Chapter 75
75
~Elara’s POV
I woke to the sharp smell of antiseptic and the soft beep of machines. My eyelids fluttered, heavy, but then I realized I wasn’t alone. Darlon was there, sitting close to my bed, his hand resting on mine. Relief hit me like a wave, and before I could think, I threw my arms around him, hugging him tight.
“Darlon… thank you… Thank you for saving me,” I whispered, burying my face in his chest. My voice trembled, broken and small. I didn’t care about appearances or who might see me; I just needed to be close to him, to know he was real and I was safe.
He held me tighter, like he could hold the world together in his arms. “Shh… you’re safe now,” he murmured, his hand brushing against my hair, steadying me, grounding me.
I pulled back slightly, just enough to see his face. His eyes were sharp, tense, and I knew he had been angry, furious even. “What… what happened?” I asked, my voice shaky.
He swallowed and took a deep breath. “It seems… Ronan and Lira… they planned to hurt you. They wanted to… You know, rape you. And then they wanted to make it look like it was your fault. Like they wanted to destroy you, show the world you’re a slut.” His jaw was tight, his voice low and filled with barely contained fury.
I felt my stomach twist, bile rising, and I grabbed his shirt again, holding onto him like a lifeline. “I… I thought… I thought he would change. That’s why I gave him another chance.” My voice broke, and the tears I had tried to stop now poured freely, hot and unstoppable.
He pulled me closer, burying his face in my hair. “They’ve been caught,” he said softly, but there was fire under his words. “And this time… there will be no mercy. If it were up to me… they wouldn’t get another second of air p>
I shivered against him, imagining the horrors I had almost faced, feeling my body tense with memories of fear. “I trusted him… I thought he could be different I whispered again, sobbing, my chest tightening as I tried to make sense of the betrayal.
He kept his arms around me, stroking my hair gently, whispering reassurances I clung to. “I know, Elara… I know you did. You didn’t deserve that. You didn’t deserve the fear or the lies. But it’s over now. You’re safe p>
I let my body melt into him, feeling my trembling ease little by little, though my mind still buzzed with disbelief and lingering fear. I pressed my face against his chest again, inhaling the familiar, steady scent of him, letting the warmth of his arms chase away the cold that had been inside me since that morning.
A knock sounded at the door, soft but deliberate. I turned my head, still wrapped in Darlon’s arms, and saw the doctor step inside, bowing slightly. His presence felt calm, professional, and yet there was a flicker of warmth in his expression.
“Alpha Darlon… Luna Elara,” he said formally, his voice polite but gentle. “She’s fine now. We can discharge her p>
I blinked, still dazed from the night’s events. “How… how did he know I’m… your Luna?” I asked, curiosity mixed with a blush creeping up my cheeks.
Darlon’s lips curled into that soft, proud smile I loved. “Word gets around quickly when I stormed off the restroom looking for you,” he said, his hand brushing mine reassuringly. “Everyone knows now p>
I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped me, embarrassed but light with relief. A tiny bubble of happiness settled in my chest, warming me from the inside. Soon after, I was helped out of the hospital. Darlon never let me walk alone. His hands were steady on my elbows as he guided me, careful, protective, like I might disappear if he let go.
When we got back home, he carried me gently over the threshold, cradling me in his arms as if I were the most fragile thing in the world. My heart raced, my chest tightening in a mix of lingering fear and relief. He laid me on the bed with absolute care, making sure I was comfortable before finally letting me rest for a moment.
Then he brought me food, helping me to eat when I didn’t even know how to pick up the fork. His touch was tender, deliberate, each movement slow and careful, as though he feared breaking me all over again. I felt safe, but more than that… I felt wanted. His presence, close and warm, reassured every part of me that had been frayed by fear and betrayal.
We talked quietly for a while, soft words floating in the room, his voice low and comforting. He brushed strands of hair from my face, and I leaned into his touch, closing my eyes as a shiver ran through me. There was something in the way he looked at me now, in the intensity of his gaze, that made my body respond before my mind could catch up.
Slowly, the closeness between us shifted. His lips brushed mine, soft and questioning at first, lingering longer with every kiss. I shivered, feeling his warmth spread through me. His hands roamed slowly over my back and shoulders, tracing the curve of my body with careful insistence. I let out a small, breathless sigh, my fingers finding his face, pulling him down closer, needing more.
The kisses became more urgent, and my body responded before I even thought about it. I felt my pulse hammering, heat pooling inside me, a deep ache that demanded attention. My hands moved over him, over the firm planes of his chest, and I felt him respond with a deep, low sound that sent shivers down my spine.
I couldn’t wait any longer. I sat up, pressing myself against him, hungry, desperate for every inch of him. I kissed him back hard, letting every ounce of want and relief pour through me. My hands worked quickly at the buttons of his shirt, undoing him, dragging him closer as my own clothes grew hotter against my skin.
“I’m ready,” I whispered against his lips, my heart hammering so fast I thought it might burst. I wanted him to know I wanted him, all of him, without holding back. My body ached for him, every nerve alive with the memory of fear turned into relief, fear turned into need.
He paused for just a second, eyes dark with desire, and then kissed me fully, letting our mouths move together with urgency and softness all at once. His hands were everywhere, on my waist, my back, tracing my arms, holding me tightly, and I arched into him instinctively, letting him feel every part of me that needed him.
I tugged at his clothes, undoing what I could, my own fingers trembling as I removed the last barrier between us. He responded in kind, his hands steady and skilled, guiding me, touching me in ways that made me gasp and shiver. Every kiss, every caress, every touch was a release of all the fear and tension I’d carried, a reclamation of my body and my need.
“I want you,” I whispered against his neck, voice raw, breathless. “All of you… now p>
And he did. He kissed me everywhere, letting me feel him, letting me take the lead when I wanted, following every small motion of my hands and body.