Page 37 of Luna Ascending

I've misread his body signals. Embarrassment and shame floods over me. It's just as quickly gone when he pins me down more firmly. This time his lips capture mine, his mouth devouring me. A foreign voice in my head clamours at me - 'mate!' Ignoring it I kiss Aaron back fervently, whatever the fuck that voice is, it'll have to wait.

This is delicious, but I'm fighting full-body burnout, nearly fainting with fatigue. Aaron must have noticed, because the next thing I know he's swept me up in his arms, as if I weigh nothing, and is carrying me gently.

I come around, propped against his chest in a little hollowed out cave at the side of a cliff. I can't have been asleep for long. It's daylight and my tiredness is still all-consuming. Despite the huge fatigue, I feel like myself, wholly truly myself for the first time in my adult life.

In a half dream-state I touch Aaron's bare chest, running my fingers along the curves of his pecs. I want so badly to explore him, all of him, but my tired body just can't do it.

He takes a deep shuddering breath and catches my hand, stopping things going further. I watch his face, entranced. He caresses my bare ring finger looking pleased, and then touches my wrist where my charm bracelet used to sit.

Aaron starts talking almost as a way of distracting me, distracting us, from getting more intimate while I'm so weak. He explains quietly his theory about my charm bracelet. He thinks that it was magical – laced with spells to keep me and my magic contained.

I frown. “That bracelet was as present from my auntie – that doesn't make sense. I could understand Marc wanting control but...”

I freeze looking up into his darkening face. Mentioning Marc, without clarifying what I thought about him, was a mistake. Aaron and I haven't talked. He doesn't know how completely my opinion of Marc has changed. Shit. My stupid mouth. I've only just found this feeling, I don't want to lose it again so quickly.

“The ring!” I gabble "The ring too!”

Aaron watches me inscrutably, forcing me to continue without giving me a clue about what he's thinking.

“Can't anything be charmed?” I blurt “Like... my engagement ring? Marc and I didn't always hit it off. The first time I 'felt' something romantically for him was right after I'd just had a little magical incident. I'd given all his family's 100+ guests a headache and shattered their chandeliers, and in the process, found out I was a witch”

Aaron grins a little “So, he took advantage of you feeling vulnerable”

“Not just that” I sigh “I don't know definitely, but I think the tonic he gave me for shock was laced with a love charm. I did think I was in love with him after that night” I finish quietly.

Aaron's grin vanishes and I rush on before I get cold feet “it worked for a while, but he was always very... controlling”

Aaron glares at that. “Tavey thought you were being gas-lit” he mutters.

I pause, thrown to learn they'd been talking about me “Maybe, I never thought about it like that. My feelings for him were starting to wear thin when he proposed.”

I hold my breath waiting for an outburst

“I knew you were engaged Freya...go on”

Of course he did... my thoughts are all muddled!

“Uh, oh...well... when he proposed, I felt all-sorts of things – my ego was massaged, but I remember doubt flooding my mind – we were an odd match . It wasn't until he pushed the ring on my finger that I felt overcome with an unquestionable knowledge that saying yes was the right thing.”

Aaron's face is a mask again as I plough on.

“Until another witch told me to practise my magic without my jewellery on, I was sure I was in love with him, especially when he was near me. It wore off a little when he was away, but whenever he came home that pure certainty that he was the right one for me came straight back. Then, I started practising my witchcraft with my jewellery off... and something changed.

He was always mentally controlling, and it became more physical too. I'd just started to realise I had to get out when everything kicked off. When I saw him tonight, with the ring off, the spell finally broke and... I nearly did too”

I steal a glance at Aaron, holding my breath. He's completely, unnaturally still, and I don't know if he believes me. He leans in towards me, his hulking frame intimidating me now. My heart beats faster, then suddenly I'm engulfed in a massive bear hug. It's gorgeous.

After a minute though I squirm, “Can't breathe you oaf!” I gasp.

He grins at me, before sobering up and explaining.

“They did the same to Tavey, Freya,” he says “or at least they tried... with less finesse, and more haste... but it would have worked if he hadn't already marked Liz as his mate. The pack thinks the Coven are going after hybrids – they must have known somehow what you were!” His face clouds in worry.

My squeal makes Aaron jump in alarm and he glares around for the threat. But I'm busy bashing him on his still very naked chest in excitement.

“Mated?! Liz? She never told me!”

He looks contrite “She should have been the one to tell you then..”

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