Chapter 115: Chapter 9

COLE

Dara sits on my front porch swing, her feet curled under her. I pause to bask in the beauty before me. Her hair is tied back into a ponytail and she’s wearing a white spaghetti strap top with deep blue skinny jeans.

She gives me a gentle smile.

“My Lady,” I say, bowing my head to her.

She rolls her eyes and taps the seat beside her. “We have matters to discuss, Colton.”

I oblige and take the seat, pulling her to my side. She giggles slightly but leans her head into my chest. I kiss her hair, which smells as fresh as sunflowers.

“We do. Ladies first, Dara.”

“I know what you are all trying to do,” she comments. “I am grateful for the thought, but please do not push the fire blessed at me. I do not love him.”

My hand moves up and down the smooth skin of her arm. “Is it because you love me? You didn’t answer when I asked you last time.”

“You were distraught. I did not want to take advantage of your vulnerability.”

“I’m not distraught and vulnerable now. Will I get an answer from you?”

Her green eyes meet mine, and I could easily get lost in their depths—they’re so tantalizing.

“Yes.”

I hold her cheek with my free hand. “Yes to what, Dara?”

A tear bubbles up in her eye. “Yes, Colton. I love you. You have been special to me your whole life, but that night I kissed you, I stopped holding myself back. It was a mistake because you are meant to love another and I cannot have you.”

I lean in and kiss her sweet lips. She’s timid at first, then leans in for more. Her tear leaks down her cheek and I wipe it with my thumb.

“Don’t cry, my sky angel. Nothing is certain. I may never find my mate. We can be together.”

“Is that not your purpose for leaving? To find the wolfless wolf with the hope of her being your destined?”

I look into her sorrowful emerald eyes. “That was indeed my hope. I need to figure out how to return her wolf. I may not even be her mate and if I am, we might not even know it.”

Dara shakes her head and looks away. “You are too intelligent and strong to not recognize your mate. I am such a fool for letting myself even hope. I am destined to be alone, but you will find the love you greatly deserve.”

“No, Dara. Don’t give up. If she’s not my mate, I will return to you and stop searching.”

She looks down to her hands folded in her lap. “And if she is? You cannot deny the mate bond and I will be left broken. At least I had your touch for a moment.”

“I would hope that you don’t cut yourself off from finding someone. You may not love him now, but you don’t know him. If I can’t be your mate, I don’t want you to be alone. Can you at least try with him? Hell, it doesn’t even have to be him, but try to be open to meeting others.”

She inhales deeply but says nothing.

“Dara, I don’t want to lose you. I’m nervous about this trip. If she is my mate, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“It would be my own fault for not restraining myself. I know wolves are predestined to find the match to their soul. I hope that you will forgive me for interfering in your search.”

I pull Dara so she’s straddling my lap. “Dara, listen to me. You didn’t interfere. I don’t regret our encounters. I think about you often. My only regret from that night was that I didn’t get to touch every sacred inch of you. Let me give you what you desire. Let your first experience be with someone you trust and truly have feelings for.”

My cock is hard and I rub against the apex of her jeans. “I want to give myself to you.”

She shakes her head. “No. You have waited all this time to find your mate. I will not take your innocence from her.”

“Let me pleasure you then. Let me touch you, let me worship your body. Let me be the one to give you an experience you can always remember.”

My hands caress down her back and over her sexy ass. Her hips flex so my palms are filled with her rounded cheeks.

“Colton?”

I lick my lips then kiss her. My arms encircle her body, holding her tight against me to kiss her deeper. Her arousal permeates the air and she’s receptive to my touch as she shivers under my fingertips. I grip under her ass to lift her up. She wraps her legs around me and I carry her inside my home and onto my bed.

She holds onto me as I lay her down, following on top of her. Her kisses are hungered and she nibbles my lips. A growl of pleasure reverberates deep in my chest. My hands skim the skin of her hips, under her silky top. Her skin is warm to the touch.

I kiss along her jaw to her ear and down, making her shudder. Her warm breath fans against my ear.

“Do you want me to touch you, Dara? Do you want me to pleasure your body? Please say yes.”

“Yes, Cole, please,” she seductively whispers.

I push her top up and over her breasts. She lifts her arms so I can remove the garment completely. I slide my hands back down her arms to palm and squeeze her breasts. I caress her nipples with my thumbs, turning them into delectable pale pink stones.

I pull one nipple into my mouth. The texture is playful on my lips and tongue, enticing me to suck. She gasps and I switch to the other breast, giving its twin the same sensation.

I kiss down her long torso to the top of her incredibly sexy jeans. I unbutton them and slide them down her pale white legs. I pull her knees apart and sniff up the inside of her leg to her glistening pussy.

Her red curls invite my fingers to thread into them; they’re so soft, like a kitten. I continue to trace one hand up her tight abs while the other stays tangled in her kitty hair. My thumb flicks downward, catching her sensitive clit. She makes a sound close to a purr and I continue to stroke and rub.

I look up to see her eyes closed, her lip caught between her teeth. I kiss my way up to her breasts, shifting from my thumb to my fingers as they continue to torment her. Her nipples feel so good in my mouth.

