Chapter Six – Naomi
Naomi had never been inside the Mating Caves before. The one that she and Joshua had ended up choosing was quite cozy. There was a fire pit in the center of the cave, with a small hole in the roof for the smoke to escape. The entrance was curtained off for privacy, but anybody standing outside would be able to see their silhouettes. Still, Naomi appreciated the curtain.
A steel drum was at the back of the cave, filled with some pots, pans, and a variety of canned food. It was good for the adults, but Naomi was glad that she had had the foresight to bring a diaper bag. She hadn't thought they would need it, but she still had some extra diapers, clothes and formula for Sapphira. With these supplies, she was reasonably certain that the baby was going to be good for the night.
Joshua built the fire a little higher as Naomi tucked the baby into the car seat. It wasn't ideal, but better than letting Sapphira sleep on the cold stone floor. At least she wouldn't end up chilled, nor would one of the adults accidently roll over her.
"This is quite a mess, isn't it?" Joshua took her hand and tugged her next to his side.
She sighed as she borrowed from his warmth. The sensation of their naked skin pressing together was one that she quite enjoyed. It was definitely something she wanted more of.
"It is a mess," she agreed.
"We both want to help bring peace, and instead we cause this." Joshua paused. "And as if not being with the pack right now isn't bad enough, I feel like I'm letting my dad down. He was a great Alpha."
"So are you."
Joshua shrugged. "Most of the time, yeah. But it's not easy. Sometimes I don’t know what I'm doing."
"Only sometimes?" she teased.
"Of course. Most of the time I know exactly what to do. But considering what is going on between Wolves, Bears and humans these days… it's not easy to strong all the time, to take care of everybody. And if something happens to my pack when I'm not there…"
Naomi traced her fingers across his torso. She understood what he meant. She was filled with a nervous energy like she should be doing more than what she was. But the future seemed so bleak right now, and what could she do?
"I didn't go with you just because I wanted peace."
"You didn't?"
She shook her head and buried herself deeper into his side. "I wanted to get away from my father. My mother died when I was very young. He's not a good man. Or a good Alpha. For ages I've had this clawing desire to challenge him, but how can I? He's my father."
Joshua grunted. "The more I learn about your father the more… Wait. Your mother was the Alpha of the pack before him. That means that you should be the Alpha, not him."
"No. Well, maybe technically. But I was so young, and by the time I was old enough to take charge, my father—"
"Your father had destroyed your confidence to the point where you thought you couldn't be the Alpha." He pulled her tighter against him. "We'll fix this, Naomi. Somehow, we'll fix this."
Naomi shivered, though not from cold. And not, as much as facing her father frightened her, from the thought of challenging him for the leadership of the pack. Rather, it was how close she was with Joshua. Out in the forest when they both shifted to find themselves pressed against one another naked, everything else had disappeared except for Sapphira's crying.
Now with the baby sleeping soundly in her car seat and the warmth of the fire… Naomi twirled her fingers through the light smattering of hairs on Joshua's chest. She had never really liked the look of men who waxed everything off. Joshua kept his body hair neatly trimmed, but very much there. It made him look even manlier.
As if that was possible.
Naomi shifted even closer to her mate, running her foot up and down his leg. Joshua looked at her with a raised brow and desire dark in his eyes.
"We are in the Mating Caves," she reminded him. "According to my people's customs, this is where we should join in union for the first time."
She found herself wanting to know what the tanned skin at the base of his throat tasted like. Joshua groaned when she flicked her tongue over his collarbone. He tasted more like salt than anything else, but considering how much he had been sweating as they got here, that wasn't a surprise.
"We should remain vigilant, just in case," Joshua said, but he was already pulling her up over him. "After what happened to Susan…"
"They won't attack us here," Naomi assured him, though she winced to remember the Bear that her pack had killed.
