Not long after their conversation, Killian had heard from his father, who assured them both that he would know the time and date of the attack before the end of the day. He was confident it was not imminent. The Neverland wolves were not ready, still training all day and all night, and James was predictable anyway. Brennan had said that he always let the wolves go out the night before an attack, to blow off steam and prepare themselves, but so far had not instructed them to do so.
"So, we have tonight," Killian told Emma softly, his eyes flitting over her figure as she sat on the other end of Liam's couch. They had tried to stay apart as much as possible, restraining themselves, and he offered her a small smile when she caught him looking at her. "By tomorrow my father will know more and we can head back to Misthaven."
"Only tonight?" Emma said sadly.
Killian nodded, giving her a short nod. "Don't worry, we'll make the most of it."
"Don't talk like this is our last night together," Emma said curtly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Killian began, but Emma cut him off with one of her adorable rants.
"Because this isn't, Jones. I swear, if you think I am willing to give up what makes my heart feel so complete, you have another thing coming." Emma exhaled hard, a pink tinge to her cheeks.
"You're cute when you rant," Killian told her with a smile, the distance between them still too large.
"I mean it," Emma told him firmly, sinking further into the cushions. They enveloped her body like a pseudo hug, a poor substitute for the wolf two seats over, but it was all she could endure right now. It wasn't just Killian who was fighting his urges, but they had agreed that if they worked together, they could manage. Maybe.
"Emma," Killian said her name like it was everything, and she met his sympathetic gaze with a sigh. "We have to be realistic. We both know what's going to happen when we go to Misthaven, so if tonight is all we have, we need to make it count."
"As good as the sex is," Emma smirked, her lips curving into a grin as she recalled the feeling of having Killian over every inch of her body. "I don't want our time together to be a reminder of what we could potentially lose."
"I understand," Killian nodded in agreement, wetting his lips with his tongue. Emma was right. Again. He had to live in the now and stop treating their future like it wasn't going to happen at all.
"I just want to spend time with you, like a normal couple, cuddling, playing games, just…" Emma blew out a breath, her frustration evident.
"I know," Killian agreed tenderly.
"Now I know you are half human, I am almost in love with the idea of getting to know that side just as much as I am in love with your wolf." Emma flopped her head back and rolled it sideways, catching Killian watching her babble with a reassuring smile.
"I'm a very boring human," Killian told her affectionately, leaning his elbow on the back of Liam's plush couch and resting his head on his hand. His fingers flexed in the back of his hair, lightly scratching his head.
"Is it too much to ask the universe to give us this one break?" Emma growled, ignoring his attempts at easing her anxiety, head rolling back on the couch and her eyes pinching closed.
"No, love," Killian interjected gently. Emma looked back over to him and he gave her that boyish smile again that made her melt. "So cute when you rant," he repeated, his grin widening and his cheeks almost touching his eyes.
"I'm still not happy," Emma grumbled, folding her arms over her chest. She had replaced her blouse with one of Liam's old t-shirts due to their earlier haste in disrobing, and Killian had promised to replace her clothes when everything was over with. Emma dearly wished to believe him but was struggling to accept his nonchalant attitude.
"It will be okay," Killian promised her yet again, desperate to reach out for her hand. "Though I'm not happy about the length of this couch," he smirked, casting a furiously aggravated glance over the offending cushions between them.
"Killian, we can't," Emma half whined, half laughed, hating the words as they left her mouth. "You can't control yourself," she accused with a playful grin.
"I can't control myself?" He laughed. "Might I remind you that my back is still throbbing from how hard you jumped me when I got back earlier." Emma blushed under his stare.
"This is absolutely the worst time to be in heat," she huffed, dropping her gaze to her legs, tucked up close to her body in an attempt to make herself as small as possible.
"I wish I could help," Killian said gently, his hand twitching beside his body and fingers flexing out towards hers.
"You could try being a little more unattractive," Emma teased.
Killian gasped, raising an eyebrow at her and then, unable to resist any longer, he crept along the length of the couch on his knees. He supported his weight with his hand on the back of the furniture, inhaling Emma's musk as he neared her, her divine flavor like a fragrant flower in his nostrils. "I am wounded," he grinned, shaking his head, sinking down beside her and resting a hand to the curve of her thigh. It wasn't much, but it was enough contact to fend off the wolf for now. "I could say the same thing about you. Even your wolf form would help ease my temptation."
