Torn between mates

17. Helpless romantics

 3rd Person POV

Pain and longing for something that you want deeply, more than anything; and you don’t know if is coming, you are afraid that it won’t ever come. 

You wait, nevertheless, because that’s the thing that you want most in your life. Love, the love that just can be shared with a mate.

Even though Astoria believed the male who was supposed to be her mate was long dead, she still had some hope. Maybe he wasn’t the one, maybe her mate is still there, and she would find him one day.

Astoria never considered taking a lover or getting laid,  like Liv and Nema tried to talk her into. She was saving herself for her mate, as she thought everyone should do. Many supernatural beings tried to do it and then gave up after waiting for too long without finding their other halves. But most of them didn’t even consider that, as they didn’t even have hope to find their mates. 

Just helpless romantics did it in such times, and even though she was seen as serious, austere, and surly, Astoria was a romantic at heart. 

~ * ~

Astoria

We opened the door of the sitting room. Nema and I were quite worried about Lea after everything she has been through. I was also concerned about the fact that she has 3 mates, she isn’t as strong and determined as Liv, and I feared she won’t be able to deal with three very dominant Kings. 

But when the door was open and my eyes found his, every thought about my younger niece vanished away and it was as if he was the only other person in that room. 

He is very handsome, tall, and built. His eyes were glowing in a shade of honey, while his messy light brown hair was falling on his forehead. I was there still at the doorway looking at him, unable to believe what it means, what we are to each other. He walked in my direction and I felt my feet leaving the ground as strong arms came around me. 

I was still shocked, perplexed as I heard the next word he muttered in a guttural manner, “MINE” sending a shiver down my spine. 

My arms went automatically around his neck and he walked through the door with me in his arms, as his very fresh and masculine scent of pine and lemon-verbena were invading my senses and making me feel high. I never want to go down from these highs, it’s the only thing I know, it’s the only thing I can understand right now. 

~ * ~

Luke

I smelled it, an exotic and delicious fragrance, wildflower, and grapefruit. Someone knocked on the door and 2 ladies entered the room, I jumped to my feet when I saw her, a beautiful and unique ‘Valkyrie’. She is quite tall; she should be about 5,9 feet tall. Her gorgeous grey eyes shined amazement and confusion, her full lips were parted as surprise overtook her and the lushest light blond hair was falling down her curves. What curves! Even though her blouse and pants weren’t especially tight, I could see the perfect balance between round feminine curves and muscles. 

My wolf was on the surface, he wanted to take control and claim what is ours. Claim our amazing and exotic mate. 

I went to her, without breaking eye contact, took her in my arms as my wolf and I said in unison “MINE”. 

She didn’t say anything, she looked stunned. I rushed out of the room with her in my arms. Neither I nor my wolf could wait any longer without exploding, we need to have her now.

I couldn’t stop gazing at her, scenting her and smiling, as I was looking for an empty room to take her, to make her mine. I heard some footsteps and looked back, Liv was walking in our direction. When she saw that I was walking away, she started running, while trying to hold her little baby bump. The King of Hell shook his head and after a few seconds, followed her and told her to slow down. 

I turned around and she stopped running, she gave us a bright smile and said between pants, 

“The …rooms on the left side of the second …. Floor are all free.” 

I smiled at her; she knew what I needed. What my mate and I needed. My mate was still immobile in my arms, only holding to my neck. Livia winked and went back towards the King of Hell. 

I took my mate to one of the rooms Liv said were free, sitting on the bed with her in my arms. She was still quiet and silent, and it started to worry me and make my wolf edgy, which was quite rare. We are both very calm and in control, especially for a high ranked wolf. 

Will she reject me? It was always so easy for me to deal with females, why it has to be different when it comes to the one who matters the most, my mate? Maybe it’s Karma. 

I breathed deeply trying to keep myself and my wolf in check, shifting involuntarily right now won’t help my situation. I could feel my wolf perking up and my fangs growing, for sure my eyes were also glowing, If I keep like this, I won’t be able to control it, I’ll shift and probably scare my mate. Damnit! Why she doesn’t say anything? 

I looked intently at her, trying to read these beautiful grey eyes, what was she thinking?  

“I’m Lucas Navarc, Luke. I’m the beta of the Royal Pack, mate.” I tried to sound cool and normal, but my voice sounded very guttural. She looked at me silently for a couple of minutes, it was frightening the s**t out of me. I couldn’t read her facial expression, she looked impassive. 

“I am Astoria,” she said simply. 

I decided to ask the crucial question, there is no good in delaying it, “I was waiting long for you mate. Aren’t you happy to have found me?” I let out an involuntary growl in the end. She looked at me confused.

