“What did he do? Did Zane hurt you?” He gritted out, anger pulsed through his as he stood abruptly, the kitchen stool toppling to the floor loudly.
“No, no, nothing like that” Lara looked up with a smile that didn’t meet her eyes, Archer let out the breath he’d been holding and bent down to pick up the fallen stool before setting it upright and sitting back down. She continued “Jen killed Dr Seville and Seb killed Zane”. She finished making his sandwich and placed it in front of him before walking to sit beside him. Archer could feel the anger fade immediately, replaced with relief, they were dead. Dr Seville and Zane were dead.
Archer’s eyes widened for a moment before he took a bite of the sandwich and moaned, it was delicious “Thank you for this” he said, pointing at the sandwich. “Wait a minute, what about the guards? Dr Seville’s backup?”
Lara smiled, bigger now and Archer could sense pride in her voice as she replied, “Well, my father took care of them. My biological father, and his pack”. When Archer’s eyes widened and he raised his eyebrows she waved one hand in the air and laughed “it’s a long story, I’ll tell you all about it later” Archer nodded and smiled before he finished off his sandwich.
“So, uh, how long was I knocked out for?” He leaned back and looked down his bare chest at the wound before huffing a laugh “and…how did I survive a bullet to the chest?” The question itself sounded ridiculous but Archer had to know, his healing abilities are good, but they could never repair a gunshot to the chest from point blank.
Lara’s face paled instantly as she dropped her gaze for a moment before looking back at Archer. She swallowed visibly and tucked her hair behind her ears “Archer, you weren’t knocked out”. Tears began welling in her eyes as she spoke, “You didn’t survive that bullet to the chest. You were dead Archer. Dead for four days.”
Archer couldn’t comprehend what Lara had just said “Dead?” he repeated in a whisper, his eyes wide with shock. He stood from his stool and looked down to his chest again before looking up to meet Lara’s tearful gaze “I was dead for four days? But…but... how is that possible?”
Lara stood from where she was seated beside him. She took a few steps towards him until he could feel the warmth from her body. She lifted her arm and rested her hand directly over the scar on his chest before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Archer hated that his questions were causing her discomfort, they were forcing her to relive something that had pained her deeply, but he had to know. From what she had just said he should be dead right now. Something had happened that had made it possible for him to be alive right now, to be breathing and feeling the touch of Lara’s hand against his chest right now, and he needed to know what it was.
“My father told us about a shifter with powerful healing abilities, someone who might be able to bring you back from the dead. We didn’t know if it would work, but we took the chance. That’s when we met Carter, the man you saw leave with the others. He’s not a shifter any more, but he still has his powers, strong powers. He helped us, he brought you back.” She took a deep breath and continued, her voice was sounding more emotional with each word. “We couldn’t let you go. I couldn’t let you go, Archer. I had only just got you back, I couldn’t lose you again” She rested her forehead on his chest as he felt the gentle vibrations of her sobs against his bare skin.
“Shhhh, I’m here. We’re here, together. I’ll never leave you again” He took a hold of Lara’s shoulders and held her out at an arm’s length before he cupped her cheeks, using his thumbs to wipe away the tears that fell from her eyes. “Lara, I promise you, I will never let anything come between us ever again”. Archer meant it and his lion let out a low huff in approval. There was something primal about his words and it wasn’t just the mating bond, there was something about the way he felt protective towards Lara and the others. After hearing how Carter had saved his life, he felt a level of protectiveness over him too. There was an instinct to guard them from threats like Dr Seville, an instinct that he didn’t recall having before he was shot. Before he had died.
Suddenly, in a moment of clarity, it all made sense. His need to satiate his animal at the fight club, his ongoing aggression that made him feel like a broken man and a broken shifter, was all a subconscious attempt to dull his most primal instinct, his purpose, to be Alpha.
As the thoughts circled Archer’s mind, realisation set in that he wasn’t so different from his father after all, he too had a monster inside of him only he wouldn’t use his shifter abilities and aggression to intimidate vulnerable people. He would protect those that he cared about, his people, his crew. It was all becoming clear now, why he felt like something was missing most of his life. Why his lion roared in approval every time Seb had called him Alpha and why he felt responsible to lead the escape out of the shifter prison.
Archer had never had such clarity in his life and now he felt like the luckiest man on earth as he stood in front of his mate, who refused to let him die and instead found a way to bring him back from the dead.
Still cupping Lara’s cheeks, Archer leaned forward and softly, gently, placed his lips on hers. A warm tingling sensation ran through his body as their lips met and Archer knew without a shadow of a doubt, it was the mating bond. He released her lips and moved his hands down to her shoulders before he felt a sudden urge, a primal instinct, the instinct to be with his mate.
Chapter 36
Lara gasped as Archer placed his lips on hers, the butterflies in her stomach began fluttering frantically and she was met with the sudden urge to be with him. To be with the man that she had come to love. The man that was undeniably her one true mate. She looked up to his eyes, there was something desperate about the way he looked at her, there was a hunger there and she knew exactly what it was, because she felt the same.
