BloodMoon: Captivated by the Forbidden Lycan Alpha
Chapter 98: OF LOVE AND DECLARATIONS.

Chapter 98: OF LOVE AND DECLARATIONS.

{"You are my forever and always."}

Rita’s words struck straight to my heart and mind. I couldn’t deny it, I felt the chemistry between us. I had even volunteered to join the journey to Sagstone Mountain to find Aqua and Fennel because of it. But was I truly ready for this?

I closed my eyes, turned around, and attempted to walk away. Before I could take another step, Rita moved swiftly, wrapping her arms around me and halting my movement. She pulled me back, pressing her front against my back. A shiver ran through me as her breath brushed against my ear.

"I know I’m hot-tempered and too much to handle," she murmured, her voice raw with emotion. "But I’ve never felt this kind of attraction to anyone. I refuse to hide from you, and I won’t lose you because of my demons."

Her words resonated deep within me, and my wolf, Flora, stirred in response, growling in happiness. A small smile played on my lips as I whispered, "I know. I’m new to this too, and I don’t want you to be disappointed."

Rita chuckled softly. "Then why are you running away, Flora?"

I turned my head, and our eyes met, hers glowing with an intensity that made my breath hitch. She looked at me as if I were her entire world.

Before I could respond, she leaned in, her lips brushing against mine in a featherlight kiss. A tremor ran through me, and an unbidden moan escaped my lips. She kissed me again, soft, slow, exploring, moving between my bottom and top lip with delicate precision. I could do nothing but receive, lost in her warmth, our eyes locked in a silent conversation far deeper than words.

Rita suddenly stopped, and I lifted my gaze to meet hers, whispering, "Ralph will come back anytime."

She chuckled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Is that what you’re worried about? He knows we needed alone time, he won’t be back until morning."

Heat crept up my cheeks, and I looked away, feeling shy. But Rita wasn’t having it. She gently grasped my chin, tilting my face back toward her.

"Have you ever kissed anyone?" she asked, her voice soft yet teasing.

I shook my head.

Her lips curled into a smirk. "I want to kiss you."

I stammered, reminding her that she had already kissed me, but she only laughed, a rich, warm sound that sent a shiver straight to my heart. Then, in a voice as smooth as silk, she purred, "Oh, Commander Flora, I never pegged you for the innocent type."

A challenge sparked in my chest, pushing aside my hesitation. Lifting myself, I pressed my lips against hers. For a second, Rita seemed surprised, but then she responded, parting my lips with ease, deepening the kiss. And in that moment, I saw stars. Our mouths moved in perfect sync, her taking, me giving, our breaths mingling in heated surrender. I clung to her, lost in the sensation, and as our bodies melted into each other, we both moaned, the sound of desire filling the space between us.

The moment Rita’s lips met mine, the world around me ceased to exist. It was just us, just her warmth, her scent, her steady presence anchoring me in a sea of unfamiliar emotion. I had never felt this before. Never craved it, never thought it could belong to me. But here it was, wrapping around me like a wildfire I couldn’t escape, nor did I want to. My heart pounded so hard I thought she could hear it. My wolf stirred, pressing against my skin, growling in satisfaction, in recognition. This was right. She was right.

Rita kissed me with a slowness that stole my breath, as if she had all the time in the world to unravel me. And she was, piece by piece, breaking through the walls I had built, shattering every fear and doubt. My hands gripped her shoulders, needing something solid as my body trembled, as something deep inside me cracked open.

This was Love.

The realization hit me like a storm. This wasn’t just attraction or desire, this was something far more dangerous, far more beautiful. A connection that went beyond skin and touch. It was in the way she held me, the way her lips moved against mine like she was memorizing me, claiming me without force, only tenderness. A soft whimper escaped me, and she caught it, swallowing it into her breath, her own need. I melted into her, giving in, giving everything.

When we finally pulled apart, she rested her forehead against mine, her hands framing my face like I was something precious, something she would protect with her life. "You’re mine," Rita whispered, her voice filled with promise. And in that moment, as I stared into those glowing, shifter eyes, I knew. I had never belonged to anyone before, but I belonged to her.

