Short author's note: please keep in mind that Lara in this chapter is not exactly herself. She is driven by her instincts as she is in Heat and she is bound to face the full moon's influence soon. This way, she may appear controversial and repetitive and her believes may not hold through this state. With that said, enjoy. x

Ps: mature content

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Goosebumps appeared on my skin under his silvery gaze. I had never seen his eyes glowing like that; yes, from time to time I had witnessed the surfacing of his wolf behind the blue, but nothing quite like that. Now he seemed feral. More beast than man.

He lowered his eyelids, breaking our visive contact. My attention diverted to his hands, clenched in fists, and to the twitching muscles in his forearms. Veins were visible under the layers of flesh and I followed their path with my eyes. His skin was so golden and oh so deliciously scented that I found myself getting impatient for a taste. I wanted to run my tongue on the planes of his body, along the path of the veins, higher and higher until I reached the crook of his neck and then lower and lower, down his abdomen. A dangerous rumble resonated from his chest, interrupting my sinful thoughts. That sound was all it took for my wolf to finally snap and take over. I felt her surging forward, desperately howling to the male in front of us. I lost it. I lost every kind of restrain.

Mate. Breed. Claim.

I launched myself at him, wrapping my legs around his lower torso. He caught me with a low grunt, his strong arms securing myself to him by supporting the weight under my tights. I wanted to purr at the feeling of his skin against mine. I was burning, but not in a painful way; it felt like tongues of fire were licking at my skin wherever we made contact. I was burning in desire. My hands locked themselves through dark strands of his hair, feeling their softness under the tips of my pads. They were so thick, so silky, so luscious. I yanked on them, causing him to emit a growl. I tilted his head up, meeting the depth of his gaze. They were so beautiful, his eyes. So intense, so enduring, so charming. He closed them, inhaling deeply, and parted his lips. My eyes were drawn to them like a moth to a flame. They were so beautiful, his lips. So rosy, so plump, so inviting. I wanted to feel them. I wanted to feel his upper lip clash against mine, his stubble brushing the soft skin of my cheeks, his teeth nipping at my mouth. So I did. I pressed my lips to his.

Fucking Heaven.

Sparks erupted at the contact, so many that I thought I was being drowned by fireworks. His lips were soft and responsive, perfectly molding against my own. It was not enough. I wanted more. I needed more. The beast within was not satisfied, even if she was relishing his touch; she craved for more, she craved for the fullness of her male. I opened my mouth, tracing the outline of his upper lip with my tongue. His hold on my thighs tightened, fingers deliciously digging into my feverish flesh. He complied my desire, opening his mouth up for me.

He tasted like sin. Like the most dangerous sin I would commit in my entire life.

Our tongues crashed against each other and I lost myself in the moment. I felt the slam of a door in the background, but I didn't care. I was too focused on his tongue caressing mine, dancing with mine, fighting for dominance with mine. The sensation was divine. A teasing nip here, a sensual lick there. I didn't want to stop feeling like this. So empowered, so complete, like I belonged. And so damn aroused. Never a man had made me feel this way.

One of his hands left my thigh, slowly caressing my body till it reached my face, cupping my cheek. He angled my head to deepen the kiss and I let him, our lips and tongues continuing their battle of dominance. It was a fight meant to have no winners. With a growl, I yanked again at his scalp, pressing my lips to his jaw. The feeling of his stubble against my sensible lips was so damn arousing that I found myself tightening my legs against his waist, pressing my core to his, in search of a sort of relief. I nipped, kissed, bit and licked his jaw until I reached his neck, while he growled and moaned under my touch.

I never knew I had a fetish for necks, but for his I did. It was smooth, stubble-free and strong, cordons and muscles bulging under my scrutiny. His scent was so damn strong there that I wanted to press my nose and inhale and then lick every single centimeter of visible skin. My eyes were fixated on the place where the neck met his shoulder. Somehow, that place was calling to me. My wolf barked and then licked her fangs, eyeing the smooth piece of skin like it was a prize.

