RETH

Elia's eyes widened. "Even to death," she repeated.

Then, as if her words had snapped a leash within them both, they launched themselves at each other.

Reth had her pinned back against the tree trunk even as her hands clung and grabbed, pulling him tighter, closer.

Breath thundering, voices catching, they kissed and nuzzled and sucked, hands searching and groping.

Then Reth slid his knee between hers, groaning the mating call as her frantic, shaking hands slid first down his neck and chest, then to cup him in his leathers, then sliding back up, under his jacket, following his torso, flattening her palms on his stomach, and giving a soft cry when he released her to grip the hem of it and tug it up and over his head and off, dropping it to the cold ground at her feet then pulling her to him as if only she could provide the warmth he needed.

"Mine," she whimpered. "Reth, you're mine!"

A resonant, tormented groan broke in his throat.

He clawed at her hair and grabbed her ass while she struggled with the buttons of his leathers. But as soon as he was free, she started on her own, unbuttoning, then pressing them down to her thighs.

And the sight of her there, mostly naked and grasping for him, it brought him to lifea€”and back to reality.

This wasn't right. Not like this. Not now. They needed to talk, to process, to prepare themselves for what they were about to face. But, as if the matebond had come alive again, his veins throbbed, humming with a sparkling light that could only be fed by her. And Elia, her breath rasping, whispered his name, grasping and writhing against him.

Then, just as he decided he really was desperate enough to strip her naked in the middle of the forest when others would be looking for them, she tore her mouth from his and turned in his arms, leaning back into his chest and reaching up to cup his head and pull him down to her neck, even as she brought his others hand around to touch her.

"Please, Reth! Please!"

"Elia, are you sure? Like thisa€”?"

"PLEASE!" she sobbed, her hand fisting his hair. "I need you, Reth, please!"

When he growled and latched onto her shoulder with teeth just a hair from piercing the skin, she sighed and, flattening her hands on the tree, pushed back against him.

Simultaneously joyous at the beauty and passion of his mate, and horrified at himself for taking her like a beast, he took himself in hand and guided himself in, his breath shuddering as they were joined. He collapsed forward, over her, one hand pinning hers against the tree, the other sliding up her side to find her beautiful breasts.

And, though he took her, it was Reth who was consumed.

The salt of her skin on his tongue. The cries of her mouth in his ears. The warm and softness of her in his hand, around him, holding him, embracing him, seeking him again, and again, and again.

"Elia, my lovea€|" he rasped.

But she was beyond words, crying out with each of his thrusts, her sobs mingling joy and grief, pleasure and pain.

The world became very small, a tiny sphere of pounding hearts, fizzing blood, warmth and love, desperation and urgent need.

And as they moved together, clinging, fingers entwined, bodies one, Reth felt cold on his cheeks. The specter of what they learned hovered overhead, outside the sphere, determined to invade. But for a time Reth knew nothing but the beauty and passion of his mate, his love for her, and hers for him.?

And as they climbed that wave of pleasure and desire together, teetering on the edge, calling for each other, bodies slicked in sweat, yet warm as flame, Reth roared for all of ita€”for twenty years of love, for every moment she'd surprised him, every moment he'd missed her, every time they'd joined their bodies in sheer joy.

Elia sobbed his name and her body tightened on him, tearing the mating call from his throat in a roar that echoed across the WildWood.

And when his climax hit, Reth saw starsa€”glittering and twinkling like sunlight on the water, a tiny pinpoint for every breath he'd taken in love with her.

They rolled together, groaning each other's names two, three times more, then slumped, Reth's fingers clawed between hers, tearing the bark from the tree.

Both their heads dropped. His lips rested next to her ear as his breath tore in and out of his throat, his chest heaving against her back, which rose and fell as if she'd run for her life.

Which, he supposed, they both had. Run into each other's arms for the sake of the life they held together.

"Oh, Reth," she sobbed, sagging.

He wrapped his arm around her stomach to keep her on her feet, and buried his face in her neck.

"I'm here, Love. I'm here."

"I love you, Reth. I love you so much. I can'ta€| I don'ta€|"

"I know, Love. Me too."

Then slowly, carefully, he sank to the ground, pulling her into his lap and curled his arms around her, reaching for her jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders for her modesty more than the cold.historical

Because as his heart began to slow and his breathing eased, he found the flames in his chest only rose higher and higher.

*****

Some time later, no longer joined, but still clinging to each other, Elia now curled into his chest like a child, she lifted her head and her eyes were dry.

Reth traced the hair back from her face, then kept combing his fingers through it just to feel the soft strands.

Neither of them spoke for a long while. But he could feel the resolve shifting in his chest.

,m Finally he went still and without dropping her gaze, he whispered, "You can. I know you can."

Elia framed his face with her hands, searching his eyes, looking for the lie. But she wouldn't find it, because it was the pure truth.

Reth had never hated the truth before.

And when she dropped her face into his neck, hugging him to her, and whispering

"Thank you," he just held her.

Because the fire in his chest wasn't aimed at her, but at the Creator.

*** GOT QUESTIONS FOR THE AUTHOR? ***

Tomorrow is my live voice chat on discord! If you can't be there but have questions you'd like answered, ask them in the comments or any of my social media. I'll answer them during the meeting and post it on YouTube so you can watch later!?

(If you want to join, go to linktr.ee/aimeelynn and click the discord link.)?