Emma narrowed her eyes at him, poking the inside of her cheek as she contemplated his words. He was right, either way they did it. If one of them was in wolf form, and the other in human form, the pull would be easier to control. Humans were not inherently attracted to canines and vice versa. It was the perfect plan. Killian spied her face, deep in thought, and twisted his mouth into a pout.
"What did I say?" He quizzed her suspiciously. His other hand found the back of her head, stroking through her tresses automatically, his fingertips brushing the soft skin of her neck through her locks. "What are you thinking?"
"Wolf form!" Emma said simply, slapping her legs. She jumped to her feet, watched by a confused Killian who was pushed aside. She stalked to the bedroom and he waited on the couch, hearing a muffled commotion. He shuffled to the edge of the seat, feet bobbing on the floor, ready to accept her explanation, but instead, he was met with silence.
"Emma?" Killian called out, his voice uncertain.
The silence was broken suddenly by the gentle tapping on nails on the hardwood floor, the only sound that gave Emma away as she approached the door frame. She peered around the jamb, ears pricked high on her head and if Killian didn't know any better he would say she was blushing at him, nervously avoiding stepping out into the lounge. She gave him a look, a questioning glance that had him relaxing instantly, dipping her head in submission of his next words.
"Much better," he told her, arm extended out towards her and his shoulders relaxing as the need to ravage her all but disappeared.
Emma began to wag her tail, ears folding flat on her head as she approached him, eager to finally feel his hands on her skin. Killian obliged instantly, digging his fingers into her pelt until he felt the warmth of her skin on his, raking his nails through her fur as he stroked her with nothing but affection. Emma's fur was soft on his digits, softer than any wolf pelt he had ever known, and it danced with a mixture of hues that made her even more beautiful in wolf form.
Emma nuzzled her head into his hands like a pet dog who hadn't seen its owner for a time, a happy, puppy-like whine escaping her maw as he obliged her request for contact and petted her lovingly. She felt all of her worries leave her, every thought of home and her family fading away into nothing. She would return home, and it would be soon, but for right now, she was exactly where she needed to be.
"We need food," Killian suddenly exclaimed. Much to her annoyance, Killian stopped stroking his fingers through her fur and Emma sat back on her haunches, cocking her head to one side. "Liam has no food in this place," he told her and as he rose to his feet, she skidded backwards against the gripless flooring, eager to avoid getting stepped on.
Killian made his way to the kitchen to confirm what he had already known and Emma trotted after him obediently. Killian pulled open every cupboard, mumbling to himself about his good for nothing brother as he found a drawer stuffed full of nothing but takeout menus, whilst Emma sat at the threshold to the kitchen and watched him intently. He slammed the drawer closed and looked over to her wolf form as he sighed, her ears stiffening to alert when he did so.
"We could go shopping?" he offered and Emma gave him a disgruntled whine. "Of course," he agreed in realistation. She wouldn't be able to go inside with him but the idea of a huge, wolf like dog creature accompanying him to the local store was tickling him. "You could sit outside and wait?" he suggested and Emma leapt to her feet, growling low in protest of his idea. "Come on," he coaxed, stepping towards her. "I'll be quick. In and out. We won't be gone long."
Killian's playful grin had Emma barking at him, her deep, canine boom telling him in no uncertain terms how she hated his idea already. She spun in a circle, tail swishing over the length of her spine, jaws agape as she panted at him with an exaggerated sigh.
"Maybe not for you," he shrugged, answering her question without falter. "But I'll be having fun."
Emma barked again, a grumbling growl following her bay. Killian moved in front of her, sinking to his knee and ruffling his hands through the ruff of fur around her neck. She licked her lips, avoiding his eye contact as he tried to hold her gaze. Her green eyes shone so vibrantly in her wolf form that he was lost for a second, simply staring into her almond shaped eyes. Emma gruffly wiggled from his grasp again, her annoyance very telling as she hopped out of his reach.
"Okay, I'll go alone," Killian told her, relenting to her reluctance.
Emma barked at him again, her tone more high pitched and desperate. She didn't stop, her squeaky yapping like that of a much smaller animal. Killian looked at her and sighed, planting his hands on his hips and his brow knitting together in confusion when she finally stopped and sat down in front of him once more and began pawing at his knee over and over.
"Alright, alright, I won't go alone." Emma stopped her clawing, huge paw resting on his knee, tilting her head to one side again, her tail halting it's waving over her back. "You can be my protection," he smiled at her, watching her jump to her feet and spin on the spot excitedly.
