I worry about myself, a little, just passively, as Jackson kisses me. Because something about the way


    that his mouth moves against mine makes me…just…really, really stupid.


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    –


    Honestly, all logic is gone from my head all thoughts, all sense, all practicality.


    It’s almost like all of my wolf’s crazy impulses which I usually think are so ridiculouse to the


    forefront, and they all make a great deal of sense. Because the only thing I want to do right now is strip


    off my clothing, and climb on top of him, and let him do whatever the hell he wants to my body – just


    takeplete control.


    I am all instinct and impulse now as I lose myself in Jackson, as he bends me backwards, slightly, in


    his arms, levering his body over mine even as he holds me tight, dominating me and demonstrating in


    the same moment how incredibly precious I am to him.


    His hand moves slowly down my side as his tongue dips into my mouth, and my hips rise up against


    him, seeking friction, wanting to be touched as his hand moves lower to take a firm grip on my ass. I


    moan, deep and shuddering, as Jackson presses me tighter against him and then lets his hand dip


    further in, his fingers just barely tracing the hot core of me through the fabric of my cadet uniform.


    My head falls back on my neck at this touch, a panting gasp escaping my lips.


    “Fuck, Ari,” Jackson growls, tucking his face against my neck and then pressing his cheek to my chest.


    But he moves his hand away, back to my ass and then slipping down my thigh to tuck safely behind my


    knee.


    I lift my head, confused, foggy. I frown to see Jackson’s frustrated expression, his clenched teeth.


    Slowly he shakes his head at me as I blink at him,ing back to myself.


    And then Iugh, covering my face with my hands, groaning a little as I do because I can sense his


    emotions now, sense just how much he wants to continue precisely what we were doing just a few


    seconds ago.


    But…he’s right. We can’t do any of that right now. Nothing has changed.


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    And we have we have got to find some semnce of self–control and resist getting lost in each other.


    This is the Examination, after all.


    “You should sleep,” he murmurs, working to clear his throat.


    Iugh at the idea, rolling my eyes even as I sit up in hisp and tuck my hair back from my face,


    pretending to ignore the hard, thick length of him that’s now pressed against my ass. [ do my very, very


    best to resist the urge to press myself more firmly against that length.


    And I…fail. Just a little bit.


    Jackson groans, suddenly grabbing me beneath the arms and lifting me bodily out of hisp, cing


    me gently beside him as if I’m as light as a kitten. I burst outughing as he leans away from me.


    “I cannot be the only responsible party here, Ari,” Jackson growls, ring at me even as I can see the


    joy on his face, the temptation in his eyes. “You have got to help me out here.”


    “But I don’t want to,” I murmur, leaning closer to him again, reaching to wrap my hand. around the back


    of his neck, wanting his mouth back on mine


    But Jackson justughs, deep and rueful, pulling away and then getting to his feet, shaking himself


    from head to toe like the wolf he is. “I am…going to take a very small walk,” he murmurs, turning away


    from me. “And when Ie back, we are going to behave ourselves, yes?”


    I grumble, discontent, even though I know he’s right. And then Jackson does precisely as he says –


    walking a little distance away into the woods with his hands on his hips. I smirk, my hearing straining a


    little to hear him giving himself a little pep talk about self–control, and then I lean over in our little space,


    reaching for an apple as my stomach growls.


    How can you think about eating, my wolf murmurs, sprawled out in my soul in a satisfied daze. We


    have to strategize think about how to get him naked. Do you think, if we identally spilled the water


    all over him, that he…


    But I smirk, shaking my head, knowing that I’m not going to ruin our only water source in what will be a


    vain attempt to get my mate naked. I bite into the apple with grim


    satisfaction, staring into the dark after him, wanting him back right now.


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    He takes his time, though time that we both probably need. And as my body unwinds a little bit god, I


    hadn’t realize how tense he’d made me – I wonder at myself.


    –


    I mean, sexually, I have been so shy with Laica- I’ve made him wait months to barely do more than kiss


    me in the dream state.


    And then here, after thirty minutes with Jackson, I’m ready to just…throw down in the dirt? Let him


    have all of me, just after a couple of kisses?


    A couple of really good kisses, my wolf counters, her eyes half shut and her tongue lolling from her


    mouth. I swat her little rump, correcting her, because Luca is one hell of a kisser


    too.


