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n~ SASHA ~

nSasha woke to a scuffing footstep on the cave floor. Blinking, at first all she could see was the embers of the fire—low and barely flaming now, though the coals were red-hot and glowing. The rest of the cave looked black behind that.

nThe shadow of Zev standing in the middle of the cave startled her at first—the moonlight just bright enough outside the mouth of the cave to cast him in silhouette behind the fire.

n“You scared me,” she breathed, pushing up to sit. The furs fell to her waist, but she was warm and didn’t care.

nZev barely moved.

nSasha blinked and looked up at him, rubbing her eyes. “Are you okay? Was there a problem?”

nHe shook his head and her heart sank.

nZev, what is it? she asked in his head. I want to help you. Please, let me in.

nHe stepped forward, circling the fire slowly, his face finally coming into focus in the warm glow of the low flames. But his eyes… his ice-blue eyes were shadowed. The low light of the fire coming from under his chin cast the rest of his face in sharp relief—his high cheekbones looking almost pointed, his cheeks gaunt for the deep shadows in them. His brows were prominent and his eyes sunken. Except for those glowing blue orbs that seemed to pull light from the dark around them and shine out at her.

n“Zev, I—”

n“I’m sorry, Sash,” he said, and his voice was hoarse. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been so dark. I’m just… I’m so scared.”

n“Oh, Zev…” She pushed out of the furs and to her feet as he hurried to her. She pulled him close, burying her face in his chest. His furs were freezing from the cold outside, but he wrapped her in his arms and dropped his chin over her head.

n“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he kept murmuring.

n“Stop apologizing!” she whispered. Then lifted her head to meet his eyes again—that looked so haunted still. “Zev, you told me an Alpha just… takes what’s necessary. What’s needed. You’re doing the right thing. They’re the ones to blame for the death, not you. You don’t want people dead!”

n“I want them dead,” he muttered, watching her for her response.

n“Well… Yeah, I guess I kind of do, too. But you know what I mean. We aren’t hunting these people down to murder them. Not like they’re doing. Horton was hard on you. I wish he hadn’t done that. But I’m guessing he was scared too. We’re all scared. But let’s be scared together. Not… not like this. Please. Stop shutting me out.”

nHe made a strange noise in his throat and pulled her tighter against him, but he was still tense, still holding himself back.

nFrustrated and desperate, Sasha grabbed his face and pulled him down into a kiss. He tried to back away, but she followed him until his shoulders hit the wall of the cave behind him.

nWhen he dropped his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, Sasha wanted to scream. She put her hand to his face and whispered his name urgently, until he let his chin drop and finally met her eyes.

n“Be here, with me. Let it all go, Zev. We can’t change it. Please.”

nShe could feel his arousal, but she focused on kissing him, unbuttoning his jacket, and pushing it off his shoulders. His breath hissed out between his teeth when she started on his trousers, but he tensed. She feared he’d pull away again. So once she’d pushed those down and he’d kicked them away, she reached between them and brought him up, palming him, stroking him as they kissed.

nZev sucked in, and his kiss intensified, his hands fisted in her hair and at her back, his breath thundering in her ear. He trembled, but not the way he usually did when he was desperate. It was the shudder of fear.

nZev, please… she whispered in his head. Feel me. Be here with me. Please.

nShe took his hand and placed it on her breast and he sucked in again, whimpering into the kiss, growing more desperate.

nThen he began to sink, his back sliding down the wall.

nAt first she was dismayed, certain he was giving up, about to break.

nBut when he got to the floor, her standing between his knees, he looked up at her, his eyes bright and terrified, but clear. He cupped the backs of both her calves and pulled her gently forward.

n“Come here,” he rasped.

nHeart trilling with hope, Sasha stepped over his hips, then sank down to straddle him so they were brought together.

nZev groaned and pulled her into a kiss that grew frantic quickly. But, knowing he walked a knife edge, Sasha forced herself to focus, to stay slow, so savor every touch, every kiss, every slide of him against her.

nIt was difficult to stay quiet. Her entire body quivered with a need that was more emotional than physical, but there was no doubt she wanted him.

