Page 43 of Moon's Call

“I’m not turning back,” she assured him, her hands roaming over the hard planes of his chest. “I’m yours, Draken. Completely.”

That was all the encouragement he needed. His hands moved to the waistband of her pants, yanking them off with a growl of impatience that made her laugh. “Someone’s in a hurry,” she teased, though her breath hitched as he kissed a trail back up her stomach.

“You have no idea,” he said, his voice muffled against her skin.

When he finally settled between her legs, he slowly entered her, inch by glorious inch. His eyes locked on hers, and Lorelei felt a surge of anticipation so intense, it stole her breath. His thrusts started off slow but soon became relentless. He thrust into her with a deep, primal rhythm that made her toes curl and her back arch. Each movement was deliberate, each stroke sending sparks of pleasure through her body.

The connection between them was palpable, a current of raw energy that tied them together in ways she couldn’t fully understand. She clung to him, her nails digging into his shoulders as she gasped for air.

Her thoughts were a blur, a mix of pleasure and exhilaration.This is it,she thought, her heart pounding in time with his thrusts.This is where I’m meant to be.She could feel the tension building in him, the way his muscles coiled like a spring ready to snap. His lips brushed against her neck, a silent promise of what was to come.

“Draken,” she breathed, her voice trembling, “don’t stop.”

“Never,” he growled softly, his movements becoming even more intense, the pace almost frantic.

The room was filled with the sound of their breathing, their mingled gasps and moans, the soft creak of the bed beneath them. Lorelei’s world narrowed down to Draken—his scent, his heat, the feel of his body against hers. She was so close, teetering on the edge, but she held on, waiting for that final moment when he would claim her as his.

He paused, pulling back to meet her gaze again. His eyes were wild, glowing with an intensity that made her shiver. “Lorelei,” he said, his voice raw, “are you sure?”

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside her. “I’m sure.”

He groaned, a sound of pure raw pleasure. She could feel the tension in his body, the way he was holding himself back, waiting for her. And she was so close, so very close, teetering on the edge of something immense and overwhelming.

“Draken,” she gasped, her back arching as her body tightened around him. “I’m— I’m?—“

Her words cut off as the world seemed to explode around her. Pleasure surged through her in waves, crashing over her with a force that left her gasping for air. She clung to him as the intensity of it threatened to consume her. Draken’s movements became erratic, his own release cresting and exploding as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, his breath hot against her skin.

And then she felt it—a sharp, searing pain at the base of her neck that made her gasp. His teeth sank into her, marking her, claiming her as his mate. For a moment, the pain overwhelmed everything else, but then it melted into something else entirely—a warmth that spread through her body, a tingling sensation that started where his teeth had marked her and radiated outward, filling her with a strange, electric energy.

He pulled back slightly, his lips brushing against the mark he’d left, and Lorelei could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. “Mine,” he whispered, his voice soft but no less possessive.

“Yours,” she agreed, her voice barely a whisper as she tried to catch her breath. Her body felt like it was humming, the tingling sensation growing stronger, spreading through her limbs and into her chest. It wasn’t unpleasant—if anything, it was exhilarating.

TWENTY

LORELEI

The tingling sensation intensified until Lorelei’s skin felt like it was on fire. Her bones suddenly started to shift and crack, a searing pain shooting through her body. She tried to scream but all that came out was a whimper.

“What’s happening?” she gasped, but her words morphed into a strange growl. Her vision blurred, the world tilting sideways as her body contorted and changed.

Draken’s eyes widened in shock. “This is impossible,” he breathed, pulling away from her. “You’re shifting.”

Panic seized her chest as white fur sprouted across her skin. Her hands—no, paws—scrambled against the silk sheets. The room spun as her senses heightened, overwhelming her with new smells and sounds. She could hear heartbeats from two floors down, smell food in the kitchen, and detect the musty scent of old stone in the walls.

“Lorelei, stay calm,” Draken’s voice cut through her panic.

But she couldn’t stay calm. This wasn’t what she signed up for. She’d agreed to be his mate, yes, but becoming a wolf? The rational part of her brain short-circuited. Fight or flight kicked in, and flight won.

She leaped off the bed, her new four legs tangling beneath her as she crashed to the floor. The door was open a crack—thank god for small mercies—and she nudged it open wider and bolted out it, her claws clicking against the marble floors.

“Lorelei, wait!” Draken called after her, but she was already racing down the corridor.

She darted through the castle, her white fur a blur as she navigated the twisting hallways purely on instinct. Her architect’s mind, even in panic, mapped her escape route. Through the great hall, past the kitchens, and out the service entrance.

The cool night air hit her fur as she burst out of the castle. The forest beckoned, dark and mysterious, and she plunged into it without hesitation. Her new wolf body moved with surprising grace once she stopped fighting it, her paws finding purchase on the forest floor as she weaved between trees.

This is insane, she thought, her mind still human even as her body had transformed.I’m running through the woods. As a wolf. A WHITE wolf. What the actual hell?

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