His Hybrid Queen

Chapter 18

Claire

I was weightless. But strangely enough, I wasn’t falling. It took me a second to feel and react to the strong arms around my waist and the hard body pressed against my back. I started straggling and kicking to free myself, hopelessly. With the little to no strength I had in my body, I could barely stand. Let alone win a fight against a legendary beast.

“Let me go! Why don’t you just let me put an end to my misery and let me die!” I screamed until my voice became hoarse.

“Are you crazy? Why would I let you throw yourself off of a cliff?” Victor sounded angry like he was scolding me.

“Because you hate me.” The words were bitter in my mouth. All fighting spirits vanished away and the tears came back overflowing.

“Why’d you think that?” Victor’s voice was much calmer, gentler, which came as surprise after everything that unraveled today.

“You were so mean to me,” I said punching his arms weakly. “You were ignoring me and you wouldn’t even look at me,” I said between sobs.

“I was angry. I needed a moment to deal with what you said.”

“What did I say to make you so angry?” 

“I'm sorry, I wasn’t angry at you but at myself.” His gentle voice was like a soothing balm to my bruised heart. “You kind of hit the nail on the head when you said I didn’t trust you. I placed all the blame on you for the problems in our relationship, but I’m also responsible.”

“I’m sorry too.” I wailed like a whiny toddler. Though, with the way my emotions were going haywire, I didn’t care how I sounded anymore.

“Shhh. No more crying.” Victor cajoled me as he loosened his grip around me to something resembling a hug.

I tried to stop crying but I couldn’t calm my erratic breathing or put an end to the devastation I was feeling. Though my tears had dried, my sobs have turned into uncontrollable hiccups. I was gasping for air and shivering.

“You’re freezing cold,” Victor stated. “Let’s get you warmed up and away from that ledge.” 

He said as he pulled me back inside the cave. He noticed the way I was dragging my feet and lifted me into his arms effortlessly. A few moments later, I was soaking in the hot water cuddled closely against my mate’s chest.

“Do you feel better now?” He said rubbing my arm with one hand and scooping water over my shoulder with the other.

“Yeah,” I said sniffing and taking small gasps of air. 

“Are you ready to talk about it?” He asked.

“I don’t know. Are you?”

“Better late than never. I guess.” He made a short pause. “What took you so long?”

“What are you talking about?” I sniffed.

“To say that word I was longing for?” 

Victor pinched my chin and lifted my head to face him. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t see anger or harshness on his face, but fondness and kindness. It took me a moment to understand what he meant, and that he was expecting me to say it again.

“I love you?” 

“I love you.” He repeated after me looking deeply into my eyes. “Was it so difficult?”

“I was afraid to lose you.” A fresh wave of tears made their way on my cheeks. 

“I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.” 

“My whole life, I was dragged from one place to another. Every time I found a resemblance of family or a hint of happiness, something bad ends up happening and ruins everything.” 

I recalled all the grim events in my life starting with the untimely death of my mother when I was just a toddler. I also remembered poor Bob who had a stroke and his wife Georgia.  They were kind people and didn’t deserve what happened to them. I also didn’t forget about the stray cat that I brought home one day. I cared for him for weeks until he got run over by traffic.

Love and happiness were like unattainable dreams always escaping my grasp. When I found Victor and those feelings started blossoming in my heart, I kept them deep down inside. I was afraid if I said those words out loud and confess my love to him, something horrible would happen to him. The nightmare that I had where Nicolai stabbed him, didn’t help my anxieties either.

“I don’t want you to worry about that anymore. I’ll be your family and I will give you all the love that you need and deserve. I will never leave your side,” Victor said as he cupped my face and brushed the tears with his thumbs. “Unless you run away from me.” He looked me dead in the eyes as if he was warning me.

“I won’t run away again,” I reassured him.

“Or push me away?” I shook my head. “You promise?”

“I promise. No more secrets?” I added my own terms to the bargain.

“I promise.” 

****Mature content****

Victor said and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes and relaxed in his warm embrace, breathing deeply his musky masculine scent. He kissed my eyelids then my cheeks. When I looked up at him again, his head was tilted to the side and his beautiful amber eyes were hooded. I closed the distance between us and brushed my lips against his. 

The kiss started slow and tender, easing off the tension between us. After a little while, our makeout session turned more heated. His lips become more urgent, dominant, demanding and I gave him all I could. I opened up to him and he deepened the kiss, igniting the fire of desire inside me. Our bodies were slick with water and sweat, and our hands traveled all over. We were pressed against each other like we weren’t already close enough. 

