Claimed

Chapter 53: Bittersweet

Ben's POV:

Watching Sophia swear in her pack members was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. The look of pure bliss on her face was even better. While I itched to go to her the moment they were finished, crowds surrounded her and Darius. Not wanting to take the moment away from her, I hung back with Kane, near the mouth of the cave.

Why are you anxious? Kane linked.

My brows pulled together as I glanced over at him. I'm not anxious.

He inclined his head to my bouncing leg. I hadn't noticed it started. Anxious wasn't the word I'd use. Sophia was making her way through the crowd which would eventually end with Arden. The possessiveness in our bond was a constant prickling on the back of my neck, howling at me to claim her, drudging up insecurities about the imbalance in our experience and the fact Arden had tasted her not that long ago.

I kept the growl inside and ignored the ache of insecurity that wondered if he'd been better for her than I had.

Hunter slapped me on the back as he passed by, slightly out of breath, hair and clothes disheveled. Probably from tugging them back on after shifting. All good and ready.

Assuming Sophia wasn't exhausted after celebrating with her pack, I had plans to celebrate with her. Hunter was helping out because, well... He always did. Thank you.

Any time.

Laughter erupted on the other side of the cavern where Arden was talking with Tess. Where Sophia was slowly getting closer. Come on bond. Calm down. I was so focused on her, I hadn't even noticed Kane wandered off. In an attempt to ignore the bond's paranoia and my apparently unresolved self-conscious issues, I tore my eyes away from Sophia and looked around for Kane.

Contact on my arm was so electric, there was no doubt it was her. My gaze snapped forward and Sophia stood on her toes, curled her fingers around my collar and pulled my lips to hers. Our bond thrummed with reassurance, and I circled my arms around her.

Her lips skimmed along my jaw to my ear where her whispered words made my grip on her hips tighten. "You ignite me. Unlike anyone ever has. Pretending I give a shit about socializing will be torturous when all I can think about is you," she peppered kisses below my neck, alighting every nerve in me, "and your scorching touch. I may be talking to other people, but you're the only one on my mind."

A smile pulled on my lips and I buried my face in her hair, breathing in her cinnamon scent as my our bond calmed under her assurance. "Thank you, Luna."

Her smile was so pure and adorable, I wish I would've had my phone ready for a picture. Slipping her fingers through my belt loops, she pulled me closer and gave me a light kiss. "For what?" She winked and sashayed away, smiling back at me over her shoulder.

My hands twitched, wanting to pull her back in my arms. She paused before rejoining Darius, turned and ran back to me. Her arms draped over my shoulders, she kissed me. Her lips moved against mine slow and sensuous, my hands not home until they were on her back to draw her closer.

"I love you," she murmured against my lips.

Emotion caught in my throat. With her in my arms, I didn't feel a void of emptiness. I just felt her, a wildfire spreading through all of me so nothing was left in darkness. Instead, all the broken parts forged together into something new, glowing, and inherently blissful. I spent years not believing I could feel happy again, but there she was. My happiness.

"I love you too," I said, bringing my lips to her forehead before pulling her into a tight hug. Her head fell into my chest, nestled against me like she was always meant to be there.