Serena stirred, eyes still closed.
For a second, she forgot about the nightmare of yesterday.
Then it all crashed back.
Her messing up protocols. Misstepping on her very first day in the Draken Forces. Her accidental screams that bled into a shared mindlink. Before that, the most embarrassing situation where she was crying in the forest. Viremont's comment on her scent. And Dexmon, breaking her heart and humiliating her.
It wasn't like her to ruminate over things she had no control over. But this time, it was all too much.
Her thoughts spiraled before she could catch them. Anxiety bubbled in her chest. She hadn't even fully processed the fact that someone was holding her and her back was against a chest.
Arms tightened around her. She then noticed the sensation of his skin pressed on hers. Sparks danced everywhere. A heart thudded behind her.
But the scent wasn't Dexmon's. It belonged to Finnick Shadowclaw.
Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked, head throbbing.
She was not in her tent. That was clear. The fur blanket was new and her tent didn't smell like pine and testosterone.
Fin spoke softly. "Hey… Serena, it's okay."
She knew she should be alarmed by the fact she was in bed with Shadowclaw, but she strangely felt this trust toward him.
She knew he'd taken care of her the night before. He'd found her, and she assumed he had carried her to the infirmary. Serena found his hand and placed hers over it.
She then became vaguely aware that she was in her undergarments. Normally, she'd be having an internal irrational freak out about it, but she was so drained that her emotions were tapped out.
She rolled onto her back so she could look at him. His eyes were already on her.
✦✦✦
Xeon: Here it comes.
Fin: Quiet.
Xeon: I'm just saying, this conversation is about to get awkward.
Fin answered her unspoken question. "You passed out in your tent, and I brought you here. Aeron said it was from the sheer amount of magic you channeled."
Xeon:And the marking. Don't forget the marking.
He was about to tell her, but she spoke first.
"You've been so kind to me. Thank you for taking care of me."
She'd already thanked him multiple times. It had struck him last night, and it hit him equally hard today. Her emotions washed into him through their matebond and something cracked in his chest.
"Anytime," was all he trusted himself to say.
His thumb stroked her cheek, looking into her green eyes.
"For the record," he said, voice low, "if you keep thanking me, I'm going to start charging, and my rates are unreasonable."
She started to laugh, and the sound eased the knot in his chest.
He didn't ask for permission and kissed her. Sparks instantly jolted both of them.
He knew Dexmon had marked her, and he understood she had just broken a matebond. The last thing he wanted was to push her too far, too fast.
So he just kissed her.
Or that's what he tried to do.
Their kiss deepened, and he had the urge to get on top of her and be inside of her. He wanted to pin her down beneath his weight, to rip off her undergarments and thrust into her until she screamed his name and submitted to him completely.
His wolf snarled inside him, demanding it.
But he fought that.
He clenched his jaw against the primal roar.
His hand trailed down her stomach. He traced the curve of her hip before stopping just above the thin fabric of her thong. Then, he rubbed slow, deliberate circles over the lace, pressing firmly against her mound, teasing her with relentless friction.
He sensed she was hesitant, and he wasn't going to push further. But he also could feel she wanted him to keep going. She was conflicted.
He pulled away from their kiss, keeping his hand on her heat. Eyes not leaving hers, he kept going.
Her face flushed under his gaze, but she didn't look away.
Conflicted or not, her body was responding to his touch. He felt a mixture of heat and tension rise in her through their matebond. Then her hips started to move.
"Just like that," he breathed. "Let me make you feel good."
Arousal spiked in her scent. For a moment, his eyes flared molten gold, but he pushed it down. He shoved the lace aside and slid a finger deep into her heat, thrusting it in and out in perfect rhythm.
She stiffened, not expecting that.
"No. Let go for me," he commanded immediately. He didn't mean to use an alpha tone but it slipped out.
She gasped, hips bucking on their own. She wanted to let go for him. He felt it.
He picked up his pace, chasing her release. He wanted to watch her come undone under his touch, even if it killed him to stop there. His cock throbbed in protest.
"Fin..." she whispered, back arching. She started to writhe, pleasure washing through him, stronger than anything he'd ever felt.
Then he saw her eyes flicker gold just as her orgasm hit.
A moan escaped her before she could stop it.
"Fuck..." His hips started moving against her thigh, grinding without his permission.
His fangs were in her neck before either of them knew what was happening.
She started riding his finger harder, ecstasy pulsing through her system.
He groaned, overwhelmed by the sensation. He didn't know how long it lasted, only that he couldn't stop.
He released finally as her eyes fluttered closed.
Then it hit him that he had just marked her again.
Xeon:Your venom will only help her.
Fin:What the hell.
Xeon:I was fighting the urge too, but there's no point since you've already marked her.
Fin:We never did that with—
Xeon:Only the deepest of matebonds cause that instinct. But I've never felt it to that degree before.
Fin: It doesn't seem like she can feel our matebond.
Xeon: She feels something, but not to the degree we do until she heals. Our venom will speed that up.
Fin let that sink in for a moment.
He then realized he had cum in his briefs just from feeling her pleasure through their matebond.
Xeon: Finishing above clothing. Twice in one night for firsts.
Fin:Shut up.