Mated To An Enemy

Corrine, Wyatt, and Axel were busy with the arrangements for the blessing that night. Bell was back at the hospital, and Galen had his own task to handle.

Allowing Caleb and Ashleigh to spend some quality time together.

“Are you comfortable?” she asked. As she set down a tray of snacks and a couple of drinks.

“Thank you,” Caleb smiled, “I’m good.”

Ashleigh sat down beside him, curling against his side. He wrapped his arm around her pulling her closer to him and kissing the top of her head.

“So,” he said, “Wyatt is retiring….”

“Mmhmm.”

Caleb laughed.

“Are you going to tell me why?” he asked.

Ashleigh leaned her head back on his chest and looked up at him. She kissed his chin. Caleb laughed and looked down at her. Giving her a quick peck.

“Is that a no?” he asked.

She sighed and turned, scooting down, so she lay with her head in his lap, resting her hands on her stomach.

Caleb placed one hand gently on top of her head, running his fingers softly through her hair. Ashleigh grabbed his other hand, pulling it to rest on her stomach as she held it.

“He’s struggling with everything going on the past few months. The attacks, Granger, both his children almost dying. Mom is too,” she said. “He’s tired.”

Caleb nodded, listening.

“There are other things…” she sighed.

“That you can’t tell me.”

Ashleigh looked up at him, and Caleb smiled back at her.

“It’s ok,” he reassured her.

She nodded.

“I can’t tell you yet, but I will, as soon as possible.”

Caleb looked down at her face. He saw a look of determination that filled him with warmth.

‘She wants to share it all with me,’ he thought.

“I love you, Ashleigh.”

Ashleigh looked up at Caleb. He smiled back at her.

“I love you too, Caleb.”

They sat in comfortable silence for a little while. Caleb stroked her hair gently while she ran her thumb over the back of his hand. Each just enjoying being so close to the other.

“How do you think tonight will go?” Ashleigh asked suddenly.

“As far as I know, the blessing is pretty simple,” Caleb replied. “It’s just like any other oath, really.”

“I meant for us,” Ashleigh said.

Caleb looked at her, not entirely understanding what she meant, but then it dawned on him. The full moon.

“Oh,” he laughed. “I actually forgot about it.”

“The first full moon we spent together, you chained yourself to a wall with silver iron. The second I almost died,” Ashleigh laughed. “Well, we both almost died, actually. How do you forget that?”

“Actually,” Caleb said, “the first full moon, I hunted you. Can’t forget the Blood Moon.”

“True,” she laughed. “But the point remains, every full moon we have been near each other has been pretty dramatic.”

“Yea, Galen might have brought that up once or twice on the way here,” Caleb sighed.

“He’s a bit of a mother hen, isn’t he?” Ashleigh laughed.

“He really is,” Caleb smiled. “I’m lucky to have him.”

Ashleigh nodded and then laughed.

“What?” Caleb asked.

“Nothing,” she said. “Just thinking how much fun Bell is going to have messing with him.”

Caleb laughed.

“He’ll love every minute,” he said.

“So will she,” Ashleigh smiled.

She was happy. Caleb felt it through their bond.

“I feel a little jealous,” he said.

Ashleigh looked up, confused.

“Of what?” she asked.

“Why do you feel so happy thinking of them?” he asked with a playful pout. “Think of me.”

Ashleigh laughed and sat up, turning around to face him. She got up onto her knees and moved, straddling him. He raised an eyebrow and gave her a delighted grin.

“Still jealous?” she asked, resting her arms on his shoulders as her face hovered just above his.

Caleb placed his hands on her hips, gently squeezing them.

She felt the familiar fire burning deep inside of her. Caleb’s hands on her body, his lips so close, made her ache. Caleb turned his chin up to kiss her. She longed for him.

And yet… her mind was distracted.

“How do you do that?” she asked.

They were so close the soft breath that came from her words teased his lips.

“What?” he whispered back, already feeling the drunkenness of his desire for her settling over him.

“You feel through our bond so–” her voice caught in her throat with a soft gasp.

His thumbs massaged gently against her hips, drawing a sweet moan from her. She moved against him in a natural response.

He smiled, enjoying the way she reacted to his touch.

Ashleigh was already feeling her excitement just from his simple touch, the heat of his breath, how close they were. The small fire burning within her was growing, threatening to consume her reasoning.

Caleb swallowed. He felt the heat coming off her body driving him wild. Her mouth was so close. He stretched his neck just a little, just enough to reach her, and bit her bottom lip gently.

Ashleigh grabbed the back of his head, gripping his hair between her fingers. He nibbled at her lip, and she squeezed the muscles in her stomach tightly to keep from pressing her body firmly against him.

She kissed him hard, and he kissed her back just as aggressively this time. Their lips crushed against each other, his hands gripping down on her hips. She felt the pain of his grip, but it didn’t hurt. Instead, it felt safe and possessive in a way that made her tremble against him.

Caleb’s desire was growing. Their kisses were fierce and wet; he sucked her tongue and bit her lips. She pulled at his hair and pressed her body against him.

Their bond was open, and they both felt it, the love, the longing, the deep, desperate need.

His hands started to move of their own accord, up over her hip to the hem of her shirt. His fingertips touched that smooth, warm flesh. A wave of intense yearning shot through him.

‘No, not yet,’ the thought was a small voice in his mind.

Ashleigh pulled away from his mouth, her kisses sweeping down his jawline and throat. The fire inside of her was a raging inferno now.

She knew she wanted him; she knew he wanted her. But this wasn’t the time or the place.

She nibbled down his throat as he moaned, and his hands moved up over her hips. Her heart was racing, his fingertips touched the flesh of her stomach, and she almost lost all reason.

Ashleigh tried to focus on her goal and held that last shred of rational thought she had in her mind. Her nipping continued to move down his throat until just before she reached his collar bone. Here she found what she was searching for. It called to her.

She ran her tongue over it softly, and for just a moment, she could swear Caleb ground his hips up against her. But her head was still too lost in lust. She couldn’t hold on to the thought.

Ashleigh kissed the spot gently, and Caleb moaned out. His hands were under her shirt now.

Part of her wanted to just let go. But, again, she knew. It wasn’t time yet.

She bit down on that sensitive spot, hard.

Caleb roared out. Pleasure and pain mixed together in his mind, just enough for his reasoning to become apparent.

He pushed Ashleigh away from him gently. She didn’t fight him or try to hold on.

They looked into each other’s eyes, and they knew that if the other said yes, they would keep going.

They both swallowed, and Ashleigh moved off his lap.

Caleb reached his hand up to the spot beside his collar bone. He hissed at the pain he felt with even a light touch.

“I’m sorry,” Ashleigh whispered.

She sat across from him, hugging a pillow tightly against her body.

Caleb smiled at her.

“It’s ok,” he said. “You did that on purpose, right?”

She nodded.

“It was the right choice,” he said reassuringly. “How did you know it would work?”

She looked away.

He felt something, fear, shame, guilt. And then he understood.

Caleb did his best to hide his anger. He didn’t want her to think he was mad at her. And he didn’t want to explain that he was angry at her memories with Granger. It would only upset her.

“Ashleigh?” he called to her softly.

She looked back at him.

“Since it seems that the full moon will affect us,” he smiled, and she blushed. “I want to try to teach you how to control the flow of our bond.”