Untouchable by Marii Solaria

Chapter 17 – Hers to Claim
“Those true eyes. Too pure and too honest in ought to disguise. The sweet soul shining through them.”- Owen Meredith
Nuria
Violetta continued to laugh until Phoebe stopped her with a “Vi, read the room.” She blew out a rich and patted my shoulder.
“Hey, don’t mind me. You’re a lovely gal, so you can get any woman you want. I’ll just swim out of here for you two to catch up.”
“Did you really have to add that terrible pun?” Phoebe asked.
“It wouldn’t be the same without it.” Not even a minute later, Violetta left the home, leaving Phoebe and me alone. I
bowed my head in shame, turning to my golden-haired beloved, my ears burning from the embarrassment.
“…I made a d a n fool of myself, didn’t 17”
“You did.” I heard Phoebe sigh. “Would you like some tea, Nuria?”
I raised my head, nodding. “Can it be the fruity tea you made for me?”
Her dazzling smile stopped my heart again. “Of course.”
After five minutes, the both of us were sitting on her two-seater couch, my body sinking into the soft material. Phoebe brought her teacup to her lips and sipped while my eyes glanced around the interior. A large altar stood beside the fireplace. Black and gold etched into the wood. The top of the altar adorned with candles, sealed jars, and dozens of crystals, all in varied sizes. Herbs were sprinkled around the bronze statue of Hecate, standing proudly over her sacred space. The walls of Phoebe’s home were barren, minus several floral wreaths. A table seating two tucked in the commer next to the small kitchenette, with a bowl of fruit as the centerpiece. Dark curtains over the windows were drawn to keep most of the sunlight out. With my shoes off, my feet savored the softness of the wool carpet between my toes. The front door was mostly functional, although the lock needed repair after my little spectacle.
There was a twinge of loneliness in the air I didn’t like. No one would’ve ever known someone was living here. How many guests have passed by without knowing this home existed?
Was it sheer luck I discovered it last year?
“Your tea is getting cold.” Phoebe said, setting her cup on the table. I realized I haven’t drunk mine. “What brings you by, Nuria?”
“I-I… No coherent thought formulated in my mind. Goddess, why was I tongue-tied now? Phoebe sat patiently with one leg folded under her, hands resting in her lap while I sipped the lukewarm liquid. There was a sparkle in her eyes I couldn’t decipher. Her eyes scrutinized my every move like a hawk stalking its meal.
Does she know why I’m here?
“You’ve come to claim me, haven’t you?”
1/5
Chapter 17 – Hers to Claim
I almost spat out my tea, my eyes widening like plates. “I-How did you-7”

“I’m surprised no one has told you.” She twiddled her fingers in her lap, rosy pink dusting her cheeks. “I can know someone’s intentions just by their presence, whether it be good or bad. I can read your aura like a book, Nuria.“
I felt more than exposed. I was f u c k i g naked. Setting my teacup down beside hers, I cleared my throat, adjusting my body in my seat.
Let her lead. Don’t rush.
“Yes. I… I came here to claim you as mine. We’re mates, Phoebe.”
“I knew that.”
“You did?”
“Why else would you fly in here in a jealous rage? It’s a common trait amongst you werewolves.”
I blushed, lowering my gaze. “I’m sorry about that. That wasn’t my intention nor how I wanted to make an official first
impression on you.”
“As long as it doesn’t happen again.” Phoebe giggled, raising her hand to her pink lips. “I don’t think I can handle the constant repairs if you keep breaking down my front door.”
Now, it was my turn to laugh. This felt natural, like two close friends catching up. I felt at ease in Phoebe’s presence- no pressure, no expectations. Phoebe scooted closer to me, our knees touching, and the comfort I felt was thrown right out the window. My side of the bond thrived and writhed, stretching out to grasp Phoebe’s heart. My body sank in a pleasant heat that only the woman in front of me could quell.
