*“Those true eyes, Too pure and too honest in aught to disguise. The sweet soul shining through them.” ― Owen Meredith*
***Nuria***
Violetta continued to laugh until Phoebe stopped her with a “Vi, read the room.” She blew out a sigh and patted my shoulder.
“Hey, don’t mind me. You’re a lovely gal, so you can get any woman you want. I’ll just *swim* out of here for you two to catch up.”
“Did you really have to add that terrible pun?” Phoebe asked.
“It wouldn’t be the same without it.” Not even a minute later, Violetta left the home, leaving Phoebe and me alone. I bowed my head in shame, turning to my golden-haired beloved, my ears burning from the embarrassment.
“I... I made a damn fool of myself, didn’t I?”
“You did.” I heard Phoebe sigh. “Would you like some tea, Nuria?”
I raised my head, nodding. “Can it be the fruity tea you made for me?”
Her dazzling smile stopped my heart again. “Of course.”
After five minutes, the both of us were sitting on her two-seater couch, my body sinking into the soft material. Phoebe brought her teacup to her lips and sipped while my eyes glanced around the interior. A large altar stood beside the fireplace. Black and gold etched into the wood. The top of the altar adorned with candles, sealed jars, and dozens of crystals, all in varied sizes. Herbs were sprinkled around the bronze statue of Hecate, standing proudly over her sacred space. The walls of Phoebe’s home were barren, minus several floral wreaths. A table seating two tucked in the corner next to the small kitchenette, with a bowl of fruit as the centerpiece. Dark curtains over the windows were drawn to keep most of the sunlight out. With my shoes off, my feet savored the softness of the wool carpet between my toes. The front door was mostly functional, although the lock needed repair after my little spectacle.
There was a twinge of loneliness in the air I didn’t like. No one would’ve ever known someone was living here. How many guests have passed by without knowing this home existed?
Was it sheer luck I discovered it last year?
“Your tea is getting cold.” Phoebe said, setting her cup on the table. I realized I haven’t drunk mine. “What brings you by, Nuria?”
“I-I...” No coherent thought formulated in my mind. Goddess, why was I tongue-tied now? Phoebe sat patiently with one leg folded under her, hands resting in her lap while I sipped the lukewarm liquid. There was a sparkle in her eyes I couldn’t decipher. Her eyes scrutinized my every move like a hawk stalking its meal.
*Does she know why I’m here*?
“You’ve come to claim me, haven’t you?”
I almost spat out my tea, my eyes widening like plates. “H-How did you—?”
“I’m surprised no one has told you.” She twiddled her fingers in her lap, rosy pink dusting her cheeks. “I can know someone’s intentions just by their presence, whether it be good or bad. I can read your aura like a book, Nuria.”
I felt more than exposed. I was fucking naked. Setting my teacup down beside hers, I cleared my throat, adjusting my body in my seat.
*Let her lead*. *Don’t rush*.
“Yes. I... I came here to claim you as mine. We’re mates, Phoebe.”
“I knew that.”
“You did?”
“Why else would you fly in here in a jealous rage? It’s a common trait amongst you werewolves.”
I blushed, lowering my gaze. “I’m sorry about that. That wasn’t my intention nor how I wanted to make an official first impression on you.”
“As long as it doesn’t happen again.” Phoebe giggled, raising her hand to her pink lips. “I don’t think I can handle the constant repairs if you keep breaking down my front door.”
Now, it was my turn to laugh. This felt natural, like two close friends catching up. I felt at ease in Phoebe’s presence—no pressure, no expectations. Phoebe scooted closer to me, our knees touching, and the comfort I felt was thrown right out the window. My side of the bond thrived and writhed, stretching out to grasp Phoebe’s heart. My body sank in a pleasant heat that only the woman in front of me could quell.
“I know what being a wolf’s mate entails, Nuria.” Phoebe’s voice lowered to a heavy whisper, every syllable carrying the weight of the world. I didn’t speak, nor move, but invited the supple touch of her hand on top of mine. I tucked Angelika behind a wall, but I knew she felt it all. “The good and the bad, the ups and downs—everything. I lived in this pack for most of my life and I’ve seen the incredible dynamic between destined partners.” She huffed out a sad sigh, running a thumb over my hand. “I’ve been alone for a long time and I’ve let no one get this close to me.”