“Make me yours. Mark me.” I whispered, breathless when we pulled away for much-needed air.

“Are you sure?” Victor asked, peering into my eyes. He had a hand gripping on my hip the other holding my neck gently as he brushed his thumb over my jawline.

“I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life as I am about this,” I reassured him.

“I mean, do you want to do it here and now?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “I don’t want to wait anymore.”  

I couldn’t imagine a better place and time other than here and now. The location was peculiar for something that will bind us for life, but it was secluded, private, and warm. It even felt intimate and a little bit romantic. All I needed was the man in front of me.

“I waited long enough,” Victor said, his sultry voice strumming the strings of my heart and making my body vibrate in expectation.

Victor kissed me again, his hands trailing on my sides until he reached my hips before going lower. He cupped my bottom and lifted me up. My legs curled around him in response and my fingers threaded through his silky locks. After a few moments he broke the kiss, but his lips were still latched into my skin. He licked and sucked at my throat, leaving a hickey most definitely, before settling on the base of my neck.

He kissed and nipped at the tender flesh between my shoulder and my neck. While his teeth grazed at my skin, sending delicious shivers through my body, I understood why he had such a fixation with my neck. He seemed to settle on a spot that he kissed over and over again.

“This is going to hurt.” 

He mumbled against my shoulder before I felt his sharp canines puncture my skin and pierce through my flesh. I gripped his shoulders as I gasped at the sharp pain that vanished quickly. Something hot seeped through and spread across my veins. At the same time, I felt a wave of emotions take over. It wasn’t my own because I saw fleeting memories of Victor as a child, as a teenager, then as an adult when he took over as Alpha, and finally the time we spend together. 

I knew it must be the mate link forming and connecting our minds, but it felt like a part of his soul was embedded in mine. It allowed me to see myself through his eyes. How he loved me. How he lusted for me and how difficult it was to keep his hands for himself when I wasn’t ready. How torn he was by the separation, and how elated he was when we were reunited. I’ve seen and felt all that. I didn’t realize the intensity of his feelings towards me because he was used to keeping a stone-faced expression and rarely if never talked about his feelings.

Victor retracted his canines and I almost growled in protest. As he lapped at the wound to make it heal, liquid heat settled in my core and tension belt in my belly. I knew it was the bond tugging at me, even if I can’t find the right words how to describe it. My wolf rose in my consciousness saying one word over and over again with increasing passion. 

The next thing I knew, my own canines elongating and found their spot on the base of his neck. I focused on those precious moments that we shared together, to let him know how much I loved him even if I didn’t say soon enough. 

“Mine!” I growled lowly as I licked the puncture wound that I made and Victor replied with a deeper growl of his own.

“I need to be inside you.”

“Yes please.” I moaned.

As soon as I voiced my desire, Victor hooked his arms under my knees. In one smooth motion, he was deep inside me. I hooked my arms around his shoulders as he rocked me up and down in time with his thrusts. I couldn’t help the breathy moans I let out when my o****m took over, surprising me by its intensity and suddenness. 

Victor released my legs and I was about to relax when I realized he hasn’t finished yet. I looked up at him and swallowed audibly. Even in the darkness, I could see the lust in his eyes.

“I’m not done with you yet. Turn around.” 

I wasn’t sure if it was an order or a request, but I didn’t delve into it. Because I knew he was driven by the same force as I, and compelled to complete the mating bond. Victor pressed his hand on my back, guiding me to bend forward and I leaned on the rock at the edge of the hot spring. He took me from behind, deep hard and fast. I felt like his animalistic side was claiming me in a way. And I didn’t mind at all. I actually loved it.

The water was splashing around us and I struggled to remain on my feet. I would have sunk to the bottom if he wasn’t holding me with a bruising grip. The sound of Victor’s grunts and my moans filled the air and echoed against the walls of the cave. It didn’t take me long to reach my c****x again, and my mate followed right after. My legs turned to jello as I fell from my high and I slumped back against him. 

Victor held me tightly as we recuperated. He was still nestled in my tight warmth, still connected to me in body and soul. Despite not wanting to let go of his embrace and end this intimate moment, we had to go back to the outside world. I tried de wiggle out, once I felt that I could stand steadily, but I couldn’t move at all.

“Victor, what?” I twisted to look at him.

“We’re locked.”