Mated to Her Alpha Instructor Chapter 75

Eileen

After dinner, I caught his hand before he could start clearing dishes. "Leave them. I... I need you now."

He simply nodded, following me to the balcony where moonlight pooled like liquid silver across the stone floor.

The air was crisp with late autumn cold, carrying the scent of pine and distant woodsmoke. Above us, the full moon hung heavy and luminous, so bright I could see every detail of Regis's face—the strong line of his jaw, the concern already gathering in his eyes.

His voice was gentle. "Time to show me your gift for me?"

"Yeah." I pulled the velvet pouch from my pocket.

I held it out, watching confusion flicker across his features before he carefully opened the drawstring. The moonstone tumbled into his palm, immediately catching the light—smooth and oval, radiating that soft lunar glow that seemed to pulse with its own heartbeat.

"This is..." He stared at it, then at me. "This is what my mother gave you."

"Yes." My throat felt tight. "She said I could... on the full moon, I could put my scent into it. My intentions. So you could carry it with you, even when we're apart."

The words spilled out faster now, tripping over themselves. "I know I can't mark you back. Not the way you marked me. I'll never be able to leave my scent on your skin or—or claim you the way you claimed me. But I thought..." My voice cracked. "I thought maybe this way, you'd know. You'd *know* how important you are to me."

Regis had gone utterly still, staring at the stone cradled in his palm like it might shatter. Through our bond, I felt something massive shifting—a wave of emotion so intense it stole my breath.

"You did this for me?" His voice came out rough, almost broken. "You *chose* to do this?"

"Of course I did." Tears pricked my eyes. "Regis, you've saved me so many times. You gave me a home, taught me to fight back, protected me when no one else would. You've given me *everything*. I wanted... I *needed* to give you something back. Something that shows you're not alone in this. That wherever you go, whatever happens, I'm with you. Always."

For a long moment, he just stared at me. Then, with a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob, he pulled me against his chest, holding me so tightly I could barely breathe.

"*Eileen.*" He buried his face in my hair. "You have no idea what this means."

Through our bond, I felt it—felt *him*. The fierce joy, the overwhelming tenderness, the bone-deep relief of being chosen. Of being wanted. His wolf stirred beneath his skin, a low rumble of pure satisfaction.

When he finally pulled back, his eyes were bright with unshed tears. "Show me. Show me how to do this ritual."

I nodded, suddenly nervous. My hands shook as I reclaimed the moonstone, warming it between my palms. Kristina had taught me the words—old words, passed down through generations of Lunas. Words about protection and companionship, about two souls choosing each other across whatever distance might separate them.

"Close your eyes," I whispered.

He obeyed immediately, that absolute trust nearly undoing me.

I lifted the stone toward the moon, feeling its light wash over us both. Then, in a voice that started shaky but grew stronger with each word, I spoke the vow.

*"By moon's light and by my will, I bind my heart to yours still. Through darkest night and brightest day, my spirit walks your every way. Where you go, there shall I be—two souls joined, forever free."*

The moonstone grew warm in my hands, almost hot. My scent began to pour from my skin—that chamomile and sweet apple scent that had always seemed so plain, so *ordinary*—but now it shimmered with purpose. I watched it seep into the stone like water into parched earth, the crystal's glow intensifying until it blazed like a captive moon.

When it finally faded to its soft luminescence, I opened my eyes to find Regis staring at me with an expression I couldn't quite name.

"It's done," I whispered. "Now wherever you go, you'll have—"

He kissed me before I could finish. Kissed me with such desperate tenderness that my knees went weak, my hands clutching at his shoulders for balance. The moonstone pressed between our bodies, still warm, still glowing faintly with captured moonlight.

"This is better than any mark," he said against my lips, voice hoarse with emotion. "Better than anything I could have imagined. Because you *chose* it. You chose *me*. Not because of fate or circumstance or obligation, but because you wanted to."

"I did." I cupped his face, feeling the roughness of his jaw beneath my palms. "I do. I choose you, Regis. Every day. Every moment. I choose *you*."

This time when he kissed me, there was heat beneath the tenderness. His hands slid to my waist, pulling me flush against him as his mouth moved over mine with growing hunger. I felt his desire through our bond, felt my own rising to meet it, two tides pulling together.

"Inside," I breathed against his lips. "Please. Take me inside."

---

He lifted me without hesitation, one arm beneath my knees and the other supporting my back. I looped my arms around his neck, burying my face against his shoulder as he carried me through the apartment. The moonstone stayed clutched in my hand, its warmth spreading through my entire body.

In our bedroom, moonlight painted everything silver and shadow. He set me down, and for a moment we just stood there, looking at each other, the air thick with anticipation.

Then I reached for him, my fingers finding the hem of his shirt. "Let me."

He raised his arms, letting me pull the fabric over his head. My hands trembled as I traced the planes of his chest, following the scars I'd come to know so well. Each mark told a story—battles fought, dangers survived, a life lived in protection of others.

"You're always the one taking care of me," I said softly, my palms flat against his heart. "Let me take care of you tonight."

His eyes flashed ice-blue in the darkness. "Eileen—"

"Please." I looked up at him, letting him see everything I felt. "I want to show you what you mean to me. Not just with words or rituals. I want you to *feel* it."

Through our bond, I sensed his surge of desire, felt Valdor rise to the surface with a low, approving growl. When Regis spoke again, his voice had dropped an octave, rough with barely contained hunger.

"What do you want to do?"

My courage faltered for a moment, but I forced myself to meet his gaze. "I want... I want you to lie down. Let me—" I swallowed hard. "Let me be in control. Just for tonight."

The pupils of his eyes dilated until only a thin ring of color remained. His breathing quickened, and I could see the war between his Alpha instincts—the need to dominate, to protect, to lead—and his desire to give me this.

Finally, he stepped back and began removing the rest of his clothes. Each movement was deliberate, his eyes never leaving mine. When he stood before me fully naked, moonlight carved shadows across every muscle, every ridge of his powerful frame. His cock stood thick and hard, the head already glistening, and the sight made my mouth go dry.

"Your turn," he said, his voice like gravel.

I undressed slowly, feeling his gaze like a physical touch on my skin. The cool air made me shiver, or maybe it was the intensity in his eyes as he watched every inch of me being revealed.

When I stood bare before him, he made a sound low in his throat—half growl, half groan. "Beautiful. You're so fucking beautiful."