You're my mate

After her chat and dinner with Analice, Dahlia still wasn't sleepy so she decided to head to the only place that gave her piece of mind; the stables.

Everywhere was dead silent as she stepped outside as most people were already asleep. Since the last time she saw Azriel, she'd been avoiding going to the stables at night but for some reason that night, she wanted to not only go there but also see him.

Maybe speaking out to Analice was making her more expressive.

If it wasn't for the cloak on her body providing a level of warmth for her, she would have frozen solid from the cold breeze the moment she stepped outside.

A smile found its way on Dahlia's lips as she flung open the stable doors. The rainy scent that was all around the air reassured her that he was there.

Taking a few steps forward she was met with his back view as he stood still, petting Storm. Something about the way Azriel acted around her and toward her made Dahlia feel things, even her wolf felt what she was feeling. It was a scary and foreign feeling but one that left her yearning for more and being a curious person at heart, she had to find the more- whatever it was.

"I thought you were avoiding me," Azriel spoke without turning his back.

'Can he also recognize my scent?"' Dahlia wondered.

If it wasn't for the gentleness his tone carried, his demeanor alone would have made Dahlia believe he was angry at her but thankfully it was clear that he wasn't. "I apologize for that Your Highness, I just had some things to sort out."

"Oh, so you do admit to avoiding me." 

Dahlia could hear the amusement in his tone as he spoke and it made her smile grow wider.

She knew she was playing with fire but she didn't mind getting burned, as long as it was by him.

"If I had lied, you would have known and that would be worse." Dahlia calmly replied.

"Looks like you're-" Azriel stopped short and furrowed his brows the moment he locked eyes with Dahlia whose eyes were still red and puffy, "Who made you cry?" 

His voice was harsh and although she knew it wasn't directed at her, Dahlia couldn't help but shiver at the scary sight of him but before she could utter any word, Azriel was already inches away from her.

"Did anyone hurt you?" He asked as he examined her body and wiped off the tear stains on her cheeks with his thumb. "Let me know and I'll-"

"Nobody did anything to me." Dahlia placed her hand on his reassuringly, "I just went through some emotions and ended up crying."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Azriel asked once more to be sure.

"I am. I promise."

With both their hands on Dahlia's cold face, they stared into the eyes of each other with a level of passion that was unfathomable. It was as if time stood still and it was just the two of them in their own bubble.

Dahlia watched as a mix of several emotions swirled through Azriel's midnight-colored eyes until it settled on one- hunger. 

Without warning Azriel bent down and wrapped himself around Dahlia's small frame. "I'm not sure how long I can hold back." His voice came out hoarsely through clenched teeth.

Those words were all it took for Dahlia to realize what was going on. It confirmed the whispers she had in her head that she tried ignoring and it gave her answers to the questions that had been plaguing her mind.

"Azriel," Dahlia called out to him without the honorifics, "The things you've done for me up until now, why did you do them?" She asked the question as a way to confirm what she already knew. "You said you'll answer my questions if I ask so I'm asking." She quoted his words.

Dahlia could hear Azriel sigh deeply from behind her but she stood still and nervously waited for his reply.

"Because you're my mate." Azriel finally uttered the words Dahlia had been waiting to hear, "It's not just the mate bond that's urging me to do it, my human senses also want to do things that will make you happy and make life easier for you." He confessed his feelings and spoke from his heart.

Dahlia's heart skipped a bit and her wolf stirred as Azriel spoke. Hearing him say it was different than thinking it might be true but a part of her felt hesitant. "I'm still a slave here your Majesty, mate or not," She tried calming the storm brewing within her heart.

"It's the other way round," Azriel inched closer to her as he spoke, "I'm the slave here, a slave to you, Dahlia. My thoughts, dreams, and nightmares are all filled with your smile, voice, scent, and touch. Resisting you has become a burden to me and each second that passes without me claiming you, my mate, is unbearable."

Dahlia's heart skipped a beat on hearing his confession, resisting him was useless because she could already feel his effects on her. "Then why didn't you tell me sooner?" She asked all the while trying to find a reason to run away from there, to desert her mate, but her feet remained planted in its spot.

"I didn't want to push you away." Azriel spoke vulnerably, "I didn't want you to reject me or make you feel pressured to accept me. I wanted you to accept me of your own free will."

His reply wasn't what Dahlia was expecting. Although she knew he was caring she didn't expect him to consider her consent like that to the point of depriving himself and his wolf of their mate.

It wasn't a common behavior for wolves most especially an alpha wolf.

In as much as she could now feel their mate bond and she was sure of his feelings, Dahlia still wasn't ready. "I know this is selfish to ask but can you give me- give us more time? I don't want to rush into this just because we're mates. I want it to be based on our own emotions not just our carnal desires." 

"It's not in any way selfish and I respect your wishes," Azriel spoke as he rubbed his nose on the crane of Dahlia's neck.

Dahlia on the other hand couldn't care less about what he was saying, her mind was fully fixated on the heat Azriel's breath was supplying to her bare neck.

She had heard some stories about mating and from what she could gather she knew it wouldn't be fair to Azriel or herself if she made their mating process take any longer. She could already feel the itch on her neck and she was sure his fangs were itching to mark her too.

"Would you like to go on a ride with me? This time, just on Storm." Azriel still didn't lift his body from hers as he spoke.

"I would like that." Dahlia softly replied, enticed by the alluring offer of riding through the woods at night.

Reluctantly, Azriel pulled apart from Dahlia who was now feeling cold without his embrace as he went to gear Storm up for the ride.

Dahlia watched as Azriel kept the reigns on Storm and she couldn't help but admire his build. He was tall, lean, and sufficiently a perfectly sculpted body. Even his muscles were peeking out through the light white shirt he had on.

'I could stare at this man for hours without getting tired.' She shamelessly said to herself without trying to hide the hungry smirk painted on her plump lips as she watched Azriel who was oblivious to what was running through her mind.