“Why is that Phoebe?”
“Solitude meant safety and protection. I’ve been hurt in the past, my heart manipulated by people who were supposed to protect me. A solitary witch holds solitude in all aspects of her life, even with romantic relationships. I’ve had crushes on both men and women, but I always kept them at arm’s length because I **know** there wouldn’t be anyone capable of cherishing my heart. Sometimes, I feel like solitude was the only option for me. I have friends and a family here, but romantic relationships expose a vulnerability that one can brutalize without a second thought. It’s terrifying.”
Every word Phoebe confessed chipped away pieces of my heart. Solitude, to her, was better than being vulnerable. I couldn’t imagine how tough navigating romance is when she feels the intentions of a person before knowing their name.
There are too many people in this world who take pleasure in hurting and destroying others. Too many of them hide in plain sight, waiting for their perfect victim. They left an incorrigible amount of desolation in their wake and they walk away with a smile. The real monsters are those who look like ordinary people.
I wanted to hunt down and rip into every person who ever hurt Phoebe. Made her shed a tear. Contributed to the poisonous thinking that she deserved to be alone. I lifted my hands and framed Phoebe’s face with my palms, running my thumbs over the outline of her lips. Her creamy skin was as smooth as silk and warm as a gentle ember. My thumbs caressed every part of her face they could reach, committing her touch to memory. Phoebe’s lovely purples looked into mine with innocent wonder twinkling in its depths.
Waiting.
Wanting.
There was a crystal Kiya told me about that matched her eyes.
*Amethyst*.
“I’d cut off my right arm if it meant your pain would stop, Phoebe,” I said with conviction. “This is scary for me, too. We’re barely leaving the cusp of being strangers, and here I am, hopelessly in love with you, praying to Selene that you’ll accept me. I’ve been alive for three years and already, I have found my destined partner before I found my place in the world.”
“Funny how that works out, huh?” Phoebe cupped my hands with her own. “All this time my soulmate was dead, and years later, she declares her love after trespassing into my home like an angry bull.”
“Clichés are overrated. I prefer the more direct approach.” I laughed, shaking my head. “But, if there is one thing I can and will promise you, is that my heart belongs to you. I will go to the ends of the earth to ensure your happiness. You are the love of my life, my soulmate, my forever. I want to know everything about you, and in turn, I want you to know everything about me. You’re mine, Phoebe. Mine to love and mine to protect. The only question that remains is, will you accept me as yours?”
A pregnant pause fell between us as we fell into the depths of each other’s eyes. Phoebe’s bottom lip quivered and her cheeks pinkened like bubblegum. Before I could react, she leaned in and greeted my lips with a soft kiss. Electricity zapped my heart and my core like lightning to water, my body buzzing with pleasure from her touch, heightened by the mate bond. She gripped my hands tight, holding onto me as I was her lifeline.
Little did she know she was *my* lifeline.
Phoebe’s wildberry scent flooded my senses like a hurricane. I wanted to absorb this moment and sear it into my memory. Today was the day I truly felt alive. Taking the lead, Phoebe shyly swiped the bottom of my lip with the tip of her tongue. I moved a hand from her face and buried it in her golden tresses, holding her to me.
*Oxygen be damned*.
Her tongue took the invitation once I parted my lips, meeting mine in a tango of saccharine love. The world didn’t matter to me anymore. All that mattered was the bundle of starlight in human form kissing me for the first time.
I leaned back against the cushions of the couch, taking her body with me. Her smaller, lean figure fit perfectly with my muscular frame like two pieces of the same puzzle. I couldn’t stop kissing her if I tried. Magic or not, I fell completely under her sway.
But when her tiny moan flowed into my mouth, my control snapped.
