Rutting Season

8

He relaxed slightly from her touch, and Tessa stepped closer. She tried not to jump when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him in a tight hug. She could feel his erection pressing against her stomach and tried to ignore it. She comforted him, moving her hands up his arms and shoulders and back down to his wrists. He was panting but less tense; she took that as a good sign. She tilted her head back to look up at him.

His gaze fell to her lips seconds before his mouth met hers. She didn't resist him. Even though it was a bad idea, she didn't want to resist him. His kiss was demanding, but she met it tenderly. If he were to get control of his rut, he would need to be calm. Fanning the flames too much would have the wrong effect. Her mind stopped working, and she pulled the elastic from his hair, running her hands in the long white strands as it fell around his shoulders.

He pressed into her, cradling the back of her neck and holding onto her waist. His mouth traveled from her lips to her neck, and she drew in a shaky breath. Her body tingled and craved more, but she knew she couldn't allow things to get too far. She couldn't deny her attraction to him. "Race," she called his name softly, and he pulled away just enough to look at her. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he could no longer fight his instincts. One side of her mouth turned up in a half grin, "Hey, we shouldn't miss dinner. Why don't we go back to camp?" He blinked at her several times, but the fog in his eyes didn't clear.

Tessa knew he was unable to control his instincts and would be in pain if he couldn't relieve himself. Her mind searched for an answer: “Race, how do you usually handle this?”

He rested his forehead against hers. “I need,” he choked out, then stopped. Shaking his head, he released her from his embrace. Clenching his teeth, he groaned out, “Tessa, just leave. Go back to camp and get some sleep. I will be fine.”

She didn't want to leave him but didn't know how to help him. “I told you, I’m not leaving you in pain and alone. Tell me, what helps?” Racyn sighed, running his hand through his hair and shoving it away from his face.

“Tessa, think about it. I'm in rut. Mates bring relief with the bond and their touch,” he says softly. She understood that but needed more information. “Okay. When you can't go for a run, what do you do to ease it?” Racyn laughed, a deep throaty sound that made her shiver. With a smirk, his eyes narrowed on her.

“I make myself c*m, yearling.” His words make her body tingle, but calling her a yearling taunted her inexperience. “The worse my symptoms, the harder it is to do.”

Tessa drew in a shuddering breath. “Oh,” she answered, not knowing what else to say. She could feel the heat of her embarrassment on her face but persisted.

“Can I help without completing a bond?” Her question scared her a little, but she didn't see any other option. “We can try,” he told her, “but if it gets too much, you must leave, or I will be unable to stop myself from claiming you.”

She nodded and reached for him, laying her cheek on his chest and hugging his waist. He was so handsome and seemed to be a good man. She didn't understand why he hadn't found a mate yet.

He kissed her hair and pulled her down to sit with him. They were side by side, her head still on his chest. “This is a bad idea,” he told her. Tessa was confused. “Why?” Racyn was still tensed against her. “You do not want to be my mate, and the more time I spend with you, the harder it will be for me to choose anyone else.”

He began to sweat; a fine sheen of moisture coated his skin. He pulled away just a few inches, “I don't want to get you all sweaty,” he told her. Tessa moved over, pressing against him. “It’s fine. Does my touch help any,” He closed his eyes, “Yeah,”

“If we were mated, it would soothe you more, though,” she concluded, and he nodded. “I don't see the mated men in our pack showing any discomfort during the rutting season. It's because their physical needs are being met by their mate. Why haven't you chosen someone already? Why subject yourself to this over and over again?”

Racyn repositioned himself next to her, the movement causing his clothes to rub against his erection painfully, and he groaned. “You know, choosing a mate for us is based more on a physical response than an emotional one. It doesn't guarantee a happy pairing long term. Some mates separate and find new partners.”

He shook his head, “Werewolves, their mate bond is deeper. Very rarely are mates rejected because they love so deeply they could never desire someone else once they find each other.”

Understanding what he wasn't saying surprised her. “You want to be in love with your mate,” she replied, and he nodded. Tremors ran through his body, and he lay back against the tree behind them. Tessa pulled his arm, and he followed. Resting his head against her stomach, she ran her hands through his hair soothingly.

“Have you been in love before,” she asked. “Once, I thought I was, but she didn't love me. She accepted another man’s offer.” Tessa’s heart hurt for him. That must have been difficult.

Then she realized something else. If he wanted to mate with her, he must think that he could fall in love with her. Thinking about what it could be like to be his mate increased her heart rate.

They sat in silence for a while, and she tried to ease his discomfort with her touch. Would it be so bad to give in to her attraction to him and accept the chance to be his mate?

If she did, she lost her independence. She wanted to be able to make her own choices. To go to school or find a job that made her happy. The idea of going from her parents making her decisions to having a mate that affected her choices so soon seemed like a burden.

Her touch alone wasn’t enough to keep away the discomfort. The need to end it filled her, and she wondered if it was him specifically or if she would feel this way for any man in his situation. She tried to imagine if it was someone else. Would she be here if it was Lincoln or one of the others?

She knew the answer. She would want to help, but she wouldn't be trying to comfort them herself. She would have gone to find one of the chaperones.

Leaning over him, she kissed his face. His trembling hand grabbed a lock of her hair, holding her in place. “You need to go, Tessa. I’ll be fine.” She shook her head, “No. You’ll be mine, but we can't do this out here. Please show me how to take your pain away without completing the bond. I will accept your offer when we return to the pack.”