Page 9 of Wanted By the Cartel

His pulse raced under my lips as I pressed a kiss to his throat. The small sound he made—half protest, half pleasure—nearly undid me. His magic flared again, but this time it felt different. Wanting. Needing. He ached for me.

"I should fight this," he said, but his hands were sliding up my chest, leaving trails of heat. "I should... Shouldn't be doing this."

I caught his mouth with mine, swallowing whatever protests remained. The kiss was like a thunderstorm, charged with both magic and desire. His lips parted on a gasp, and I took full advantage, deepening the kiss until he moaned into my mouth.

The mate bond between us sang, growing stronger with each passing second. I could feel him surrendering not just to me, but to what we could be together. He wanted to experience it, too.

His power no longer fought mine—instead, they danced together, creating something new and magnificent.

My hands found their way under his shirt, wanting to touch bare skin, needing to feel more of him. He arched into my touch, all resistance gone, replaced by a hunger that matched mine. The shelves rattled behind him as our magic continued to surge and merge.

We should be doing this, just not here, I thought, but at the same time, where would we go?

"Zoren," he gasped as I trailed kisses down his neck, finding that spot where his pulse raced beneath his delicate skin. "We can't... not here..."

I lifted my head to look at him—lips swollen from our kisses, eyes dark with desire, power radiating from every pore.

He looked beautiful, making me surer he was born for me.

"Then let me take you somewhere we can," I growled, sliding my hand into his hair and watching his eyes flutter closed at the contact...

His eyes fluttered open again, darkened with both desire and uncertainty. Despite everything, he was still not certain.

I kept my hand tangled in his hair, gentle but firm, watching the play of emotions across his face. Every small movement between us sparked another surge of combined magic, making the air heavier with power and want.

"I won't force you," I murmured, even as my wolf howled for more of him. It wasn't satisfied with what it had at the moment. "But I need you to understand what's happening between us. What you're doing to me. You need to understand everything."

It was a bit strange how everything was happening so quickly. One moment, we were just strangers. But that was thebeauty of finding your true mate, wasn’t it? I just knew he was the one, and I couldn't imagine living without him now that I realized he was meant to be mine.

Lyrian's breath hitched as I traced my thumb along his lower lip. His power flickered like moonlight on water, responding to my fingers in ways his conscious mind still resisted. The mate bond hummed between us, growing stronger with each passing moment.

"Show me," he whispered, and the challenge in his voice made both my wolf and my magic surge. It wasn't as strong as his, but it was there.

Lyrian wasn't submitting; he was daring me to prove myself worthy, and I wasn't going to back down.

I growled, claiming his mouth again but this time with deliberate slowness. The slower speed was necessary to enhance the pleasure of this moment.

His magic sparked against mine, testing, probing for weakness. I let him feel my strength without trying to dominate his power, showing him that I could match him without breaking him. His trust in me was paying off.

"You're different," he gasped when I finally released his lips. His hands had found their way under my shirt, tracing patterns that left trails of tingling magic on my skin. "Most alphas try to..."

"To control you?" I finished, nipping at his neck. The sound he made—somewhere between a whimper and a moan—sent heat coursing through my veins. "I don't want to control you, Lyrian. I want to complete you just like I'm meant to."

His power flared at my words, and this time I let mine rise to meet it. The sensation was extraordinary—like diving into pure moonlight, like touching the essence of magic itself. Every point where our bodies connected became a conduit for this energy between us.

"Zoren," he breathed, his head falling back as I traced the line of his throat with my lips. His pulse raced beneath my touch, his scent growing richer with arousal and need. But there was something else there too, and it was the trust he gave me.

I slid my hand down his spine, pulling him closer until our bodies aligned. He fit against me like no other omega would. The thought made my wolf purr with pure satisfaction.

His fingers dug into my shoulders as another wave of power washed through us. This time, when his magic reached for mine, I opened myself completely, letting him feel everything—my desire, my recognition of him, my need to protect and cherish rather than possess.

"Oh," he gasped, his eyes going wide as he felt the truth of my intentions through our growing bond. "You really mean it. You want..."

"All of you," I continued for him, cradling his face in my hands. "Your power, your strength, your defiance. Everything that makes you who you are. I don't want to change you, Lyrian. I want to give you a place where you can be yourself."

Tears glimmered in his eyes, but his smile was radiant. His next kiss took me by surprise—fierce, passionate, full of centuries of loneliness and hope. I never expected him to take the initiative and kiss me like that.

His magic surged into me without reservation, showing me his own truth—his fear of being used, his desperate need to feel connected with someone, and his growing recognition of what we could be together.

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