Page 95 of In the Light of the Moon

Orion looked down at me, face tilted and eyes narrowed, undoubtedly catching the shift in my scent. The kettle hadn’t yet started whistling, but I pulled it off of the burner and turned off the stove.

Without a word, I left him the kitchen, walked to the back door, and unlocked it.

The sight of the lake and the moon above always made me pause. Even after all these nights eating or working on theporch or walking alongside my mate in his wolf form. After a pause to take in the black water and white moon above and on the surface, I toed off my slippers and began backing down the porch steps.

By now, Orion was standing in the doorway and watching me. His hair was still a bit windswept from the pack run, but it was the wildness of his face that left me grinning. Instead of uncomfortable, the cold left me feeling invigorated, excited, and the dead grass prickled beneath my feet. I reached up and tugged my hair loose from its topknot and shook out my curls.

Orion started to follow me, body almost vibrating with want, but he immediately halted when I put up a hand. I heard his grumble of frustration, even across the space between us, and I giggled. “Give me at least five minute’s head start, Dr. Gealach.”

He eyed me up and down, and my lower belly lurched. His pink tongue swiped against his bottom lip, and I could’ve sworn his fangs were already coming out. “You get three. Run now, my little witch.”

With another laugh, I turned and sprinted into the trees.

It hadn’t snowed in a week or so, which was a blessing because the sight of it still brought on triggering memories.

In the light of the moon, I flew through the forest, running around trees in a nonsensical pattern to try and confuse Orion as best as I could. I rubbed up on the bark of an oak tree and pet the gills of a cluster of fungus on a nearby fallen log before taking off in the opposite direction. Deeper and deeper I went, this time trying my best to touch as little as possible. I had no experience with something like this, but hopefully his lust and my distractions would buy me some time.

Just as I slowed to a creep through the brush, a piercing howl through the air made my heart pound even harder in my chest. Through the quiet of the night, I heard Orion begin his search.His steps were far smoother than my excited stumbling, and I strained my hearing to keep track of where he was.

That was another thing that’d changed. I didn’t have Coill here to walk me through all the parts of me that were Fae, but in his goodbye, he left me a piece of myself I hadn’t known was missing.

“My granddaughter, child of my Caley, I love you more than words can express. You hold the best pieces of her, of me, and of my Sylvana. You are my heir and the namesake of my mate. Your mother chose your true name, and I give it back to you, Ta Sylvana’a eu Eulaliat Ravanian. Keep it close, for it can be used against you. But it is also who you are. Of this world and mine. Embrace it. I will see you soon.”

Both sides of my powers continued to sharpen, though I was certain it was my Fae part that allowed me to see and hear far better than I used to. It was like after being exposed to Coill, something clicked into place, and I felt steadier. Less uncertain.

And I heard the moment Orion changed directions, right before he let loose another howl. When I’d decided to start this chase, I envisioned drawing out this game and trying my damnedest to outsmart my mate, but I picked up running again and didn’t even attempt to disguise the noise.

I knew how this was going to end, but the primal part of my brain, the one concerned with survival no matter the reality of the situation, made me startle and run faster at the knowledge that Orion was eating up the distance between us.

Twigs and hard, frozen earth beat against the soles of my feet, but I kept moving. Thickets scraped against my legs, but I didn’t even feel the sting while cold air filled me with gleeful fear.

I took a sharp turn around a giant evergreen and saw a flash of white out of the corner of my eye. In the snow, my mate was able to blend in quite well, but in the blacks, browns, and greens of the bare, winter wood, he stood out.

The trees suddenly broke to reveal the lake and the yellow light from the cabin, now far on the other side of the water. But before I could turn back under the cover of the woods, Orion emerged.

He was naked and hard, pale skin bare and fur that’d already begun to sprout on his arms and legs. His almond-shaped eyes slipped between the bright green and a solid gold, reflecting the light around them. Orion’s cock was flushed pink and already dripping, curving slightly toward his belly, and my mouth began to water. Chest heaving, he continued toward me while I stood, frozen.

His fingers and toes were each tipped with light brown claws, and his fangs were as white as the moon.

Orion growled in an impossible bass that made my legs quiver and a pathetic whimper escape my lips. That just made him do it again, almost on me now, and I turned to run away, but I tripped over a thick tree root.

Instead of slamming into frozen earth, though, my descent was broken by warmth that lowered me the rest of the way. I yelped in surprise and squirmed against his hold, instinct and lust warring inside of me.

Orion pushed my thighs open, and the pressure from his claws was on the sweet line of pleasure and pain. The black sky above was sprinkled with stars, but it was my mate’s hungry face that had all of my attention. He lowered himself until our noses were almost touching, and I brought my legs around his waist. Orion was fully straddling both of his selves, neither wolf nor man, and I could’ve cried with how much joy I felt. We still had so many things to figure out, but I wasn’t afraid or anxious or worried. I knew that I could do it, and with my mate, I knew that we would thrive.

Orion

My mate.

Mine.

When she’d started running from me, it took every ounce of my strength to not leap on her right then and there. I’d agreed to give her a head start, and when I’d finished my count, half-shift already complete, I followed her sweet cherry scent through my homeland. The pack run had been far better than I’d anticipated, butthis, to run after my mate and have her under me, welcoming me, was the best.

My wonderful, beautiful, unique, and powerful mate who’d once saved me before even knowing me. Who gifted me kindness and understanding with every breath, even in her darkest hours. I would do anything for her and spend my life giving her everything.

“Sweet little witch.” She groaned and pulled me closer to her. “Mine.” Tears fell from her eyes, and I dragged my tongue across her cheeks to catch them. “Say it.”

Her sharp nails dug into my back, making me even harder than I already was. “Yours. Always.” Before I could rip her shirt right down the middle, Sylvie tugged it up and off, throwing it to the side. With one sharp motion, I tore through her panties and left her bare beneath me.

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