Filed to story: Shifter Academy: Taming Her Wild Mates (Ivy) Book PDF Free
Luca cocks his head to the side, trying to figure it out as I gape at him, my mouth going dry as my mind whirs, trying to figure out what to say.
But I can’t think of anything.
Instead, my body moves beyond me, my hands lifting – shaking a little – and landing on top of his as his thumbs gently stroke my cheeks. I stare up at him, just…completely without words, without thoughts as the tingles that show up whenever we touch flare again –
Except this time, they’re not just under my skin – they circle in the air all around us – little silver sparks, swirling around in the wind –
“See?” Luca murmurs, shaking his head. “I knew I couldn’t deny it. What the fuck is this?” Luca looks at me, and then all around, and then back at me, his clear brown eyes filing my entire vision as my stomach turns over. My breath quickens, my heart pounding, because all I want –
My eyes drift to his perfect mouth, my whole body flooded with sparks and butterflies as I unconsciously move closer to him, our bodies brushing against each other now as I tilt my head back in his hands. Luca leans closer, bending his face over mine, and just the tiniest little moan stumbles from my mouth, because I – I like this – I like the way my breath is coming short, the way my stomach feels just barely pressed against his – I like the way I can feel his breath against my lips –
And god, I want more.
My eyes drift half shut and my wolf, somewhere in the distance, gives a heady howl of joy –
But then I gasp, her howl shaking me out of this, because…
Because this isn’t right – I take a stumbling step away. Luca – he doesn’t even know that this is real – that we are both actually, somehow, here! Conscious! That it’s not just him alone with his subconscious –
“Wait,” I say, my voice shaking as I drop my hands, as I take a step back. “Luca, wait -“
“Don’t,” he murmurs, stepping forward and closing the distance between us, not taking his hands from my face, “Stop, Ivi, I need to figure this out. Let me try this -“
And that does it.
He said my name.
Ivi. Not Shrimp.
Ivi.
“No!” I gasp, tearing my face from his hands and stumbling further away. God, I want this – it feels like my whole soul groans in regret as I give this up – I want him to kiss me more than I think I’ve ever wanted anything –
But I want him to know he’s doing it. I want him to kiss me, not what he thinks is some figment of his imagination. It’s not right, and it’s not fair – not to either of us. He looks at me in shock and surprise, hurt all over his face.
“What – what the hell is going on?”
“I’m sorry,” I say, shaking my head and backing into the trees, “I should not have done this – I’m so sorry Luca -“
“Ivi!” he shouts, starting after me, his steps frustrated, a little angry.
But I press my eyes shut, and beg the dream to end, and my wolf – understanding now, I think -lets me go.
And suddenly my eyes fly open. I’m in my bed, my heart pounding, my breath coming fast.
I stare at the ceiling, panting for a moment, and then my head twists, my eyes going immediately to Luca’s bunk.
The barracks are dark, quiet, no other groups coming in this late at night. As I watch, Luca sits up in his bed, slowly rubbing his head, the low lights of the room highlighting his naked stomach and chest.
My heart aches as he slowly turns, looking over at my bunk. But I don’t move, holding my breath, hoping to hell that he can’t see me awake, staring back at him. Because this…
This is maybe all moving too fast, getting too real. As much as my attraction to my mate is undeniable – maybe inevitable…
He still can’t know. Not yet – and I don’t know what the right time would be but…it’s not now, now when we’re candidates, not while we could still be cut.
I clench my teeth and press my eyes shut, cursing myself for the fool I am, for letting it go too far.
“Come on, Ivy,” I murmur to myself, “get yourself together.” And, despite myself, I spend the next hour or two wishing my big brother were here to keep me in line.
_________
I don’t know when I fell asleep after that, though it must have been late because I was up for hours trying to avoid slipping back into the dream state. I do know when the hell I wake up though, because Jesse launches himself onto my bed shouting “Shrimp!” at the top of his lungs and punching me twice on the shoulder before wrapping me in a big hug. “You survived!”
I shriek at the start of his assault, but I start to rain blows on him when I figure out it’s just my cousin saying hello and not some kind of vicious midnight attack. “Get the hell off of me – you asshole -“
