Howls of Apollo

Duodeviginti

Apollo’s chest tightened as he looked at the exhausted form of his mate. She looks like someone who gave up. The thought broke something in him, his mind refusing to go to the possibility that she might be giving up on him.

He wants to say something. He wants to tell her everything she wants to know but he’s a coward. He can’t bear to see the look on her face once he does. He’s caused her so much pain all he wants is to take it away. She may be a healer but the irony about that is she can take away the pain of others, but she can’t take away her own.

Without thinking twice, he reached his hand out and grabbed her dainty one in his. Skaia made no move to take it back. Warmth surged through him the moment their skin touched and he tried to remember the last time his skin made contact with hers. It’s been a while but the feeling never grew old.

He took a glance at her face and his heart clenched at the stray tear that fell from her eye. She hastily wiped it away, but he saw it. Instead of letting her hand go, he interlocked their fingers and tightened his hold.

He drove with his hand in hers the whole way. By late afternoon, they stopped at a hotel to stay for the night. The coven was still a few hours away so he figured they could rest a bit before continuing tomorrow.

He was expecting Skaia to question him but she merely followed him out and stayed quiet. He booked them a room with two beds, missing how Skaia recoiled at hearing he wants to sleep separately from her. They slept in separate rooms back at the pack but to hear him say it out loud still stung.

He watched her sit at the bed away from the door, once again the silence reigning over them.

Sensing she won’t be saying anything soon, he found himself talking instead.

“Remley and I grew up together. His mother and my mother were sisters, so that makes him my cousin.” She looked up at him then, the question clear in her eyes.

“His mother was adopted. My grandmother found her while on a run with my grandfather and convinced him to let her take the child in. My grandfather conceded and not long, they loved her as their own. She and my mother were very close. They treated each other like sisters. Even in death they were together.” His eyes softened slightly.

“They both died in childbirth within days of each other.” He said, earning a surprised look from his mate.

Skaia raised from her seat on the bed and moved to be close to him. The tension sizzled between them but as he looked at the calm sympathetic look on his mate’s face, he’s convinced he’s the only one who could sense it.

He underestimated how much he missed her.

“My father retreated to himself at that point and I was left in the care of his Beta, commanders, and my grandfather. I still had a sense of gentleness when my grandparents were still around. My grandmother brought a sense of normalcy and I adored her.” That brought a small smile to Skaia’s face.

His eyes stayed on her. She didn’t seem to want to interrupt him any time soon, showing how she appreciates him sharing something about himself.

“It was after their death that everything took a turn. I was thrown into rigid training both as a warrior and alpha. I had to work my way up regardless of my birth right, and by the time my father died, I was twenty and more than capable to take on the pack.” He said to her.

“Remley was sent to the northern coven after my grandparents’ death but we always checked up on each other, but wasn’t until I was alpha that I got to see him. We were both grown up and facing grown up problems.” A smile graced his face at the same time one graced Skaia’s.

“Thank you for sharing that with me.” Skaia said softly.

“What about you?” Apollo asked.

“What?” Skaia asked in surprise.

“Will you tell me about your childhood? If you want to of course.” He said, remembering the topic might be a little sensitive given what happened.

Skaia seemed hesitant for a moment and he was going to take it back when she started talking.

“My mother died giving birth to me too as you know.” She started, twiddling her thumbs. Remembering how great it felt to have her hands on his, he couldn’t help it and reached out to take her hand in his once again.

“Grandpa raised me, taught me everything he knew about fighting. He was a very strict teacher but he was a big softy. He made sure to give me a balance between training and just being a child. Unlike you, I didn’t grow up with a cousin or sibling because my mother was an only child and so am I. That’s why I told myself I want a big family.” She smiled but instantly dropped it when she realized what she said, she felt Apollo stiffen too.

She cleared her throat to quell the tension and immediately resumed talking. Apollo shifted slightly to calm himself.

“I had the children of the warriors as playmates when we weren’t all training. It was a happy childhood regardless of what the pack was known for.” She said, a small smile on her face.

“What about your father? Why was he in Clara Solis while you were in your grandfather’s pack?” Apollo asked.

“He was never really a part of my grandfather’s pack and they were preparing his transfer when my mother died. It was too painful for him to go back, so he stayed at Clara Solis. My grandfather asked to let me stay as I am a part of his pack being born there. Father agreed, too hurt to say no.” She said.

“I would have been honored to get to know him.” Apollo commented.

Skaia chuckled. “He would have given you a hard time. He wasn’t easy to get on anyone’s side aside from me, but he would have been slightly impressed with your warrior status.” She said to him.

