Chapter 15 ARIA
ARIA'S POV
Lucian turned around like I’d instructed, one brow cocked in amusement as I glared at his back.
“No peeking,” I warned.
He chuckled, the sound low and teasing. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Lucian,” I pressed, narrowing my eyes even though he couldn’t see me.
“Fine,” he said, lifting both hands in mock surrender. “Hands up, eyes forward. See? Model citizen.”
I muttered something about “doubtful alphas” under my breath as I tugged my top over my head. The evening air brushed against my bare skin, cool and sharp, and I shivered before quickly pulling his shirt over me.
The fabric was still warm from his body. It hung loosely, brushing the tops of my thighs and drowning me in his scent, dark spice and cedar and something that made my pulse thrum in my throat.
“Go on,” I called, trying to sound braver than I felt. “Get in the water before me.”
He didn’t argue. I heard the quiet splash as he waded into the lake, the moonlight catching on ripples around his frame.
Only when he was waist-deep did I finally take a breath, peel off the rest of my clothes, and hurry toward the water. The moment the lake met my skin, a gasp escaped me as the cold shocked against the heat rising under my flesh, setting every nerve alive.
I waded in farther, wrapping my arms around myself as the water lapped at my stomach.
“Cold?” Lucian’s voice drifted through the dark.
“A little,” I admitted.
“Come here.”
Before I could respond, a hand slid around my waist from behind, steadying me. I startled, my back hitting his chest, the warmth of him a startling contrast to the icy water.
“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he murmured near my ear, his breath brushing the side of my neck. “You looked like you were about to fall.”
“I wasn’t,” I lied softly.
His chuckle rumbled through me, deep and satisfied. “If you say so.”
I turned just enough to look at him. The moonlight caught in his eyes, that wolfish silver gleam that always seemed to pin me where I stood.
“This wasn’t part of your plan, was it?” he asked, voice teasing.
“I didn’t exactly plan on bumping into a half-naked Alpha at the lake,” I shot back, trying to ignore the flutter in my stomach.
He smiled, slow and dangerous. “Lucky coincidence then.”
I tried to push him away, but he didn’t move. Instead, he leaned in just enough for his lips to hover beside my ear. “You’re blushing again.”
“I’m cold,” I said quickly.
“Right,” he said, clearly unconvinced, and the smug note in his tone made my heart trip over itself.
We stayed like that for a moment, the world reduced to the soft rhythm of water and the quiet press of his hand at my waist. Then, as if sensing I needed space, Lucian shifted, releasing me.
We swam for a while after that, chasing each other through the shallows, laughing when I splashed him and he retaliated with a wave that nearly drenched me completely. For a little while, it was easy. Simple. Just us.
But when the laughter faded and the night grew colder, I felt the first real shiver crawl down my spine.
Lucian noticed instantly. “You’re freezing,” he said, moving closer. “We should head out.”
I didn’t argue.
By the time we climbed out, the moon was high and silver light spilling across the lake like liquid glass. Lucian turned away, giving me privacy as I scurried to where I’d left my clothes. The shirt was damp and clinging, but I pulled my dress on quickly, wringing water from my hair.
When I finally turned around, Lucian was already dressed, running a hand through his still-wet hair. For a moment, our eyes met, and something in my chest twisted, warm and wanting all at once.
He smiled and reached for my hand, fingers brushing mine in a silent question. I let him take it.
We walked home like that, our hands linked, the path dimly lit by the moon filtering through the trees. Neither of us spoke much; we didn’t have to. The quiet between us felt full, charged with everything we weren’t saying.
When we reached my door, Lucian hesitated.
“Aria,” he said finally, his voice softer now, careful. “Can I ask you for a favour?”
I turned to face him fully, heart still racing from everything that had happened. “Of course,” I said. “What is it?”
Lucian gives a small secret smile "You can say no," he starts, his grey eyes serious as they hold mine.