nHis hips began to roll and her head dropped forward to rest on his shoulder as she ground against him.

nShe wanted to tell him all the reasons she needed him—not just his protection. Not just his strength. She wanted to whisper her love. But every time she opened her mouth, he took it with his. But his touch got stronger too, more confident, needier. So she let her head fall back and just responded to his touch.

nShe knew why he wanted quiet, so she kept herself to panting breaths and stroking tongues, instead of joyful cries.

nThis angle gave her access to him in a way she wasn’t used to. They’d done this once before, when he was hurt, out in the snowy valley below Yhet’s cave. But this felt different. More desperate in its way, but more… connected, too. Sitting over him with his shoulders back against the wall, she could rake her fingers through his hair and, arching her back, let her nipples tease against his chest. Her breath came fast and shallow as Zev’s desperation for her grew, as he threw off the shackles of his fear and anger, and gave over to her, grasping at her hips and pulling her down and against him.

nFor a long time they just rolled and rubbed, stroked and panted. Sasha could feel her cheeks heating, feel the low warmth of the fire behind her, but also the chill air.

nZev’s eyes were hooded, heavy, watching her, his breath tearing in and out as she met him roll for roll, urging him to unhinge. But it was clear he wasn’t going to be the instigator tonight, so Sasha took their future in hand—literally—reaching between them and raising herself to position him, then sinking onto him with a low, rolling groan.

nZev jolted like he’d been electrocuted. A whine pierced the air of the cave, then she began to ride him and his breath shuddered as her head dropped back, mouth open in a silent moan. She had to hold her breath to stop herself from crying out when he finally began to really move, slowly at first, pressing into the peak with every thrust. 𝓃𝑶𝒱𝑬𝗅𝓊𝓈𝓑.𝒸𝒐𝑀

nWith a low growl, Zev latched on her neck, sucking, holding her at her hips, pulling her against him as he pressed up, into her. And for Sasha, it was a shocking onslaught, both physical and emotional, as if he filled her every sense, and every hollow—in her heart and her body.

nThey found the rhythm filled with promise, and instead of seeking him, it seemed like he’d found her. They moved in harmony, the waves of pleasure increasing and easing, but never fading away.

nSasha’s head dropped back and her hair brushed his knees, but she was struggling to stay quiet, so held her breath at every peak, until her skin came alight with a new intensity she’d never felt before.

nIt was as if every cry she swallowed roared back down into her chest, her belly, to feed the flames between them, then urge her to call for him again.

nZev’s breathing was desperate against her throat, his hands grasping as they rocked together again, and again, and again.

nThen, with a small cry, he sat up, his hands dragging down her back and pulling her hard against him as he drew his knees up behind her. Then, staring down at her through the dark tines of his hair, he pressed her back against his long thighs, until she arched back over his knees, her breasts pressed up.

nWith a groan, he leaned forward to open his mouth over the peak of first one breast, then the other. Sasha gasped, her skin sparkling, fizzing, anywhere he touched. She breathed his name over and over, her fingers buried in his hair and holding him to her.

nThen Zev kissed his way up her chest, her neck, to her jaw, then her mouth, his breath hot and heavy, his tongue tracing hers in a pulsing slide that matched the roll of his hips.

nShe could do nothing but hold on, clinging to him as he kept up that relentless pace, pulling her onto him, his hands, his limbs, even his breath shaking with restrained desire.

nSasha buried her fingers in his hair, pulling him in and leaning her head aside to give him better access when he dropped to kiss his way back down her neck.

nThen he sat up, shuddering, and she could feel him about to break. His hands became grasping, his strokes heavy and she loved it, arching into his touch like a cat.

nThen there was nothing left but sensation. Love. Desire. Passion.

nA strangled cry broke in his throat as he gripped her and began to pound into her so hard his hips lifted from the ground. Sasha rode him, gripping his shoulders, her breasts bouncing.

nAnd just as her body exploded, Zev growled her name, grinding into her, wringing every last wave of heat and joy out of her.

n*****

nWE’RE ALMOST AT “THE END!” If you want more great shifter fantasies (or something completely different) go to linktr.ee

/authoraimee to find my seven books on WN, and four published elsewhere!

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