Her words settled over me like a warm embrace, wrapping around my heart and sinking into the deepest parts of me. You’re mine.

No one had ever said that to me, not like this. Not as a promise. Not as something sacred. I had spent my life believing I was best at being alone, that I had to project Bay shifter pack, that love—true love—was something meant for others. But as I stood here, her hands gently framing my face, her eyes burning with certainty, I felt it.

I wanted.

I was safe.

I was hers.

A shuddering breath left my lips as something inside me, something I had kept locked away for so long, finally broke free. I reached up, covering her hands with mine, needing to feel her, to ground myself in this moment. My throat tightened, my chest ached, not with pain, but with something bigger, something I had no words for. I didn’t need words. Instead, I let my heart speak for me.

I surged forward, closing the distance between us, my lips pressing against hers with everything I had, everything I was. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing, only the overwhelming need to show her that I was hers just as much as she was mine.

She inhaled sharply, then melted into me, her arms pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. The kiss deepened, slow yet consuming, and I poured myself into it, every unspoken fear, every unfulfilled longing, every piece of me I had never dared to give away before.

She took it all. She held it all.

And in her embrace, I finally understood that having a mate was magical and a blessing from the moon goddess, it did not matter what kind of person they were, but if our shifter beast connected, then it was perfect. When we finally pulled apart, our breaths mingled in the space between us, warm and unsteady. My heart thundered in my chest, my lips tingling from the depth of the kiss, from the raw emotion we had poured into each other.

Rita’s hands remained on my face, her touch firm yet tender, like she was afraid to let go. I opened my eyes and found her staring at me, not just at me, but into me, as if she could see every fractured piece of my soul and was silently vowing to hold them together.

"I choose you," Rita declared, her voice thick with emotion. "Not just today, not just in this moment. Always."

A shiver ran down my spine, but it wasn’t from fear. It was from the weight of her words, from the truth in them. I swallowed hard, reaching up to trace my fingers along the strong line of her jaw, needing to touch her, to make her feel what I couldn’t yet put into words. My wolf stirred inside me, restless, eager, filled with a joy I had never known before.

"I am yours," I whispered back, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside me. "Your mate. Your partner. And I swear to you, I will stand by your side, in love and battle. In darkness and light. No force, no fate, no god will take me from you."

A soft growl rumbled in Rita’s chest, not one of warning, but of deep, primal satisfaction. Her forehead pressed against mine, her breath warm against my skin.

"I will protect you with my life," she vowed, her grip on me tightening. "Because you are mine. Because I will never let this world take you from me."

Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, but I didn’t let them fall. Instead, I let my hands slide to the back of her neck, pulling her close, sealing our promise with another kiss. Our bond—sacred, unbreakable, eternal. We were mates. And nothing, nothing, would ever change that.

We finally settled down in the corner of the mountain cave, right by the entrance to the Golden Path. The night air was cool, but with Rita in my arms, I barely noticed the chill. Her body was warm against mine, her scent a soothing mix of wild earth and something uniquely her. I held her close, listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt at peace. Content. Like I had finally found the place I was meant to be. I glanced down at her, watching the soft rise and fall of her chest, the way her features had lost the tension I had grown so used to seeing. It was as if some invisible weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

My heart clenched. She shouldn’t have carried that weight alone for so long. I brushed my fingers over her arm in a slow, absentminded motion, letting my wolf’s instincts take over, letting her feel my presence, my promise.

"I won’t let anyone hurt you," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper, but filled with conviction. "Not now. Never."

Rita shifted slightly, her lips parting as if she had heard me in her sleep. A soft sound escaped her, almost like a sigh of relief, before she nestled closer, burying her face into the crook of my neck. I tightened my hold on her, pressing a lingering kiss to the top of her head. "You are wanted, Rita. Always." With that promise sealed between us, I allowed my eyes to close, the steady warmth of my mate lulling me into the most peaceful sleep I had ever known.