Evander sighs softly and drops his hands to his sides. He tilts his head upward and stares at the darkening sky, as if offering his cheeks for the first rays of moonlight to land upon. I slow my own movements, straightening as well, my focus narrowing to him.
He truly is the sort of handsome that can lead one to believe in the gods, because, surely, a man like him had divine intervention in his crafting. Ignorantly and effortlessly, Evander wields the kind of allure that whispers dark temptations, impossible to resist even when you know there’s danger lurking beneath. And yet, for all his beauty, he is equally tortured. A veil of heartache shrouds him, clinging to him like a second skin. A constant companion that I wish I couldn’t recognize.
“All that stress leading up to our departure, and, yet, when we were in the forest…Father moved like he was home. All those worries, those fears, melted away. They collapsed into long hours of trekking down hidden paths that felt like nature made solely for us. He could walk and walk for hours, as if he was trying to get back to somewhere…” Evander hangs his head, shaking it, rubbing his eyes. “Somewhere that no longer existed.”
“Because of Conri?” I dare to ask.
Evander’s eyes meet mine and he nods. “Conri took everything from my pack, whittling us down until it was, well, only me.”
“We will get our vengeance,” I swear.
“I know.” He shifts closer to me. “And I thank you with every breath for it.”
I nod and return to working on the shelter. Light is fading. But, more than that, there’s an irresistible draw to Evander in this moment. The pull is so strong that if I were to move for him now, I might stumble and fall into his arms and never be able to escape him again.
I will be there as long as you want me.
His words from earlier resonate in me. I slowly bring my eyes back to him to find him waiting, staring. As if he knew my attention would return if he merely waited.
Would it be so bad if I fell for him? Not just for the necessity of fighting off Conri’s charms, or for the bodily pleasures we can give each other, but for the man himself? I try to shift the way I look at him and find it easy to consider him as a prospective partner. Perhaps it’s been shifting for a few days now.
“What is it?” He chuckles. “You’re looking at me like I’ve changed my shape into something other than a wolf.” Evander steps forward and reaches out to cup my cheek.
I hadn’t realized I’d actually tilted my head to look at him differently until his palm meets my skin. I’m grateful for the night to hide the dusting of blush that coats my cheeks. Though I wonder if he can feel the warmth. It almost makes me blush more.
His lips part slightly. Evander takes a small step forward, hand landing on my hip—feather light, as if, somehow, now of all times, he’s afraid to touch me. His palm quivers slightly. It seems as if every time we step apart, we come back together, faster than the last. My heart hammers. The way he’s looking at me now…like I am everything…
“Faelyn, there’s so much I need to tell you. So much you should know,” he whispers huskily.
“We’ll have time for you to tell me as you’re ready.” I raise a hand to cover his, holding it against my warm cheek. “You’re coming with me, remember?”
“As long as you want me there,” he reiterates.
“There isn’t any world I could imagine where I wouldn’t.”
“When you learn all of who I am, what I’ve done…”
“Things you had to,” I insist to him. “To survive Conri and this harsh world you were born into.”
“If only that were the extent of it.” He sighs and releases me, going to move away.
I don’t let him. Both hands on his face, I keep him in place, and kiss him firmly. Pulling away just enough to form words, I whisper, “Stop being so afraid.”
“But—”
“You’ve spent so much of your life afraid. Sacrificing joy. Chasing one fleeting happiness after the last. You don’t have to be afraid with me. I’m not leaving.”
He groans and claims my mouth, arms tight around my waist. Evander leans forward, as if he wants to devour me whole. I lean back, but only slightly, struggling to match his sudden fervor though desperately wanting to.
Moving hands. Shifting gasps. Tugs on the hems of clothing and the chill air of night against his bare skin that prickles it to gooseflesh under my hands. Never have I wanted to help someone relax more. I want him to take me. To use me for his relief this once. The joy I would find in seeing his unburdened smile and knowing I am the cause…
Evander reaches forward, grabbing my rear and pulling me up. I move on instinct, knowing what he wants. My legs lock around his waist and my back presses into a tree.
His one hand is in my hair. The other caresses down my side, grabbing my breast on the way before gripping my hip. His thumb makes circles, closer and closer, until it hits my most sensitive spot. I moan into his mouth, suck on his tongue, and grind my hips against his.
“Woman.” The word is somewhere between a gasp and a growl as he frees his lips from mine, burying his face in the crook of my neck. His teeth sink into my skin, thumb moving relentlessly, working me to a fervor. “You make me mindless. You make me hasty and hot. You make me want like I have never wanted before—like I never thought I would ever want again.” He almost sounds angered by it.
“It’s all right to want me,” I whisper reassuringly. “Because, Evander, I want you, too.”
