An hour later, Amara wakes up with a groan. Her mouth is dry, the makeup on her face is smeared and making her eyes itch and she smells somewhere between a brewery and the floor of a movie theater. Half dead, she forces herself to literally crawl out of bed. She somehow manages to take her makeup off and shower without causing herself any bodily harm.

In that hazy place where she is not quite drunk anymore but also not hungover yet, she throws on a shirt she had taken from Maddox and leaves her room. If she was wide awake and fully coherent, Amara would be mortified right about now at the thought someone might be roaming around for whatever reason and catch her in this state.

But since she is not and her only current objective is wanting the comfort of her mate who is in the opposite wing, she clumsily makes her way to his room. She lets herself in, quietly shutting the door then sliding under the covers and rolling until she is laying on her Alpha. Instantly, she is out like a light again. Maddox blearily registers the passed-out little wolf in his arms and huffs a laugh, holding her tightly and going back to sleep.

It is nearly noon when she awakens next and it takes a moment before the fog of sleep is lifted and her mind takes in their current position. She bites her lip and debates what to do. At some point, she rolled over to have her back pressed against his chest and the borrowed shirt rode up. Maddox’s hand must have made its way under, now cupping her breast.

She could carefully move his hand, slip out of bed and go find something for her headache in the medicine cabinet. That would be fine and her Alpha could continue sleeping, something he desperately needed considering he is usually up and working just after dawn.

That is most likely the route she should take but it is not the one she wants to take. Not only does it feel too good to be pressed against him with her breast cupped in his hand, her wetness already coating his tip that is nestled between her thighs.

With a shiver of excitement, Amara puts her smaller hand over the one cupping her and tightens over it so he is squeezing her tit. She squeezes her thighs together to add pressure, the moist lips of her womanhood encasing his leaking head and she gently rocks, allowing his length to slide against her center.

A tired groan leaves Maddox who tightens his hold on her. His body responds to the sensations his mind has yet to register. He pinches her nipple making Amara arch her back into his touch and rock her hips so she is grinding against his shaft, her wetness helping him slide easily between her clenched thighs.

Maddox kisses and nips at the back of her neck, snapping his hips to thrust back and forth, fast and harder. “Mmm, what a sweet wakeup call from my little mate. Fuck, you feel so good darlin’” he moans deeply, voice extra roughened from sleep, and Amara could cum just from the sound of it alone.

Feeling confident and emboldened by the praise, Amara circles her curvaceous hips to grind on his length as she rides it. Her body tightens and trembles as a small orgasm rocks through her, his cock rubbing deliciously against her sensitive clit “Just like that doll, cum for me. Oh, you’re such a good girl sweetheart.” Maddox praises, coaxing a whine from her lips and a hazy mental note to add praise in her new list of kinks.

Amara moves sensually against her mate, loving the growl in his voice as sleep still laces it and she hopes to wake up to it every morning of her life from this point forward. Despite the frantic possessive edge, there is also a lazy intimacy to all of it that makes it feel just that much better.

Maddox slides his hand down to her waist so he can hold her in place, pounding against her smooth lips, her legs crossing to tighten her juicy thighs as much as possible. He is careful not to slip inside of his little wolf. Soon, but not yet, and certainly not like this. His tip drags over her clit providing the yummy friction she needs.

He throbs against her, moans becoming grunts as he chants her name and Amara knows her Alpha won’t be lasting much longer. She moans encouragements and makes sure to match his speed and intensity even as he grows frantic. She reaches down and wraps her hand around his tip, teasing it whenever he thrusts.

“That’s it Maddox, my Alpha, my mate. Show me how good I make you feel, please baby” she pants, close to reaching her own end for the second time. He responds the way she knew he would. His fingers dig into her hips, a growl that is bordering on a roar forcing its way out of him. His orgasm hits hard, thick heavy ropes of cum exploding into Amara’s cupped hand as she throws her head back, climaxing on his pistoning shaft.

Catching their breath, Maddox places small kisses on her shoulder. Amara feels sated despite the ache in her head and tiredness still clinging to her bones. She finally registers his seed still pooled in her hand. Out of curiosity, she brings her hand to her mouth and starts licking it up. Maddox lets his head fall against her shoulder with a grunt “You’re gonna be the death of me you little minx” he mumbles but sounds nowhere near as affronted as he was probably going for.

Amara giggles and wipes the rest onto the shirt she had worn to bed since it would need to be thrown in the wash anyways and her Alpha gently bites at her shoulder pulling an exhausted giggle from her. Throwing the shirt off, she rolls to face him, tucking her head in the crook of his neck.

Maddox shifts without dislodging her and she gets the impression that he is reaching for something behind him before settling into his previous position again. “I didn’t get the chance to give you this before but, Happy birthday sweetheart” Amara eagerly pops her her up to see her Alpha holding out a small box. It is a rich royal purple and she is pretty sure it is velvet. He wiggles it a little with an expectant look on his face that makes her snap out of it and grab the gift.

Feeling a little nervous, Amara opens the velvet box slowly to reveal a ring and her breath hitches for a second. The ring is beautiful! The band looks like platinum vines leading up to crescent moons that hold a moonstone. It fits her style but also has a hidden message that Amara catches right away. When they officially bond, Amara will become the pack’s Luna and the ring represents that.

With slightly trembling fingers, she removes the ring from its slot and holds it out to Maddox. Her mate smiles tenderly, taking it and sliding it onto the middle finger of her left hand then places a kiss over the stone. Amara grabs her mate’s face and kisses him sweetly then snuggles close again, rubbing the band of the ring with her thumb.

“You knew all along, didn’t you? And you waited for me” she whispers against his skin. Maddox hums, eyes closed again and she almost thinks he’s not going to reply. Finally, he breathes “You are worth it. I would have waited entire lifetimes for you.” And really, does anything else need to be said? The world outside can wait, for the rest of that day they just exist together in their own little bubble of warmth and love.

“Best birthday ever” Amara whispers, meaning it wholeheartedly. She would have never imagined that coming to Onyx Moon could bring her everything it has. It feels as if her life is richer than ever before. Maddox is a large part of it but not the entirety. He is the light in her world, but not the center of it. She doesn’t lose herself in him. Instead, he is the force that helps her grow and flourish and that, in her opinion, is so much better.