Chapter 32 Her want

Chapter 32 Her want
Izzy stepped out of the forest slowly, her bare feet brushing against the dewy grass. 

Moonlight poured over her like silver silk, but it couldn’t hide the tremble in her limbs. 

Her face was streaked with dirt, her lips dry, and her hair tangled with grass and leaves. Her eyes wide and uncertain, she scanned the darkness ahead, drawn to the steady figure waiting just beyond the trees.

Dixon stood still at the forest’s edge, eyes locked on her with quiet intensity. He was holding a long black cloak in his hands, the fabric catching the breeze. 

Wordlessly, he draped the cloak over her shoulders, his fingers brushing against her cold skin. Then, without hesitation, he pulled her into a tight embrace, one arm wrapping securely around her waist, the other cradling the back of her head.

"You did so damn good…" He murmured, his lips brushing the top of her filthy hair. "Your wolf... She’s beautiful. Fierce. Just like you.”

His voice was low, soothing, the kind that settled deep into bones and softened chaos. He rocked her gently, brushing his hand down her back with steady strokes. 

“It’s over now. I’ve got you.”

Zervaris’ voice filtered in gently through the mind link, calm and respectful. ‘Welcome, little moon. You’re one of us now.’

Izzy’s wolf stirred inside her, trying to respond. But the moment she reached for the link, a sudden jolt of pain shot through her chest, sharp enough to make her wince.

She gasped and tensed in Dixon’s arms. “Uh!”

"Shh… don’t fight it…" He whispered, rubbing small circles into her back. “It’s just your body adjusting. You’re not used to the bond yet. The shift takes its toll, especially the first time. You’ll be okay.”

She melted into him, breathing slower with each pass of his palm along her spine.

Once her trembling eased, he gently pulled back, cupping her cheek with a warm hand. “Want to rinse off with cold water?” He asked, tilting his head. 

Then quickly corrected himself, “Actually… It’s better if you soak in a warm herbal bath. It’ll help restore your strength.”

Izzy blinked up at him, voice still gone, but she shook her head lightly and mouthed, “Cold.”

He gave a small smile and nodded. “Alright. Cold it is. I’ll go…” Before he could turn, her hand reached out and caught his wrist.

He barely had time to react before she rose on her toes, tugged him close, and crashed her lips into his.

Dixon's eyes widened in utter shock as Izzy's demeanour transformed in an instant. His mind went blank, his heart racing as he struggled to keep up with the sudden shift, his lips instinctively responding to the kiss even as his brain reeled in stunned surprise.

There was no hesitation in her kiss—only need. Raw and aching. Her hands gripped the sides of his cloak, pulling him deeper, her breath shaky, but full of fire.

She wasn’t just claiming comfort.

She was claiming him.

Her breath hitched the moment her lips met his. It wasn’t rushed or hesitant—she kissed him like she had been holding it in for years, like she needed him to breathe.

Dixon stilled for a heartbeat, startled by her boldness while his lips did the job. But then something deep within him snapped loose.

He pulled her closer with a raw urgency, his hands cradling her face as he returned the kiss. Slow at first, then deeper, hungrier. Every touch between them burned, not just with desire, but with something fated.

Her fingers tangled in his hair, and his hand slid to the small of her back, drawing her in until there was no space left between them. The forest, the world, the chaos—none of it existed in that moment. It was just her. Just him.

“You’re incredible,” he whispered between kisses, his voice rough. “You don’t even know what you’ve done to me.”

She leaned into him, trembling slightly, not from fear—but from how much she felt.

Without breaking the kiss, he swept her off her feet, holding her tightly against his chest as if afraid she’d disappear. 

She clung to him, her heartbeat pounding against his. Step by step, he carried her into the hut, the dim light catching in her tangled hair and softening the grime on her face. 

To him, she was perfect.

He lowered her gently onto the bed, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Rest now, my fierce little wolf.” He murmured, pressing a final kiss to her forehead.

He turned to leave, his fingers slipping from hers, but she grabbed his hand again, tighter this time. He paused, his back still to her, and slowly looked over his shoulder.

She didn’t meet his eyes. Her head bowed, shoulders stiff, eyes fixed on the ground like her heart was fighting words it couldn’t form.

He turned fully and knelt in front of her, his voice low and tender. “Talk to me. What do you want?”

Still, no answer.

“I think I know,” he continued, brushing a strand of tangled hair from her cheek. “But I need you to know… I’ve been holding back. Not because I don’t feel it, but because I thought maybe this was just the aftershock…”

“Your body, your emotions, everything’s still raw from the shift. I don’t want to take anything from you that wasn’t freely given.”

He waited, reading her face. “You want this?” He asked. 

She still didn’t say anything, but slowly, her eyes lifted to meet him. Full of quiet certainty.  Then she nodded.

The tightness in his jaw softened. “Are you sure?”

Another nod. This time firmer.

He let out a slow breath and stood, lifting her gently to her feet. “Then we’ll share this moment… not because fate demands it, not because pain led us here—but because we want it. Right now.”

He wrapped his arms around her, not hungrily, but securely, as if grounding her to the earth. 

She melted into his chest, resting her head against him. He pressed a kiss to her lips, reverent.

No words passed between them now. Just a quiet understanding. A silent promise that whatever came next, it’d be theirs. Chosen, not forced. Earned, not taken.

He pulled back, and he looked her in the eyes with a softness only she ever got to see. “Come,” he whispered, his hand brushing hers again, “Let me take care of you.”