The Contrary Mate

54 Jack Mature

Aura looked like a wild fae queen in the moonlight, still in her beautiful dress, wings gracefully flowing from her back, riding on my back in the midst of a pack of wolves. I was happy just to have her with me, the most satisfying run of my life.

Once the wolves had broken off from the main pack to do their own thing, I slowed down, and Aura and I ended up wandering on our own, through the trees. I could feel her contentment through the bond. She was happy to be surrounded in the darkness of the forest, and happy to be with me. Since she'd let her light die out, I knew she couldn't see much, but she was trusting me to guide her safely through, and that pleased my wolf.

When I sensed she was getting tired. "Want to go to the pack house and borrow a bed, Aura?"

"Are you tired?" she asked.

"Just concerned about you."

"What would you usually do?"

"I'd just sleep out here."

"That's fine with me. I can rough it."

I didn't want to make my delicate little mate sleep in the forest, but if she was willing, I wouldn't stop her. I found a sheltered hollow and slowed. As if reading my mind, she got off of me and conjured a dim glow of light in her palm to help her see, and it helped me see her even more clearly. She sat on the ground and I curled around her, and she leaned her head on me. My wolf was more than satisfied with the contact. He'd never been so content.

After a while, her breathing evened and deepened, and I followed her into sleep, perhaps the best sleep I had ever experienced. It seemed there was nothing that having my mate with me did not improve, and I woke a few hours later feeling completely rejuvenated. She was still sleeping, so I waited patiently for her to wake up while I listened to the soothing sound of her breathing as she used me as a pillow.

She stirred, and stretched, before tilting her head to look at me, eyes bright in the first light of morning. They entranced me as always and I imagined that it would never change.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning."

"Sleep well?"

"Better than ever."

"I slept well, too. I think it was because of you and the forest."

She probably really would be better off if we simply lived in the wilds, surrounded by nature. She seemed willing to live in my home for now, but it didn't have to always be that way. I wanted to do whatever was best for Aura. Her stomach growled, reminding me that she likely had physical needs that needed to be attended to. I hadn't hunted the previous night—I hadn't thought Aura would have enjoyed that—so mine was feeling rather empty as well.

She stretched again, and I watched the way her body flex with greedy eyes, and was reminded of other hungers I would enjoy sating. "Ready to go home and get something to eat?" I hoped she would agree.

"Sure," she said, standing and brushing herself off. I offered her my back again, and she climbed on. I ran to the clearing and she grabbed my clothing, and I rushed back to the car. Once there, I shifted, and I didn't miss the way my mate's eyes raked over me once I was human again. I kissed her swiftly, and then we got into the car and sped home.

The house was far emptier than normal, we might have been the first ones home since we had left the pack so early, only a pair of vampire guards were still guarding the perimeter. We raided the kitchen for breakfast and she quickly cooked some eggs—the perfect food at the intersection between both our diets, enough to please my wolf, and something that kept her comfortable.

Once we ate, I took her off to our room so we could nap a bit longer before we started our day—although she was as aware of my ulterior motives as I was. We took a shower together, washing off the forest dirt, before I fully turned my attention to her lithe body. I kissed her lips, and then trailed more down her neck, pausing on my mark. It was healed, and only lightly visible, but easy enough to spot for another werewolf which pleased my own immensely and made me even harder for her.

Carrying her off to my bed, I kissed my way down her body until my mate was whimpering and shaking for me and I was aching to be inside her again. Grabbing protection, I fit myself to her center and pushed in. Like every time, the pleasure that I felt was better than anything, and I used her movements and reactions as a guide to set the pace while I slammed into her. Her nails dug into the skin on my shoulders, pleasurably painful as I pushed her higher towards my goal.

Reaching between us, I held on and stroked her until she came again, and then I let myself release, like I had been aching to do the entire day. This was more than just physical, she had agreed to be mine, and was mine in every way that it was possible for her to be. I rolled us over so that she was on top of me on the bed, and she smiled down at me.

"I love you," I told her.

"I love you, too," she responded, her smile only getting bigger.

My wolf howled our delight in the back of my mind, and even the disappointing feeling of her sliding off of me wasn't enough to dim my happiness with her. She pulled on a t-shirt while I threw out the protection and then I crawled into bed with my gorgeous mate.