Page 65 of Fractured Mates
That, I could believe in. That, I would put my faith in and find a way to come out stronger than ever before.
Knowing it’s still going to be a process, regardless of what I believe, I decide to take the first step toward allowing myself to truly let Kyler in.
The wall I unconsciously began constructing around my mind and heart the moment I felt the bond snap into place begins to crumble. A brick here, a brick there. Piece by piece, I encourage them to fall. Not completely, because I know that I can’t just blink and accept everything will be fine, but I can expose myself enough to let him in a little more every day.
To allow him to feel my true emotions and to let his in.
The moment I unleash my desire for him and fear of the future, Kyler’s eyes open and the hand he has draped over my stomach pulls me closer to him.
He sits up and brushes his thumb over my trail of tears. Sophie.
His voice sounds in my mind with the utmost care. Gentle and kind.
You’re safe with me, he says.
I nod, knowing I need to say something back if I’m going to succeed at this first step. But the words don’t want to come. Not in the way they should.
I won’t ever leave you, he adds. There isn’t a force powerful enough in this world to rip me from your arms.
It’s a promise I know he can’t keep, but the words have me losing my shit all over again. I’m supposed to be this badass wolf shifter who has taken care of herself for years without the help of anyone. Yet in Kyler’s arms, with his sweet words, I fall apart. My shield crumbles, and I cry like the child I barely remember being.
My sobs get buried into his chest as he holds me tightly, keeping my body from shattering, as I’m most certain it would without him there.
The tears fall, one after another, for what feels like an eternity. I say nothing and neither does he. But he doesn’t have to. Not when I can feel his emotions pulsing through the tether of our bond. His warmth becomes mine. His kindness washes over me. His protectiveness reminds me that I’m not alone. His desire for only me mends the cracks in my heart.
I’m so sorry, I finally tell him when the tears have stopped.
He pulls back just enough that he can see my face. You have nothing to apologize for.
I’m not as strong as I pretend to be.
His head shakes, and he smiles softly. No, you’re even stronger, because you have held on to all that pain by yourself and still found a way to live, which is more than most people would be capable of.
I hold him tighter and try to hide my face again, but he’s not having any of that. He grabs my cheeks and forces me to stare into his eyes as he says, You never have to hide from me, Sophie. I will never shame you for your choices or feelings. You are mine, and that means more to me than just some bond we share.
Thank you, I say, knowing it’s not enough, but that’s all I’m able to do. At least with words.
My hands slide over his chest, and I push him back. As he moves, so do I until I’m straddling his waist and he’s looking up at me.
Make me forget the pain, Kyler. Make me forget everything but you.
He guides my face toward his and brings our mouths together, kissing me with a ferocity that has my toes curling and my nails scratching at his chest.
Our tongues meet in a battle, but not against each other, for one another. He holds me tightly, filling my mind with joy, desire, and need. The last being the most prominent.
This man needs me. My body, my mind, my soul—all of it. He needs me more than his next breath, and the fierceness of that has my heart expanding in my chest, beating in time with his.
I lift my hips and reach under his boxer briefs for his cock, grateful he’d kicked off his jeans before we got in bed earlier. My fingers wrap around the hard and velvety skin, barely able to touch the tips together as I stroke him.
You need to be naked now, Kyler commands roughly, and I have no problem complying.
Between the two of us, we strip away all physical barriers within seconds and I grab hold of him again before positioning him right where I need him.
Still on top, my body slams down, taking the entirety of his hard length in one go. I cry out, my head dropping back. He fills me so completely, and not just physically.
His intensity could consume me, and I’ve known that since the moment I first kissed him. It’s why I’ve been so afraid, but I don’t want to let fear control me. I don’t want to ruin the future, like my wolf said. Her words were the reminder I needed. I haven’t fought all these years to not enjoy the peace we’ve finally found.
The stronger those thoughts grow in my mind, the quicker my pace becomes. I don’t want to slow or savor this moment. I just want to consume everything this man is offering me.