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Merrily Mated(22)

By:By P. Jameson


With his desperate words, she was done for. Her body locked up, muscles spasming as her release rocked her core. Tears of relief painted her lashes once again. Her moans were muffled as his grip on her scalp tightened.

Something fierce and primal came over her as his fingers gentled, bringing her down from the blissful peak. Her male, satisfying her, giving her pleasure as if he’d waited a lifetime for this moment… it was enough to solidify any decision she’d made in the woods.

They were meant to be, and she would fight for them. If Ryan couldn’t keep fighting, then she would. She’d be the fierce defender of their love. Make up for all the pain she’d caused him. Make up for all the times she’d chosen her clan over her strong and able human.

Her precious human.

She’d never give him up.

Never.





Chapter Seven



Ryan struggled to catch his breath, but having enough air to keep his mind from bailing felt like a lofty goal. As far out of reach as Layna had been for all this time. An impossibility.

She wasn’t so far out of reach now.

He pushed inside her once again, slow and gentle, imagining it was his cock instead of his fingers. Imagining she let him take her like a real mate. Imagining she truly wanted him like that and not because of the drugs or the need to heal.

It felt like a dream, yet he knew he was awake.

A familiar ache bloomed in his chest.

Her words, her declaration. It was bittersweet. A poison for his soul because he’d needed to hear them for so long yet he knew they weren’t true. They were drug-induced. What was real was the goodbye kiss underneath the mistletoe. Or the way she kept him at a friendly distance day in and day out. That was the truth of them. Their reality.

She’d never let him touch her like this if she wasn’t so in need of the bond that would heal her. And it was growing. He could feel it, this connection to her that was more beautiful than any sunset. It was everything he’d ever wanted from her. Security. Assurance that she was his. A chance to prove himself. To show her how good he could love her. How devoted he’d be.

The bond was all that, wrapped up in one powerful fated emotion.

So he wouldn’t feel bad about what he’d just done to her. He couldn’t. He was caring for his woman the only way he knew how, giving her what she needed to get better. He’d never regret that. Not even when she broke him for good. Because that’s what this bond was doing to him. Ruining him for any other woman. Promising him a lonely future. Because after this… and maybe it’d always been this way… there’d be no room in his heart for anyone but his cougar.

Trembling, he kissed her head, and carefully eased his fingers from between her legs. He said a quick prayer that she wouldn’t speak. He didn’t want her to regret anything either. He just needed to grow their bond like Doc said. He needed Layna to be whole again.

He felt her release her grip on his shirt. Slowly, her hand crept lower toward his belt, but he grabbed it, locking it in the tight space between them.

“Sleep,” he rasped.

Several breaths passed before she answered, sounding shy. “Let me touch you.” He’d never heard her sound like that. Layna had the confidence of an entire army of warriors.

He kissed her hair again, rubbing the silky strands against his lips.

Her soft hands on him sounded like heaven, and made him so hard, he felt pain. But he couldn’t let her.

“No.”

“But… you need it.”

“Layna…”

She lifted her head to find his eyes, and he struggled not to glance away. It was so damn hard to look at her now, knowing none of this would matter in a few days. Not to her anyway.

“I want to satisfy my mate’s needs,” she whispered.

Ryan closed his eyes, unable to bear it another second. This wasn’t her. It was her cat maybe. Or the tranq. Or gratitude. Or the fastest way she could think of to grow the bond. But it wasn’t her.

And he wanted her.

“No,” he murmured, determined. “I’ll take nothing from you right now. Not while your wounds are so fresh. When you’ve healed, then we’ll straighten things out between us. But right now, all I want is for you to be well. Now sleep.”

Hesitantly, she laid her head back on his chest.

“Okay,” she said quietly. “I’ll do whatever you want. But Ryan?”

“Hm?”

“Please stay. Don’t leave again. Just… don’t go.”

He swallowed the lump in his throat, pushing the pain down as far as it would go. “Sleep, my Layna.”

He listened as her breathing steadied and she succumbed to healing rest. Hours passed before he was able to follow her under, but finally the pull of sleep claimed him.