My fingers dip lower between her moist folds. Her wetness coats my fingers and I begin to press inside the warmth of her. This is my first time ever pleasuring a woman and I can only hope I’m doing everything right.

After sucking her other nipple, I kiss back down to pull her clit into my mouth. She hums out a high-pitched whimper that encourages me to continue. My hand on her breast, my mouth on her clit, and my fingers pressing in and out of her cause her to squirm and grip my hair.

“Oh Goddess,” she cries out as her toes curl and the walls of her cavern squeeze around my fingers. Her whole body tenses and her eyes clench tightly shut.

At this point, I want nothing more than to bury myself deep inside of her, but she’s already told me no. I will not break her trust, so I continue to work her body, providing the pleasure I promised her. I switch up my hands from plunging straight in, to caressing the softness just hidden inside at the top.

I lick up and down her folds, but her clit gives the best response so I focus my tongue there. She opens her mouth and begins panting a high-pitched “ah” sound. Fluids spill from inside of her and the animal in me wants to roll in them, coating my fur in her icy scent, but I lap it up from her glistening walls instead.

I press my fingers back inside her over and over again until a white cream coats my digits and she screams to the Goddess. Once her muscles relax, she squeezes her legs shut around my head. She pulls gently on my hair.

“No more, no more Cole. I can’t…” she says as she tries to catch her breath.

I kiss her red curls then move back up her body to nibble on her neck and ears. I stop to suck the moisture from my fingers and she curls up into my chest. She swallows hard a few times. I kiss her head then move to fetch her a drink, which she gratefully accepts.

I lay back down beside her and pull my blanket over her shivering body. She presses her body tight against mine and closes her eyes. I hold my heavenly beauty tighter as she drifts off to sleep.

I close my eyes to rest beside her. The sun begins to fade and the siren beside me begins to stir. I hold her tighter and she opens her eyes to look into mine.

I smile at her then kiss her lips.

“Thank you, Colton. I will never forget the way I felt today.”

“I enjoyed every second, my lady. I won’t regret it,” I say, staring into her deep emerald eyes.

“Dara. I’m nervous. I feel like my mate is waiting for me. Ironically, after all this time, I’m scared to meet her. What if her wolf is so repressed that she doesn’t recognize me? What if she does and she rejects me?”

“She would be the greatest fool and undeserving of you. If she does not recognize you, you will have to make a different connection with her.” Dara takes a deep breath.

“Colton, I will spend time with the fire blessed. You are right. I do not know him and I have not allowed myself to meet men other than you. I am grateful for the time spent with you. While you are making a connection with your mate, I will make a connection with the fire blessed. I am not certain, but I feel she is your mate. I must tell you, Colton. Mother told me you will find your mate soon just before I kissed you the first time. It was then that I was made aware of my feelings for you. This time spent with you is more than I could ever have hoped for.”

Her eyes are moist with tears. I hold her tight to me and kiss her cheeks.

“I will never forget you, Dara. I’m honored by your affection for me.”

She wipes her eyes then stands to pull her pants on. I pick up her top. She reaches for it, but I pull it away just so I can look at her one more time.

I pull her to me and feel her bare skin. I hand over her top and kiss her once more.

“I will always watch over you. If you need me, I will hear you if you say my name. I always have. I will help the wolfless wolf in any way I can. I will miss you, Colton.”

She kisses me softly, but I need more. She’s like my lifeline keeping me from drowning in the unknown that lays ahead of me. I don’t know what to expect with the wolfless wolf and trepidation takes hold of my heart for the first time ever.

Dara pulls back. “I must leave. Goodbye, Colton.”

“Goodbye, Dara,” I say then close my eyes as her brightness takes over the room then dissipates, signifying her return to the sky.

I step out to my porch and look up. Dara’s star winks at me. I kiss my fingertips in an offering to her.

I need a cold shower and I have to get ready for my trip. I strip my sheets, reluctant to remove the scent of Dara, but I can’t leave the mess, especially if I have a mate to bring home.

Now I begin to question if what I shared with Dara was honorable. I haven’t met Alexis yet, so would this be considered a betrayal? As I promised Dara, I don’t regret it, but my thoughts are scattered.

My soul longs for my mate, but I long for Dara. I let out a breath then head out. The plan was to leave tomorrow morning, but after my nap, I would rather leave now and drive under the protection of Dara and the Goddesses’ watchful eyes.

With zero traffic, I pull into Princeton and find a hotel near the club I’m supposed to find Alexis in. I get settled in then sleep through the remainder of the night.

I blow out a breath as I straighten my collar and look myself over in the mirror. My intuition is screaming at me that tonight will change my life.

I’ve been pining for my mate since I turned seventeen. Now the probability of finding her tonight sets my nerves shaking. I don’t know what I’ll do when I find her.

I’ve seen how mates act; how they forget everyone and everything around them. I’m certain I’ll be no different.

The ride to the club is short and I skip the line since the bouncer is a Were from the Smith Pack. He recognizes me and lets me in.

The lights and bodies pulse with the music. It’s loud and I need a drink if I’m going to be here for a while. I head straight to the bar. The sweet magnolia smell is subtly mixed with the scents of the crowd.

I move to the dancefloor and begin my search for my wolfless mate.