Moon Child

When Dawn returned to Kane’s home she was welcomed by the smell of spices. As she opened the door she could hear a deep voice welcoming her inside, and without a second thought, she entered. The smile blessing her lips was warm as she moved toward the bar that separated her from the kitchen.

“Good afternoon.”

His voice, had it always entranced her so? She looked over him, standing before the stove in a light green shirt and dark blue jeans. He was bare foot, comfortable. Could she feel at home here?

“Good afternoon.”

He looked her way, catching her smile and the shimmer in her eyes as he thought of what could make her sound so happy.

“Have a good day?”

She nodded, but only when he turned back to the stove did she venture to speak of what she experienced.

“Hazel showed me the garden…and I helped Magdelynn plant some onions.”

Her smile grew as she looked past Kane, her mind going back to that morning.

“Marcus and Julie were there too, but Marcus was digging the holes and trying to show Joshua the best way to do it.”

A soft laugh escaped her as she remembered what the couples oldest son was doing after his father dug each hole.

“Every time Marcus dug a hole Josh would sneak up and put a flower in it. He had picked some wildflowers and thought they would make the garden look prettier.”

She shook her head, smile remaining big.

“When Marcus turned around and saw all the flowers his face got so red I thought he might…”

Her smile fell for a moment. Kane had turned down the heat of the stove, watching her in awe as she seemed to blossom before him. She was laughing, smiling without any fear or worry. Now, as she thought of Marcus growing angry? He could see a sadness form within her eyes, fear making her heartbeat speed up. Then, as if she was catching herself, she blinked and looked toward him with a soft smile playing across her lips once more. Still, she couldn’t hide the pain that seemed to sear itself into her very soul.

“Julie just laughed though and Magdelynn swore up and down the boy was bound and determined to drive Marcus crazy. Marcus didn’t get mad at him though. Kane, he laughed too. He was smiling and picked Joshua up to mess up his hair and tickle him until he was laughing so hard he was crying. I…it was fun.”

She smiled down at her hands sitting on top of the bar. She had fun, right? She had laughed with them, and Hazel had been there too. They had all been laughing and talking as if they were childhood friends and nothing could ever bring their spirits down. It made her heart hurt to think of the past and what the women from her old pack had to endure. They never laughed, never smiled. They were tortured and raped and…

“Dawn…”

Hands turned her around, arms embracing her as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. He was warm and comforting. What was wrong with her? She had started to cry out of nowhere, yet he didn’t question her or accuse her of being a child. He held her, allowing her to cry whether she explained herself or not.

She moved her hands to his chest, holding onto the shirt that separated her skin from his. She wanted to trust him, to let herself go in a man that would do her no harm. She just wanted to feel safe again, like she had as a child.

“Kane…”

He remained silent, but leaned his head down to kiss the top of her head gently. He was reassuring her, letting her know she could tell him anything and he would listen no matter what. He was here for her.

“Do you think…maybe we could…”

Her cheeks were burning with a blush so rosy red she thought he could surely feel it through the fabric across his torso. She wanted to say it, to allow him access to her body and soul. She wanted to trust him and yet she couldn’t seem to speak. Frustration grew deep within her as she wrestled with the two sides of herself. She had been here only a few days and yet she was willing to give herself to this man? This beast?

“Dawn?”

She looked up to meet his eyes, an azure gaze so clear it made her chest tight with emotions. He was good. She could feel something, inside herself, that swore he would protect her no matter what. Something kept telling her to trust him, touch him, hold him and be held by him…love him.

In that moment her lips moved on their own, her tongue passing along a message that she hadn’t quite thought through yet.

“Can you love me?”

His eyes widened slightly, surprise obvious in their blue depths. Had she really just said that? How stupid did she sound? Oh lord, she was burning up from embarrassment as she slipped out of his embrace and circled around until her back was to the front door. She had been foolish, saying things she didn’t want to say. She didn’t want to say? Was she insane? She wanted this man, beast and all. She wanted him to kiss her, claim her, love her and never let her go. She wanted…

“I’m so sorry. I…I don’t know what I’m saying. I think I need some air.”

She backed up one step after another, but her body refused to turn toward the exit as his feet carried Kane toward her. His gaze remained steady on hers as her own feet betrayed her. Frozen, unable to speak as he closed the distance between them, her heart raced against her chest. She might have a heart attack at this rate.

“Say it again.”

His voice, deeper than usual and rough, had her heart skipping a beat. Say it again? What did he mean? He closed the distance between them, one hand cupping her face as the other moved to lay gently against her hip. His touch burned her up inside, made her warm between her thighs.

“Ask me again, Dawn.”

Her lips parted as she tried to find the words he wished to hear. Like before her tongue had a mind of its own, her brain useless as the words spilled out.

“Can you…love me?”

Her voice was hesitant, soft as a whisper. She felt nervous as all hell and scared for reasons she had never known before. She was used to feeling pain, torment, rough hands and cold nights lying in the dirt. She wasn’t used to this. Kane was gentle, as if he knew how truly fragile she felt.

“I already do.”

Those words, three words that had tears filling her eyes once more, made the world fall away around them. He loved her? He barely knew her and yet…

“You…”

His mouth touched hers, silencing any argument as she fell into a canyon of joy and uncertainty. He loved her. He was kissing her, welcoming her into his community, allowing her to sleep in a bed without fear of being forced into anything she wasn’t ready for. He loved her.