Emma took off towards the door like a domestic dog about to go for a walk, nudging the door handle with her nose and looking back to the man following her. Killian stopped by the couch to pull on his boots, still sitting at the side of the furniture where he had discarded them, and listened to Emma's whine by the exit. She lifted a leg and began clawing at the door, finally lifting herself onto her hind legs and pounding the door handle with an onslaught of powerful hits.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Killian teased as he reached the door and she stopped, dropping to all fours and giving him a cheeky, wolfish grin. He looked at the claw marks in the door, clearly freshly made, and winced, smoothing his hand over the gouge marks with a chuckle. Liam was going to kill him. "I'm sure he won't even notice," he shrugged, pulling the door open and letting Emma rush past him out of the loft.
Emma had never walked down the street as a wolf before, let alone in broad daylight. She stuck to Killian's side, her shoulders brushing his thigh each time he put one foot in front of the other, her tongue lolling out to one side. There were humans everywhere, more than she had anticipated, and she kept a close eye on everyone as they passed. Not that she really had to. They all seemed very interested in the handsome man walking his overly large shepherd like dog.
When they reached the store on the corner, less than two blocks from Liam's loft, a familiar face appeared in front of them. It was a woman; Emma recognised her from when she had passed them on the other side of the street, who had taken it upon herself to drag her near elderly mother and her small, inquisitive child over to their side of the street. She was older than Killian but it clearly didn't bother her as she made her way towards them, having already double back on herself to get another look at Killian.
Emma emitted a low growl and Killian turned instantly, first in anticipation of finding a Neverland wolf, but then calming when he noticed it was just a threesome of human females, Emma's growl one of jealousy. He smirked, straightening his back and tucking one hand into his pocket as the other caressed Emma's skull, his fingers kneading her head gently.
"Easy," he teased and Emma looked up to give him a deadpan stare. He was faking a smile, a very human trait, and as they came closer, the high pitched squeal of the small child, no older than about six, pierced through Emma's ears.
"OH MY GOD! LOOK AT THE DOG!" She screeched, tugging her mother's hand towards Emma.
"Now, honey, that's not how you approach a dog," the grandmother said, giving Emma a wary glance. She looked her over, peering through the glasses balanced on the end of her nose. "Especially one so big," she commented idly, her eyes narrowed.
"I'm sorry," the mother apologised to Killian, suddenly forgetting she should be watching her child and letting the girls hand slip from hers. She changed her body language instantly, leaning casually on one hip, tossing her curled, brown hair over her shoulder with a flick of her wrist. "She saw your dog and wanted to come and say hi. I hope that is okay?" She wondered out loud.
"Of course," Killian smiled, scratching behind Emma's ear with a single finger. She looked up to him and huffed a breath, sitting down on the blazing hot pavement and beginning to pant. "She's very friendly."
"What's her name?" The little girl asked quickly, her face inches from Emma's as she studied the 'big dog' in front of her, a little reluctant to actually get too close.
"Emma," Killian said sweetly, and Emma tilted her head to give him another look. The bastard was enjoying this.
"Aww, that's adorable," the mother said again, not taking her eyes from the man in front of her. Emma watched as her gaze flickered up and down his torso, her bottom lip, bright pink from her lipstick almost too obvious as it rolled under her teeth.
"Isn't she?" Killian looked down at his companion again, giving her a wink.
"What breed is she?" The grandmother asked suspiciously.
"A lupine hybrid," Killian grinned. It wasn't a lie.
"Like with a wolf?" The little girl took a step back, pulling her hands to her chest.
"Yeah, like a wolf," Killian nodded.
"Is she dangerous?" the old lady questioned dubiously.
"Will she bite?" the little girl asked at the same time.
"No," he chuckled, shaking his head. The little girl watched in fascination as Killian leaned forward, rubbing his hands over the side of Emma's massive head and smoothing his fingers down the side of her muzzle. He wrapped his fingers around her snout, tipping her head backwards and planting a very human kiss to her nose with an audible smack. "She's a good girl," he cooed, putting on a baby voice and crushing his lips to the side of her softly furred muzzle.
"Does she do any tricks?" The little girl asked quickly, her rapid fire questions starting to grate on Emma. She hoped, pleading with her eyes, that Killian would say no. As much fun as he was having, she was not, and her ears sagged a little on her head.