Ours. Ours. Ours.
Claim. Claim. Claim.
Mark. Mark. Mark.

I felt my fangs elongate, piercing the gums in my mouth. I pressed my nose in the hollow of his neck, inhaling deeply. His scent was driving me insane. Saliva pooled in my mouth and I licked the skin beneath. So damn tasty. My instinct was telling me to scrap the skin, to sink my teeth deep and draw blood. I wanted to comply. I kissed him there, on that spot, and then teasingly scratched the skin with the tip of my fangs. It felt so right to do so. The male beneath me froze, but I payed him no mind. The pulsing of his jugular, the heat and taste of his skin were calling to me. I wanted to taste his blood too. Before I could puncture his skin with my fangs, a hand gripped my chin and stopped me, gently prying my face away.
With a displeased grumble at the interruption, I averted my eyes from his neck to look at him in the face.

"Lara, look at me. You don't want to do that. It's not you. It's your instinct telling you do to so."

His voice was throaty and raspy, as just awake. His eyes were now back to their usual deep blue, only a faint hint of silver still gleaming in the background. I confusingly stared at him. What was he talking about? I only wanted a taste. My eyes returned to his neck on their own accord. It was still calling to me. I licked my lips, the desire to sink my fangs deep still in my blood.

"Lara."

His tone was stern now, more authoritative. I turned to look at him in the face, emitting a low growl in displeasure. Why didn't he want for me to do that? It was just a small taste. He cupped my cheek, leveling my eyes with his.

"I need to speak with Lara. Let her take over."

Was he crazy? What kind of bullshit was he saying? My beast rumbled, her tail swishing back and forth. Her eyes were fixated on the male in front of us, shining a more golden hue than usual. Then she nodded, slowly retreating herself to the back of my wind.

I blinked.

"Hercules?"

He nodded, the palm of his hand still cupping my cheek. It felt good. Dangerously good.

"Yes, snowdrop. It's me."

"Don't call me that." I snarled.

The corners of his mouth tilted up, opening in a wide smile. I found myself being mesmerized by it, by his feral beauty. He was so devastatingly handsome.

"Welcome back."

I raised an eyebrow in question, but then felt him take few steps forward and I became aware of the very intimate position we were in. My legs were wrapped around his hips, my arms around his neck, one of his arms supporting my weight. Me eyes then focused onto his lips; red, moist and swollen, they seemed utterly ravished. Raising a hand to my own, I felt them being the same. Still slightly tingling, they were sensible under my touch. Oh God. We had kissed for real. And what a kiss had it been. I felt myself leaning in, getting closer and closer to those luscious lips once again.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Just another little taste. It wouldn't hurt. No, no. It wouldn't. I was millimeters away when Hercules cleared his throat, slowly lowering me to the ground. The grip I had on his neck tightened, not wanting to let go. There was no pain when he touched me.

"We should stop Lara. I didn't come here to take advantage of you. We already went a step further than preferred."

That sentence partially broke through the fog of my perpetual state of arousal, now even enhanced by his presence, bringing me back a bit of rationality.

"How the fuck did you know where I lived?"

I disentangled my arms from his neck, taking few steps back. A sense of emptiness immediately began creeping inside, the urge to feel his bare skin against my own deep in my bones. As soon as my hands left his skin, ripples of pain shot through my body, making me falter in my steps. Hercules prevented me from falling by picking me up bridal-style, one arm supporting my back and the other under my legs. He then gently lowered me on the sofa and pushed back to retreat, but my right hand shot out, grabbing his bicep.

"Please don't. There is no pain when you touch me."

I didn't recognize my voice. It was pleading. I was pleading. A werewolf. An Alpha male. But I couldn't find the force to care. The exhaustion preceding his arrival had came back at full force, leaving me spent and strengthless. I closed my eyes and sighed, still waiting for an answer. Why did he come here? To watch the female who dared defy him suffer at the hands of the same bond he had described as a gift from the Goddess herself? Was this some sort of twisted revenge for him? I wanted to scoff. Of course it was. Werewolves were not to be trusted. Let him watch. It would be the first and last time he would see me vulnerable.

