Twenty-six

"What?" My voice came out small and unsure and I looked at Harper to check if I had heard him correctly.

"Amanda found her mate in a hospital six months ago, battling cancer. He was already in the terminal stage and being a human, there was no way the 20-year-old boy had any chance of surviving. I had already rejected you and then, seeing as she was mate-less, I chose her to be my chosen Luna."

I weakly nodded. I felt sorry for her, I did. 

"Did you ever sleep with her?" I asked warily, already knowing the answer in my gut.

He lowered his head and nodded. Of course, why did I even ask?!

I sighed, rubbing my arms. 

Harper walked towards me, closing the space between us even more. He cupped my face and I allowed the contact reluctantly. His hands were callused and I could feel the hard skin of his palms. He held my face and made me look up into his eyes.

"I don't know how else to say it, but I'm sorry. You're my mate, Zara and I know you find it hard to believe because you know that I have rejected you, but I want you. Only you. I want to be with you, you have to understand that. You have to trust me. I haven't slept with anyone else in weeks. I couldn't, because your face plagued me, even in my dreams." He chuckled to lighten the mood. We were so close to each other now, our faces not too far away for a gentle brush of our lips. I was tempted to brush his lips with my own but I needed to hear what he had to say.

"I don't know how else to say it, but I want us to try. I'm part animal Zara, and my wolf doesn't want to be with anyone else. And I do too, more than anything. I won't force you; to take all the time you need to make up your mind, but know that I will always want you. You're it for me and my wolf."

I looked into his green eyes, hearing the sincerity of his words. I believed him. It may sound stupid and restless on my part but wasn't I done being careful, wasn't I on my way to say yes to him anyway?!

I weakly nodded and his lips broke into a smile. I couldn't help but smile myself, he just looked so good when he smiled. He looked genuine whenever a smile graced his face and I loved that about him.

"I'm going to hug you now." He whispered, standing way too far away from me for comfort. I wanted him to close the space between us and do more than hug me.

Before I could reply, his hand which had been cupping my face till now, went around my waist. He stepped forward and enveloped me in his arms.

My head landed on his chest, I could feel the steady tempo of his heart, and the heat that his body emanated seeped through his clothes and clung to my skin. I never wanted to let go of him. I couldn't help but notice how perfectly we fit with each other, as cliché as that sounds. I felt content and a sigh escaped my lips, I felt giddy and elated in the comfort of his arms.

His head rested in the crook of my neck and I felt him take a deep breath by the ticklish sensation on the skin of my neck. My spine tingled and I shuddered involuntarily.

I felt Harper's lips on the base of my neck, a featherlight kiss that made shivers travel down my spine and my hands clutched his biceps tightly, my nails digging into the hard muscles.

Harper's grip on my waist tightened and I felt him smirk against the skin of my neck. That arrogant bastard! He knew what he was doing to me!

I gasped when I felt his hands on my hips. He backed me against the table, lifted my butt, and sat me down on the table. He spread my legs apart and stepped in between them, a predatory gleam in his eyes that thrilled me. My legs dangled off the table on either side of him and his hands came to rest on my waist again. He stepped closer to me yet again, ready to take me then and there.

My breath was coming in short pants. Harper was in his element now; he knew what he wanted and he knew he was going to get it because I wasn't sure I would want to stop him.

His face leaned down towards my own when he suddenly changed direction and went for my neck. He placed an open-mouthed gentle kiss on the base of my neck. I bit my lip to hold back a moan. I held onto his shoulders, my nails digging into his muscles. Harper was making me soar high in the air by just giving me a featherlight kiss on the neck and I loved how my body reacted to him.

I wasn't ashamed to admit the fact that I liked whatever Harper was doing to my body! Judge me if you want to!

Harper pressed open-mouthed kisses on my neck and I tilted my neck to give him better access. My chest was heaving and I was clutching onto his shoulders for dear life. My eyes were closed because I didn't want to see anything, I just wanted to feel.

He suddenly bit my neck and a loud moan came out of my mouth. He smiled against my neck but didn't stop his ministrations. He began to suck that little spot on my neck and I was sure there would be a damn hickey by the time he would finally stop!