"Sweetie, of course she doesn't," the mother laughed, a fake chortle tumbling out of her throat in a high pitched screech. It was awful, the most painful sound Emma had ever heard, but her discomfort was short lived and replaced with jealousy when the mother casually laid her hand on Killian's bicep. "Right, Mr…?" she prompted, feeling the curve of his muscle through his shirt.
His gaze dropped to the woman's hand on his arm and he suddenly felt more than uncomfortable. He blushed, much to the mother's amusement it seemed, and she gave him a hungry grin. Before he had time to respond, the woman was barged out of the way as Emma jumped up at Killian and protectively rested her paws on his shoulders. She wagged her tail, more for show, and Killian planted his hands on her ribcage, stroking them through her fur.
"See, even the dog thinks you're a slut, Janice," the grandmother quipped spitefully with a roll of her eyes.
"Mom!" she screeched, her cheeks pinking.
"Don't worry, girl," Killian said gently, stroking the sides of Emma's face and ignoring the domestic squabble between the women. "I only have eyes for you." Emma's tail began another rhythmic wag and Killian smiled at her longingly. He knew she understood him, felt her heart as if it were his own, and he also understood her frustration with this situation. "In and out," he told her softly, letting her push off his shoulders as she jumped down to the floor.
"Can I pet her?" the small girl said, looking up to Killian a little more confidently now that he had been so close to the huge dog's mouth.
"Sure," Killian smirked. "I'm just popping inside, but feel free."
The small girl almost squealed with glee, her grandmother waiting with her as her mother stalked Killian into the store. The automatic doors slid open and a wave of cool air flooded out toward where Emma sat, her neck craning to watch her mate disappear around the corner with another woman.
Emma felt helpless. There could be anyone inside, and Killian could be in real danger without her, but to keep under the radar, she was relegated to acting the part of his pet in broad daylight. She hadn't minded until the woman known as 'Janice' had put her hands on him, putting Emma in a positional dilemma. She couldn't growl, the old lady already had her under a keen observation, clearly not buying Killian's hybrid story.
"He won't be long," the little girl assured her innocently. She patted Emma on the head hard, a little too hard, her stiffened hand smoothing the fur between Emma's ears awkwardly. "Maybe he'll get you a treat," she smiled.
Emma whined, a canine reaction she couldn't stop as she felt suddenly empty. Was this what it felt like to dogs when humans left their pets unattended? It was awful, the whole world disappearing from her mind. All she could focus on was Killian inside a store with a strange woman drooling over him like he were a piece of meat. God, she hated humans sometimes.
"Don't cry," the little girl soothed, her chubby little fingers sliding down to Emma's neck. The girl was sweet, her chubby cheeks actually a little adorable and Emma took her eyes off the doors for a second to look at her. The girl seemed to like that and grinned back, a broad gap-toothed grin that would have had human Emma laughing joyfully. Her tail swished against the ground and she lifted her paw, offering it to the little girl who struggled to grab it with two hands. "A trick!" the little girl screamed at her grandmother who was busy chatting to another woman her own age. "She did a trick!"
"Yeah, honey, that's great," she droned, not turning around once.
Emma felt sorry for the girl. She was excited to find something she really had a passion for, in this case, dogs, and it seemed that no one in her life shared her enthusiasm. Emma wondered if she had a pet at home, but surmised most likely not. The little girl was dressed like a pageant contestant, wearing a little pink dress that was far too short for her, glittery shoes and her hair in tightly curled pigtails. She looked the epitome of uncomfortable and Emma, for a split second, understood her clear need to please her family at her own emotional expense.
The little girl dropped her head and Emma's paw, unable to hold it up any longer, and Emma noticed immediately that her smile had faded away. Her hand found Emma's fur again, tussling the hairs around her neck slowly, as if in thought, and Emma shifted her seated weight forward until she was almost touching the little girl's face. The little girl looked at her, directly into Emma's vibrant green eyes and without any prompting, launched at the canine before her.
Emma had never been hugged in wolf form by a human before, but she had heard that the human race found comfort in animals. Dogs especially were supposed to be relaxing, a good source of relief when feeling frustrated, and she had heard that studies showed that stroking a dog could lower a human's blood pressure. Emma felt the little girl sigh, burying her face into the reddish hairs around Emma's neck, clutching her pelt in her little fingers.