I felt myself being lifted and then lowered, but my scorching skin didn't meet the cold surface of my sofa as I was expecting. It met hot, hard flesh. Opening my eyes, I found myself staring at Hercules' neck and jaw. He was lying down on the sofa with me resting on top of him, my head against the hardness of his chest and his arms around my hips. He wasn't relaxed though. His muscles were thick and tense, his arms stiff and he was clenching and unclenching his jaw, his eyes fixated on the ceiling. I didn't care. This was the most comfortable I had been in the last few days and I wasn't going to give this up. For once, pain was not devouring my body. I closed my eyes, focusing on the beating of his heart. It was fast.
Its rhythm, combined with the heat of his body and the sweetness of his scent, was slowly lulling me to sleep, but then I remembered that I was still waiting for an answer. Without opening my eyes I asked,

"So? How did you find me?"

Hercules shifted under me, the arms around my hips tightening their hold. Then, he sighed.

"The night of the Gala I followed you home. I wanted to be sure you got home safe after our argument."

I wanted so bad to get mad at him for invading my privacy, but right now I couldn't. The bond that existed between our souls was preventing me from doing so, buzzing in contentment with me being in his arms. When he understood I wasn't going to say anything, he resumed speaking.

"When I saw you leaving the pack territory the other day, I knew you wanted to be alone. I won't lie to you, it was hard letting you go. My wolf couldn't understand why his mate was leaving when our first heat was near. He urged me to chase and claim. I spent the next days in my office, focusing on work, but my wolf was implacable. He could feel your wolf calling to him and...well, let's just say that I need to renovate my office a bit."

He caressed my cheek, raising goosebumps along his path. The action made me stir in desire, heat pooling in my lower belly. With a low rumble, I gripped his t-shirt, wanting to rip it to shreds. Hercules gently shushed me, prying my fingers from his clothes and interlocking them with his.

"I am not here to take advantage of you. I came here to help; I couldn't leave you alone tonight, not with the full moon. Although, I am having a whole lot of difficulty in restraining myself and my wolf. Now rest, the moon is still few hours away."

For once, I found myself doing what he told me. I slowly succumbed to sleep, lulled by the deep timbre of his voice.

———

I woke up to the sound of a stomach growling and, by the cramps in my upper belly, I knew it was mine. Eating hadn't been one of my top priorities in the last days.

Hercules was asleep, one of his hands pressed to my back and the other still intertwined with mine. His eyelashes were curled on his cheeks, his chest rising and falling in calm, deep breaths. He was so handsome. With the pad of my finger I traced his cheekbone, following the ridges of the bone. His eye slightly twitched, but he remained asleep. I was about to trace his lips when I was suddenly forced to stop, pain erupting from my core like a gush of lava. With a strained cry I fell on the floor, my limbs shaking under the power of the cramps. My vision blurred and I began sweating profusely.

The third peek.

I was breathing heavily when I felt two strong hands on my hips lifting me up and then pushing the sweaty mess that was my hair out of my face. Hercules was holding me close, pain and worry etched into his face.

"Hercules....third peek...bath...ice..."

My words were nothing more than a rasp, but he heard them. Cradled in his arms, I felt him run in the kitchen and retrieve the ice cubes from the freezer and then run towards the hallway.

"Bathroom?"

"Second..left.."

He threw the door open and then placed the ice box on the ground, still holding me close to him. I heard the faucet turn and soon the sound of cascading water invaded the room, masking my whimpers of pain. Hercules lowered my legs to the ground, but I was weak and I gripped him hard not to fall. My head was spinning, my breath labored, my skin damp in sweat. I heard the sound of fabric tearing and soon I could feel fresh air kissing my skin. I sighed.

"Lara? Can you hold onto the bathtub for a second?"

Nodding, I gripped the edge of the bathtub while Hercules threw the ice cubes inside and then undressed, leaving only his underwear on.
He picked me up and lowered both of us inside the bathtub.

