James pried his hand out of Cornelia's hold.
"Thank you for healing me, Cora." That sharp pain helped a bit, but now that it was gone there was nothing to distract him from the throbbing need in his crotch. "If you don't mind opening the door, I need to put some distance between us." He wanted to get up, but he knew it will be in vain until she removes the silvery restriction.
"Why?", she asked.
"Because staying this close to you is torturous. I don't want to do something you will hate."
Cornelia panicked when she realized that James wanted to leave. She grabbed his hand. "I already said I won't hate you, or the things you do to me."
James stared at her hands holding his, the fantastic sparks of their bond should be the best thing ever, but now they tormented him because he couldn't act on that primal need to claim his mate.
Did she know how much he suffered right at that moment?
Cornelia was right there, nearly naked, for him to see. Her chocolate-colored skin embellished with golden designs, her melodious voice that awakened butterflies in his stomach, her scent of sweet wild berries all around him... it was all perfect to awaken the possessive beast that only wanted to copulate, and her touch made it several folds worse.
James heard Cornelia when she said that she won't hate him and that they should stick together, but maybe it would be better to stay apart if he was not allowed to claim her. He might lose his mate, but at least he will keep his sanity because nothing can be worse than this agony he was enduring.
James swallowed hard and the bobbing of his Adam's apple was accompanied by the tick in his jaw muscles as he pressed his teeth together. He needed to get out of there before he did something that can't be undone.
Cornelia scooted to kneel in front of him and she gently pressed his knees to spread his legs apart further.
James watched her as she hesitated for a moment before reaching for the silvery cloth that was covering his crotch area, and she flicked it to the side to expose his erection.
She stared at his cock. Of course, she knew what that was. She saw many pictures and in the human realm she saw some racy videos (for research purposes, of course), but this was the first time for her to see that organ in person. It was big and slightly intimidating. And she remembered that healthy males grow until the age of twenty-five. Didn't that mean James can grow bigger?
"Cora…", James called in a strained voice, and she knew that it was a warning how she shouldn't play with fire.
Cornelia had no idea what she was doing, but she steeled her resolve to do it anyway. James was an existence branded into her soul and if being close to him will burn her alive, then… so be it. If soulmates can recognize each other naturally, then she only needed to follow her instincts and things will be alright.
"You are not willing to do things to me, out of fear that I will hate you", she said. "So, I will do things to you in order to prove that it's OK."
Her dark brown eyes didn't leave his blue ones as she reached to hold onto his cock that was hot and hard, and she saw the way his chest rolled as he sucked in a breath upon contact.
Just how she saw in movies, Cornelia started pumping his length while wondering if she should squeeze more. Or was this too much? But then... they were mates and if he could feel the sparks, any type of touch will do.
She was uncomfortable because this was new, but she didn't want him to think that she was forcing herself because she wanted to drown in their bond. However, for someone who was always watching her image of a dignified witch who knew what she was doing, Cornelia found it difficult to let go of the control.
Cornelia threw a quick glance at his face and she swallowed hard when she saw him staring at her with intensity like he could see her most hidden thoughts.
Insecurities crept into her mind. The people in the videos she watched were wiggling about and moaning, and James didn't move a muscle. Was she doing this right? What if she was making a total fool of herself? Ah, but she already started and she can't just stop! What to do? She decided to ask...
"Is this OK, Jay?"
"How did you call me?", James asked breathily.
Cornelia realized that this was the first time she addressed him as Jay. The truth was that she came up with it at the same time when he called her Cora. Cornelia thought it went well, Jay and Cora, but she was too shy to say it aloud. Until now.
"Jay. Can I call you like that?"
James' mind was clouded with lust by electric sparks that danced over his cock, but he was aware that she gave him a nickname. No one ever did that. People called him the 'young Alpha', the 'future Alpha', or James, and this was the first time he got a nickname that didn't remind him of a position that didn't belong to him. He liked it.
Cornelia saw him nod in approval of the way she addressed him, so she went back to her first question. "Is this OK?"
It was slow and she was too gentle, and he would prefer if she used her mouth or straddled him, but he didn't want to freak her out. "It's... fine."
Cornelia was not sure if she should believe him. Who says that he is fine with an expression like he was in pain? Shouldn't it be enjoyable?
"Now that your senses are intensified, did your wolf speak to you?"
"Yes", James confirmed, knowing where she was going with this. "He said that you are my mate."
Cornelia smiled. It's not that she was doubting it, especially after the ceremony they just completed, but another confirmation was good to hear.
"Did he say anything else?"
James groaned. "Are you really expecting us to have a conversation now?"
"Maybe?", Cornelia said in a singing voice.
James put his hand over Cornelia's that was holding onto his cock, and she thought that he will remove her hand from there but he leaned to look into her eyes up close.
"You said that you won't hate me, no matter what I do."
"I did say that, yes."
"Can I do anything?" He wanted to make sure.
"We are mates, Jay. You can't harm me, and I can't hate you."
"Good", he said. The nickname Jay sounded foreign and dear to his heart at the same time.
Without delay, James picked up Cornelia and carried her to the bed.
His desire for her exploded during the ceremony at the fountain. Since they came to this room, Cornelia healed his hand, agreed that they should stick together, gave him a nickname, and held onto his cock, and she said that she won't hate him no matter what he did... and he was determined to test the boundaries of that last one.
