47. The Mating Heat

*“Still I would die tomorrow knowing I spend a handful of breathless moments with you than live a lifetime of ordinary breathing.” ― N.R. Hart*

**MAEVE**

When I reached Blaize’s place, it was evidently empty while the doors and windows were wide open. Something that I have learned about being with the shifters was that they hardly lock their doors. Apparently, everyone was bound by some protocol so as to not step into others’ privacy, and that was the reason they lived carefreely.
The loud thudding noise filtered into the silence of the cabin as I walked around to find Blaize with his favorite weapon once again - the axe. Last time, it was Halloween, but God knew what he was up to now.
“Is that your version of therapy?” I asked, bisecting through chubby blocks of wood.
“What?” he asked before slamming the axe against a wooden block to pick up his can of beer.
I cleared my throat. “Some people meditate or practice boxing or engage in any other physical activity to keep the dopamine flowing into their system. It keeps them stress free and focused. I feel like chopping wood is your way of meditating.”
Blaize chuckled, downing the rest of the can, and discarded it. “You know that human analogy does not work for us. We are special.”
I snorted, rolling my eyes. “Tell me about it.”
His eyes landed on my hand, holding fancy bakeware I borrowed from Eirlys the other day. “I brought you apple pie,” I said, extending it to him. “Eirlys told me that you are quite fond of it.”
Even though he practically pawed it off my hands, one of his brows lifted quizzically. “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.”
“Now, who’s using human analogy, huh?” I quipped. “And I am neither a Greek nor you are human, so the appropriate example will be ‘thank you, Maeve’.”
Grinning, he mocked my words. “Thank you, Maeve.”
Without wasting a second, his fingers dug into the pie and gobbled. Leave to these shifters wolves to decide that eating a pie was more important than minding manners. But as long as he looked satisfied with his food, I knew that I would gain out of it.
“You like it?” I chanced.
The answer came in the form of a moan, one that has nothing to do with his sexual appetite.
“Good. I need a favour.”
It was the only way to distract Blaize from his food as he gaped with a feigned shock. “Wow,” he said with his mouthful. “You do not beat around the bush, do you?”
I slowly shook my head. “I wish I had time to pretend otherwise, but I don’t.”
“Let me guess, Xander?” He asked, taking another chunk from the apple pie.
“Yes. Today is a full moon night, right?”
“You are living amongst a pack of shifter wolves, you tell me.” He let a disgruntled groan, shaking his head. “The blood flow from my head to toe is just driving me crazy, moon crazy. I can’t wait for the sundown to shift.”
“Blaize, I need to see Xander tonight,” I said softly. He quickly opened his mouth to refuse, but I beat him to it. “And before you give all that crap about being busy and alpha business stuff, let me tell you that I am not buying that shit. He can’t avoid me like this.”
Now that I knew the reason, I was too riled up to back out.
“Well, he can.” Blaize shrugged casually. “Otherwise it will be a problem.”
“A mating problem, you mean?” I prompted.
Blaize seemed surprised by the knowledge, but his features quickly morphed into a half-smile. “Looks like you have done your research, little psychic.”
“Yeah, you can try any more condescending word you want but I am not backing you tonight,” I told him fiercely and tried to reason with at least one brother. “Blaize, you know the mating bond would strengthen us - all of us. This is the only way I can help, Xander.”
He finally stopped eating the rest of the pie and contemplatively placed down the dish beside him. I knew my words did affect him, at least appealed to his logical senses, but it was still further away from the purpose.
Finally, he heaved a long sigh and nodded. “Yes, but it has a downside, too. It is not easy to survive the werewolf venom. Who knows how will it react with your system? You might not be strong enough and then succumb. Xander will never take that kind of a risk.”
“So what, he will avoid me for the rest of his life?” I countered, but the alternative was not an option. “He will torture himself every full moon night and forsake my company?” I leaned closer, dropping my voice down to several octaves because my existence was supposed to be a secret. “Blaize, has it ever crossed your mind that I am strong enough to survive? My bloodline is not exactly…human.”
“You are not a witch either.” He shook his head. “The powers are organic and dormant. Who knows what will happen when the venom enters your body?”
“I am ready to take the risk,” I determined.
“Xander will never allow that.”
“I am not asking him. I need to see him tonight, when he is turned. I want to know if I mean anything to his wolf. Whether I rile him up or calm him down, does not matter. I. need. to. be. with. Xander.”
I watched as his mouth flattened into a thin line while the nose flared for good measure. I did not care if I was angering a werewolf, but I needed his help. No one in the pack was bold enough to stand before the alpha and make suggestions if it was not his brother.
“Maeve, I have taken the sacred vow of loyalty towards my leader, my alpha,” he explained as a justification. “And you want me to betray him by going behind his back? I will never be able to live with myself.”
“I am asking you as your brother’s mate,” I implored. “Xander and I might not be the most ‘normal’ couple this world has ever seen, but believe me when I say this that I am in love with your brother. And when you love someone, you keep that person above yourself. I am sure you know that. Given a chance, you would have done the same.”
“Given a chance, yes,” he said warily.
I knew the outline of Blaize’s past and the length he had gone to save her for the impending doom. And I knew he honored love as much as loyalty.
“I am tired of being kept in the dark, Blaize. I want to help Xander even though he is reluctant to ask for it. I am sure that gigantic alpha ego of him would never let me assist, but he can’t win all by himself. He needs this pack as much as he needs me. So, please, let me help,” I begged. I did not care if it sounded pathetic, but I needed him to help me - at any cost.
“Okay,” he finally gave in, almost reluctantly. “I am sure that I am either going to be killed or going to hell for this, but I will help you.”
My lips parted, a smile stretching across my face. “Thank you.”

