His Forever Mate

by Jenny Tia

  “What did you like about it?”

  “Just feeling so close to nature. My own nature, and the earth. It’s amazing to feel so connected to the land.”

  I sighed. “I love that too.”

  “Man, it’s so dark out with the moon in hiding. Are we almost there?”

  “Good instincts. We sure are,” I said and pointed toward the clearing coming up where the Mansion was glowing in the distance.

  Feeling the pull of the dark moon as it reached its highest point in the sky, we all waited in anticipation as a rough circle of adult shifters surrounded the three boys who were to shift for the first time that night. Drummers created a sacred beat in the background that was said to draw out the wolf spirit and bring it to the surface. It sure had that effect on me—I felt mine, eager to be part of the ceremony.

  The boys all looked nervous, tapping their hands on their thighs, their eyes darting from their feet to the crowd, occasionally looking up at the sky. I understood how they felt. The pain of a first shift was no joke.

  Then one of the boys starting to groan, doubling over and clutching at his stomach. Another one dropped to his knees and let out a wail, and the third one just balled up his fists and scrunched up his face.

  I was glad I could be there to witness it, since these boys might be protectors within the Inner Guard and under my command one day. They deserve a leader who witnessed and understood their suffering.

  Their shift lasted all of two minutes, but I knew it felt longer for them. Once they had shifted, in their places stood three, handsome young wolves. The drumming escalated into a celebratory rhythm and the rest of the pack howled and hooted.

  Julian let out a happy howl that made my heart soar.

  The boys let out their own howls, their wolf voices cracking as they did their best to make their voices carry across the hills. The sound brought our wolves even further forward, and adults began to shift, preparing to lead the boys on their first run.

  I turned to Julian, suddenly realizing this would be the first time we would get to see each other’s wolves. “This is a big moment.”

  He nodded, but looked a little nervous.

  “Hang on. You know you don’t have to shift if you don’t want to,” I said, trying to reassure him.

  He laughed and shook his head. “No, it’s not that. I just wish we had some privacy for this first shift together…”

  I smiled and stretched out my hand. “Easy. Follow me.”

  14

  Julian

  Casius led me by the hand to the edge of the woods, where the wild grasses grew so tall they melded into the tree line. Our steps flattened them, but from my research, I knew they grew so strong and thick in Everglow they’d bounce back.

  The clouds pulled back and revealed the full moon, whose light painted the pine trees an eerie silver. My vision sharpened—I could see every blade of grass and every pine needle—and I was sure my eyes must have taken on the same glow my wolf’s eyes had; an omega purple. I glanced at Casius and saw his were bright red. It was the color of his alpha wolf eyes, but they were brighter and more powerful than I’d ever seen before. I felt like he could see right inside me, and the intensity of it made me cringe at first, until I remembered who it was looking at me. My fated mate… I could trust him. In fact, I did trust him. Good god, what was happening to me?

  I jumped when a loud, sharp bark came from behind me. The young wolves from the ceremony gave out a series of yaps and howls as they started sprinting into the woods with those who had witnessed the ceremony.

  “Shift for me,” Casius whispered.

  I didn’t hesitate. I wanted to. I wanted to show him all of who I was.

  It felt good to strip out of my clothes under the full moon and to feel the cooler air of Everglow touching my skin. I glanced up at Casius and found his gaze fixed on my chest, taking me in with a hungry look on his face. He made quick work of the buttons of his shirt while his gaze slid down my body and rested on my crotch. A thrill ran down from my chest, following the direction of his eyes. My cock swelled with arousal from his attention.

  Casius inhaled sharply as my dick twitched and grew harder as I looked him over. His own cock was growing thick and long, half-hard and pressed against his inner thigh. I swallowed and tried not to moan too loudly as his cock became thicker and longer as I stared at it.

  Soon enough, we were both fully erect. My breathing was shallow and fast, and I could see from the movement of Casius’s chest that his was too.

  “Wow, I just want to take you home to bed.” Casius bit his bottom lip and moaned in appreciation while he gazed at me.