Archer’s eyes flashed gold for a moment before they returned to their normal colour. He glanced down at her lips briefly, returning his gaze back to her eyes before he thrust his lips onto hers, no longer gentle as he was earlier. She was caught off-guard by his forcefulness at first, but she knew he would never hurt her, he would never do anything that she didn’t want him to do and right now, she wanted him to relinquish his control. She wanted to see him unhinged, to see him lose himself in the moment. He flicked his tongue against her lips a few times until she opened them slightly and he immediately claimed her mouth as their tongues entwined in a sensual rhythmic dance.
She could feel Archer’s biceps trembling in attempt to stay in control. She pulled back from the kiss “I want you Archer. I want all of you and I don’t want you to hold back”
“Lara” Archer whispered before taking a deep breath “You don’t want to be telling me that, I’m already fighting the urge to take you right now. If you give me permission to lose control, I might hurt you and I don’t want to take that risk”.
Lara ran her hand through his dark brown hair before cupping his cheek “You’ll never hurt me, Archer”. Then as if opening the gate to unleash the beast, she leaned in to his ear and whispered, “I want you to take me.” She didn’t know what came over her, she wasn’t usually like that, she never took initiative with intimacy, she lacked the confidence to, but there was something about Archer…something that allowed her to unleash her own primal instincts and deepest desires.
Archer’s eyes flashed gold once more and before she could understand what was happening, the ceramic plates, cups and remnants of their lunch clashed to the floor as Archer cleared the kitchen bench with a swipe of his arm. She felt his warm hands under her knees and within seconds, she was lying back on the kitchen bench. She let out a squeak of surprise before she was distracted by his strong biceps as he placed his hands on either side of her head and kissed her again, hard. Archer kept kissing her, claiming her mouth with his tongue as he leaned his body against hers, grinding his hips against the top of her thigh. She could feel his growing erection and it made her long for it even more. He released her mouth and moved down to her jaw and
then her neck, sucking and nibbling as he went. She let out a moan and closed her eyes. She was lost now, lost in the deep sea that was Archer and she had no ore to steer her. She had no choice but to ride the waves of pleasure that he was providing. She had waited so long for someone like Archer, someone who could make her feel like she belongs, like she is important, and after almost losing him, she wasn’t going to take one second with him for granted. She would give him everything, her mind, her body and her soul and she knew he would do the same, because they were made for each other. They were fated mates.
“Archer…Archer, I need you” She rasped out. He stopped kissing her neck and lifted his head “God, you’re beautiful…I don’t know how long I’ll be able to-“
“Don’t! Don’t hold back!” Lara interrupted, the feel of his growing member was making her toes curl in anticipation. The urge to have him inside her was strong now, as she thrust her hips up to meet his. She watched as he threw his head back and let out a deep growl, it sounded more animal than human, and it made her body tingle with need.
He placed his fingers on the neckline of her t-shirt, tearing it right down the middle and exposing her swollen breasts that were contained by her white bra. He sucked in a breath and gritted his teeth as he ran his hands gently over her breasts. He yanked her bra down and let her breasts fall free from their restraints before leaning in and placing his mouth over her aching nipple. He reached over and gripped her other breast, squeezing and kneading. The feel of his tongue flicking against her hard peak whilst his fingers explored her other was sending her into a free-falling frenzy. She could feel herself getting wetter by the second and if he kept going, she was going to find her release before he even made it to her pants.
Letting her instinct take control, she reached up and gripped his hair tightly. Lifting his head back to face her, she pleaded “Archer, please!”. She let go of his hair and reached for the waist band of his black slacks, tugging at them, in an attempt to pull them off. Archer leaned back enough to pull his pants down and it was then that Lara realised he wasn’t wearing any underwear and it aroused her all the more for it. His enormous erection sprang free as he pulled his pants down to his ankles and kicked them away.
She sat up and undid the button at the top of her jeans, never taking her eyes off Archer’s perfect body. His broad biceps, the ridges of his pecs and his defined abs that tapered off to the deep grooves of the muscles on his hips. She raked her gaze down his body as her sight landed on his striking erection and the pulsing vein running down the side of his shaft. She longed to touch it, to run her tongue down the length, but she was still fiddling with the button on her jeans. Realising Lara’s frustration, Archer placed his hands on her shoulder and gently pushed her down so that her back was against the kitchen bench once more. In one solid tug, he pulled off her jeans and black panties, leaving her exposed completely.
“You’re so fucking beautiful” Archer said before letting out another growl. He leaned forward and she could feel his erection rub against her upper thigh, now with nothing between them. She shuffled in attempt to place his erection directly between her legs, but he reached down and grabbed both her hands, pulling them up above her head, pinning them there with one of his hands. He leaned in and kissed her, hard, reaching into her mouth with his tongue, claiming her. Lara let out a moan as she thrust her hips up to meet his erection, making her intentions clear.
