Chapter 56|Sensual Intimacy.

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Isabelle and Francis made it back to the De Luca Pack territory before nightfall, they requested to have their return unannounced and unknown to most, only a few were apprised of it and the very few were awaiting their return with their hearts to their throats each with separate emotions clogging their windpipe.

Lucas paced around the corridor that led to his brother's private solar where the man was awaiting his mate's return. The conversation that passed between himself and the Alpha replaying itself nonstop in his head in a mantra. It was after the commotion caused by the burnt corpse that was found within their territory, the one who was thought to be Isabelle but for a reason only known to the Alpha he immediately requested for the corpse to be taken away and given a proper burial. Merely concluding that the dead woman wasn't his Isabelle.

Funny enough Lucas had his heart pounding so hard and fast he felt it skipping in gallops when his eyes caught sight of the red hair on the woman's head. He imagined how painful the discovery was going to be for his brother if he, as her mate's sibling felt the onslaught of emotions he did. He nearly grappled the nearest wall at the relief of hearing that the woman wasn't Isabelle even though he felt her loss nonetheless.

Lucas knew just how much he was among the few wolves that got the privilege of meeting their mates but had the bond totally unacknowledged. A wasted prestige. Having his mate acting immune to the pull between them was grating at his nerves and stealing the sanity away from him. He saw her reaction when she walked in on himself and Kate in what she probably expected to be a lover's embrace. The lack of connection between them made it unable for him to feel her reaction in the deepest part of him, her eyes couldn't hide the pain she felt at the thought of Kate as his lover and her turning and fleeing from their sight had him confirming his suspicion that she wasn't as immune to the bond as she was deliberately acting to be.

He scoffed at the irony of it. If only she wasn't the same person who bothered not about the bond and rejected him silently from her actions and her determination to wed his brother.

The series of events that transpired immediately after Lucas confessed to finding his mate in Arabella to Alexander made them unable to discuss more about the connection and what to do about it. Neither of the brothers ever got the chance to bring up the topic due to the events and Lucas' unplanned trip until now. Old Bea's recognition of the bond fueled Alexander's existing ire.

Having his Brother scolding him for not informing him way earlier than he did of the connection between them made him feel like a pitcher of ice cold water was splashed on his ruggedly handsome face. He was a man with pride, one who couldn't grovel, not even for his mate's affection. He fought with his pain, his anger, his constant reaction to her presence, the aching hardening of his member whenever she was in sight and most of all the rage of having her so close to him yet so far away. So far that he'd rather not see her at all than cope with seeing her but not having her.

Which fueled his decision to leave.

Alex added a few punches to their discussion by forcing him to look into his eyes until Lucas relented and told him of his reason for backing away and not acting to the fated bond.

"I never thought you a coward, Luke." Alex had spat at him. "How could you stand back? Knowing there was every possibility of me getting tied to her, what would have become of you if Isabelle wasn't in the question? What if I'd actually went on with the arrangement? What would you have done? Would you have lived with thoughts of your mate who's also your brother's wife until it kills you? Do you know how strong and deep that connection is? It runs far deep than anything does! It's obvious you don't because you wouldn't have played too lightly with it. What you did was risky, don't try it again."

"I'm sure I won't be getting any other mate again so me trying it another time would be out of the equation." He had scoffed in jest, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.

"What will you do about it now that you know I have nothing keeping me tied to her? Will you claim her as yours or reject your greatest and probably your only chance at love?" His brother had asked with a barely there tilt of his lip that indicated he was thinking of his own mate.

"She's never given me reason to act on it. She's always shoving me away before I come near her so I doubt if she'll want anything to do with me. Hell she made it specifically clear that she was here for the Alpha, not his replacement." His blood raged with unkempt fury at his reminiscing of the fated day she told him that.

"Your chance is now, woo her until she cannot resist you. Show her what you're made of and do not let it slip through your fingers. It wasn't her fault she avoided you, she was used as a puppet to get things done. Now is your time to stand by her, she needs your protection but most of all the assurance that you will always be there for her." Alex grumbled, his ears perking at the sound of the doors turning open.

