The Mate That Wasn't Mine novel Chapter 74

Chapter 74

ΜΑΧΙΜ ΤΟΥ

theld her in my arms the whole night. Tess simply swung one leg over, sitting across my thighs, head nuzzled into the ridges of my shoulder

My wolf swirled in contentment. I never realised how hollow my life, my goals and ambitions were until this moment. Chasing down the respect and admiration of people who simply don’t matter.

I could have spent the rest of my life, right hand man to the future Alpha, and never known true happiness. Not like this. Not like knowing the flawed, outlying parts of myself are no longer useless. Because they fit into the disrupted, chipped parts of Tess. Neither of us have to be perfect.

My mate and I. Kissing her, holding her, gods just getting to hear those sweet, breathy little moans in my ear once more. Life was perfect for a blissful, annoyingly brief slice of time.

Unfortunately reality is always lurking.

If the past few weeks have taught me anything, it is that someone is always watching, planning, thinking a few steps ahead of you. Scheming fuckers rise to the top, not the hard working. I should know.

Much as I would love to abandon all duty and keep Tess as my secret, gorgeous, permanently naked little woodland nymph, I’d also like to not starve to death or be hunted down by Alpha Hale like a stray.

Now, I’m trying to think of a plan. A way to make sure that Ravenbow finding out they have been deceived doesn’t end up with us being flung off the cliff.

I don’t even know how Prince Remy would feel about it. It’s a deception. There is no other way to view it.

If we told them the entire truth, it would be considered ten times the deception. And again, straight off the cliff we go. Splat.

But I’m sick of lying. There is no way to move forward, to start enjoying a real life with Tess whilst we remain tangled, ever deeper in our self–made web of deception. It was easy, at the start. Lies came readily to me. But now, they leave me claustrophobic.

When I re–enter Ravenbow, it is with the proud knowledge that I have killed one of the main rebel leaders. I will have evidence of the memory–altering pills they have been able to produce.

Maybe some elderly herbal crank like Warden Bea can work out their ingredients. If one of them is rare we can trace it, find the creators and shut them down. I silently grit my teeth. It would be seriously satisfying. Almost enough to wish Luca and Donlon were alive to see their vile operation disintegrate.

It would be foolish to think my words, my plans have any impact on Tess.

She will forever chase the full version of herself. Nobody would want to be diluted down to barely remembering beyond their last day.

Maybe taking her somewhere familiar might help.

What about returning to her home village? It might have painful memories but they’re still memories. Her parents-

Ah. Shit Alpha Hale is sending a batch of lunatics over to destroy her village. They will have got there and ruined it by now. Fuck.

Squeezing her sleeping frame a bit tighter, the fresh dawn light giving her copper hair a lustrous, fiery sheen whilst I rack my distracted brains.

There is Ravenbow itself? Perhaps seeing Block E, the packhouse, even the archery range? Getting her in, to enable her to see any of it is going to be beyond a challenge.

Or maybe, quite simply, she just needs some time?

Her hands sleepily reach for me, stroking along my heart. Now over my bite. Except it isn’t her bite. It’s a traitor’s mark. Which I’m going to need to explain to her pretty swiftly. There are quite a few things I’m going to have to explain to her. Briggs‘ face is high on the list too.

1/4

M

Chapter 74

She won’t think I’m a charming beam of sunlight theri.

Her soulful brown eyes flutter open. I bend a little, scooping up a water canteen. “Morning,” grinning happily whilst the thirstly pups dou

Only for her to wipe her mouth and stare.

*Tess? Cupping her beautiful face. Her features remains blank, brown eyes searching mine, body tensing in my lap. “Who are you?”

My heart sinks. Plummets through the floor and digs its own personal route to hell.

Then she smirks.

No. Is she actually screwing with me right now?

“Are you for real!” I snap as she starts laughi

She

lands

but I follow.

“Tess, you can’t joke about shit like that!”

But she’s laughing herself stupid, and it’s catching. Shoulders shaking, eyes sparkling, she had me completely fooled.

I’m trying to look pissed off but it’s simply not possible. She’s so cute when she’s pleased with herself. Now I’m wondering if she’s been awake for a bit longer that I first realised, scheming away at her little joke.

She’s grinning, walking backwards until she hits a tree trunk. The orange dress isnt going to last much longer, I hope to fuck that her stomach is still as soft and perfect as I remember, however the tight bodice makes her cleavage and pale skin look better than any kind of breakfast I could rustle up out

here.

“I’m sorry,” she says with a smile broadcast across her face.

“You’re not sorry one bit.”

“Nope,” tilting her head down and looking up at me. Coquettishly. Like she wants something to happen as a result of her little stunt.

Testing the water I stride, closing the gap. My hands tight around her waist. Keeping her. My wolf is already hungry, prowling for more than last night. I don’t look at the rust brown stain in the centre of her dress. My eyes feast on her stunning face instead.

“So you forgot me already? Do I need to remind you who I am then?”

“I know who you are…Martin?”

“Oh you’re very silly,” I growl, my hands already around the back of her dress, ragging at the old ribbons that held her bodice in place.

“Michael?” that dangerous little smile threatening to make me lose my control way too quickly.

So this is Tess who hasn’t been told to shut up her whole life. Who didn’t feel the need to drill her wit and spark into the dust with endless archery training and sensible restraint instead.

She’s light. Happy. And so sexy it’s killing me. The ribbons relax, the bodice losing it’s grip around her.

“Tess,” I growl into her neck, kissing her soft skin right down to her collarbone, pushing her sleeves over her shoulders. One more push the right way and this dress will drop to the floor and reveal my pretty mate. “Tell me my name. Or I’m going have to fuck it back into you.”

She doesn’t even wait for me. Her hands reach down and give the edge of bodice around her hips the lethal little tug it needs. Her chest, raspberry pink rosy nipples standing is revealed. Alongside her black lace panties. The gown pools at her feet.

I’ve never felt my cock surge with so much need in my life.

Stronger than any of her bites, or even when she walked in on me. I want her so badly it hurts. Her brown eyes are daring me.

Chapter 74

“Mika?” squeaking out the last syllable as i pounes. I take her wrists in one of my hands and pin them shove her head on the tree trunk. The other hand palms her breast, rolling her perfect pink nipples. “Try again. You’ll get it right eventually,” and she shudders. “I knew you had a bad smile? she whispers.

She has no idea what she is tempting me into Bad smile? She wants to be more worried about the bad, devious, sinful thoughts provoking that smits,

Keeping her hands aloft 1 give her the most gentle of punishments for teasing me. Kissing her, my free hand explores her soft, gorgeous skin, I passed a lake as i wandered this way yesterday. I can already see myself hurling her in when she least expects it. I want to hear that laugh of hers some more.

But right now, I need to my name on her lips. And my lips on her pussy.

Teasing over her panties, kissing and suckling each of her nipples until they’re taut and shining I bring her close. But not all the way. This is a punishmant after all. She can call me every alternative name under the sun, but she won’t get to shatter until I’m sure the jokes are over.

“Oh Gods. Oh shit,” she moans, her eyes screwing shut when I finally release her hands. I need both of them. I can’t help myself. I need to touch her. Her hands fist my hair as I slowly drop down to my knees, ‘worshipping her soft stomach with kisses all the way to her panty line.

They’re ripped down with zero ceremony.

“Tess?”