************

It was difficult to mask my scent or my movement near a werewolf who knew every footstep of mine by heart. Even though Blaize had to help me, it was me who had to be careful.
*You don’t sneak up on a werewolf on a full moon night*, Blaize had warned.
But with my limited choice, I knew the risks I was taking. In order to stay away from me, Xander had chosen some far away forest inside their territory to turn on the full moon. So, I had to wait for him to shift and then find my way up to him for the plan work.
I waited for the evening to pass and into the approaching midnight when the full moon would rule the night sky like the Goddess they worship her to be.
Putting on the most salacious outfit I could find, I slipped it on and ventured onto the path. Blaize had already marked the trees in the woods that I had to follow, leading up to Xander.
But long before I could even get the last tree, a feral howl cut short the journey. Turning around, I saw the glowing eyes of a brown-furred beast measuring me from a distance.
*Well, there goes the plan*, I thought.
Xander must have picked up my scent long before as he stood in his wolf form, snarling like the crazy.
“Did you really think you can hide from me forever, Xan?” I asked softly, irking the wolf even more.
But I was far more determined than he could perceive.
This time, I was coming for him n matter what.

***************************

**XANDER**

There was only one of two ways this could go but both the ways treaded onto dire circumstances.
fuck.
I was the alpha; I was supposed to think on my feet, but never did I feel so helpless. So ferocious. I howled into the foggy silence of the woods and then snarled at her. But it had no effect on Maeve. She merely took a step back, witnessing the savagery, and only took a few steps closer.
My body started to burn up, wanting to turn back to my human form to complete the mating ritual, but I was barely holding together by the sheer force of my will.
“Xander, please…” She took a few steps closer as I bared my fangs and grunted.
The closer she was, the crazier I got. I could hear the voice inside my head; my senses spiked, and lust heightened. Every fiber of me was throbbing with the need to drive into her as animalistic as possible and sink my fangs into her skin. The pull of the full moon and my wolf was taut like a tight wire. Just a little more pressure, and I would snap.
I have heard about the curse of the moon craze, and that was the last thing I needed. According to the old scriptures, any wolf who defies the mating lust at its peak could get trapped into his wolf form and never be able to shift back. It was like your soul getting stuck in the limbo of life and death.
There was no turning back or moving forward.
“Please, don’t hurt yourself like this,” Maeve begged; her sweet voice sang out like a siren’s call. “I am not made of glass, Xander. I know you want this because I want it as bad, too.”
*Stop. Please, leave now!*
It was like she understood my word and shook her head. “I am not leaving without you, Xan. You can’t scare me or send me away!”
Mark her, mark her - my wolf chanted.
I was already fighting a lost battle with myself, where lust ruled over my head like an addict’s desperation. As I had closed my eyes and tried to shut down my senses, I did not realize that Maeve was close.
So close that she reached out and sank her fingers into my fur. Whatever little restraint, I held onto blew out of the roof.
My wolf howled up at the full moon, rippling out of its form. Maeve watched with astonishing eyes and parted lips as I shifted back. But the beast in me was still ruling my head.
I backed her roughly against the nearest tree, pressing her against my naked body, growling, “What the fuck do you think you are doing?” I gritted, half-croaking my words.
“You are mine, Xander,” she whispered. “You won’t hurt me.”
Fates! I wanted to make her scream, hurt, and fuck in the most ravenous way possible for a human to endure. There would be no sweetness or gentleness in the way my wolf wanted to mate her. It was denied way too many times, wanting to give in to the mating heat.
“Brace yourself!” That was all the warning she got before I turned her around and slammed her against the bark. In one hard yank, the fabric of her dress split into two as Maeve gasped at the action. I was past the realm of tender and considerate, swaying between the cravings of the human and the beast.
Her bra and underwear deserved the same treatment or worse as I discarded them away. Maeve reached up to quickly cover her bare breasts before I grabbed hold of her wrist and pinned above her head.
“Xander…” I did not know if it was a plea or demand as the silver of my eyes glazed.
