Kane POV

Mother is standing at the door, anxiously waiting for us when we arrive.

“Thank Goddess,” Mother whimpers when we all pile out and off the truck. “I prayed that you’d be safe, and you are.”

“Are the kids okay?” Elara asks, pulling a shirt over her head.

“Of course they are,” Mother replies indignantly.

“Thanks, Mom,” I smile, but she pulls up her nose.

“You two are not setting foot into this house until you’re clean,” she says, pointing to me and Elara.

“How are we supposed to get clean if we can’t come inside to shower?” I chuckle.

“There’s a hosepipe,” she points to the tap. “And I’m serious, Kane. You’re not blocking our showers and stinking up the place we all have to share.”

“Thank you, Luna,” Selena says, looking at me and Elara with disgust. “We smelled them all the way home.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Elara mutters, walking to the hosepipe.

“Elara, wait,” I call, running towards her. “I have a better idea, follow me.”

“Where are you going?” Mother shouts as I lead Elara away.

“To clean up,” I call over my shoulder.

“Yeah, okay, but where are we going?” Elara whispers.

“Shift and follow me,” I smile mischievously.

We shift and run side by side into the woods. I nudge her playfully with my shoulder, and she almost loses her balance.

“Hey,” she protests, leaping through the air and landing on top of me with a dull thud.

We roll across the forest floor together, finally landing belly up in a heap on the mossy ground of a clearing. Moonlight shines brightly through the break in the trees, and the night air is warmer than it has been in months.

She nuzzles her head into his neck, and I fold myself over her protectively. Our wolves break apart, and we prance around like puppies, nipping at each other’s tails and running in circles.

Then I turn and sprint into the woods. Elara easily catches up with me, and our pace becomes in sync, almost like we are moving as one. I finally slow down when we come to a stunning clearing deep in the woods. The trees are towering and majestic, and wildflowers bloom all around us. We keep going until we come up on the most beautiful waterfall.

“Oh, Kane, this is magical,” she gasps. “It looks like a place where fairies could live.”

We trot down to the edge of the small plunge pool beneath the waterfall, and I dip my nose in the water. Without warning, she dips her nose deeper and throws her head toward me, splashing water all over me and soaking my fur. I snarl playfully and leap onto her, tackling her to the ground.

We roll over each other onto the bank of the water, nipping and growling playfully.

When we stop, I shift back into his human form, my naked body splayed out on the mossy ground.

Elara POV

I shift, too, and an electric shock zaps through me as my warm skin touches his. I feel light as air and totally happy.

We lie next to each other in silence for a few moments before Kane finally speaks.

“Are you okay?” He asks softly, propping himself up on his elbow and pushing my hair back from my face, and his touch sends a shiver down my spine. “It’s been a wild twenty-four hours.”

“My family is safe,” I reply softly, looking lovingly at him. “So, yes, I’m okay, thank you.”

“And the Mason thing?” He asks, cautiously.

“I truly want to rip his skin off,” I reply bluntly. “I don’t understand why you haven’t yet.”

“Braden,” he grimaces. “He stopped me. If Mason’s using a witch’s potion, there will be strings attached. And since we don’t have access to a living witch, we must be rational and patient about this. But yes, I want to shred him to pieces, too.”

“You know what’s interesting?” I ask. “When it happened, and I had those uhm, feelings, it’s different from you and Axel. But in a good way. With you, it’s so much more sensational and intimate.”

“Even when we’re covered in shit?” He grins, gently brushing his lips over mine.

“Even then,” I sigh contentedly.

“But,” I throw my arms around his neck. “We’re equally dirty, and most of it fell off when we sifted.”

“I don’t trust your theory,” he leans over and picks me up.

I laugh happily when he carries me into the water, and I take a deep breath before he pulls us under. The water flows over our heads, and we rub ourselves before going back up.

“Much better,” he growls, pulling me closer, and his lips are crashing onto mine in a deep, passionate kiss. I snake my arms around his neck, and he pulls me closer. The feeling of his tongue on mine and the thickness of his scent surrounding me is completely intoxicating.

A deep well of desire bubbles up from my belly and moves straight down to my core in a hot rush. My heart rate quickens as he moves his hand up my inner thigh, swiping his fingers through my folds.

A low growl of pleasure falls from his lips as he scoops me up in his arms and carries me out of the water to a tree, pinning me up against it. I do not feel the scratching of the bark or the gritty dirt on my back. I only want him.

His fingers wrap around my hair, and he tugs lightly. Another wave of heat, fiercer and darker than before, explodes through my core. I focus on his kisses on my jaw and then my chest, licking my hard nipples. I close my eyes and bite back a yelp as he bites them delicately.

I groan softly as he wraps his hands around my thighs and hoists me higher, gasping as he thrusts himself inside me. I cling to him desperately as he thrusts deeper and deeper. He continues with a punishing pace, grunting with exertion as my legs shake and buck. Everything Kane is doing is making me wild with pleasure.

“Kane,” I cry out as my walls squeeze around him tightly, and we fall over the edge together.

Breathless, I rest my head against his shoulder, listening to his heart beating.

“Let’s go home,” he pants before kissing me long and tenderly.

He gently releases me, and we walk home hand in hand. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

“Remember, you asked me if I’m okay?” I ask softly. “I think I lied.”

“What do you mean?” He asks, concerned.

“Mason,” I admit. “I won’t do anything before we know for sure, but he made me feel dirty. I hate it.”

“And I hate him,” Kane growls, pulling me under his arm. “And he won’t be breathing much longer once we know you’re safe.”