10

Gabriella Music fills the ballroom, drowning out most of the chatter from the girls nearby. I've stuck myself in a corner again, though this time it has a good view of the entire hall, so I can keep an eye on everyone moving together as they dance. My eyes catch Raya a few times while she's twirled around on the dance floor by a couple of suitors, her smile infectious. Glad to see her having so much fun. A part of me wishes I could be out there with her, enjoying the festivities. Coming here was supposed to be my chance to forget my troubles back with Redwood and let myself experience true freedom for the first time. Except now I'm too self-conscious to do any of that, and too wrapped up in my own head about Elijah, who's been doing nothing but flirting with a couple of the females from a pack close to Redwood while others linger around the outskirts of the group, just waiting to get a piece of him. Linda is among the throng too, trying her best not to flat out throw herself at him. It's comical. It's also so frustrating to watch, but I just have to keep reminding myself about what he told me. He seemed so eager to meet with me after this, so...shouldn't I be too? Maybe I'm taking all of this to heart too much. Obviously, he has to play nice and socialize — if he chose to ditch the party again, it would look incredibly suspicious. My stomach squeezes when Elijah finally takes Linda's hand and spins her out onto the dance floor, a whole section of it clearing immediately just for him to dance privately with his her. Ugh, I can't do this. I turn and march out the doors, feeling my own shame wash over me. I won't ever be the person he'll pull out onto the dance floor like that. I'm just a nobody with a scarlet letter branded to my forehead from the misdeeds of my parents. I gather the ends of my dress and head up the stairs to my suite. Alone time to settle my thoughts will do me some good. After all, I've got probably another few hours before I can sneak off to find Elijah. Which...where am I even going to meet with him? We never did get around to discussing that. Fuck, I'm so stupid. Why did I ever think this would work? Stripping out of my dress the second I shut the door behind me, I sigh into the empty room. Raya won't be back for a few hours, so I've got the place to myself. My eyes glance over at the slightly parted door to the bathroom. Actually, a bath sounds nice. There's a sharp knock on my door that has me spinning around and clapping a hand to my chest. Breathing out quickly, I grab a spare robe hanging just inside the bathroom door and throw it on before heading over to the door. Did Raya leave the party early? Opening the door, I'm met with the last person I expect to see—giving me déjà vu all over again. Elijah is panting as he stares at me, leaning against the doorframe. "Gabriella." He left the party? He came after me. He came after us, my wolf purrs happily. He grabs me by the jaw, pushing me through the doorway and turning me in order to press me up against the wall. His lips crash into mine, kissing me in a heated frenzy that immediately sets my body on fire and has my thighs clenching together. There's a soft growl that emits from his chest, a rumble that tells me his wolf is right at the surface, barely being contained while his tongue thrusts into my mouth and tastes every single inch of me. I don't get any time to react before he rips his mouth away from mine, a wild look in his eyes as he asks, "Have you been waiting for me?" "Yes," comes my instant answer. He lifts me up off my feet the next second, bringing me over to the bed. I'm laid out onto my mattress, the tie around my robe ripped apart and parted for him. A soft gasp escapes me when he runs his hands along my body, touching me everywhere he can, with hunger brewing in his eyes. "I want you," he tells me, licking his lips. "So, I'm going to have you." My stomach churns in a pleasant way. Being taken like this—practically like I'm owned — feels incredible. It feels right. "Then have me." My words come as a whisper. Instantly, I'm flipped onto my stomach and my robe is pulled the rest of the way off me and tossed somewhere onto the floor behind me. I hear the distinct sounds of Elijah ripping his own clothes off, his skin hot against mine when he climbs back onto the bed and mounts me. His hands grab at my hips to pull me back and prop my ass up, holding me there while he grinds against me. His hard length rubs along my core, teasing me with each thrust and promising me the same mind-blowing pleasure we shared only a night ago. "Please," I beg, pressing my face down into the mattress in submission. It feels natural to be like this, my wolf crooning for her mate to take my body and do exactly as mates do. He growls at the display, both he and his wolf clearly turned on by it. "You'll be ready for me every time I come for you. You'll be waiting for me naked and ready for me to claim you. Do you understand?" I feel the head of his c**k pressing up against my entrance, and then with a swift shift of his hips, he slides right into me. My wet heat is greedy as it takes him inside, squeezing him each time he pulls out and quickly shoves himself back inside—not wanting to be outside of me for long. I moan into the mattress and grab onto the sheets. "Yes." Oh, Goddess... "Mine." Elijah leans over me, both of his arms coming down to trap me. His face is buried in my hair, deep breaths coming in and out of him in soft growls. "Your body, your pleasure. They belong to me, Gabriella." "Yes, alpha," I plead back. My entire body is lit on fire, colors dancing wildly on the insides of my eyelids. His thrusting is relentless, his hips pounding into me hard and fast, making it a challenge for me to keep my ass arched up into him. I do it though—I want to be perfect for my alpha to enjoy. I never thought I'd be taken like this—like Elijah's been biting at the bit to finally be inside of me, as if he's been waiting all night to do this. Maybe he has. Maybe I'm all he'd been thinking about the entire night at the ball and he left early because he couldn't stand being separated anymore. Goddess, I hope so. I'll do anything to keep him. That's what a good mate does, after all. My o****m takes me by surprise, choking me until I can hardly breathe. I hold on for dear life as he rides me through it, not letting up at all until I'm collapsing down onto the bed as my body shakes. He holds me there, his knee digging between my legs to part them farther in order to drive deeper into me. I feel myself splitting in two, the pain mixing with the pleasure so sweetly that it brings tears to my eyes. They stream down my face as I'm rocked into another o****m. He's relentless, not stopping for a single second to let me catch my breath. "Who am I, Gabriella?" he demands, getting a good grip on my hair. He yanks my head back with a quick snap, forcing my head up from the mattress. Tears stream down my face and tickle my jaw and neck—the pleasure all-encompassing. Overwhelming. I love it. It's too much. I need more. A sob leaves me. I never want this to end; it feels like heaven. "Who. Am. I?" he asks again, yanking hard enough to hurt. "My alpha..." "Louder." "My alpha!" "Good girl." He lets go of my head, letting me flop back down onto the mattress, and slams his hips home, filling me with heat that leaks out of me with his shallow thrusts. "f**k," he mutters. My body shakes as I pull in a lungful of air, my skin wet from sweat. Elijah's hands come down to rest on either side of me, his body hovering over mine while he pants against the back of my head. He doesn't lower himself to kiss me, or nuzzle me, but that's okay. All of this is so new for both of us. These overwhelming feelings are a jumbled mess that seems to crash and ebb with no sign of mellowing any time soon. But honestly, that's fine with me. I want to live in these chaotic moments with him for as long as I can. With our separation very close on the horizon. I'm worried about how we'll handle being apart. So for now, I'll take whatever I can get with him. I hope this lasts forever.