The tango of our tongues turned into a battle for dominance when I deepened the kiss, my muscle wrapping around hers. Phoebe threw her arms around my neck, granting me the privilege of governing her mouth. My hand bunched up her strands, and the other found its place on the small of her back, my thumb sinking into one of her dimples.
She’s so fucking *perfect*.
We separated when we needed to breathe, but I needed her more than oxygen. I buried my face in the valley of her neck, my lips immediately latching onto the spot that will one day bear my mark. Phoebe squealed, pushing her chest onto mine when she arched her back. Her heart was racing over mine, a combustion of heat between us reaching critical levels. She buried her hands in my tresses for purchase, damn near tugging at the strands. A rumbling growl pushed out of my throat and vibrated across the delicate column; the tip of my tongue tracing circles around her flawless skin before gently pulling the thin flesh between my teeth.
“Oooh, Nuria.”
Fuck, I wanted to hear more. I wanted this woman to **sing** for me.
My mouth continued its relentless assault on her neck, determined to leave no spot untouched. She was especially sensitive where I kissed her birthmark, her body trembling like a leaf in a storm. There was so much I wanted to do to her, do *with* her, just to see what other surprises she hid underneath her cool exterior.
Phoebe’s neck adorned a collar of hickies by the time I felt satisfied, slowly entering the stages of healing. I looked up at my precious mate, unable to hide the smile on my lips. Her skin was flushed pink, her chest was heaving against mine, her half-lidded eyes glazed over with surprise and arousal. She continued to cling to me like a koala.
She’s so fucking *beautiful*.
“I got a bit carried away.” I laughed, smoothening out her hair.
“I... I liked that you got carried away.” Phoebe laughed quietly, pressing her forehead against mine. Her swirling purples pulled me into their depths once again. “I guess I can get used to this mate thing.”
“Does this mean you accept me?” I asked, hopeful.
“... I thought my kiss was your answer.”
I fell into a fit of laughter, rising to kiss her lips once more. “I’d prefer if you verbally tell me, my starlight. Although, your bodily response was very enjoyable.”
“Sheesh.” She smirked, shaking her head. “I accept you as my mate, Nuria. But I don’t know if I’m ready for the bite, yet. I want to make sure that it’s safe for us to do so.”
“Safe?” I questioned.
Phoebe nodded. “I don’t know what happens if a wolf mates with an avatar. I don’t want you to get hurt in any way. We can’t exactly ask around and the only other person in your situation is your brother, so...”
“Right. We’ll hold off on it for now.”
“But I still... um...” She averted her beautiful eyes from me, her pink cheeks migrating to red. “I... I want to...”
“Use your words, love.”
“Damn.” She pressed her palms to her cheeks. “I want to... *sleep*... with you, Nuria. Not now, but I want to eventually. I don’t exactly have any *experience* under my belt, aside from the collection of erotic romance books in my library.”
I let out a ragged chuckle, relishing the sweet perfume of her arousal. “Trust me, when that time comes, written words in a book won’t hold a damn candle to what I’ll do to you.” She lacked experience, but I had enough for both of us. I wanted nothing more but to peel her clothes off, bury my face between her slender legs, and guzzle down her sweet nectar until the world quakes to her screams. Waiting will only sweeten up the experience more when it happens. “Whenever you’re ready, Phoebe, tell me, okay?”
“Okay.” She muttered meekly with a nod. We adjusted our bodies on the couch to where Phoebe laid on top of me, resting her head on my chest and her arms secured tight around my waist. I rubbed soothing circles on her back as the sunlight slowly faded, sinking her little home into comforting darkness. Her breathing slowed to a constant, gentle rhythm, letting me know she had fallen asleep.
“I love you, Phoebe,” I whispered to the air, hoping she’d heard me in her sleep, or whomever was listening. As my little magician rested, my body picked up a presence hovering about in the silence, pricking with goosebumps. Yet, there wasn’t a cause for alarm. The presence was powerful, but non-threatening. Oddly, I felt safe under the enigmatic gaze.
Before I knew it, sleep took me to where my mate was.
*Selene, thank you for this gift*. *Phoebe is more than perfect for me*.
*I hope you can grant my brother the same*.