“You keep looking at me like that,” Asher growled against her ear, voice ragged, breath warm. “You’re going to make me lose control.”“I’m not doing anything,” Elena whispered back, wide-eyed, cheeks flushed.“You know exactly what you’re doing.” His eyes darkened, gaze roaming her face like he was memorizing every inch. “And I’ve been holding back for far too long.”“Asher…”That was all it took.In one fluid movement, his arms scooped beneath her thighs and back, lifting her off the ground. She gasped, clutching his shoulders, heart thudding in her chest.“You don’t play fair,” he murmured, lips grazing her temple. “And I can’t pretend anymore.”The hallway blurred around them, lit only by the soft gold hue of the lamps. With each step, anticipation coiled tighter inside her. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen. Her mind buzzed with nerves, her chest tight with the unknown. But even in that whirlwind of emotion, one thing grounded her.She trusted him.Completely.When they rea
Her body still trembled with the aftershocks of their union, skin slick with sweat, heart pounding beneath Asher’s hand as it rested lightly over her chest.She wasn’t ready for what came next.Not because she didn’t want it—but because it was the kind of worship she’d never known, the kind that stripped her bare in ways that had nothing to do with skin.“Elena,” Asher whispered, voice low, reverent. He was still hovering above her, their breaths mingling in the quiet space between them. “I’m not done loving you.”She blinked, flushed already from what they’d shared, but his words sent a new wave of warmth crashing through her. “Y-you don’t have to—”“I want to.” His lips ghosted along her collarbone, tracing a line downward. “This is for you. Just you.”Her stomach flipped as his mouth moved lower, trailing heat down her torso, over her navel. Each kiss was deliberate, slow, and full of purpose—as though every part of her deserved to be cherished. Worshipped.He paused just below her
Her throat tightened, heart clenching.How could he say things like that? How could he look at her like she was made of starlight and not scar tissue?She turned into his chest, hiding her face. “You’re too good to be real.”He chuckled softly, wrapping her in his arms. “I was just thinking the same thing about you.”They lay in silence for a while. Her head rested over his heartbeat, steady and grounding. His fingers traced patterns along her back, the rhythm soothing.“You surprised me,” she said finally, voice muffled against his skin.“How so?”“You… you were so gentle. So patient. And... you knew exactly what to do.” She tilted her head up, studying his face. “Have you… done this before?”He paused. “Yes. I won’t lie to you.”That made her chest ache a little—but only for a second.“Then why did this feel so… different?”He cupped her cheek, tilting her face up to his. “Because you’re not just anyone. You’re the one I love. The one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I wasn
She blinked, her throat thick. “It’s just… hard. Knowing I wasn’t your first.”“You were,” he said, lifting her chin. “In every way that counts. You were the first time I ever made love. Not just sex. Love. The first time I ever looked at someone and thought, ‘I’d do anything to make you feel safe.’”Her eyes welled with tears.He wiped one away with his thumb. “You’re the first person I’ve ever wanted to remember every second with. Every sound you made, every look, every touch—it’s burned into me.”She turned into his chest, heart thudding.“And you’re the first,” he continued, voice cracking slightly, “who made me believe I deserved to be loved back.”Her arms tightened around him.“I hate that I wasn’t your only,” she whispered. “But I’m trying not to let that poison what we have.”He kissed the top of her head. “You don’t have to pretend it doesn’t bother you. I get it. But I need you to know—Elena, I need you to believe—that what I had before was nothing. You… you are my first. T
Morning Serenity:“Are you awake?”Asher's voice was a low murmur, barely audible over the soft rustle of sheets.Elena stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open to meet his gaze.“Mmm... I am now,” she replied, a sleepy smile playing on her lips.He chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.“Good morning,” he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.“Morning,” she replied, her voice husky with sleep.They lay in comfortable silence, the morning light filtering through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room.Asher tightened his arms around her, savoring the feeling of her body pressed against his.He inhaled deeply, letting her scent fill his senses.The events of the previous night replayed in his mind, each moment etched into his memory.His inner wolf, Leo, stirred within him, a contented rumble echoing in his mind.She is ours, Leo murmured. Ours to protect, to cherish.Asher smiled, his fingers tracing lazy circles on Elena's back.“I could get
God, he wanted to say yes. Yes, so she’d be beside him. Yes, so she could sit in that hall and make the men who doubted her presence shut their mouths the moment she raised her head.But he couldn’t. Not yet.He turned to her, grinning despite the ache in his chest. “Absolutely not.”Her eyebrows arched. “Why not?”“Because you’d distract me.” He nipped playfully at her bottom lip. “Every time I look at you, I forget what I’m saying. I’ll end up calling an elder by your name or proposing legislation about how everyone should smell like strawberries.”She burst into laughter, swatting him lightly. “You’re ridiculous.”“And you’re irresistible,” he said, before catching her lips in a kiss.It was supposed to be brief—a tease, a laugh—but the moment their mouths touched, the atmosphere shifted. Like a match dropped in dry grass. His hand slid behind her neck, angling her closer. Her fingers curled into his hair. The air thickened.Her body melted into his. His lips pressed more urgently.
