"Promise that you won't laugh?"

Sawyer paused outside the door to Caleb's bachelor's cottage. They'd just extricated themselves from a two-hour wedding conversation with both mothers and grandmother. Just thinking of the term "wedding" had Sawyer's head spinning. It's not that she wasn't happy—she couldn't have been more excited—but she had never been one of those girls planning her wedding from age five. The whole process left her feeling slightly terrified.

"Why would I laugh?" she asked Caleb as he unlocked the door. "Don't tell me that you're secretly a slob."

He chuckled and shook his head. "No. You'll see."

They went inside and Caleb flicked on the light. A five-headed bendy lamp illuminated his small living room, showing off dark wooden floors, a large navy blue sectional couch, a couple of folding tray tables, a wall-mounted 75-inch TV, and a large entertainment center the same color as the floors.

Sawyer peered around the room, trying to discern the source of Caleb's embarrassment. Was he worried that the place smelled? Because all she could smell was a lilac Febreeze dispenser up on the wall next to the TV. Glancing down, she finally noticed it. The entertainment center was stacked with a Nintendo Switch, Playstation, and Xbox, plus an ungodly amount of games for each platform.

"That?" she laughed, jerking a thumb towards the entertainment center. "That's nothing! You've seen my comic collection!"

Caleb shrugged diffidently. "I didn't know if you'd still be into all of this."

Sawyer wandered over to the entertainment center and picked up the latest copy of Mario Kart, reminiscing about all the times she and Lee had laughed and argued in their living room over an earlier version. "I am, as far as I know," she told him. Losing interest in her favorite things had been one of her biggest fears coming back home. She'd done without for so long, only to be confronted with physical reminders of her past hobbies strewn around her room. But as she picked up a figurine or read one of her comics, she felt the same dopamine rush. "We'll have to play sometime."

Caleb's strong arms wrapped around her from behind and he nuzzled her neck. "I knew I picked the right woman."

"Because I'm a geek?" she asked, leaning against his chest.

"And more," he replied, pressing his lips to the underside of her jaw.

Sawyer closed her eyes and reveled in the feel of his hands as they slowly slipped up her shirt to cup her breasts. Wriggling her ass against his groin, she murmured, "You said that you had a bed."

"I do," he rumbled, arousal growing against her bottom. "Do you want to see it?"

"Mm-hmm."

Reluctantly pulling his hands out of her shirt, Caleb walked over to the wall and turned off the light. "I have something for you," he said as the room plunged into darkness.

"More than this?" she asked playfully, holding up her left hand. She'd never been much for jewelry, so it was strange having the weight of a ring on her finger. But it was the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen! It was a little loose, but Caleb said that they could go back to the Hillsboro store where he bought it to have it resized.

Caleb chuckled. "Yeah, it's in the bathroom." He gestured to his bedroom and pointed at the closed en suite bathroom door.

Cocking her head curiously, Sawyer walked ahead of him and opened the bathroom door. "You got me lingerie!" she exclaimed, grinning. A folded piece of light blue fabric sat on his white vanity.

"Yeah."

Swooping down, Sawyer picked it up, holding the simple silk nightie out in front of her. No strange straps, no cut-outs, no lace—just as she would have picked out for herself.

"Do you like it?"

Clutching it to her chest, she nodded enthusiastically. "Excuse me," she told him with a wicked grin—and shut the door on his surprised face.

What? Why ruin the moment and have him watch her put it on?

Stripping down to her underwear, Sawyer pulled the lingerie on, smiling as the silk flowed over her bare skin and reached to mid-thigh.

Leaving her clothes on the closed toilet seat, she opened the bathroom door and stepped into Caleb's darkened bedroom.

"Are you in a hurry?" she asked, amused, as she found him lying sprawled naked on his queen-sized bed. A sliver of moonlight shone through a crack in his curtains, deepening the shadows on every muscle on Caleb's large frame. Sawyer's amusement gave way to a rush of heat and she licked her lips at the sight of his shaft standing at rigid attention. Goddess, she was a lucky girl.

