Arrowan

I didn't think I would ever get tired of the way Luin could be so soft and pliant one moment, then so heated and finnicky the next. I didn't know what it said about me that I found the dichotomy so attractive, but every time Luin's mood turned in an instant, I felt an undeniable swell of affection for him and it made me want to keep pushing his buttons until his mood changed again and again and again.

Take, for example, how he shifted from shy blushes to stripping me naked, then blushing again. Or the way he started getting worked up over the idea of letting me swallow his cum, then went pliant and needy moments later.

And when he reached completion, I could see his glow even with my eyes shut. I looked up at him and saw the light limning his whole body, but especially his hair. His eyes, when he opened them, glowed brighter than I had ever seen them before. If I hadn't been motivated already to give him such pleasure again as soon as he gave me the opportunity, that would have done the trick. I wanted to see it again, and again, and again.

And the way his body strained... the way he arched above me so gracefully...

Well, I had a bit of a problem. I was so turned on it hurt, but there was no denying that Luin was fairly inexperienced and that he wasn't entirely comfortable with intimacy yet. I didn't want to pressure him.

I lay down on the bed by his side, and I swear I was planning on clearing my mind and waiting out my erection, no matter how demanding and distracting it was. It was harder to distract myself from my need as I took in the way our bond had grown from this. I felt closer to him than ever before, and I wanted to feel closer still. I didn't think I could ever be close enough to him.

"How do you feel?" I asked to distract myself.

His feisty side came out again and he hit my chest. "You know perfectly well how I feel," he said primly, sounding annoyed. I grinned.

"Doesn't mean I can't ask. I'd rather hear it from you," I prodded, hoping it would provoke him further. It didn't. I felt how his emotions mellowed out as he sank back into the bed.

I decided to try provoking him again. I climbed on top of him – not my smartest move when I was trying to get my erection to go down – and studied the beautiful man beneath me. "You look cozy."

"Mm hm." After peeking up at me for a too-brief moment, his eyes slid shut again. His expression was smooth and I could feel just how at peace he was.

Imagine what I can get away with when he's in this mood.

It was a dangerous thought, and my arousal spiked almost unbearably. Painfully clear images of all the different things I could do to him ran through my mind, but one idea was especially tempting. "Do you mind if I try something? You don't have to do anything."

He said, "Okay," which was all I needed to hear.

I got up off the bed and grabbed his calves, pulling him so his hips were at the edge of the bed. I pushed his legs up so they were bent and resting against his chest, and Luin's eyes were wide and watchful, but he made no move to stop me or even to ask what I was doing even though he was definitely curious.

I pressed his legs together and slid my erection between them. I was surrounded on all sides, and the bottom of my cock rubbed against his, which was still wet from my mouth. We slid together with some resistance at first, but my own leaking precum lubed us up after only a couple of thrusts. I felt him grow hard against me, which was all the encouragement I needed to pick up the pace.

I wanted to keep watching him. Luin's face showed his surprise at first, and then his heightening pleasure. His arms wrapped around his legs, which tightened around me, and I groaned.

Between the friction and the building pleasure in my bond mate's bright eyes, I wasn't going to last long. Luin was right there with me, though, and this time when he lit up and spasmed beneath me, I followed him.

We caught our breath, and when I thought I could speak evenly, I said, "How was that?"

"Good," Luin said, and I grinned. No sass, no blushing and clamming up. Was he perhaps sated into complaisance?

"Just good?" I teased.

"Really good," he answered, still totally unabashed and unconcerned.

It lasted maybe a few more seconds before he sat up and looked at me with wide eyes. He glanced down at his stomach and legs, which were splattered with both of our spend, and a gorgeous blush bloomed across his cheeks.

There it is, I thought fondly.

"Why don't we get cleaned up, eh?" I picked up the first article of discarded clothing I could reach – my shirt – and started wiping up the mess. Luin's hands scrambled to take over the job.

"Stop smiling so much," he ordered. I only smiled wider.

"Am I not allowed to be happy?"

"No," he snapped. I watched him pause and reconsider. "I guess you can be happy," he conceded. His expression was still flat and irritated, but I could feel the amusement he was so skillfully concealing.

