Page 24 of BeWolfed

She sank down onto me, taking me inch by inch, and fuck, I nearly lost it. But I let her set the pace, let her ride me, her fingers digging into my chest as she moved above me, as I watched her come undone all over again.

When she shattered a second time, I flipped her onto her back, driving into her with everything I had left. The words spilled out before I could stop them, raw and unguarded. "I love you."

Her breath caught, her fingers tangling in my hair. I felt the hesitation—a heartbeat of silence where the world seemed to hold still. Then, with quiet certainty, she whispered it back, soft but sure. "I love you, Rudy."

That was all it took. My release crashed over me, pulling her with me one last time, our mate bond sealing something deeper, something permanent between us.

As we lay there in the aftermath, tangled together in sweat and sheets and magic, I pressed a kiss to her temple. "No matter what happens tomorrow, we have this."

She curled against me, fingers tracing lazy patterns over my chest. "Yes. We do."

With that, I finally allowed myself to sleep, holding her close, knowing that whatever darkness waited for us at the ritual, we would face it together.

Elowen

The day of the ritual dawned with unnatural stillness. No wind stirred the trees outside my apartment window, no birds called from the forest edge. Even the air felt thick, as if the boundary between realities was already thinning in anticipation of tonight's ceremony.

I spent the morning reviewing Rose's research on blood magic countermeasures and practicing the breaking spells I'd need to free her and the other captive witches. My magic responded with newfound precision, the mate bond continuing to stabilize what had once been erratic power.

"The northern perimeter is the weakest point," Rudy said, returning from the kitchen with coffee. He'd spread maps of the quarry across my living room floor, marking guard positions based on our observations and Lola's intelligence. "Fewer enforcers, more natural cover. If we approach from here—" he traced a path with his finger, "—we can position Lola's wolves to create a diversion while we extract the witches."

I nodded, sensing his tactical mind working through contingencies. Through our bond, I felt his blend of confidence in the plan and concern for what might go wrong. The latter was focused primarily on me, though he was trying to keep that worry contained.

"I can handle myself," I reminded him gently, touching his arm. "Especially now that my magic isn't fighting me anymore."

His expression softened. "I know you can. Doesn't stop the wolf in me from wanting to keep you safe."

"Just as long as keeping me safe doesn't mean keeping me sidelined." I raised an eyebrow, challenging but not confrontational.

"Partners," he affirmed, the word carrying weight beyond its syllables. "In this and everything else."

The mate bond hummed with sincerity. Whatever instinctive protectiveness his wolf nature triggered, Rudy was making a conscious choice to respect my capabilities. It made the bond between us feel chosen rather than imposed, despite its unexpected formation.

A knock at the door interrupted the moment. Lola stood outside, accompanied by three other wolves. Rudy had explained to me that they were all former lone wolves who had resisted the alpha's corruption and now looked to Lola for leadership.

"The others are watching the quarry," Lola explained as they entered. "Two more pack members approached me last night. They've noticed the alpha's... changes. They're questioning the blood magic."

"Can they be trusted?" Rudy asked, his tone neutral but his emotions cautious through our bond.

"As much as anyone these days." Lola shrugged. "They haven't been exposed to the strongest corruption yet. They've been kept on perimeter duty, away from the ritual preparations."

"We could use more eyes on the approaches," I acknowledged, marking additional positions on the map. "But they stay on the outer perimeter. No direct involvement in the extraction."

Lola nodded, seeming to approve of my caution. It struck me how quickly everything had changed—a week ago, I'd been a college student returning to find my aunt missing. Now I was planning a rescue operation with a pack of rebel wolves, linked permanently to a man I'd known for days, and facing entities from beyond our reality.

"Oscar's inside position is our greatest advantage," I explained, outlining what we'd learned from yesterday's meeting. "He'll sabotage the ritual crystals from within while creating a distraction for us to extract the witches."

"Can he be trusted?" Maya asked, the question directed at Rudy rather than me.

"His opposition to the blood magic seems genuine," Rudy answered carefully. "But we're not relying entirely on his actions. We proceed as if we're on our own, and any help he provides is bonus, not foundation."

The wolves seemed satisfied with this approach, and we spent the next hour reviewing the plan in detail. Lola's tactical experience complemented Rudy's, while I provided magical expertise on breaking the containment spells that would hold Rose and the others.

As the wolves prepared to leave, Lola held back, catching my eye. "A moment?"

I nodded, curious. Rudy sensed my apprehension and moved to give us space while remaining within sight—a compromise between trust and protective instinct that showed how quickly he was adapting to our partnership.

"The mate bond suits you both," Lola said without preamble once the others had stepped outside. "Even if its timing was... convenient for certain parties."

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