A Queen Among Snakes: Chapter Seventeen - Chris

Last night was… wow. Incredible is too simple a word to describe it. Don’t get me wrong, every intimate moment with Mei is incredible and makes me proud that I waited for her because there is no one and nothing that can compare to this stunning creature, but last night was something else.

When we got home it was a frenzy. As I said, our intimate life is pretty damn incredible, but last night was otherworldly. We were consumed with unbridled need. A fear of living a life without the other fuelling our desire, wanting to give in to our need for each other; refusing to go a day not expressing how we feel for each other.

She was confident and insatiable, and sexier than I could ever describe, and I was consumed by her. We couldn’t get enough of each other. We were just flesh, moans, and entangled limbs the entire night until we both collapsed from exhaustion. I’d never seen her like that. It had me more turned on than a male-wolf driven wild by a she-wolf’s heat.

I’m very protective of Mei, and who can blame me? I’ll never forget the day I went to the Albus Mons Pack and her beautiful plum blossom scent invaded my senses like a tsunami. I ran off to find it only to be met with the most horrific sight that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Chocolate brown eyes looked up at me, but they were hollow and lifeless. Her cheeks were sunken in; her entire body emaciated, and I could smell fresh blood. There was an open wound dripping down the back of her head. She looked like she could barely stand, she was covered in bruises in varying stages of healing, and she was cleaning up – what I knew from the scent – to be her own blood.

My heart was being splintered just looking at her. Axel and I wanted so badly to run over and hold her and take care of her, but I could smell her fear, and it was unbearable. I knew I had to tread carefully, and I have every day since.

Mei could snap me in half like a twig if she wanted to, but physical strength and mental strength aren’t the same thing, and one doesn’t necessarily work without the other. Even though I know she is physically strong, I know she’s still shy and nervous, trying to cope with her trauma. She’s unsure of herself and because of it, she forgets how strong she is and how easily she can protect herself now.

My heart swims with pride each day I see her improve and come out of her shell, but when I see her have a panic attack; feel her anxiety or watch her suffer from nightmares, it hurts my very soul and fills me with rage. I wish I could inflict every ounce of pain that pack forced upon her, back onto them every day for the rest of their miserable lives. Death is far too good for those assholes.

I’m always careful with Mei. Being bonded is a Gods send because always knowing what she’s feeling and being in tune with her means I never have to worry about crossing her boundaries or making her uncomfortable. Her recovery is more important to me than anything.

Mei is like a rare, precious flower. When I found her, she was withered, her petals were gone, and she’d lost her colour. But with lots of love and nurture I’ve been able to watch her grow and blossom.

The guys like to joke that I’m a softy, but they never mock me or anything. They understand what she’s gone through and having animais of their own, understand they would be doing the same thing if it was them. She’s the other half of my soul; her happiness is vital to me, and truth is, I’m scared. I try not to bother her with my own paranoia since she has enough of her own, but I’m terrified of losing her.

How she looked when we met is burned into my brain and all I can think about is how, if I hadn’t gone with my dad that day I never would have found her, and she could be dead right now or worse. I could have lost my soulmate before I ever got to know her.

She was suffering for over a decade, and I wasn’t there to protect her. Everyone loves to tell me it wasn’t my fault and I have her now so that’s all that matters and that’s all very true, but it doesn’t change how I feel. That fear is ingrained in me and so I live in constant fear of someone hurting her or me losing her just like I almost did.

I know Mei feels guilty for how much I worry about her, and I hate that. It’s not her fault; she didn’t ask for this and I’d rather spend a lifetime worrying about her, than not. When I heard someone was watching her last night it was like my fears were coming to life. Images of her at Albus Mons flooded my brain and wouldn’t leave me alone. Axel wanted to destroy any and all threats and I just wanted to wrap Mei in my arms and never let go.

It was the first time I ever spoke up and let her understand just how vital she is to my own survival. How me worrying about her isn’t something she can stop and how pointless my life would be without her. It all just came out and being that vulnerable with her made something new click between us.

Looking down at the beautiful woman in my arms, my heart could literally explode from how full it is. Her soft breath fanning my chest as she remains curled up against me under my arm – or nook as she likes to call it, which is so damn cute. Her hair is a mess, her cheeks are rosy, and she smells like heaven. I don’t know how long I’ve been laying here just watching her sleep, but I could spend the rest of my life doing it.

My fingers rhythmically and gently stroke her hair until eventually, I feel her body begin to stir and sense her mind becoming alert.

“Sweet One is awake! Give Sweet One kisses! Or let me give her kisses! I’ll be a kissing machine,” says Axel’s overexcited voice in my mind as he quite literally frolics around in my head. He’s like a newborn pup when it comes to our animai, it’s actually pretty cute. “Cute? I’m a wolf, I’m not cute. I’m big and scary,” he growls, offended by my compliment.

“You wouldn’t complain if it was Mei calling you cute,” I point out.

He huffs, “Touché. But still, cute? Really Chris?”

“Just take the compliment ya big furball. I love how happy she makes you; she makes me that way too,” I gladly tell him.

“She really is something, huh?” He says with a dreamy sigh.

Everyone says I’m a hopeless romantic – which I am – but ha! They have no idea how much worse Axel is. Actually, I imagine everyone’s wolves probably know, but wolves can’t really blab to or on their humans. It’s kind of like lawyer/client confidentiality. By magic, they are bound to us and therefore can’t betray us in any way. Though there is some wiggle room when it comes to animais.

Mei stretches out against me and lets out a sweet, contented moan. Her eyes slowly open and those chocolate brown pools look up at me with so much love and warmth that for a moment I wonder if I’m still asleep.

“How long have you been awake?” She asks in her cute sleepy voice.

I shrug, “No idea, I was distracted.” She cocks her head to the side in that adorable way she does when she’s confused, yet curious. Gods, how can someone be so utterly perfect? “I was watching you sleep,” I admit.

“But that sounds so boring,” she frowns.

In a blink, I have her gorgeous body trapped underneath mine. She runs much colder than me, but I find I rather like the coolness of her skin and still electricity shoots through me everywhere our skin touches, and right now it’s making another part of my anatomy wake up.

“Please don’t ever refer to anything relating to you as boring. You are the furthest thing from boring,” I adamantly tell her.

Her cheeks flush as a smile comes across her face. Her smile never fails to absolutely floor me. Her small hands reach up and caress my cheeks and I close my eyes sighing into her touch. My perfect little enchantress.

“I love you more than words can say,” she says sweetly, causing my heart to beat erratically.

“I love you more than words too,” I say as I lean down and rub my nose against hers making her smile widen.

“Busy day?” She asks me while wrapping her arms around my neck.

“Afraid so. Got a rank meeting, then Evalyn and I are sitting down to talk budgets and then it’s a long day of me crunching numbers,” I inform her.

“You love crunching numbers though,” she chirps happily.

“That’s very true,” I agree while kissing my mark on her neck. I smile as I hear her intake of breath; feel her body shiver against mine and smell her arousal perfuming the room. I want to bask in that scent forever.

“C-Chris?” She stammers.

“Yes, my love?” I ask while I pepper soft kisses up her neck.

“W-Why…” she takes a deep breath to focus her thoughts making me smirk to myself. I can’t say I don’t enjoy the effect I have on her, because I damn well love it. “Why do you love maths so much?” She says on an exhale.