Just as the little girl and Emma parted, the automatic doors slid open and Killian walked out. He nudged his head sideways, motioning for Emma to follow him quickly and when she jumped to her feet, she noticed that there was no Janice in tow. Somehow, Kilian had managed to ditch the cougar of a woman somewhere in the store and had made a speedy exit after paying for his popcorn and an overly large dog bone.
Emma trotted alongside him, her gait quickened to match his strides, tongue lolling out of one side of her mouth. She looked up at him and he gave her a look of desperation, silently pleading her with his eyes to hurry away from the store as quickly as her legs would carry her. When they rounded the corner, into the shadow of the opposing building, Killian slowed a little and began to laugh.
"I know too much about Janice," he laughed nervously, rolling his eyes at Emma. She barked playfully, bouncing beside him as he cast one last glance over his shoulder. "Come on, let's get back to the loft, before she works out I'm gone."
Their walk home had been uneventful and even though the sight of a huge hound accompanying a handsome man was the stuff of many a women's daydream, they made it back to Liam's loft without further incident. Emma was relieved to get in the door, nudging it open with her snout and out of Killian's hand as he clutched at the groceries that threatened to fall from his arms.
"Hey!" He scolded her lightly, catching the door before it hit the wall behind as it swung open. Liam was already going to be annoyed about the door, they didn't need to add a hole in the wall to his list of things he was going to invoice them for. "Easy," Killian said softly and Emma raised a wolf eyebrow in his direction, shaking dramatically. Tiny bits of broken fur danced around her, sinking down to the floor unnoticed.
He laughed, shutting the door behind him and making his way through to the kitchen area. He deposited the popcorn and unnecessarily large ham bone on the counter, smirking when he remembered what he had purchased. He held it up, the smell of oven baked jerky style meat filling his nostrils. Emma cocked her head sideways, giving him a knowing look.
"I had to buy something for you," he sympathised, looking a bit sheepish. "Janice was adamant." Emma groaned, her maw closing and her ears flopping sideways when she tilted her head in the other direction. "You're right," Killian agreed with her 'really?' stare, spinning on his heels and stepping on the pedal to Liam's trash can. The lid flew open and he tossed the bone in the trash. "Bad form, but don't worry, I got you popcorn too."
The sound of rustling packets echoed through the loft as Killian made his way to the couch. He toed off his boots near to the couch, popcorn and beer in his hands and inched past Emma's wolf form, sinking onto the couch cushions with a flop. He leaned forward and grabbed the remote from the coffee table between them and the TV, Liam's modest wall mounted flat screen turning on with a buzz.
"So, I didn't know if you'd want salt, sweet, or salt and sweet," Killian said quickly, indicating each of the flavours of popcorn as he fell back into the cushions. Emma sniffed at each, not really knowing, pushing at the crunchy sounding bags with her nose. She gave him a trusting look, the warm green of her eyes something he could gaze upon all evening, and heaved a sigh. She didn't know, having never tried anything but her mother's simple buttered popcorn that she always found bland and tasteless. "That's what I thought you'd say, so we'll just try all three."
Killian patted the couch cushion beside him and without hesitation, Emma jumped into the space. The previously semi solid block of foam gave under her weight, dipping the seat where her feet were and making the couch frame creak. Ignoring her attempts to get comfy beside him, Killian reached for one of the bags of popcorn, pulling the edges and enjoying the buttery smell as it burst open.
"Salt first," he told her, diving his hand into the bag and pulling out a single piece of the popped corn. Emma had sat beside him by now, arranging her tail so it was beside her and not crushed at the back of the cushions, and she watched the yellow piece of corn come her way. Killian held it out to her as she sniffed at it, her nose twitching from side to side, licking it tentatively before she nibbled on the tiny piece comically.
Killian laughed at her antics, rolling the piece around in his fingertips. "You have to eat the whole thing," he told her sweetly and Emma shook her head, snorting her disgust. "No? Not a fan of salt?" Killian arched his brow and Emma swiped at it, slapping her huge padded paw into his hand and sending the offending piece of popcorn flying to the floor. Killian laughed, bopping her nose playfully. "Let's try sweet then. I know you have a sweet tooth, love."
He rolled the top of the salted bag down, sealing it closed with the provided sticker. Then he reached for the next bag, the sweet one, and as he pulled the top edges apart, the smell of lightly roasted caramel and sugar filled their senses. Emma's tail began a thumping motion against the couch in her excitement and Killian's lips twitched into a coy smirk. "Careful, love," he teased, using a crooked finger to tickle under her chin. "You're drooling."