“I know what being a wolf’s mate entails, Nuria.” Phoebe’s voice lowered to a heavy whisper, every syllable carrying the weight of the world. I didn’t speak, nor move, but invited the supple touch of her hand on top of mine. I tucked Angelika behind a wall, but I knew she felt it all. “The good and the bad, the ups and downs-everything. I lived in this pack for most of my life and I’ve seen the incredible dynamic between destined partners.” She huffed out a sad sigh, running a thumb over my hand. “I’ve been alone for a long time and I’ve let no one get this close to me.”
“Why is that Phoebe?”
“Solitude meant safety and protection. I’ve been hurt in the past, my heart manipulated by people who were supposed to protect me. A solitary witch holds solitude in all aspects of her life, even with romantic relationships. I’ve had crushes on both men and women, but I always kept them at arm’s length because I know there wouldn’t be anyone capable of cherishing my heart. Sometimes, I feel like solitude was the only option for me. I have friends and a family here, but romantic relationships expose a vulnerability that one can brutalize without a second thought. It’s terrifying.”
Every word Phoebe confessed chipped away pieces of my heart. Solitude, to her, was better than being vulnerable. I couldn’t imagine how tough navigating romance is when she feels the intentions of a person before knowing their
name.
There are too many people in this world who take pleasure in hurting and destroying others. Too many of them hide in plain sight, waiting for their perfect victim. They left an incorrigible amount of desolation in their wake and they walk,
315
Chapter 17 Hers to Claim
away with a smile. The real monsters are those who look like ordinary people.
I wanted to hunt down and rip into every person who ever hurt Phoebe. Made her shed a tear. Contributed to the poisonous thinking that she deserved to be alone. I lifted my hands and framed Phoebe’s face with my palms, running my thumbs over the outline of her lips. Her c r a m y skin was as smooth as silk and warm as a gentle ember. My thumbs caressed every part of her face they could reach, committing her touch to memory. Phoebe’s lovely purples looked into mine with innocent wonder t n k l i n g in its depths.
Waiting.
Wanting.
There was a crystal Kiya told me about that matched her eyes.
Amethyst.
“I’d cut off my right arm if it meant your pain would stop, Phoebe,” I said with conviction. “This is scary for me, too. We’re barely leaving the cusp of being strangers, and here I am, hopelessly in love with you, praying to Selene that you’ll accept me. I’ve been alive for three years and already, I have found my destined partner before I found my place
in the world.”
“Funny how that works out, huh?” Phoebe cupped my hands with her own. “All this time my soulmate was dead, and years later, she declares her love after t r s p a s s g into my home like an angry bull.”
Clichés are overrated. I prefer the more direct approach.” I laughed, shaking my head. “But, if there is one thing I can and will promise you, is that my heart belongs to you. I will go to the ends of the earth to ensure your happiness. You are the love of my life, my soulmate, my forever. I want to know everything about you, and in turn, I want you to know everything about me. You’re mine, Phoebe. Mine to love and mine to protect. The only question that remains is, will
you accept me as yours?”
A pregnant pause fell between us as we fell into the depths of each other’s eyes. Phoebe’s bottom lip quivered and her cheeks pinkened like bubblegum. Before I could react, she leaned in and greeted my lips with a soft kiss. Electricity zapped my heart and my core like lightning to water, my body buzzing with pleasure from her touch, heightened by the mate bond. She gripped my hands tight, holding onto me as I was her lifeline.
was my li
Little did she know she was my lifeline.
Phoebe’s wildberry scent flooded my senses like a hurricane. I wanted to absorb this moment and sear it into my memory. Today was the day I truly felt alive. Taking the lead, Phoebe shyly swiped the bottom of my lip with the tip of her tongue. I moved a hand from her face and buried it in her golden tresses, holding her to me.
Oxygen be a m n e d .
Her tongue took the invitation once I parted my lips, meeting mine in a tango of saccharine love. The world didn’t matter to me anymore. All that mattered was the bundle of starlight in human form kissing me for the first time.
I leaned back against the c s h i o n s of the couch, taking her body with me. Her smaller, lean figure fit perfectly with my muscular frame like two pieces of the same puzzle. I couldn’t stop kissing her if I tried. Magic or not, I fell completely under her sway.
Chapter 17 – Hers to Claim
But when her tiny moan flowed into my mouth, my control snapped.