I simply stood back and admired her.
Her gasp was music to my ears, a genuine delight that echoed the flutter in my own chest. Her hands, still smelling faintly of the park's damp earth and summer blossoms, reached out to trace the velvet petals of a rose, her smile widening with each touch. It was a simple gesture, yet it held a universe of emotion for me, a confirmation of the joy I'd felt planning this small surprise. The weight of my crown, the anxieties of my kingdom, all of it receded into the background, replaced by the radiant glow of her happiness. This was the true power, I realized, not in ruling, but in creating such moments of unadulterated bliss.
"Derick, they're beautiful!" she breathed, her voice a soft whisper that vibrated through me. She turned, her eyes, pools of liquid twilight, met mine, and in their depths, I saw not just appreciation, but something deeper, a shared understanding that transcended words.
I moved closer then, my own heart thrumming a wild cadence against my ribs. The scent of her filled my senses. This was more than attraction; it was the grounding of a storm, the finding of my true north. The Moon Goddess had not simply warned me of doom; she had guided me to salvation, to her. The future, once a daunting expanse of duty and danger, now shimmered with the promise of shared burdens and unwavering love.
The petals, still dewy, brushed my palm as I coaxed the bouquet from her grasp, their vibrant hues a fleeting distraction against the storm brewing within me. Back on the polished wood, they were an afterthought. My gaze locked with hers, a silent challenge passed between us, and then I plunged. The kiss wasn't gentle; it was a claiming, a desperate hunger unleashed. Her fingers, white-knuckled, clawed at the fabric of my shirt, a visceral anchor as she rose on tiptoe, her body arching, seeking to bridge the chasm that separated us.
A low moan, a sound that vibrated deep in my chest, escaped her lips, and the air thickened with the undeniable, intoxicating perfume of her arousal. I hadn't planned this, hadn't intended to ignite this wildfire, but in the raw, unguarded intensity of her eyes, in the desperate press of her body against mine, she was an inferno, and I, a moth drawn to its irresistible flame.
"My apologies," I rasped, a shaky breath escaping my lips, as I pulled away from Cassy, trying to control myself. Cassy's eyes widened, a flash of wounded vulnerability crossing her features. "Damn it," I growled, the sound low and guttural, driven by a primal need. I closed the space between us, my wolf a restless storm within, clawing at my control, desperate to soothe her, to claim her, to weave our souls together as one.
The world narrowed to the electric hum between us, to the urgent, desperate clasp of my arms around her yielding waist. Her legs, like twin vines, coiled around me, pulling me closer, tighter. The friction of her desire pulsed against the unyielding hardness of my own. She leaned into me, a willing surrender, her weight a delicious anchor. My mouth, still a thief stealing kisses from hers, felt the frantic rhythm of her breath, a prelude to the storm brewing. My shoes, suddenly clumsy impediments, were kicked aside as I carried her towards the bed.
As I lowered her, a gasp escaped her lips, a sound that vibrated through me. I pulled back, just enough, to witness the exquisite tableau. Splayed across the sheets, a canvas of raw need, she was a revelation. Her breath, a ragged symphony, tore at the silence. Her chest, a frantic ascent and descent, told a story of pure, unadulterated arousal. Her lips, a bruised rose, parted with a silent plea. And her cheeks, flushed with a fever I had ignited, burned with a heat that mirrored the inferno in my own veins. Goddess help me, she was a masterpiece of unleashed desire.
"Cassy," I breathed, my voice a raw, hungry caress, as I buried my nose in the intoxicating hollow of her neck. The scent of her, a potent, bewitching perfume, flooded my senses, steeping into the very core of me. It was the only balm for the wildfire that coiled and thrashed within my veins. "I don't want to hurt you," I murmured, the words a desperate plea against the rising tide. "I'm afraid I can't stop...won't." Even as the confession spilled from my lips, I felt myself drawn back, my mouth finding her skin again, a soft, lingering kiss, a gentle suck that coaxed a breathless moan from her. "D-derrick," Cassy whispered, her voice a tremor against my ear, and the sound sent a fresh wave of heat through me as I pulled away, balancing on my elbows, the space between us electric.
