fate of the alpha - episode 3 by Tasha Black Page B

temple as he always did. She could feel the tickle of his rough calluses on her skin, and smell the rich spice of him.
    “I missed you,” he whispered.
    “I missed you too,” she whispered back through tears, not daring to open her eyes.
    The world shook and then he was holding her, curled around her, his chest to her back. He felt so warm, so real. As always, his touch sucked away her sadness like a sponge.
    She opened her eyes, praying for the vision to continue just a little more.
    They were in her parents’ bed. Soft light poured through the sheers, just like a real afternoon, in her real home.
    She knew if she rolled over to look at him directly, he would be gone, but she couldn’t help herself.
    When she turned, he didn’t vanish. Instead, he gazed directly into her eyes with a smoking intensity. He was her Erik, but not the same Erik. Not exactly. He was taller or stronger, or maybe smarter. Though he had always been all of those things.
    She searched his face, desperately trying to memorize him, to learn each tiny wrinkle near his eyes, every hair on his shadowed jaw, before the vision of this moment melted into another.
    He lowered his face to hers and she gave up and let him kiss her.
    His lips were so warm and soft. She shivered as they brushed hers, so gently, too gently.
    Ainsley knew it was only her broken heart, telling her that this was real, but she was so starved for her mate that even a whisper of him was enough. A welcome warmth settled into her as he kissed away her sorrow.
    When their lips were raw, he nuzzled her neck. Every nerve ending in her body thrummed with life.
    She felt the rough warmth of his big hand, snaking under her nightgown. The pleasure of his hand on her breast was almost an agony. Ainsley could feel the blood rush to her nipple as his palm brushed against it.
    She moaned and leaned into him, wishing she could literally press herself into him, and inhabit his body with him, so that they could never be separated again.
    Erik sighed happily and his hand moved lower to curl around her hip, and pull her closer.
    Soon Ainsley’s whole body was warm with lust. Erik nuzzled between her breasts, breathing soft kisses against them.
    She arched up to meet his mouth and he suckled lazily on one nipple, then the other.
    Soon, she felt the brush of his stubble against her belly. It brought tears to her eyes all over again, though she didn’t know why. Maybe it was because he was the only man who’d ever insisted on access to this softest part of Ainsley’s body, the part that she’d sucked in and cursed all her life.
    And then she felt his hot breath on her thighs.
    Slowly, so slowly, he pulled her panties down around her ankles.
    Ainsley shivered in anticipation.
    Erik groaned as he nuzzled her thighs again.
    Holding her breath, Ainsley prayed that he wouldn’t disappear.
    Instead of disappearing, he nudged her thighs wide, and began to pleasure her.
    The movement of his mouth against her was a revelation, a symphony. Ainsley lost herself in the beauty of it.
    Just before the crescendo, he crawled up to cage her head between his arms.
    “I love you, Ainsley,” he whispered. “I love you and I’ll never let you go.”
    “Erik,” she sighed.
    When he sank into her she gasped at the reality of it. There was the pinching sensation at his incredible girth, the stretching pleasure, the delirious satisfaction of his weight on top of her - knowing he was holding her, losing himself in her.
    He thrust slowly, whispering her name.
    She wept and clung to him, for once not rushing him.
    They made love as though they were delicate, as though they were people - not wolves.
    And when it was over, Ainsley fell into a deep sleep.

                                   

    CHAPTER 19
    A  insley awoke some hours later, as the sunlight from the window faded to pink.
    Wistfully, she thought of her dream. Oh god, it had seemed so real.
    With all her heart she wished it