  Damn, I wanted it too—but my wolf yapped excitedly and pawed at my chest. It needed to come out and run now. I gave Casius an apologetic grin before I let my wolf take over.

  Suddenly, I was knee-height and craning my neck to look up at the beautiful man in front of me while my heart pounded away in adoration for him. With my sharpened senses, everything about him seemed stronger than ever. I picked up details of his features I’d never noticed before—a tiny freckle on the underside of his collarbone, a small scar just below his belly button. My nose flared as I sniffed, and my snout was flooded with his scent. Casius smiled down at me and let out a long breath. He kneeled, and I went to lick at his fingers but he buried them in the fur of my back, sending a warm, comforting thrill through my body.

  “You’re gorgeous. Look at this fur! I’ve never seen fur so black and thick and beautiful.”

  If I could have blushed, I would have. Instead, I lowered my head and craned it to the side as I pawed at the dirt by his feet, embarrassed by his compliment. Casius took my head in his hands and urged me to look up. He pressed his forehead against mine and closed his eyes as he leaned into me.

  “I’m so blessed to have you. I’m so fucking blessed.” He sighed, and a moment later, I heard the cracking of joints shifting and bones bending, and after I blinked, a huge wolf was standing before me—bigger than any I’d seen before. He was a good head taller than me. His dark brown fur was flecked with tinges of red around his scruff and his haunches, and his red eyes glowed even more brightly now.

  I instinctively lowered my head in submission in the face of this powerful alpha. I felt a nipping at my neck and jumped back to find Casius with a smug grin across his snout, and his tongue hanging out playfully. I lunged forward and nipped him back as he let out a playful growl. We pounced back and forth and then rubbed against each other, marking our scruffs and flanks with our scents.

  A howl sounded from the distance—a strong howl of an Alpha. It must have been Hughes. My legs felt like they were full of electricity, and when Casius nipped my ear, I immediately started to run. He sprinted ahead of me and I worried for a moment I’d lose him when we dashed into the forest. But these weren’t the dark forests of Goldleaf with their warrens of paths through the underbrush, dead ends, and overgrown brambles; this was Everglow where the moon’s rays shone through the pines and lit the entire forest floor. I could see Casius blasting through the woods far ahead of me, but then he slowed down and waited for me to catch up.

  I ran as fast as I could, which was faster than I’d ever run before. I felt like I was energized by the moon and pulled forward by Casius. Once I was by his side, he steadied his pace to match mine, and we galloped side by side through the tall, towering pines, down a steep slope toward the ravine between the mountains where a river ran violent and loud. I balanced on a perilous tree branch that had fallen across the water and tested the current with my paw. Casius grabbed my scruff and pulled me back to the river’s edge just as the tree branch snapped and spilled into the water, shattering to pieces when it was thrown against a rock. He let out a warning growl, and I lowered my head in obedience and gratitude before he gave me a playful nip and trotted off upstream where a natural, wide, rocky bridge had been formed over the river.

  Casius barked for me to hurry up, and we raced across the bridge together, through the forest, and asce
nded the other side of the ravine.

  We clambered over boulders and rocky edges until we reached a plateau where a thin trail led around the mountainside. Casius took the lead again and walked carefully around the curve of the embankment. I put all my focus on my footing and lost him at one stage, but as I came around the edge, I let out a bark of surprise when I saw him standing, in his human form, in front of a waterfall.

  He turned his head to give me a smile, and then urged me over to his side with a wave of his hand. I took one more moment to admire his muscular, firm ass in the moonlight before I shifted and joined him.

  “This is beautiful.” I breathed heavily as I took in the sight of the waterfall—the rumors were true, its water really was glowing ethereally in the night, a silver that was the same color as the moon. It flowed into a beautiful, glowing lake below. Casius took me by the shoulders and held me tightly to him. His body was radiating heat, and my muscles relaxed just from being beside him.

