Free Web NovelChapter 144: Chapter 144 Claiming What’s Mine
Sylvia’s POV
When I stepped back into the bedroom, Caesar was seated on the edge of the bed, his shirt discarded, wearing only a pair of low-hanging sleep pants. The sight of his sculpted chest and abs made my mouth go dry. My wolf practically howled with appreciation, pawing eagerly within me.
"Your turn," I managed, my voice slightly higher than normal.
Caesar’s eyes darkened as they traveled over me, lingering on my bare legs. "You look beautiful," he said simply before standing and walking past me into the bathroom.
I released the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding once the door closed behind him. This was going to be more challenging than I’d anticipated. The mate pull between us was growing stronger by the minute, making my skin feel too tight, too sensitive.
While Caesar showered, I settled onto the bed, propping myself against the headboard. The sheets smelled like him—cedarwood, rain, and something distinctly Alpha. My wolf reveled in the scent, wanting to roll around in it until we were completely covered. I inhaled deeply, letting his scent settle into my lungs.
When Caesar emerged from the bathroom, water droplets still clinging to his broad shoulders, I had to force myself not to stare. He’d left his chest bare, the defined muscles of his torso tapering down to narrow hips where his black sleep pants hung dangerously low.
"Your hair’s still wet," he observed, grabbing a towel from the bathroom and approaching the bed.
Before I could protest, he sat behind me, gently using the towel to dry my long hair. His touch was surprisingly tender as he worked, careful not to pull or tug.
"I didn’t expect the big bad Wolf King to be so domestic," I teased, trying to diffuse the tension building between us.
I felt rather than saw his smile. "There’s a lot about me you don’t know yet, Sylvia."
"Like what?" I asked, genuinely curious.
He was quiet for a moment, his fingers working methodically through my hair. "Like the fact that I’ve waited for you longer than you realize."
My heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?" frёewebηovel.cѳm
His hands stilled in my hair. "I first saw you three years ago, at the Northern Territories Summit."
I turned to look at him, surprised. "That’s impossible. I would have remembered meeting the Wolf King."
"You didn’t meet me," Caesar explained, his midnight eyes intense. "I watched you from across the room. You were with your mother, standing tall despite how she barely acknowledged you. I saw the strength in you, the Alpha nature you were trying so hard to hide."
My throat tightened. "Why didn’t you approach me?"
"Because you weren’t ready," he said simply. "And because I knew who you were pretending to be for Zane Thorne."
The revelation hit me like a physical blow. "You knew all this time? About my deception?"
Caesar’s expression softened slightly. "I knew you were suppressing your true nature. The why became clear later."
"And you just... waited?" I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
"Wolves like us recognize our true mates instantly, Sylvia," he said, his voice dropping lower. "I felt it the moment I laid eyes on you. But I also knew you needed to find your own path back to yourself."
My wolf whined softly, recognizing the truth in his words.
"So what changed?" I whispered. "Why approach me now?"
Caesar’s hands moved from my hair to my shoulders, his touch sending shivers down my spine. "Because you finally let go of him. Your wolf called to mine the moment you walked away from Thorne for good." freewebnovel.cσ๓
I turned fully to face him, our faces now inches apart. "My wolf never responded to Zane the way she does to you," I admitted.
"That’s because she always knew," Caesar said, one hand coming up to cup my cheek. "True mates can’t be denied forever, Sylvia."
The intensity in his eyes made my breath catch. "I’m not good at surrender, Caesar."
A slow smile spread across his face. "I’m not asking for surrender," he said, his thumb brushing across my lower lip. "I’m asking for recognition. Acknowledgment of what we both already know."
My heart hammered against my ribs as his face moved closer to mine, his scent enveloping me completely. "And what is that?" I breathed.
"That you’re mine," he growled softly. "And I’m yours."
Something inside me snapped at his words. My wolf surged forward, taking control before I could think better of it. I closed the distance between us, pressing my lips to his in a kiss that was anything but gentle.
Caesar responded immediately, one hand gripping the back of my neck while the other circled my waist, pulling me against his hard chest. The kiss deepened, his tongue sliding against mine in a dance for dominance that made my body burn.
I could feel his control slipping, the careful restraint he’d been maintaining since I’d arrived cracking under the weight of our mutual desire. His kiss became rougher, more demanding, his teeth nipping at my lower lip until I gasped.
"Caesar," I breathed when we finally broke apart for air.
"Don’t stop," I whispered, meeting his golden gaze with my own. "I want this. I want you."
A growl rumbled from deep in his chest as he moved with supernatural speed, flipping our positions until I was pinned beneath him on the bed. His weight pressed me into the mattress, his hardness evident against my thigh.
His hands slid under the oversized t-shirt I wore, fingers skimming up my sides until they reached the underside of my breasts. I shivered at his touch, my nipples hardening in anticipation.
"Too many clothes," he murmured against my skin, pulling back just enough to tug the shirt over my head.
I should have felt exposed, vulnerable, but the hunger in his eyes as he took in my nearly naked form made me feel powerful instead. My wolf preened under his appreciation.
"Perfect," he breathed, lowering his head to capture one nipple between his lips.
The sensation shot straight to my core, pulling a moan from my throat. Caesar lavished attention on one breast and then the other, alternating between gentle sucking and teasing bites that had me writhing beneath him.
"Caesar," I gasped, threading my fingers through his dark hair and pulling slightly.
He looked up, his eyes now completely wolf-gold. "Yes, mate?"
The word sent a thrill through me. "I need more."
"Tell me exactly what you need," he demanded, one hand sliding down to the waistband of my panties. "I want to hear you say it."
My Alpha nature balked briefly at being commanded, but my desire overrode my pride. "Touch me," I whispered.
