My mind was moving slowly, trying to process his words. “Wait… Ryker. Was that your first kiss? I mean, not just our first kiss, but your very first kiss ever?” No way. There was no way.
“What if I said yes?” he replied with a sly grin.
Ryker
Until now, I never really cared. I probably shouldn’t care. Yet, deep down, I can’t help but feel a flicker of insecurity over the way she asked that question. It’s a bad habit of mine**misreading her intentions. Unlike Bennet, and now Danny, I haven’t mastered the art of understanding her emotions. I just watch her, caught in the moment, her eyes fixed on me with something I can’t quite place. Is it wonder? Or maybe confusion? Disbelief? I’m not sure. But one thing is clear: I can’t stop touching her. My fingers keep threading through her hair, brushing her cheek, tracing her arms, lingering on the small patch of bare skin at her waist where her shirt has slipped up.
I saved myself for my mate. That’s the one thing my wolf and I agreed on without question. We held back everything**the binding, the closeness**just for her. And I don’t regret it. I can’t. That kiss was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had. More thrilling than my first shift, even more intense than my first kill in a fight. This woman in my arms has awakened something inside me I never thought possible. My heart pounds wildly, and the electric charge between us hums like a live wire. All I can do is stare at her.
I know she’s looking for more explanation, but there isn’t one to give. No one else was ever going to get this part of me. So I just take her in**the way her blonde hair is tousled, mostly pulled loose from its ponytail. She never wears much makeup, but now her eyes are rimmed with smudged black liner. Her cheeks are flushed pink, and her lips**so soft and inviting**are swollen from the kiss. But it’s her eyes, those crystal blue eyes, that have me completely mesmerized. Somehow, they shine even brighter now. I shouldn’t have waited this long. I should have done this the very first night she arrived. I feel like the broken pieces inside me are finally starting to mend. I feel stronger, more alive. Just one kiss, and I’m hooked**completely addicted.
“Ryker?” Her voice pulls me back, and I blink, focusing on her words. “Were you planning on keeping me here all day?” she asks, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
I grin and ask, “What if I said yes? What would you do then?”
Without missing a beat, a fiery spark ignites in her eyes. “Then I’d tell you that kiss isn’t the only first you’re giving up today.” She presses her lips to mine again**light as a feather**and damn, if it doesn’t hit me with the same intensity as the deep, possessive kiss we just shared.
I groan softly. “I can’t. Not yet.” Taking a steady breath, I pull back and gently lower her to her feet.
She stays close, grinding against me as she moves, her body pressing into mine. I might have just made things a thousand times harder for myself. I know what she tastes like now, what those soft, tempting lips feel like against mine**and it could very well be my undoing.
But she doesn’t argue, which is new. Either she understands, or she’s planning to catch me off guard when I least expect it. Both seem equally likely. My fiery mate knows exactly what she wants in the bedroom. When I first realized that, I was as pissed off as my wolf. But after a heart-to-heart with my dad, I understood she’s human**this is all new to her, too. I believe this will work in my favor. In fact, it already has.
I pull her close again, breathing in the mix of honey and spice that clings to her, mingled with the earthy scent of the forest, dirt, and sweat from the training grounds. She smells irresistible. But I resist the urge and kiss her softly on the forehead. “I just need some time. Can you give me that? Please?”
What I don’t say is that I’m terrified of what might happen if we go further too soon. I’m not sure I could stop my wolf from marking her. I’ve heard stories about passionate markings**they can be brutal and painful for both mates. We’re not supposed to hurt each other, and I’ve never heard of anyone doing so intentionally. But unmarked mates can become aggressive during sex, and the wolf’s instinct to mark can spiral out of control, tearing skin, muscles, even breaking bones. I’m already scared of hurting her just by marking her**I don’t need raging hormones to make it worse.
She cups my cheeks again, meeting my gaze with steady eyes. “I can give you time**but it can’t be forever.” Then she laughs, a light, genuine laugh, and adds, “Now I need to go take a shower and deal with these female blue balls.” She turns and walks away, still laughing.