"I know," I reply, though it's a little strained in the
face of the obvious tension that creeps between us.
Lucian watches me quietly, sharp and diligent, like he was trying to map out whether or not he could ask this, or maybe if he even should.
Goddess, I hope he doesn't ask for a kiss because that would be awkward. I'm not sure I'm ready for that. Lucian stays quiet for another excruciating minute before he straightens his shoulders and asks, "Will you scent-mark me?"
My mouth suddenly becomes very, very dry.
It wasn't a crazy ask; werewolves scent-marked each other all the time. We did it as family for comfort, and sometimes alphas did it for claim and ease of mind- mates did it too.
Lucian was my mate, so of course, he'd want to
do that, but shit... I wasn't expecting him to ask for this. Scent-mark?
"It's fine if you don't want to," he adds into the quiet.
"It's not a demand, only a request."
With each passing second, Lucian grows stiffer,
and my body follows suit. The muscles beneath
my skin pull tight, twisting close in a horrible ache
that barely matches the one inside my chest from
witnessing Lucian's distress.
I knew he tried so hard, with the bond and the link,
to not push me and to keep things good between us, and here he was stressing because he thought he asked too much of me when he'd barely asked for a thing.
If there was any chance of me saying no, it was
washed away by the look in his eyes that I was
quickly realising, I hated more than anything. But...
"I have a question," I declare, and Lucian quickly
nods his head. "Why do you want me to do it? I
thought you'd want..."
It's impossible to finish my sentence-to say that I
thought he would want to scent-mark me, because of the far distance in our rank and usually Alphas do the marking and I've never really heard of an Omega scent marking their mate much less when that mate was an Alpha but Lucian gets the message anyway.
"I do not want to make you uncomfortable," Lucian answers simply, but the words break my heart all the same.
It made sense. In fact, it was really sweet of him to even consider it, but it also broke a part of me to know that Lucian thought I would be uncomfortable carrying his scent. Nyra whines her displeasure, Scratching at the surface so she can take control and ensure our mate never thought such a thing, but I push her back.
The truth was, I didn't know if I would. I didn't
know what it would be like, or how I'd feel to carry
Lucian’s scent when I wasn't even comfortable carrying my own and it would be worse to ask for
it only to wash it off right after if it did make me uncomfortable. But I could do something else for
him.
"Okay," I agree, lifting my chin and trying for a smile.
"I’ll do it."
Lucian's eyes light up with a glow as he steps forward, his fingers clenching at his sides. "Really?" He asks, sounding almost breathless. "You will?"
I nod, and Lucian smiles, wide and bright with
innocent glee that warms me from the inside out,
making pleasure course through me to cement my decision.
"Where should I..."
I knew where the scent glands were; behind the ears, over the neck, the wrists, under the ribcage, behind one's knees, and between the legs, but I'd never scent-marked anyone before, and some of those areas were way more intimate than others.
"Wherever you are most comfortable with," Lucian
answers quickly. "The wrists will be fine."
I nod, gulping as Lucian lifts his left arm, offering it to me.
Holy fuck, I really was going to do this- mark Lucian with my scent. He'd have it on him tomorrow, maybe the day after too, and every werewolf near him would know he was mated to an Omega, that he was mine.
The realisation sends a dizzying wave of desire
through me like I'd never experienced before. It
blocks out everything else, making longing stir inside my chest until my greatest need over all else is to have Lucuian carry my scent.
"You do not have to-" I catch Lucian's hand just as
he starts to withdraw and swipe my thumb over his wrists.
Lucian's eyes immediately fall shut, his body
stiffening like a board as he stands perfectly still,
waiting. With my heart pounding in my ears, I do it
again, pressing harder to force my scent under his
skin.
A shudder runs through his entire body as a low,
pleased rumble sounds from deep within- one that has my body responding immediately. I step closer, taking his other wrist in hand before I pass my thumbs over his glands, overriding his scent with my own.
