Her Mates

21

The air between us felt thick, charged with an unspoken tension. The lazy comfort of our post-dinner lounging had transformed into something heavier, something electric. I could feel their eyes on me—Hunter's intense and unwavering, Juri's playful but hungry, Dorian's controlled but smoldering beneath the surface. Even Emilia, usually so composed, was watching me with something more than simple affection.

I swallowed, my pulse hammering. I wasn't naive to what was happening. The pull between us had been growing, tightening like an invisible thread wrapped around my body. And now, as I sat in the center of them, I knew that line was about to snap.

Dorian's hand was warm where it rested against my knee. A casual touch, but I felt the weight of it, the intent. On my other side, Emilia shifted, her body leaning ever so slightly into mine.

"You're quiet, little wolf," Juri murmured from across the room. His voice was smooth, but there was something darker lurking beneath it. "What's on your mind?"

I hesitated, licking my lips.

Juri's eyes flicked to the movement, and I saw the way his pupils dilated, how his fingers flexed like he was holding himself back.

Emilia was the one who saved me. "Maybe she's just waiting," she mused, her fingers brushing lightly over my arm.

I shivered at the contact.

"Waiting for what?" Zac asked, his voice lower than usual.

Emilia's lips curled into a small smile. "For one of us to make a move."

The room went silent.

The weight of their attention pressed against me, pinning me in place. I wasn't scared—I wanted this. I wanted them. And I was tired of pretending otherwise.

Slowly, I turned to face Dorian. He had been the most restrained, the most careful around me, but I could see the cracks forming in that self-control. His dark eyes burned as I reached for him, my fingers skimming the sharp edge of his jaw.

I didn't give him a chance to hesitate. I leaned in, pressing my lips to his in a slow, searching kiss.

For a moment, he was still, as if he couldn't believe I'd actually done it. Then, with a low sound deep in his throat, he kissed me back. His hand slid up my back, pulling me closer, deepening the kiss until I was breathless.

Someone—Hunter, maybe—let out a rough exhale.

When I finally pulled away, Dorian's grip on me was still tight, his breathing unsteady. But I didn't stop there. I turned, meeting Emilia's gaze. There was no hesitation in her eyes, only anticipation.

I leaned in again, this time capturing Emilia's lips with mine. Her kiss was softer, teasing, but just as intoxicating. She made a pleased noise, her fingers tangling in my hair as she pulled me closer.

A sharp inhale came from across the room. "Fuck," Juri muttered.

I smiled against Emilia's lips.