Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

Chapter 427 – Cora’s Promise

Cora

I smile up at my mate, but I shake my head a little bit, not…not knowing what to do next. “Do I…,” I say, laughing a little, “just say what you said?”

“You can,” he replies, shrugging one shoulder and smiling back at me. I can feel his happiness vibrating down our bond. “Or, you can say what you want. There are no wrong answers, Cora.”

“Okay,” I say softly, and then I take a moment to consider, sitting up straight and squaring my shoulders.

“I take you, Roger,” I say softly, gazing into his perfect face. “Even though…I never expected you. I take you because you challenge me, and you hold space for me, and because…” I hesitate now, trying to find words for it. But he waits, patient, listening.

“Because you make me feel like the world is a rich and wonderful place worth exploring. And I want to do that I want to see it all, experience it all, at your side. I love you, Roger,” I continue, my eyes starting to line with tears, “because you make me brave.” My voice starts to crack now with my emotion, and he falters a bit, leaning forward, taking my cheek in his palm. I laugh a little, leaning into it but I shake my head, because I’m not finished.

“So, I promise to love you through all of it – through our whole lives, and whatever comes. But with you? I have… just so much faith that it will all be good. I love you, Roger – I am yours, and you are mine, and I think – I think it’s been that way for a long time. It just took us a little longer to figure out.”

He laughs then, and nods to me, and I feel that same golden warmth again, doubled this time, as my own promise wraps around our bond and becomes true, real, solid.

I can feel it now, singing between us, our fated mating bond ringing with our very real acceptance of it. And now the only thing that’s left is the mark.

My wolf turns an eager circle in me, lifting her face to the sky with a deep and eager howl. And Roger’s – I can feel his wolf prowl forward.

He claims me then, my mate reaching across the distance between us like he can’t wait a moment longer to have his body against me. Roger pulls me to him, his arms around me in the instant that his mouth meets mine, kissing me with a rough determination that I very much want, and need.

him on top of me as I lay myself down on the blanket, chills running all

sliding to the center of my dress at the back, finding the top of the zipper and dragging it slowly down. His mouth follows the direction of his hand,

me again as his hand pushes the dress further. I lift my hips, allowing it to slide completely off, to rest in a heap at

they work at the buttons of his shirt. But he just growls and takes his face from mine

up around us, the breeze stiffening as my mate pulls me against the warm skin of his chest, his hand drifting down the naked expanse of my back to take a firm grip on my ass. He groans then, his head turning away almost as if he can’t help it, his whole body

now, running over my skin in a way that makes me shudder, hard – because I know – I know how badly he wants to sink those teeth in there, just

at the top of

him as he sits flat on his ass with my knees on either side of his hips, my stomach pressed almost against his face as he moves one hand to his clothing, hastily breaking the button and the zipper of his pants as he forces them down. Roger turns his face to look up at me

name and bring my mouth again to his as I let my body slide down against his, as I feel him position the hard mass of himself at the apex

feel my inner walls stretch against him, squeezing him, wanting him. My eyes press shut as my back curves unbidden,

the

steady thrust of his hips sending

wanting his release as much as I want mine, I moan, my whole body shuddering now as I concentrate everything on that point, on him my mate. I lean myself forward, tucking my head next to his, baring my

– not harshly, but no, not gentle so that my neck and shoulder stretch open before him. He presses a kiss there as our hips continue to work together, bringing me

between my shoulder and neck, the place of his intent and

come so close, as I start to want it to

murmurs, pressing his sharp

hardly able to form the words – “give me your mark,

then, a moment later, sinks his teeth into my skin. Everything, everything seems

the earth – I swear it shifts and shakes in time with the sharp gasp and

shaking below us, the wind around us, as I feel Roger’s body go rigid and