Introspect [The Mating Games #3]

ORION KALLIS

After the first hour or so, the weather outside had dropped. As neither of them were dressed accordingly for the drop in temperature, they decided to head inside the cave in hopes that it would be a little warmer.

It was.

Another hour later and they were now lying on the ground of the cave next to each other. Not quite touching but with as less space between them as possible.

It was definitely far from the most comfortable than Orion had ever been but with his mate laid beside him, he couldn’t bring himself to complain.

Turning his head to the side, he glanced over at his mate. Just like him, she was laid on her back. Her eyes were fluttered closed and her hands were rested on her stomach. In the short dress that she was wearing, he couldn’t imagine that she was very comfortable, or even warm for that matter but there wasn’t much that he could do about that. He had offered to take off his shirt so she could lay it over her legs but she had been firmly against it. His insecurities told him that it was because she didn’t want to see him shirtless but she was quick to explain that she was able to use her magic to warm herself up. Just as she had used her magic earlier to calm him down when he had been lost down the rabbit hole of his tormentous thoughts.

With her blonde hair splayed around her, she was nothing short of the angel that he thought of her to be.

“You’re so beautiful,” Orion found himself telling her, not the least bit ashamed of being a simp, as he had heard the youth around his pack often make fun of each other for. His mate was beautiful and as far as he was concerned, he would spend the rest of his life reminding her of that.

You can say that again, his wolf murmured in agreement. The scent masking spray had worn off a while ago now and while Orion had thought that the sparks of the mate bond would be unbelievable, the real thing was nothing like he had imagined it.

At the time, she still had her head rested on his shoulder and her arms curled around his arm as she was nestled into his side. He had been asking questions about her in hopes of learning everything he possibly could about his angel of a mate and as she spoke, he would every so often brush his lips against the crown of her head. More so for his sake than her own.

More than anything else, it was to remind him that the moment was very much real. That she was real and that them being destined for each other was very real.

At one particular graze of his lips against her forehead, he suddenly felt like he was on fire. But a good kind of fire. The best kind of fire that there could possibly be.

He had stilled in shock at first, not quite sure what to make of the situation. At his sudden strange and stiff demeanour, Phoenix had pulled away to glance up at him, an inquisitive look in her eyes. Her lips parted with the question on the tip of her tongue but before she could vocalise her question, he swooped in for the kill.

Or rather, for a kiss.

It didn’t fit in with his personality or usual behaviour, especially since he was rather prudish for a man of his age but with the sudden sparks between them, Orion just couldn’t bring himself to hold back. He couldn’t help but fear that once the moment had passed, he would pull away from the kiss and instantly regret it judging by what he could only assume to be a disgruntled expression on her face.

Several seconds had passed and Phoenix was still yet to react to his kiss which made him panic. Desperate not to make her any more uncomfortable than she already was due to the simple fact that he had stolen a kiss from her, Orion was quick to pull away.

Except, she refused to allow that to happen.

It must have been a delayed reaction on her part as the moment he began to pull away from the kiss, she reached up to cup his face, bringing it back down to hers again.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to freeze up like that,” she whispered against his mouth, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his lips. “You just caught me off guard.”

At the way that’s he held his face and peppered gentle kisses against his mouth, Orion could only groan against her mouth in response. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he wound his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. So much so that he was only satisfied once she was straddling him, taking charge of the kiss as she changed angles and wound her hands into his hair, gently pulling on his ends to guide him.

Having his mate guide the kiss; guide him, turned him on so much more.

“I know it bothers you that you think that I can’t feel the effects of the mate bond,” she pulled away just slightly, whispering the words against his mouth. “And while that may technically be true, I need you to know that I do feel the connection between us.”

“You do?” Orion bowed his head to press his forehead against hers, his eyes remaining closed as he basked in all the love and warmth that their connection encompassed them both in.

“I do,” she confirmed with a gentle nod of her head, gently running her fingers through his hair. “I may not feel it in the same way as you, but I definitely feel it,” she leaned in to promise the kiss against her mouth. “I know you think that I’m still young, but I very much feel this unexplainable connection to you. And it’s so much more than just attraction.”

“I didn’t know you would be able to pick up on that,” Orion murmured in a low, gruff voice, watching his mate from under heavy, hooded eyes.

“Like I said before, even though I’m a witch and don’t have a wolf, I feel this unexplainable connection to you,” Phoenix leaned in to brush her lips against his once more but this time, he cupped her jaw and refused to let go; this time taking charge of the kiss.

As much as he enjoyed kissing his mate, Orion didn’t trust himself not to push too hard. The whole time, he kept her young age in his mind as well as the fact that they had just recently met. They both pulled away panting for air, unable to stop looking at each other.