Even her father wouldn’t be so bold as to violate the sanctuary of the Caves. And if the Wolves knew where they were… well, seeing her in the Mating Caves with her Bear would only cast doubt onto whatever kidnapping story her father had told the others.
Another shiver ran down her spine as she gripped Joshua's hips with her knees. The heat from the fire soaked into half her body, and it seemed to pool and concentrate between her legs. One of Joshua's hands gripped her hip tightly, while other slid up the inside of her thigh.
"Have you ever been touched here before?" he asked, pupils dilated as she gasped.
Naomi shook her head, biting her lip as his fingers began to stoke the fire inside her, building pleasure. "I'm a virgin."
"I know that. You told me. But have you ever been touched by another person?"
"No. I've never even been kissed before." As soon as the admission was out of her mouth, she wanted to take it back. Joshua's fingers stopped moving. He stared up at her, a look of disbelief on his face. Naomi sucked her lower lip between her teeth, uncertain. "That doesn't mean I won't know what to do to please you. I've read. Lots of steamy romances. I can demonstrate—"
Joshua shook his head. "It's not that."
"What is it, then?"
"I just realized that I have never kissed you. Here we are, on the verge of making love and I… Did you want to have the ceremony first? We can wait until Christmas to mate, Naomi. And we can work our way up to the actual mating part of mating. I know it can be overwhelming to go from virgin lips to going all the way."
Naomi felt a lump form in her throat. She was so unused to seeing a man caring about her more than himself that the worry in her mate's eyes made her want to cry. She sniffed, rubbing her nose to try to get rid of the uncomfortable sensation.
"I don't want to wait. I want to declare myself as yours, Joshua. I want… I want to make you mine. I know it's not the same with Bears as it is with Wolves, but the ceremony means nothing to me. Only the act is important. And I know that the timing sucks. So much has happened in only a few days. But even if it wasn't happening, I would want you."
A sly smile stole over his face. "You know, this morning when we were running through the woods, before you picked up Sapphira's crying, I had every intention of seducing you in the snow. I would have tried it the first night you were with me if I thought you would have said yes."
Naomi laughed and laid down over him, pressing every inch of her body to his. "I wanted to seduce you, too. But I was uncertain if you would end up like my father. But you're not like him. You're good and kind. I want you for my forever mate."
The firelight flickered, their shadows heaving against the walls as their mouths met. Sparks exploded in Naomi's brain, her skin tightening and tingling. It seemed to sizzle under Joshua's touch. The sensations were overwhelming, just as Joshua had warned her, but she gladly drowned in them. He rolled her over, laying her on her side as he pulled her leg higher over his hip. His fingers found her target again, and now the pleasure crashed over her like waves. His mouth concentrated on her neck and Naomi clung to him, eyes rolling into the back of her head as she cried out.
We're going to wake the baby, she thought, but when Joshua put a finger inside while he continued to use his thumb a little higher, all thoughts fled. Everything disappeared except the Bear that held her in his arms, pulling her closer, even though there was no room left between their bodies. The touch of his hands, the smell of his skin, his grunts in her ear as she managed to find him with her hand; it all drove her crazy.
He rolled again, pulling her back on top, and positioned her before slowly guiding her down over him. Naomi groaned again as her mate filled her. His hands returned to her hips and he helped her set a rhythm, their bodies moving together so that even when there was a sharp sting here and there, Naomi cared about nothing but the pleasure.
Everything was too much, and it was only Joshua's hands moving her hips that kept her going. She fell over him, biting his shoulder, clawing at the ground beneath them. He never stopped, manipulating her body expertly, until she could no longer breathe. She longed for release and yet never wanted this to end…
Everything exploded inside of her and she went limp.
Joshua held her for a long time, softly stroking her hair while she struggled to gain her breath back. Finally, she found the strength to prop herself up with her arms and smile at him.
"We are mated," she said simply.
"Yes. Whatever tomorrow brings…" Joshua kissed her gently. "I belong to you now. Forever."