Chapter 246 Mate

Chapter 246 Mate
>>Riona
Demos reached out slowly, and I couldn’t stop myself from flinching slightly. His hand hovered near mine, just inches away, but I didn’t move.
“Riona,” he said softly, his voice breaking through the storm in my mind.
I looked up at him, but I couldn’t answer him. My breath hitched in my chest. All I could do was stare at him, feeling this thing between us that I had no words for. This pull that was undeniable.
His hand inched closer, and I could feel the heat radiating from him, from his presence, from everything about him. It was almost like he was calling to me, but I didn’t understand why.
“Riona,” he repeated, and this time, there was something in his voice that made me feel like he knew. Like he knew what I was feeling, even though I had no idea myself.
My breath caught, and I swallowed again.
“Demos…” The word barely escaped my lips, but it was enough. The sound of his name seemed to settle something in me, like an answer I wasn’t ready to hear, but somehow I needed.
I had so many questions. I had so much fear.
But what does this even mean?
As his hand finally brushed against mine, my body responded before my mind could catch up. My heart hammered even harder against my chest, and in the quiet of the room, I realized just how much I was trembling.
I couldn’t stop myself.
I couldn’t stop wanting him.
The moment Demos spoke my name, my heart pounded harder in my chest. His voice was so calm, so soothing, but there was something about the way he said it—something that seemed to draw out the very thing inside me that I’d been trying to control. The heat, the pull, the undeniable attraction. It all swelled up in me, and in a single breath, everything snapped.
Before I even realized what I was doing, I placed the hot chocolate mug on the table beside me. My hands were shaking, my heart racing, and yet I couldn't stop myself. The urge to feel him close to me, to have him there in a way that no words could explain, overwhelmed me.
Without thinking, without hesitation, I slid off the couch and onto his lap, my legs straddling him.
Demos stiffened beneath me, clearly surprised, but there was something in his eyes—something soft but intense—that made me forget everything around us. Forget the questions, forget the confusion, forget the fear. All that mattered was the way he was looking at me, the way his body seemed to relax even as I pressed closer to him.
I didn’t give myself the chance to think. I reached for him, cupping his face gently with one hand, and the other wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. My breath caught in my throat as I closed the distance between us, and before I knew it, I kissed him.
It wasn’t a gentle, cautious kiss. It was desperate, like I couldn’t help myself. My lips pressed against his with an intensity that took me by surprise. The feel of his warm lips against mine sent a jolt through me, igniting every part of me. The heat between us grew even stronger, and my heart felt like it might beat right out of my chest.
Demos didn’t pull away. He responded instantly, his hands coming up to my waist, slipping into the silk robes that were loosely tied, his fingers brushing against my skin. The contact sent a spark of electricity through me, and I could feel the muscles in his arms tense as if he was fighting some internal battle. But even through the tension, he kissed me back with a hunger that matched my own. His lips were soft yet firm, coaxing mine open, deepening the kiss.
I couldn’t get enough of him. Every kiss, every touch, seemed to pull me further into him, and I felt my senses becoming sharper, more alive, as if his kiss was awakening something I didn’t even know was there. His taste, his scent, the way his lips moved against mine—it was all so intoxicating, like nothing else mattered but this moment between us.
His hands roamed up my back, his fingers splaying across my spine, pulling me closer to him, and I let out a soft gasp as his touch burned into me. He responded to the sound, his kiss growing more urgent, more passionate, as though he couldn’t get enough either. The air between us felt charged, and the more I kissed him, the more I realized how right this felt. This wasn’t just about physical desire—it was something deeper, something that stretched beyond our bodies.
I felt his tongue softly trace the edge of my lips, and without thinking, I parted them, allowing him access. His tongue met mine, and the kiss grew even more intimate. The world seemed to fall away as we moved together, a rhythm that was almost instinctual, as though our bodies knew what to do, what was meant to happen.
He groaned softly into my mouth as I tangled my hands in his hair, tugging him even closer. His body felt so solid beneath me, his warmth surrounding me in a way that made my pulse race. Every touch, every movement, sent a wave of heat through my body, and I could feel myself sinking into him, into this moment.
I broke the kiss just long enough to catch my breath, but before I could say anything, Demos's lips were on mine again, more demanding this time, more intense, like he was trying to pour everything he felt into the kiss. I didn’t resist. I couldn’t. I let myself fall into him completely, every part of me responding to him without hesitation.
