Kinda mature content, kinda not ;P

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Asra's hands were like a thousand suns. Every caress, every tickle, had my body in flames. My toes curled as his mouth claimed mine, his tongue massaging and dominating my mouth. I found it exhilarating. The more he claimed me, the more urgent he became. I could feel the sharpness of his canines on my mouth as he pulled away, catching the skin and drawing a little blood.

I had no time to care, too caught in up grabbing his bare torso. He smelled so damn good... His head bobbed, licking down my jaw and throat, sucking and leaving me wanting more, so much more. My thighs clenched, my desire filling the room with little pants of need, of want.

"You ready?" He murmured.

I breathed obnoxiously out of my nose, a sound of distress leaving me. "Yes."

"Yes, what?" He teased, pulling away to look at me.

I grunted, gripping the back of his hair with my fingers a little too tightly. "Claim me, Asra."

He growled, his eyes turning completely black. His mouth trailed up the left side of my jaw, one hand gripping my shoulder gently as the other held his weight. He followed the pulse of my heart, right up to the junction behind my ear. My heart raced at his proximity. A wheezy exhale left me, as the thought of those canines tearing into me suddenly crossed my mind.

Just as I was about to speak his name, pain blinded me. His canines pierced my skin, breaking through muscle and tissue until the entirety of his teeth were inside. I writhed as burning erupted within me, trying to push his head away. He kept me pinned with his body, his spare hand not allowing my head to move.

I cried, tears pooling in my eyes as this fire, this vicious venom pulsed down my arm, my chest, curled in my stomach and licked at my toes. It jolted me, a spasm of energy, and my head became cloudy. But then, all too quickly, the fire eased, the heat within me doused by his hand on my skin. His teeth remained deep in my skin, but I couldn't feel them anymore.

Intense pleasure, a blissful feeling of being featherlight. The hard contours of his body were burning me with a new flame, and I moaned as pleasure wracked my body. I ground my hips up into him, causing him to growl against my throat in warning.

Who did he think he was bossing me around?

In my haze, my hands slid from beneath him, grabbing at his chest as soft moans left on every breath until my heart calmed down. He hesitated next, his growl dying in his throat, before he slowly pulled his teeth from my flesh. I felt the blood gush immediately from the depth of his canines, but with a low moan, his tongue moved to lick it away.

He tended to my throat whilst I lay bathed in a dizzy spell, unsure if I was awake or asleep. All I could feel was him, a pulsing in my veins, the protective weight of his body.

When his head reared, I opened my gaze to find him admiring his handy work. His eyes were back to blue, although wild with excitement. His cheeks flushed, hair dishevelled, and his chin coated with my blood. I didn't find it repulsive when his hand moved to wipe it away and then lick it clean. It made me weirdly... attracted to him.

His lips moved, but I was too busy intensely staring at them to realise he was speaking.

"Ailia..."

I snapped out of it at the sudden intrusive voice, fear coating me as I realised his lips didn't move that time. It was as though someone had connected a microphone to his mouth and my head was the speakers. His voice was that clear.

"Wh-what... just..."

He chuckled, caressing my chin to tilt my eyes up to meet his. "A claim means I can appear inside your head."

He seemed awfully pleased at my lack of privacy, if his grin was anything to go by.

"That was not in the fine print." I huffed.

He laughed again, moving to rest his weight on his elbows. Despite being ravenous, horny beings a mere moment ago, I relaxed into his hold. My body seemed to respond to his, my mind humming with comfort as his hands ran through my hair. He was watching me curiously, but his eyes were fogged slightly. I felt a strange tension in the front of my head and put it off as a side effect for now.

"What happens now?" I whispered.

He blinked, his eyes clearing just as the headache disappeared. I paused, narrowing my eyes at him.

"That weird feeling in my head..." I began, and he smirked. "That was you in my head."

"Yes."

"Get out of my head." I snapped, huffing.

"Can't help myself, Tulip." He grinned, kissing my nose. "I'm like a kid who has never been to a sweet shop before. I can't help but look at everything."

I rolled my eyes. "Everything?"

"As much as I can," He explained as a slight frown marred his beauty. "You've blocked some off. I can't get to it without your permission."

