Chapter 22 022
Dimitri’s Pov
I pushed off the medical bed, my legs trembling beneath me as fresh blood seeped through the hastily applied bandages.
Every muscle screamed in protest, but the fire in my veins demanded action. Elder Ruth was out there, running, and every second I wasted was another second she got away with murdering Seraphina's parents.
"Alpha, you need to lie back down!" The healer reached for me, but I growled low in my throat, making her step back.
"I said I'm going—"
"Dimitri, please."
Seraphina's voice stopped me cold. I turned to find her standing there, tears streaming down her beautiful face, her hands clasped in front of her like she was physically holding herself back from reaching for me.
"Please don't go," She whispered, her voice breaking. "Please. You can barely stand. You're bleeding everywhere. If you leave now, you could die."
"Seraphina—"
"No," She stepped closer, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. "I just found out who killed my parents. I just watched you nearly die in that arena. I can't—"
Her voice cracked completely. "I can't lose you too. Please, Dimitri. Please stay. Let Viktor handle it. Just stay with me."
My resolve crumbled like sand through my fingers. I had fought three alphas today, survived wounds that should have killed me, but I was completely defenseless against the sight of her tears.
My mate needed me here, not bleeding out in the forest chasing a woman who was likely already beyond our borders.
"Okay," I said softly, reaching for her despite the agony the movement caused. "Okay, baby. I'll stay."
She rushed into my arms, careful of my injuries but unable to stop herself, and I held her as she sobbed against my chest.
My own eyes burned. Not from pain, but from the overwhelming relief that she was safe, that she was here, that she was mine.
"Take us to a private room," I commanded the healer over Seraphina's head. "Give us privacy."
The healer nodded quickly. "Yes, Alpha. This way."
They led us down a quiet corridor to a room at the end, far from the chaos of the main ward. It was simple but clean. A large medical bed, monitoring equipment, a small attached bathroom.
As soon as we entered, I pulled Seraphina down onto the bed with me, ignoring the healer's protests.
"Alpha, I need to properly treat those wounds—"
"Then treat them," I said, my tone brooking no argument. "But she stays."
The healer sighed but got to work. For the next thirty minutes, she cleaned and stitched wounds, wrapped ribs, applied salves and healing ointments while Seraphina sat beside me, holding my hand and occasionally wiping tears from her cheeks.
Every time I squeezed her hand, she squeezed back, grounding us both.
"The worst is behind you," The healer finally said, straightening up. "You'll need several days of rest, but your alpha healing should handle the rest. I'll check back in an hour."
She gathered her supplies and headed for the door, pausing to add, "Try not to move too much, Alpha. You've been through enough for one day."
The moment the door clicked shut behind her, I pulled Seraphina closer, needing her warmth, her scent, her presence. "Come here, little wolf."
She shifted carefully, mindful of my injuries, until she was pressed against my side. I wrapped my arm around her, ignoring the protest from my ribs.
"Are you okay?" I asked, tilting her chin up so I could look into her eyes. "Tell me the truth."
She sniffled, wiping at her eyes. "I don't know. Everything is so overwhelming. Finding out it was Elder Ruth, that she's been here this whole time, watching me, pretending to care about pack law while she..."
Her voice broke. "She killed them, Dimitri. She killed my parents."
"I know, baby. I know," I pressed my lips to her forehead. "But Viktor will find her. And when he does, justice will be served. I promise you that."
"I'm just glad you're okay," She whispered. "When Cassius had you by the throat, when I saw all that blood... I thought I was going to lose you. I couldn't breathe. It felt like dying."
"I'm right here," I caught her lips in a soft kiss, tasting the salt of her tears. "I'm not going anywhere."
She kissed me back desperately, her hands coming up to frame my face, and something shifted between us.
The fear, the adrenaline, the overwhelming relief that we were both alive, it all crystallized into pure, burning need.
I deepened the kiss, my tongue sliding against hers as I poured everything I felt into it. She whimpered into my mouth, her body pressing closer despite her obvious concern for my injuries.
When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, her eyes were dark with desire.
"Dimitri," She breathed, her voice husky. "Your wounds—"
"I don't care." I pulled her fully onto my lap, positioning her so she straddled my hips. The movement sent pain shooting through my ribs, but I welcomed it.
It meant I was alive. It meant she was here with me.
"But—"
"I. Don't. Care." I punctuated each word with a kiss, her lips, her jaw, down her throat. "I need you, Seraphina. I need to feel you, taste you, know that you're here and you’re mine."
She melted against me, her head falling back to give me better access to her throat. "Someone could walk in."
"Let them," I scraped my teeth over her pulse point, feeling it jump beneath my touch. "Let the whole pack know that you're mine. That I survived today because of you."
I captured her lips again, this time with more hunger and more possession. My hands roamed her back, tangling in her hair, gripping her hips through the thin fabric of her dress.
She tasted like honey, like everything I'd ever wanted and never thought I'd have.
Her hands slid into my hair, careful of the injuries to my face, and she pulled me closer like she couldn't get enough.
Our tongues tangled, exploring, claiming, and when she sucked on my bottom lip, I groaned into her mouth.
"Fuck, baby," I breathed against her lips. "You have no idea what you do to me."
"Show me," She whispered back, her hips rolling against mine in a way that made my cock harden despite my injuries. "Show me, Dimitri."
