Monachopsis

bone. "What do you want?"
He took a step toward me and placed his hands on my hips, electricity erupting from his touch. "You know what I want."
My eyelids fluttered closed as I leaned into him. "Shouldn't we talk a little first?" He smelled of the forest and campfires. It was intoxicating.
"We can." His voice was husky, and he twirled my hair with his index finger.
"How long are you staying?"
He chuckled, his breath fanning over my face. "This will work one of two ways. I will stay indefinitely, or you will come to my pack with me." He dropped his hand and shrugged.
"Why not merge our packs?" I placed a hand on my chest to contain my rapid heartbeat.
"I'd love that option, but my pack is on the other side of the country. It would be impossible for us to run both packs and still run them side-by-side."
I frowned. He was right. I didn't even think about that. "How long until we have to decide?"
"However long we take to decide. This isn't a decision we should rush." He tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear.
My lips quivered at his proximity. "But what about your pack?"
"My Beta is with me and one of my pack warriors. My Gamma is competent enough to run my pack in my absence."
I smiled, reeling from the emotions that ran through me. It had been such a long time since I felt anything other than anger. "Does your pack need any accommodations while they are here?"
"No, they're easy to please. Although, I need a few accommodations from you." He smirked.
"And what can I do for you?"
"You can let me stay here, with you. You can let me share your bed, amongst other things." He pulled me into his chest and inhaled my scent.
My knees went weak as I leaned into his chest for support. "I can accommodate that." My words came out shaky, and I was in a fog of pure longing.
He sniffed. "You smell of vanilla and strawberries. I fucking crave your smell. I never thought I could want someone so bad." His hand slipped down to my lower back.
My back arched from his touch. "I feel exactly the same," I murmured.
"I have waited a long time for you, little mate." He nipped at my neck and I gasped.
"I wish I'd known you were out there all this time." My words got tangled in a moan as I leaned back to give him unrestricted access to my neck.
His mouth hovered just above my collarbone before he pressed a kiss to my sensitive skin. "I'll place my mark here." He pressed his lips to mine before untangling himself from me.
I was breathing heavily as my fingers caressed my swollen lips that ached for more. I couldn't wait to bare his mark and bond our souls together.
Soulmates may be bonded from the start, but to begin the soul-bond, each wolf marks the other at the base of their neck. The marking process comprises both parties elongating their canines and clamping down—piercing the other's skin. Both mates are supposed to feel euphoric, and the wound heals within a few hours of marking. The scar of our mates' canines is the mark itself, and our souls are one step closer to being bonded.
To seal the soul-bond, the wolves also must complete the mating process. They need to become one for their souls to create an everlasting link.
"Let's go sit down. You said you wanted to talk a little first and if we keep this up, I won't stop until I've explored every inch of your body," he said. His eyes boring into mine.
I swallowed hard at the thought of his body on mine but nodded. I reached for his hand and led him to the living room.
My living room was cozy with tan painted walls and a large bronzed shag rug on the floor. The sectional was burgundy, and I had pillows littered over the cushions with blankets tucked away in the corner. A stone fireplace was in the room's front and the bookshelf was to the left of it. It was quaint, a room I cherished.
"Please, make yourself at home." I motioned to the sectional as I sat down on it.
He sat down next to me and shot me a cheeky grin. "Well, it is my home now."
"I'm so relieved that you didn't reject me." I scooted closer, wrapping myself around him.
He pulled back and cupped my face. "I would never reject my soulmate."
"I can't believe I found you. I'm beyond happy to be yours." My eyes watered as I placed my hand on his cheek.
"As am I." He placed a chaste kiss to my lips. "There's just something I'd like to know."
My stomach dropped. I knew this conversation was bound to happen, but the thought of having it made me uneasy. "I should probably explain what happened at the ceremony, huh?" I wiped my tears away and sniffled.
"Yes. I would like to know why that mutt claimed you were his mate." Blaine's jaw clenched. His hands clenched into fists. He was pissed, and he had every right to be.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and sucked my bottom lip between my teeth. I stared down at my hands. I took a shaky breath before speaking, "The brown wolf who attacked you is my youngest sisters' husband. He's also my ex-mate." I paused and shuddered as I thought about the night that broke my very existence. "Nolan rejected me the night of my eighteenth birthday. He rejected me for her. My sister, Ivy." I said through clenched teeth. The thought of them together, and the pain they caused me, still hurt. More than I'd like to admit, especially now that I'd found Blaine. I scraped a hand over my face. "It's been two years. He made no attempt to interact with me after the rejection, him deciding to, today of all days, is a complete shock."
Blaine's chest vibrated with a growl that resonated from within. His