the tunnel hidden in the cliffside, my steps rushed as small cramps fill my belly. I enter the cave, breathing a sigh of relief even as sweat begins to coat my skin. I take a steady breath as another cramp hits, blowing it out slowly through the pain. It’s only uncomfortable at the moment, but when my heat hits full force, it will sear through me as I’m seeing it through on my own.
Just like I do every year.
I head over to the furs I keep here at the back of the cave, walking around the pool and run my fingers through the water flowing down over the edges from the opening above. The cool water chills my clammy skin, and I bring my wet hand to the back of my neck, letting droplets of water run down my back.
Reaching my furs, I crouch down and arrange them to my liking, taking extra care in their placement before taking my boots off and placing them down next to my bed. Standing back up, I begin to undress. My t-shirt sticks to my skin as I draw it up over my head, my hair sticking to my neck in the process. I undo my pants next, my shaky fingers undoing the ties before shimmying them down my legs. Standing in just my bra and panties, I tie my hair in a knot on top of my head and walk toward the water.
My bare feet pad along the cold, rock floor until I reach a smaller flow of water coming down from the top. I step into it, gasping at the sudden coolness and holding myself under it for a moment before taking my first steps into the pool. I wade toward the center slowly, my fingers running over the shimmering surface, until the water reaches just below my collarbone. I take deep breaths, the cramps coming stronger, and I tilt my head up to the now dark sky, the tiny specks of stars covering the darkness. Wisps come out from behind the lilk trees and greet me briefly, twirling in front of my eyes before floating upwards and out of the opening above me, until their green-blue glow is out of sight. I groan and clench my eyes shut as another wave of heat flows through me, my chest heaving through its strength.
I sink lower and dip my head back, letting the water soak my hair before lifting my legs to float, feeling the coolness encase me. I remain like this, running my fingers over the surface, creating ripple after ripple as my body burns to be touched, to stop this heat that’s slowly overwhelming me. I stand upright suddenly, a disturbance in the air alerting me that someone has entered my cave. I stand still and take a deep breath, then unintentionally let out a groan at the scent that hits me. Cedarwood, damp earth after rain, and power, with a hint of something that is just him.
I don’t turn around. I just keep looking straight ahead at the water cascading down and breathing through my mouth to avoid taking in more of his scent which is like an aphrodisiac. His presence makes me very aware of every droplet of water that runs over my heated flesh. Runa cocks her head at the smell of him, standing in his presence, knowing who is here. I mentally shove at her, telling her to pack that shit in.
I hear him moving around the space, his footsteps loud as if to let me know he’s here. I already know. I can sense him. It’s like my body has a direct link to his, to his every breath, and I hate it. I hate not being myself around him, I hate the way my body responds to him, and I hate that he has the audacity to show up in my space like this, knowing I can only control so much.
I growl. It’s low and in warning that he better turn his ass around and get out of my space. All I get is a low chuckle in response, like I’m an insignificant threat to his balls. My fists clench beneath the surface, and I turn slowly, the water gently moving with me as I prepare to face him.
He stands between a parted section of flowing water at the edge of the pool, his eyes heating as he takes me in, seeing me nearly bare for the first time as his eyes pierce through the clear water. His gaze slowly roams up my body, and every caress of his eyes has my body burning. My stomach drops and my breathing picks up even as my deadly glare homes in on his face. When his gaze reaches my throat, black bleeds at the edges of his irises and flecks of silver float in his darkened green. He lowers his head, his fingers twitching at his sides.
Our eyes finally collide in heat and anger as my body flushes, my cheeks warming with the onslaught of desire coursing through my body. His nostrils flare, a small rumbling sound escaping him. My lips part at the noise, my chest heaving. I don’t move a muscle, scared to make one single move as Runa tries pushing me forward, wanting me to go to him. I growl loud and viciously, a snarl at my lips at her and at him for entering my space. It’s mine.
“Get the fuck out,” I order him, trying to ignore the obvious erection I see straining against his pants. He cannot be here. He’s not welcome here.
“Why would I do that, little wolf?” he murmurs, his voice laced with seduction. He moves a step back and begins to walk around the edge of the pool.
“You’re not wanted. You’re not invited here!” I snap, still refusing to move as he’s now walking at the side of me.
“Your heat has come,” he states, and I hear him breathing deep as he walks. “You want to be fucked, need to be.”
My core tightens at his words, and I release some of my dominance, letting it fill the space. I feel him still behind me, then a moment later he snarls, his dominance flowing through me, making my back start to arch before I can stop myself.