I kissed his cheek. "Thanks. Want to have a shower?"

"What, together?" Luin asked, and he sounded surprised. Could he be any more adorable?

"Why not? It could be fun." I leered at him and waggled my brows, and snappy Luin returned.

"Haven't you had enough?"

"No." It was the plain truth, and it had the added benefit of making Luin roll his eyes as he marched to the bathroom.

I followed and waited with him while the water heated up. When I stepped into the shower after him, he put up no fight. Instead, he pulled me under the stream with him in a tight hug. I hugged him back and enjoyed a moment of perfect peace.

That moment was broken by the wards blaring to life. Someone was here, trying to use magic to break through our barriers. The wards pulsed with each attack. Luin let go and tried to shove off away from me, but I knew the instant I let go, he would be chasing after the threat.

"Clothes first," I said, reaching around him to turn off the water. "Okay? Take us to the bedroom and we'll get dressed."

The wards kept pulsing, but Luin did as I asked, and we both scrambled into clothes. It would have been easier if we had taken the time to dry off – especially since I hadn't bothered with boxers so now my jeans were chafing against all my most sensitive parts – but as the wards pulsed and Luin's motions grew more frantic, there wasn't any time to waste. He wouldn't wait for me; I knew that much.

Luin glanced back at me after he finished tugging his half-soaked hair out from the collar of his shirt. He held out a hand and the instant I took it, we were in the living room. Luin looked out the peephole in the front door before I could reach it, and his reaction was completely unexpected. He rolled his eyes and threw open the door. I tried to shove myself between him and whoever was standing out there, but he wouldn't budge.

"What the hell, Safiya?" Luin demanded, halting my efforts. I looked out the open door and blinked in surprise. Safiya was standing there, red-faced and gasping – probably from the effort of slamming her magic against our wards again and again.

"There's an attack at Tourmaline. You weren't answering your phone," she said. "I didn't know how else to get your attention. You didn't answer when I rang or knocked."

Luin disappeared, then reappeared seconds later with his phone in his hand. He was frowning at the screen as he scrolled, so I looked over his shoulders and read the messages. The last ones sent were begging him to get to the safe room and help evacuate those who couldn't fight.

"I have to go," he said. I latched onto him, piggybacking on his teleportation. We arrived in a long room full of children, elderly, and a smattering of other adults.

Roderick appeared next to us and said, "Glad you two could make it."

"Where are we taking everyone?" I asked.

Luin answered, "There's a safehouse on an ally pack's territory. We take everyone there when we need to evacuate."

"Take me with you. I might be able to help, but I need to see the place," I said.

Roderick was already holding two children in his arms and he disappeared. Luin held his hands out for another two, who climbed onto him without complaint. I gripped his shoulders and he teleported us to the safehouse.

The room everyone was holding up in had cement walls and floors, with rugs spread out helter-skelter. There wasn't anything reflective in here at all. I closed my eyes and reached out with my magic, searching for a mirrored surface big enough that I could use it to travel.

"I'm going to make another trip," Luin told me, and I nodded automatically, still caught up in the magic.

I sensed a reflection big enough to use and let the magic guide my feet to what looked like a tiny, sparse bedroom down the hall. There was a full-length mirror on the back of the door. I stepped into it and found the entrance nearest to the big room in Luin's pack where the ones who couldn't fight were gathered. It was a room just a few doors down.

Luin was already back in the safehouse – I could feel the pull on our bond caused by the distance. I waited for him to come back, since none of these people knew me and I could see the distrust in their eyes as several people stared at me.

"You made it!" Luin said, appearing by my side.

"Yeah. Would you mind introducing me around? I don't think anyone wants to travel with a stranger."

Luin's eyes flicked around the room. There were maybe thirty people left. While he watched, Roderick appeared, took a couple of children, and disappeared again. "I think the two of us can handle this quickly enough. Would you stay here and help defend? That way you don't have to take anyone out of this room while you're transporting them."

"Fine." Luin had a point – I couldn't get anyone out of here without walking them down the hall first. "We should get a mirror in here for the future."

"Good idea. Don't worry, this won't take long."

