- Everest -

When the sound of the shower starting hit my ears I let my eyes open, and with it my silent tears fell.

Titus was right about rejecting Caleb like I had.

My rejection did enable me to accept Titus' touch...but he didn't say anything about not being able to think about him.

And that's exactly what was happening right now.

Tonight with Titus was truly fantastic on so many levels. And my wolf was satisfied in every that she had been howling to be with Titus.

Throughout everything, Titus made it a point to give me choices in the impossible situation we found ourselves in, he also unknowingly told me that he was my partner throughout this.

Titus had gone out of his way to make me comfortable.

I had spent the same amount of time with Titus as I had with Caleb, my mate...and yet the one who should have been loving and compassionate was so cold and distant. Even the way we had sex...it was just that, sex.

It was fast, hard, emotionless...my mate fucked me and forgot about me.

But with Titus, my husband...(I couldn't stop the small smile from rising as memories began to flood me) my core began to pulse with want as I remembered the way his fingertips trailed lightly on certain areas and grasped others. The feel of his lips on my skin.

Titus, the cold ruthless prince, he had every right to be heartless and cruel toward me, the girl who was coming in and made to be his wife instead of his beloved mate.

But he was nothing but gentle and warm toward me.

He made me feel as if he genuinely wanted to be with me. He made love to me and put me in the forefront of everything tonight.

That was all I ever wanted from my mate.

I got up and put on the cotton nightgown that I had picked out with Heidi. I walked over to the window and caught my reflection. My hair was a tangled mess so I quickly pulled it all to the side and gave myself a messy side braid.

I looked out the window.

From up here I could see out far enough to see the beginnings of my new packs houses. Some people had lights on, others seemed to be completely dark as the night gently wrapped around the pack land.

"I'm pretty certain you said I had killed your legs." I turned to see Titus approaching me fresh from his shower.

I resigned to looking back out of the window otherwise I would openly stare at his sculpted chest and arms as they were completely bare still. It seems as if my new husband sleeps without a shirt.

His hand snaked around my waist and I smiled.

But it was when his nose trailed from the tip of my left shoulder and into the crook of my neck before he placed a small kiss there, it had me closing my eyes in anticipation of what was to come.

"Can you pull your hair down Everest?"

"My hair is a mess." I protested with a slight chuckle.

"Your hair is beautiful." He complimented. "Plus, the smell...it reminds me that it you."

My heart raced.

It seemed that I wasn't the only one struggling to keep from comparing him to another.

Titus' tale was so heartbreaking.

I knew what it felt like to not be with your mate. But I didn't know what it felt like to be loved by my mate only to have them ripped away from me forever.

I reached up a little and began pulling the braid apart, he held me as his own fingers combed through my hair delicately.

With my hair down even I could smell the roses.

And the warmth of the room seemed to amplify the scent. I suppose I had the old traditions to thank for that even though my usual scent (from what I've been told) is more on the floral side as it is.

He sighed and placed a small kiss to my temple. "Are you nervous about tomorrow."

"A little." I confessed, still looking at the town in the distance.

"You shouldn't be, you're my wife Everest...I've already told you, I won't ever let anything happen to you" he sounded. "Not like anything would though, these are my people and now they are yours as well, they wouldn't dream of harming you." He said as he lightly pulled me tighter against him.

With my back now against his bare chest he rested his jaw lightly on the side my head "I've never been one for a spotlight." I admitted.

I felt as he nodded, "you are their Luna now, they will come to you for leadership and guidance...in a sense you will be in the spotlight...but I will always be right there next to you, you'll never be alone so long as I can help it."

I turned to face him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

Slowly he brought his head down and I brought my head up so that the two of us could meet with our lips.

I kissed him because I wanted to kiss him.

Now that I thought about it, we had done a lot because we wanted to and not because we were ordered to.

We had been ordered to mate, and so we had. But everything after that was just him and I, no order.

I kissed him again and he let it grow into more, his grip held me just a little tighter and my hands were in his dampened locks.

Once again, things got heated quickly.

To say we had chemistry was an understatement. It was as if he could hear my wolf calling for him and he went to work attending to various areas with his hands, tongue, and lips.

I couldn't control the deep rise and fall of my own chest, as my breathing came out heavier with want.

This time we were lost in the heat of the moment as he moved us toward the wall. I stopped once my back gently touched the cool wall.

I knew what was next as I hoped up and he easily held me up, I wrapped my legs around his middle and he both pushed my gown up before pushing his pants down.

Once more I hugged him to me as he entered inside of me again.

I didn't fight the moans of pleasure that spilled out of me.

His own low growls and tight grips had my entire body quivering in excitement and all too soon I found myself spilling all over him, he pumped himself inside of me once more as he too reached his climax.

And without pulling out of me he held me against the wall still, he looked me in the eyes. "Are you alright?"

I smiled and nodded before kissing him once more.

"I'm sorry" I whispered playfully.

"To what could you possible be sorry for Everest?"

I smiled again, "I've wasted your shower."

He chuckled and carefully placed me down, "I don't mind wasting my shower so long as it's doing that." he smiled handsomely.

This time I laughed alongside him.

I got back into bed as he pulled his pants back up.

Once he finally entered the bed he pulled me to him and buried his nose into my hair. I suppose he needed the reassurance, I hugged him as I closed me eyes.

I knew this journey would be a difficult one for both of us but at least we had each other to lean on...and it seemed as if our wolves were content with each other as well.