Page 29 of Falling for My Shifter Guardian

My hands find her hips, helping her to move, to find a rhythm that soon has us both gasping for air. She rides me with abandon, her movements growing more frantic as she chases her release.

I feel her orgasm building, her muscles tightening around me. "Come for me, Olivia," I urge her on, and with a cry, she does, her body shuddering as waves of pleasure wash over her.

I can't hold back any longer. With a growl, I flip her onto her back, my body covering hers as I drive into her with a fierce intensity. Our bodies move together, each thrust bringing us closer to the ultimate moment of bonding.

Her nails dig into my back, her breaths coming in short gasps as I feel my own release approaching. My mouth finds the soft skin of her neck, my teeth aching with the need to mark her, to claim her as mine.

"Derek!" she cries out, her body arching beneath me as she finds her release once more.

That's when I completely lose control. With one final thrust, I explode inside her, my body shaking with the force of my orgasm. At the same time, I bite down on her neck, the coppery taste of her blood mingling with the overwhelming sensation of our souls binding together.

The mate bond snaps into place, a connection so profound and intense that it's like nothing I've ever felt before. I can feel Olivia's emotions, her love and desire for me, as strong as my own.

We lie there in the aftermath, our bodies slick with sweat, our hearts beating in sync.

I hold her close, her warmth anchoring me in a way I never thought possible. Her head rests against my chest, and I feel her breath, steady and soft, syncing with the beat of my heart. My wolf, restless and raging for so long, is finally calm. I press my lips to her temple.

The room is silent except for the steady rhythm of our breathing and the faint creak of the bed as Olivia shifts slightly, her leg entangling with mine. I let my hand run gently down her back, tracing the curve of her spine, memorizing every inch of her. Shesighs, nuzzling closer, and I can’t help the small smile that tugs at the corner of my lips. For the first time in years, the weight I’ve carried feels lighter. The barriers I’ve built, the walls I’ve fought so hard to keep between us—they’ve all crumbled. And I don’t regret a single piece of it.

“I still don’t understand all of this,” she murmurs, her voice muffled against my chest. There’s no fear in her words, just quiet curiosity. “But I feel it, Derek. I’ve felt it for so long. This pull, like you’ve always been... there. Wherever I’ve been, you’ve been, too.”

Her words hit me like a strike to the heart—a soft, gentle blow that reverberates with meaning. She’s felt it. All these years, she’s felt what I’ve ignored, denied, tried to bury. Guilt rears its head, but it’s tempered by the profound relief of hearing her say it, of knowing I haven’t been alone in this.

I tilt her chin up gently so she’s looking at me. Her light brown eyes search mine, and I see everything I’ve ever wanted in that gaze. Strength. Trust. Love. My hand cups her face, my thumb brushing against the freckles on her cheek. “It’s because you’re my mate,” I tell her, my voice low and rough. “It’s always been you, Olivia. From the first moment, it’s been you.”

A smile ghosts across her lips, small but genuine, and it lights up her entire face. Her fingers trace the line of my jaw, her touch feather-light but reverent. She tilts her head, her hair cascading around her in auburn waves. “And you’ve always been mine, haven’t you?” she whispers.

The simple truth in her words steals my breath. I nod, unable to speak for a moment. “Always.”

Epilogue

Olivia

Without fail, my gaze finds him. I don't think it's a habit that will ever change.

Derek stands near the edge of the clearing, his tall frame illuminated by the golden lights strung in the community room. His salt-and-pepper hair catches the glow, and the strong angles of his face are unreadable except for the occasional flicker of intensity in his steel-gray eyes as he watches the gathering. Even from this distance, I can feel the energy radiating off him—the steady, unrelenting protection that has kept me safe for so long. He’s talking to Theo, their stances mirroring each other, rigid and watchful. Two soldiers never really leaving the battlefield, even here, even now.

But Derek’s focus breaks, sliding to me as though he can sense where I’m standing, waiting. A shiver drips down my spine, though the night is still and warm. He doesn’t look away, and I find myself rooted in place, caught under the weight of his gaze.

“You’re doing it again,” Maya’s voice chirps, startling me.

I turn, finding my friend smirking up at me, a second glass of lemonade extended like a peace offering. “Doing what?” I ask, my lips tugging into a smile as I accept the drink.

“That thing where you get all dreamy and tuned-out because someone over there—” She tilts her head toward Derek— “has you utterly bewitched.”

“Bewitched?” I scoff, rolling my eyes. “That’s dramatic, even for you, Maya.”

She leans against the same beam, her caramel-toned skin catching the glow of nearby lights. “Come on, Liv. You’re not fooling anyone. Not me, not him, not the rest of this room. The guy might as well have a neon sign above his head that screams ‘Olivia’s protector-slash-eternal-swoon-inducer.’”

I sputter, trying and failing to suppress a laugh. “Swoon-inducer? He’s not—”

“Let’s not lie tonight, darling,” Maya interrupts, grinning. “You’re done pretending you don’t belong with him, right? I mean, look at you. You have that post-fate glow about you—like all the existential angst wrapped itself into a neat little Derek package, and now you’re on cloud nine.”

My cheeks burn, but before I can retort, she bumps her shoulder lightly into mine, her expression softening. “Seriously, though. How are you? Adjustment period still going okay?”

I hesitate, chewing the inside of my cheek as I consider her question. Finally, I look over my shoulder—not toward Derek this time, but out into the clearing, where strings of light bob gently above the wind-stirred pines. There’s a kind of stillness here tonight, one that feels earned. “It’s not easy,” I admit softly. “Things are… shifting. But I’m happy. Really happy.”

Maya’s usual playful demeanor lights up as she leans closer, her excitement barely contained. “Well, speaking of shifts,” she says, grinning, “guess who just landed herself a new job?” She pauses for dramatic effect, one brow arched. “I’ll give you a hint:it involves a mysterious, disgustingly wealthy businessman who just moved here.”

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