She couldn’t stop herself. She grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the bedroom before stopping suddenly to look toward the kitchen. The stove was turned off, probably done when he moved to comfort her. He had held her so gently, with so much patience. He loved her.

She pushed open the bedroom door, pulling him along with her until he was fully inside. When she shut the door behind her she could feel her nerves sparking and the wolf inside begging to be set free.

“Dawn, what are we doing?”

She turned back around to him, eyes silver and canines sharpening. She had never felt this strongly toward another before, wanting nothing more than to allow him access to her soul. Was this what Hazel had spoken of? It wasn’t a simple attraction between a female in heat and a male. It was stronger than mortal love and more profound than anything she had ever seen or experienced before.

“Kane, I think I want…”

She moved toward him, charcoal slivers swirling around his pupils as he remained in control of his animal counterpart. She reached forward, laying her hands against his chest as she spoke in a more confident tone.

“I want you.”

He was hesitant, afraid that if he made a move now she would only regret it in the morning. She had had a good day, which made him happy as well, but was it his people she wanted to be with or him? It may sound foolish, but he knew what it felt like to be alone and he wondered if she was only doing this to ensure she could stay with his pack.

He placed a hand under her chin, lifting that beautiful silver gaze to his.

“Is it truly me that you want?”

She frowned, trying to decipher the meaning behind the words. What could he be thinking of? She had wanted him the moment she saw him by the water. She had dreamt of him, allowed him to hold her after what felt like the worst nightmare she had ever had, and she wanted to believe that she was safe with him. She wanted a life here, but it wasn’t just because of the sweet neighbors and loving community. No, she wanted him. What she wouldn’t give to have the life she had always dreamed of as a human.

“I want to stay here, with you. You asked me if I felt what you feel, desire you as you desire me. Kane, I want you more than anything I’ve ever known. You make my heart race and my head spin. I don’t know what your kind…our kind call such a feeling, but for humans it is love. I want to give you everything, all of me. I know I am not flawless, but I can only hope that I am enough to please you.”

His lips claimed hers instantly, one hand on her hip as the other moved into her hair. Her surprise turned to pleasure as his tongue ran along her own. He was the perfect balance of rough and gentle, his hold strong but not painful. She wanted more, craved all of him. He was the one to move first, but only enough to grin down at her and speak three quick words before lifting her off her feet and carrying her to the bed.

Those three words had the world disappearing, her canines sharpening as she held tight to the man that had shattered her beliefs within hours of meeting her.

“I love you.”

He loved her. Her heart raced as he laid her on the bed, trailing kisses from her lips to her collar bone as she basked in the idea of loving a man. He was big, confident, strong and an alpha. Still, she didn’t fear him like she thought she should. She wanted more of him, to kiss him until the sun touched the horizon and the moon said her goodbyes until the next night. She needed him like he was the only pill that could relieve her ever growing fever. Was she in heat? Surely this wasn’t a simple attraction.

She loved him, and as he slipped the clothes off of her body and moved to stand before her, she knew she wanted this. He pulled his shirt over his head, dropping it to the ground as his long braid swayed back and forth against his bare back. She wanted to run her hands through his hair, feel the soft strands of chocolate silk as he laid back against her after a long night of love making.

His pants fell to the floor next, his cock free and hard as the rest of him. He was ready for her, just like the first night they had met. He had been erect then too, long and thick with desire. Her thighs were already soaked with need as he moved to lay above her. He moved a knee between her legs, parting them just enough to open her up to him.

“Do you want this, Dawn?”

She felt her heart race forward as he spoke. He was asking her permission, again and again he was making sure she really wanted this. She had never had this before, the ability to say no and yes as she pleased. She could tell him no and he would listen, she knew that. He was a kind man, something she hadn’t found in what felt like ages.

“I want you.”

Her voice was soft as a whisper. She sat up just enough to kiss him before she caught his gaze and spoke with more confidence.

“I love you, Kane.”

His grin was sweet as apple pie, his mouth claiming hers as he positioned the tip of his hard cock at her wet opening. His tongue danced with her own as he slid inside her, making a gasp grace her lips as he kept a slow and steady pace. He was being gentle, introducing her body to his one stroke at a time. Tears filled her eyes as he kissed her neck, one hand holding him up and the other caught within her curls.

“Kane…”

Her breathing was erratic, heart pounding and stomach full of butterflies and the fires of lust. She could feel something, like a tidal wave of emotions falling toward her so suddenly it made her cry out as he deepened his strokes and left a hot trail of kisses down to one of her breasts. He ran his tongue over her nipple, causing the feeling of euphoria to rise once more within her mind.

She was curious and scared all at once. What had that just been? She tried to think back to all of her sexual encounters within the old pack, but nothing like that had ever happened to her before. Maybe it was because she felt a bond with Kane that she had never experienced with the others?

Her memories fell back into her human years. Perhaps it could be something her friends had spoken of once or twice, girls gossiping over what guys they were dating and what they were doing when the sun went down.

Dawn had never had a boyfriend in her mortal years, so she wasn’t for sure what she was thinking would be right, yet she spoke up anyways. She was curious, and it would bug her until she figured it out.