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nA

/N: (ehem, sorry to interrupt the scene ;) August and Graeme are likely going premium tomorrow, which means chapters will be back-locked from 60. I just wanted to give you wonderful readers a heads-up.

nAlso, if you would like to be friends on Facebook and

/or Instagram and talk about WN, fantasy romance, werewolves or anything else, I just made new author accounts! You can add me @author_emme_z on IG and @author.emmez on FB (FB doesn't allow for one letter surnames, so I am Emme Zee). Happy reading, dear ones!

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nThe last of her undergarments were removed while Graeme caressed and kissed her stomach and then her hips and then the silky heat of her core, and August found herself shuddering from this new sensation and gripping his forearms that held her in place, anchoring her to him. She gasped—the very breath of her existence seemingly jolting awake and coming to life again and again with every sacred kiss and touch that he offered her.

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"Graeme,

" she called as a cascade of trembles raked her, and she was clawing for him, begging him to return to her where she felt his mouth entangle with her own again and where she responded with her own intensity, seeking more of him. Seeking all of him.

"Please,

" she whispered against him,

"Please. I need you.

"

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"I'm here, my love,

" he said softly, and he lowered himself over her, running his hands through her splayed hair and kissing her cheeks.

"You have me. You have all of me.

"

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"Not yet,

" she breathed against him. His soft growl returned, and she smiled hearing it.

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"Goddess, August,

" he groaned.

"You're so beautiful.

" He paused to just gaze at her and savor this—the feeling of her skin running the length of his, pulsing with desire and reaching for him. The hunger in her eyes that burned and danced their enchanting gold, and he found himself lost in her as he stroked her hair and her face. He growled again, devouring her first with his eyes before shifting to take his weight on one arm and running his hand down her side with the other as he took her mouth.

nAnd then the desire fully unleashed. He lifted her knee as he positioned himself between her legs—his mate's beautiful curvaceous legs. A deep rumble shook through him as he continued kissing her, prepared to enter, and then he felt her start to tremble again. He pulled back, pausing to breathe against her face and search her again. For fear. For an answer. For permission. Her eyes bared everything to him—Goddess, she was beautiful.

"Are you ready for me, love?

"

nAugust felt the depth and sincerity of him as he paused again, waiting, and she reached up to steady herself with a hand against his chest.

"I've never—

" she gulped, and another wave of trembles ran the length of her when she realized what was about to happen. How close he was. The hardened length of him that she could feel resting against her thigh. This was it. She wanted it—wanted him—but her teeth started chattering involuntarily.

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"What is it, darling? You can tell me,

" his eyebrows pinched together as he scanned her face.

nA blush was quick to bloom on her cheeks as she diverted her eyes, and he caressed the spots of color affectionately.

"It's just that I've never actually… um… When I said—when I said I wasn't a virgin,

" but her teeth were chattering harder now, and she couldn't finish explaining. And suddenly he understood—as if he heard the unspoken words, felt them arching out unsaid in the air, and diverted them into his heart. She'd never done this. Not willingly. He closed his eyes, squinting them shut at the realization, and bowed his forehead to rest against hers.

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"Oh, sweet girl,

" he rumbled, and she felt it rumble through her as well.

"You're safe, August. You're safe with me.

"

nAugust nodded wordlessly, and Graeme reached a hand up to cup the side of her face gently before opening his eyes and offering himself to her there in his gaze. Allowing himself to be as vulnerable as he could be.

"I am yours,

" he said and found his voice breaking.

"I am fully yours. You honor me deeply by being my mate, August Moon. It is… it is sacred,

" he breathed, and he felt her relax again.

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"I know,

" she whispered, and she tilted up to meet him, taking his mouth tenderly with her own. Graeme rolled onto his side, curling her up with him in his arm so they were mirror images of each other. When August broke the kiss, their foreheads remained together, and she let her hand explore him this time. She ran her fingers over the ridges of muscles running down his torso that clenched under her touch before tentatively finding that part of him that she had avoided until now.

nGraeme sucked in a breath, and she felt him twitch as she ran her hand along that hardened length that had always petrified her in other men. The blush in her cheeks increased when she realized how—how big he was. Was this natural? How was this going to work? But this was Graeme—this was her mate, and when she realized his eyes were squinted shut, she focused on his face as she slowly began stroking him, feeling this strange power with him in her hand—being the one to make him tremble and his eyebrows arch pleadingly.

nAnd then she allowed herself to open to that connection with him again, where with every stroke of her hand, she felt his pleasure light up inside of her like her own. When at one point, he whimpered and placed his hand over hers and she watched as the muscles in his arms worked as he gently guided her, all of her hesitation fell away. That whimper—he was vulnerable to her like she was to him, and suddenly she was hungry for it—more of those whimpers from this powerful mate of hers.

nAugust pushed herself up with one arm until she was guiding Graeme onto his back with her mouth against his, and when she broke away from kissing him, his eyes opened to watch her. Those dark eyes that were shimmering with love and wonder as he watched her questioningly.

"No, August, you don't have to…

" he rasped, but she silenced him with a new mischievous determination in her eyes, and he found himself gulping as she ran the heat of her mouth in slow, torturous kisses down his chest and stomach.

nOh, Goddess. Every touch from her was like an explosion of sensation that lit him from inside. He groaned and dropped his head back against the bed when she started nibbling her way down so sweetly and innocently, it was threatening to drive him mad. She hadn't let go of his cock, but now as her mouth approached it, he felt her hesitate.

"I don't know what I'm doing,

" she whispered shyly, and he bit his bottom lip when he looked up and met the golden fire of her eyes again. Did she know how much power she had over him in just her eyes alone?

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"You don't need to know anything,

" he replied and reached for her, but she stayed stubbornly in that position between his legs, eyeing it curiously.. He bit back a chuckle at how impossibly adorable she looked at that moment, and somehow the sweetness of it—the innocence—made him want her even more, although he wasn't sure how that was even possible.

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