18

A R Y A

➳

““Vosheea ehsa.” Sorry. I can't.” I pulled my hand away from him and squeezed his chest. "I have to go."

He growled and seared me with his eyes as his hands balled into fists next to my head. "What are you afraid of, huh? Before what? Tell me I can get it “damn it” out of the way. So I can “damn it”tell you that I won't. “Never”."

My pulse was racing as I shook my head. "It's not in your hands."

His jaw muscles tightened. 'You're not even giving me a chance. you run away Don't even try."

"You do not understand it!"

"Then tell me!"

Frustrated by that stubborn wolf, I pressed my hands to his chest and when he wouldn't budge underneath, I slapped his hard muscles desperately and felt embarrassed when my voice broke. "Have you ever put yourself in my shoes, huh?"

With a jerk he pulled me up so that I was sitting in front of him. Haunting blue eyes looked at me, but I didn't let him speak. “I have worked my entire life to be the warrior my father envisions for his heir. 23 solar orbits I have done everything to become the first arrow of Retani - “his successor”.

And no matter how hard I try to be the dutiful daughter, you make me want you. You won't let me get away from you, no matter how hard I try. You're making every cell in my body want you - pining for you until I'm just acting like a hormone-driven teenage girl craving your attention, like a lovesick dog!"

“You're not a hormonal teenager. That between us," he pointed between us with a trembling finger, "there's only one thing. So don't push me away from you!"

Irritated, I ran my hand through my partially braided hair. He just didn't get it! "What do you think will happen if I get involved with you, huh? I'm “engaged,” Xenos - “engaged!” Besides, you're a “werewolf”. My father would never accept that.”

He growled, the wolf in his eyes. "I don't care."

"Not me!" I yelled, then sighed as my shoulders sagged. 'I don't share my father's views. I know that rogues and werewolves are not one and the same. But the gulf between gis and wolves is great.” I stroked the pretty flowers, which looked even more enchanting in the moonlight, and thought of the once-similar meadow of flowers that overlaid our tribal lands. The meadow of flowers that was drenched in blood-red color that night. “We were attacked by a roguepack. They had killed several of our tribe members. So is my mother.”

He grabbed my hand. "I'm sorry for that."

A smile briefly appeared on my mouth as the gloomy memories clouded my senses and it faded from my face again. 'My father wouldn't banish me if he found out about us. No, he would go much further. “Disinherit” that he would me. I would have no right to the chief's place, nor would I be the first arrow—I wouldn't even be his daughter to him." I shook my head, blinking away the stinging tears and avoiding his gaze so he wouldn't see how deep my scars were enough. I whispered, "I would lose everything. My tribe, my friends and my father.” I would finally fall into the gorge, all alone. “And all that for what? For someone who would find his mate anyway after a while and wouldn't need me anymore either. I would have nothing and nobody left.” I jerked my head up and looked at the pretty face that had become so much more to me. "“I wouldn't be for you anymore”."

I didn't realize I was crying until he gently wiped the tears from my cheeks. "I'd rather get burned alive than ask you to give all this up for me." He took my face in his trembling hands. “But let me assure you, mate or not, I would never leave you. I would always be there for you I'm always there for you. Anytime, anywhere, call me and I'll come.”

A sob broke from my throat. "Do not say something like that."

“I'm not saying this to hurt you, Arya. Whatever you decide. i will be there for you Always.” Rough, hard and honest.

“If I were a different woman, in a different life, I wouldn't say no. Then I would get involved with you. I would make you my husband."

He smiled, but his eyes shimmered sadly. "You would, yes?"

My lips trembled as I tried to smile. "“Aee”."

He planted a kiss on my forehead that was so tender it only made me cry more. ““Always there for you, Arya. Always”.” With that, he pulled away, and it felt like a huge hole opened up in my chest. Infinitely empty and alone I sat there and sobbed longed for his warmth.

I pressed my lips together grimly. This duty had already taken so much from me, it shouldn't take him too. Not today. Not tonight. I determinedly grabbed his arm and stopped him from getting up. My fingers clawed into his white linen shirt and I pulled him down to me as I pressed my lips to his. It wasn't a soft, sweet kiss, nor was it hot and passionate. It was raw and desperate - tasted like the salt of my tears. “Let me forget everything for a moment. Just for a few hours. Let me be that woman.” “And dream of a life with you.”

➳

X E N O S

➳

The kiss had hit me unexpectedly and knocked the ground out from under me. Snarling, my wolf jumped against his bars and it took all my self-control not to grab her waist, press her beautiful body against me and kiss her back with such a fierce desire that I would forget everything around me . Groaning, I pulled away from her. She had to be sure, had no doubts. Because if she didn't back down now, I couldn't guarantee anything anymore.

My fists were shaking and my wolf was yelling at me for being a bloody fool not to take her right away as I blurted out, half growling, "You have to be sure."

Her chest rose and fell breathlessly, almost touching my torso. But only almost. The growl was already on my lips when she nodded frantically. "That's me." Her fingers dug through my shirt into my skin and I almost groaned with hot desire. "Now kiss me."

Well, she didn't have to tell me that twice. She had made her decision, and I'd rather put a blade in my own chest than risk her changing my mind. So my hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her to me with a tug as my hand moved up her body and closed around her neck. And then I didn't wait any longer and kissed her. “Finally.”