I kissed her harder, deeper, swallowing her moans as my hands mapped every curve I could reach. The taste of her was intoxicating.
I traced the seam of her lips with my tongue before delving back in, exploring every inch of her mouth like I was memorizing her.
When she pulled back to breathe, her lips were swollen and red, her chest heaving. "Your ribs—"
"Are fine," I lied, pulling her back down for another kiss. Pain was nothing compared to the need to have her close, to feel her warmth, to remind myself that we both survived today.
My hands slid from her back to her sides, my thumbs brushing the undersides of her breasts through her dress. She gasped into my mouth, arching into the touch, and I took the invitation.
I palmed her breasts, feeling the weight of them, and groaned when I felt her nipples harden beneath the fabric.
"So perfect," I murmured against her lips, breaking the kiss to trail my mouth down her jaw, her throat, the hollow of her collarbone. "Every inch of you is perfect."
"Dimitri," She whimpered, her hands clutching at my shoulders as I kissed lower, following the neckline of her dress.
I found her nipples through the fabric and circled them with my thumbs, applying just enough pressure to make her gasp.
They were hard little points, begging for attention, and I was more than happy to oblige. I rolled them between my fingers, tugging gently, watching her face transform with pleasure.
"Oh fuck," She breathed, her hips grinding down against my lap. "That feels so good."
"You like when I play with these pretty tits?" I asked, my voice rough with desire. "Like when Daddy touches you?"
"Yes," She moaned, her head falling back. "Yes, please don't stop."
I had no intention of stopping. I increased the pressure, plucking at her nipples through the dress, watching them strain against the fabric.
Her breathing quickened, her chest rising and falling rapidly, and I wanted nothing more than to tear that dress off and worship her properly.
"Someone could still walk in." She managed, though her protest was weakened by the way she pressed her breasts more firmly into my hands.
"I told you—" I caught one nipple between my finger and thumb and tugged harder, making her cry out. "I don't fucking care. Let them see. Let them know their Alpha is claiming his mate."
Before she could protest again, I slid my hands to the neckline of her dress and pulled it down, exposing her breasts to the cool air of the medical room. They were magnificent, full and perfect, her nipples tight peaks the color of dusty rose.
"Fuck, look at you," I breathed reverently. "So goddamn beautiful."
I leaned forward despite the screaming protest from my ribs and captured one nipple in my mouth. The taste of her skin exploded across my tongue.
I sucked hard, hollowing my cheeks, and was rewarded with a broken moan from above me.
"Dimitri." Her hands flew to my hair, holding me against her breast as I lavished it with attention.
I alternated between sucking and licking, occasionally scraping my teeth over the sensitive peak just to hear her gasp. My hand came up to palm her other breast, rolling the nipple between my fingers in time with the suction of my mouth. She writhed on my lap, grinding against my hard cock through our clothes.
I released her nipple with a pop and immediately moved to the other, giving it the same devoted attention.
I circled it with my tongue, flicked it rapidly, then sucked it deep into my mouth while my hand continued working the spit-slick breast I had just abandoned.
"Oh fuck, oh fuck," Seraphina chanted, her hips moving restlessly against me. "Dimitri, please—"
I knew what she needed. I could smell her arousal, could feel the heat of her pussy even through our clothes.
My cock throbbed painfully, demanding attention, but this wasn't about me. This was about reminding her that we were alive, that we had each other, that nothing, not Elder Ruth, not the trials, not death itself could keep us apart.
I continued my assault on her breasts, switching between them, leaving marks with my teeth that would fade in minutes thanks to her shifter healing.
But for now, they proclaimed her as mine. My hands roamed her back, her sides, her hips, mapping every curve and valley.
When I finally released her nipple, both breasts were glistening with my saliva, her nipples swollen and red from my attention. She was panting, her pupils blown wide with lust, and I had never seen anything more beautiful.
"You're so responsive," I murmured, running my thumbs over her wet nipples and watching her shudder. "So perfect for me."
"I need more," She whimpered, grinding down harder against my lap. "Please, Dimitri. I need more."
"I know, baby. I know what you need," I kissed her again, hard and possessive, pouring every ounce of desire into it. My hand slid from her breast down her stomach, feeling her muscles jump beneath my touch.
"Your wounds—" She tried one more time, but even she didn't sound convinced anymore.
"Are the furthest thing from my mind right now," I said against her lips. "All I care about is making you feel good. Making you come apart in my arms."
My hand continued its journey south, sliding over the fabric of her dress until I reached the hem. I could feel the heat radiating from between her thighs, could smell how wet she was for me, and my cock throbbed in response.
"Spread your legs for me, little wolf," I commanded softly. "Let me touch what's mine."
She shifted on my lap, spreading her thighs wider, and I slid my hand up beneath her dress. The moment my fingers brushed against her inner thigh, she gasped, her whole body tensing in anticipation.
I took my time, trailing my fingers up the soft skin of her thigh, drawing out the anticipation.
Her breathing quickened with every inch I climbed higher, her hands gripping my shoulders so tight I could feel her nails even through my shirt.
"Please." she breathed, her hips tilting forward, seeking my touch.
"Please what?" I asked, my fingers dancing closer to her core but not quite touching. "Tell Daddy what you need."
"Touch me," She whimpered. "Please touch me. I need you so badly."
I kissed her again, swallowing her moans as my fingers finally reached their destination, slowly inching toward her pussy.