Chapter 208 Chapter 207
Once that was done, he cleaned off by the pond, and they sat together, enjoying the silence and scenery. Cuddled up with Xenon, Rayena glanced at the sky and spotted the moon in an almost full form, shining in the brightness of day.
“It’s going to be a full moon soon…” she announced, feeling Xenon’s hold tighten around her. He looked up at the sky as well and gave a small sigh.
“Yes, it is…” he murmured, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Rayena ignored the sensations that stormed through her at the act, keeping her breath even. She thought about Soraya. She must be preparing for her night out of the harem. A pang hit her chest—she missed her. It had been a while.
A question struck her. “Lylall, don’t all werewolves go into ruts during the full moon?”
“Yes, they do.”
“Why didn’t you on that night I sneaked out to speak with you?” she asked, looking at him. If she remembered correctly, she had been able to talk to him during the first full moon in the palace, which should not have been possible since he was also a werewolf.
She felt him shrug, the arm wrapped around her waist tightening. “Honestly, I don’t know either. I hardly ever succumb to the pull of the full moon during such nights.”
Rayena grimaced, brows furrowed in thought. “Do you know why, perhaps?”
“We’ve made up a lot of theories. Some of the most notable Ladrian mentioned were that maybe my wolf was powerful enough to resist the pull, or that my ruts were simply erratic. Regardless of which one is true—or maybe a combination of all these factors—I just don’t know.”
“So…” Rayena began slowly. “You might not have another rut on that night?”
“That’s a bit hard to predict,” Xenon growled, nibbling her right ear. “With you around now, your presence might trigger a rut on that night. We can’t say.”
Rayena’s heart skipped a beat, and she trembled. What if he had a rut that night, and it was as intense as the one they had just shared? Make no mistake, she didn’t completely hate her first night with him, but if that’s the way it was always going to be, she would have to work on her stamina and endurance. Just thinking about it had her stomach twisting itself into knots.
“Are you worried about my next rut?” he asked, and she stiffened.
Slowly turning to look at him, she gave a soft smile. “Maybe. I’m just trying to mentally prepare myself for it since it seems like every encounter with you is going to be intense, and I need to understand that.”
A corner of his lips quirked up—not quite a smile, but his eyes looked sadder. “Unfortunately, it will always be, and I cannot make any promises that it’ll get better.”
“It’s alright. I’ll get used to it,” she muttered, caressing his face. “Just know that I don’t hate it. I’m starting to understand it comes with the duty of staying with you.”
He buried his face into her neck again, inhaling deeply. “That’s strangely reassuring,” he mumbled, his voice muffled against her skin. Rayena shuddered, feeling a spark of desire.
“We should check on our food,” he announced abruptly.
“Definitely.”
They checked on the meat they were roasting, and after confirming it was ready, settled down to eat. Rayena was surprised at how delicious their hastily conjured meal tasted. She promptly had her fill, and Xenon seemed content just watching her.
Afterwards, she suggested a short swim in the pond to wave off the heat of the day. Xenon agreed but didn’t immediately join in, acting squeamish around the water.
“Hey! I thought you said you liked to swim?!” she cried out, taking another dip in the water.
Xenon grimaced, dipping his toe at the edge of the pool and instantly pulling it out. “I did say I liked to swim. But I don’t like getting into the water,” he grumbled.
Rayena’s laughter filled the entire space, echoing in his ears. “You truly act like the cat you are,” she teased, narrowing her eyes at him. He hissed but didn’t move to step into the pond with her.
“Come here. I want to see you swim,” she urged, slowly wading out of the water.
Xenon was transfixed, watching as the thin chemise Rayena had insisted on wearing before slipping into the pond clung to her body like a second skin, showcasing her voluptuous curves and perky breasts. His mouth dried instantly, arousal pulsating through him like a relentless drumbeat.
“You don’t have to come get me. I’ll step into the water myself,” he groaned, his voice thicker than usual. Thankfully, Rayena couldn’t detect the lust in his tone as she gave a warm smile.
Taking a deep breath, he glided into the water with the grace of a crocodile, reaching her and pulling her along. Rayena gave a soft giggle, splashing water on his face. “There you go. Wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“No…” he grumbled, gaze roaming her face. She smiled and continued to swim while he trailed behind, following her every move. They had fun splashing water on each other, their shrieks and gales of laughter filling the space. Xenon felt lighter than he had in years, soaking up her company and craving more.
They ended up making out by the pond, with Xenon devouring her as though she were the only thing that could sate the hunger clawing through him. Rayena came on his tongue with a shrill cry, her essence tingling his taste buds, ensnaring him. He gave a deep rumble of satisfaction, watching as her body got racked with aftershocks. She drifted nto slumber immediately after, completely exhausted.
He studied her flushed cheeks, her lashes damp from the mist that hovered above the pond, her breath soft and steady against the silence of the forest. For a moment, he simply listened, to her heartbeat, to the gentle rustle of leaves, to the strange calm that had settled over him.
It frightened him.
Not the bloodlust, or the rut, not the beasts that prowled beneath his skin, but this peace. This softness she brought with her, as if she’d carved out a corner in his chaos and dared to make it a home.
He traced the curve of her cheek with his gaze, not daring to touch her. There was something dangerously sacred about the sight, like witnessing dawn for the first time after a lifetime of nights.
He didn’t deserve this. Didn’t deserve her. And yet, the longer he watched her, the harder it became to remember why.