“I hope so.” He said back. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard stories about him and his pack. Everyone wanted to meet him, but he was always closed off. No one could tell what he was thinking, and I remember wanting to be exactly like him.”

“Really?” Skaia asked in surprise.

“Yes really.” He said back cheekily. He was surprised at his playfulness but he decided he liked it. It felt more him, especially with Skaia.

“He rarely came to annual meetings, but he came one time when it was held in Forti Polaris. I was still a child then, still in training but my father told me to be there.”

“So you have met him.” Skaia interjected.

“I did.” He nodded. “I almost didn’t but I’m glad I stayed. Everyone was stunned. He was as formidable as they said. He commanded the room, even my father looked small, which wasn’t easy but he managed to do it. He brought only five men with him, his second commander, his advisor, and was flanked by three other warriors that seemed bigger than life, they made our men looked like ants.” He said, lost in his recollection.

“Sounds familiar.” Skaia commented, looking at him knowingly.

“He made an impression on me.” He admitted. “I just found myself wanting to project the same image he did.”

“I know what you mean. I saw the way he impacted people and I was well aware of who he was, so I understood why I was kept a pack secret.” She said to him.

Apollo realized the truth of the matter then, this was Gideon Gaglliardi’s granddaughter. His mate. He can see now where she gets her presence from. 

“He lost his daughter, he didn’t want to lose his granddaughter too.” He said softly.

“Yes, I gathered that. That’s why he trained me himself, and harder than any one too.” She said with a small smile.

“What a pair we are.” Apollo realized.

Skaia stiffened. “Are we?”

Apollo looked at her incredulously, like she ruined the moment.

“I’m sorry Apollo, but not too long ago, you couldn’t even look at me. You even told me you’d have no problem letting me go, and now we’re a pair?” Her voice went up an octave.

“That was a mistake Skaia!” He exclaimed himself. “I regretted it the moment I said it, but I can’t make you unhear it now. You are my mate and I want to make amends.”

“Do you even want that?” She whispered.

“Of course I want to make it up to you! It’s been killing me –”

“No,” Skaia interrupted, shaking her head. “Do you event want me as a mate?” She asked lowly. Her eyes shining with so much vulnerability it made his heart clench.

He didn’t answer right away. He could only look back at her as his head screamed with every word he wants to say to her but doesn’t have the guts to, because he doesn’t know where to start.

Skaia mistook his silence and started to pull away. His mind went into a panic and before he knew it, he grabbed her back to him.

He underestimated the force of his pull and so she landed on his lap, her body sideways but her face was to his, a breath away from each other.

The bond buzzed stronger than before, and with her warm breath fanning his face, one look at her stunning eyes and he was a goner.

He went and leaned in, placing his lips on hers. The kiss wasn’t slow but it wasn’t too rushed either. Shivers instantly went down both their spines and he gripped her to him at the feeling. Skaia kissed him back almost instantly but hers was gentle in contrast to his.

The contact sent the mate bond haywire, engulfing them in an invisible cocoon of warmth only they can feel, reveling in the bond only they share. The warmth turned feverish as soon as Apollo coaxed Skaia’s mouth open, massaging her tongue with his. Skaia let out a soft groan, her arms tightening on Apollo’s neck, earning a groan out of him as well.

He maneuvered her to sit on his lap to face him without breaking the kiss, her legs on either side of his. He could access her mouth better from this new angle. His hands reached up to tangle in her hair and he pulled gently to tilt her head up, fervently deepening the kiss, and explored the crevice of her mouth. Skaia pushed onto him some more, creating a pleasurable friction, making them both pull away to moan at the feeling.

Apollo’s lips quickly attached to Skaia’s neck. She tilted it to give him more access, keeping her eyes closed and biting her lower lip at the sensation. Apollo trailed lower to the valley where her neck meets her shoulder and found the spot where his mark would one day sit. He sucked on it softly, twirling his tongue where he felt her pulse. This caused Skaia to unconsciously grind on him. He immediately grabbed her hips to steady her, putting a stop to her action.

He withdrew from her neck unwillingly, realizing if he doesn’t stop now, they’d end up completing the bond. And he doesn’t want to do that in a stringy hotel room. His mate deserves more than that.

Skaia seemed to snap out of her own pleasure-filled haze as well, and was about to scramble off when Apollo tightened his hold on her hips. He rested his forehead against hers.

“I want you Skaia.” He whispered, holding her gaze. “I want you as my mate, I want you in every sense.” He added sincerely.

He looked at her more seriously than possible. “How about you, do you want me as a mate?”