Chapter 28

There was an ache in Catalina’s heart that had no cure. It hurt so much she staggered and had to reach for the wall to brace herself.

“Hermana, are you okay?” Helene asked, placing a comforting hand on Catalina’s shoulder.

She nodded curtly. Her throat was too thick with emotion for her to speak, but Helene understood.

Awkwardly Helene hugged her. Such sisterly actions were not common to them, but clearly Helene intended to grow the camaraderie that had sprung up between them. “Rest well, sister,” she whispered before heading to her quarters on the family floor.

Catalina forced herself to continue down the hall to Ramon’s area. She bypassed the infirmary where she had unfortunately spent too much time lately and went to his door. Her arm was leaden as she raised it and then knocked on the door.

Ramon tore the door open, as if had been waiting for her. With one look at her face, he understood.

She fell into his arms, more weary than ever before. The years of tears which she had dammed behind the warrior’s facade breaking past her restraint.

“Mi amor. We will work it out,” he pleaded, kicking the door closed and urging her in the direction of the bed.

She sat on the edge of the bed and he kneeled before her, examining her tear-streaked face. Reaching up and wiping away the wet trails on her cheeks lovingly as he repeated, “It will all work out.”

“How?” she asked on a heaving breath. “How can it when I will be forced to mate with another?”

“Trust me,” he pleaded, straightening a bit until he was eye level with her and the warmth of his breath bathed her lips.

She wanted to trust him. Wanted to believe and yet what possibility could there be for them? Her father had called for the Gauntlet to be run in one month’s time to allow for wolves from neighboring packs to compete for her hand.

“One month, Ramon. In one month we will hold the Gauntlet,” she lamented, digging her hands into his hair to keep him close.

“Then it will be a memorable month,” he said before bringing his lips to hers in a deep scorching kiss that rocked her senses.

There was no holding back any longer. No reason to worry about being discovered or its consequences. Time was too short for such fears.

Catalina gently pulled him upwards and then fell back against the bed, dragging him with her. The weight of his body pleasantly heavy along her length. His erection pressing into the softness of her belly.

“Love me, Ramon,” she said as she rained kisses across his face and ripped at his clothes, not wanting to waste a nano-second of the limited time they had left.

Fabric tore and buttons flew, punctuated by their moans and soft sighs as they explored each bit of flesh that was revealed in their frenzied undressing.

As Ramon yanked aside what remained of her bra and shirt, he bent and took her nipple into his mouth, sucking it deep into his mouth which ripped a strangled groan from her before he gentled his actions. Rolling his tongue around the stiff peak, he brought his hand to her other breast and caressed it, but she needed more.

She needed him buried deep inside her. Needed the length of him driving into her. The weight of him above her, his arms surrounding her.

She kicked off her pants and tugged at his, freeing him and with little finesse, shifted her hips so that he could enter.

He seemed to sense her urgency. He plunged into her, yanking sharp gasps of pleasure/pain from both of them before he stilled.

Ramon glanced down at her. The warrior was there, battling for these last stolen moments. Fierce in her determination that nothing ruin the short time they had left.

His warrior. His woman. An enigma like none he had ever encountered. Like no other woman he would ever know and he would not waste a second of that miracle.

Bending his head, he whispered against her lips, “I will love you forever.”

“Dios, Ramon. You are my forever,” she replied, tears thick in her voice again, but he did not want for this to be a time of sorrow.

He wanted to embrace the joy of their love.

He kissed her deeply once more, pouring his heart out to her as he slowly tempered the kiss and began to move his hips. He met her mouth again and again, then dipped his head to adore her breasts, wanting to bring her pleasure. Wanting for her to remember every caress, every second of their loving to fill the empty days when they could no longer be together.

As her passion grew, he answered it, stroking and caressing until they were both at the edge and still he somehow held on, letting her fall into her climax before he raised her up again. Higher. More intensely until they were wrapped around one another, so tightly it was almost impossible to know where he began and she ended.

Which was as it should be, he thought. It was what would be right, he thought as he finally lost control and tumbled down with her.

In the aftermath they lay entwined, silent. Both lost in their thoughts. Similar thoughts. She that she could not live without him. He that he would find a way to keep her.

Ramon knew that then without, as their heartbeats were almost as one and skin kissed skin in their tight embrace.

He would find a way to stay with Catalina.