He smiled. "It is." He wrapped his arm around my waist. "But it looks better when you're with me."
My heart swelled with affection. I leaned over to kiss him. His lips were warm against the cool breeze of the mountaintop. His whole body radiated heat. I pressed against it, wanting to be as close as possible. My heart raced and Orpheus probably felt it beating against his chest, but I didn't care. I was so happy.
When he pulled away, his eyes were twinkling. “I want to show you something. But it involves me flying again." He lifted our hands, which were linked together. "Can you spare me for a moment?"
"Perhaps." I smiled and let go.
He winked. "I won't be gone long."
As he stepped off the edge of the mountain, my heart skipped a beat, but then the shift took over him again. His form melted into that of a majestic raven, whose spread wings lifted him into the air.
He went up, higher and higher, until it hurt to crane my neck back any further. Then, just as it seemed like he was going to graze the bottom of the clouds, he folded his wings and dove, spiralling as he fell. I watched in awe.
His movements weren't like anything I'd seen before. These were purposeful, practised, artful even. It struck me that I was watching something special.
When he finished his display, he soared down on widely spread black wings. He shifted gracefully in midair so that when he touched the ground, it was on feet instead of talons. He was slightly out of breath as he looked at me with his soft smile.
"Well?" he asked. "What do you think?"
"That was amazing," I said. "I don't know exactly what it was you were showing me, but it looked special."
Orpheus’s smile grew brighter. "That's because it is." He put his hands on my arms, gently rubbing them. "That's how raven shifters propose to their mates. That aerial dance is my way of asking you to build a nest with me and raise a family together." He looked uncharacteristically shy, and I wondered why until he said, "That was actually my first time doing it, so I hope you don't mind all the mistakes."
My eyes widened. Did that mean he'd never shown this to Ryker? That filled me with so much joy, and I didn't even care that it was selfish. That man didn't deserve Orpheus.
But now here he was, showing off this dance for me, and me alone. My heart swelled.
"Red," Orpheus said seriously. "I'm asking you to be my mate. With kids and everything."
To know that he wanted that with me made me deeply emotional. I'd written off that chapter in my life before it ever even began because I thought I was too different for any alpha to ever accept. But here Orpheus was, proving me wrong. And I couldn't be happier for it.
"Yes," I said instantly. "Of course I will."
He beamed and threw his arms around me. The embrace was warm compared to the cool wind of the mountaintop and I didn't want to let him go.
But I didn't want to wait a second longer. The urge to mate was so powerful that I couldn't even be assed to find a more private location. The sooner Orpheus knocked me up, the better. If it happened on a mountaintop? Well, at least it'd make an interesting story.
I grabbed Orpheus and crushed my mouth against his. His toned arms wrapped around me, pulling me against his chest.
We were crazy about each other. I finally understood why all the other pairs of fated mates were so fucking googly all the time. It was the best feeling in the world. I never thought I'd get so lucky. Orpheus was a dream come true.
His tongue ravaged my mouth, swallowing my moan. A shudder rippled down my spine. Orpheus turned my pulse to fireworks. He pushed me against the smooth trunk of a nearby tree and kissed me hard until we were both breathless.
The last time we'd had sex, I'd slipped between omega and alpha—but this time, I was one-hundred percent omega. I needed Orpheus inside me.
I needed him to breed me.
"I want a baby," I growled demandingly.
His mouth curled into a grin. "Say no more."
Good thing we were always on the same wavelength. His hands slid down my sides, then cupped my ass. His finger inched towards my hole, already slick with anticipation. I hissed as he teased my ass. I playfully bit down on his shoulder to let him know I wasn't in the mood for teasing.
"Fuck me," I ordered.
Orpheus's eyes gleamed with lust. He shoved his finger inside me and I snarled with pleasure. My body was hot and restless. I was voracious with arousal.
"If you don't put your cock in me soon, I'm going to grab it and use it as a dildo," I warned him.