Propping himself up on one elbow, Caleb crooked a finger at her. "Yes. I haven't seen you in two weeks. Come here, beautiful." An orange glow lit his irises, growing brighter and brighter.

Strolling over to the bed, Sawyer climbed up, pushed Caleb onto his back, and straddled his sculpted torso. "Did I just hear you give me an order?" she asked in mock indignation, trailing her nails across his pectorals.

"I'm sorry," he replied sincerely, sliding his hands up her bare thighs.

Sawyer gasped as he tickled the underside of her legs, slipping his fingers beneath the bottom of her underwear.

"I forgive you," she said, rocking forward, ass going up in the air. Threading her fingers through his short hair, Sawyer leaned down and ran her tongue along Caleb's bottom lip. He groaned and jerked beneath her, hands digging into the soft flesh of her thighs.

She kissed him slowly, moving from one corner of his mouth to the other, heat and wetness building in her core.

"Savvy," Caleb moaned, trying to bring her lower body back into contact with his.

"Missed me, did you?" she asked suggestively against his mouth.

"Every damned day," he replied, tugging at her underwear.

Sawyer arched her back, the tips of her nipples brushing across the hard planes of his chest through the silky lingerie. She pressed against Caleb, drinking in the sight, smell, and feel of him; tasted the remnants of wine on his lips. She loved this man more than she ever thought was possible. Loved the hard planes of his muscled, athletic body, the deft way his fingers played upon her skin, and the feelings of safety and calmness he brought to her life.

Almost regrettably, Sawyer broke off their kiss, moving her lips along the hard line of Caleb's jaw. With a sigh, he tipped his head back, baring his throat.

Sawyer paused, recognizing the signal even though she was only a faerie and not a werewolf. Caleb Stillwater, the descendant of alphas going back generations, was submitting to her.

The act of submission sent a powerful thrill coursing through her body, setting her senses alight. Humming quietly, she continued her slow descent down his throat to the broad, muscled plains of his chest.

Caleb's hands dropped from her ass and lifted to knot in Sawyer's hair as she ran the tip of her tongue over one nipple. "Savvy," he groaned, back arching. The sweet taste of Caleb's sweat intermingled with the wine in Sawyer's mouth, the beat of her heart echoed only by the one between her legs. She paused and lifted her chin to look at him. Caleb's eyes were closed and his throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.

What an incredibly sexy and thrilling moment this was! Not everyone could say that they were witness to a werewolf at his most vulnerable.

Slowly, Sawyer slid off him and perched on the bed between his legs; Caleb's hands unknotted from her hair and found purchase in the mattress. His hips thrust upwards, erection straining. Her fingers traced every line of his abdomen, featherlight at first, then moving over the same spot with her nails, and then again with the tip of her tongue. Caleb groaned, a deep, desperate sound that found its way to her core; Sawyer looked over to see the muscles of his arms bugling as he gripped the sheets.

"Savvy," he moaned through clenched teeth, "stop teasing me."

She only smiled and reached out and grabbed his erection with one hand. "Savvy ..." Her name was both a plea and a prayer on his lips. Wings of desire beat in Sawyer's belly and she leaned down to take the shining tip of him in her mouth.

Gripping the base of his shaft with one hand, Sawyer cupped his testicles with the other. Caleb twisted and jerked in her hold. Chuckling softly, she let the silky smooth skin of his shaft play against her tongue, savoring the taste of him while her fingers massaged and rolled his testicles.

"G-goddess!" Caleb moaned hoarsely, hips thrusting as he simultaneously cursed and shuddered.

Slowly, so very slowly, Sawyer bobbed her head up and down, taking as much of him as she could comfortably fit into her mouth, using her hand to compensate for the rest. Her core positively burned with need as she sucked on his shaft, but she was in no hurry.

"Please, Savvy," Caleb pleaded, his voice strained.

Taking pity on him, Sawyer pulled her head up, mouth making a small popping sound as she released his shaft.

"Does the big, bad werewolf want a ride?" she asked coyly, tilting her head to the side.