A freshly cleaned Francis walked into the room, his broad shoulders covering every inch of space and Alexander felt his heart drop to the floor the moment the girl walking behind his Beta appeared, she was standing straight in a regal manner, her red hair tied in a high ponytail at the top of her head with tendrils framing her strawberry face. Her eyes were latched unto Alexander's as he stood unmoving watching her saunter closer towards him. His feet felt heavy and the suddenly erratically pounding organ in his chest heavier.

A strange air of authority wafted through the air as he took in his mate in a white knee length sleeveless dress. The aura she was exuding was phenomenal even as she stood before him wearing a gentle smile.

"Hello, mate." She whispered, charming him with her eyes and falling into his arms. Her fingers barely touching his skin.

The contact made their skin scorch from awareness.

Alexander gulped hard at the intensity of her closeness, his arms on their own accord closing around her, he took in her scent in huge gulps. The other two felt like they were intruding on a very private scene and skirted towards the door.

"Wait, don't leave just yet." Alex ordered, raising his head just slightly above Isabelle's meeting both Lucas and Francis' gaze.

Taking in the upward curve of her lips he pressed a close mouthed kiss over it. They shivered at the feeling, Isabelle moaned, raised on the tip of her toes and met Alexander's parted lips with a sigh. Their tongues waged a war as they battled. It started out hungrily, possessively, explaining how much the other was missed before turning slower, sensual until their tongues were stroking each other in the most sensual manner.

In utmost desire.

Isabelle's moan cut through their sensual haze and Alexander snapped, his animal instincts taking over and bringing their passion to a carnal war for control. They only parted to take needful gulps after minutes of lip locking. Isabelle's hands pulled at the fabric of his shirt frantically searching for a way to bring satisfaction to the high she was sliding to. Their breaths mingled, hands searched until he had her to her back against the wall, his hand pinning hers while the other was used to shrug off his torn shirt. A push of her chest to meet his had him aborting his plan to take off the shirt.

Francis caught Lucas whose gaze was avoiding the carnal scene playing right in their presence, his head nodded in the direction of the door and the two walked out without the lovers' notice.

By the time Alexander noticed their absence he was too gone to stop. With only a single mission in his mind, he took Isabelle to heaven right in the middle of the private solar kneeling between her spread form on the table. He shrugged out of his shirt, threw it over his shoulder, worked his trousers down his sinewy legs and returned to his awaiting lover whose eyes had rolled to the back of her head at the pleasure she was subjected to. Willingly.

Alex held her hand in his, his eyes focused on the part of her he had every intention of filling before raising his eyes to meet hers.

With a one syllable word on his lips, Alexander thrusted into her fiercely and his hand wrapped itself in accord around her neck.

"Mine."

He repeated the same word again and again until they were a shivering mess. Alexander turned her around on all fours sliding in again and repeating his actions until he had her spent in his arms and him wrangling out his pleasure from the deepest part of him. With a groan that emanated from his chest he pulled out taking his mate with him and dropping unto the floor.

The moment that passed after the intense joining was silent. Only the sounds of their breaths could be heard as though they'd just run a marathon.

A few minutes later, he turned her in his arms hovering above her. With his lips brushing against hers he whispered in a gruff tone, "I missed you."

Alexander traced his tongue along her upturned lips. Playfully, Isabelle parted her lips and closed her teeth around his tongue the moment it slid in.

"I missed you so fucking much my Belle." He added, running his tongue over every part of her face until it was tracing along her earlobe, right at her weakest spot.

Isabelle shivered at the sensation of his tongue tracing along her lips to the pulse in her neck.

"I missed you." She whispered, her voice husky.

"It felt too much like my soul was being ripped out of my chest none too gently." He groaned against her navel. "You're not allowed to leave again Belle, not now not ever. You are mine and will be mine forever." He rasped, his fingers finding their way up her thighs.

Isabelle's breath hitched in her throat as the tip of his fingers found a spot that had her squirming.

"I'm yours, forever, Alexander De Luca, my King, my Alpha, my mate and my world."

Her promise made him release a growl of satisfaction, pride settled over his wide shoulders and with enthusiasm he rewarded her for bringing him to the peak of happiness by taking her to the peak of satisfaction.

Alexander didn't release her until she laid spent in his arms, sated to the core.