Page 64 of In the Light of the Moon
Orion gave me a long look at my change in subject, but he relented, “Because they feel as though they can. Since Graham has been Pack Leader, he tries to assert that those not in his pack are prohibited from running on the land they claim is theirs.”
“And by running, I’m assuming you mean in your wolf form.” Orion nodded warily, like he was preparing himself for me to have something negative to say about it. But I was just relieved he’d finally told me. I hadn’t even been surprised to see Jasper with Graham’s little group. What happened in the coffee shop now took on a whole new meaning. “What were they saying about me not being your mate?”
Orion winced, and he dropped his gaze to his lap. “I should have told you sooner. Let you know what this meant,” he waveda despondent hand at the darkened mark on his shoulder. I reached up to touch mine and felt it warm under my touch. I’d guessed it had something to do with claiming a partner, even before I’d figured out what Orion was. Through the wall between us, when I heard him call me his mate, my heart leapt at the word that encompassed how I felt for him.
“That we’re mated you mean?”
His brow was drawn low over his eyes, and he wasn’t even attempting to look at me. He nodded. “Yes. Though, I understand if I’ve broken your trust and you don’t want that. I just…” Orion chuckled to himself, shook his head. “I’ve been selfish. I wanted to have you and not have it tainted by all that comes with who I really am. And I’ve put you in danger. I am so sorry, Sylvie.” His voice was rough, trembling at the end, and I just couldn’t take it.
I put the mug on the floor beside my feet and knelt between Orion’s legs. I ducked my head to catch the soft, miserable green, and took both his hands in mine. “Orion. I forgive you. And, while I don’t know everything, obviously, I already guessed you were a… a wolf shifter. So please don’t be upset. I love you.”
He sucked in a gasp, and I waited. I rubbed my thumbs on the backs of his hands and watched while he inched closer to me, nose sniffing intently. He didn’t even have to ask, my head just turned to the side, offering my neck for him. Orion took to the area again, inhaling and exhaling in quick succession.
After a while, he reached some sort of conclusion, and he pressed his brow against mine. His voice cracked as he whispered, “I love you, Sylvie. So much. I don’t deserve you, but I will be by your side for as long as you’ll allow.”
I kissed him quickly, just a brush of our lips, and nuzzled my nose against his. He grunted, lashes tickling my cheeks, and I couldn’t stop the smile on my face. How many times had Orion held himself back from making these little sounds? From beinghis true self? It still hurt a bit that he’d feared I’d reject him, but my joy in another barrier fallen between us eclipsed it.
“I’ve already claimed you, remember?” I poked gently at my mark on his skin. But what Graham said immediately started niggling again at the back of my mind. “Wait,” I pulled back to look at him, “when he said I wasn’t claimed, what did he mean, I thought?—”
The sound Orion made this time was more menacing, angry. His lip curled back away from his teeth. “Ihaveclaimed you.”
“But why doesn’t he think so?”
Orion’s hands landed on my neck, cupping my jaw, and my pulse beat steadily under his fingers. I waited while he fought with himself about something, jaw working, but I saw when he decided how to explain. “I… For Wolf mates, the bite is the claim. Piercing flesh with the intent to mate.” His finger tickled where his teeth bruised but never broke my skin.
The difference dawned on me after a moment of furrowed confusion. “But I broke your skin. Does that not count?”
He gave a weak shrug, “You aren’t Wolf. To them, it doesn’t hold weight.”
“Okay, but why does it matter?”
“To me, it doesn’t. But I think he’s trying to find a reason to provoke me. Matehood is sacred to all shifters, and for those of us that tend to group in packs, mates—shifter or not—are extended protection and special consideration.” Orion’s body went rigid, and in the dim light of the room, it looked like his teeth sharpened, “Harassing you as my mate is a special kind of disrespect. Unforgivable. To state my claim incomplete is an attempt to justify his actions.”
I nodded, but I was annoyed. These rules seemed primitive, but I had to remind myself that it was most likely Graham manipulating their customs to his benefit. Because he’d only tried to ruffle my feathers when Orion wasn’t around. Thatcouldn’t have been a coincidence. “Okay, well,” I exposed my neck once again, “bite me properly, so he at least won’t have that to hold over our heads.” At least this had a simple solution. I fought to keep my expression serious, even when the prospect of Orion sinking his fangs into my neck made me more excited than seemed appropriate to admit.
I sat there, neck craned to the side for a long time. The anticipation had been distracting enough that it took a while for me to realize that Orion hadn’t moved at all. I turned back to him, “Baby?”
Orion scrubbed a hand over his face, and I saw a flash of the black wolf illustrated on his inner arm. On our first date, I hadn’t realized what it was, but after hours spent with him, I’d catalogued the old Irish art style that made up the majority of his tattoos. The animal leapt across the length of his forearm, its form incorporated in a series of swirls and Celtic knots.
When he finally spoke, his tone was firm. Almost so much so that it disguised something blue—sadness or regret. “No, Sylvie. As much as some of the legends about my kind have been wrong, if I break the skin, you could turn. Something that is very painful if it doesn’t… end your life.”
I searched his face, lips turned down in a decided frown that matched my confused one. “But, you’ve already bitten me once.” Well, bitten and scratched, if I was remembering correctly. It’d happened so fast, but I was fairly certain. “And nothing happened. Maybe my being a witch rejects it somehow? Either way, I’m willing to take the risk.”
Orion looked at me as if I’d said something horrific. He shook his head vehemently, and he took my head in his hands again. “No, Sylvie. I won’t budge on this. There’s no way to be sure?—”
“Orion, you aren’t listening to me. Letmedecide. I’d rather not give that pack any reason to doubt us.”
He gnawed at his lip, gem green eyes swimming in the middle space between us. He whispered, more to himself than me, “I can’t lose you.”
I leaned into his left palm and bent to kiss his wrist. “Oh, baby, you’re not. I know it. None of this scares me.Youdon’t scare me.”
Orion just chuckled and shook his head. “My little witch, facing down five shifted Wolves. You may not have been afraid, but I guarantee the rest of us were.”
“Pfft, they had it coming. And I meant what I said. Youarebeautiful.”
His brow quirked, “I’m not sure anyone’s called my half-shift beautiful. I’ve certainly never thought of myself that way.”
I gave his wrist another kiss. “Well, you are. And…” Orion’s head tilted to the side, waiting and also a bit like when a dog hears a strange noise. It was extremely cute, almost as much as he was when he blushed. It made me dredge up enough courage to ask, “Can… can I see?” I cleared my throat, “Unless you’re uncomfortable, because in that case, I would never?—”