Lucian's lips part before his jaw clenches and
he comes undone in front of my eyes. My eyes stay glued to Lucian's face as it relaxes and crumples continuously, overrun with pleasure that seemed stronger than I could even imagine.
I knew scent-marking felt good, like an affirmation
of one's bond, but by Lucian's expressions... by his
sounds.. It seemed like the best thing in the world.
Lost to it all, I keep it up, relishing in the ability to
make my mate so happy while my own need builds beneath the surface, desperate to have it too.
"Aria," Lucian growls, the low rumble carrying
the full weight of his raw wolf, commanding and
domineering in a way that made me want to buckle in the face of it.
I immediately let go, stumbling backwards as his
pheromones swarm around me, but I don't make it more than a step before Lucian catches me by my arm, holding me firm.
My chest becomes clogged, short breaths barely
coming to me amidst my scrambling brain that was desperately searching for a way out. But when Lucian open his eyes, it all fades away.
The way Lucian looks at me- he's all wolf.
I step in, reclaiming the space I'd lost, and my entire body instantly relaxes when I do, muscles coming undone, eased by him.
We're close, almost too close, but it's perfect.
Through baited breaths, we stare at one another for what felt like an eternity before Lucian's eyes move from mine and slowly travel down my body like a faint caress until they settle over my wrist, and then those eyes are back on me.
The question is obvious, but it's patient too- understanding and prepared for me to say no.
I don't even think about it. I nod, and Lucian doesn't waste a second tightening his grip on me while his free hand raises to mark me with his scent. His thumb passes over my wrist, and the world fades away as the scent of dark spice and cedar invade my being, washing over my insides and leaving only Lucian behind.
"Oh, Goddess. Oh, Goddess. Oh, Goddess," I whisper, my voice growing higher as Lucian does it again.
Except this time, he presses his thumb in harder
than I had, burying his scent deep and frying any
thought that wasn't him. "F-Fuckk!"
Eyes falling shut, I don't see when Lucian lifts my
other hand, but I feel it as he trails his fingers over
my palms and then my wrists, drowning me in his
scent. My heart takes off within my chest, beating
so hard I could barely think of a thing beyond the
endorphins turning me to mush.
Wave after wave of pleasure cascades over me,
moulding the world into one silent hub of perfect
bliss.
"More," I whimper, my body swaying forward.
"Please, Lucian I... I need more."
The strained groan that emerges from Lucian in
response makes my skin prickle and my blood pump hot, laced with a shot of fear and want.
I force my eyelids back and through slitted eyes, I see a flash of canines before large hands wrap around my neck and pull me in. I gasp, moaning as Lucian pulls me to him, so close that I'm breathing the same air.
My eyes roll, a broken, shrill sound escaping me as Lucian’s fingers run over my neck, pressing into my skin and marking me with his scent, burying it deep enough to ensure I'd be carrying it for days.
I shudder hard, my head falling to his as we pant
restlessly, the world a forgotten blur outside of this.
"I." Lucian starts hoarsely, struggling to get his
words out while his fingers tighten around my throat until I can't breathe without feeling his hold. "I should stop."
"Dont,"I beg- please. "It feels so good."
Why didn't I ask for this sooner? More importantly,
when could we do it again?
"No, I have to stop," Lucian grinds out before he pulls away, taking his warmth and touch with him, but his scent remains. Like a thick cloud of everything right, it circles around me, keeping me calm and sated.
I shake my head, still lost in the pleasure of what
just happened, but hating that it had to end.
"It's okay" I start, it was obvious he was barely keeping his cool.
His jaw was locked tight and his nails digging into his palms in an effort to gain control.
“I hate to leave you like this,” he said, his voice tight.
I could barely make out the words “I'll be fine, thank you for today” I said trying to reassure him.
“I'll call you” he promises already taking a few steps back, I manage a nod and a smile as I watch him turn his back and the dark night engulf him.
This man will be my ruin.