“I have never courted a woman, Enduar or human. No woman has taken her pleasure from my body,” I say, chest heaving.
Her hands brush over my face.“Then I will be your first?”
“I will beyours.”
I press her back against the tree. She clings to me. My instinct dictates my movement, which is slow and steady. Following the action of her hips, my own sensations are wrenched out of me.
She pulls back, cheeks flushed. “Touch me.”
“Where?” I gasp.
She makes a mangled sound and grabs my hand. She places it on the spot between her legs, where her heat invites me.
I find the fabric wet, and she moans into my mouth.
“What is this?” I ask.
The sound of my voice shatters the fragile connection between us.
She goes stiff in my arms. A look of confusion crosses her face, and she breaks away.
“What—?” I start.
Her face crumbles.
"I can’t?—“
"Don't go, not yet.” I grab her hand. “I don’t want to leave you alone.”
“I got carried—This is too far. I can’t do this.” She presses her hand to her forehead.
“Did I hurt you?” I ask.
She shakes her head, darting away when I try to draw her into my arms again. Melisa’s face practically cracks in half with pain.
“Send a message back to Enduvida. Tell them that the Elf King has made a deal with Rholker. Send news of the deaths. Of the poisonings. They want to kill us all—Eneko told me the king’s new advisor, Lord Fektir, wants us all exterminated.” Her chest heaves. “Eneko will be leaving tomorrow to go to some new mines with the ogres. Tell Estela, and I will leave you a message when I know more."
“So this is it. You won’t meet with me again?”
She opens her mouth, but I step toward her.
Holding her hands up, she begs me. “Please!”
A sudden snarl comes from behind the trees.
I instantly push her behind me. My tail wraps around her as a wolf comes into view.
“Coco!”
Melisa struggles out of my grasp and runs to the creature.
Teeth bared, it growls at me.
“¡Basta ya!”?1Melisa commands, stomping her foot, and the pup stops snarling to look up at her.
Confused, I step forward. The creature growls again, protecting my mate.
“I’m sorry,” she cries before running off. The wolf gives me one last look and then trots after her.