“Just give me a kiss,” she let out a shaky laugh. “I’m going to be alright after that.”
But I just gave her a pair of glaring eyes. Yet it softened when she gave me her signature beautiful smile. “Come on, please. Just a peck? I swear it feels shit to feel this.”
The weight of my own powerlessness settled upon me like a heavy cloak. I had always been the one who fought tirelessly, who vanquished darkness and protected those in need. But here, in this moment, all my strength and valor seemed insignificant in front of Cassidy.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, yes, A humble reminder of the boundaries that stood like walls even to the mightiest of warriors.
“Okay…” I whispered and gave her what she wanted.
“Again,” she commanded.
I pressed my lips to hers, this time longer than the last.
“Again, please?” I pinched her cheek and laughed. I could no longer hold her childishness anymore. Like a child in love indeed. “That’s enough.”
“Please, Zarion? Please? I want more. More kisses!” she pleaded like an actual kid begging ice cream for dinner.
Elliot was cringing with us the whole time. Even when I lowered my mouth to Cassidy’s, I could see how his eyes rolled at the back of his head when I kissed her again.
“And here I am beside you—worried about you so much, you silly girl!” Elliot folded his arms this time, pouting as if it’s his birthday and I didn’t bring a gift.
‘Oh Goddess!’ I don’t know how to deal with two childish adults any longer.
Despite the despair that threatened to consume me—the despair that she might succumb to the pain caused by Brandon, a spark of determination flickered within my soul. I might not possess the power to mend her broken heart directly, but I could still be there for her. For all the time.
I stood beside her, my presence a silent reassurance that she was not alone in her pain. I would walk with her through the darkest of nights, holding her hand as we navigated these treacherous paths that life had laid before us.
“Can we at least go out?” There’s the child in her again, resurfacing. “I want to go out.”
“But it’s cold,” I replied as I squeezed her hand.
She smirked, more adult than a kid. “My body can adjust to the temperature, remember?”
I bit my lower lip. I almost forgot. “Still—”
“Please?”
Damn girl.
She gave me her begging eyes, pouting her beckoning lips. Now I can’t say no to that anymore.
“Fine.” Then I nodded at Elliot. He helped me put Cassidy in my arm in bridal style. Both of us went to the rooftop of Elliot’s cabin in less than a minute.
The night rules while the moon illuminated the sky, white light glowed over the dense forest. The scent of pine and damp earth blended with the air, mingling with the intoxicating aroma of the wilderness. And Cassidy’s.
Her scent was nothing more like a fragrant rose I will always smell when I open my eyes.
Cassidy's heart pounded in my chest as I carried her in my arms, her eyes brimming with desire and a tinge of vulnerability. “Please…” she pleaded, her voice a breathless whisper. She longed for something more, something intimate with me.
Alone with me.
Elliot sensed this and immediately went back to the cabin. I often felt bad for the man for always being left out as the third wheel.
“Please, maybe a little revenge on him.” I know Cassidy’s talking about Brandon, her words barely audible as she bared her naked soul before me. It took a moment for my gaze to return to her face, softening as I looked upon her. My eyes filled with a mixture of understanding and respect and love as my eyes slid lower to her bareness.
I had always held Cassidy in the highest regard, admiring her strength and determination. Yet I also recognized the depth of her emotions and the turmoil that plagued her.
I know what she wants: she wants me to touch her. Feel her on the inside with enough intimacy and eroticness.
“I cannot grant you revenge, Cassidy,” I replied with my voice low and steady. “It is not who I am, and it is not the way of my principles. But know that I respect you more than words can express.”
I cannot touch her just because she wants to have revenge. I want to touch her because it's what my soul wants, it’s what my heart commands.
‘Fuck, this is cringe!’
“I want you to want me for the sole reason that it’s me.” Then I lowered my mouth to hers, savoring her lips. Cassidy wrapped her arms around my neck, deepening the kiss.
When I pulled back, I saw Cassidy's shoulders sag slightly, disappointment evident in her eyes. She had hoped that I would indulge her desires, even if just for a moment. Just for the sake of revenge.
But I don’t want to. I want her to be with me for who I am—because she longed for my touch, not a tool for igniting jealousy.
Cassidy’s hand immediately went for my cock, and I couldn’t help but get hard.
Damn girl.
I instantly jerked away, removing her hand from my lifeblood. She looks so disappointed.
I should do something about that. I stepped closer, my presence enveloping her as I stalked back towards Cassidy.
A flicker of hope sparked within me as I gazed down at her, eyes filled with anticipation. Her heart raced, mirroring the tempo of my own. At that moment, I knew she saw the unspoken promise in my eyes.
It wasn't revenge she sought, but something more—a taste of the forbidden that beckoned us both.
Our lips met, setting ablaze the dormant fire that had been smoldering between us. It was a moment of surrender-–my surrender, where vulnerability and longing melded into a single entity. Cassidy's trembling hands found their way into my hair, pulling me closer, aching for more of me.
The kiss becomes more, escalating into a fervent dance of intertwined desires and entangled tongues. I tightened my grip on her waist, drawing her body closer to mine. The heat between us intensified, engulfing us in a world that faded into insignificance, burning us both.
With each passing second, our connection grew stronger, stroking a newfound strength within her. She shed her role as a vulnerable young woman seeking revenge, emerging as a force to be reckoned with. Emerging into my—
‘Mate.’ No, she can’t be. She’s Brandon’s mate. It’s impossible for a former human to have more than one mate.
“Not so weak anymore,” I whispered against her lips, my voice tinged with admiration so I may mask my mate-worrying thing and ponder about it later.
I beheld the blaze that flamed within Cassidy's eyes, witnessing the utter change that had taken place within her. It was at that moment I realized our bond had transcended into our wildest expectations.
No. But yes, it’s not impossible.
As we continued our passionate embrace, our bodies pressed firmly against one another, it became clear that our connection surpassed the physical realm. It was a union of souls, an unspoken understanding that defied the boundaries imposed upon us with the mating bond construction.
I stopped and realization punched me in the gut.
“Fuck, you are my mate.” I inhaled, my voice thick and raspy, Her sleepy eyes widening a fraction because of what I just said.
Because there’s no other way she’s not my mate.
She indeed is—”My mate,” Cassidy’s grin becomes a smile.
“My mate,” I giggled, my amusement blowing away a few strands of her hair.