So I stood and watched as Luin and Roderick both made trip after trip, taking two to three people with each one. Roderick was quicker to begin with and Luin started slowing down as the number of people left to transport dwindled. His magic stores had to be low, and he was starting to look pale and shaky. When sweat broke out on his brow and his brows drew in – probably from a headache – I couldn't stand to watch anymore. I sent a blast of my magic through our bond. I wasn't sure whether we were connected enough yet that we could replenish each other's magic stores, but it was worth a shot.

If it hadn't worked, the backlash would have hit me and I might have been sick for a day or two. Therefore, it was a huge relief when the magic didn't lash back at me. Before my eyes, the signs of strain and aching left Luin. He straightened up and looked at me with wide, astonished eyes. I winked at him and he smiled before taking on another load of passengers and disappearing.

Well, at least I had been able to contribute more than just standing and watching. It took the sting out of not being able to help because of the limitations of my mirror magic. Maybe after this, I should develop more shadow magic. The trouble was, there was no one to teach me here on Earth, and experimenting with magic could be dangerous.

Shouting came from down the hall and the remaining dozen or so people left in the room with me startled. While adults fielded the more vulnerable people into a corner and took up a defensive stance in front of them, I hurried to one of the two doors. Why were there two doors in a room they needed to defend in times of trouble? More points of entry meant more risk. It also meant more ways to escape if needed, but wasn't it better to avoid enemies making it in here at all?

I reached the door and saw that there were two guards there. They were too focused on the sounds of shouting and snarls coming from down the hall to notice me, and I quickly ran to the other door, where three people stood in defensive poses. I knew two of them: Lachlan and Magnus. They all looked alert, but it was easy to see that Lachlan's stance was much less assured than the other two. He held his arms up like he didn't quite know what to do with them and I was sure that if I pushed on his shoulder, I'd be able to knock him off balance without much effort.

Magnus hooked an arm around Lachlan's waist and tugged the man behind him. "You really should get into the rec room," he said through gritted teeth.

"I don't want to leave you. We don't know how many are coming."

I really didn't want to get into the middle of an argument between mates, but I butted in anyway. "Why don't you stand just inside the door, so you can see what's coming?" I suggested.

Magnus whirled around, snarling at me. His eyes lit with recognition and he grinned only seconds later. "Arrowan! I'm so glad to see you."

Lachlan aimed a half-hearted smile my way, but it was wobbly and strained – understandable, given the situation. My understanding of the pack's defenses was that this house was somewhat far back on the property. For intruders to make it this far, to make it actually inside their pack house... well, it certainly wasn't good. Lachlan stepped behind me and put fisted hands on his hips, lifting one brow at his mate. "Happy?" he asked.

"Happier, anyway," Magnus grumbled. He was already facing forward again, so he completely missed the irritated look Lachlan aimed his way.

We waited and listened, but no one approached from this end. Luin and Roderick were able to finish evacuating the room and came to join us, awaiting further instruction.

Luin wasn't a fighter, so I was already bracing myself to argue with Magnus if he ordered Luin into the action. That turned out not to be necessary. Magnus quickly started issuing orders to the other werewolf that had been standing guard with us as well as the two who came from watching the other door. Once they were gone, he looked to Luin. "Think you can get the wards around the pack house back up?"

"Of course. Do you need Roderick or would you rather he help with the wards?"

"They'll be stronger with both witch magic and fae magic, right?" Magnus asked.

"Yes."

"Then Roderick, work with Luin. What about you?" Magnus asked, looking now to me.

"I should help Luin," I said. His magic was starting to get low again, I could feel it, so even if I didn't directly contribute to the wards, Luin would need me. Magnus didn't question me, which I found interesting.

"Stay with them, please?" Magnus said, now turning back to his mate.

"Of course. Stay safe," Lachlan said. They kissed briefly and then Magnus went running down the hall.

I looked to Roderick and he met my gaze evenly. He nodded and I nodded back – a silent understanding that if anything happened, if any intruders made it to us, he and I would be responsible for defending Luin and Lachlan. At least it wasn't me alone.

--

So sorry for missing last week's chapter.  I've been having some serious health issues and it was impossible for me to update.  I'm recovering now, but won't be 100% for at least 2-4 weeks.  Updates will keep coming, I promise, but not as quickly as usual for now.

- Nia