As he stripped her of her clothes and tenderly made love to her, his words echoed in her mind even as they filled the quiet room. “My mate. My heart. My everything.”
* * *
The dim glow of the fae lamps cast soft, golden light across the room, but Decebel barely noticed. His focus was razor-sharp, fixed on the door, on the faint rhythm of Jen’s footsteps as she moved through the home toward their space. His space. His sanctuary. His mate.
His wolf prowled just beneath the surface, restless and clawing for dominance. It wasn’t anger driving the beast tonight but something deeper, something raw and consuming. Desire. Need. Decebel’s jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth, his hands curling into fists at his sides. The man struggled to maintain control, but the wolf was relentless.She’s ours. Claim her. Remind her whom she belongs to.
The door creaked open, and Jen stepped inside. Joy filled her, but underneath it was a layer of grief. For Jewel, for Dalton.
Jen was barefoot. Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders in unruly waves, and her soft smile was tinged with exhaustion. She closed the door quietly behind her, then leaned back against it as she let out a long breath.
“She’s finally asleep,” Jen said, relieved. “You’d think after adventuring through the draheim realm, Thia would be too tired to talk, but no. That kid has stories for days.” Decebel could tell Jen was trying to not think about the horrible events of the day. She needed a distraction. She needed him.
Decebel didn’t respond. His amber eyes locked on hers, and the moment her gaze met his, Jen froze. Her lips parted slightly as she took in the expression on his face.
“Dec.” Her tone shifted to one of cautious curiosity.
She didn’t need to ask. She knew. She always knew.
Her mate was close to the edge, his wolf prowling, pacing, pushing against the fragile barrier between them. The intensity in his eyes was almost overwhelming, a mix of feral hunger and unyielding possession. Her heart skipped a beat, and she swallowed hard as the air between them seemed to thicken, charged with electricity.
Decebel’s voice, low and commanding, cut through the silence. “Strip.”
The single word hit her like a physical force, and her pulse quickened as the weight of his command settled over her. There was no gentleness in his tone, no room for negotiation. This wasn’t the tender lover who whispered sweet nothings in the dark. This was her mate, her alpha, a man driven by instinct and need.
Jen’s heart raced, her body responding to him before her mind could catch up. She reached for the hem of her shirt, and her fingers trembled slightly as she pulled it over her head and let it fall to the floor. Her jeans followed, and she stood before him in nothing but her undergarments, the air cool against her skin.
Decebel’s gaze raked over her, his wolf flashing in the golden glow of his eyes. He took a single step toward her, and the ground shifted beneath Jen’s feet, as though the sheer force of his presence was enough to unbalance her.
“Everything,” he growled, the word laced with a dark promise.
Jen didn’t hesitate this time. She slid the straps of her bra off her shoulders, letting the fabric fall away, followed by the last barrier between them. She stood bare before him, her chin lifted, her eyes locked on his. She wasn’t afraid—she never was with Decebel—but the intensity of his gaze made her breath catch.
He closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, his hands gripping her hips with a possessive strength that sent a shiver down her spine. His touch wasn’t gentle. Instead, it was firm, demanding, as though he needed to feel every inch of her to ground himself.
“You’re mine.” His voice was a low growl that reverberated through her. His head dipped, and his lips found the mark on her neck, the scar that bound them together in a way no force could break.
Jen gasped as his teeth grazed her skin, the sharp edge of his canines igniting a fire that spread through her veins. His bite firm, deliberate—not tentative—a reminder of who she was and whom she belonged to. The bond between them flared to life, flooding her with his emotions: possessiveness, longing, and a depth of love so fierce it left her breathless.
She opened her mouth to speak—to say something, anything—but Decebel growled low in his throat, a warning that sent a thrill through her.
“Don’t. No words. Not tonight.”
Jen closed her mouth, her breath coming in shallow gasps as the tension radiated off him. His hands roamed over her body, rough and reverent all at once, as though he was trying to memorize every curve, every inch of her.
“This.” His lips moved against her skin. “This is what I need. Not words. Not promises. Just you, Jen. Your light. Your fire. Your everything.”
She felt his desperation, his need to hold onto her, to lose himself in her. It wasn’t just about desire. It was about survival. The darkness in him, the chaos that threatened to consume him, could only be tamed by her. She was his anchor, his salvation, and he needed her like he needed air.
Decebel lifted her effortlessly, carried her to the bed, and laid her down with a care that belied the urgency in his movements. His body covered hers, his warmth pressing against her as his lips claimed hers in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was fierce, consuming, a battle of wills, and a surrender all at once.
Jen’s hands slid over his shoulders, and her nails grazed his skin as she pulled him closer. She could feel the tension in his muscles, the barely contained power that thrummed beneath the surface. He was a storm, wild and untamed, but she was the calm that steadied him, the light that guided him through the darkness.
As the hours stretched on, the world outside their room ceased to exist. There was no war, no danger, no looming threat. There was only Decebel and Jen, two halves of a whole, bound together by a love that burned brighter than any shadow.
Decebel’s growl softened into a low rumble as he pressed his forehead against hers, his breath warm against her lips. “My female, my mate, my love,” he murmured. “And I’ll never let you forget it.”
Jen smiled, her hands cupping his face as she whispered, “I never will.”
