Chapter 79: A Taste of Trust
Trishelle’s POV
The offer caught her completely off guard. "Dry my hair? You want to dry my hair?" Such a domestic gesture seemed wildly out of character for the Alpha of the notoriously ruthless Bloodmoon pack.
At James’s sheepish grin, she simply shrugged. Whatever. He guided her to sit on the edge of the bed while he knelt behind her, brush in one hand and the hotel’s blow dryer in the other. "Relax," he whispered, his breath warm against the sensitive skin of her neck, sending an unexpected shiver down her spine. "Trust me."
The dryer hummed to life with a low, steady sound. He adjusted the settings carefully, testing the temperature against his own hand before directing the warm air through her damp strands. His movements were surprisingly gentle, almost reverent, as he worked the brush through her hair with practiced care.
James’s POV
A smile tugged at his lips. Who would have imagined that he, James, Alpha of Bloodmoon - feared across three territories - could discover such simple, profound pleasure in this intimate act? The weight of her wet hair in his hands, the trust implicit in her stillness, filled him with a contentment he’d never known existed.
A flicker of sadness crossed his mind, darkening his joy for a moment. He thought of everything he and his pack had sacrificed, all the strength they had forsaken, because his father had drilled into him that the mate bond represented weakness rather than power. The old man had been so catastrophically wrong. James felt more determined than ever to right that grievous wrong, to rebuild what had been systematically broken over generations.
Trishelle’s POV
Trishelle wasn’t certain if exhaustion was playing tricks on her mind, but her emotions felt strangely muddled, as though they weren’t entirely her own. A wave of happiness washed over her, followed immediately by a shadow of sadness, then a surge of determination, a moment of profound peace, a spark of unexpected joy - yet none of it seemed to originate from within her own heart.
Something stirred in the deep recesses of her mind, a kind of haze that felt different from the lingering nightmare that had plagued her. This sensation was strange, unfamiliar, yet carried with it a whisper of something she almost recognized. Was this what the mate bond felt like when it began to strengthen?
She shifted slightly, trying to ground herself. "You know, I can do this myself."
"I know," James chuckled, the sound vibrating pleasantly through her back, "but I want to do this for you."
Trishelle sighed, feeling the fight drain out of her. In truth, it felt wonderful to simply stop, to let someone else take care of her for once. Her growing belly made even the simplest tasks feel like training for a marathon, and the constant ache in her lower back had become her unwelcome companion.
James’s POV
Once her hair was completely dry, James set the dryer aside and picked up the brush again, running it through the silken strands with slow, deliberate strokes. He loved the way her long brown locks curled slightly at the ends, catching the ambient light from the window. An unbidden image flashed through his mind - how beautiful those curls would look spread across her naked back as he took her from behind, her body yielding to his.
He rubbed a strand between his fingers, marveling at the silken texture that seemed impossibly soft. Unable to resist, he brought it to his lips, kissing the strands gently, breathing in the clean scent of her shampoo mixed with something uniquely her.
Setting the brush aside, he began to massage her shoulders, his strong thumbs working methodically into the tight knots of muscle he found there. He could feel the exact moment the tension began to ease, her body going gradually limp under his ministrations, her head dropping forward in surrender to his touch.
He coaxed her to lie back on the bed, and she complied without protest, a sign of trust that made his wolf preen with satisfaction. He rubbed her arms with firm, soothing strokes, then moved to her legs, working out the knots in her calves before finally settling at her feet.
Trishelle closed her eyes, certain that she should be able to drift off now, but sleep stubbornly remained just out of reach, taunting her. She frowned in frustration. This was the most relaxed she’d been in weeks, perhaps months, yet her mind absolutely refused to shut down, thoughts swirling like leaves in a storm.
James glanced up and noticed her eyes staring fixedly at the ceiling, a deep frown creasing her brow. He followed her gaze upward, half-expecting to find a fly or some other distraction bothering her. "Is something wrong?" he asked when he spotted nothing unusual.
Trishelle sighed dramatically, her arms lifting in exasperation before falling heavily to her sides. "I can’t sleep. I’m exhausted and weary and so incredibly relieved that Bradley will be alright, but I just can’t make myself fall asleep." The frustration in her voice was palpable, edged with the kind of desperation that came from too many sleepless nights.
James’s mind shifted gears, a slow, predatory smile forming on his lips as an idea took shape. "There is a way that guarantees you an excellent night’s rest."
Trishelle struggled to prop herself on her elbows, looking over the swell of her belly at him, one eyebrow arching skeptically. "Is there?"
