GAHRYE

He shook, he wanted her so badly. Her legs wrapped around his waist and he devoured her mouth. Unable to control himself, he slid against her over and over, rocking, finding the rhythm that made her breath stop. Then when she dropped her head back, eyes closed, he kissed his way down to her jaw, leaning her back until she braced the hand that wasn't holding his head back on the table, then he slid his fingers between hers, entwining them, gripping them.

He slid against her again and cursed under his breath.

"So ready for me. How is it you're always so ready for me?

"

"I love you, Gahrye,

" she gasped.

"You're my mate. I'll always want you.

"

The words landed like a delicious blow to his heart. He grunted and reached between them to find her, pressing himself to her right… there…

Her mouth dropped open and he whispered,

"I've got you. Always.

" Then he entered her in one, electric thrust.

She made that noise in her throat that he already adored—half-shock, half-pure bliss. He sucked at her throat and began to roll with her, slowly.

Seconds became minutes—minutes spent tasting her with every part of himself. Rolling together with increasing demand, but forcing himself not to quicken the pace. Instead, slowly pulling almost all the way out, then pressing forcefully back in, still gripping her hand on the table, still fisting her hair and holding her to his kiss.

They writhed together, bodies alight and Gahrye struggled to take in the perfection of it all—the smell of her, the salt of her skin, the perfect warmth, the slide between them that threatened to open his mind and crack his chest.

She was perfect. And she loved him. And she was his.

Only his.

He muttered another curse and gave in, increasing the pace, but still making sure he pressed for breath at the top of each thrust. Kalle dropped her head back again so he was free to kiss down her throat—she gave herself with such trust it blew his mind. How was she so free with him?

With the peak of each thrust he grew closer and closer to climax, but he felt like he'd barely tasted her.

But then she dropped her hand down from his head, slapping as she grasped for his lower back, gasping his name, pulling him into her.

He groaned the mating call, and she cried out, her breath coming faster, tiny pants and whimpers telling him she was already close.

"Gharye!

"

"Hold on,

" he rasped.

"Hold onto me.

"

She tore her hand out of his grip and threw her arms around his neck, the shift changing the angle between them as she grew desperate and pulled herself harder and harder against him, until Gahrye was shaking, praying for control, calling to her at the peak of each thrust. And she cried for him, begging with broken whispers for him not to stop, never to stop.

"Kalle… I love you…

"

"Yes!

"

"Don't ever leave me.

"

"Never!

"

With an almighty groan, he pressed her back, until she lay out on the table, her legs still around his waist, and he grasped her hips, lifting her as he began to pump, teeth clenched, muscles and tendons standing proud with his fight for control.

"Oh! Gahrye! Oh!

" Her eyes flew wide and her head went back as her climax hit, and she clenched around him again, and again, shuddering, sobbing his name, her body twitching with her release.

Then Gahrye groaned her name and his rhythm grew erratic as his entire body came alive in a tingling rush that started at the base of his spine and washed over him like a tidal wave of sensation and emotion.

Then they collapsed together, sprawled on the table, both panting, hands shaking, clinging to each other.

Gahrye face was buried in the soft curve where her shoulder met her neck, and he groaned, kissing her skin there, and whispering her name.

"I love you, Kalle.

"

"I love you, Gahrye.

"

"I love you more.

"

*****

He still couldn't concentrate later. Kalle kept smiling and touching his arm, or his thigh, leaning in to kiss his neck, or flipping her hair over her shoulder when she leaned across to show him something in a book.

The smell of them together permeated the room and was intoxicating, awakening his body over and over again. But he pushed the desire aside, knowing they needed to stay focused.

But always, as he marked page after page in the book, as his mind only half-absorbed what he was finding, as the smallest piece of him remembered Elia back in the room alone and searching for information to bring her to her mate, to possibly save her life and the life of their cub… all he could think about was her. The way she gave herself so freely, loved him with abandon—with gratitude of all things!—and how she remained hopeful that they wouldn't be separated. That she could find a way to keep them together.

She was incredible.

She caught him staring at one point when turned her head. She smiled.

"What?

"

He used a finger to push her hair over her shoulder.

"I'm just thinking about how much I don't deserve you, but how glad I am to have you,

" he murmured. When she made the little hum of approval that he loved, he raked her with his eyes, then leaned in to kiss her neck at that spot under her ear that always made her shiver. Letting his fingers find the gooseflesh that rose on her neck and shoulders, he kissed her there again. Then,

"I'm thinking that I wish you knew what it would have been like if we'd met in Anima, if there wasn't a war, or a Queen to care for, and I could give you my full attention. All the way's I'd show you that I love you, all the ways I'd provide for you. All the things I'd give you.

"I'm thinking it's impossible to show you what you mean to me while we're stuck in this little room, with these busy needs, and… I just wish it could be different. I wish we were living a normal life, together, without anyone else around, or making demands. I wish you were truly only mine.

"

He raised his eyes to meet hers and she looked both sad and touched.

"But I am,

" she said softly. She put a hand to his face and leaned into him, a smile breaking on her face.

"There's nothing I'd rather be doing than be close to you,

" she whispered, then kissed him softly.

"No matter where, or what else is going on. I'm yours, Gahrye. And you're mine. That's all that matters.

"

She pulled him in, laying her mouth to his throat, laving his skin with her tongue in a way that made him shiver. And he went gladly—humbled and overjoyed when she started on his buttons again.

They weren't going to get their work done this afternoon, that was clear.

As she kissed her way down to his collarbones, Gahrye hurriedly put one of the little cards they used as bookmarks into the spine of the old book he'd been scanning. There was a reference to protectors in this one. He didn't want to lose it.

But then he put the books out of his mind.

He needed his mate, and she needed him.

That was all he could think about just then.

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