“I’ve missed three council sessions, delayed the joint patrol drills, and put off signing the land expansion request forms for two weeks.”Grayson raised an eyebrow. “Should I keep going?”“No.” Asher met his eyes. “I know. I’ve been off my game.”Grayson softened. “You’ve been in love.”The admission settled between them like a dropped stone in still water.Asher didn’t deny it.“I wasn’t expecting it to hit this hard,” he admitted, voice low. “It’s like... I breathe easier around her. Everything feels sharper when she’s near—and dull when she’s not.”Grayson’s expression was unreadable for a moment, then he sighed and set the map down. “Look, I get it. The bond’s intense. I felt it when I met my mate, too. You want to spend every moment with her. You should. But you’re still Alpha.”“I know.” The words were heavy. “I know, Gray.”Grayson folded his arms. “We’ve got more than just treaties to worry about. There’s something else.”Asher’s attention snapped up.“The Crest Moon Pack.”A
Elena’s Point of View With a slow drag of my marker, I drew a straight line across the wall, then stepped back to look at it. Two thousand one hundred and ninety days. Almost six years had passed since my parents vanished—more like abandoned me. I wasn’t even sure why I kept track of the days. Maybe deep down, I hoped they would return someday. When I was twelve, I longed for them like any child would, but now, at nearly eighteen, I no longer wanted them back. Soon, I could leave this place forever. I never got an explanation for why they disappeared, though the most obvious reason was me—being born the weakest of the pack. Still, that didn’t justify leaving their own child behind, especially in the hands of people who despised me. Each day brought a fresh form of cruelty, whether humiliation or physical pain. And believe me, pain was always their first choice. It didn’t matter who started it; someone would, and another would finish it. The only person in the entire pack who n
“I’ve missed three council sessions, delayed the joint patrol drills, and put off signing the land expansion request forms for two weeks.”Grayson raised an eyebrow. “Should I keep going?”“No.” Asher met his eyes. “I know. I’ve been off my game.”Grayson softened. “You’ve been in love.”The admission settled between them like a dropped stone in still water.Asher didn’t deny it.“I wasn’t expecting it to hit this hard,” he admitted, voice low. “It’s like... I breathe easier around her. Everything feels sharper when she’s near—and dull when she’s not.”Grayson’s expression was unreadable for a moment, then he sighed and set the map down. “Look, I get it. The bond’s intense. I felt it when I met my mate, too. You want to spend every moment with her. You should. But you’re still Alpha.”“I know.” The words were heavy. “I know, Gray.”Grayson folded his arms. “We’ve got more than just treaties to worry about. There’s something else.”Asher’s attention snapped up.“The Crest Moon Pack.”A
God, he wanted to say yes. Yes, so she’d be beside him. Yes, so she could sit in that hall and make the men who doubted her presence shut their mouths the moment she raised her head.But he couldn’t. Not yet.He turned to her, grinning despite the ache in his chest. “Absolutely not.”Her eyebrows arched. “Why not?”“Because you’d distract me.” He nipped playfully at her bottom lip. “Every time I look at you, I forget what I’m saying. I’ll end up calling an elder by your name or proposing legislation about how everyone should smell like strawberries.”She burst into laughter, swatting him lightly. “You’re ridiculous.”“And you’re irresistible,” he said, before catching her lips in a kiss.It was supposed to be brief—a tease, a laugh—but the moment their mouths touched, the atmosphere shifted. Like a match dropped in dry grass. His hand slid behind her neck, angling her closer. Her fingers curled into his hair. The air thickened.Her body melted into his. His lips pressed more urgently.