Relief.

The chilly water lapped at my skin and I exhaled in bliss as my body spasmed and shivered. Hercules was embracing me from behind, whispering gentle words in my ear. They were in a language I couldn't understand, but the tone he was using was gentle and soothing and I found myself relaxing. The pain slowly dulled, now reduced to a bearable hum in my bones.

"You'll freeze yourself to death. I'll probably stay in here until the ice melts."

"I won't. I am here, ànthos mou, I am here. I won't let you go."

He caressed my arms and then locked our fingers together. I leaned against his chest, too tired and too spent to care about my actions or about his endorsement. We stayed like that for a while, the water gently lapping at our skin and our breaths meshing together.

"Hercules?"

"Mmh," he hummed.

"Thank you."

And I really meant it.

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I was on fire. But what was burning through my veins was not pain, it was something else.
Whatever it was, it had awoken me from my restless sleep, calling out to me.

The curtains were open, bathing my bedroom in moonlight. Steady breathing came from behind me, the only audible sound in the room. The night was strangely still, as if waiting for something. Even my instinct was telling me that something was about to happen and I had a strange hitch to watch outside. That's when I saw it.

The Moon.

So full, so high, so...powerful. And so hypnotizing.

My wolf was howling, answering the powerful call the moon was casting on us. She was bathing in its light, her eyes holding the reflection of the celestial in them. I felt myself answering the silent call, surrendering to its power.

The male behind me stirred, drawing my attention to him. He was resting on his back, the sheets covering his lower half, one arm outstretched where I had been laying moments ago. The moonlight was kissing the planes of his naked chest and half of his face, making luscious strands of hair glint in the dark. Such a view. My wolf growled, eyeing the male with eyes that were still reflecting the moon.

Mate. Breed. Claim.

Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply. Chocolate and spices. So damn mouthwatering. My veins were buzzing in excitement, my body hot and tense. Heat pooled down between my legs. I was aware of every single portion of his exposed skin, wanting to taste, lick, bite, kiss, scrape until it reeked of me. I wanted to leave marks on his flesh, marks that denoted that he was mine.

Mate. Breed. Claim.
Take. Take. Take.

I crawled towards the sleeping male, eyeing him like he was a prey and I a predator. Swinging my leg over his hips I straddled him, pressing my core to his. The sensation was so sublime that I moaned. He was asleep, but his body was responding to me.

Ours. Ours. Ours.
Mate. Mate. Mate.

I leaned forward, pressing my lips between his pectorals. My tongue darted out to taste, licking the skin of his chest. I rumbled in appreciation as the salty taste of him coated my tastebuds. The friction between the growing bulge beneath my thighs and the damp fabric of my panties was driving me insane with my instinct to claim. The scent of my arousal had permeated the air already, thick and sweet and addicting. I knew it was. It was addicting to him as his scent was addicting to me. I pressed my nose in the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply. A deep rumble erupted from my throat, coming from both me and my beast. I kissed him over his jugular and sucked, enjoying the sensation of his pulse under my lips. I could feel his blood rushing through the vessels of his neck, gurgling and flushing faster and faster. It was calling to me. I licked my lips, my tongue stinging a little when punctured by my elongated fangs. I wanted a taste. I would have a taste.

Claim. Claim. Claim.

Suddenly I was on my back, with my arms pinned above my head by a strong hand and a powerful thigh encased between my own.

"Don't."

It was a growled warning, menacing and authoritative. I wanted to purr under the raw strength of it, waves of dominance sensually caressing my feverish flesh. Hercules was intently watching me, silver and blue fighting for dominance in his eyes. Few strands of silky darkness were on his forehead, his hair a mess of curly tresses. I wanted to yank on them while he ravaged me, the hard planes of his powerful body colliding with mine in a battle of lust. At the thought, another wave of dampness collected inside of my panties, leaving me breathless. They were already soaked, dampening Hercules' thigh and my own. The feeling of my sensible core against the bulging muscles of his upper leg was maddening and I ground on them, searching for a sort of release.
Moaning, my eyes never left his. He growled at my action, closing his eyes and inhaling. When he reopened them, they were silver, reflecting in their own way the figure of the moon.

