Page 112 of Fated to the Lone Shifter
In the distance, a wolf howls.
I close my eyes—and I see it. A wrangler van. Dust rising in its wake. A young woman and a five-year-old boy inside.
A bittersweet ending to the Bitterroot Mountain wildfires.
Chapter thirty-four
A Reason to Howl
NOAH
Steam billows around us, heavy with the sharp scent of eucalyptus from someone’s forgotten bottle of fancy shampoo. Sera’s laughter bounces off the tiled walls like music, light and free in a way I haven’t heard from her before.
She flicks a handful of bubbles at me, eyes sparkling beneath soaked lashes. “You missed a spot,” she teases, pointing to my shoulder with her toe.
I catch her ankle and spin her toward me, her slick skin sliding perfectly against mine. “I’ve got it covered,” I growl, dipping my head to kiss her collarbone. Her giggle turns into a hum, her fingers weaving through my hair as she presses closer. Water sluices over us, hot and clean and holy.
It doesn’t take much for the playfulness to shift. Her breath hitches when I lift her onto the bench, the cool tile contrasting with the heat of her body. Our lips meet, slow and deliberate, like we’re mapping each other’s mouths for the first time. There’s no rush, no urgency—just the steady rhythm of our breaths and the pulse of the water against our skin. Her hands slide down my back, pulling me closer, and I feel her heartbeat against mine, steady and strong.“Noah,”she whispers, her voice a thread of desire, and I kiss her again, deeper this time, tasting the salt of her skin and the sweetness of her lips.
I trace the curve of her shoulder with my fingertips, following the line of her collarbone down to the swell of her breast. Her breath catches as I cup her, my thumb brushing her nipple, already tight and aching. She arches into my touch, her head falling back, exposing the long line of her throat. I kiss my way down, savoring the taste of her skin, the way she shivers beneath my mouth.“You’re so beautiful,”I murmur against her, and she laughs, a soft, breathless sound that sends a jolt of heat straight to my core.
I press her back against the wall, the tiles cold against my skin, and she wraps her legs around my waist, her heels digging into my hips.“Kiss me,”she demands, her voice low and husky, and I oblige, our lips crashing together with a hunger that’s been building since the moment we stepped into the shower.
I slide into her with a groan, the warmth of her body enveloping me like a second skin. She’s tight and wet, her muscles clenching around me as I move, slow and deliberate, savoring the way she feels. Her nails dig into my shoulders, her breath coming in sharp gasps as I set a rhythm, our bodies moving in perfect sync. The water beats down on us, mixing with the sounds of our pleasure, and for a moment, there’s nothing but the two of us, lost in the heat and the steam and the press of skin on skin.
“Harder,”she pants, her voice a plea, and I obey, thrusting deeper, the tile biting into my back as I hold her against the wall. Her legs tighten around me, her body flush against mine, and I feel the glow of our sigils ignite, a silent reminder of the bond we share.“Noah,”she moans, her head falling back, her hair sticking to her neck in wet strands. I kiss my way up her throat, biting gently, marking her as mine, even though she already is.
She’s close, I can feel it, her body tensing around me, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts.“Come for me,”I growl, my voice rough with need, and she shatters, her walls fluttering around me as her cry echoes off the tiles. Her release pulls me over the edge, my own orgasm crashing into me like a wave, my name on her lips as we come apart together.
For a long moment, we stay like that, our hearts pounding, our breaths mingling in the steam-filled air. Slowly, I pull out of her, setting her back on her feet, though her legs are still shaky. She leans against me, her head on my chest, and I wrap my arms around her, holding her close. The water continues to rain down on us, washing away the evidence of our passion, leaving only the warmth of her body and the steady beat of her heart.
“That was…”she starts, her voice soft and wondering, but I cut her off with a kiss, gentle and sweet.“I know,”I murmur against her lips.“Just us.”And in this moment, with the steam curling around us and the world outside forgotten, it’s enough. More than enough.
When we finally stumble out of the stall in our towels, breathless and dripping, we’re ambushed.
A blast of cold water smacks us both in the face, followed by a chorus of cheers and howls from the firehouse crew.
“To our firehouse power couple!” the Captain calls, hoisting a garden hose like a trophy. “Looks like saving the world and getting the girl is still a thing."
Marcus pipes in. "What took you two so long? Must have been a very big fire to put out."
I give him a playful punch in the arm.
The crew roars in approval, laughter echoing through the firehouse bay. Sera hides her face against my chest, grinning. I loop an arm around her, shielding her from the worst of the water spray—not that it matters at this point.
“We just got word from the FBI,” the Captain adds. “And the cops. Case officially closed.” He pauses for dramatic effect. “Which means we can go back to being dirty, sweaty, and yelling at each other for fun.”
More cheers. Someone throws a towel at my head. Another tosses a bar of soap.
“Now get to work!” the Captain barks with mock authority. “We’ve got a mess to pick up!”
Cue the collective groan.
I shake my head, dripping on the floor, and glance down at Sera. Her smile says everything I need to hear.
We’re still standing. Still together. And maybe,just maybe, we’ve earned this little moment of peace.
The scent of cinnamon and wood smoke hits me before I see them. I turn toward the bay doors and spot my parents stepping through, silhouetted by the early morning sun, looking weary but whole.