Another wave of heat hits me, and I moan, my eyes rolling as my head tilts back of its own accord. My hand runs a path from my neck to between my breasts, water dripping down as my body aches with need. Aches for relief.
Through my haze of desire, I hear him stop in front of me once again and my head snaps forward, my lips peeling back at him as he just watches me. The only sounds I hear are the pounding of my heart and my ragged breaths over the flow of water splashing into the pool. My hand drops, and I walk slowly toward him, our eyes locked in challenge as I stop a few feet away. His gaze lowers, resting at the apex of my thighs as water trickles down my skin, the pool’s water now resting just below my knees. His jaw clenches and a sound echoes deep from within his chest as his dark hair falls forward at the tilt of his head. So animalistic. So Darius.
“I do not want you here, Darius. Leave.” His eyes flash black, locking with mine as his lips tip up into a sinful smirk.
“Your body says otherwise, Rhea. What I don’t understand though, is why are you out here on your own?” He tilts his head in the other direction. “Don’t you have someone you’ve chosen to see you through your heat?”
“It’s not your business,” I breathe. “What I do with anything in my life is none of your business.”
He chuckles low. “See, that is where you are wrong.” He straightens and grabs his t-shirt, pulling it over his head and revealing inch after inch of tan, tattooed skin as I squeeze my thighs tightly together. The ache intensifies as I imagine what his bare skin would feel like on mine. “Since the moment I locked eyes on you, little wolf, you have been my business, my enemy, and mine in every way that I want.” He drops his t-shirt to the floor, watching me rake my gaze over him, watching my face flush in desire for him.
I can’t tear my eyes away as I lock on the dark tattoos swirling down from the sides of his neck to the top of his shoulders, reaching his collarbone. A mixture of script and harsh patterns flow down over his pecs and down the side of his ribs, caressing the edges of his abs before disappearing beneath the waistband of his pants. I bite my lip and wonder just how far down they go.
As if he could hear my thoughts, he bends and takes off his boots, kicking them aside before straightening. His hands are sure and steady as he undoes the ties of his pants, and I can’t look away, my attention solely on him. Fixed on him. He shoves his pants down and steps out of them, completely unashamed of his nakedness as he stands before me, hard and thick. Only a few thoughts run through my mind at that moment.
Pure. Male. Alpha.
My mind goes hazy as I devour him with my eyes, a whine escaping my lips as more wetness comes out of me as my body prepares itself. My heated eyes stay locked on his cock straining against his stomach, pre-cum leaking from the tip and my mouth fills with the urge to taste him, to lick him from base to tip and savor him. I want to swallow him down and scent mark him. I’ve never done that before. I’ve never wanted to.
Darius hurts me with his words and threats, but he also makes me feel things I have never felt before. A desire, a need, an unrelenting craving that won’t leave me.
It makes me think of the moon and the night colliding in a beautiful disaster, before it all goes dark with no end in sight.
No matter how I tell myself I won’t let this happen, it feels like I have no choice in the matter, that the situation is out of my hands and I know I’m going to fall. I can feel it, sense it, I just have to hope the landing will be soft and I survive it.
He growls a different sound. It’s lighter, an approval of my reaction to him, and I echo him, finally moving my eyes up his muscular body and staring into his black ones. Chills run over me as he takes a step forward into the water, and I growl a warning at his approach. He growls back, just as fierce, and I snarl as he stops just two feet in front of me.
“Do you want me to fuck you, little wolf? Do you want my cock deep inside you?” he purrs, bringing his hand up and wrapping it around himself. My eyes lower as I watch him stroke a fist down. He holds himself briefly at the base before bringing his hand up and collecting his pre-cum on his fingers. “Do you want to taste me just as much as I want to taste you?” He lifts his fingers up to my lips, trailing over them and coating them with his essence. “I won’t let anyone else touch you, so make a decision, you have two options.” He moves closer, pressing his fingers harder into my lips until they part and my tongue peaks out, tasting him for the first time. I feel my eyes dilate as my pussy clenches, wanting his scent all over me. He dips his head, our noses touching, eyes locked. “We can fuck, or we can fight then fuck.”
My legs tremble at his words, and with the scent of him invading me along with the taste of him, my stomach cramps once again. My body becomes an inferno, tingles erupting all over me, and I know I’m in full heat. I also know that with him being here, it’s inevitable. I can’t ignore him, just like he can’t seem to ignore me. He followed me here, stalked me, hunted me. I think his words over in my head and come to a decision. He smirks at me like he knows what it is, and I do the only thing left to do.
I pounce.