Yes.

The sight alone of him like this, powerful and feral, was so damn arousing that I struggled in holding back a whimper from escaping my lips.
I tilted my head up at the same time he lowered his, our lips meeting in a frenzy of desire. Hercules released my arms, his hands now holding my hips, and his fingers dug in a powerful grip in my flesh. Yes. I bit his upper lip in response and then soothed the sting with a lap of my tongue, my hands gripping hard his shoulders. I hooked my right leg against his hip, pressing the heel of my foot into his backside to connect our cores. Hercules growled, his lips pausing from the assault they were now making on the exposed flesh of my neckline. His erection ground against my heated center, making me loose control. I dug my claws in the smooth skin of his back, drawing blood, but he didn't seem to care. His only response was to tear my t-shirt in pieces, leaving me bare to his eyes.

Mate. Breed. Claim.

I wanted no barriers between us. I wanted to feel all of him against me, skin to skin. I skimmed my hands along the hard ridges of his back, settling them on his hips, where I could feel the cotton of his boxers under my pads. I was about to rip them to shreds when hands stopped me, repositioning my arms in their previous position above my head.

"Don't. We are not going to have sex. Tonight is about you, not me."

I opened my mouth to protest because I wanted him. I wanted to feel him inside me, releasing his seed inside my belly. I wanted to hear his grunts and moans of pleasure in my ears, his body shuddering above and beneath mine.

Mate. Breed. Claim.

No words escaped me though. They died on my parted mouth the moment Hercules' lips latched onto one of my nipples. I arched my back, gripping strands of his hair to keep him in place. He bit, licked and sucked my nipple until it was painfully erect, before giving the other the same masterful attention. I was shivering, both in pleasure and pain, because even if his touch was divine and extraordinary, he wasn't touching me where I needed him the most. He wasn't touching me there. And I desperately needed a release. I gripped his hair tighter, lifting his head to look at him in the face. His pupils were dilated, his lips swollen and moist, his nostrils flared. He was the representation of lust and desire and I knew I was the same.

"Please.."

His gaze shifted from my eyes to my mouth, as he was incredulous that such word had escaped my lips. He smiled and then pressed a little peck to my lips.

"Your wish is my command."

He lowered his head, kissing the valley between my breasts, and slowly carried his assault down to my abdomen, his hands trailing behind. I felt his fingers latch through the fabric of my panties and then slowly slip them down my legs. He pressed his lips to my navel, slightly scraping the skin with his teeth. I was a mess of emotions, sensations, feelings. My body was on fire, my veins humming so hard that I could feel them in my ears. And then I moaned because Hercules was exploring me with his fingers, caressing and stroking me with the promise of more. He drove me higher and higher, to the point of not turning back, until I shattered. I arched my back, keeping him in place, until I rode the last waves of pleasure.

I collapsed on the mattress, my body a quivering mess. There was no pain, only pleasure and satisfaction. I felt two hands cradle me against an hard chest, but my mind was too far away to properly register what was happening. I looked outside, my eyes fixating themselves on the moon. It was there, full, high and powerful as before, but something was different. I could still feel the celestial calling to me, but now it seemed a placid, satisfied call somehow. Even my beast was strangely calm, her eyes not bearing anymore the reflection of the moon in them.

"Sleep, ànthos mou. The worst is over."

Sated and spent, I closed my eyes.

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So...here we are.
I won't lie, it was extremely difficult to write this chapter. It was my first attempt at writing intimacy, so I struggled a lot. I didn't want to be too crude or too descriptive, focusing instead on feelings and sensations.
How do you think I did? Did you like it? Do you think I should change something?

What do you think about Lara? About Hercules? How do you think she will react the day after?

As always, please vote, comment and share if you liked the chapter.
Thank you.
Kate xx