There was no foreplay, no kissing in a mating lust. It was just pleasure - pure, animalistic need of a demon to satisfy the hunger.
Pushing her up against the rough texture, I wrapped her legs against the hips and drove my cock into her channel in one thrust. The scream she emitted jarred the complete silence of the forest. What surprised me even more was the fact that she was slopping wet.
How the fuck was that possible?
Maeve thrashed and moaned into the ache as I pounded her again and again. There were no coherent thoughts or senses left as I could feel the thunder course through my veins.
“No, no…” came her throaty whisper, an unheard plea. The more she begged, the tighter her pussy clamped my cock, making it almost impossible to stop.
“This…gonna…hurt,” I croaked and brought my mouth near her neck.
My movement began to grow jerky as I neared my limit. The fangs were already out, dripping with serum as I sank my teeth into the neck.
“Ahh!” Maeve writhed and bucked against my movement.
And just like that, I went off. The cum shot off my shaft as the muscled coiled tighter inside of me. A deep roar resonated inside my head, deafening everything to my senses. The teeth sank a little deeper, but I quickly pulled back.
My wolf knew it was not enough, but I could not condemn her any longer. A torrent of energy passed through like a summer storm as I snapped my jaws shut to order to prevent the second bite.
A burst of cry escaped her lips.
No matter how bad I felt, how guilty I was, I knew I could not do anything about it now. A wolf couldn’t go against nature and keep the mating subtle.
As the wave started to recede, I slowly licked off the blood off her wounds and hoped like hell that my saliva would somewhat heal her. It was a little difficult to expect similar reactions with Maeve, given she was not a werewolf.
“It’s over, baby. It’s over…” I cooed, again and again.
Maeve gave out another gasp and a whimper as I slowly pulled out. Her body went limp the moment I stepped back and caught her frame. She was trying to tell me something, her nails crawling at my skin, and choked on her words.
At first, it was difficult to understand.
But when I finally caught the words like ‘fuck’, ‘pain,’ and ‘burn’, I instantly knew what she meant. My heart sped up.
No. Fucking. Way.
Maeve dropped to the forest floor, curling around as I reached out to touch her. By now, the fever had already set in.
“Xan…Please.” She thrashed from side to side, wanting to be taken once again.
It was fairly common among the female wolves to burn up a little while the mating lust set in. But it had never happened after the mating mark. The fact that she did not find her release and was a human psychic complicated the marking even more.
Laying her down against the grass, I knelt between her legs and pushed two fingers deep inside of her. Those brown eyes widened as I pressed the heel of my hand against her mound. I could almost feel her clit throb against my skin.
But, right now, Maeve needed something more.
It did not take me long to find out the thick ridge of tissue, the nerve center of her sweet pussy - her g-spot. There was nothing gentle again, not that needed me to, as my fingers lunged against and pressed upon. Her body knew what she wanted as she offered herself with the hips arched off the grass.
“That’s it. Come on,” I encouraged.
It took another minute or so to finger fuck her until my own shaft was beginning to spring up to life. It might have been unthinkable for a human, but definitely not me. Not when my blood was that of a shifter wolf.
I pushed through her channel once again, taking her as a female in heat until Maeve came gushing against my cock. Groaning, I rolled off her exhausted body and laid down on the grass beside her.
Above us, the full moon was in glory in the sky and spread its silver light over us. A wolf taking his mate and marking her under the full moon was perhaps the best feeling in the world.
Satisfied, I slowly turned to touch her face. The fever must have broken because Maeve was coated in perspiration. My eyes scanned her naked skin, bathed in moonlight as I watched her in awe.
“Are you okay?” I asked softly, wheezing and panting as she barely gave the nod.
A smile formed at the corner of my lips. Perhaps it was the most beautiful night of my life.
Maeve and I remain unmoved for a prolonged time, marked and coating in each other’s juices. It was only when she started to get up and slowly helped her, the sense of terror gripped me by the balls.
One moment, Maeve was sitting up, and the next, she collapsed on the ground.
No *pulse*.
No *heartbeat*.
And her skin paled as white as snow.

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***What do you think happened to Maeve? Share your theory with me because I am really excited to know.***