Isabel's Choice

Chapter 39 - Lars

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow at the female in my arms whose cheeks are burning with the heat of a thousand suns. She shrinks into herself, but thankfully also closer to me.

"Yes. No. I don't know, I am so nervous," Isa admits with her eyes closed. "But I shouldn't be, I am sorry."

My finger arrives too late on her lips to stop the misplaced apology. It breaks my heart and I make a mental note to bite off my tongue before I speak to her again in the tone I had last night.

"It's fine to be nervous. And it is perfectly acceptable - no, it's an expectation that you tell me how you feel." I push a hair strand behind her ear and kiss her forehead before depositing her on my bed. "I'll clean up quickly and I'll be right back."

Her arms wrap around my neck, preventing me from stepping away.

"Changed your mind?"

"No."

"You want me to stay here?"

"Yes."

"OK, but can I at least change my t-shirt? I've been wearing it since last night and I also spilled some of my mom's poison on it."

Isabel's arms release me and her hands join mine in lifting the fabric over my ribs. I love her touch, but mostly I love the fact that she likes what she sees, arousal widening her pupils and shifting her scent to heavier, intoxicating notes.

"I am sorry, what?" she asks distracted, walking her fingertips over my scars.

"My mom drugged me." Hearing it out loud fills me with embarrassment.

"This I know, she actually gave me this for you to treat the...side effects of the May Twenty." Isabel smiles and leaves my body orphan of her touch for a moment. She fumbles in her pockets, handing me a small packet with a brownish powder.

"Thanks. It's technically an October Third, since she put me to sleep with herbs, not by emptying my core. We did this once to Ale's dad," I smirk, recounting the whole convoluted action for which Eino himself donated his best wild lettuce extract. The aim was to get a grounded Alejandra out of the house and to the concert she and Sven had been dying to see. "So yeah, we poisoned an allied Beta." I conclude, pouring the sand-like remedy in my mouth because I don't want to spend my next two days on the toilet. Like poor Jordi did. 

Isabel looks at me with wide, horrified eyes and I shrug sheepishly: „That's what you are bonding, Luna. You can still change your mind."

"Well, this last one was for Alejandra, so a good cause, I guess." Her forgiveness is punctuated by a kiss on my nose. "But speaking of bonding...." she finally drops her jacket and takes out something that she keeps hidden in a shaky fist.

"At the River Border it's tradition to wear some jewelry in the color of our mate's eyes. I should get you something new, but I got this from the four pack on my first shift and...I never got to wear it. It's yours if you want it."

I look at the little cylinder which holds not just the delicious dark amber shade of her orbs but also Willow's bright golden. I am a fully grown Alpha so I definitely don't tear up when I bend my neck for her to lock the chain around it. That's also not at all why I am hiding my face between her breasts, my lips totally not trembling when I kiss one of them through layers of fabric.

I want to thank her, but my mouth is too happy trailing towards the collar of her shirt and her marking spot. My Luna doesn't pull back; she guides my fingers towards her waist, and soon her top joins mine on the floor.

It's difficult to choose between counting the freckles on her alabaster skin and tasting every one of them. In particular the ones on her shoulder - I'll have to place my mark carefully to not cover them. Canines descend dangerously fast at this thought and, hard as it is to break contact, I do and lean back against the headboard.

Isa straddles me as she did at the Red, towering Goddess-like on my hips. Then she was busy clawing away at my flesh, but now she's tilting her head back, pleasure relaxing her features as my hands roam over the silk of her undershirt. Her breasts are heavy and comfortably soft, spilling between my curious fingers which try to build a solid memory of their contours. 

"When did your mark disappear?" I whisper hoarsely, my eyes locked onto what is now mine to claim.

"I don't know. Sometimes today," she answers satisfied, "maybe when your mom made Finn bow to me."

Isa answers my follow-up silent question with a brief summary of Ayn's little detour up North and her former Alpha's defeat. She tells me about his suggestion, to challenge Peter and Arnie's testimony in front of the Shifter's Council.

"That's actually a brilliant idea. I am a bit jealous that I didn't think about it first. Would you like to?"

"No. I don't want to play they said-she said in front of those males...in front of your father," Isa says, looking away from me, and shaking her head dismissively.

"I understand. But you know, once I mark you, we can testify together."

The proposal sounded helpful in my head, but when I hear it out loud I cringe just like my Luna does. "I am sorry. You shouldn't have to depend on a mate's mark to be believed."

"No. And also, I don't want to think about it ever again. It's over now," Isa states, the fingers of her left hand poking at the skin from which those ugly lines are gone, while her right presses mine deeper on her breast.

There's a hint of tension in her muscles and a swirling darkness in her eyes that tells me it's probably not over. I ponder how much trouble would the pack be in if I raided Jake - Peter and Arnie's father. Or if alternatively, I could get the outcome I desire with poison. I am sure Eino would be happy to contribute, and we could call it a New Year's special or something.

But my Luna wants to step away from these thoughts and it's hard to challenge her right now.

Right now I want to enjoy her clumsy attempts at undoing my jeans and the freedom I am granted to remove hers. To feel her moving slowly on top of me while our tongues meet each other again, playful at first then more intent, hotter, deeper. To moan mine in her mouth and in the crook of her neck and hear her echo my claim. To shiver under her as she trails shiny fangs over my shoulder. It's ridiculous how much I missed her even if we lived in the same house for months. 

"Hey, Alpha," she calls to my attention with a hitchy breath, "I thought about it. I think I want to have a bond ceremony and mark your skin side in front of our pack and families." Her voice slides down in a smile as she adds in the shell of my ear: "But my wolf has been waiting way too long for her mate and she will get his mark tonight. Shift." 

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