Page 6 of Mated By Midnight

With deft fingers, her fated mate brushed aside the delicate lace of her panties. Her hips bucked toward his touch, sending shivers of anticipation down her spine. She felt a whisper of cool air at her core before it was replaced by his heat.

The moon above bathed them in its silver glow, a silent witness to the unfolding of their primal dance. He tested her readiness, his fingers slipping easily through the slick evidence of her arousal. She gasped into his mouth, her body on fire with the want of him.

And then, with a growl that rumbled from deep within his chest, he thrust into her. Together they howled, a symphony of wild abandon that resonated with the pulse of the night. The sound mingled with the rustle of leaves and the distant call of their kin, an anthem to the mating bond that refused to be denied.

Choice was out the window. Need was the only master. Destiny surrounded them in the dense foliage as righteous desire took hold.

His pace was unrelenting, each powerful stroke driving her closer to the edge. Celine clung to him. Her nails dug into the sinew of his shoulders. Her entire world narrowed to the point of their connection.

The claiming was rough. It was fast. It was all-consuming—the kind of passion that burned hot enough to forge new stars in the heavens.

Celine’s breaths came in ragged gasps, her cries crescendoing with each thrust until they reached the climax together. A cataclysmic wave of pleasure crashed over her, obliteratingthought and reason, leaving behind only the purity of sensation. Her vision whited out as the best orgasm of her life shattered her into a million glowing pieces, each one singing with the truth of their bond.

Panting, hearts racing in tandem, they remained locked together, the echoes of their unity fading into the serene embrace of the forest.

As the seismic waves of her release began to ebb, Celine found herself cradled in the solid embrace of the man who was so much more than a stranger now. Her body still trembled, aftershocks of their union rippling through her like the softest of whispers across her skin. His breath was warm on her neck, and she felt the gentle pressure of his lips against her sweat-dampened hair.

The world around them had receded to nothing but the quiet rustle of leaves and the steady beat of their hearts. The moon above bathed them in a silver glow that seemed to acknowledge and bless the sacred act they had just committed.

In the aftermath, as she lay nestled within the protective circle of his arms, a single thought crystallized in the depths of her being. The man she was supposed to marry would have to understand. There was no choice in this—fate had spoken, and its decree was absolute. The Alpha, with all his power and influence, could not command her heart to feel what it did not, could not sever the bond that now tied her to this shifter whose name she still did not know.

5

Elijah’s breath was ragged as he held her close. His mate's body was pressed tightly against his. His mind swirled, struggling to grasp the intensity of what they’d just shared, but his body was acutely aware—too aware—of every inch of her.

The taste of her lingered on his lips, sweet and wild, like nothing he’d ever experienced before. He flicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He ached to capture even more of her, to pull her essence deeper into him, as if he could drink her in and never let go.

He could fuck her again.

He could kiss her again.

He could peel off every layer of clothing and see her naked body for the first time.

Or he could do all three. Yeah, he liked that idea.

The thought flickered through him, sharp and tempting. His gaze dropped to her lips, still flushed and swollen from their kiss. He’d never felt anything like this before—this magnetic pull that made him forget every reason why he shouldn’t want her.

Maybe, just maybe, he could get used to this fated mate thing. The bond between them hummed. It was alive and insistent. For the first time, he didn’t feel the urge to fight it.

But he had to know more. He had to know her.

Gently, he pulled back. His heart was still racing. His hands rested at her waist lightly. He didn't feel a need to hold on when he knew in his soul that he had her.

His voice came out soft, almost hesitant, as though speaking might shatter the fragile moment between them. "I suppose I should introduce myself."

"After fucking me blind? Yeah, that might be the polite thing to do."

He chuckled at that. Thank the gods his mate had a sense of humor. "I’m Elijah. Elijah Blackwood," he said, offering a small, lopsided smile. "I’m an Enforcer in the Ironwood Wolf Pack."

There was something almost surreal in the way he introduced himself. As if it didn’t matter who he was—because, right now, all that mattered was her. He realized he wanted her to be proud of him. He wanted her to think he was something special. It was clear just from the looks of her that she was something special.

Her golden brown skin glowed in the moonlight. Her thick hair tumbled in wild waves around her, the dark strands catching the light like silk, framing her face in a way that made his breath hitch. Her eyes were deep and expressive, filled with a vulnerability that mirrored his own, yet they sparkled with a quiet strength, a resilience that made him ache to know more. The way she looked at him, like she saw past the surface, past the layers of duty and expectations, made something inside him shift.

And that smile—gods, that smile. It was like watching the sun break through the clouds, bright and breathtaking, warming himfrom the inside out. He wanted to be the reason she smiled like that every day.

Maybe settling down to mate wouldn't be so bad, especially if it got him an advancement in the pack. He wanted to advance.

For her.

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