  “I can’t believe how beautiful this is,” I said again. “This is literally the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “Hm. I’ve seen something even more beautiful…”

  “What? Are there even bigger waterfalls here?” I turned to glance at Casius and found him staring at me with a smug grin on his face. “Oh my god. You cheeseball.”

  Casius laughed, but I muffled him by kissing him firmly. He moaned into my lips and held me by the waist before pulling back and grinning.

  “What’s this cheeky grin about?” I asked, pointing to the dimples in his cheeks.

  His eyes sparkled as he whispered, “Want to go for a swim?”

  “A what? You want to swim? In there?” I glanced down at the lake below. It was at least twenty feet straight down, and I suddenly felt dizzy from looking at the drop. I leaned into Casius’s arms and he held me firmly.

  “You want to hike down or…” I knew the answer. Casius was already taking my hand in his and standing at the edge of the precipice.

  “Want to do this with me?” His cheeky grin changed into a warm, reassuring smile, and his voice was saturated with excitement.

  “You want me to take the leap, huh?”

  “Yeah, but I want us to do it together.” He squeezed my hand. My heart pounded. I didn’t dare look down. I kept my eyes on his, bit my bottom lip, and nodded.

  “On three.”

  “On three or on four? Like, right when you say three or—”

  “On three.”

  “Okay, okay. Sorry. Sorry. I just don’t want to jump prematurely.”

  “One.”

  I gulped. “Two.”

  “Three! Whoo!”

  We leaped off the edge, hand in hand, and the next thing I felt was the impact of my body breaking the surface of the water. All sound instantly muffled as I sank. I opened my eyes and found the water was crystal clear—so translucent I could see Casius grinning at me with his cheeks puffed up. I laughed before I realized I was letting my air escape, and quickly clamped my mouth shut.

  Casius tilted his head up to the surface. I watched the star-dotted sky through the perfectly transparent water as we ascended. The moon came into view through the water and I felt like it was pulling us up with its beams.

  I took a desperate gasp of air as we surfaced, but an instant later Casius lifted me up over his shoulders. I let out a cry and he laughed, dunking me under the water for just an instant before bringing me back up. I threw my arms around his neck and squirted him in the face with a blast of water from between my lips.

  “Hey!” he complained, and then he dunked me back under.

  We played and fooled around for what felt like hours until we came to rest, floating on our backs in the water together, hand in hand, staring up at the moon and listening to the sound of the waterfall pouring into the edge of the lake.

  “I want to show you something,” Casius said softly as he squeezed my hand under the water.

  “Something else? This is already perfect.”

  “C’mon. You’ll see.” He swam slowly toward the edge of the waterfall. I followed, keeping enough distance behind him so I could watch his plump ass and thick thighs break through the water as he swam. It felt like a dream. The best dream I’d ever had.

  He pulled himself out of the lake and onto the rocky bank, and then offered me a hand up. I took it, and I felt like I was flying as he easily yanked me out of the water and onto the damp rocks. They felt cold under my feet like they’d held onto the winter’s chill and weren’t letting go.

  Casius led me by the hand over the slippery stone, closer to the waterfall. The roar of the falling water deafened me, so I watched with eager eyes as he pointed to a foothold in front of us. He let go of my hand and bounded across the flat rock, and then the next in one graceful leap. I didn’t like my chances of doing the same.

  I looked up to ask him for help, but I couldn’t see him anymore. He was completely hidden by the waterfall. He was behind it. I had to do this alone. I swallowed nervously and looked down. It wasn’t a far drop back into the lake, but I could tell that the power of the waterfall would have thrown me against the rocky bank or held me under. So I carefully used the foothold he’d pointed out and prayed to the moon I wouldn’t fall as I launched myself over the gap, toward the next rocky outcrop.

  I made it, and then fell into Casius’s arms as he caught me on the other side. I looked up and gasped as the glow from the back of the ethereal waterfall illuminated the inside of the small cavern, and lit Casius’s face. He looked so gorgeous I wanted to melt into him.

