AARYN

Letting himself sink into the water, he pulled her into his lap. He still trembled, his entire skin sensitive, so the ripple of the warm water made the hair raise on his arms and legs. But he pulled her close and just… held her.

He was a sick, pathetic mess of love for her and she didn't even know it. Alpha or not, he puddled at her feet. Smiling, she wrapped her legs around his waist and arms around his shoulders as they bobbed in the water. He buried his face in her neck, playing there with his lips, not to seduce her, but just to be closer. She sighed so happily he had to swallow a lump in his throat.

Neither of them spoke.

He wished he could take her inside himself and hold her there, away from the world. Away from any other male, or any responsibility that threatened to turn her eyes from him. He wished the world didn't exist. And for a few minutes, there in the dim light of the bathing pools cavern, it would be easy to forget that it did. But everything that was happening loomed over them in much the same way as the high ceiling of the cavern above them.

When she sighed again, not so happily this time, he knew she felt it too. He pulled her in tighter and they clung to one another.

"I know we have to go…" she whispered, "But I don't want to. I want to stay here with you and I want to forget about everyone else."

"Me too." His voice was husky and deep with emotion. He tipped his forehead against hers and murmured, "We have to keep coming back to this, El. The people, the elders, the conflicts… we have to keep coming back to this. We can get through the rest if we do."

She nodded and stroked his face. "I know. You're right."

He ran a hand up her spine, sliding his fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck and kneading the tension he found there.

She groaned and dropped her head back to enjoy it, sliding her fingers into his hair so his scalp tingled.

They both just breathed.

He knew it couldn't last, but he clung to those last moments before she finally brought her head up, met his gaze with sad eyes and said, "I have to go."

He nodded and kissed her gently. He had to force himself to release her, the ache in his gut tearing at him. But she was right. She had to go catch the elders while they still met. And he had to get to the disformed, get the word moving among them that the time had finally come.

She slowly unwrapped her arms and legs, stroking him as she moved, until she stood on the floor of the mineral pool and started for the edge.

His eyes followed the line of her spine from where her wet hair slicked down her neck, to the arch of her lower back, until his breath stopped when she stepped up onto the bench seat and then the side of the pool, because she had dimples at the top of each round.

It was something he hadn't known about her and the surprise of it made him blink. Then a wave washed over him and he felt suddenly protective.

Pushing up out of the water, he hurried after her, trying to keep his mind off of the water sliding down her legs as she walked to where they'd dropped the towels.

He reached her first and slid his arms around her waist, kissing her neck, and walking with her. She sighed and put her hands up and back and to his shoulders. Even though he knew he shouldn't, he couldn't resist bringing his hands up her stomach to her breasts, holding the weight of them and tonguing her neck. His breathing became rapid again.

She leaned back into him, tipping her head so he had better access to her neck.

They stood that way for a full minute. Aaryn was getting hard again, cursing himself for starting something he couldn't finish.

Could he?

"You're not making this easy," Elreth murmured a moment later, running her hands along his arms to twine her fingers with his, under her breasts.

He swallowed hard. "I know, I'm sorry. I just… you're so beautiful, Elreth. I don't want to be anywhere but with you. And alone like this… I'm aching for you. Already."

"I know, me too."

She tightened her fingers between his and he knew she fought the same battle. For a split second he decided to give in. He stroked his thumbs over her nipples and heard the sharp intake of breath. She bit her lip and he knew, he knew if he took one more step, if he turned her around they wouldn't leave.

And they wouldn't stop.

With a guttural groan he let her go and stepped back. "Go," he rasped, stepping back and away. "You have to go or I'm going to take you and we can't, Elreth."

She turned to face him and his heart soared. She was going to say it didn't matter, that she didn't want to wait either and who cared? He saw the light in her eyes and he knew, but he took another step back, fisting his hands at his side, and shook his head. "Go," he said, and infused the word with every ounce of the Alpha authority in him.

Elreth blinked and caught herself. Then she blinked again. She took a step back, but her eyes were wide and fixed on him. "You know what the crazy part is?" she said breathlessly.

"What?"

"When you do that… it makes me want you even more."

He groaned. "Go!"

She smiled and bit her lip, but stooped to pick up the towel and wrap it around herself. Then she blew him a kiss and turned, trotting for the door, her wet hair falling into curls and dripping down her back.

Aaryn let himself sink to the floor. He pulled up his knees and tried to think about taxes and resource rations, but his body throbbed.

How the hell were they going to do this?

The elders better have a plan to let them walk the Flames and Smoke soon, or he was going to tear out someone's throat.

Or maybe… just maybe… take his mate anyway.

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