Waking up with warm arms wrapped around you was one of the best feelings in the world. I simply rolled on my side, nuzzling closer and sighing contently.

Drake was still deeply asleep, breath puffing past his lips in a steady pattern. After our dip in the hot springs yesterday, we had simply relaxed and enjoyed dinner. Enjoyed some time between us without any interruptions.

In a way, I wondered how I got this lucky with my Choice mate. And also wondered why I had to go through the entire ordeal with Max, if he was supposed to be my Fated mate.

After all, weren't Fated mates supposed to be a perfect fit? To match you in every single way possible, like two pieces of a puzzle?

Instead of merging completely and living a happily ever after, we had clashed and split apart. I was left, scarred for life and all over a bias against nomadic wolves, underlying racism that made pack wolves look down on nomadic wolves for no reason except bias, rumors and lack of information.

A sigh escaped me before I smiled when Drake subconsciously pulled me tighter against him. Pondering about the past wasn't going to change it.

It may help my future, to understand what happened so I could heal and leave this mess behind me. But that also meant actually meeting up with Max, to see what he had to say.

More importantly, to question him about his actions. Why did he attack me? Why did he put the blame on me? Why, after already being mated, did he not trust me?

I knew it wasn't my fault. I had proven myself time and time again, taking care of the pack's pups, coming to the Luna's aid when rogues had pierced through the pack's borders.

If I truly had been a rogue, it would've made sense to be at the Luna's side when the other's arrived. Because everyone would've been distracted with the new intruders and would not have focused on me.

A rogue could've done just that. Lie in ambush with the Luna so that when she and the pack's pups were brought to the safehouse, it would've been a quick and easy

Instead, I have hurried to her side, helping her get in with all the pack pups and fighting off rogues left and right. Back then , I hadn't thought about the consequences, hadn't wondered about those rogues.

If I had been anything like them, I would've hesitated. Wouldn't have attacked them with the ferocity that I had. Hell, Gavin had been at a rogue's mercy. And he was the one who had always questioned my loyalty.

I never understood why the pack reacted like they did. I mean, they had already gone through several attacks and I had heard through the grapevine that a child had gotten severely injured during the raid where I was banished.

For the pack, it made sense to draw conclusions when I was attacked by my own mate. The manner in which they found me, coated in blood while standing over an unconscious Gavin certainly didn't help my crumbling image.

But still. To lash out with murderous intent after I had lived among them, knew them for so long.

I would probably never fully understand their reasoning. Most likely it was fed by panic and anger, frustration that rogues had managed to pierce their safe haven.

But to condemn an innocent person to death, without trial? Shaking my head, I huddled closer to Drake and nearly yelped when my eyes clashed with his own.

"Good morning, my heart." He murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead before slipping out of the bed. My eyes shamelessly devoured every bared inch of his flesh, making him chuckle and creating a flush on my cheeks at being caught.

When I noticed where he was headed, I followed his example, bare feet padding over cool tiles to where Drake squeezed a drop of toothpaste on his toothbrush.

He smirked, passing over the tube while scrubbing his teeth. I chuckled with amusement, following his example because I knew a kiss was that much more satisfying when you didn't have to worry about morning breath.

"There, much better." Drake smirked after rinsing, drying off his mouth before pulling me closer with an eager grin. I chuckled, barely managing to dry my own lips before I was devoured in a hungry kiss.

A small chuckle escaped me before I shivered as Drake growled playfully in response. Pressing me against the tiled walls, the heat from his body clashing with the cool tiles on my back.

And I had to agree; this was much better. To be able to kiss one another without worrying of morning breath or a foul taste.

While the kiss started sweet and gentle, it soon grew bolder. I could feel Drake's lips twitch into a grin seconds before the kiss deepened.

Shivering at the first touch of his tongue, to feel Drake step closer, trapping me fully against the tiles.

A breathy mewl slipped from my throat, fingers digging into Drake's hair. Fisting the luscious locks as he pulled one of my legs up in order to press further.

I instantly became aware of my own erection, where it twitched and grew against the more than generous bulge barely contained in Drake's boxers.

Drake hummed a curious, "I wonder..." but didn't elaborate. Instead, his mouth left nibbling kisses down my jaw. Breaths panting over my throat a mere second before his teeth teasingly scraped over his mark.

The loud moan along with my body jerking against his was more than a clue to let him know how I felt about that. The slight scraping shouldn't cause this amount of pleasure.