Morning Serenity:“Are you awake?”Asher's voice was a low murmur, barely audible over the soft rustle of sheets.Elena stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open to meet his gaze.“Mmm... I am now,” she replied, a sleepy smile playing on her lips.He chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.“Good morning,” he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.“Morning,” she replied, her voice husky with sleep.They lay in comfortable silence, the morning light filtering through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room.Asher tightened his arms around her, savoring the feeling of her body pressed against his.He inhaled deeply, letting her scent fill his senses.The events of the previous night replayed in his mind, each moment etched into his memory.His inner wolf, Leo, stirred within him, a contented rumble echoing in his mind.She is ours, Leo murmured. Ours to protect, to cherish.Asher smiled, his fingers tracing lazy circles on Elena's back.“I could get
She blinked, her throat thick. “It’s just… hard. Knowing I wasn’t your first.”“You were,” he said, lifting her chin. “In every way that counts. You were the first time I ever made love. Not just sex. Love. The first time I ever looked at someone and thought, ‘I’d do anything to make you feel safe.’”Her eyes welled with tears.He wiped one away with his thumb. “You’re the first person I’ve ever wanted to remember every second with. Every sound you made, every look, every touch—it’s burned into me.”She turned into his chest, heart thudding.“And you’re the first,” he continued, voice cracking slightly, “who made me believe I deserved to be loved back.”Her arms tightened around him.“I hate that I wasn’t your only,” she whispered. “But I’m trying not to let that poison what we have.”He kissed the top of her head. “You don’t have to pretend it doesn’t bother you. I get it. But I need you to know—Elena, I need you to believe—that what I had before was nothing. You… you are my first. T
Her throat tightened, heart clenching.How could he say things like that? How could he look at her like she was made of starlight and not scar tissue?She turned into his chest, hiding her face. “You’re too good to be real.”He chuckled softly, wrapping her in his arms. “I was just thinking the same thing about you.”They lay in silence for a while. Her head rested over his heartbeat, steady and grounding. His fingers traced patterns along her back, the rhythm soothing.“You surprised me,” she said finally, voice muffled against his skin.“How so?”“You… you were so gentle. So patient. And... you knew exactly what to do.” She tilted her head up, studying his face. “Have you… done this before?”He paused. “Yes. I won’t lie to you.”That made her chest ache a little—but only for a second.“Then why did this feel so… different?”He cupped her cheek, tilting her face up to his. “Because you’re not just anyone. You’re the one I love. The one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I wasn
Her body still trembled with the aftershocks of their union, skin slick with sweat, heart pounding beneath Asher’s hand as it rested lightly over her chest.She wasn’t ready for what came next.Not because she didn’t want it—but because it was the kind of worship she’d never known, the kind that stripped her bare in ways that had nothing to do with skin.“Elena,” Asher whispered, voice low, reverent. He was still hovering above her, their breaths mingling in the quiet space between them. “I’m not done loving you.”She blinked, flushed already from what they’d shared, but his words sent a new wave of warmth crashing through her. “Y-you don’t have to—”“I want to.” His lips ghosted along her collarbone, tracing a line downward. “This is for you. Just you.”Her stomach flipped as his mouth moved lower, trailing heat down her torso, over her navel. Each kiss was deliberate, slow, and full of purpose—as though every part of her deserved to be cherished. Worshipped.He paused just below her
“You keep looking at me like that,” Asher growled against her ear, voice ragged, breath warm. “You’re going to make me lose control.”“I’m not doing anything,” Elena whispered back, wide-eyed, cheeks flushed.“You know exactly what you’re doing.” His eyes darkened, gaze roaming her face like he was memorizing every inch. “And I’ve been holding back for far too long.”“Asher…”That was all it took.In one fluid movement, his arms scooped beneath her thighs and back, lifting her off the ground. She gasped, clutching his shoulders, heart thudding in her chest.“You don’t play fair,” he murmured, lips grazing her temple. “And I can’t pretend anymore.”The hallway blurred around them, lit only by the soft gold hue of the lamps. With each step, anticipation coiled tighter inside her. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen. Her mind buzzed with nerves, her chest tight with the unknown. But even in that whirlwind of emotion, one thing grounded her.She trusted him.Completely.When they rea
His eyes snapped open, dark and wide. “What?”She swallowed hard, nerves and courage colliding in her chest like a storm. “Don’t hold back.”His entire body froze. He searched her face as though waiting for her to pull the words back, but she didn’t. Instead, she leaned forward and kissed him, softly—no urgency, no pressure. Just trust.“I’m not afraid,” she breathed against his lips. “Not with you.”Asher exhaled sharply, a broken sound that almost resembled a sob. “Elena, I need you to be sure. I need to hear you say it.”“I want you,” she said, voice shaking but sincere. “Because I love you, Asher.”That was all it took.He surged forward, capturing her mouth in a kiss that sent a thrill down her spine. His arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her slightly as their bodies aligned in the cascading water. He cradled her like something sacred, reverent yet starved.His hands explored her body with a patient hunger—never demanding, always asking without words. And when she gasped sof
She wanted to look away. Her instincts screamed for it.But she didn’t.She held his gaze.And in that moment, it wasn’t about naked skin or physical closeness.It was about truth.About letting herself be loved as she was.She leaned up and kissed him—soft, slow, full of everything she didn’t yet know how to say aloud.When they pulled apart, Asher tucked a damp strand of hair behind her ear and asked, “May I wash your hair?”Her eyes widened slightly at the question. It was so… gentle.So caring.She nodded.He reached for the bottle, poured a small amount into his hands, and lathered it between his palms before delicately working his fingers into her scalp.Elena shivered.Not because she was cold.But because the intimacy of the moment overwhelmed her in the most beautiful way.Asher’s fingers were magic—skimming through her hair with deliberate slowness, massaging her scalp as if worshipping every inch of her.Her eyes fluttered shut.“Still with me?” he asked softly.“Mmm,” she