1
Warm morning light brightened the frosty windows of a small house tucked toward the edge of Leon’s territory. Nova had slept since the previous morning, curled up within a pile of blankets. Remaining awake had been physically painful without her mate beside her, and in the colder months her bear yearned to sleep through the pain instead of facing it head-on. Nova’s dreams rapidly cycled all of her experiences since arriving in Leon’s territory, and her recently rekindled journey to leave. She dreamed of Titan’s euphoric touch, and the confusion and anger she’d felt before succumbing to his bond. The lack of self-control she’d felt sent her mind into an aggressive tail-spin, her dreams flashing to nightmares of every other time she felt that lack of control. Every emotion became bigger, stronger, more impossible to suppress. Her dreams shifted to visions of him fighting for his claim to her, his sadness and hurt despite the miles between them searing through the mate bond.
The sun had begun to set by the time Titan returned. His travels had been much slower without shifting, his body far more exhausted, but when he caught her scent near the cabin he was doused in an instant calm. It had been two days since his father had finished his contemplation and demanded Nova be returned to him. Two days since he had sent her running with just the clothes on her back and the promise that he would meet her soon. Two days since he had fought for the right to keep his mate, and since he had barely escaped Leon's wrath.
She awoke as he walked through the cabin door, standing to face him in the rose gold light of dusk. He dropped the bags he carried and grabbed her waist, pulling her in for a passionate kiss. His joy and relief in being at their makeshift home flooded her senses and she relaxed into his arms.
He broke away from the kiss but still held her close. Her lips traveled down his neck, leaving a trail of nibbling kisses that made him gasp. “We need to go, Nova.” She ignored him, instead dragging her tongue from his collarbone up to his ear, sucking the lobe into her mouth with a gentle bite. “Fuck, no-” his breath hitched, “We can’t stay here tonight, we need-” she brushed her palm against the front of his pants, “Please, Nova, it isn’t safe-” she grasped him through the thin fabric, gently stroking him.
Titan stepped back and held her at arm’s length, closing his eyes against the addictive sight and feel of her, taking slow breaths to regain some control over himself. Every fiber in his being burned for her, but he couldn't shake the phantoms of the howls that had chased him through the night. She whined at the loss of his touch, the sound almost enough to push him over the edge. “There’s a cabin in the mountains not far from here. Once we get there,” his voice drifted as he considered everything he would do to her, every sensation she would pull out of him, every opportunity he’d have to show her the depth of a true mate’s love.
“I don’t know if I can go that long,” she whimpered, her words a knife to carve away at his resolve.
“Soon. Once you're safe.” His heart felt ready to jump out of his chest as he watched her gaze darken, a seductive smirk curling her lips. He released his hold on her and stepped back, praying the distance would quell the overpowering need to take her.
She sighed and dug through the bags until she found jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, changing from her sleep clothes before tucking them into the bag. The outfit hugged her curves despite the top hanging loosely from her body. Titan’s urge to immediately rip her clothes off was strong, but instead he grabbed their belongings before guiding her north.
The trip took longer than expected, with each break to rest bringing them together in a clash of needy kisses and desperate touches. Before daybreak they arrived at an abandoned, snow-dusted cabin a couple miles into human territory. Titan’s former pack occasionally used the cabin as a resting place for longer hunts in the winter, when their usual prey migrated away. It wasn't safe, but it was safer than the cabin on pack grounds. Soon it would be used again, but until then, it could be home.
Nova entered the cabin and looked around at the modest accommodations. Everything was covered in a thin layer of dust from seasons of not being used. She migrated to a fur rug in front of the fireplace, kneeling there as she started a small fire with the two remaining logs. The fireplace crackled softly, casting a small orange glow that radiated warmth. She sat back and watched the tiny flames grow, slowly engulfing the dry logs.
Titan sat behind her on the rug, his legs on either side of hers, and brushed her hair aside to kiss her neck. She sighed and leaned back into him, turning her head to open herself to him. Nova could feel her body melting away beneath his touch. The warmth of the fire before her was nothing compared to the exquisite heat of his body wrapped around hers, his lips grazing across her skin, his hands trailing down her stomach to rest between her legs. His need to possess her screamed through their bond as desperately as the hands that moved against her, as loudly as the moans his touch pulled from her.
His teeth grazed the mark he'd left on her neck, his own mark searing from the touch. His hands stilled against her, and a moment later her brilliant golden eyes were locked onto his. Her words sent a shudder down his spine, "Did you feel that?" She turned and knelt before him, her hands gripping his shoulders as her hungry gaze pierced straight into his soul. "Tell me you felt it, too."
He captured her mouth in response, tangling a hand in her hair before lowering her onto the rug. He rose to a kneel between her thighs, trailing his hands down her body until he reached her jeans. His pupils were blown as he looked down at her, his gray eyes engulfed in black. "If you don't stop me now, I'll never give you back."
"I don't want to go back."
He removed her jeans and ran his hands up her bare thighs, fingers gently grazing between them. "You'll still choose me? Even after-"
"That changed nothing. I'm yours."
He pulled his pants down enough to free himself before lowering between her legs, his hands braced on either side of her head. She was as bright as a summer day, illuminating every dark insecurity within him. "I don't deserve you. I lost. Goddess must have made a mistake-"
Nova wrapped her legs around his waist and rolled Titan onto his back, hovering above him. She braced her hands against his chest and sank her hips. She watched as his mouth parted around a heavy exhale, as his eyes clouded over with desire, as his hands gripped her wrists before he bucked beneath her. "Does this feel like a mistake?" She leaned forward to wrap her mouth around the mark on his shoulder, her teeth grazing the tender skin and sending blinding sparks through their bond.
"No," he gasped beneath her.
She sat up and grabbed his hands, lacing their fingers together before rolling her hips. "Does this?"
"Fuck, no," he hissed, squeezing her hands tighter.
She withdrew one of her hands from his and brought it between her legs, using her fingers to bring herself to the edge as she rocked against him. Her movements became erratic the closer she got; her steady breaths turned to heavy panting, low moans to pleading whines. Titan grabbed her hip with bruising strength, pulling her flush against him before losing the last remaining shreds of his self-control. He bucked against her until she was writhing, her legs shaking and squeezing around him, until her golden eyes rolled back. The sounds she made as she found her release were a healing balm, soothing the aches in his body and filling the cracks in his soul. Love swelled within Titan's chest at the sight of the earthly goddess trembling around him. As he found his own release, he could only think of how beautiful life would be as long as he shared it with her.
Nova leaned down to brush her lips against his before curling into his chest, her panting breaths fanning his neck and raising goosebumps across his body. Titan wrapped his arms around her and held her close, eyes shut as he focused on feeling the rapid beating in her chest slow to match his own heart beat. Dawn broke as they lay in the dwindling glow of the fire, Nova pouring her peaceful contentment into Titan, and he pouring awestruck adoration into her.