The air in the room grew thick and heavy, charged with a tension that was purely, undeniably sexual. The temperature seemed to rise several degrees in the span of a heartbeat.
"Oh, there is," he murmured, his voice dropping an octave into a register that sent heat pooling low in her belly. "And I can show you, but only if you trust me."
Trishelle held his gaze, wondering if the frantic racing of her heart was visible on her face, if he could hear it thundering in the quiet room. She had a pretty clear idea of what he was hinting at, and surprisingly, she felt no revulsion, no sense of betrayal toward Damien’s memory. Perhaps she was finally ready to move forward, to accept what fate had given her.
Inhaling deeply to steady herself, she whispered to the man still holding her foot, her other mate, "I trust you."
James released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. His heart pounded violently against his ribs, and his wolf howled in pure, unbridled joy within his mind. *Easy, boy, slow down,* he cautioned his animal half. *We don’t want to scare her and lose this precious chance.* His wolf agreed reluctantly, but nothing could stop the frantic thumping of his metaphorical tail, the helicopter blades of his excitement spinning wildly.
Rising to his feet, James moved to turn off the lights. The room transformed, now bathed in the soft, ambient glow of the city at night filtering through the curtains. He walked back to her slowly, a gentle smile playing on his lips, his eyes never leaving her face. Trishelle allowed herself to relax into the mattress, knowing with absolute certainty that she had spoken the truth. She did trust him, perhaps more than she’d trusted anyone in a very long time.
He returned to his place at the foot of the bed, settling there as though it were a throne. He gently cradled her foot in his large hands, caressing her toes with surprising tenderness, running a finger along her arch in a way that made her giggle unexpectedly. He lifted her foot to his lips and placed a soft, reverent kiss on the sole, then repeated the gesture with her other foot. He moved to her arches, kissed each of her toes individually as though they were precious, and slowly began to work his way up her legs with deliberate intent.
Trishelle closed her eyes at the first touch of his lips to her ankle, and suddenly she felt those kisses everywhere, as though her entire body had become one exposed nerve. Her skin tingled with awareness, and her mind became coated in a warm, thick fog of pleasure that made coherent thought nearly impossible.
James slowly dragged his tongue over her skin, savoring the heat radiating from her body and tasting the faint sweetness of her body wash mixed with her natural scent. He commanded himself to slow down, fighting every instinct that screamed at him to devour her. He wanted to worship her properly, to show her without words how precious she was to him. He kissed and touched as much as he could reach, not knowing if he would ever receive another chance like this, treating each moment as though it might be his last.
How could it be that this time felt more intense, more meaningful than their first encounter? Perhaps because now he knew, with every fiber of his being, with a certainty that went bone-deep, that she was made specifically for him, that the Moon Goddess herself had crafted her to be his perfect match.
Her knees fell apart naturally, instinctively, and small, breathy moans and gasps spurred him onward like the sweetest encouragement. He took his time, wanting her to savor every single moment, to remember this night for the rest of her life.
He parted the bottom of her robe with careful hands and leaned down, pressing a gentle, lingering kiss to the tight, warm skin of her belly where his pup grew and thrived. A smile curved his lips at the thought of his child safe within her, and when he risked a glance up at her face, she mirrored his expression, her eyes soft with an emotion he didn’t dare name yet.
He was certain the desire burning in her eyes mirrored his own. He reached for her sides, his fingers hooking carefully into the waist of her panties, pulling them down and off in one smooth motion. He tossed the flimsy scrap of lace away carelessly and turned his full attention to his prize.
He inhaled sharply at the sheer beauty of his woman laid out before him like a feast. She wasn’t neatly trimmed or completely bare like some women preferred. She was wild, natural, soft, exactly as nature intended, and he found her absolutely perfect. He could already see the moisture gathering at her core, glistening in the dim light, and he leaned forward to inhale her unique aroma deeply.
His eyes nearly rolled back in his head, and he felt precariously close to coming right then and there, still fully clothed and untouched. He licked his lips in anticipation as he gently parted hers with reverent fingers. The glistening pink center called to him like a beacon in a storm, a lighthouse guiding him home, and he knew with absolute certainty that he could not, would not, resist its pull.
He leaned in to blow a soft, teasing stream of air against her sensitive flesh. He felt her body give a little jump of surprise before a low, needy moan escaped her lips. Her breathing picked up noticeably, and he could hear the frantic beat of her heart in anticipation, the sound like music to his enhanced hearing.
