Mated To An Enemy

Every wedding in Winter was performed under the light of the full moon. A way to honor the Goddess and receive her blessing in the union of two mates. The full moon was also when the mate bond was at its zenith.

When two souls were desperate to be joined together.

This meant that unlike weddings that took place on any day of the week, or any time of the month, Winter weddings were arranged so that the bridal pair could, immediately after, become one.

No bothersome receptions or greeting their guests. Just straight to business.

Or at least… it was supposed to be.

Bell looked at the clock on her living room wall. It had been over an hour since Galen had asked her to wait for him to ‘set the mood’.

He had disappeared upstairs into her– their– bedroom, and she hadn’t seen him since. Every once in a while, there were sounds, but for the most part, she just sat there… alone… waiting… on her wedding night.

Bell sighed.

She stood and went to her small downstairs bathroom. Carefully she removed the circlet, placing it on the counter with a smile as she thought of her mother and grandmother.

She got out of her dress, even more grateful for the simple design now. Since she had expected to have help getting out of it…

In the linen closet, she kept a spare robe and a nightgown.

The robe was thin and used mainly for the comfort of another layer rather than warmth.

The nightgown was simple, not pretty necessarily, but certainly not unattractive. It was grey and reached mid-thigh with thin straps at the shoulders. It was a soft silk fabric that was always a nice feeling against her skin.

Bell glanced at herself in the mirror, noticing the two small buds at the front of her nightgown. She blushed and tightened the robe around her.

She left the bathroom and went to the kitchen, grabbing herself a glass of water, she stood by the sink for another ten minutes.

“Oh, come on!” she finally growled.

Bell placed the glass in the sink and walked angrily to the stairs. She took a deep breath as she approached the bedroom door.

“Look, Galen, if you don’t feel comfortable about doing this tonight, it’s ok. We can wai–”

Her words stopped as she opened the door.

The lights were off, but the room itself was lit up by what she guessed had to be at least one hundred candles. There were rose petals on the floor leading to the bed, where they formed a heart on her comforter. Soft music was playing, and a bucket with ice and champagne sat on her desk beside a plate of what she assumed was chocolate-covered strawberries.

She brought her hand up to her mouth, trying to hold back a laugh.

“Did he copy every romance novel he could find?” she murmured to herself.

The door to the bathroom opened. Bell managed to glance in before he came out. She was not shocked to see a similar setup. Candles, rose petals, she suspected a bubble bath was drawn or at least prepped.

She chewed on her lips to keep from giggling.

Galen backed out of the bathroom, turning with wide eyes when he saw her.

“Bell!” he shouted.

“That’s me,” she smiled.

“You were supposed to wait…” he said nervously, rubbing his hand against the back of his neck.

“It’s been almost an hour and a half, Galen, I got tired of waiting.”

“It’s been that long?” he asked with genuine concern “I’m sorry… I was just lighting all these candles, which takes a surprisingly long time, and then the petals, and… I got carried away.”

“Ya think?” she said with a soft growl.

He sighed and took a step closer to her, reaching out for her hands. She didn’t resist when he took them.

“I’m sorry,” Galen said. “I just wanted to make it special for you.”

“I don’t need all this,” Bell motioned to the room, “honestly, the candles are a little concerning, there are… a lot… like I’m wondering now if I even have a fire extinguisher up here.”

“I put one under the bed and by the sink in the bathroom,” Galen replied.

Bell laughed. “Of course, you did.”

Galen took a deep breath and moved closer to Bell, moving his hands to her waist gently. Somehow, she only now realized that he had no shirt on. She looked down at his defined muscles and the various scars that appeared over his flesh.

Her eyes settled at his ribs, where she traced the design of a tattoo. It was two black snowflakes.

“What’s this?” she asked, touching her fingers tenderly along the lines.

Galen licked his lips, feeling a stirring of his senses at her touch.

“It’s for my parents,” he said. “I told you, mom used to make snowflakes. Dad kept it up after she was gone.”

“Why the rib?” she asked. Her fingertips now tracing the curve of his ribcage.

“Close to the heart,” he said.

He grabbed the hand that was tickling his rib, bringing it to his mouth, he kissed at the base of her wrist.

“What was that for?” Bell asked, swallowing as her heartbeat began to pick up.

“You should always keep the one you love close to your heart,” he replied, his voice was thicker now.

Galen leaned forward, bringing his mouth to her throat, he kissed along the carotid artery. He was following her heart. Finding the places that beat strongest. His hands slipped under her robe at the shoulders. Bell let it fall to the floor.

He pulled back and looked into her eyes.

She let out a trembling breath as she saw her desire reflected back from him. She felt a deep pull from her stomach.

He got down on his knees before her.

“What are you…?” she tried to ask but seeing him there on his knees looking up at her with such want… her words were stuck in her throat.

He put his hands at her waist and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her ribs over the nightgown.

“Close to your heart,” he whispered.

His firm, warm hands slid down her body, leaving a tingling warmth that pulsed into her, making her breaths more and more ragged. Then, finally, they trailed down to her thighs, where the nightgown abruptly stopped.

The flesh on flesh of his hands on her thighs made her gasp. Bell ran her fingers through his hair, just needing something to touch.

Galen’s hands lingered only for a moment before they began to move again. Up under the nightgown, Bell bit down on her lip as she felt the familiar pleasure of anticipation building inside of her.

His hands paused, his thumbs traced along her inner thigh, just slightly grazing the fabric of her panties. She gripped his hair and moaned softly. Whimpering as his hands continued to move up.

Over her hips, her ribs, she expected that he would move to her breasts. But instead, he stood up and lifted her nightgown.

She raised her arms, allowing him to remove the thin fabric, leaving her standing in only her panties. Galen dropped the nightgown to the floor and moved his hand behind her neck. Pulling their bodies together, he kissed her.

Bell had hoped for more, she waited eagerly to feel him, to touch him, to be with him. But his mouth on hers, the way he sucked on her tongue. Always filled her with more need.

Somehow, she knew he was slowing himself down, trying to quell the urges he felt for her.

And that pissed her off.

Bell pulled back from him, breathless. He looked down at her, questioning.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I thought that was clear,” he chuckled, reaching for her again.

“Do you want me?” Bell demanded.

“What?” he asked, concerned.

“Do you want me?” she repeated.

“Of course!” he growled.

“Then why are you holding back?” she asked.

“Bell, I just want to make sure you're happy, comfortable.”

Bell put her hands on either side of his face. She looked into his eyes.

“We have our entire lives for sweet, comfortable lovemaking,” she said. “But, right now…”

She moved her hand down to his pants, he hissed as she pressed her palm roughly against his bulging groin.

“I want you…” she growled, placing an aggressive kiss on his lips. “I want my husband to make our marriage official, by claiming me as his own.”

Bell gave him another squeeze to show that she meant it.