Chapter Chapter Eleven - Ashley's P.O.V
Zac sure was disliking having the River Run pack on our territory, I thought. More than once, I caught him glaring at the flowers. It was getting late, but he stubbornly refused to return to the packhouse and had even argued with the nurse until she finally relented, allowing him stay the night with me.
“Tomorrow, I would like to obtain some alone time with Callan, please Ashley. I need to talk to him,” Callie said grimly.
“What’s up, Callie,” I asked, surprised at her words and sudden melancholy. “I need to speak to him about not letting Zac reject his mate if they find them at the Blood Moon Ball,” she replied with a sniffle.
I hadn’t expected her to say that. It had my hair standing on end. I knew we had to let them go, but it was such a vast about-face from 24 hours ago when Callie would have fought to the death for both.
I had always thought I would too, but as much as I loathed the thought, I knew I would not let Zac ruin his life by rejecting his other half.
“Sure, Callie, it will make it easier for Zac if Callan understands the situation. We will always cherish them both, no matter what happens,” I replied, trying to console her. If only she knew it was shredding my soul even thinking about it. I wouldn’t let on though, I needed to be strong for both our sakes.
Callie blew out a small puff of air and sat down. It was apparent I had stated what she desired me to say. It would be harder for me to convince Zac not to throw his life away or ruin that of his intended.
The following 24 hours were going to be our last together I thought sadly, letting a single fat tear roll down my cheek unchecked. I don’t know how I knew it, I just had this feeling and it ate away at me until I acknowledged it.
Zac silently leaned over the hospital bed and wiped the tear away before rising and kissing me sweetly.
“Don’t?” he said, grabbing my chin between his fingers to turn my face back towards his.
Zac always knew what I was thinking. “It is hard not to be sad, Zac. Can’t you feel the shift in yourself and that of Callan?” I said in a small, choked out voice.
“I can, but that doesn’t mean that my mate is close by, does it? Or that I am even thinking about accepting them,” he pleaded with his eyes.
“Don’t you dare think of rejecting them, Zac McMillan. I would never forgive you. Or myself, for that matter. I couldn’t live with myself, knowing that I was the sole cause for someone else’s misery,” I replied, allowing more tears to flow freely from my eyes.
“I know you love me, Zac. And I love you with all my heart. I will always love you. But rejecting your mate will not bring us closer. We both know it,” I uttered into the silent night.
“Let’s enjoy the time we have left together and figure the rest out later,” I added. Zac just held my gaze with sad eyes, they were swirling with black, and I knew that Callan was fighting to dominate.
“Tell Callan to settle down. Callie has asked to speak with him tomorrow. Tonight is about us,” I said as I sat up straighter in the bed so that I could lean over and plant a kiss on Zac’s sweet lips.
The kiss did nothing but ignite a fire. All the emotions of the last two days came crashing down, and I could no longer control myself. I didn’t give a shit that I was still hooked up to machines. I need this man more than anything I ever have needed in my entire life.
Zac looked at the drip in my arm and then back at me, I had seen the indecision in his eyes, but that of lust rapidly replaced it. I pulled the I.V line out of my wrist and flung the blankets to the floor.
Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I forced Zac back down onto the chair and climbed on top of him. It was like I was possessed and needed to devour him. His hands snaked around my waist, pulling me closer to his body. I could feel his desire pressing against my core and let out a soft mewling sound.
Fuck, this man had the power to turn me into mush beneath his hands. He inhaled sharply, allowing a deep rumble to leave his chest in appreciation of my apparent arousal. Fuck that turned me on. I ran my nose along his neck, inhaling his heavenly scent deeply.
Even Callie admitted she was thoroughly enjoying the attention tonight.
Some things never change, I thought. “Tart,” I laughed at her. “Look who’s talking”, she retorted with a smirk. Callie was still drained from pushing all of her healing powers into me but was happy to take a back seat and relax tonight while we gave our body over to pleasure. We were still not completely recovered but would not let that stop us from fucking Zac’s brains out.
Sometimes pleasure was all you needed, and I was grateful for it; otherwise, I think I would have retreated back into my shell without his touch. What Alpha Dante had done to me a second time was unimaginable. Recovery mentally and physically was only possible this time due to my years of training and the unwavering love and support from Zac.
I snapped out of my daydream as I noticed Zac had stilled beneath me. “What’s wrong,” I asked breathlessly, kissing his strong jawline. “I don’t want to hurt you, Ashley,” he whispered. I didn’t bother replying. I just took his chin in my hands and kissed him passionately. Allowing my tongue to explore his mouth like it had done a million times before. I could feel him relax underneath me as he brought his hands down to cup my arse. I rocked myself against his cock, feeling it straining to be released from the faded jeans he was wearing.
