Chapter 37

His hands slid down to her thighs, spreading them wider as he drove back into her with a renewed force. The impact was heavy, the sound of their bodies colliding echoing in the quiet room. Lydia’s head thrashed against the furs, a broken moan escaping her lips with every strike.

“Give it to me, Lydia,” he commanded, his voice thick and demanding. “Show me how much you want me.”

She answered him with her body, her hips rising to meet every thrust, her core clinging to him like she was afraid he’d pull away. The friction was building into something unbearable, a burning need that made her vision swim. Her nails dug into his forearms, leaving red marks across his skin as she fought to stay upright.

Asher’s breathing turned into ragged grunts.

He lost the last of his restraint. His thrusts became rapid and punishing, his body slamming into hers with a frenzy that made the bedframe groan. “You’re—so—tight,” he gasped between each word, his jaw clenched so hard the muscles stood out in his neck.

Lydia’s voice was nothing but a series of broken sounds now, her head tossing from side to side as the pleasure pushed her closer to the edge again. “Asher, please, I’m—”

“I know,” he growled, his mouth crashing down onto hers to swallow her cry. He picked up the pace even more, his movements becoming a blur of heat and friction. He could feel her body beginning to tremble, the tell-tale signs of another climax building within her.

The sight of her—flushed, breathless, and completely undone by him—sent him over the edge. Asher’s body surged forward one last time, his muscles locking tight as he drove himself deep inside her. A low, primal roar tore from his throat, his eyes snapping shut as the release hit him like a physical blow. He held himself there, pinned against her, his heart hammering against his ribs while his entire frame shuddered with the aftershocks.

Lydia’s body convulsed beneath him, her voice catching in a high, breathless sob as her own climax took hold. She gripped his arms, her knuckles white, her head falling back as the waves of pleasure washed over her.

For several long minutes, neither of them moved. The only sound was the heavy drag of their breathing and the crackle of the dying fire in the hearth. Slowly, Asher eased himself off her, rolling onto his side but keeping her tucked against his chest. His arm draped over her waist, pulling her back until there was no space between them.

“You okay?”

Lydia let out a long, shaky exhale, her green eyes slowly fluttering open to meet his. A soft, breathless smile touched her lips, radiating an intimacy far deeper than the physical heat still lingering on her skin.

“More than okay,” she murmured, her voice raspy from the cries she’d surrendered to the quiet bedroom. She turned within the warm circle of his arms, sliding her hand up the broad expanse of his chest until her palm rested right over the steady, thunderous beat of his heart. “Better than I’ve ever been.”

Asher let out a low, rumbling chest laugh, the sound rich with a fierce, possessive satisfaction. He reached down, pulling the heavy fur-lined blanket up over their bare shoulders, shielding her from the cool mountain draft sweeping into the suite. Nuzzling his face into the soft curve of her neck, he inhaled the sweet, intoxicating scent of wild berries and fresh snowfall that was uniquely hers.

His thumb brushed gently across her cheek, wiping away a stray tear of pure emotional release. “I was worried I was too intense with you,” he admitted softly, his icy blue eyes searching hers with a tender vulnerability reserved only for his Luna. “After everything you’ve endured...”

“Asher,” Lydia interrupted gently, her fingers trailing up to cup his jaw, feeling the rough stubble beneath her palm. She tilted her head up, pressing her soft lips to his in a slow, lingering kiss that tasted of absolute devotion. “You are my sanctuary. Never apologize for loving me with everything you have.”

The golden energy of their mate bond thrummed between them in response, sending a gentle, soothing warmth through their veins that quieted the residual aches in her tired muscles. Asher tightened his grip around her waist, anchoring her flush against his solid frame so securely that not a sliver of air remained between them.

They lay together in the quiet dimness of the Alpha suite as the embers in the hearth slowly flickered down, listening to the soft howl of the mountain wind beyond the balcony. Safe in his arms, anchored by an unshakeable bond and a love forged in the fires of war, Lydia closed her eyes, knowing that as long as Asher held her, the world outside could never break them.