Cassy's eyes, a deep, arresting green, seemed to drink me in. Her hands cupped my face, thumbs tracing the curve of my jaw, a breath away from my lips. "I won't lie and say I'm not scared," she confessed, her voice a low murmur that vibrated against my skin. She bit her lip, a slow, deliberate movement that sent a shiver through me. "But I also am not going to lie and say I don't want you, Derick." A slow, knowing smile bloomed on her lips, promising everything.
My fingers found the warm curve of her neck, a gentle tug drawing her closer. The kiss that followed was soft, a deep breath shared between us, a promise whispered against her lips. Cassy's hand, a sudden heat against my scalp, threaded its way into my hair. Her grip tightened, not with force, but with a primal urgency that sent a delicious tremor through my entire being.
My breath hitched, a raw scrape in my throat as I drew back, the slick slide of my tongue across my lips a traitorous whisper in the charged stillness. My gaze locked onto her, a predatory stillness settling over me. With deliberate, almost agonizing slowness, my fingers found the first button of my shirt, the worn fabric parting like a sigh. Cassy's eyes, dark pools of an unvoiced hunger, devoured my every move. Her hands, tentative at first then bolder, skimmed across my chest, mapping territories that tightened with her touch. The air thrummed with a potent, almost palpable arousal, a heady perfume that threatened to drown me, to pull me under. The last button yielded, a soft click that seemed deafly loud. Her pupils flared, a wildfire igniting within them, and her focus, sharp and unwavering, plunged instantly to the buckle of my belt.
Her fingers, like predatory vines, snaked for the buckle of my belt. A primal smirk twisted my lips as I anticipated the challenge. With a surge of power, I pinned both her wrists, her struggles igniting a fire in my veins. They were trapped, pinned above her head, a delicious surrender in her strained muscles. Then, with a deliberate, almost theatrical flourish, I shed my shirt, a piece of fabric cast aside, its destination utterly unimportant in the swirling storm of sensation. The air thickened, heavy with the intoxicating musk of her arousal, a scent that spoke volumes about the wild heart beating beneath my hands.
I couldn't wait for Cassy to catch her breath, my lips immediately finding the curve of her neck again. I traced a path upwards, then down, my tongue mapping the sensitive skin where my mark had been. A low groan escaped her, a sound that vibrated through me. I continued my exploration, a trail of kisses down her collarbone, teasing the fabric that barely concealed her. My gaze lifted, meeting hers as she panted, her chest rising and falling with a feverish rhythm.
My teeth snagged the delicate fabric of her dress, a gentle pull that parted the material. A soft gasp escaped Cassy as the top of her dress slid down, revealing her breasts. The sight, the scent of her arousal, was a potent intoxicant. My mouth found her hardening nipple, swirling it gently, tasting the sweetness. Releasing her hands I them trail beneath the hem of her dress, tracing the curve of her thigh, moving upwards, a deliberate exploration of her warmth and wetness. Her body arched against my touch, a silent invitation as I sucked on her nipple.
A low groan vibrated from Cassy as my tongue continued its exploration, a dance of heat and need. The air crackled with an unspoken promise, the intensity of her arousal a palpable force. I lifted my head, my eyes meeting hers, and saw a reflection of the storm raging within me. Her hands, no longer restrained, moved to my hair, her touch sending shivers through my skin. The primal urge to shed the last vestiges of restraint intensified, the scent of her, a heady perfume, urging me forward.
With a final, deliberate move, I pulled away, the air between us thick with unspoken desire. Her green eyes, wide and luminous, held mine, a silent question and a bold answer. My gaze dropped to her lips, still glistening from our kiss, then to the way her chest rose and fell with a rapid rhythm. The world narrowed to this moment, to the intoxicating promise held within her gaze, the undeniable pull of our shared destiny.