Hunter’s POV
I could tell that Alex was struggling to leave. He was staring at Stella while she was saying goodbye to her parents.
“We will be waiting for you, honey,” Emma said, hugging her tightly.
“We love you so much, Stella,” Alpha Logan said as he kissed her forehead.
“I love you too,” Stella said, smiling softly at both of them.
I tightened my hand around hers. I couldn’t wait for them to leave so I could be alone with her. I missed her like crazy and I just wanted to spend some time with her. She wasn’t my Sophia, but she was a huge part of her and I loved her as much as I loved Sophia.
Emma and Alpha Logan reluctantly let her go and walked out of the room, glancing back at her constantly. Alex was still standing in the room, staring at her like he was afraid she would disappear.
“Come here, Alex,” Stella said softly, reaching out for him.
He gulped and approached her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.
“It’s going to be okay,” she said. “We will bring Fia back.”
Alex closed his eyes and buried his nose into her hair.
“I am so scared,” he mumbled quietly. “What if I never see her again? What if I never see you again? I just got you back. I can’t let go. I can’t.”
His arms around her tightened and he pressed her closer to him.
“You will get her back,” Stella said. “I have a good feeling about this, Alex. You will see Fia soon.”
I watched Alex’s face scrunch up. He was trying so hard to hold his tears back.
“I love you, Stella,” Alex said, his voice quiet and raspy.
“I love you too,” she said as she let him go and smiled.
Alex let her go and looked at me.
“Take care of her,” he said, tightening his jaw.
“I will,” I said, giving him a small nod.
Alex looked back at Stella and took a deep breath.
“Next time you see me, I will be Fia,” she said softly.
Alex tried to smile, but he failed. He was too scared to smile. He just pulled her into another hug before he turned around and rushed out of the room. He didn’t even look at her as he was passing the window. He stormed out of the cabin like his ass was on fire.
My mate looked at me and I smiled. I reached out for her and she walked into my arms.
“I missed you,” I said as I pressed her against my chest.
Stella chuckled and looked up at me. I leaned in and placed a small kiss on her forehead.
“We never really met,” she said with amusement in her voice.
I cupped her cheeks and kissed the tip of her nose. I couldn’t stop kissing her. I couldn’t stop holding her in my arms.
“You are a part of Sophia and I love you as much as I love her,” I told her.
She smiled and lifted her hand to caress my cheek.
“I love you too,” she said. “And I love Holden as much as I love you. I can’t wait to meet him.”
‘Let me shift!’ Holden whined, trying to push forward.
‘We don’t have time,’ I said, pushing him back. ‘The darkness could come back any moment. We need to mark her.’
Holden whined but pulled back a little. He knew that I was right.
“He can’t wait to meet you too, Angel,” I mumbled quietly as I leaned in and pressed my lips against hers.
She sighed in delight and kissed me back.
I couldn’t believe that she was about to become mine. I couldn’t believe that I was going to mark her.
I planned to do it differently. I planned to do it while my Sophia was here. I planned to take her out on the most wonderful date she’d ever been on. I planned on spending the entire day worshiping her and telling her how much I loved her. I wanted to mark her while I was inside her, giving her body all the pleasure and love it deserved. I wanted her to mark me too. I wanted it to be an experience she would never forget.
‘We could still do that when we get Fia back,’ Holden said, his voice laced with pain.
‘We will,’ I said. ‘We will pretend none of this ever happened and we will mark her all over again once we get rid of that demon.’
I stopped kissing her and leaned my forehead against hers.
“Are you ready, my love?” I asked her quietly.
She furrowed her eyebrows and bit her lower lip.
“What’s wrong?” I asked as I kissed her softly.
“I wish Sophia was here for this,” she said quietly. “This is supposed to be her moment.”
I gulped and clenched my jaw. I wished that too.
“It’s yours too, Stella,” I said softly. “We are doing this for Sophia.”
She nodded and gave me a small smile. “I know.”
I moved my hands from her face, took her hand in mine, and pulled her to the bed. I sat down and she straddled me. I ran a hand up her body until I reached the back of her neck. I tangled my fingers into her hair and kissed her as hard as I could. I used my other hand to keep her pinned against my body.
She moaned and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“Oh, Goddess,” she mumbled as I started to kiss her jaw.
She tasted so fucking amazing and I didn’t want this moment to end.
It had to, though. I had to sink my canines into her. I had to fight the demon. I was terrified that the demon would come back any second now and that all of our efforts would have been for nothing.
I wanted to continue enjoying her and kissing her, but I couldn’t. I had to mark her while I still had a chance.
I lowered my lips to her neck and started kissing and sucking on her marking spot. She instinctively started grinding herself against me. My eyes rolled to the back of my head and I had to use all my strength not to flip her to her back and fuck her.
“Fuck,” I mumbled against her neck as I pulled on her hair gently.
She dug her fingers into my back and moaned.
“Ready?” I asked, panting hard.
It was now or never.
She nodded and my canines came out. I licked her marking spot before I let my canines sink into her delicious neck. Her blood flew into my mouth and I felt our connection grow stronger.
I grunted, she moaned, and we both held onto each other as tightly as we could.
I left my canines inside her until I felt our bond snap into place. My canines retracted and I licked her wound until it sealed.
I looked at her and saw her eyes roll back.
“I love you, Sophia,” I said as I watched her faint. “Come back to me.”
