Holy shit, the intensity of our connection is blowing my mind.
It swells around us, an almost palpable force in the quiet of the astral realm. In some ways, it’s so similar to the last time we did this.
But in other ways, this time is so much more profound.
Like somehow, being here, on this plane, taps into a vast expanse of our souls that we didn’t even know existed.
At least, I didn’t.
Our confessions hang in the air—mingling with the charged energy that envelops us as we move in tandem. I never thought I could love him more intensely, but hearing how he fought his darkest, most primal instincts—for me—tears down the last of my reservations.
Not even the curse could take that from us.
His every touch now feels like a vow—his kisses like promises etched into my very skin.
This man and his wolf will protect me until his dying breath.
And I’ll do the same for him.
The power of his revelations, the weight of his restraint—it’s all here between us, making each movement, each connection, feel more pronounced.
I truly thought the last time we did this it was powerful.
But this…
His touch sparks more than desire. It ignites a fierce need to match his honesty—to give him all of myself without restraint or fear.
As his hands explore, claiming every inch of my body in ways I’ve only imagined, I feel the urgent need to open myself up to the full extent of our bond.
My hands roam across his upper body, mapping the landscape, with a reverence that sends shivers through my core and straight back to him. Each caress sent between us is both a question and an answer—as if one of us is asking for permission and the other is granting it without hesitation.
Back and forth.
Over and over again.
The energy around us pulses, growing with each touch, each breath shared in the quiet intimacy of this place. We are connected—not just physically, but in a way far more expansive than either of us has even begun to understand.
Soul level.
The reality where we are feels both distant and intensely present. Like we’ve stepped out of time and into a space made just for us.
“Stone,” I whisper, my voice breaking on his name as he shifts, aligning our bodies in perfect synchrony.
God, he feels so good.
He slows, resting his forehead against mine. His breaths are hot and ragged as he pauses long enough to pull back, his eyes searching mine, waiting.
“I love you,” I whisper, my hands sliding up his back, feeling the powerful muscles tense and shudder under my touch. “And I claim you as mine. Only you. Always.”
With a growl that rumbles from deep within his chest, he thrusts forward hard and fast, unhinging completely.
I welcome the pressure, the exquisite fullness as he slides in and out of me. While not slow, it’s a deliberate movement, filled with so much emotion that tears prick at my eyes—not from pain, but from the overwhelming sense of becoming one with this man—my mate.
My soul mate.
Yes, we are meant for this.
We are meant to bond.
Meant to transcend into this place of total worship for one another.
Our connection deepens, the bond between us weaving tighter with each thrust. It’s as if each movement is a stroke of a painter’s brush, coloring in a masterpiece that only we will ever fully understand or appreciate.
The pleasure inside me builds but it’s not just a physical sensation. It’s also an emotional crescendo that fills the vastness around us. My heart expands, stretching beyond my body as it embraces him.
His kisses are deep and consuming, tasting of passion and the faintest hint of the wildness that is his nature. My nature, too.
Every touch seals his vows to me, not spoken, but felt—a covenant made in the heat of our union.
Everything narrows to just this—just us—and the intensity of what we share drowns out all else. There’s no room for fear or doubt here—not with how he fills me so completely, touching parts of my soul that were once shrouded in darkness.
“More,” I gasp, clinging to him, my nails digging into his shoulders as I urge him deeper.
He responds with a fervor, his movements becoming more urgent, more insistent as our bodies ride one another. And as we reach the precipice, the energy around us crests like a wave poised to crash on the shore.
Once again, the bubble of light—our bond begins to consume all that I am.
All that I’ll ever be.
His.
The palpable energy that extends from the center of our hearts once again reaches out, braiding itself together.
Any shred of the darkness that tainted our bond—any sign of the curse—is dispelled. It shatters across the fabric of this reality like dust on the wind.
His name spills from my lips in a litany—a prayer as ancient as time itself, as our bond seals fully, completely.
My climax hits me like a meteor striking the earth—explosive and radiant—scattering light across the canvas of the astral plane.
Stone is right there with me—his release is a force that binds him to me, heart and soul.
I hear his thoughts of love—of complete adoration as if they’re my own. And maybe at this point, they are.
We’re the same.
We’re one.
The sound of his climax resonates through every fiber of my being, searing itself into the recesses of my mind. I want to hear it again and again. Into eternity.
It’s the sexiest sound ever made.
For a moment, we hold each other, breathless and awed by the magnitude of what we’ve shared.
It’s undeniable—our bond is sealed, unbreakable, and sacred.
It thrums with an ebb and flow of energy that centers me—like the world was always off-kilter until this.
The curse is nothing more than a distant memory. How? I don’t care. I just know this is how we are meant to be.
This moment is a testament to the journey we’ve endured and the battles we’ve fought—both within ourselves and against the darkness that sought to divide us.
As I lean forward, resting my head against Stone’s chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, I know that this is only the beginning.
We’ve crossed into a new realm—one where our love is both the shield and the sword.
And together, we are invincible.
Just as I begin to relax with Stone still wrapped around me—still inside me—the air around us pulses with a new, peculiar energy.
