O Bucată Din Inima Mea

Bowen looked hurt by Artorias' snark and accusations that she was trying to upset him, and the moment he saw her flinch under his words, Artorias instantly regretted them. His heart slammed against his ribcage, those nervous butterflies filling his belly with anxious heat. She swore that she would never intentionally hurt him, her words spoken with such conviction that he believed her. That was what this had entirely come down to, wasn't it? Both of them trying to avoid hurting and being hurt by the other. Their feelings were confusing, intimidating in their strength and demand. This was uncharted territory, and just as Bowen had been trying to protect herself by avoiding him and finding comfort in the other brute's arms, he had likewise been unwilling to seek her out and sought his comforts from Briar instead.

In the stillness of the night, the two wolves held one another's eyes as if looking away would end their world. Bowen's emerald eyes kept him focused on her, as if nothing else in the world existed. No other lovers upstairs, nor pack sleeping in their respective rooms, nor castle nor guards nor anything beyond them. There was only him and Bowen. In her eyes and in her soul he had found the piece of his heart that she had taken from him over a year ago when she'd disappeared, and when she brought it back she had unlocked this world of passion and love for her. All he wanted to do was bring Bowen all the love and peace and relief she deserved.

Artorias watched Bowen's reactions while he spoke of his deepest, most secretive desires for her. Each one he revealed to her made the girl's eyes widen, a strained whimper choking her, her legs trembling. Art didn't know of Bowen's aural fixation or how lustful bedroom talk turned her on, but he was bound to find out soon. The subtle scent of her arousal was noticeable as an undertone beneath the other smells clinging to her, but it was there. Artorias recognized it only seconds before Bowen spoke to him in a husky whisper that sent chills running down his spine, electric tingles that settled between his legs. She wanted him. But then he saw the sadness and she qualified her claim. She could never have all of him, just as he could never have all of her. It was a realization he'd had when he first realized he was falling in love with her and it tore him up inside. A part of him wondered what their lives would have been like if she'd never been taken, if they'd had all their lives together to grow with one another. Would they have discovered these feelings, or was this a byproduct of her disappearance and their separate growth? Would they have been lovers, them and them alone? They were melancholy what-ifs that haunted his brain in the dead of night, and dwelling on them did no good... but he did wonder.

Bowen stated the truth of the matter: his heart would always have Briar first, and she needed someone who could put her first in theirs. Artorias' instinctive reaction was to try and convince her that he could love her with all that she needed, but the more he dwelled on that thought, the more he realized it was a sweet lie. He could love Bowen, and he could love Briar, but someone would always have to be first. His mate, his second-in-command, his queen. Bowen pleaded for him to accept this as fact, that they would each need someone as their firsts, and if he did then they could be whatever they wanted. They could be with one another whenever they wanted, they could travel the world together, live a life together—they could love together. Artorias' expression softened with each word Bowen said, feeling himself melt for the young and beautiful fae. That was all there was to it. If he could accept the reality of their lives, then he could have Bowen. He would never have all of her, but he could have most of her. And no matter what, after the near week of feeling like he'd lost her again, Artorias knew that most of Bowen would always and forever be better than none of her.

Before he could respond, however, Bowen took the initiative and lifted her mouth to meet his in a soft but heated kiss. Their first kiss. Artorias' heart stopped beating, fire exploding in his belly like a star going supernova. Amber eyes drifted closed for the short duration of their kiss, opening half-lidded to gaze adoringly at Bowen's face as the orange light flickered and danced over her features, making her eyes shimmer like actual emeralds. With their mouths but a breath apart, she whispered the words he had said to her. He felt her love. He knew the truth in her declaration. Artorias was undone in that moment. So loved was Bowen by the dark-furred brute that he would have paid any price to hear her say those words to him and keep her in his life. Artorias' choice was easy, and he'd made his mind up before she'd erased it with her lips on his.

"I love you, Bowen." His voice was a low, husky rumble of a whisper. Then Artorias closed the gap between their muzzles, claiming Bowen's mouth in a slow kiss that poured forth all of the passion, desire, and love he felt for the beautiful young fae that was his little sister. He lifted a paw to gently caress her cheek, partially keeping her lips locked on his, partially to keep touching as much of her as he could. Dark paw pads stroked over her warm skin and soft fur, drifting lower and around to cradle the back of Bowen's head while he kissed her deeply and passionately. They were alone in their own little world with one another, although Artorias wouldn't have cared if the entire pack had been in the hall at that moment. He loved Bowen, and he wanted her more than anything else in the world right now.

Both wolves had some experience in the worlds of love and lust, though Bowen's far outweighed Art's. The young brute did, however, know the natural progression of a kiss, moving his lips in harmony with hers until he felt bolt enough to brush his tongue against her lips, then slipping his tongue into Bowen's mouth to get his first taste of her while he pulled her deeper into their kiss. His entire body felt as if it were being consumed by the flames in the hearth, he was ablaze with his lust for her. He shuffled his larger body closer to hers, looping his free paw around her waist as he settled on his haunches without breaking their mouths apart, pulling her slender, lithe body tight to his more muscled masculine frame. Artorias had dreamed of this moment since the day Bowen had come back into his life, but he could now safely assert that his dreams came nowhere near as amazing as reality with Bowen, his lover, the wolf who forever held a permanent piece of his heart.

"Artorias" | "Corbin" | "Argent"