“And what exactly is this?” I asked, my hands braced on his shoulders, the spot he’d bitten still tingling. He gazed at me for a second, understanding there was more to my question.
“We’re able to communicate the way only full mates and pack mates can. Without actually completing the mating bond,” he stressed.
“No sex,” I clarified and he smiled.
“No sex,” he echoed.
“And you bit me again. Why?” My gaze didn’t shift as I waited for his answer, needing him to tell me.
“Because…..because I can’t go through that again. Not knowing where you are. If you’re safe. What they might have –” he cut himself off, glancing away from me.
“So, you bit me so you could strengthen our connection,” I summarized, lifting my eyebrow.
“I need you to be safe,” he replied simply. “I’ll do whatever is necessary to make sure you are.”
“But you didn’t finish the bond,” I reminded him, feeling the heavy bulge of him against my ass. “You could have,” I continued and he stopped breathing for a second.
“You’re seventeen,” he ground out, his hands squeezing my thighs.
“Eighteen actually,” I told him. “My birthday was two days ago.”
“That’s still too young,” he informed me and I smiled.
“I agree,” I answered.
“Then why are you telling me this? Do you have any idea of how tempting you are? Of the effort I’m making not to roll you underneath me and finish this?”
“Maybe,” I said and then corrected myself, “Probably not. But you aren’t, and there has to be a reason.”
“It should be your choice. It’ll always be your choice, and it won’t be made in a moment of blind lust,” he promised, his golden eyes glittering.
“But what about you?”
“What about me?” He asked carefully, his hands on my thighs acting like a cage, so I didn’t do something irreversible, I thought.
“You keep biting me and marking me. When is it my turn?”
“You want to bite me?” He asked, blinking.
“Why not?” I shrugged, “It felt amazing and it can only make our bond stronger.” My eyes narrowed. “You bit me but we didn’t have sex so we’re not fully mated, but does this mean we’ll always be connected even if we never complete the bond?”
Dominic was already shaking his head before I finished the question.
“No, it will wear off. We have to maintain the bond or complete it. If we do nothing and avoid one another, then it will eventually fade.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” I whispered, my voice unintentionally throaty as I stared at the strong column of his neck. I watched his Adam’s apple bob and his fingers tightened on my legs as I leaned forward.
“I have no idea how I’ll react,” he warned, his fingers slipping as he debated if he would stop me. “I could lose control. Take you.”
“Worth the risk,” I answered as my lips touched his skin and his entire body went taut. I trailed light kisses along his neck, the skin salty and so incredibly smooth. “I’m curious,” I mentioned, my tongue following a dip in his throat.
“About?” He asked the word strangled.
“You bit me on the neck. Is that a requirement? Is it the location? Or the act?” I questioned, my lips brushing his shoulder as I hovered above him.
“I’m not sure,” he rasped out, his chest heaving below me. “You’re welcome to test another location though.”
I smiled as I pressed a kiss firmly against his neck and sat up. He watched me with lidded eyes and I could sense the control he was exerting to let me keep the position of dominance.
“It’s about intent,” he murmured. “My initial kiss had more intent than I realized, causing our bond. My bite just now was very intentional,” he rumbled, his fingers positioning my thighs so I rested against him fully. I drew my hands down his chest, my fingers exploring the broad stretch of skin and muscle.
“Intent,” I repeated, my eyes tracing the path my hands had taken. He kept his hands locked on my thighs as I continued to explore, letting me do whatever I wanted. I nipped his ear and he grunted.
“Gonna have to be a little harder than that,” he informed me, swiping his thumb along the edge of the shorts I wore.
“Patience,” I said and he gave a low groan. My lips followed the path my fingers had taken and I giggled as his curly chest hair tickled my nose. “You’re hairy,” I informed him.
“I’m a wolf shifter,” he replied, shifting. “Hairy comes with the territory.” I grinned and felt his chest rumble as he noticed his own unintentional pun. I hovered over one particular spot as I felt the thud of his heart, the beats faster than normal but steady. My nose brushed his nipple and my tongue darted out to taste it. His body tensed instantly, the flat brown nipple pebbling, and I knew his control was slipping.