Mated

Growing Bond

The rest of the day was an embarrassed blur for Lyric. They had confessed their love for one another and she had discovered that she wasn't his first partner. But she would be his first sexual partner. When the time came; she still wasn't ready for that no matter how much their bond had grown. The idea that a wolf was feeding humans information on how to kill Rarities was mind boggling. She had to keep pushing the idea out of her head for fear of triggering a panic attack.

"Lyric? Are you all right, dear?" Mira asked over dinner. "You've been very quiet this evening."

"Um, yes," she said with a blush. "Just thinking is all."

"I do hope you're not spending all this time thinking about the Summoning," she said. Lyric gave her a surprised look. "Oh, don't give me that look," she laughed. "I know my son well enough to know he would fill you in the mere second he got a chance. Maddox has already made the appropriate phone calls. Haven't you, dear?"

"All calls have been made. They thank us for our insights and will look into it," he said over his wine. "And they did politely ask that Kieran leave the puzzle alone." He gave his son a pointed look.

"I know, I know," Kieran said with a sigh. "I just wish there were more I could do."

You can focus on our bond, Lyric thought. She was still a little jealous of the other girls. Even if Kieran had stated his love for her and she her love for him, it still hurt to know she wasn't his first and only as he was for her.

"You can always focus on Lyric," his mother said. She gave him her own pointed look and Lyric almost choked on her dinner.

"Mom!" he whined. He hung his head and poked at his dinner for the rest of the meal. Lyric had learned early on she didn't have to ask to be able to leave the table here, so when she was full, she got up, and headed up for a shower.

As she washed her hair, Kieran saying I love you kept running through her head, and she was growing more and more fond of the idea. Did she love him? Yes, of course! They were mates, but it was more than that. She had missed him dearly during those agonizing three days he was gone. She had missed his scent, his presence, his voice. The feeling had terrified her at first but she realized soon that it was normal to miss his very essence.

"Lyric?" he called from the other side of the door, making her jump and blush. "Are you ok? Dinner was weird."

"I'm fine," she replied. "Just needed to wash up before bed."

"Bed? This early?" She was rinsing the shampoo and started laughing. "What? Hey, don't laugh. It's only nine at night!"

"I've had a long day," she said, running conditioner through her hair before starting on shaving. "An emotional one. I'm beat."

"I'm so sorry," he sighed. "I'll be here when you're done."

"Ok!" she called over the running water.

A half an hour later, she decided she was through, and climbed out. She dried off, wrapped her hair in a towel, and pulled on some pajamas. With a yawn, she shuffled out into the bedroom, and saw Kieran leaning up against the headboard.

"Hey, Lyric," he smiled.

"Hi," she said with a blush. He patted the bed beside him and she shook her head. "I have to put lotion on and--."

"Do it up here," he laughed. "You don't need to worry about ruining the bed if that's your issue. I just . . . I want you close." He blushed.

Lyric blushed as well but grabbed her lotions and crawled up onto the bed. Kieran snatched her lotions away and gave her a curious look. She told him she needed to lotion her legs and feet and he scrambled down by her feet. She tried to tell him no, but he shushed her and started rubbing lotion into her feet. Lyric couldn't help the small sound that left her throat as he massaged her feet. She carried a lot of stress in her feet and her shoulders. It was heaven to have such strong hands working on her. He moved up to her calves and she actually groaned at the touch.

"Sorry," she squeaked when he stopped to look at her. "I didn't realize just how much stress I've been carrying."

"I'm glad to help," he purred. "Can I kiss you, Lyric? I have been dying to kiss you since earlier this evening. I just don't want to scare you."

"Yes," she whispered. She could feel her face and neck heat up and a tingle started deep in her body. Kieran grinned like a devil and crawled over her. He sat on her thighs lightly and put his hands on either side of her head against the headboard. "Kieran," she breathed, "I--."

"Don't worry," he smirked impishly. "I'll lead. Just try and follow, ok?"

She nodded, accidentally bumping his forehead with hers and then started nervous giggling. Once her giggle fit was over, Kieran cupped her face, and kissed her. Innocent at first. Just lip on lip contact. Then deeper. He hummed when she actually tried to interact; one of her hands going to the side of his face, then it ran through his hair on its own accord. In a matter of seconds, it went from innocent to heavy and she was more than shocked at herself.

More, more, more! Her wolf screamed in her head. He tastes like freedom and love. Give me more!

A low groan left his chest when she bit his bottom lip and he pulled the towel off her head so he could grab at her hair. That was the breaking point. It was too much too soon.

"Mm," she hummed, pushing him away reluctantly. "Kieran--."

"Too fast," he panted. "I felt it. I could feel it. It was too much too fast. I'm sorry. I should have stopped--." She pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth to shut him up. He blinked in shock before breaking into a face splitting smile. Yes, it was true: they should have stopped earlier, but if she was honest with herself, she hadn't wanted to either.

Why did we stop?! Her wolf screeched in her head loud enough to make her wince.

"Are you ok?" Kieran asked, looking concerned.

"Yeah, just my wol--," she started before catching herself. It would make her sound insane to say her wolf talked to her. As far as she knew, she was the only one who had this gift or issue or whatever you wanted to call it.

"Oh, your wolf," Kieran said matter with a matter of fact tone.

"How did you know?" she asked in surprise.

"Well, in that book on werewolves, it says something about Rarities having two separate consciousnesses. I'm assuming it's due to your control over the wolf."

"So, I'm not a freak who hears voices?" she asked.

For the first time in my life, something about me is normal? She wondered.

"Nope," he smiled, kissing her forehead. "The only time I hear my wolf is when I'm changed, but I guess it'd be me hearing me because I am a wolf. I'm tired and rambling. What do you say we go to bed?"

"Sure, just let me go comb out my hair and take care of my towel."

Once she was finished in the bathroom, she crawled back into the big bed, and at Kieran's insistence, laid her head on his chest. She could hear the steady thudding of his heart and it sent her off to sleep.