"You don't seem pleased about that." I teased.

He rolled his eyes, smirking once more. "I just want to know you. As the time goes on, I will have explored all of your memories."

I paused, holding my breath so much I felt lightheaded. "All?"

Asra noticed my unease shushing me. "Those I fear... are what you locked away. Trauma leads us to force it out of ours minds."

Nodding, I shakily exhaled. "Okay, I'm not ready to revisit those with you yet."

His hand curled around a particular hair, running it over his palm. "You have already told me enough to understand you. I promise you, Tulip, I will look after you."

A heavy weight that felt an awful lot like adoration settled on my chest. Opening my mouth to respond, the door opening rudely interrupted me.

Asra growled, pressing his weight onto me. I shrieked, sinking into the covers as I practically disappeared under his weight. Dammit, he was heavy. Was he holding all of this back earlier?

"Alpha, I apologise, but it is urgent." Eve gushed.

Asra snapped his teeth. "What!"

"Blake is awake. He is... animal. He claims he wants to speak to you rather urgently." Eve stammered, causing my heart to race.

"Tell him to wait," Asra snarled.

"He is nearly breaking free, Alpha. I'm sorry, I- I am just the messenger," Eve shrieked.

Asra's growl deepened. His bare chest was the only thing I could see from my position beneath him. I was worrying blindly, my heart picking up pace as adrenaline fuelled my veins. Did Blake want me again? Was he going to find me?

A small cry of surprise escaped my lips when Asra suddenly lifted himself from me. Blue eyes peered down at me like a bird in a nest, and he cocked his head. I felt that strange tension in my head as he begged to read me. Blake's words and actions were plaguing me and he wanted to see. I don't know what I was doing, so new to the whole thing, but I accepted his want and it was almost like a switch when Asra dived deeper into my mind.

I felt nothing but tension as he invaded my mind, his eyes darkening and body shaking as he flickered through whatever he found. Counting was my only vice to calm down, even with how magically bizarre this was. Asra was so close to me; I feared his beast would rip in half if he shifted. After a mere eight seconds, he pulled away. Pure rage coated his features as he went to move off me.

I shakily raised my hand to settle above his heart, feeling it pound against my palm. He paused. The gentle rumbling of his chest shook my hand. I gulped, lifting my eyes from his tattooed chest to meet his eyes. He had not shifted into his beast yet. The image of the half-shift mere hours ago was still something I thought about.

Asra had recoiled from me like I had burned him, and I felt the tension leave my head. I apologised softly, dropping my eyes. He must've not liked whatever I just thought.

"Don't," He growled through sharpened teeth. "I scare you. I am sorry."

His speech was broken; a sign I took as his beast taking over his mind. I went to tell him otherwise, but he was on his feet and staring down at me within a second.

"I must go. I will be right back."

The fear of abandonment struck me just as he turned to walk away and he paused mid-step. With quick movements, he was back over me, kissing my lips softly to not catch me with his teeth. Delicately, he pulled away, running his hand down my cheek as his black eyes gazed down at me.

"I promise."

I swallowed harshly, nodding once in response.

He would be back.

He promised.

Asra straightened up, shooting a glare at Eve, who kept her head bowed by the doors. "You stay."

"Yes, Alpha." She bared her neck to the side.

He was gone then, the gently breeze of his speed a reminder that he was only here a moment ago. I heard doors slam. Worried shrieks came from doctors as he barrelled his way out of the hospital. I listened until I couldn't hear anymore, and that was when I looked to Eve.

She was watching me knowingly; her face unusually blank of emotion. Eve was generally easy to read, so the slight hint of a frown with an otherwise blank face threw me. I cleared my throat, and she blinked, looking directly into my eyes.

"He marked you."

I gritted my teeth, feeling the drying skin tug. "Yeah..."

She nodded, moving closer to me. She leaned over slightly; her scrubs a dark blue today that reminded me of Asra...

Dammit, I'm turning into a needy teenage girl.

"It's healing already. The blood he gave you last night has boosted the claim."

I glanced at the still dark sky beyond the curtains before looking back at her. "Boosted?"

