CHAPTER 29: CHAPTER 29 MY ALPHA. MY PROTECTOR. MY MATE.

Victoria

His eyes darkened as they roamed over my body, clad now only in delicate lace underwear. "So beautiful," he breathed, reverently tracing the curve of my hip.

I reached for the hem of his shirt, suddenly impatient to feel his skin against mine. "Too many clothes," I complained, tugging the fabric upward.

Leo chuckled, obligingly lifting his arms so I could remove his shirt. The sight of his muscled chest never failed to make my mouth water, and I couldn’t resist running my fingers over the defined ridges of his abdomen.

"Like what you see?" he teased, though the strain in his voice betrayed how affected he was by my touch.

"You know I do," I whispered, boldly pressing my lips to his chest, tasting the salt of his skin.

With a growl, Leo lifted me effortlessly, carrying me to the bed and laying me down with surprising gentleness. He followed me down, his body a delicious weight above mine as he captured my lips again in a kiss that set my blood on fire.

His hands caressed every inch of me, worshiping my body as though memorizing its contours. When his lips closed around my nipple through the lace of my bra, I couldn’t suppress a moan of pleasure.

"Leo," I gasped, arching into his touch as his tongue swirled around the sensitive peak. "Please..."

He released the clasp of my bra with practiced ease, tossing the garment aside and gazing hungrily at my exposed breasts. "So responsive," he murmured appreciatively, his thumbs brushing over my hardened nipples. "So perfect."

I writhed beneath him as his mouth returned to my breast, his teeth grazing the sensitive flesh just enough to send jolts of pleasure-pain shooting through my body. His hand slid down my stomach to the edge of my underwear, teasing along the waistband until I was whimpering with need.

"Tell me what you want, Victoria," he demanded, his voice husky with desire.

"You," I breathed, my inhibitions dissolved by the haze of lust consuming me. "Inside me. Now."

Leo’s eyes flashed with primal satisfaction. "As my Luna commands."

He stripped away my underwear, then quickly shed his remaining clothes. The sight of him fully naked, his powerful body poised above me, made my mouth go dry with want. His arousal stood proud and ready, even more impressive than I remembered from our previous encounters.

*He’s magnificent,* Ava purred, pushing forward in my consciousness. I felt my eyes flash gold as she shared my vision, enhancing every sensation.

Leo spread my thighs with gentle but firm hands, his gaze darkening as he took in the evidence of my arousal. "So wet for me already," he growled approvingly, one finger tracing through my slick folds.

I gasped as he found my most sensitive spot, circling it with maddening precision. "Leo, please," I begged, beyond caring about dignity or restraint. "I need you."

"Patience, little wolf," he murmured, lowering his head between my thighs. "Let me taste you first."

The first swipe of his tongue had me arching off the bed, a cry of pleasure torn from my throat. He held my hips firmly as he devoured me with single-minded focus, his talented mouth bringing me to the edge of bliss with embarrassing speed.

Just as I was about to fall over that precipice, he pulled away, earning a frustrated whimper from me. "Not yet," he said, his voice rough with restraint. "I want to be inside you when you come."

Leo moved up my body, positioning himself at my entrance. Our eyes locked as he pushed forward slowly, stretching me deliciously with his considerable size. Despite our previous couplings, the sensation of fullness made me gasp.

"God, Victoria," he groaned as he seated himself fully within me. "You feel like heaven."

For a moment, he remained still, allowing me to adjust to his presence. Then he began to move, establishing a rhythm that had me clutching at his shoulders for anchor. Each thrust sent waves of pleasure cascading through me, building toward a peak that promised to be overwhelming.

"More," I demanded breathlessly, wrapping my legs around his waist to take him deeper.

Leo’s eyes flashed with wolfish approval at my boldness. He withdrew almost completely before driving back into me with a force that made the headboard slam against the wall. The new angle hit something exquisite inside me, and I cried out in surprised pleasure.

"There?" he asked knowingly, repeating the motion and watching my face contort with ecstasy.

"Yes," I gasped, my nails digging into his back. "Don’t stop."

Leo maintained the punishing pace, each thrust bringing me closer to the edge. When he reached between our bodies to circle his thumb against my most sensitive bundle of nerves, I felt my control slipping away entirely.

"Let go, Victoria," he commanded, his voice strained with his own approaching climax. "Come for me. Now."

As if my body was programmed to obey his command, I shattered, waves of pleasure crashing over me with such intensity that I screamed his name. Through the haze of my release, I felt him stiffen above me, his own climax ripping through him as he growled my name against my throat.

For long moments afterward, we lay tangled together, hearts racing and bodies slick with sweat. Leo’s weight pinned me to the mattress, but I welcomed it, feeling anchored and protected in his embrace.

Eventually, he rolled to his side, bringing me with him so that we remained connected, face to face on the rumpled sheets. His hand stroked my hair back from my flushed face with unexpected tenderness.

"You are extraordinary," he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.

I smiled, feeling more content than I could ever remember being. "Not so bad yourself, Alpha."

Leo chuckled, the sound vibrating pleasantly against my skin where our chests touched. "The bond between us grows stronger each day," he observed, his thumb tracing the curve of my cheek. "I can feel your emotions now, even when we’re apart."

The intimacy of his words should have frightened me—the idea of someone having such access to my inner world had always seemed invasive. But with Leo, it felt right, as though some part of me had always been waiting for this connection.

"Is that normal?" I asked curiously. "For mates, I mean."

"It’s rare," he admitted. "Even among true mates, the bond rarely progresses this quickly or deeply. Our wolves are exceptionally compatible."

I felt a surge of pride at his words. Despite my mixed heritage, despite Madam Hannah’s doubts and Lilith’s scorn, my wolf was powerful enough to forge an extraordinary bond with one of the most dominant Alphas in the territory.

"Does it bother you?" Leo asked, a hint of vulnerability in his question that surprised me. "Having me in your head this way?"

I considered the question honestly before answering. "No," I said finally. "It should, but it doesn’t. It feels... right. Like finding a piece of myself I didn’t know was missing."

The relief in his eyes was palpable. "Good," he murmured, pulling me closer. "Because I have no intention of ever letting you go, Victoria Howlthorne. You’re mine now—my mate, my Luna, my heart."

The fierce possessiveness in his declaration made Ava howl with satisfaction inside me. And to my surprise, the human part of me rejoiced equally. After a lifetime of being unwanted, being claimed so thoroughly by someone as powerful as Leo felt like coming home.

"And you’re mine," I whispered back, pressing a kiss to his chest over his heart. "My Alpha. My protector. My mate."

As Leo’s arms tightened around me, I felt sleep beginning to pull at my consciousness. The day’s trials—Madam Hannah’s tests, Lilith’s cruelty, the painful reminders of my family’s fall from grace—all seemed distant and manageable in the sanctuary of my Alpha’s embrace.

Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but tonight, wrapped in Leo’s arms with our scents mingled and our bond humming contentedly between us, I was exactly where I belonged.