Page 66 of Nansar
"Morning," I rumbled back, my hand tracing the curve of her waist, memorizing every dip and swell as though I could brand her shape into my very soul.
She smiled, a mischievous glint sparkling in those beautiful gray eyes as her fingers walked up my chest in a teasing dance. "So... about last night..."
"Which part?" My own lips curved as I pulled her closer, feeling every soft inch of her against me. "There were several memorable moments."
"All of them." She kissed my jaw, then my neck, and I felt my body respond immediately to her touch, my cock hardening against her hip as desire surged through my veins.
We'd made love several times during the night—frenzied and desperate at first, then slow and exploratory, learning each other's bodies in the darkness. I'd mapped every curve of her with my hands and mouth, tasted every inch of her skin, buried myself in her warmth until we were both trembling and spent, crying out our pleasure to the stars.
My body remembered every gasp I'd drawn from her lips, every time she'd cried out my name, every shudder of ecstasy that had rippled through her. And it craved more—craved her with an intensity that should have frightened me but instead felt as natural as breathing.
"Chloe..." Her name came out as half warning, half plea, my voice already rough with want.
"We might not get another chance," she said softly, and the truth of those words made my chest ache even as my desire flared hotter, more insistent.
The weight of what she wasn't saying hung between us like a shadow. This was our third day. The day the elder would decide our fate. The day that might tear her from my arms forever.
"Then we don't waste it," I growled, though my throat tightened around the words.
The mating bond hummed between us, still new and raw, thrumming like a living thing beneath my skin. But it was no guarantee of survival. The Welati had their own laws, their own ways. We had done what they asked, joined our bodies and perhaps our souls, but would it be enough?
I pushed the dark thoughts away, focusing instead on the female in my arms—the only thing that mattered. If these were to be our last hours together, I would fill them with her—her taste, her touch, the sound of my name on her lips as she came undone in my arms.
"Nansar," she breathed, and I heard the same fear and defiance in her voice that churned in my gut. "Whatever happens today—"
"Don't." I pressed my forehead to hers, breathing her in, letting her scent fill my lungs. "Not yet."
She nodded, her fingers threading through my hair, careful around my horns in a way that made me shudder with pleasure. Then she pulled me down to her, and for a while, there was nothing but us—no judgment, no uncertain future, just stolen moments carved out of borrowed time.
I captured her mouth with mine, rolling her beneath me as she wrapped her legs around my waist, opening for me with a trust that humbled me. This time was slower, more deliberate—each touch a promise, each kiss a memory being carved into my soul. When we finally came together, it felt less like simple pleasure and more like something breaking open inside me, like my very essence was pouring into her, binding us together in ways that transcended flesh.
Afterward, we lay tangled together, our bodies slick with sweat and trembling with aftershocks, neither willing to be the first to move, to acknowledge that the moment would have to end.
A sharp knock at the door shattered our fragile peace.
Chloe's eyes flew wide, her fingers clutching my shoulders hard enough to leave marks. Every muscle in my body coiled tight, my protective instincts surging to the surface like a beast awakened.
"Enter," I called out, reaching down to draw the furs over us.
The door swung open to reveal a young Welati female bearing a wooden tray laden with sustenance—glistening fruit, flatbread still steaming from the oven, strips of savory meat. The aromas wafted toward us, rich and enticing, making my stomachclench with sudden hunger. But it was the figure behind her that commanded my attention—the elder, ducking through the doorway, her weathered face creased with... could that possibly be a smile?
I tugged the furs higher, shielding Chloe's nakedness from view, though the elder appeared utterly unconcerned with our state of undress. Her nostrils flared delicately as she drew in a deep breath, and that enigmatic smile bloomed into something almost... triumphant.
"Good," she pronounced, her voice rich with unmistakable satisfaction. "Very good. The scent of true mating is strong here."
Chloe and I exchanged bewildered glances. I'd braced myself for stern judgment, perhaps even condemnation. Not this... gleeful approval.
The young female deposited the tray on the small table near the window and retreated swiftly, though not before I glimpsed her own knowing smile.
The elder moved closer, her dark eyes dancing between us with undisguised pleasure. "You have done well. Both of you." She gestured toward the food with an almost maternal warmth. "Eat. Gather your belongings. When you are ready, you are free to leave."
She crossed to a wooden chest just inside the door that I hadn't noticed before and lifted the lid. "We have prepared traveling clothes—better suited for the journey that lies ahead."
From within, she withdrew a neatly folded bundle—a tunic of soft, undyed fabric and sturdy pants similar to what the Welati females wore, though clearly sized for Chloe's more delicate frame. "These will serve you well in the mountains. Warmer. More practical than what you arrived in."
Chloe's eyes widened as she clutched the furs closer to her chest. "Thank you," she managed, her voice thick with astonishment. "That's... incredibly kind."
The elder placed the garments on the edge of our sleeping platform, her weathered hand lingering on the fabric with something almost tender. "You are one of us now, in the ways that matter most. We protect our own."