“What if someone walks in to check on you, Ashley” Zac enquired between kisses.“Fuck them,” I replied out of breath. I let my fingers fall from where they were entwined in Zac’s gorgeous golden hair and pulled my nightgown over my head, flinging it onto the floor.
Standing on shaky legs, I hastily slid my flimsy underwear off and tossed them onto the growing pile of clothing beside my hospital bed.
Zac looked at my nude body through hooded eyes while still sitting in the chair. I knelt before him and slowly unzipped his jeans and watched as his hard cock sprung from them, a bead of pre-cum glistening in the moonlight.
Licking my lips, I leant forwards and tasted him. Fuck he tasted divine. I looked up into his blue eyes and licked my lips. Another slight rumble escaped his chest as I took his member into my mouth. I sucked his cock like there was no tomorrow, taking it deep into my throat until tears sprung into my eyes.
“Fuck, Ashley,” he hissed through clenched teeth.
Zac’s coarse hands grabbed me by the hair and pulled me from my kneeling position. I didn’t need to be told what he desired and impatiently impaled myself on his wet, throbbing cock.
He seized me by the hips and stilled me momentarily, not wanting to come so hastily. After a few moments, he released his grip and allowed me to set the pace. Initially, I rocked myself slowly in his lap, appreciating how his cock filled and spread me wide.
It was as if he was body had been made for mine. The thought had me thinking about the impending Ball and its implications, so I picked up my pace, wanting to consume him. I needed to feel him inside me. I ignored the stitches’ straining in my stomach and started to ride him like there was no tomorrow.
I wanted to feel him at my core, and the need had me dripping with desire. His trusts became as frantic as my own as I nipped at the sensitive spot on his neck. The site where his mate would one day claim him with her mark. It drove males insane with lust to be touched there, so I darted my tongue out and licked at it feverishly.
Zac gripped my arse cheeks tighter as he tried to force himself deeper inside of me. The sensation had Callie purring inside my head. I switched from nipping Zacs neck to sucking it.
If I couldn’t mark him with my teeth, I would do the next best thing, I thought sadly. The sensation plunged him over the edge. He grabbed my waist tightly and stilled me until I felt his hot seed fill me, the warmth pushed me over the edge with him. I let out a muffled cry as I exploded around him with a satisfied shudder. “Fuck,” he said, pushing damp silver strands of hair out of my eyes.
I leaned forwards and kissed his cocky grin. “Told you that you wouldn’t break me. Not in a harmful way any way,” I said, giggling with a broad smile on my face.
I stood on even shakier legs than before and headed to the bathroom that was just off my tiny hospital room. “Coming”? I asked, raising my eyebrow at him in question. “I just did” he snicked. Rolling my eyes at his reply, I turned the light on in the bathroom and let the water warm up before standing under it with a content sigh. Looking down, I noticed a few trickles of blood oozing from my stitches.
“I’m sorry for hurting you, Ashley” Zac said with sorrow in his eyes.” “You didn’t do anything I didn’t want to, Zac,” I said. “Besides, I am the one who hurt myself”, I continued.“How,” he asked. “By allowing my fear to take over in the face of Alpha Dante. I could have easily executed him. But instead, I stood there pissing my pants at the sight of him,” I spat angrily, tears threatening to fall.
Zac stepped into the shower and held on to me tightly. “Don’t, Ashley. Don’t beat yourself up. You are alive because you are strong. Just remember that. Any other person would have given up almost being disembowelled. But you never gave up. You are stronger than you realise. Alpha Dante will pay for what he has done,” he said, kissing my forehead. “I will make sure of it,” he added between kisses.
I allowed myself to melt into his embrace, not wanting to leave the warmth of the shower or his embrace. It had always felt right to be in his arms, no matter how wrong I knew it to be.
The water had long turned cold, but Zac continued to hold me. For his sake, I decided it best to turn the shower off so that we could get some rest tonight. Tomorrow was going to be a big day for both of us, and as much as he didn’t like the idea of me leaving the hospital, we had the Ball and security to sort out and prepare for.
As we dressed and got as comfortable as we possibly could in the single hospital bed, I had a eerie feeling as if we were being watched. I looked out into the darkness but couldn’t see anything. Weird, I thought, I must be seriously tired. As I drifted to sleep, I dreamt of two giant black wolves in the forest.