Chapter 10 - Like Fire

Nathaniel Black

“Will you stay, with me, tonight?” I asked keeping her dripping wet body trapped under my own as I pressed her against a nearby tree, the rest of the trainees pulling themselves out of the river and marching back off towards the city, their clothes dripping with water and their footsteps heavy with exhaustion.

“I have work tomorrow,” she said, her gaze dropping and her cheeks flushing yet again.

“Can I drop you off?” I said, brushing the hair from her face.

“What?”

“Every time I bring you here, I feel like I rip apart of your soul away from what makes you happy. If you want to work, to teach, then you can.”

“I don’t need your blessing Nate.”

“I know, but I want to keep you safe, I need to know you’re safe.”

“Safe from what?”

I looked at her now unwavering gaze, “can we discuss this later?”

“I’ll stay and let you drop me at work, if you tell me why you feel like you need to protect me.”

I looked at her determination, “can anyone ever say no to you?”

“I can’t say it’s a word I hear often.”

“That’s manipulative,” I chuckled.

“You’re changing the topic.”

“No, I’m avoiding the topic.”

“Then I guess I better get going. It’ll take me a while to get to the coast, have a shower, maybe order some dinner,-” she trailed off, leaving her words hanging in the air between us.

“You really are manipulative.”

“And you’re controlling – are you going to tell me or not?”

“Fine, several Alpha’s of other packs have heard that the White Wolf is a member of my pack, even some from Europe and Asia, have come to our shores in an attempt to find the wolf.”

“Why?”

“You know why the mating bond existing; it’s not just about finding someone’s soulmate-”

“The strongest offspring,” Alice said, leaning her head against the tree, her shoulders slumping at my words.

“I’m happy to see you two have made up,” Jamie said, interrupting the conversation and grinning childishly as his gaze glanced between the two of us. “Will I tell Grace that you’re coming back with me? Or will I leave you two to reconnect further?” he said, winking at Alice and spreading his infectious happiness to her face.

“I think I’ll be fine, Alpha Black has extended his hospitality to me,” Alice said, a professional demeanor taking over her body, her spine straightening and a loving smile.

A growl rippled from my chest and I slammed her back against the tree, grazing my teeth down her neck and causing her to shiver, goose bumps to rise on her arms and neck, “what did you call me?” I purred into her ear.

“Alpha Black?” she asked, raising a brow at my reaction. “If I knew that was your weakness, I would have started using that a long time ago,” she purred back.

Jamie cleared his throat, “If that’s all, I’ll take my leave and continue my rounds,” Jamie interjected.

“Yes, that is all, Jamie,” I growled, maintaining eye contact with Alice who met my unwavering gaze.

“Which part of me do you want here?” she asked, cocking her head.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you want me, your mate, or me the Luna of the pack?” she asked leaning her head on my arm that pinned her to the tree, “I know I left, after I made a promise to the pack,” she added, her words trailing off as she looked into my eyes, how was she able to look into my eyes for so long?

I smirked, “I want all of you Alice, I water Dr. Forrest, I want Luna Alice and I want Mrs. Black, I want every single part of you in my life.”

“Mrs Black? I hope that wasn’t a marriage proposal, as I think we should take things slowly,” she smirked.

“I don’t know if I’m very good at slow,” I said, lifting her chin up and brushing her lips lightly on mine.

“I’ve noticed that,” she purred, her eyes darted down my lips for a second.

“Congratulations on your doctorate, by the way Doctor Forrest,” I purred, “What did you end up majoring in, what’s your specialty?” I asked, running my lips along her jaw, inching closer and closer to her lips.

“The application of historical and traditional construction techniques to create more climatically appropriate contemporary living environments,” she said, her voice exasperated as her body shivered at my touch.

“I have no idea what that means,” I chuckled, starting on the other side of her face.

“It means I’m looking at how the tradition occupants of parcels of land built their homes in different climates and how we can apply their systems into our own living styles now,” she said quickly, grabbing my face and forcing her lips against my own.

This kiss was filled with heat, desperation, urgency.

“What? I didn’t spar with you enough during training?” I chuckled once I pulled away from her kiss, “Do I no longer satisfy you?”

Her eyes were still closed, her lips parted slightly and a blush lightly washed on her cheeks, “you also make me burn.”

“Burn?” I asked.

“Your touch is like fire,” she said, her hand running down my exposed chest, causing goosebumps to form in her wake.

“Like fire?”

“When every I pull away from you, my skin throbs and my body burns,” and she pulled her hand slowly from my chest, the fingers lingering for a moment while she watched her hand.

“So what happens when we touch?” I asked, taking her hand and pressing it back to my chest.

“It’s like you’re the fire,” she said, her eyes snapping open and meeting my own. “When your skin touches my own, I feel like I’m on fire, I feel warm, from my fingers to my toes, every part of me feels whole. I feel more than just this body, when I touch you everything is possible.”

I pressed my lips against hers, “I burn for you too.”