Avenging Luna
Chapter 40: Mating

Chapter 40: Mating

Leila’s POV:

Drake had noticed the shift in my demeanor, despite my best efforts to hide it. His eyes were sharp, filled with concern, as he repeatedly asked if I was okay or if I was feeling unwell. I tried to play it off, to act as though nothing was wrong, but I could see the suspicion growing in his gaze. He knew something was off, and I hated that I couldn’t mask my emotions better.

"Are you sure you’re alright?" he asked again, his voice gentle yet probing.

"I’m fine, really," I replied, forcing a smile. "Just tired, I guess."

But I could tell he wasn’t convinced. His gaze lingered on me a moment longer before he sighed, as if deciding not to push me further—at least for now.

"We’ll go to the hospital tomorrow," he said, his tone shifting as he brought up Lily. "It’s time to confront her."

His words hung in the air, and I nodded, feeling a mix of dread and determination. Tomorrow would bring its own set of challenges, but tonight, I needed to keep my fears in check, to not let the anxiety of Raphael’s impending arrival overshadow everything else. Yet, as much as I tried to stay calm, I knew that hiding the truth from Drake wouldn’t be possible forever, especially with Raphael coming.

As we settled into bed that night, I couldn’t help but let my thoughts wander back to the events of the past day. Curiosity got the better of me, and I turned to Drake, my voice soft as I asked, "Why didn’t you mark me when I was in heat, even when I was begging you to?"

He looked at me, his eyes filled with a warmth that made my heart ache in the best way. "Because, Leila," he began, his voice steady and full of conviction, "I would never mark you without your full consent. You were in a vulnerable state, and I didn’t want to take advantage of that. I wanted you to be sure, to be ready, and to know that I respect you too much to do anything you’re not fully on board with."

His words made something in me soften, and as I looked into his eyes, I saw the depth of his love, the sincerity in his gaze. He had proven time and time again that he cared, that he was willing to do anything for my sake, and in that moment, I knew I was ready. I wanted to bear his mark proudly, just as he bore mine.

"I’m ready," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly with the emotion of the moment. "I want you to mark me, Drake."

The surprise and joy that flickered across his face made my heart swell. I could feel the connection between us strengthening, the bond deepening as I made this decision. And there was a small, vindictive part of me that couldn’t wait to see the look on Lily’s face when she realized that Drake had marked me. What she didn’t know was that he hadn’t held back because he didn’t want me, but because he respected me enough to wait until I was truly ready.

With that thought, I leaned closer, brushing my lips against his, sealing my commitment to him, to us, and to the future we would build together—one where we stood as equals, marked by each other’s love.

As our kiss deepened, every sensation seemed to intensify, his touch becoming more urgent, more desperate, as if he needed me as much as I needed him. His lips left mine, trailing a burning path down my jaw to the sensitive curve of my neck. When he found the spot where his mark should be, he lingered, his breath warm against my skin, teasing me with soft kisses and gentle nips that sent electric pleasure pulsing through every inch of my body.

"I’ve waited so long for this," he murmured against my skin, his voice thick with desire. "I’ve dreamed of the moment I’d finally claim you, mate with you... make you mine in every way."

His words, laced with both tenderness and raw need, made my heart race, my entire being aligning with his. As his hands moved over my body, they worked a kind of magic, caressing, exploring, undressing me with a reverence that left me trembling. Every touch, every whisper of his breath against my skin, drove me closer to the edge, until I was aching, desperate, and begging him to claim me.

He lifted his head, his eyes locking onto mine, filled with a dark intensity that made my breath catch. "I will," he promised, his voice a low, possessive growl. And then, he did—his teeth sinking into the tender flesh of my neck, marking me as his, just as his body claimed me in the most primal, intimate way.

The moment was beyond anything I could have imagined—pure, unrestrained ecstasy that shattered through me, sending me spiraling into heights of pleasure I never knew existed. I felt him, felt every part of him, as our bond flared to life, bright and unbreakable, binding us together in a way that was deeper than anything I had ever known. As we came down from the high of our intense mating and marking, I knew we were no longer the same.

It was as if the two halves of our souls had finally come together, forming a whole that was perfect, complete. The mate bond between us had fully opened, and I could feel his emotions as clearly as I felt my own. Love, pride, protectiveness—they all flowed from him, enveloping me in a cocoon of warmth and safety. And then, in the quiet of our thoughts, I heard him.

’I love you.’

The words echoed in my mind, a gentle, yet powerful confirmation of the bond we now shared. I barely had time to process it before he shifted above me, his body pressing down on mine in a way that made my breath hitch all over again. His lips found mine once more, kissing me deeply, and through the connection of our thoughts, he whispered, ’We’re just getting started.’

And he wasn’t wrong.

What followed was a night filled with passion that knew no bounds. Drake showed me, in countless ways, just how much he loved me—his touch, his words, the way he moved against me, with me. Each time we came together, it was more intense, more consuming than the last, our connection deepening, solidifying, until it felt like there was no end to the pleasure we could bring each other.

By the time the first light of dawn broke through the curtains, I was utterly spent, my body and soul entwined with his in a way that was as eternal as our bond. We lay there, tangled in each other, the silence between us filled with the unspoken understanding that we were truly one now—two halves of a whole, bound together by love, loyalty, and a bond that could never be broken.