He used just the tip of his tongue to taste her, a mere whisper of contact, and as he withdrew, she tried instinctively to follow, her hips raising in a silent, desperate plea for more.
"Shhh," he breathed against her heated skin, never taking his eyes off his prize. "I want you to enjoy every second of this."
He went back in, this time with more pressure and purpose, licking all the way from her entrance to her clit in one long, deliberate stroke. Trishelle’s entire body quivered like a plucked string, and a sharp cry of pure pleasure escaped her lips before she could stop it.
James placed his whole mouth on her and began to pleasure her with his tongue, plunging deep inside her, then withdrawing to circle her sensitive nub with maddening precision. Trishelle’s hands were soon buried in his hair, holding him to her with surprising strength, her fingers tangling desperately in the thick strands as she guided his movements without conscious thought.
He continued his assault, his chin becoming thoroughly soaked with her juices, wearing her essence like a badge of honor. He pulled back slightly and then circled her clit again and again, relentless in his pursuit of her pleasure, refusing to let up even when she whimpered and squirmed.
Trishelle’s head thrashed on the pillow, her mind reduced to a blank slate of pure sensation, all thoughts scattered like dandelion seeds in the wind. When James slid two thick fingers inside her, curling them just right, she nearly bolted off the bed, her back arching sharply. The dual sensation was completely overwhelming, almost too much to bear.
Was it because it had been so long since she’d felt this way? She wasn’t sure, couldn’t think clearly enough to analyze. All she knew with any certainty was that she desperately didn’t want him to stop, that she might actually die if he stopped now. She felt herself cresting another wave, building higher and higher, and she tried instinctively to hold back, to prolong the sweet torture just a little longer.
James growled against her sensitive flesh, the vibration sending a new jolt of electricity through her entire body. "Look at me," he commanded, his voice rough with desire and dominance.
Trishelle forced her heavy eyelids open and looked down at him, taking in the sight of his lower face glistening with her essence, a fire of pure possession burning in his eyes that stole what little breath she had left. She felt herself tighten involuntarily around his fingers, which were still moving inside her with purpose, stroking that secret place deep within that she’d almost forgotten existed.
"Don’t hold back," he demanded gruffly, his voice brooking no argument. "Don’t you fucking hold back from me. I want everything you have to give."
She moaned helplessly at his words, at the raw command in his voice, and James returned to his task with renewed vigor, using his lips and tongue and fingers to drive her completely insane. She arched her back sharply, no longer caring if he thought she was wanton or shameless, and allowed herself to fully surrender to the moment, to the pleasure he was so skillfully giving her.
James thrust a bit harder, this time curling his fingers with expert precision. He knew the exact moment he found her most sensitive spot by the sudden gush of wetness that flooded his mouth, coating his tongue. His wolf was practically salivating at her taste, and he knew with absolute certainty that he would never, ever get enough of this, of her.
He brought her to two more shattering peaks before he decided to end his sweet torture, though it pained him to stop. As she was cresting the next wave, climbing higher than before, he suckled her clit sharply between his lips, applying just the right amount of pressure. She arched clean off the bed, holding onto him with all her considerable strength as she came apart completely, squirting all over his face in wave after wave of release.
The orgasm pulsed and pulsed like there was no end in sight, her entire body convulsing with the intensity, until she finally collapsed back onto the bed, gasping for air like a drowning woman breaking the surface.
James emerged from between her trembling legs, feeling like he had just won the biggest prize in the entire universe, his chest swelling with masculine pride. He immediately checked on her through their nascent bond, making sure she was alright, that he hadn’t pushed too hard. There was no distress from the pup either, just a sense of contentment that mirrored the mother’s satisfaction.
He wiped his face with his sleeve, though part of him wanted to wear her scent for days. Rising to his feet, he moved to check on her more closely. Her eyes were heavy-lidded with sleep and deep satisfaction, barely able to focus on his face.
He smiled tenderly and, leaning down, pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, lingering there for a moment. "Sleep now," he whispered against her skin. He carefully tugged the covers up over her relaxed body, tucking her in like something precious and fragile.
Before he let himself out of the room, moving reluctantly toward the door, she was already fast asleep, her breathing deep and even, her face peaceful in a way he’d never seen before. He paused at the threshold, looking back at her one last time, committing the image to memory - his mate, satisfied and safe, carrying his child.
The door clicked softly shut behind him, and James leaned against it for a moment, his heart still racing, a smile he couldn’t suppress spreading across his face. Whatever challenges tomorrow brought, they had this. They had tonight. And that was enough.