Page 25 of King of Moon and Claws

He went on, the floodgates having been opened.

“My feelings toward you are not fickle, Elora. I am not simply using a line to get you into bed with me. We shifters have a concept called ‘mates.’ You may have heard of it. It means that we are bound to that one single person for the rest of eternity. Literally, cosmically entwined."

Elora began to breathe heavily, but her feet remained still. Bastian laid his soul bare before she had the chance to flee.

“When I said that you were the only one for me, I meant it. And the idea of you leaving for the witch kingdom, well, it's like dragging my heart over a bed of nails. And the agony is even more profound at the idea of you losing you… to those bloodsuckers.”

He hissed at the final word, the mere visualization of Elora’s lifeless body like a sword thrust down his throat.

Elora took a step closer, laying her hands on his chest as he stumbled on the last of his words. A rush of heat coursed through him as she moved her fingers in slow circles over his pecs.

“There has to be another option, outside moving to the witch kingdom,” she said, gazing at him with a sincere, soft look. “What if the witches would come here? I know you said they were cold to you… but they won’t be to me. Maybe we can take advantage of that."

To Bastian, the witches had always been distant from his kind. He thought of them as holier-than-thou, stuck-up beings. But meeting Elora, of course, had changed all of those ideas. Meeting Elora had changed nearly everything.

“If that's what you want,” he muttered. “And only if that’s something you want.”

Elora nodded, then bit her lip. He could feel her heat blooming between her legs as she pressed her body firmly against him. It was all the reassurance he needed.

“I do want that. I want to stay here with you and train. I think we can make that work.”

Bastian lowered his head to hers, his lips brushing along her chin. Their passion had returned like a bolt of lightning.

FIFTEEN

ELORA

Elora felt honored that Bastian had opened up to her about his fears and concerns. She sat silently, absorbing his words, allowing the gravity of the situation to fully settle in. Bastian was a proud man, not given to gratuitous displays of emotion, so she understood the magnitude of him revealing himself to her. She reached out and held his hand, the warmth and firmness providing a comforting contrast to the chilly night air.

"Thank you for trusting me," she said gently. She did not want to invalidate his concerns by promising that everything would be all right, for she knew neither of them could control that.

Elora squeezed his hand reassuringly. "You're not alone, Bastian." Her voice was filled with sincerity. She felt a powerful urge to protect him from his fears, almost as strong as her growing feelings for him.

She took his hand and pulled him along behind her, figuring out a way to take his mind off the burden of leadership. “I have an idea,” she whispered seductively.

She led him to his room, closing the door quietly behind them, and began undressing. His body responded immediately. He grew hard as she teased him with each individual article of clothing.

She dropped her cloak by the door and began to unlace her bodice, her movements slow and deliberate. Bastian watched in fascinated silence as she bared more of her skin to his appreciative gaze. He made a move to help her, but she stopped him with a playful smile and a shake of her head.

"No, Bastian," she murmured. "Tonight, let me care for you." She swore she heard his wolf purr.

She continued to undress until she stood before him in nothing but a thin layer of silk. She moved closer and pressed her soft body against him, the hardness of his sculpted muscles imprinting on her mind. His eyes were dark with desire, burning into hers, making it clear that he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

She pulled his shirt over his head and traced the contours of his chest with her delicate fingers, evoking a deep growl from within him. Her lips found his in a kiss fiery enough to make them forget all their worries.

With each touch, each caress, Elora slowly unwound the tension from Bastian's body. The burdens he bore seemed to fade away under the weight of their shared desire. Taking him in her arms, she guided him to the bed and helped him shed the rest of his clothes.

Their lips met in a passionate kiss that ignited the air between them, a surge of electricity sending waves of pleasurable sensations coursing through their bodies. All thoughts of responsibility and dread melted away within the intimate embrace they shared. For this moment at least, they belonged only to each other.

They fell onto the bed, their bodies pressed against each other. Time seemed to slow as they explored each other's forms in gentle discovery. The energy between them was palpable, raw, and intense, driven by deep-seated emotions neither could deny.

"You're not allowed to think about anything else but this," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. With a calculated seductiveness, she peeled off the last layer of fabric shielding her body from his hungry gaze. His eyes trailed down her form, causing heat to pool in her belly.

Bastian reached out for her, hands tracing the curve of her waist. She watched his face, seeing how his eyes darkened at every touch. His lips met hers in a dizzying kiss as he pulled her closer, their bodies molding together like two perfectly made puzzle pieces.

As stunned as she had been to realize she was Bastian’s mate, it made sense. It was like a part of her knew it deep down, even before he had told her. They were made for each other, a matched pair that belonged together so intuitively that she knew he was telling the truth.

“Let me touch you, Bastian,” she whispered, lowering herself onto her knees. She took his hard member into her hand before teasing the tip of it with her tongue. His groan of desire fueled her on.

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