Moving off him, Phoenix brushed her lips against his jaw before she returned to her spot on the cave floor, once again laying down.

It took every piece of self-control that he had not to follow her. Not to cover her body with his own and continue what they had started.

“You’re making me blush,” she chuckled, her gentle voice demanding the complete and utmost attention of both him and his wolf.

Honestly, she didn’t even need to try.

To Orion, Phoenix was the most important thing in his life. It didn’t matter that they had only met each other a few days ago.

“I’m just stating the truth,” Orion chuckled, moving back to sit leaned back against the wall of the cave. He propped up his knees and rested his arms on then, the whole time keeping his eyes on his mate. “You really are the most beautiful being that I’ve ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on.”

“You’re definitely a smooth talker but thank you,” she laughed, her cheeks warming up further.

A brief moment of silence passed between them. While Phoenix lay on the ground and stared up at the ceiling, fascinated by the different patterns in the rock, Orion continued staring at her. Now that he was more certain of where they stood with each other – happy and comfortable with taking things slow as the best option for them – Orion felt far more relaxed and open. And apparently that included saying anything and everything that was on his mind.

“I want to know more about you,” Phoenix stated after a few minutes, pushing herself into a sitting position.

“There isn’t much to know about me,” he shrugged, though struggled to keep the smile off his face at the disbelieving expression that she sent him.

“Even if it’s very little, I still want to know,” Phoenix insisted, crossing her legs. While the change in position showed him that she was ready and genuinely interested in getting to know him better, he couldn’t help but note the way her dress rode up to show more of her legs. Legs which he now knew were incredibly smooth.

Forcing his mind out of the gutter as not only had they agreed that slow and steady was the best option for them, but also because he knew that she was hopeful of a serious answer to equally serious question, he sighed and lifted his eyes to meet hers.

“I’m not sure if you know this but this is my fifth Mating Games,” Orion told her in a small voice, uncaring of how vulnerable it made him feel. As far as he was concerned, if he couldn’t be open, honest and vulnerable in front of his mate, then he couldn’t be like that in front of anyone else.

“You’ve had five mates before?” she cleared her throat in question. But with the jealous pang on her face, he forced himself to squish the large grin that threatened to spread over her face as he knew that she wouldn’t be appreciative of it right now.

“No,” Orion chuckled, his tone not as pained as he expected it to be, before he clarified. “This is the fifth Mating Games that I have been eligible for but this is the first one that I have been invited to.”

“Does it normally take that long for werewolves to receive an invitation?” Phoenix asked curiously.

“Most wolves receive an invitation either the first or second Mating Games that they’re eligible for. But unfortunately for me I had to wait until the fifth go,” he chuckled, the sound not nearly as strained as it usually would have been. “I guess five is my lucky number.”

“That must have been really lonely for you.”

“It was,” he nodded in confirmation, struggling to not fall down the rabbit hole that was those twenty-five years that he had spent alone and isolated. “But I’ve got you now.”

“You do,” Phoenix confirmed with a nod of her head as she got up on her knees and made her way over to him. “You do have me,” she ended up murmuring into the crook of his neck as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

“Thank you,” he returned the hug, pressing his face into her hair and inhaling in her sweet vanilla scent. “My father passed away when I was a teenager and my mother a few years ago. Other than them, I’ve never had much family or friends. And the few friends that I did have, we kind of drifted away from each other which is expected when their lives are moving forward while mine was going nowhere.”

“Your life isn’t going nowhere,” she sniffled, tightening her arms around him. “You have me now.”

“You’re right. I do have you now.”

“I’m your family now,” she whispered into the crook of his neck, curling herself around his body while resting the palm of his head on his chest. At her gentle touch over his heart, the organ started beating erratically but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Not when his mate had willingly embraced him; curled herself around him like he actually mattered to her. Like he actually meant something.

“You’ll never have to be alone ever again,” she promised him, gently grazing her lips against the side of his neck.

Unable to vocalise all of the overwhelming feelings that he was now experiencing at her simple words, Orion simply wound his arms tighter around Phoenix and pressed a kiss into her hair.

It had been so long since he had hugged someone. Since he had someone care for him in the way that he needed them to. Someone to look out for him but most importantly, for someone to love him.

But now, all of that had changed.

While it may only be early stages for them, especially for that last one about love, but Orion was hopeful now. He was more hopeful than he had ever been before.

With his mates’ arms wrapped around him, comforting him after he had opened up to someone for the first time, Orion felt empowered in a way that he didn’t ever think was possible for him.

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Layla Knight

12.06.2021