“Can I listen?” I call after her.
“Not unless you plan to join me.” She winks over her shoulder, and I swear she adds a little extra sway to her step. Damn my life.
We both manage to shower and get dressed for the day without any further distractions. I take her into my office to meet with Josh and discuss the next phase of our building project. I have no idea what role I’ll have her play, but I can’t seem to stay more than a few feet away from her right now.
“There you are, Bossman,” Josh says, not even looking up from a file. “I thought maybe we lost you to the land of the laid, considering your Luna actually seems to like you now.”
“Did you really just crack a joke?” Kennedy interrupted before I could finish my insult, as I tugged her around to the back side of my desk. I couldn’t stand the thought of her sitting in her own chair beside me. “I never thought you had it in you.” She let out a soft giggle as I settled her onto my lap, and Josh glanced up, locking eyes with her and offering a rare, genuine smile.
That small moment of defending me had him completely captivated as well. My entire team adored her, even though they’d barely spent any time with her yet. Something I was determined to fix.
“I want you to know, Luna, that I’m actually quite a funny guy,” I said, trying to sound confident.
She smirked playfully. “Keep telling yourself that, and maybe everything will be just fine.” She shifted slightly on my leg, prompting me to squeeze her hip gently to stop her**otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to stand and walk away from here. “So, what’s on the agenda for today?” She glanced over her shoulder at me, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
Josh smiled at how easily she changed the subject. “We have a few close visits lined up. We try to check in on at least two areas each month. The pack is nearing five thousand members now. Our main priorities are training, so every section of the pack is prepared if we ever need them. Then there are the hospitals, for obvious reasons, and the schools. Many of our warriors need a safe place for their pups during long duties, so all the schools in our territory have dorms to accommodate them. It’s a lot of effort, but it’s absolutely worth it.”
I chimed in, waking my computer from sleep mode. “And then there are our projects that generate income. With so many pack members to care for, we try to keep the revenue steady through building projects and by continuing whatever ventures the pack had before we brought them in. Most have something going, but a few either don’t want to work or can’t. Changing that victim mentality is a real challenge. We distribute resources as best we can. I’m really looking forward to you joining me at the monthly meetings**it’ll make those sessions far more bearable. Some former leaders aren’t so bad, but there are always a few who seem to make things difficult on purpose. Still self-centered, entitled jerks, even though they lost their pack to me.”
For two hours, Josh and I reviewed plans, requests, notices, and updates. Kennedy asked questions to clarify points and spotted gaps we hadn’t noticed before. She was genuinely invested, excited to be involved. I don’t think I’ve ever seen another Luna so engaged in this side of pack business**except maybe my mother. But perhaps I’m just biased. Most of this is behind-the-scenes work; maybe more Lunas are involved, but what we usually see is the party planning and event organizing. I don’t knock it**I see what Robin does for me**but she’s my employee and gets paid to do it. I don’t believe it should be a Luna’s main focus.
When we finally wrapped up and prepared to leave, a wave of nervousness washed over me. Josh had gone to ready the cars, but Kennedy and I hadn’t even stepped out of my office yet. I wondered if this anxiety would always be part of me, or if it was just PTSD from when we first moved her here. The very thought of putting Kennedy in a car and taking her away from the safety of the packhouse made my heart pound fiercely in my chest. She couldn’t get hurt**never again. We’d just gotten her healthy. I knew it was my fault, but finally having her by my side made the idea of something happening during travel physically sickening.
“Hey. Hey! What’s wrong? What happened? One minute you were smiling, now you’re clammy.” Kennedy stood in front of me, and I barely noticed when she shifted positions. “I didn’t think werewolves could get clammy.” She smiled at her own joke, but I couldn’t return it.
“I… I… Uh… Just give me a moment.” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, running my fingers through my hair. I needed to calm down. I couldn’t keep her here forever, and we weren’t going far. The whole team would be with us. It would be fine. I just had to keep repeating that mantra.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.