ETHEREAL

12

Rosa woke that morning to an unusual blast of warmth running through her entire body. Despite the heat, she welcomed it hungrily as the January air blew harshly against the closed windows, somehow finding an entrance in the slight cracks of the corners. She didn't move for a single moment before her curiosity got the better of her, her big eyes groggily opening, the sweet remnants of sleep left in them.

Dante usually left early in the morning, hours before Rosa could even wake for multiple reason. Whether it be to train his soldiers, handle essential problems or even deal with outside threats near their borders. It was a taxing job to be an alpha of a pack so large, but Dante made it look almost easy. It was for this exact reason that any residue of sleep in Rosa's body washed away in moments at the sight of her mate, arms wrapped tightly around her as he slept on his back, his scarred face sleeping peacefully. His eyebrows were furrowed and although his face seemingly looked relaxed, it humoured Rosa to no end that even in sleep Dante looked incredibly intimidating.

She couldn't control the burst of joy in her stomach as she found herself smiling at the rare sight, for they only occasionally got to share a morning together for reasons out of both of their control. She pressed her lips to his head, so gently intact, she wondered if they had even made contact with his skin. The sensation for Dante, however, was enough to pull him out of his depths of rest and snap open his eyes in an instant, the wolf inside of him unable to relax.

Her eyes widened as they made eye contact, her loving arms around him whilst she was slightly sat up, leaned towards him. It was a sight to behold, indeed, for it made Dante feel things that he had only once dreamed about.
"I like this. I like this very much." He murmured, his voice much huskier than it's already low tone. Instinctively he took her body into his arms so she was straddling him, her flushed cheeks and big eyes being enough to capture his heart in an instant.

"I didn't mean to wake you." She whispered, shuffling against his body as a red tint had formed on her cheeks. To this, he could only grin, his hands running down her small body.

"I should have mentioned to you yesterday that I have no duties today. I pushed them all till Monday, leaving us the weekend." He grinned sleepily, his hands beginning to trace small circles on her hips, his eyes falling towards her barely covered chest. "Leaving us to do whatever we want." He added rather cheekily, his eyes snapping back up to meet hers.

She gasped quietly at his words, the excitement settling in as she leaned forwards to his face and pressed a quick kiss to his lips, watching him groan quietly once she had moved away. "For the full weekend? You promise?" She asked, the excitement practically overcoming her. It was sad really, that alone time was so rare for the two of them but it was why they cherished it so greatly.

"All yours, and you are all mine." He murmured, pushing himself to sit upwards whilst keeping her straddled on his lap, so that now he could properly face her. He slipped his arms around her a little tighter, watching as her own slipped around his neck. He pulled her in tighter before pressing a kiss to her lips, much different to the softer ones they had become accustomed to recently. It was passionate, and full of mirrored excitement.

She returned his actions instantly, kissing him back with the same hunger, trying to push her body impossibly closer. It was odd really, how the mating bond worked for it almost felt as though their souls were completely intertwined - so connected that their physical bodies perhaps felt like burdens at times, refusing for them to get as close as possible. Her small hands ran through his tangled hair, the dark strands contrasting against her skin as she looped her fingers between the slight curly texture.

"You will be the end of me." He murmured quietly to her as they pulled away slightly, their lips still touching slightly as they breathed heavily between each other. "My own drug." He groaned loudly with a shut of his eyes making a small giggle leave her lips before she wrapped her arms around his neck instead.