Chapter 245: The First Marking +18

Azura’s POV

Right in front of us, sitting in a small, private open space surrounded by tall trees, was a beautiful setup.

High up in the branches, thin white lace and light cloth had been tied together, hanging down to the ground like a glowing tent.

Golden rays of the afternoon sun shone through the cloth, filling the whole space with a soft, warm light.

On the ground inside the lace tent, there were thick, soft blankets and big cushions spread out everywhere.

In the middle sat a wide basket filled with sweet red berries, grapes, figs, and a wooden cup of sweet juice.

"Rhydor..." I gasped, turning my head to look at him.

"How did you do all of this?"

A proud smile touched his lips as he looked down at me.

"The servants helped me while you were resting in my room. I wanted this moment to be special, Azura. Not rushed in a dark room, but here... in the forest where we first met."

A warm feeling flooded my chest. I looked back at the light cloth tent, feeling tears prick my eyes.

He took my hand again and led me inside. The cloth fell shut behind us, hiding us completely from the rest of the forest.

The warm afternoon light coming through the cloth made everything feel like a nice dream.

We sat down together on the soft blankets, facing each other.

Rhydor reached into the basket and pulled out a small red berry. He held it up to my mouth, his dark eyes watching me with a playful look.

I smiled and leaned forward, taking a bite of the sweet fruit from his fingers.

The juice tasted sweet, and I could not help but laugh because I felt so happy and safe.

He poured two cups of sweet drink, handing one to me before taking a sip from his own.

We sat under that cloth tent in the quiet afternoon, feeding each other sweet fruits, laughing, and talking about simple things.

For the first time in a long time, we were not thinking about wars, the pack house, or hard work. We were just Stone and Mud, sitting together in the woods like we used to when we were small.

As our laughter died down, a sweet silence settled over us.

Rhydor set his cup down on the wooden tray. He reached out his right hand, his big thumb reaching up to gently wipe a tiny drop of red juice from the corner of my lip.

His touch was so light and gentle that a small shiver ran down my back.

I did not pull away. I rested my face against his warm palm, looking straight into his dark eyes.

The soft sunlight coming through the trees shone in his eyes, making them look bright and warm.

Rhydor moved his hand up, trailing his fingers softly along my jaw until his hand rested against the side of my neck.

His thumb moved in a slow circle right over my pulse point, the exact spot where his teeth would soon bite my skin to make me his mate forever.

My chest was heaving softly, and the skin on my neck felt like it was on fire where his thumb pressed against my pulse point.

The air inside the small space grew so thick and warm that every breath I took tasted like rain-soaked wood, pine, and the sharp, clean scent of my own wolf magic rising to meet his.

"Rhydor..." I whispered, looking up into his amber eyes. My voice was shaking, full of a deep, heavy need that made my legs feel like water. "Please... mark me now. I am ready."

Rhydor did not bite down immediately. His thumb stayed pressed against my beating pulse, moving in slow, heavy circles that sent shiver after shiver down my spine.

His eyes never left mine, burning with a deep, hungry look that was kept on a very short leash.

"Not yet," he murmured, his voice so low and gravelly that it vibrated right against my skin. "I want every single second of this, Pumpkin. I want you soft, wide open, and dripping for me before my teeth ever break your skin."

With that, he leaned down and kissed me once more. It was a slow, deep, filthy kiss, his tongue sliding against mine in long, heavy strokes that made me taste the sweet fruit juice still lingering on his lips.

I made a small, broken sound in my throat and melted into him, my fingers tangling in the short hair at the back of his neck.

When he finally pulled back, he did not go far. He took my hand and guided me gently down onto the thick sheepskin rugs until my back met the soft velvet cushions.

He settled his body over mine, his heavy knees bracketing my hips. He kept his weight carefully supported on his forearms so I could feel the solid, burning heat of his body without being crushed.

His broad hands moved to the back of my golden dress, then to the front, working the simple ties with patient, steady fingers.

Each knot loosened, and each fold of light cloth was pulled back until the golden dress slid down my arms and pooled around my waist.

The cool afternoon air filtering through the lace canopy kissed my bare chest, making my nipples harden instantly under his intense gaze.

Rhydor made a low sound deep in his throat, a sound that was half a dark growl and half a heavy groan, and lowered his head.

He licked a slow, wet path from the hollow of my throat down between my breasts. Then, he closed his warm mouth over one hard tip and sucked. Hard.

Slurp.

The strong pull of his mouth sent a sharp, electric jolt straight down between my legs.

My back arched off the rug, a loud gasp escaping my lips.

"Rhydor!" I cried out, my hands clutching at his broad shoulders.

He did not stop. He switched to my other breast, his sharp teeth grazing the tender tip just enough to make me sting before he soothed the pain with a long, wet drag of his tongue.

He took his sweet time, sucking, nipping, and licking until both of my breasts were wet, swollen, and aching for more.

My hips began to roll helplessly against his thighs, feeling the thick, hard shape of his shaft trapped inside his clothes.

