Page 78 of These Deadly Dreams

Agatha lists off five ingredients and Cade writes them down. “Give it to Drew,” Agatha says. “He’ll be able to get you everything you need.” With Agatha’s hand on my arm, I lead her to the front door. “I’m keeping an eye on your mom, Sterling.”

My breath catches in my throat, and it hurts to swallow past the lump. “Is she doing okay?” I’m scared to hear the answer.

“Okay enough.” Agatha studies me with her all-seeing gaze. “With your mate, you could take back control of the pack.”

I sigh as the weight of all of our problems settle on my shoulders once again. “There is so much we need to do. And Cole …” I trail off, unable to continue with that train of thought.

“Don’t worry about your brother,” she says, patting my arm. “He’ll come around. But, the pack needs you. Don’t forget that.”

I hand her off to Drew who is waiting on the porch, and thank her for all of her help. Cade gives Drew the list of ingredients and we head back inside. To our harpy.

Nervous energy fires through my body making me fidgety. I’m never fidgety and I hate the way it feels. We forced a nasty mixture of tea down Ellis’s throat an hour ago. Her fever broke and she woke feeling more like herself. At least that’s what she said. Currently, she’s in the shower and I’m waiting like a nervous teenager about to have sex for the first time.

I explained to her what Agatha said, about me having to mark her for the bond to be complete and for her to come into her powers fully. Even with her previous words echoing in my head, I held my breath, waiting for her to change her mind. She didn’t. So now I’m waiting for her to shower, so we can finally accept this bond between us.

When the bathroom door opens and she steps out wrapped in a towel, my mouth goes dry. This is the moment I have been waiting for for ten years. I can’t believe it’s actually happening.

Her small smile drops and she climbs onto the bed. Placing her hand on my cheek, she says, “What’s wrong?” Her amber eyes search mine, and I want to let them swallow me.

I don’t realize I’m crying until her thumb wipes away a tear. “This is something I never thought would happen. For years, I’ve dreamt of this moment, but never once thought it would come to pass. I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve you.”

She shakes her head. “That’s not true, Sterling. You deserve all of it.”

I’m not prepared for her climbing onto my lap and claiming my mouth, but I quickly wrap my arms around her and pull her closer. She tastes like the minty toothpaste in the bathroom, and she smells like heaven. Lavender and vanilla wrap around me and my wolf growls at the scent of his mate.

Ellis pulls away, breathing slightly uneven. “Mark me, Sterling. Make me yours.”

The words make me shudder and anticipation grows in my chest. I slowly lower her backward to the bed and pull the towel away, exposing her beautiful body. My fingers shake as I trace the curve of her jaw and the line of her collar bone. Her nipples pebble and she arches her back with a breathy sigh.

Bending my head down, I run my tongue over one peak while I roll the other between my thumb and pointer. Her fingers tangle in my hair, holding me in place. She feels amazing under me, and I want to memorize every inch of her. I want to take my time, and make her writhe underneath me. I want her to beg and scream my name. But I’m craving her too much, I don’t think I have the willpower to draw this out.

I use my knee to spread her legs and kiss my way down her belly. Her fingers catch in the knots in my hair, and the stinging of my scalp only adds to all the sensations building inside me. The first lick makes us both moan. She tastes better than I ever could have imagined. I’ll never get enough of it for as long as I live. Her hips buck as she searches for more, so I add two fingers and smile against her when she cries out.

“Sterling,” she pants. “I don’t want to wait anymore, please.”

I make her wait for another minute while I taste her. It’s not enough, but I can’t deny my mate what she wants. Crawling up her body, I wipe my mouth on my shoulder and meet her gaze. Her pupils are blown, and heat courses through me at the look of pure desire on her face. I kick off my sweats and kiss her deeply.

Pulling away, I catch her gaze again. “Are you sure, Ellis?” I have to ask it one last time.

She wraps her legs around me, her wet heat rubbing against my aching cock. “I’m positive. I want you, Sterling. I want it all.”

I’m pretty sure my scarred and cracked heart healed a little bit with those words. I’m barely breathing when I line myself up with her entrance. It’s not the first time, but it feels like it is. It’s the first time I’ve allowed myself to really sink into the emotions. I’m not hiding anything this time. There is no guilt weighing me down. There is only love and affection and hope swirling inside of me now. Her eyes fall closed as I slowly slide inside. Each inch is pure bliss as she surrounds me.

“Kitten,” I breathe against her shoulder. “So fucking perfect.” My hips move on instinct. The need to claim her rising higher and higher. My wolf is pacing inside me, desperate to make sure it happens this time.

Each noise that falls from her lips make my thrusts harder and faster. And when she tilts her head to the side, gaze meeting mine, I lose all control. My wolf rises to the surface and I lick the side of her throat, opposite the side of Kai’s mark.

“You’re mine, Ellis. Mine to protect. Mine to love. Mine. Always.” I punctuate each word with a thrust of my hips. Her fingers dig into my back, nails scraping as she leaves her own mark on my skin.

Letting my wolf to the surface, I graze my teeth along her neck before biting down. She cries out, my name falling from her lips. I bite down harder until I break the skin and her blood wells. My wolf greedily laps it up, tasting the very essence of our mate. I feel the bond shimmering inside my chest as it falls into place where it was always meant to be.

Ellis cries out again and her inner walls flutter around me. It sends pleasure along every nerve ending in my body, and my own orgasm hits me so hard I see stars.

When both of our breathing has finally calmed, I lift my head to look at her. A smile graces her lips, and her eyes are heavy with post-orgasmic bliss. My beautiful mate. Holy. Fuck. It finally happened. I have my mate. She accepted the bond, and it’s there, in my chest. Shining like a golden thread woven between us. Wrapping her tight in my arms, I roll us over so her head is resting on my chest, and I soak in the feeling of her skin on mine.

34. Sterling

Her finger is cool as it traces my scar. “Where did you get this?” she asks lazily, her words soft and slow.

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