Emma smacked her lips together, tongue swiping around her maw as if she had been denied food her entire life. It never ceased to fascinate Killian how, in wolf form, despite being mostly human, there were just some canine quirks and urges a werewolf could never hide. Emma flopped down onto her belly, her elbows sinking into the gap between the couch cushions and rested her head on Killian's lap. He moved the bag, looking down at her pleading eyes.
"Oh, Emma," he said with an accusatory tone. "Don't look at me like that!" His voice was smooth, like he was talking to a child, and he all but begged her to stop her dejected dog routine. "Here," he relented, stuffing a hand into the bag and pulling it out laden with the sweet treat. Emma jumped back up into a sit, a soft whine escaping her maw as she panted enthusiastically and waited for Killian's hand to reach her face, already in love with sweet popcorn from the smell alone, but gobbling it down just to make sure.
"I think sweet popcorn is a winner," Killian told her with a chuckle, Emma's tongue swishing around her whiskers for any last trace of the sugary coating that may have stuck there.
The evening wore on, Killian in human form and Emma in wolf form, both of them enjoying each others company but the threat that loomed over Misthaven weighing heavy on both their minds. With Emma in wolf form, it made it easy for Killian to focus, strategize and make sure he was ready. There would be no room for error, during the battle or after, and should he survive the former, he was almost certain he would not survive the latter.
The TV flickered from the images alone, the sound shut completely off as he lay the length of the couch and stared blankly at the images in front of him. Emma was asleep, moulded to the contours of his body in her wolf guise, almost the same length as Killian was on the couch. She was heavy but he did not mind, enjoying the heft of her body as she gently snored. One of Killian's hands was behind his head, propping it up further than the single pillow he was lying on would allow, and the other was idling in Emma's fur.
Killian hadn't even realised he was stroking Emma until she sighed in her sleep, letting out a groan. He watched her twitch, eyelids flickering under her eyelids and her lips curling into a snarl every so often. She huffed, blowing air out of the side of her lips with a puppy like squeak that made Killian wonder what she was dreaming of and if she was okay. He knew the dream world as a wolf was different to that of humans, mainly consisting of images of running and predatory behaviours, but he couldn't help but ponder if the dream they shared was currently plaguing his love.
"Shhh," he soothed, pulling her velvet soft ear through his fingers, stroking the extremity in a gentle motion. He repeated his action when Emma's claws flexed into his shoulders, a sure sign she was distressed in her reverie. "Shh, Emma, I'm right here," he whispered to her tenderly, lips almost touching her ear. Her fur tickled at his mouth and Emma let out an almighty sigh, stilling on his chest.
She stirred, not waking, but moved to nudge her snout further up under his chin. She curled her body in tighter, tucking her tail between her back legs and she did so with a stiffening stretch, relaxing back into her sleep a second later. Killian's eyes fluttered closed, his eyelids heavy from lack of sleep and simply unable to stay awake any longer, he drifted off as well.
The groan Emma emitted as she shifted back to her human form roused Killian from his sleep. The loft was pitch black, the TV long since having turned itself off, and there was no sound from the street outside. Not that he wouldn't have heard the unmistakable sound of a shift, or even just Emma's soft whimpers as she transformed back into a human, gloriously naked and still sprawled out over his chest.
It took him a few seconds to focus his watery gaze and when he did, Emma was staring back at him with a subtle pink tinge to her cheeks. Her chin rested on his chest, her golden hair like the paradox of sunshine at midnight tumbling down the sides of her head and framing her beautiful face. He gave her a welcoming smile, reassuring her instantly that her shift hadn't hurt him in any way or embarrassed him.
"Hi," she whispered softly, raking her hand through her hair and rolling the joints of her shoulders this way and then that until the bones cracked under her skin.
"Hey," Killian whispered back and before he had time to do anything else, his hand had found the luxury of Emma's skin, ghosting over her ribcage and coming to a rest on her hip. "I missed you," he smirked. Emma was naked, and as much as he was trying, her scent was invasive and his body stirred to life at the exact moment his brain registered her aroma on his tongue.
"I've been right here," Emma told him coyly, raising her eyebrow at him. She shifted her weight until she was sitting upright and across his hips, her hands planted firmly on his t-shirt clad chest, and the seam of his jeans rubbing against her bare sex. It made her nipples tighten into hard nubs on her perfectly shaped breasts and Killian couldn't help but notice, biting his bottom lip.