And yet it did. It felt as if Drake wasn't simply toying with his mark, letting his teeth and tongue sweep over the sensitive flesh. Each pull on my skin was a pulse of pleasure in my groin as I writhed against Drake, protesting at the sensation while throwing my head back, giving him better access at the same time.

The satisfied hum that followed made me shiver, pulling Drake closer. He complied with my wishes, amusement and desire clashing in his gaze before he latched onto his mark and sucked.

I groaned lowly, feeling my hips rock upwards against Drake. He growled in response, hips pressing back as I latched my leg around his waist.

Drake buried his nose against my skin, groaning as he got a face full of my arousal. A naughty idea came to mind, making me smirk and look down at Drake.

He must've sensed something over the link, as he started to lift his head just as I firmed my grasp on his head, pulled him closer and returned the favor by nipping at his mark.

"Fuck!" Was his garbled reply, his hands latching onto my ass, lifting me higher so we were perfectly aligned.

I chuckled, teasingly wiggling my ass against his erection while I teased his mark. Letting my tongue lave a path around the sensitive skin, inching closer before letting off. Exhaling on the damp skin and watch goosebumps rise in return.

"You minx." Drake chuckled weakly, voice dropping lower in desire. I giggled in return, audibly gasping when I felt fingers teasingly circle against my ass.

Before the pressure firmed, making my breath hitch in my throat, bucking against Drake's fingers.

The stretch as a single finger slowly pressed inside, was maddening. It never ceased to bring shivers over my body and I let Drake know exactly how I felt about it by teasingly biting down on his mark.

"Oh, you're asking for it." Drake growled, hurrying up with his preparation as I couldn't wait for him to just go at it.

Even my wolf, usually calm, was eager for more, batting at Drake's wolf in a fevered dance.

My fingers traced Drake's muscles, digging into his flesh with each sharp spike of pleasure, each little nudge against my prostate.

It came to a point where I was so desperate, I reached down and batted his hand away before grabbing myself a handful.

Drake stiffened in more ways than one, pulsing in the palm of my hand as I guided him against me.

"You're not fully stre- Fuck me!" Drake groaned against my shoulder, making me chuckle weakly. Savoring the feeling of his cock stretching my entrance, forcing my body to perfectly mold around his.

"You feel...so good." I drawled drunkenly, unable to keep myself from pushing down, taking Drake in further. Mewling as he thrusted upwards in response, filling me up completely to the point where I choked.

Our teeth clicked together in a hungry, biting kiss as Drake used his grip on my hips to start pumping into me. Like a man possessed, driving me further up against the wall as I could only latch on and enjoy the ride.

It was quick, messy but oh so satisfying. We simply rutted against one another like animals, growling, grunting and clawing at the other.

Drake's teeth sank into his mark, remarking me and making me scream in utter pleasure, releasing all over his chest while his knot rolled up, connecting us in our shared pleasure.

My legs relaxed around Drake's hips, chin resting comfortably on his shoulder, still experiencing the aftershocks of pleasure.

While Drake was still building up his stamina, the man's refractory period was simply . Even now, after having just fucking me to oblivion and having released his load, I could him twitching inside me.

"What are you, an animal?" I groaned jokingly, eyelids fluttering as Drake moved the slightest bit and unintentionally pressing his cock against my prostate. "Oh, fuck me..." I muttered, shivering all over.

Drake chuckled, lifting his head from my mark and grinned, eyes flitting down between us. "I could ask you the same thing, darling." He said with a pointed look at my erection that hadn't diminished at all.

In fact, I was quite certain I had never been harder in my life!

"This is all your fault." I grumbled before letting out a breathy mewl as Drake firmed his grip on me, pulling away from the wall. "What are-"

I choked as Drake took a step forwards. Probably with the innocent intention of bringing us to the bed, so we could relax until his knot diminished.

But instead, I convulsed from the stimulation, as each step made his cock nudge against my overly sensitive prostate.

"That was just a quickie, darling. To blow off steam and get rid of our shift's need." Drake chuckled even though I could feel his grip on me tighten with each step he took, experiencing the same rush of pleasure.

I hug limply in his arms, whimpering and mewling with each step before I was gently laid back on the bed, with Drake hovering over me with a cheeky grin.

"Now, I get to have you all for myself. To take you apart slowly." He drawled, fingers caressing my skin, eyes heated as he continued "To figure out what makes you tick. What your sensitive spots are and to see if I can make you come from just stimulating those." He smirked widely as my stomach twitched uncontrollably when his fingers ever so slowly traced around my navel.

I swallowed thickly, feeling Drake's Alpha peek through and shivered, not at all unpleasantly so.

"I was wrong before. THIS is the best way to wake up...."