Chapter 506: What Dimple
Graeme set his mate on the edge of the bed that he had just sprung out of to go looking for her the moment he awoke. He awoke in their bed and she wasn’t there... again. It was as if her returning was a dream, and his heart sank.
He would walk through fire again and again if it meant having her finally back with him. There was no question. He would prefer that to not having her here, to waking up in bed alone and wondering what she was going through, what challenges she was facing without him. What danger she was wading into.
And then she appeared before his eyes, walking out of the woods with Greta. His mate was actually here in these woods, back home at last. Her pale blonde hair and fair skin... the most familiar face, the face that had quickly become synonymous with his home. His Moon was back.
She looked so exhausted, as if all the weeks she had been away from him had caught up to her. He could feel her from where he stood in the doorway... the heaviness in her heart. The sorrow. Despite everything she had just accomplished—the miracles like no other any of them had ever witnessed—she was filled with sorrow. Why?
But now she was here in their bed, in his arms. He sank to his knees on the floor with his arms around her, his head in her lap. Her scent and her warmth and the swell of their child in her belly... it was more than he deserved, all of it.
His Moon, his home... the center of his entire universe was here. She was finally here again. She was safe. He threw up a silent prayer of thanks to the Goddess.
And then the Alpha cried. He had just told her not to cry, but now the weight of everything they had both carried a part from one another finally gave way, and the relief of having her here cracked open the exterior he had maintained for the sake of everyone else, and the desperate, grateful tears rushed to escape. She was the only one he could be vulnerable like this with... just her.
"I’m sorry," he said into her lap, clutching her closer and bracing himself against the flood of emotions and against the possibility that she could ever part from him again. "I’m so sorry, August. This is all my fault."
The depth of his voice resonated inside her belly where he had pressed himself against her.
"I’m so relieved that you are okay," she whimpered above him, running her hands down the shoulder muscles that were straining under his shirt and the arms that were braced around her.
He didn’t appear to be injured at all. She blew out a relieved breath, finally allowing the image of him stuck in that fire to burn away. He was okay. He was actually okay.
"I should have known this was coming. I’m sorry," his arms pulled her further in and her scent was everywhere, lighting him up.
He pulled his head back, the wellspring of love in his eyes finding her, seeking her forgiveness. And before she could say anything he started kissing her stomach. His hands sought her skin, finding their way under her shirt and running up her back before he lifted the shirt up over the sweet round of her stomach and the pure love between them that coalesced there.
"You didn’t want this," he said, resting his forehead lightly against the promising curve of her where their pup was growing—the proof of the Goddess’ blessing between them. "I’m sorry, Moon. I’m sorry for all of this that you have been dragged into. For everything."
"I didn’t know I wanted this," she said softly, her heart squeezing at how defeated he sounded, as if now everything that had happened was wrong when it wasn’t. "I want it more than anything. I want you. I want us. Please don’t apologize, Bun Bun."
He froze against her, his hands on either side of her and his eyelashes fluttering against her skin. A smile curved on her lips as she waited for what she knew was coming.
His fingers danced into her sides, making her giggle with the retaliation of tickles he unleashed. She squirmed under him, and his eyes lifted to find her again—playful and light this time.
"After all this time," he growled, pausing the tickles and nipping at her arm that was resting on him.
His teeth pinched her skin and released, sending a delightful shiver through her, and his body reacted to it. He nipped her again and then followed it with a gentle kiss, moving up her arm each time until he was no longer bent over her and there were goosebumps pebbling her flesh from where his mouth had been teasing her.
"Graeme," she breathed, running her fingers along his face, tracing the angles and lines and the bristle of his beard. "Let me see your dimple," she said, her thumb gliding over the area where that sweet little dimple was hiding that only appeared when he smiled.
"What dimple?" He chuckled softly, and there it was.
"That one," she smiled and ran the tips of her fingers over it, petting it lovingly. Goddess, she missed him so much.
"What else can I do for you?" He asked, his eyelashes fluttering as his gaze caressed her face and landed on her lips.
"Never jump into fire again," she said, her forehead falling forward to kiss his, and her eyes closed in relief once again for him being okay.
"I can’t promise that," his voice rumbled through her. "I would do it again to get to you."
"But you didn’t get to me!" She pulled her head back, her eyes wide.
"Okay, okay," he shushed her with a chuckle, cupping her face against the instant outrage he felt light in her at the suggestion that he would do that again. "You’re right. You saved me, didn’t you? Again."
"That’s right. Don’t do anything stupid. You’re too important. Please don’t scare me like that again," she said, calming back down with his hands caressing her face.
"Okay," he said softly, "I won’t do anything stupid to try saving my beautiful mate and our precious unborn pup."
"You’re teasing me!" She exclaimed in mock outrage, slapping his shoulder.
He chuckled. "You honestly think I would even hesitate to jump through fire to try getting to you again, Moon?"
"If you might not make it through, then I’m asking you to yes, please hesitate. Use your brain," she said.
"Oh," his lips were caught between a smile and a shocked O. "I wasn’t using my brain?" His hands dropped to her sides and began poking her again, fingers playing along her skin, sinking into those sensitive spots that made her laugh and squirm without hesitation.
"Stop!" She cried, laughing and wiggling free by dropping back onto the bed and rolling away from him.
He growled softly, climbing up to follow her.
