In a primal world that favors the strong and punishes the weak, Aria knew that her family's pack would not survive long when her father's health began to fail. Her fears come to life when the Intonat Nocte Pack attacks, demanding that they surrender...
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| ARIA |
Heat. Enticing, all-consuming heat cocooned my body, and I never wanted to leave.
A small sigh of contentment escaped my lips, and I shifted to snuggle closer to the big furnace wrapped around me. Its hold around my body tightened, like a boa constricting around my waist, and I tensed.
My eyes popped open, and momentary fear clamped down on my throat as, through the darkness, I saw a tan, brawny arm secured tight around my waist. My spine went straight, and I sucked in a sharp breath.
There was a man in my bed.
No, not my bed.
The events of the previous day came crashing over me at the same moment that sweet tobacco leaf and mint infiltrated my lungs. My racing heart calmed in the slightest as I realized that Malik must've slipped into bed beside me while I slept, but every muscle in my body remained stiff.
I tried to remember his return. The night before, I only intended to rest my eyes while I waited for Malik and hadn't wanted to dirty the sheets by wearing my jeans and blouse to bed. I severely underestimated my exhaustion. At the moment, I could only recall dreams of warmth.
With wide eyes, I did a mental scan of my body. As far as I could tell, my bra and panties remained untouched, and I nearly shuddered with relief.
Malik's arm tucked me in the curve of him, both of us lying on our sides. Our hips were perfectly aligned, and every inch of my spine plastered against the pillowy muscles of his chest and abdomen. One of his thighs parted my legs, coming to rest between them and pressing into my center.
Despite his scorching skin, I shivered.
I should've been horrified by the intimacy of our position. Should've been angered that he pulled me so close while I slept, but I couldn't bring myself to feel anything beyond pleasant surprise and fascination. And the unfamiliar churning of liquid warmth at the very core of my being.
I tried to clamp my thighs together at the strange sensation, only to realize too late that my mate's femur still rested firm between them. I gasped as pleasure tingled from the spot where his sweatpant-clad leg rubbed against my panties.
Oh, I nearly moaned out loud but managed to hold back the embarrassing noise by biting into my bottom lip. Hard.
Although the friction offered me momentary relief, its aftereffects only increased the delicious ache tenfold. I swear I felt my heartbeat pulse at my sex, urging me to seek relief again with every fluttering beat.
I clamped my eyes shut and banned the sinful suggestion from my mind. Instead, I tried squirming away from his heavy arm, hopeful that a bit of distance between our bodies might cool the tantalizing burn in my blood.
Only, his arm was very heavy. I barely gained an inch of separation between his front and my back, but my movement did accomplish something.
Something hard and startlingly big pressed into my lower back, right between the dimples at the base of my spine. Another wiggle and it somehow became even harder and more prominent. Curious, I almost did it again.
