Valencia!

Six

The elevator doors opened into a spacious, modern open-concept suite, tastefully decorated in earthy tones with golden accents. Large windows lined the far wall, allowing the moonlight to spill across the sleek wood floors and minimalist furniture.

“Welcome to the Beta suite,” Maximus said with a small smile. “Your parents chose to live in the residential quarters, so I ended up with their old space.” He dropped a set of keys into a golden dish shaped like a leaf, the metallic clink echoing softly through the room.

Griffin followed them in like he owned the place, grabbing a water from the fridge and flopping onto the couch as if he’d done it a thousand times before. “Can I talk to your sister now, or are you going to keep interfering?” Maximus asked, his voice laced with restrained irritation.

“It’s whatever now,” Griffin replied coolly, cracking open his water. “I just wasn’t going to let you make a scene earlier. She’s already been through enough . . . thanks to your girlfriend’s venomous little sister.” Maximus’s jaw tensed. “Ex girlfriend,” he clarified firmly.

Griffin raised an eyebrow. “You broke up with her?” Maximus nodded and for some reason, that made Valencia’s heart flutter. She smiled to herself and tried to hide it. “I was hoping you would,” Griffin said, casually flipping through TV channels. “Not only has she slept with half the pack, she’s a total nightmare.”

Maximus didn’t reply. Instead, he stepped closer to Valen and gently brushed her arm, then motioned toward a door just off the kitchen. Valencia grabbed her bag and followed him into a dim room. When Maximus flipped the light on, she instinctively flinched.

He noticed immediately, stepped behind her, and gently covered her eyes with his hands. “Sorry, Valen. Is that better?” His voice was soft against her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. She nodded. “You just called me Valen,” she said quietly, caught off guard by the intimate nickname.

“Am I not allowed to?” He asked, his voice low and warm. “No, it’s . . . it’s fine,” she said, turning to face him, her heart hammering in her chest. “Maximus-” “Just Max,” he interrupted gently. “Max . . . what does this feeling mean to you?” Her voice was barely above a whisper. Her thoughts were tangled, her emotions raw.

He didn’t hesitate. “Everything. Valencia, you are the other half of my soul.” He took her hand in his. “I want to be with you, no matter what that looks like.” Her breath hitched. “Did you really break up with her . . . for me?”

“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “She meant little to me then. Now, she means nothing at all.” Valencia’s heart swelled. But a darker thought crept in. “You don’t know I’m a witch, do you?” she asked quietly, pulling her gaze from his. Maximus looked at her, puzzled. “I know your mother is a witch. A gifted healer. But you . . . are you one too?”

She nodded slowly, afraid to see his reaction. “I’m not a wolf. I was adopted by Beta Mark as an infant.” He stepped closer, brushing her hair from her face. “And that’s supposed to change how I feel about you?” She hesitated, staring down at her tightly clasped hands. “It matters to the she-wolves at school.”

Maximus pulled her gently onto the bed where he sat, lifting her effortlessly into his lap. His touch was grounding. “They’re jealous of you,” he whispered. “Of your beauty. Of your spirit.” Valencia shivered, his words igniting something deep within her.

“I want to show you how much I want you,” he murmured, lips brushing her skin. Each kiss sent waves of sensation through her body. She turned and straddled his lap, emboldened by the safety and warmth he gave her.

Their kiss deepened, filled with yearning and unspoken promises. Maximus held her with reverence, his touch patient. She trembled beneath his fingertips, overwhelmed by the intimacy, but never afraid. When they paused, both breathless, Valencia rested her forehead against his.

“I’ve never done this before,” she admitted, voice small. Maximus’s eyes softened. “Then we’ll take our time. There’s no rush.” Their connection intensified, but it remained tender . . . focused on each other’s comfort, emotions, and trust. Valencia felt safe, cherished, and more desired than she ever had in her life.

“Valen you are . . . breathtaking.” Maximus eyes rake down her now completely exposed body. “Is it ok if I touch you?” He waited for permission, and she nodded, sure of the choices she was making. His fingers slipped inside, moving slowly, creating a growing need within her. “You feel so good.” She admitted, a deep blush coming to her already flushed cheeks.

When he sped up it pushed her over the edge, “Goddess please!” Valencia cried, grabbing the comforter in her fists as an overwhelming streak of pleasure coursed through her. “Good girl.” Maximus praised climbing over her. He pushed against her, letting her feel the length of him and Valen was both nervous and excited for what was to come.

His hands wandered her body, as if committing her every curve to memory before he pushed into her, her breath catching. “I’m sorry.” He whispered into her lips. He pulled back, looking into her eyes before continuing. “We can stop here, if you want.” but Valen shook her head. She had no intention of stopping. Her yearning for him overriding the slight discomfort of being filled for the first time.

After a while the pain faded into a deep and intense pleasure. “I want to mark you Valen.” Max breathed into the most sensitive part of her neck, but she shook her head denying him that right, not fully knowing what that would mean. “Please Max not now . . .” She called and the sound of his name on her lips pushed him over the edge.

His warmth filled her as she called his name in ecstasy. Her back arched off the bed, and he slid his arm beneath her . . . holding her close. “Max, I don’t want that to be the end.” Valen admitted, and he touched his forehead to hers. “This is far from over little mate.” he breathed. A satisfaction he’s never before felt coursing through him.

Later, as they lay tangled together in the soft sheets, a comfortable silence settled between them. Their heartbeats slowly returned to normal, their fingers entwined. Maximus brushed his knuckles down her arm. “I want to mark you, Valen.” The request hung in the air, charged with meaning but Valencia shook her head gently. “Not yet . . . not tonight.”

His arms tightened around her, but there was no protest. Only understanding. “As you wish,” he whispered into her hair. They lay there in the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the window, wrapped in each other’s presence. two souls finally discovering the magnetic pull of fate. For the first time, Valencia didn’t feel unsure of who she was or where she belonged.

The silence between them was peaceful, and for the first time in a long while, Valencia felt truly at ease. Her body, though still warm with the aftershocks of their intimate connection, seemed to mold perfectly against Maximus. She felt like she belonged there, wrapped in his arms, her worries dissipating as if they had never existed.

Maximus, too, was quiet for a long moment, his fingers tracing gentle patterns along her back. The moonlight continued to spill through the windows, casting soft shadows across their tangled forms. He breathed in deeply, savoring the moment, the weight of everything that had happened and everything that was to come.

Finally, Maximus spoke, his voice low and thoughtful. “Valen, you’re everything I’ve ever wanted. But I need you to know . . . I won’t rush you. When you’re ready, we’ll take this as far as you want to go. No pressure.”

Valencia’s heart swelled with affection. She turned her head slightly, brushing her lips against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear. “I trust you,” she whispered, her voice barely a breath.

He kissed the top of her head softly, his arms tightening around her once more. “And I trust you,” he replied. “No matter what.” Her fingers brushed against his, and she smiled to herself. In that moment, she knew they were only beginning to understand what they meant to each other. The connection, the bond . . . it was undeniable.

Maximus pulled her closer, if that was even possible, and she felt the intensity of his gaze on her even in the dim light. “You’re more than enough, Valen. I’ll prove it, every day.” Valencia nestled deeper into him, her eyes fluttering closed. The world outside the suite seemed to fade away. There was only Maximus, only this feeling between them, only the soft, comforting silence they shared.

They drifted into a peaceful sleep, their bodies still tangled together as the night carried on, each lost in the warmth of the other. The future, with all its uncertainties and challenges, was there, just beyond the horizon, but for now, they were content. For now, they had each other.