Chapter 106 - Stay with me

EMMA

Raindrops fall and chill my skin. The rain has quickly soaked into my clothes. My sweater sticks to my skin and I already dread the moment I’ll have to take off my jeans. When a shiver runs through my body, I jog toward the house and hide from the rain.

I take off my shoes and socks to prevent dragging more water inside. I collect the strands of my wet hair and pull it into a messy bun.

I find Kelsey doing yoga in the living room. She moves through different poses that are way too advanced for the average person. Calming music flows through the room together with a cloud of incense.

“Hi, Emma,” Kelsey says while hanging upside down.

“Ehm, Hi.” I scratch the back of my neck and look around the living room. “Is Alex gone?”

Alex is not very fond of incense, especially not in the amount Kelsey prefers. I spot the three burning sticks of the table. Smoke rises in thin streams.

Kelsey unfolds herself until she’s standing upright. “There have been some signs of soldiers.”

My brows rise at this information. It has happened a few times before. Aldea is fairly close to the south border point of the werewolf kingdom. Thus far no soldier has gone into Aldea however.

I look out the window where the heavy pour only continues. “Are she and Dex on a stakeout?”

Kelsey nods and her smile falters for a second. “Don’t want them finding the town.”

Her blond ponytail bounces with luscious volume, while my bun on the other hand drips like a drowning cat. I feel ridiculous compared to her. “I’m going to take a shower.”

A trail of water drips from my clothes as I walk up the stairs. When I move through the doorway of my room, I immediately take off my sweater and drop it to the floor together with my socks.

I pull the tight denim fabric of my jeans over my hips. I sit on my bed when it’s halfway down my thighs. I pull, squirm and use all my force with one leg in the air.

I lose my balance when one leg frees from my jeans. I fall backward off the bed and hit my head against the wall. Pain shoots through my back when I fall the short distance to the ground. “Ouch.”

“Are you okay Emma?” Kelsey shouts from downstairs.

I rub the swelling bump on my head. I know it will disappear in minutes. “Yeah, I just dropped something.” *Myself.*

The swelling creates an acute headache at the back of my head. It slows my vision and I blink my eyes. Two big muscular arms pick me up beneath my knees and back. I’m lifted in the air and come face to face with Hadrian.

His hair is wet and the water drips from the ends of the inky black strands. His chest heaves and his lips part as he takes deep breaths. I rarely see Hadrian exhausted, but here he is.

“You’re in my room,” I whisper.

His shirt sticks to the well-defined muscles and shows their outline. His amber eyes are drained and distressed. “You are hurt.”

I hold my arms around his neck. “I fell off the bed.”

Hadrian sits down on the bed with me in his arms. “I heard.” He places a kiss on my bare shoulder and runs his hand up and down my back.

“You came.” I feel tears rise. I don’t deserve this treatment from him. I’ve been awful. *I’m a terrible mate.*

Hadrian kisses my cheeks where moisture falls. “Always.”

I hug myself closer to him and press my face into his neck. I don’t care about my wet underwear and soaked jeans still hanging on one leg. “Are you not mad at me?”

Hadrian shackles his big arms around my back and he leans his head on mine. “Why would I be mad at you?”

“I yelled at you.” I try to keep my voice as quiet as possible. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, little mate.” Hadrian uses one hand to pull my jeans from my leg. The wet denim goes down without much trouble. His warm hand runs up and down my frigid skin to bring warmth back in my legs.

Hadrian is like a furnace that never runs out of fuel. I place a hand under his soaking shirt, where he described a heat coming from.

Hadrian hums in appreciation and he closes his eyes. I notice the dark shadows beneath his eyes. His energy is drained and only his will drives him forward. I’ve noticed before that Hadrian often steals touches. I feel the surge of energy and I wonder if he feels the same. If he needs it.

Hadrian is a mountain when it comes to endurance. He can do anything if he puts his mind to it. But even mountains can break under the force of nature.

“How’s Nero?” I whisper and break the silence.

Hadrian opens his eyes and concern dims the gold in his irises. His mouth turns into a grimace. “Not good.”

“Lucas thinks that he might be dying.”

“He is.” Hadrian holds his hands over mine and keeps me there. There is a flicker of fire in the amber, like adding fuel to a burn. It brightens in a surge.

“How?”

Hadrian places his forehead against mine and his nose traces along my skin. “We need our mate.”

“Gaia?” I ask and reluctantly wait for his answer.

He chuckles and his lips brush against mine when he says. “No, sweetheart.” Hadrian crushes my body against his and his lips mash with mine.

I crave his kisses and touches like I’m starving and he's the only food in the world. I need it to survive. Hadrian breaks the kiss when I moan.

His dark amber eyes burn with fervor and longing. They beg me to respond and I’m at a loss. There is still a disconnect between us, something begging to come through.

“Are you still going to help me?”

Hadrian promised to help me tonight with possibly connecting to my dormant wolf. I avoid looking at him and keep my fingers against the heat from his body.

Hadrian lifts my chin with his index finger. “Tomorrow, you need to rest first.”

Hadrian starts to move and I clutch the wet fabric of his shirt. “Stay with me.” The whisper spilling from my lips is desperate.

Hadrian looks me over and sighs like the request is a taxing one. “We have to be really quiet.”

I wiggle in excitement at the idea of Hadrian sleeping here. My heart does a little cartwheel. Hadrian growls and holds my hips at both sides. His hard erection presses at my backside and Hadrian scolds me without saying any words.

More punishment follows when Hadrian places me on the bed and moves away. I desperately crave him to come back.

He soundlessly moves through the room. Somehow he even avoids the creaking floor planks. I watch how he rummages through the drawers of my dresser. He lifts lacy piece after lacy piece in the air. Kelsey has gifted me many and they are all unworn…

Hadrian lifts a black lacy thong in the air and my face flushes. I have worn that one. My heart finds a new racketing pace. He gives me a questioning look before pocketing the little piece of fabric in his jeans.

The next moment he slowly lifts a blue oversized t-shirt. It’s obviously a men’s garment and Hadrian clutches his fist hard. His shoulders tense and the strain is visible.

“It’s from Lucas,” I whisper and I watch his knuckles relax.

He eventually gives me some chaste white panties and an oversized shirt that I’ve worn so many times that the fabric is thinning. I dry my hair and change into dry clothes.

Hadrian peels his shirt away. The fabric has a hard time parting with his chiseled torso, which I understand. My hands are automatically drawn to the well-developed swell. They run over his clammy skin for a good two seconds before Hadrian grabs my wrists. “Keep your hands to yourself, little mate.”

I can’t help the pout and Hadrian moves into me. My back hits the wall and he leans down and bites my pouting lip for a second. “Or we won’t be quiet for long.”

I lie down on the bed and Hadrian discards his jeans. He joins me on the bed and pulls me closer. I revel in his embrace. I place my head on his bicep and kiss his chest and collarbone. “I missed you.”

“I’m here.” Hadrian runs his fingers through my hair and I feel at peace when he’s near. My eyelids turn heavy and my subconscious takes over.