Chest heaving, Caleb cracked one burning orange eye and then the other. "Yes," he breathed, hands clenching the mattress.

Sitting up, Sawyer reached down and took the hem of the silk nightie in both hands and pulled it up and over her head. Caleb tore his eyes away from her naked torso long enough to grab a box from the nearby nightstand. Faster than she'd ever seen him do it before, Caleb had the condom on his twitching shaft and was reaching for her.

She let him tug her underwear down until she had to remove it herself, tossing it onto the floor with the condom box. Moving over him again, she gripped his iron shaft with one hand and fit the blunt head to her slick, swollen center. Sawyer's lips parted in a soundless moan of pleasure as she carefully sank downwards, inch by slow inch until all of his hard length was inside of her.

Caleb's hands once again wrapped her thighs as she adjusted herself. Just as she was beginning to move, Caleb stopped her with one word: "Wait."

Puzzled, Sawyer sat back down, both hands braced on his abdomen. "What is it?" she asked.

Caleb took a deep breath and stared into her eyes. "I want to see you—all of you. May I?"

Sawyer stilled. No one, except her parents and Lee, had ever seen her true form. That was right—not even Caleb. But that was changing. In two days, everyone would be free to be themselves without shame or fear.

"Yes," she allowed and released the lock on her real self.

Magic rushed through her body like desire, setting her very skin alight with tiny golden motes and throwing off a faint glow in the dark room. Her heavy lavender hair dropped several more inches to the top of her buttocks and a faint tingle around the tips of her ears let her know that they were no longer rounded, but pointed. And, at the very last moment, her wings emerged.

"Oh, goddess," Caleb whispered in awe, eyes wide.

Sawyer flexed her wings, feeling their gossamer tips brush against her legs. Like her skin, they sparkled, but with a lavender glow. Rocking against Caleb, she tilted her head to the side, waiting.

Reaching up, Caleb cupped her cheek with one hand. "You are so goddamn beautiful," he said, voice heavy with wonder, running the pad of his thumb along her bottom lip. "I could look at you like this forever."

Tears pricked the corners of Sawyer's eyes, and she leaned down to kiss him. "I love you."

"You are my everything," he replied, brushing the wetness from her face.

Swallowing against the lump in her throat, Sawyer sat up and tossed her hair back, fanning the air gently with her wings. Slowly, she began to move against him, walking her hands forward until they were braced against his chest. Caleb groaned, gripping her hip with one hand, and sliding the other between her legs.

Pleasure began to build deep in her belly and Sawyer picked up her pace, lifting herself almost off of his shaft before slamming back down. Caleb bucked, grinding his fingers against her sensitive bud, moving faster and faster.

Sawyer tossed her head back, wings beating furiously, causing a small wind to whip around the room. The spasms started small, like waves in a pond created by a dropped pebble. She cried out as Caleb sat up and pinched her nipple, his mouth pressed over hers. Tiny ripples turned into larger waves and Sawyer began to shudder, inner muscles working hard against his rigid shaft. She ground against Caleb until the waves crested and broke, sweet relief spilling outwards like a burst dam.

Caleb groaned, grabbing her by the hips and pulling Sawyer firmly down atop him. Sawyer's head tilted back, mouth hanging open as her climax overtook her. Wave after glorious wave, each more delicious than the last.

As she reveled in that sweet release, Sawyer felt Caleb stiffen and heard his moan of release as he filled the condom. She sagged forward, breathless and sated, wings going still. Caleb fell back against the pillows, arms dropping to his sides.

"Goddess," he muttered, voice slightly hoarse.

Smiling contentedly, Sawyer rolled off Caleb to allow him to discard the condom. Once he was done, he gathered her in his arms, linking the fingers of their left hands together. Moonlight glinted off of the aquamarine in her engagement ring, fracturing into tiny stars on Caleb's bedroom ceiling.

"Two more days," he promised, squeezing her hand.

"Two more days," she echoed, squeezing back.

Nothing could come sooner.