Chapter 16 - 016: His turn[R18]
She stayed on her knees in front of him, her hands resting lightly on his thighs. The forest around them was quiet except for the soft sound of leaves moving in the wind. Rylan’s ears were slightly flattened, a clear sign that his wolf was still unsettled. His scent carried that sharp edge of possessiveness mixed with uncertainty.
Anaria did not rush. She simply looked up at him, letting him see that she was calm and certain.
"You’re still my mate," she said quietly. "Kai being here doesn’t change that. I chose you first."
Rylan’s throat moved as he swallowed. His hands stayed at his sides, fingers twitching once like he wanted to stop her but could not quite bring himself to do it. The conflict was plain on his face. His wolf wanted the reassurance. The man was still struggling with the image of her with someone else.
Anaria leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against the front of his loincloth. Rylan’s breath caught. A low, involuntary sound left his chest.
She worked the ties open with steady hands. When she freed him, he was already half-hard, the evidence of how strongly his body reacted to her even while his mind remained conflicted. Anaria wrapped her fingers around him and gave a slow stroke, watching his face the entire time.
Rylan’s eyes darkened. His wolf pressed closer to the surface, ears twitching, but he still did not pull away. He only stared down at her as if he could not decide whether to stop this or beg for more.
Anaria took him into her mouth.
The moment her lips closed around him, a rough breath left Rylan’s lungs. His hand finally moved, hovering near her head before settling carefully in her hair. He did not push. He only held on, as if grounding himself.
Anaria moved with purpose, slow and steady at first, letting him feel every part of it. She wanted him to understand through touch what words had failed to settle. That he was still wanted. That the new bond had not erased him.
Rylan’s breathing grew heavier. Soft, restrained sounds slipped from him each time she took him deeper. His claws extended just slightly against her hair, then retracted again as he forced control. The wolf in him was calming under the attention, the sharp edge of jealousy slowly easing into something warmer and more possessive.
"Anaria..." he muttered, voice rough.
She did not answer with words. She only looked up at him while continuing, letting her actions speak. The confidence in her eyes never wavered.
Rylan’s hips shifted once, a small, uncontrolled movement. His free hand clenched at his side. Everything about him showed the same struggle: part of him still unsettled by what he had seen, and another part desperately accepting the comfort she was offering.
Anaria kept going, patient and focused. She took him deeper, using her hand where her mouth could not reach, her tongue moving against him in slow, deliberate strokes. Rylan’s breathing turned uneven. A low growl built in his chest, not of anger this time, but of something more primal. His grip in her hair tightened just a little.
The more she gave him, the more his wolf rose. The conflict in his eyes began to shift. The flustered hesitation was still there, but underneath it a stronger instinct was taking hold. He was her first mate. His wolf refused to let another claim overshadow that.
Suddenly Rylan pulled back. Anaria looked up, lips parted, a little surprised by the sudden movement. Before she could speak, his hands slid under her arms and lifted her easily. The strength of his beast made the motion smooth and effortless. He carried her a few steps away from the open path and set her down carefully on a patch of soft moss beside a smooth, flat stone that rose from the ground like a natural seat.
Rylan stood over her, breathing hard. His ears were fully alert now, his eyes brighter with the wolf’s presence. The flustered look had not completely left his face, but it was mixed with something more determined.
"If I’m your first mate," he said, voice low and rough. "Let me show you why."
Anaria’s heart beat faster, but she did not look away. She simply nodded once, still calm, still choosing this.
Rylan dropped to his knees in front of her. His hands moved to her upper part, pushing the fabric aside with careful but urgent motions. When he bared her to the cool air, he paused for a second, taking in the sight of her. Then he leaned down and pressed his mouth between her legs.
Anaria’s breath left her in a soft, startled sound. Even with the lingering ache from her time with Kai, the first stroke of his tongue pulled a real moan from her throat. Rylan’s hands settled on her thighs, holding them open as he licked her with focused intensity. His wolf was fully present now, possessive and intent on marking her with his attention.
She moaned again, the sound rising when he found a sensitive spot and stayed there. The ache did not stop the pleasure. If anything, the mix of tenderness and the slight soreness made every touch sharper. Her fingers curled against the moss. Her fox ears twitched.
Rylan did not rush. He licked her slowly at first, learning what made her breath hitch, then deeper and more firmly when her moans grew louder. Soft growls vibrated against her as he worked. His claws pressed lightly into her thighs, not enough to hurt, only enough to show how strongly his beast was reacting.
Anaria’s hips shifted under his mouth. Another moan slipped out, longer this time. She could feel the tension that had been sitting between them since the outside beginning to ease, replaced by something warmer and more connected. Rylan was still not fully at ease with everything that had happened, but in this moment his wolf had decided that action was better than words.
He kept going, tongue steady and determined, until her moans turned softer and more continuous, her body responding even through the leftover ache. Every sound she made seemed to settle something in him. The restless energy that had followed him from the cave was finally finding a place to go.
Rylan lifted his head for a brief second, eyes dark and a little wild, before he lowered his mouth to her again, still intent on showing her exactly what it meant that he had been her first.