Archer grabbed her breast with his free hand whilst his other hand continued to restrain her arms above her head. Lara instinctively bent her knees and placed her feet on the kitchen bench, one on either side of Archer’s hips as he leaned over her. He released her breast and lowered his free hand to her entrance where he slipped one finger inside of her before running it up her seam to her clit, making her moan again at the increasing pleasure. He glided his finger inside of her one more time before he pulled out and positioned himself at her entrance, gripping her waist tightly. He leaned down and kissed her, gently as he pushed into her in one slow movement, sheathing himself completely.
Archer pulled out momentarily and she let out an involuntary groan at the emptiness before he thrust into her, hard. Yes…Yes! She thought. She knew his gentle side already, but now she wanted to explore his dominant, primitive side. “Harder” She managed to growl out between her moans.
Archer threw his head back, she could see the veins in his neck throbbing as he pulled out and thrust into her with a grunt. “Lara… Lara…” He mumbled through gritted teeth. She couldn’t tell what he wanted to say but she didn’t care either, whatever it was, she was probably feeling the same way too. He released her hands from above her head and gripped her waist so that now he was holding her down tightly with both hands as he continued to plunge into her. Their desperate need for each other and sudden urge to be together, only fuelling the fire between them.
“Yes! Archer, Yes!” She screamed. She could feel her release building but before she could take another breath, he pulled back and flipped her over so that she was now face down on the kitchen bench. She could feel him running his hand over her backside softly, breathing in and out in an obvious attempt to slow down and take control of himself again. She didn’t want him to slow down. She wanted to see him lose himself in the moment and let go of all inhibitions. Before she could talk herself out of it, she spread her legs and arched her back, knowing that Archer could see what she was doing, she reached down to let her fingers caress her clit that was now a tight nub aching for attention.
“Fuuuucccckkkkk” She heard him drawl out as she felt herself getting close to release. She felt his hands grip her backside hard, before moving to her hips and thrusting into her again without warning. Lara threw her head back and moaned, biting her lip at the pleasure of it all. Archer leaned over and kissed her shoulder as he pulled out halfway and thrust in faster. He reached around and flicked her aching sex expertly, as if he already knew exactly how she liked it. It brought her even closer to the edge as he plunged into her over and over. His thrusts getting faster and harder each time. “Archer! Archer!” Lara screamed out, she threw her head back as pure ecstasy exploded through her body, making her muscles clench and pulse around his thick length, milking him. Lara heard him groan loudly as he thrust into her, pushing harder than he had before and throbbing with his own release as he spilled his warmth into her.
Archer slumped over Lara’s back before placing a gentle kiss between her shoulder blades, they remained there for a few moments, their heavy breathing slowly returned to normal as they rode out the final waves of their release.
Lara wasn’t in the most comfortable position, so she lifted her head and wriggled slightly. As if Archer could understand her thoughts, he stepped back quickly and before she could turn around, she heard his soft voice “Did I hurt you?” She stood and turned around to face him, only her legs felt like jelly and as she turned, her knees gave way, causing her to stumble but before she could fall completely, Archer’s strong hands were there, supporting her.
“No…No Archer, you could never hurt me” she whispered, her eyes locked on his gaze
“I didn’t want our first time to be so… so…heated. I’m sorry.” He dropped his gaze to the floor and released Lara, steadying her.
“Stop” Lara said softly “Our first time was perfect. Do you know why? Because it was our first time. I don’t care if we made love for hours in the back of your car or fucked hard and fast in the shower. Our first time was always going to be perfect because we are together. I don’t want you to pretend to be something you’re not just to please me”. Lara’s legs could hold her weight now as she took a step towards him and placed her hands on his biceps “I love you, Archer, all of you. The dominant animal inside of you and the gentle, kind and loving human side of you. Nothing you do could ever change that”. Archer rested his forehead against Lara’s for a moment before he met her gaze again and sighed “A few months ago, I didn’t think I could ever love anyone but you, Lara Williamson, are my everythi
ng.”
He suddenly took a step back as the edges of his lips curved to a smile and he raised one eyebrow before he said with a smirk “Fucking hard and fast in the shower, hey?”
Lara rolled her eyes “That’s what you heard? Out of everything I said, that’s what you picked up on?” She laughed and went to pick up her half-torn clothing from the floor but before she could reach them, she squeaked in surprise as Archer lifted her up in his arms, one arm under her legs and the other under her shoulders as he carried her towards the stairs, honeymoon style.
“Hey! What you are doing?” She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck
“We are going to fuck hard and fast in the shower” He said with a smirk as Lara stifled a giggle.
Epilogue
Lara opened her eyes as the rays of morning sunlight streamed in to the room, assaulting her eyes and waking her out of her deep sleep. She groaned and pulled the covers up above her head to stop the bright light that was now saturating the room.
“Good morning beautiful” Archer’s deep, smooth voice said from behind her as his arms wrapped around her waist, she felt him place a kiss on her neck, and then her shoulder.
It had been a week since Archer had woken from his permanent sleep and they had found each other again. A week of nothing but happiness. Lara had never felt like this before, like all the pieces of the puzzle of her life were coming together to complete the big picture, and she didn’t even realise that half of the pieces had been missing.
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