"Not like this," he declared, arousal clear in his voice. His eyes followed his hands as they skated over her skin, memorising every inch of her flesh like he might never see it again. The jutting of her hips caught his attention and he kneaded the slightly spongy skin there, his fingernails leaving light indents in her skin. "I like you like this."
Emma laughed shyly, covering herself with her arms, much to Killian's disapproval. "How can you be so sweet and innocent one second, rubbing my ears until I fall asleep and then…"
"What, love?" Killian growled darkly, taking in the sight of her naked form once more when he pulled her arms away from her chest and he could see her nipples straining for his attentions. He grinned. "So horny?"
"Exactly," Emma smirked.
"Wolf heat or not, you're amazing, Emma. You do things to me," Killian smirked, biting his tongue between his teeth and bouncing her on his lap. Emma let out a gasp, hands falling back onto his chest to balance herself and make sure she didn't fall sideways off the couch.
"So I can feel," Emma purred, leaning forward and almost whispering the words against his lips. Killian's hands skimmed over her arms and Emma couldn't help but caress his pointed ears, fascinated by their shape and tracing the outline with her fingertip. "But we shouldn't," she said with a sigh, sitting back upright and blowing out a frustrated breath.
"What?" Killian cried incredulously. "Why would you say that?" He knew why, but it didn't stop him voicing his sexual frustrations. "I know you want it too," he grinned, his bottom lip between his teeth. He looked up at the naked woman on his lap, grinding herself against his jean clad length with the most salacious grin on her face he had ever seen. "Tell me I'm wrong," he challenged, hands on her thighs where his fingertips were dancing over her skin.
"Oh, you're not wrong," Emma sighed, eyes fluttering closed when Killian's hands skimmed up the inside of her thigh.
"You want me," Killian droned seductively.
"I want you," Emma sighed again, her fingers clutching at his shirt when his thumb brushed over the apex of her thighs and her clit began to throb. "I guess we need to pass the time somehow," Emma whimpered, rolling her hips against Killian's thumb.
Being in wolf form had been perfect, but had left both of them with so many pent up urges, that they didn't even feel like themselves right now. They were slaves to their animal natures, Emma's soft whimpers like music to Killian's ears as he tortured her clit with the barest of touches.
"Is that a yes?" Killian teased, watching her face contort with pleasure as she slid her hands across the ridges of her ribs, almost, but not quite touching her own nipples. The sight of her touching herself was immense, something that made Killian grow even harder in his underwear, the fabric rubbing his engorged tip almost painfully.
"Fuck it," Emma growled, slamming her hand into Killian's chest. It took him by surprise and he pulled his hands from her sex. Emma balled the material of his t-shirt up in her fists and yanked hard, pulling him into an upright sit and crushed her lips to his. "Yes. That's a yes," Emma sighed against his open mouth, relaxing into his embrace when Killian wrapped his arms around her torso and his hands roamed her back.
Killian's fingers dug into her shoulder blades, holding her to him and letting her rub herself against his length, her motions teasing him to the edge. His manhood ached, a deep, painful throb down in his abdomen, the thrill of Emma's dominance something he would never tire of. As a male, he was inherently commanding, but damn if he didn't like to be controlled by the she-wolf currently working herself into a frenzy.
"I love it when you're in charge," Killian panted, his hands skimming down her back and slipping between her cheeks. Emma gasped a little, lifting herself up so he could feel how wet she was. "So wet," Killian growled, slipping his fingers through her folds from behind, teasing a finger over her opening as she ground her clit against his jeans. Their foreheads were touching, faces pressed together and Emma arched her chest into his, the cotton of his t-shirt rubbing her begging nipples and her hands roughly clutching his sleep messed hair as she nodded.
Emma grinned slyly, licking his lips as she pulled her mouth from his. Killian chased after her mouth eagerly, but Emma grabbed his jaw and held him at bay. Her hooded stare flicked over his features, hair ruffled and cheeks flushed red. She just smirked, imagining his pretty lips between her legs, tongue ravaging her clit until she came.
"You want the bad wolf?" Emma purred seductively and Killian nodded his head in her hands.
"I want her," he gulped, his erection painful in the confines of his jeans. Emma shifted her weight, well aware of the pain it would cause him, and Killian winced, groaning through gritted teeth.