She shrugged. "Humans are slow healers, so his blood definitely helps seal it. It's probably going to cause some overwhelming emotions and hormones, though, so be prepared."

"Why?" I frowned.

"Well, usually after one claim comes the other, and it sends the bond into a big... fluttering of... hormones."

My eyebrows remained furrowed, and she nasally laughed.

"Nature will want you to complete the bond. You're going to go on a rollercoaster of emotions if you don't."

"Complete the bond? Have sex with him?" My eyes widened.

"Mate him, yes."

Was I even ready for that? I mean, ask me ten minutes ago, sure... But now I was sober, and thinking clearly and... oh man.

"How-how long?"

"Until it drives you insane?" She laughed when I nodded. "About a month. A full moon cycle usually."

"Well, then..." I scrambled for thought. "I will just look forward to my period."

"When's that?" She wondered.

"About a week... or so."

She sucked through her teeth, causing me to frown. "It'll still drive you insane. I do not recommend your first mating to be on you period though."

Despite the not-so-pleasant topic, I asked why.

"Well... How do I put this..." she muttered.

"Just out with it." I stated.

"Of course." She grinned. "The first mating usually goes a couple of rounds."

"It does?" I interrupted.

"Yes." She blushed. "One is in control, the sweet mating... and then, there's the beast."

I quirked an eyebrow at her absurdness. "This sounds like some kind of fictional story."

"It's not!" She tutted at me. "His beast, his instincts will be driven to take you, like to take you. He will have the urge to claim what's his, spill his seed, make you his. Most first mating's happen twice, but I have heard of some males going for more. Being on your period... Sounds gross."

My eyes bugged, shaking my head rapidly. "No, no, no, no... Everything you just said... too soon. Why did no one tell me this before I let him sink his damn teeth in? This is not... normal!"

She grinned apologetically. "Sorry?"

My head fell into my pillow as I groaned. I have never taken a man like that so intimately. I always gave and never received. The one time I did, it ended badly.

Admittedly, I was afraid. Afraid of the act, of Asra and of what I was going to feel leading up to it. Darius had always been careful not to knock me up, but I feared if Eve was right, it may be a risky future.

"I can't have a child." I breathed.

"It is your duty." She mumbled.

My head snapped to her, sudden anger coating my soul as my hands clenched. "My duty?"

Was this my mother I was speaking to?

She cringed, dropping her eyes. "You are to be Luna now. You have responsibilities, many of them, and one is bearing his heir."

"His heir?" I cocked my head, narrowing my eyes. "My body, my potential child. Not just his. If I don't want children, then I don't want them. You or no one else gets a say in that."

She bowed her head, apologising. "Of course, Ailia."

I huffed, crossing my arms and looking away from her. I nearly bitch slapped her the heck out of her. She kept her head bowed as my anger dissipated and eventually I sighed, relaxing my body.

"I have gone through so much shit in my life, I cannot bring a child into a world that has an uncertain future."

"Why would it be uncertain?" She wondered, looking back up at me. "You have Asra and an entire pack."

Still trying to sell me on the baby thing, wasn't she? I could appreciate Eve's dedication to her nature. Her animalistic thinking was something that I knew was engrained into her very soul. She was all rules and regulation, all history and facts. I would not change her opinion on this, and I knew that.

"What has happened to me a mere day ago has proved that people want to hurt me."

"Does it?" She asked, confused.

I hesitated at her suddenly confused expression, not used to seeing her without facts.

"Blake was going to sell me to someone." I stated.

She licked her lips, a strange, incomprehensible expression masking her features. I wasn't very good at reading that one, not sure what it was entailing. Her lips frowned and her eyes were doing things I wasn't sure of. I would have to ask Mya later.

"He was? Did you tell Asra?"

I shook my head, blushing. "Didn't really get the chance... A lot has happened."

"Yes." She hummed, frowning. "You better get some sleep. It's nearly one thirty in the morning. You should sleep that mark off; it'll heal over by morning. Then you should go home."

"Okay." I nodded, settling further into the absurd amount of hospital sheets. "Sounds good to me."

She smiled firmly, not showing it in her eyes as she bid me goodnight and scurried from the room. I knew she was going to tattle on me to Asra about withholding information. Eve really was a weird one.