Our lips moved together, first gently, then more daringly, until her fingers dug into my skin so hard I groaned and bit her lower lip.

She gasped, then pressed her mouth against mine again and bit my lip as well. My sex twitched and I stifled another groan as I stripped off her cloak and laid her on the lawn, in the colorful sea of flowers. Then I took off my leather belt and my cloak and threw it aside along with my sword.

"Come here," she whispered, her black hair spread out like a fan and her green speckles glowing in her eyes.

I superimposed her body with mine, leaning on either side of her head and placing my mouth on hers again. Without resistance, she opened her lips for me and I deepened the kiss, which became more and more passionate and hot. Arya moaned, clutching my hair and pulling me even tighter as the dance of our tongues soared, driving us insane with burning desire.

Without breaking the kiss, my hand wandered under her sweater, slowly stroked her bare skin and stroked along under her breast.

"Xenos..." Arya moaned against my mouth, squirming beneath me.

"Do you want me to touch you?" I shoved my roaring wolf, who was dying of pleasure, far inside and locked all doors to him. "Would you like me to pet you?"

Arya's breath hitched as she nodded. "“Aee”, please."

My hand cupped her breast, kneading her and twirling her hard nipple as she cried out and arched towards me. “Shit was that hot. “I almost exploded just looking at her. How she moaned and squirmed beneath me, begging me. Begging me for more “Oh, holy shit.”

"What do you want, sweetheart?" My hand went to the other breast and squeezed.

"You!" She pressed even harder against my hand. "Please Xenos!"

Fuck! “I ripped off my shirt and shrugged off my pants in a matter of seconds, until I was already hovering over her again, shoving my hands under her sweater. "Away with it."

She peeled herself out of it with my help and stared at me with her mouth slightly open while her eyes stared at me with hunger. Then she pulled my head towards her and kissed me so sensually and femininely that I lost sight and hearing. However, when she rubbed her hips against mine, I yanked myself away from her, screaming.

Breathing heavily, I narrowed my eyes and cursed. "Holy shit, if you keep this up I'll be there before we even start."

She smiled teasingly at me. "Then come on."

Take it easy, I said to myself as I whispered in her ear: "Your turn first." Then I kissed her neck, sucked until I left a mark, which she acknowledged with a hiss, and hiked further down to the valley between her breasts. When my mouth closed on one of her nipples, she cried out, scratching my back and pressing her heels into the ground. Careful not to lose my temper just by the sight of her, I sucked vigorously on her nipple, then devoted myself to the other as she arched beneath me and finally, with a scream, was engulfed in a wave of pleasure as I hit her bite gently on the nipple.

When I got back up to her, her eyelids were fluttering. "It was fantastic."

I couldn't suppress the grin. "It'll get better, I promise."

"Hm." She gave me a veiled look and smiled lazily. "Show me."

"Your command, maam." My kisses traveled further down, tracing a hot path of passion down her stomach to the waistband of her pants. I opened it, took them off her and threw them aside. My heart pounded against my chest as I watched her in the shimmering moonlight. She looked stunning - the sight of her would never be erased from my memory. "So cute. So beautiful."

It was the first time I saw Arya embarrassed. A warmth crept into my heart, behind my walls, that I had never felt before. As soon as she stepped out of my life, my world would collapse. I would never look at anyone the way I saw them ever again. Never again.

I slowly lowered my body onto hers and we moaned together as our bare skin met. My sex was already touching her wetness between my legs when she stopped me.

"Wait."

I froze.

"I..." Her red cheeks deepened even further. "I've never done that."

"What?" I almost choked.

She avoided my gaze and bit her lip. "Well, I had other duties."

"You mean that," my hand slipped between her legs and cupped her privates, "no one has ever touched you but me?"

she gasped. "“Aee”."

"Fuck!" My hand twitched around her crotch. "So I'm your first?"

Arya groaned and pressed against my hand. "“Aee”."

I felt like pounding my chest and loudly proclaiming that she was mine. That only I had touched her body and that anyone else who dared even approach her would be dead - minced meat. But instead I put my forehead on hers. "I'll be gentle, I promise."

Then I entered her, carefully and slowly, until the first hurdle was over and our bodies fell into a hot dance of desire.

➳

A few hours before the big sun rose above the horizon, Arya and I returned to our night camp. "Arya?"

She was about to swing back onto her perch and join Reah, but stopped and turned to face me. Nothing of the previous connection in her eyes - before me stood Arya, daughter of Honaw, the First Arrow of Retani and not the woman who moments before had been intimate and sensual in my arms. "You could never be nothing to me."

For a moment she seemed about to say something back, but then she spun around and called the branch of the larch to disappear high into the treetop.

I then searched the camp for Devon when something else caught my eye on the spruce trunk.

"Just arrived," Reah called to me, and I picked up the letter. "A black crow."

"Riverfall Pack." Brook must have sent me that letter. "Where's Devon?"

"He went for a walk a few minutes ago."

Ignoring Arya again, or the silver blades lodged deep in my chest, I tucked the letter into my cloak pocket, strapped my sword to my waist, and followed Devon's scent through the woods.

➳