Chapter 285: A Quiet Promise

Vivian’s POV

Leaning down so that our faces were inches apart, I tangled one hand into his dark hair and placed the other flat against his firm chest, feeling the steady, powerful rise and fall of his breathing beneath my palm.

"You are mine," I growled softly, a low, playful sound that still carried a hint of real possessiveness. As romantic and sweet as his earlier gesture with the tattoos had been, I still had not entirely forgotten the fact that he had unbuckled his own pants in front of Eddie back at the shop. I did not care if she was a professional or if her focus was purely on his skin it was still a moment too close for my liking.

Zahliver let out a dark, deep chuckle, his glowing blue eyes filled with mischief, fun and unrestrained delight. In a flash, he shifted his weight and gently guided us, keeping me close as we settled together in the quiet warmth of the bed.

"Yes, and now the whole pack will see it, i will make sure they do" he murmured, his voice thick with affection and deep devotion. "I love it when you get all protective. It really works for me." He raised his dark brows in a teasing gesture, making me huff a laugh.

With effort and coordination, we managed to undress without ripping anything thank the Moon Goddess. My Vera Wangs hit the floor in a forgotten heap as I tossed them somewhere behind us. Beneath the warm cocoon of blankets, Zahliver stared down at me with an intensity that made my breath hitch. His eyes held love, fierce desire, and something so raw it made me tremble.

My fingers brushed along his back, and I felt the weight of the ring the newly given symbol of us pressing against his skin like a silent vow.

Then he entered me with a swift, deep thrust that stole the breath from my lungs. I gasped, only for the sound to be swallowed by his mouth as he kissed me scorching, desperate, endless. His body moved with mine like we were made for each other, his rhythm precise, his dominance complete.

One of his hands slid down between us and cupped my breast, kneading and teasing until my moans filled the room. The way he moved, especially against my lower half, sent me spiraling. I was right there so close to the edge when he suddenly stopped.

My eyes flew open, and I stared at him in disbelief. He wore a wicked grin, knowing exactly what he was doing.

"Remember what I told you?" he asked, voice low and teeth gritted as he rolled his hips deliberately into me.

"Huh?" I breathed, barely capable of forming a full thought, let alone recalling past conversations. I didn’t even know my own name at that point.

He smirked and leaned down, biting gently at his mark on my neck. The sensation shot straight to my core like a lightning bolt.

"In the closet, Vivian," he whispered, his tongue trailing a hot, lazy path across my skin, tracing something I couldn’t quite place.

A memory floated to the surface, vague but enough to make me giggle. Zahliver pulled back to look at me with mock disapproval before his expression morphed into hunger again.

He moved his hips torturously slow, his grip on my waist keeping me pinned when I tried to speed things up.

"Oh no, baby."

"You’re so mean," I whispered, aching, desperate for more.

He kept up that maddening pace until I was shaking beneath him, coiled tight like a spring about to snap. Then, with a swift kiss and both hands gripping mine, he gave in.

He pulled back and drove into me hard, again and again, each thrust faster and more intense than the last. I screamed his name over and over, my voice raw with need, as my body tightened around him. Stars exploded behind my eyes, and in a kiss that felt like it reached into my soul, we both came undone.

He collapsed beside me, then rolled me on top of him, wrapping his arms around my waist and locking me there like I belonged no place else. We stayed wrapped in each other’s arms under the cozy blankets of the bed, the cool night air outside contrasted by the steady warmth radiating between us. Zahliver stared down at me with an intensity that made my breath hitch. His eyes held absolute love, fierce loyalty, and something so raw and open that it made my heart ache in the best possible way.

My fingers brushed gently along his back, and I felt the cool weight of the silver ring the newly given symbol of our eternal bond pressing lightly against his skin like a silent vow made real.

He pulled me flush against his chest, his arms wrapping securely around my waist and locking me there as if I belonged nowhere else in the world. The silver band on his finger caught the soft silver light filtering through the glass ceiling, a gentle gleam reminding me of everything that had just changed between us tonight.

I leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to the fresh tattoo over his heart, then let my hand trail down to trace the lines of the second one just beneath it. I could feel the steady, rhythmic beat of his pulse beneath my palm, a living reminder of the deep connection we shared.

When I looked back up, Zahliver was already watching me, his gaze completely alert and filled with a warmth that felt like home.

This night was not over yet. Not by a long shot. There was a whole lifetime ahead of us now, built on starlit promises and quiet truths.

He leaned down and pressed a gentle, lingering kiss to my lips, filled with something far deeper than words could ever capture. It felt like an anchor.

"Happy birthday, Vivian," he whispered softly against my skin.