Black Feathers

4: Instinct

 Anna's heart jumped erratically in her chest when the weightless feeling was stripped away from her. Strong arms were suddenly supporting her and warmth seeped into her from another body. Peeking her eyes open the woman found King Lucian, his eyes were wide. Disbelief masking his usually expressionless face. Wind slapped Anna in the face, blasting her hair back in a rush. It drew her eyes passed the King's head, she could only catch streaks of black as the wings flapped. Working powerfully and smooth to keep them elevated.

 Stunned both of them stared at each other, the man didn't know what moved him. He didn't even realize he had moved until Anna's body was in his arms. Blood was roaring in his ears so loud the King didn't hear the chatter of his pack or the rushing water below. There was only the sounds of his flapping bouncing off the rocks merely inches away from him.

 Letting his arms wrap more tightly over the woman's body Lucian felt the hair on the back of his neck raise. Calming his heart as he fully realized that he had caught her, that she was safe and not lost to the rushing waters far below. 

 Blinking Lucian felt himself tense when tears suddenly filled Annabelle's eyes quickly spilling over her cheeks. Opening his mouth slightly Lucian shifted his hold and pulled her closer until he was hugging her. Her face buried in his neck, hands clutching at his shirt in a death grip. Flexing the Angel pushed his wings harder, lifting them both through the air and being mindful of the narrow gap between the rocks. If he shifted one way or another he could easily clip a wing, which would be unpleasant. Angel wings were far more sensitive than the rest of their bodies. Their wings were their strongest, and their weakest points.

 Slowly rising above the edge of the cliff Lucian hovered over the ground for a moment before setting his feet down. Quickly walking away from the unstable ground and dragging Anna with him. Breathing slightly hard Lucian let his wings relax but had to keep them out, heat radiated off them.

 A hushed silence hung over the pack as they stared at their Alpha, he let his eyes settle on Noah. Holding his Beta's gaze until Annabelle released her grip on his shirt, a chilled wind pulling at her hair as she lifted her head. Her crying at stopped quickly although she still looked terrified. Feeling his chest tighten at the sight Lucian reached up to wipe the tears off her face with the heel of his palm, feeling himself smile faintly when she looked up at him.

 The fear slowly faded to shock in her hazel eyes as she looked down, shifting her bare feet in the dirt. Solid ground. Relief hit her so hard she would have collapsed if it weren't for the firm grip still on her. Sucking in a breath as it finally registered to Anna that the King had saved her. She had fallen into the gorge once, by some miracle she didn't die. Anna didn't think she'd get so lucky a second time. Letting his arms relax Lucian watched Anna, her hands suddenly grabbing at his face and pulling him down into a kiss.

 Stunned Lucian stared wide-eyed at the woman as she pulled back with a breathless smile on her face.

 "You jumped after me..."

 Lucian didn't hear the words. His lips twitched still feeling her. Inhaling the odd familiarity of Annabelle's smell Lucian leaned down and reconnected their lips. Feeling his wings shiver as an unfamiliar urge washed through him. A low growl rolled from his chest, pleasure tickled his body with heat. It teased at him as he kissed the woman, feeling her soft lips move against his willingly. 

 Whatever triggered it Lucian didn't care. The King found his hands pulling her closer, lifting her body off the ground as the kiss got aggressive. Fingers pulled at his hair sending waves of gratification down his back. The action broke the kiss for a split second allowing Lucian to feel his body take over. Pulling her legs around his hips the Angel found himself pinning Anna to a tree, uncaring of the entire pack watching. Dumbfounded.