The kiss seemed to last an eternity, and yet it felt like no time at all. The only thing I knew, the only thing that mattered, was the way we fit together—like two pieces of something that had been missing for too long, finally coming home.
When we finally pulled away, our breaths mingled in the space between us, both of us panting, our bodies still pressed close. His forehead rested against mine, and I felt his pulse racing just as fast as mine
"Demos," I murmured, my voice low as I looked up at him, "Why did I do that?" My voice shook slightly, unsure of how to even frame the question.
Demos chuckled softly, his dark eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement. It was like he found some kind of amusement in my confusion, and despite how rattled I was, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed by how easily he could make me lose control.
"It’s not your fault that you don’t know?" His voice was almost teasing, yet gentle, as if he was trying to be patient with me. But the way his lips curved up in that knowing smile—that made my frustration bubble over.
"Why are you laughing?" I snapped, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment and irritation. "This isn’t funny, Demos!"
He stopped chuckling but didn’t let go of that mischievous glint in his eyes. "I’m not laughing at you, Riona. I’m laughing because it’s so… clear now."
I raised an eyebrow, still confused, still angry at how calm he was about the whole situation. I needed answers. Not teasing.
"What do you mean by 'clear'? You’re not making any sense!" My hands gripped the edge of the couch, my frustration growing.
He leaned back slightly, his gaze softening. "You want to know why you kissed me? Why you felt that overwhelming pull, that… heat?” He asked the question but didn’t give me the answer. As if he wanted me to ask him again, to beg him.
“Why?” I asked
“Why indeed,”
“Tell me,” I begged, “Tell me why,”
He smirked, “It’s because we’re soul mates, Riona."
The words hung in the air, and I froze, blinking in disbelief. "Soul mates?" I repeated, my voice cracking slightly. "What are you talking about? You’re not serious."
"I’m completely serious," he said, his tone steady now, but there was a certain weight to it, something that made my heart skip. "We, as wolves, have this bond—this connection with our fated partners. When we meet them, when we find them, it’s like everything inside of us shifts. The pull is undeniable. Our wolves want nothing more than to mate with our soul mates. And you… you’re mine."
!!!
I felt my breath catch in my throat as the reality of his words began to sink in. My mind raced, trying to make sense of it. The kiss, the heat, the urgency—it all started to fit together in a way I didn’t want to believe. But his words—our wolves want nothing more than to mate with our soul mates—made a kind of twisted sense.
I tried to push the flood of thoughts away, but they were relentless. "So, all of this, everything I’ve felt…" My voice trailed off, my chest tightening as I looked at him.
Demos's gaze softened, and he reached out to gently touch my cheek. "Yes," he said, his thumb brushing over the skin of my jaw. "It’s the bond, Riona. It’s something we can’t control. It’s how we’re built."
The weight of his words sank deep into my chest, but I couldn’t help the small flare of panic inside me. "But I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I’ve never lost control like that, never had such intense thoughts. What does this mean? Am I—"
He placed a finger gently over my lips, silencing my frantic questions. "It’s not a weakness, Riona. It’s natural. It’s part of who we are. We’re meant to be with our soul mates, and when we find them, it’s overwhelming. For both of us."
I paused
I didn’t know what to think, my thoughts a whirlwind of confusion, fear, and a strange desire I couldn’t explain. The way he looked at me, the way his words settled deep within me—it was all too much to take in at once.
"But," I said, my voice trembling, "What if I can’t handle this? What if—what if it’s too much for me?"
Demos’s expression softened, and he cupped my face in his hands, guiding my eyes to his. "You don’t have to handle it alone, Riona," he said gently. "I’m here. And I’ll be here through all of it."
Something in his words, something in the sincerity in his voice, finally made the tension in my chest ease just a little. I still didn’t fully understand it, the bond between us, the way my body reacted to him, but in this moment, I could feel that his words were true. I wasn’t alone in this,
I pursed my lips softly
And he said, this desire is mutual…
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to steady my racing heart. "So, this is… really happening," I whispered, more to myself than to him.
Demos nodded, his lips curving into a small, reassuring smile. "Yes, It is. And you don’t have to fight it."
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I simply leaned into him, resting my head on his chest
It was an odd feeling

Oddly satisfying

But I finally understood why I was so attracted to him… I paused… And why I liked that wolf so much too

My cheeks flushed.

It’s because the wolf was Demos all along

I felt embarrassed, so I buried my face in his chest.

MY GOD!