"Rhydor... please," my voice came out broken, almost like a sob.

"Shh. Just feel it," he growled softly against my skin.

He kissed his way down over my stomach, his warm tongue dipping into my navel.

His large hands pushed the golden dress all the way off my legs, then stripped my underthings away with the same unhurried, careful movements.

When I lay completely bare beneath him in the golden afternoon light, he sat back on his heels for a long moment, just looking at me.

The soft sunlight filtering through the sheer lace painted golden stripes across my bare skin.

His dark eyes tracked every single inch, my heavy breathing, the soft curve of my waist, and the wet slick already glistening between my thighs.

"Look at you, Azura," he rasped out, his voice thick and rough. "You are already so wet for me, and I have barely even touched you."

He leaned down again, using his large hands to spread my thighs wide apart.

The first long drag of his tongue through my slick folds was slow and filthy. It was flat, broad, and heavy, gathering the sweet moisture that had already soaked my body.

He let out a deep groan against my center, the wet sound echoing in the quiet tent as if he were a starving man tasting water for the first time in years.

Schlick.

He settled in properly between my knees, his mouth open wide, sucking at my sensitive core with steady, heavy pressure while two of his thick fingers circled my entrance, teasing the wet opening without pushing inside yet.

I tried to squeeze my legs together around his head, overwhelmed by the intense feeling. But he held my thighs wide open with easy strength.

"No. Stay open for me," he growled against my wet skin. "I want to see and taste every single drop."

His tongue worked me in long, deliberate strokes. He alternated between broad, wet licks that left my whole body shaking and sharp, pointed flicks against my swollen clit that made my toes curl.

When he finally pushed those two thick fingers straight inside me, the sudden stretch made me gasp out loud.

"Ahh..."

His thick knuckles dragged hard against my inner wall while his mouth stayed clamped over my core.

He curled his fingers, stroking that exact sensitive spot inside me over and over without any mercy.

The wet, filthy sounds of his mouth and fingers filled the small lace space.

Squish. Plop.

My hips jerked wildly off the blankets. Rhydor pinned my waist down with one heavy forearm and kept going. He sucked harder, his fingers pumping deeper and faster until the tight coil in my stomach snapped completely.

"Ah! Rhydor!" I screamed out, my inner walls clenching violently around his fingers as a thick wave of slick spilled out over his hand and onto the blankets beneath us.

He did not stop. He licked me through the entire climax, slower now, gathering every single drop of my release until the aftershocks left me twitching and hyper-sensitive.

Only then did he rise on his knees, wiping his wet mouth with the back of his hand. His amber golden eyes were almost red now, his pupils blown wide with pure desire.

He stripped his clothes off in three fast movements, throwing his tunic aside, then his pants, until he hovered completely naked above me.

His cock was long, heavy, and thick, the broad head already shiny with clear drops of moisture.

He wrapped one hand around his length and stroked himself once, slow and heavy, his dark gaze locked onto my face.

"Are you still with me, Pumpkin?" he asked, his voice low and gravelly.

I nodded my head quickly, reaching my arms up for him. "Yes... Please, Rhydor."

He caught both of my wrists, pinning them gently above my head against the soft velvet cushions.

He held both of my hands trapped with one fist while he settled his heavy body between my spread thighs.

The blunt, hot head of his shaft dragged through my soaked folds, coating himself in my wetness, teasing my narrow entrance without pushing in yet.

"I could take you hard right now," he rasped out, his breath coming in heavy, ragged hitches. "But I am going to feel every single inch of you first. Slow. Until you are shaking and begging for my mark."

He pushed forward.

Just the broad head of his cock slipped in first, stretching my tight opening wide around his thick crown.

I gasped out loud at the sudden burn and intense fullness. He held completely still right there, breathing heavily, his eyes locked onto mine.

Then, with one long, slow, deliberate thrust, he buried his entire length deep inside me until his hips pressed flush against mine.

Thwack.

We both let out a low, heavy groan together.

The mate bond exploded into pure, searing heat, flooding my senses with the overwhelming taste of rain, fresh cedar, and raw, possessive need.

He stayed still inside me for several heavy heartbeats, letting my body stretch around his size, letting me feel just how completely he filled me.

Then he began to move.

Slow, deep, relentless strokes. He dragged his thick shaft all the way out until just the tip remained inside, then sank back in, hitting the very back of my center.

Every withdrawal left me feeling empty and aching; every deep thrust filled me so completely that I could only cry out and hold onto his hand.

Schlick. Slap.

He released my wrists, bracing his weight on one forearm while his free hand reached down between our slick bodies.

His broad thumb found my swollen clit again, rubbing tight, punishing circles in time with his heavy thrusts.

He lowered his head to my neck, his hot mouth finding my pulse point.

He licked the spot where his mark would go, then sucked hard enough to leave a dark, bruised spot, his sharp fangs scraping over my skin without breaking it yet.

"Not yet," he whispered against my throat. "Come on my cock, Azura. Soak me completely. Then I will mark you."

Oh, this monster, ahh...