If We Don't Leave This Town

Her whispered question cut through the silence like a dagger, its fragile timbre betraying the fear and uncertainty that gripped her. Caedes met her gaze, his own eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation they found themselves in. "There is a possibility. If they do not submit." He admitted, his eyes carrying with it a sincerity that mirrored her own sorrow, but his voice was cool and detached. He did not care what happened to the pack, its members, but he did care about how it made Mariah feel in the moment. It was his duty to obey the call of his family, to lend his strength, it was a given.

As Mariah drew closer, their bodies almost touching, Caedes felt warmth flood through him, a sinful longing he forcefully suppressed for the moment. Her whispered plea, uttered with a mix of longing and apprehension, tugged at his patience, stirring a fierce protectiveness within at the same time.

With a nod, Caedes reached out to gently press into her cheek, his touch a tender reassurance. "I promise." He vowed, his voice soft yet filled with conviction. "Anything to return to you. My altar of worship." He cooed, gaze never wavering from hers, his eyes reflecting the depth of his commitment to his promises. He had never had someone ask of him to be safe before, and it was strange. As strange was his affection for her. He could not stand to hear that desperate tone in her voice, he wanted nothing more to ease her worries.

As Mariah leaned in, seeking solace in their physical closeness, her nose tracing his jaw line and down his scarred neck, it became too much contact for him to ignore any longer. Caedes closed the distance between them, his fores enveloping her in a protective embrace. He savored the warmth of her touch, the familiar scent of her a calming drug to him. "I fear I may lose my sanity if I am deprived of your touch for too long." His mind reeled with the broken distance between them, limbs itching to explore her lithe body. Caedes let a huff of air escape him, shuddering at the feeling of her soft figure against the hard exterior of his ruined hide. Ah, insanity.