It’s different from what we just experienced.
This is soft, pure, and resonant—like the humming of a divine chord.
Stone and I pause, our breaths caught in unison as we feel the presence of something ancient and powerful drawing near.
Suddenly, the Breath of Selene materializes, hovering in the air directly above us. It shimmers with a boundless energy that pulsates with the heartbeat of the universe itself.
Stone’s grip tightens around me, his body tensed in awe. “Ella, do you see—?”
“Yes,” I breathe out, unable to tear my gaze from the crystal.
Then, the Breath of Selene dissipates, spreading into countless particles of light that drift toward us like celestial snowflakes. As they touch our skin, a surge of warmth floods through us both.
The particles seep in and thanks to the heightened state of our bond, I can feel them weaving through both our veins, pulsing with our blood, and melding with the very essence of our beings.
Fully integrated, a shockwave of power erupts from within us, radiating outwards in a brilliant wave of light that fills the astral plane, turning shadows into mere memories.
Somehow, this energy binds us even tighter, reinforcing our already solid bond with a strength that feels as old as time itself.
“It deems us worthy,” Stone whispers, his voice filled with wonder and a hint of awe.
His words resonate with truth—a confirmation from the Breath of Selene itself.
It has deemed us worthy. It’s chosen us to carry its legacy—to wield its power.
I nod, overwhelmed by the honor and the responsibility that comes with this acceptance.
The realization that we’re now guardians of something so ancient and powerful fills me with a sense of purpose and determination—and an unshakeable belief in the truth of the prophecy Clementine shared with us.
We are the Moon Wolves.
Without warning, the astral plane dissolves like mist under the morning sun.
One moment, Stone and I are entwined in each other’s naked bodies and the revelation of our souls’ union, and the next… we’re lying side by side on the cold, hard wooden floor of the Integratron.
The contrast is so stark and abrupt, that for a heartbeat, I can’t breathe.
My body still hums with the echoes of our connection, yet here we are, fully clothed—and distinctly separate.
I catch Stone shifting uncomfortably beside me, a quick, subtle maneuver to adjust his jeans, clearly trying to disguise his body’s physical reaction to the intense connection we’d just experienced in the astral. His face is tinged with a flush I can’t say I’ve ever seen him wear before but I’m determined to make it happen again.
“Well, Stone,” Jinx chuckles, her voice rich with amusement, “looks like you’ve lived up to your name in more ways than one.”
Stone’s gaze shifts to me and I just smirk and shrug sheepishly.
What can I say?
I’d be more likely to agree if I opened my mouth.
Trudie drops her arms, releasing the circle. Her cheeks turn a shade of pink as well, and her gaze flits between us with a mix of amusement and embarrassment.
“The energies were certainly powerful today,” she adds, her voice a whisper—perhaps in deference to the sanctity of what had just occurred. Then, she raises her right hand, fanning her face.
“Yeah, it was… uh,” I attempt, shaking my head.
Evidently, words still elude me.
Stone and I manage to regain some semblance of composure as we stand, still slightly dazed by the sudden shift from the astral to the physical.
“I gotta say, whatever you two were doing, I was pretty sure things were going well. I was getting all hot and bothered over here, and I haven’t been bothered with that kind of hassle in over a decade.” Jinx gives us a conspiratorial wink, her humor helping to cut through the last tendrils of awkwardness hanging in the air.
Trudie, ignoring her sister’s admission, clasps her hands together, her eyes bright with curiosity. “So, what happened exactly? Other than the obvious.”
Stone and I exchange a glance, the significance of our experience still resonating deeply between us. Just as inside the astral plane, I feel our connection so profoundly, that I can’t even tell where one of us ends and the other begins.
“We’ve obtained the Breath of Selene,” Stone says at the same time, I say, “We... bonded.”
Trudie and Jinx both look at us with wide eyes.
“It was…” I begin.
“Ack, no details, please,” Trudie says, covering her ears but Jinx looks like she’s more than willing to get down and dirty.
I smile at them both, shaking my head. “There was something else… the curse, it felt like it just... lifted.”
Stone picks up the thread, his tone reflective. “We don’t know exactly how or why, but during our bond, something shifted. The darkness that was part of the curse—it just faded away, like it was never meant to be there in the first place.”
Trudie’s brows knit together in thoughtful concern. “The curse lifting spontaneously is unusual. That’s not something that happens without significant power or intervention. We should get Isolde in here. She’d be able to confirm for us.”
Jinx chimes in, her eyes serious but with an underlying spark of excitement. “That’s got to mean something big. You two are probably more important than you realize.”
“We’re beginning to realize that,” I whisper, thinking again about the prophecy and so much is beginning to make sense.
Just as we’re about to discuss the wider implications of her words, the door to the Integratron swings open with a force that startles us all. Isolde steps through, her face etched with lines of urgency and concern.
“Oh, thank goodness. You’re out of the astral realm. I hope that means good news because Stone, Ella, we have a serious problem,” she declares sharply, catching her breath as her eyes lock onto ours. “Andres has made his move—he’s returned to Black Crater and he’s not alone. We must return—now.”