~ * ~

Astoria

I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. I was feeling high, paralysed. I just wanted to stay here in his arms, without thinking or saying anything, only feeling his presence and inhaling his scent. He introduced himself and I only managed to say my name. 

He looked unsettled, was he annoyed that I, and not a she-wolf, am his mate? We aren’t from the same species, so I should expect that he doesn’t like this situation, that he won’t accept me. I shouldn’t raise my hopes up. 

That is actually one of the reasons why my brother, Max, never revealed his identity to Mel; he is afraid that she rejects him because they are from different species. They and my nieces are the only people I know mated to someone of different species. They are probably the only people in the 6 Realms in this situation, and now Luke and me too. 

“I was waiting for you for a long-time mate. Aren’t you happy to have found me?” he asked and growled. 

I was confused. Maybe he wouldn’t reject me, and he was thinking that I wanted to reject him, no! I would never even think about it. I’ve never wanted anything as much as I wanted a mate. I couldn’t even believe it’s true. That he is true. 

I was beyond happy and didn’t even know how to say it, how to express this happiness. But I should try, I couldn’t let him think that I don’t want him. 

“I am happy and shocked,” I said as my hand reached to touch his handsome face. 

His face lit up in an ear-to-ear smile and his fangs retracted, but his eyes were still glowing. He crashed his lips on mine. I felt tingles radiating through my body and broke the kiss due to the impact of the surprising sensation, looking again startled. 

He chuckled at me; his smile is as Liv would say ‘drool-worthy.’ I knew mates feel sparkles and tingles when they touch, Liv described it as ‘little delicious fireworks going everywhere’. But I didn’t expect it to feel so intense, as if it enticed every nerve and cell of your body and make it awake. 

He cupped my face and kissed me again; the problem was I didn’t truly know how to kiss and that made me absolutely embarrassed. Thus, I just kept still; if only I had heard Nema’s stories I would know more about how to do it, probably too much more.  

He seemed to don’t bother about my lack of skills, and only laid me down on the bed, laying on top of me and making an unfamiliar heat grow in the pit of my stomach. 

He parted the kiss and looked at me, as he stroked my hair gently. 

“Kiss me back, baby,” He whispered, his breath against my lips made me shiver.  

I turned my face to the side and felt heated blood going up my face and neck, I should be tomato red now. 

“What is the matter?” he asked, but I was too embarrassed to answer. I looked back at him, he seemed worried, I didn’t want to see him like this. I breathed deeply. “What happened? Are you…?”

“I don’t know how to do it,” I admitted as I gazed at the wall again. He tilted my face in his direction and flashed me a questioning look. “I don’t know how to kiss,” I uttered trying to look away again.

He chuckled. Now he thinks I am ridiculous; I just made a fool of myself. I don’t know how to deal with it, new things, not knowing how to do something, being a rookie. I am a high-ranked general and in the last centuries, I got used to doing my job with perfection, getting excellent results, and having everything under control. I don’t know how to be a beginner, to not know how to do something, to not expect perfection from myself and it is terrifying me. Liv was right, having a mate can be terrifying. 

I think Luke felt my tension because he tilted my face gently to make me look at him again and muttered, “Relax, baby. Just open your mouth and follow your instincts. We can go as slow or as fast as you want.” He smiled. 

His voice, his words, and his smiles made my tension fade away. 

~ * ~

Luke

It was cute that my mate didn’t know how to kiss, and was so embarrassed about it. Although, she didn’t have any reason to be embarrassed. I would wait if she needed time, it would be f*****g hard, especially to keep my wolf from claiming her and marking her with his bite. We are both so drawn to her; she is such a fascinating beauty. I didn’t know anything about her, only the most important thing: that she’s mine. But I wanted to know it all. 

She parted her lips, and my tongue entered her mouth, caressing her tongue and tasting her. Soon, she started moving her tongue too and wrapped her arms around my neck. I could smell her intoxicating arousal and that was too much for me. 

I parted the kiss and looked at her face, she seemed more comfortable now, her glistening lips were twirled in a small smile, but her eyes held a huge smile, they were shimmering with emotion as she apparently started to let her guard down. 

“Astoria baby, if we keep kissing, I’ll need to take you. I won’t be able to control my wolf or myself.”

She surprised me with her answer. “Do it,” She replied as another pretty blush spread across her face. 

“Are you sure?” I asked. I didn’t want her to regret anything or to rush her. 

“I have waited my whole life for you, I don’t want to wait any longer,” Astoria answered as she kissed me, a shy kiss that soon became firing. 

My wolf let out a howl of enthusiasm in my head, we will finally mate and mark our female, our beautiful Astoria. 

Happy Holidays! On the 25th I have a little gift for you all!