  The rock slab was covered in soft, downy moss and we sat down on it. We gazed out through the waterfall, catching glimpses of the lake, the woods, and the stars when the water would randomly part. I leaned my head against his shoulder and let out a soft sigh. The contentment I felt in that moment was incredible.

  Such a good dream.

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” Casius said softly as he linked our fingers together.

  I nodded in agreement. “I’m happy to be here. I don’t know how to say this but… I’m so happy here. I didn’t expect it, but it feels like home.”

  “That’s what I want to be for you. Your home.”

  I took a deep breath and lifted my head to gaze at him again. A slow hunger began to unfurl from somewhere around my middle, spreading until I was almost consumed by it. I reached for Casius, and then pressed my lips against his in a soft, sweet kiss. Almost instantly, a surge of lust burst through me, too strong to ignore. I moved closer to him, flattening my body against his. He held my waist as he slid his tongue into my mouth. I moaned at the sensation and placed my hand on his inner thigh. Casius kissed me harder and moved closer until my fingers grazed his half-erect cock.

  Acting on instinct, I wrapped my hand around his thick length, and the second I did so, my belly twisted in hot desire. My cock filled with blood, and slick slid between my ass cheeks and down the inside of my thighs.

  “I can smell you,” Casius growled lustfully.

  I squirmed and whimpered, feeling woozy, almost like I was in a trance.

  Casius smoothed a hand down my side then over my cock. I groaned and thrust my hips reflexively, wanting him to touch me like I was touching him, but he slipped his fingers over my perineum then pulled back from our kiss and watched my face as he pressed his digits against my hole. I shuddered and wrapped my arms around his shoulders for support. My body trembled, and I felt like I was getting a fever—my skin seemed tight, my flesh felt warm, and my head was dizzy.

  When Casius pressed two fingers inside me, I gasped. It shouldn’t have been any different than when he’d done before, but for some reason, it was better. So much better. I spread my legs and tilted my hips to give him more access. He growled and thrust in deeper.

  “Oh, Casius! Fuck!” I wanted him so badly, it was like something was taking over my body. He repositioned me, and then began fucking my hole with his fingers. It was so good, but it wasn’t enough.

&nbs
p; “I need more,” I pleaded.

  He slid in a third finger. I moaned in appreciation, but it still wasn’t enough. I bit my bottom lip and squirmed back and forth, practically fucking myself on his digits. Still, my desire wasn’t anywhere near quenched.

  He kissed me then held me still as he pulled back and looked into my eyes. “You want more?”

  “God, yes please.”

  Casius pulled his fingers out of my hole, and I growled in protest, but then watched as he rubbed the slick from my ass all over his big, swollen cock. “You want this?”

  His cock glistened in the glow of the waterfall. I’d never seen anything so beautiful. A flutter of excitement ran through my entire body, and I felt like I was going to pass out if I didn’t get that dick inside me now.

  “Yes!”

  “You sure?” Casius looked at me seriously, searching for my willing consent.

  “Yes. Please, Casius. I want you.” It was true. My body craved him, but even more, my heart yearned for him. I wanted him in so many ways. I wanted to give all of myself to him. I also wanted him to take all of me.

  He kissed me softly, but I felt his mounting lust when he picked me up and placed me face down onto the ground in one smooth move. I arched my back and lifted my ass, exposing my hole to the cool night air. I loved feeling so exposed, but the absence of anything inside me was driving me crazy and making me keen pathetically until I felt Casius put his hands on my hips, and then press the tip of his dick against my slick ass.

  It had been a long time since I’d been fucked, and I was genuinely glad he’d prepared me because it burned as he pushed the thick, full head of his dick past the ring of muscle that protected my entrance. The burn faded quickly, and in its wake was all pleasure.

  “You okay?” he asked. I nodded, unable to help a cheeky grin even though he couldn’t see it. He held still until I wriggled my hips in invitation. He groaned and tightened his grip on my hips, and then he began fucking me, slow and steady, popping the top of his dick in and out of my hole, and feeding me just an inch at a time.