He started kissing slowly to my jaw, my lips were tingling now, I just couldn't wait to taste his lips which were so skillfully giving me so much pleasure.

With every kiss, I could hear my heart pound in my chest and heat flooding my body. I had stopped trying to control my moans now, it was a lost cause. With every moan and sound, I made, I could sense Harper's impatience and excitement.

He kissed the corner of my mouth, which had me almost on my knees begging him to just kiss me already! I groaned again, more out of impatience than pleasure.

He stopped for a while, his hot breath fanning my lips. I opened my eyes to look into the green eyes of the boy I had started to feel so much for. He cupped one of my hands with his and guided it to his chest, right above where his heart was supposed to be. I could feel the crazy and frantic beatings of his heart, the proof he was as invested in us as I was.

I arched my back, my breasts pressing against his chest. He closed his eyes momentarily at the slight brush of our bodies. His hand moved at the small of my back and brought me as close to him as possible.

Harper leaned forward again and my lips parted on their own accord. My eyes closed involuntarily as I felt him come close to me.

His thumb slipped inside my blouse and warmed the skin of my back. I could feel goosebumps rise on my back and I felt my breath hitch for probably the millionth time in the last five minutes.

His tongue slid out of his mouth and my lips parted, eager for any sort of action. His tongue very skillfully traced my bottom lip making my insides quiver. Heat pooled low in my belly and I could feel my panties getting soaked at the way his tongue was sinfully tracing my lips.

Just as I thought he was about to kiss me, he moved his head and nibbled on my ear lobe. I gasped at the action, my hands circled his neck, while my fingers dug into his soft brown hair. I stroked his hair like I had wanted to do so many times before.

He gently bit my earlobe and a very embarrassing moan came out of my mouth. I could feel my cheeks turning red and I was glad Harper was too busy to tease me about my blush.

Then he stopped, his lips touching the shell of my ear.

"I don't think friends kiss each other."

I stilled. Oh, no he didn't. My eyes flew open and I gaped at him. He stepped back, creating some between us, and had a smirk on his face.

My eyes flew down to the bulge in his pants and I blushed a deep red. Harper chuckled; he was still standing between my legs but nowhere near as I wanted him to be.

I crossed my hands across my chest and glared at him. I smirked internally as a plan began to form in my head.

"Too bad, Harper. I was going to say yes to you anyway." I shrugged casually and looked at him, trying to gauge his reaction.

It was Harper's turn to freeze. I smiled cheekily at his stunned expression.

He quickly shook out of his trance and stepped forward, closing the distance between us again. His hands rested on my thighs, his breaths coming out in excited pants.

I smiled at him knowing that he had not expected me to agree to a relationship so soon.

"Really?" Harper's face lit up in excitement. He sounded more excited now than a few minutes ago when we were kissing. I scrunched my nose at the thought.

I nodded at him, gauging his every reaction.

"You're not saying that just to make me kiss you?" He said while biting his lip, still unsure.

I rolled my eyes. Count on him to spoil the mood!

I narrowed my eyes at him and glared at him. I was desperate for his kiss but I would never stoop to that level.

"Seriously, Harper?" I drawled. He would have to choose his next words very carefully now; he was walking on a land mine.

But he didn't speak a word after that, and neither did I. I honestly didn't mind.

Because the very next second, his lips were on mine. Fireworks erupted. Electricity sizzled. Lightning struck. Heat pooled between us. And every other romantic phrase you could think of.

I smiled against his lips and he smirked against mine. My hands circled his neck, playing with his soft brown locks and tugging at them. His hands circled my waist, bringing my body closer to his, leaving no space between us, not that I was complaining.

I moaned when he bit my lip. I could feel his bulge against my stomach and my breath caught in my throat.

"Okay, girlfriend." Harper smiled against my lips, his voice coming out husky and heavy. My knees would have buckled at the sound and I was glad that I was sitting on a table.

I giggled at his use of the word. The way he sounded possessive and protective at the same time had me seeing stars in the daylight.

"I could get used to saying that." He gave me a breathtaking smile which I returned with my timid one.

Before I could say anything, his lips crashed down on mine again.