    So…what is different?


    Has Luca just done all the hard work and Jackson’s here to reap the benefits? A little guilt twists in me


    at the idea.


    Or, my wolf suggests, lifting her head a little, curious, maybe you just have…a more sexual connection


    with this mate. They don’t have to be the same. Luca brings his own particr set of appealing


    characteristics to the table.


    But as I consider that…well, that doesn’t quite fit either, does it? Because it’s not like Jackson’s just


    some piece of meat with no personality, and it’s not like Luca doesn’t get me going.


    They’re just….different.


    I sigh, taking another bite of my apple, studying it, confused but…well, letting myself be confused, I


    guess.


    Nobody I know has ever done this whole two–mate thing before, at least not that I know of. This is new


    territory for everyone involved, and I suppose I’m bound to feel this way.


    Confusion wipes away, though, the moment Jackson walks quietly back onto our little teau,


    apparently having gotten control of myself.


    Unfortunately, my confusion is reced by an immediate and undeniable sense of lust. God, has he


    seen himself? Does he know how insanely hot he is when he just…walks? The


    Спартет на


    way


    his shoulders shift, the grace with which he moves


    “Ari,” Jackson moans, stopping a few feet from me and dragging his hand down the length of his face.


    “You have…you have got to stop doing that.”


    I burst outughing, suddenly terribly embarrassed, because I just sent every one of those emotions


    right down the bond, didn’t I?


    “Okay, okay,” I say, turning suddenly so that my back is to him now. “Here, this is better, I can’t see you


    anymore-”


    Heughs,ing to sit next to me again. “We have to be able to look at each other-


    “No, we don’t!” I squeak, turning away again as he tries to peer at my face, leaning my shoulders back


    against him and facing the stone wall at the back of the tiny teau. “I’ll just…stare at these rocks. And


    pretend that you’re….very, very ugly.”


    “Well, don’t tell yourself lies, Ari,” Jackson murmurs, wrapping an arm around me and tilting me back so


    that when I open my eyes I can see his gorgeous face again, just…a little upside down now. “Honesty


    with one’s self is really important –”


    I burst outughing, shaking my head and turning back to him, letting him wrap an arm around me as I


    press my cheek to his chest. “You are very handsome,” I murmur, nuzzling a little and working hard to


    scold my wolf when she urges me to climb back into hisp.


    “I know,” he murmurs, kissing the top of my head. “You’re so lucky to be mated to such a looker, Ari,


    honestly-


    –


    I squeak in protest, whipping my head up at his vanity, but he’s ready for me, cupping my cheek in his


    broad palm and pressing a sweet, chaste kiss to my mouth.


    “Not as lucky as me, though,” he murmurs, shaking his head. “You’re the most precious. thing in the


    whole world. Do you know that?”


    Everything in me just…melts at the insane sweetness of my big, scary Alpha mate. And I smile at him,


    a little dazed.


    “Now, will you please try to sleep?” he pleads, stroking my cheekbone with his thumb.


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    “How can I sleep?” I ask, shaking my head at him, baffled at the thought, “when I just got you?”


    “I’ll just be really boring.” he murmurs with a shrug, making me grin.


    “Impossible,” I say, but I lower my head to his chest, wanting to please him and, honestly, feeling a little


    weak and tired after the insane day I’ve had, however short.


    hair “Oh, very possible,” he replies, his voice soft and easy as he strokes his hand over my again and


    again,forting and steady. “If you want. I’ll recount the hundreds of ancient battles they made us


    memorize for warrior track – that should put you out


    I groan, shuddering at the prospect, which makes him huff a littleugh.


    “Fine,” he sighs, continuing to pet me, his hand drifting over my shoulders, too, when it reaches the


    ends of my hair. “Let’s just sit here and…be quiet.”


    “You’ll wake me?” I whisper, feeling my eyes drift shut despite myself. “The moment the sunes


    up?”


    “I will,” he promises. “The moment there’s light to see by, Ari. I’ll wake you. We have a lot to do


    tomorrow. We need an early start.”


    And so I shut my eyes, letting myself rest a little, trusting my mate to keep me warm and safe through


    the short hours left in the night.