Page 25 of Planet Wolf

Finally, I found my voice again. “It was like the world ceased. I woke up, and my family didn’t know who any of you were. I had to convince myself I wasn’t crazy, that you had existed. And then it was suggested that, although you saved me, maybe you were just being nice and maybe that it hadn’t meant to you what it did to me. There was so much pain.”

He furrowed his brow and then shook his head. I could watch the thoughts crossing over his face in rapid succession. “I knew you existed, and I could find you, but it took too long. I knew you were suffering without us and that you couldn’t get to us even if you had the means since humans are not allowed to simply arrive.” He caressed my face. “All of that to say I missed you a tremendous amount. It burned, an ache I could not fill. Please, never feel nervous about anything with me, because although no one is perfect, you are as close to perfect as anyone could be in my eyes.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I… I believe you. I shouldn’t. This is nuts, but I do.”

Maybe he scented that my nerves finally fled, because he kissed me then like he owned me—or at least that he wanted to be owned by me. Yes, that was what he wanted, and I couldn’t have explained how I knew it. I just did. It wasn’t a claiming; he wanted me to claim him.

Carl was tough, but he was soft inside… at least where it came to me. He’d found me and traveled the universe to get to me.

Fuck my nerves.

I kissed him back, practically taking over the experience. Now, he followed me. I wanted his lips, and I wanted them everywhere, not just on my own.

I lifted my head. “Does it have to be just kissing?”

The head tilt again. “What did you have in mind?”

“The whole deal. Um, having sex.” Much as I’d found my confidence, I wasn’t used to sayingsex. It was one of those words we just didn’t use very much, a private word. Although, I supposed with Carl, I was absolutely supposed to use it.

His smile was adoring. “Do you think I’d ever say no to sex with you? But it’s early. Are you sure you want to? I am happy to wait forever for you. Just to be with you is more than I ever thought to have.”

My mouth watered. “I’ve never wanted sex—I meanever, but I do with you. Right now. All of the sudden, even if it’s fast. I don’t have the luxury of thinking long term, and I don’t want to miss out on anything with you.”

“I both love and hate that.” He kissed me, biting my lip. “Few things happen with Wolf shifters. When we are officially together, I will, apparently, be filled with the absolute need to mark you, to bite you somewhere. I’ve never had that experience… except when I kiss you or touch you, I can feel it in my gums. The need to mark you. I don’t want it to scare you, I’ll just have to. And not just me, it’ll be Jadon and Alfie, too. They’ll have the same urge.”

I’d never wanted to be bitten, and it didn’t sound great, but if it was part of being with him, so be it. I wanted Carl, bite and all. “Well… hopefully it won’t hurt too badly.”

“I never want to hurt you.” He kissed my neck. “I’ll do my best.”

Carl kissed down my body, stopping at the part of my neck that made me squirm. I didn’t know that I had a spot, but apparently it was right there. He kissed it again. “I think I know where I’m going to bite you.”

After that, we were done talking. He kissed and I squirmed. Every kiss and touch, I got hotter and hotter. I needed his skin, and I needed it touching my own. We pulled off his clothes together, both of us panting. His gaze darted everywhere, like he wanted to take me in as desperately as I needed to see him. We rolled around—he was on top and then I was. I was dizzy and starved for his touch when he finally put his finger inside of me. Wet and needy, I was ready to beg him for more.

He swirled his finger over my clit until my muscles clenched around him. I didn’t know what I needed, but he had to give me more than that. Carl seemed to know. He added a second finger, and soon I writhed, crying out, losing all sense of anything except the pleasure he gave me. I kissed his chin, anywhere I could as I continued to vibrate. I trembled with need. That was amazing but it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t what I’d told him I wanted.

I knew it and he did, too.

With an ease I was glad he felt, because I absolutely was not, he fit himself inside of me. I’d never done this before, ever. But in that moment, it was like we’d known each other intimately forever.Almost as if it were meant to be.No, I wouldn’t go there, not when I could revel in so much pleasure. Destiny could wait for another day.Another time. Never.

I held on while he took me to someplace I’d never been before. How could I have known what it really meant to be joined? Our bodies, yes, but our souls as well. We were wrapped in each other and would always be.

Pleasure was a small wave gaining momentum. The orgasm he’d given me with his finger built and exploded, but this one waved, stopped, and started again. He closed his eyes, his neck muscles clenching. “This is so much more than I imagined it could be. It is everything I ever needed in life. You are magic, my magical mate.”

Carl spoke words as beautiful as what he did to my body. With a gasp upon hearing him, I came. Softly at first and then harder, like the wave of pleasure itself. He growled a sound before his mouth came down on my neck then he bit me. The pain surged another round of pleasure through me as I fought the need to bite him, too. I had no fangs. It wasn’t going to work. There was sadness to it that fled quickly. I wanted to reciprocate—strange, but I couldn’t dwell on it. Carl licked my wound closed, and then lifted his head.

“That was…”

I touched his cheek. He was still deep inside of me. “Everything.”

He nodded once. I had been skeptical, but there might be something to the idea of being mated. My neck throbbed a little as a wave of tiredness hit me. “Sorry, I… I am suddenly exhausted.”

“It’s been a long day. You’re not suddenly exhausted; you’vebeenexhausted. I’m supposed to be letting you sleep. I will hear about this from Alfie, but I have no restraint with you. I can never resist.” He gently pulled out of me. “I’m going to hold you, now. All night and into the morning, so rest, you beautiful woman. You are with me, body and soul now.”

I was, but I’d dwell on what it meant exactly when I could think again.

* * *

I’d never been socomfortable in my life when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. “Esther.” Alfie’s voice. The Doctor. I smiled, not opening my eyes. No, I liked wherever I was.Pleasant. Warm. No pain.