Emma felt the muscles of his jaw tick under her fingertips and grinned. She reached down between their bodies, popping the button on Killian's jeans in one deft move, relishing in the way he moaned in relief. "You think you can handle her again?" Emma ran her tongue along the seam of his bottom lip, nibbling the plump flesh between her teeth and biting down, gently tugging his lip before sucking the pain away. Killian ground out another wrecked groan and shuddered, his eyes fluttering closed as he focused all of his energy on not coming in his pants. "Do you?" Emma repeated her question, lightly slapping his face.
Emma got her answer, but it wasn't in words. Killian gathered her up in his arms, his biceps straining under his shirt as he pushed himself to his feet and Emma wrapped her legs around his waist, clutching the back of his head for balance. It was pitch black in the loft but Killian could see, they both could, and he expertly made his way through the gauntlet of furniture towards Liam's bedroom.
Emma giggled in his arms, finding his mouth once more and teasing his tongue with hers as she kissed him, hard. Killian made the bed just in time, losing his grip on Emma's poker hot skin and throwing her onto the mattress. She squealed excitedly, clawing her way towards the headboard and biting her finger, teasing the tip of it around her lips as she gave Killian a salacious look.
"Looks like someone else's bad wolf has come out to play," Emma smirked sexily.
Killian growled, his eyes the darkest shade of grey-blue Emma had ever seen them. He shed his jeans quickly at the foot of the bed, stalking around the side and never taking his eyes off the prize in front of him. Emma smiled coyly, sucking the tip of her finger into her mouth and then scooting to the edge of the bed to greet Killian's now rock hard erection, poking out proudly from under the edge of his t-shirt.
Killian threaded his hands into Emma's hair, cradling the back of her skull in his hand and guiding himself into her mouth. There was no hesitation, Emma meeting him mid thrust with her tongue flat to the underside of his cock and her nimble fingers kneading the tightness in his balls. He sighed, knees shaking a little as Emma relaxed her throat, taking him to the very back of her mouth and swallowing around him.
Emma sucked his length, replacing her hot, wet mouth with her hand when she needed to breathe, stroking him languidly and teasing her palm over his sensitive tip. Killian brushed her hair back, holding it away from her face so he could watch her lathe his length with her tongue, lips forming a tight suction around him each time he disappeared into her mouth. His grip tightened on her hair and Emma smiled, feeling him harden even more when he hit the back of her throat and her gag reflex clamped around his tip.
"Fuck," he hissed, pistoning his hips into her mouth even harder. He held her face in place, fucking her mouth with quick, shallow thrusts that dragged his tip along the ridges of the roof of her mouth and made her teeth lightly scrape his length. When Emma gagged, her body heaving forward and her fingernails digging into his thigh, he released her with a content grunt.
Emma pulled her head back, releasing him with a pop and Killian let his hold relax, looking down into her watery eyes in awe. "I thought you wanted the bad wolf?" Emma purred, licking the tip of her tongue along the underside of his head. His erection was so hard it was almost purple and if he didn't come soon he thought he was going to explode.
Killian grabbed Emma's ankle, swinging her body sideways so she was sprawled across the width of the bed on her front and her feet were touching his lightly haired thighs. Emma laughed excitedly, her skin buzzing in anticipation of his next move, tossing her hair over her shoulder and casting a glance his way. He took a hold of both of her feet, dragging her towards him a little more, his huge palm slapping the flesh of her behind hard.
Emma cried out on a gasping breath, her buttocks clenching and her grin widening. Killian's hair had become a little damp from sweat and he struck Emma again in exactly the same place, delighting in the way she tensed away from him and a red, hand-shaped welt appeared on her creamy, white globe. Emma gave him a raised eyebrow, the apples of her cheeks almost touching her eyes as she smiled at him with a glint in her emerald greens.
"He's already here," Killian growled darkly, looking down at the thick length in his hand, the velvety skin shifting up and down as he stroked himself. "You want him?"
"Yes," Emma whined, almost begging. She squeezed her thighs together for a little friction, thrusting her pelvis into a ripple in the duvet cover, anything to relieve the ache between her legs.
"You think you can handle him?" Killian teased idly, reaching into the bedside drawer and pulling out a little silver foil packet. It was their last one and Killian silently thanked whoever was watching over them for making sure with all of their other escapades they hadn't used them all.
Emma chuckled, his words an echo of hers earlier, their roles reversed but not for the worse. She raised herself up on all fours, shuffling to the edge of the bed as he sheathed himself in the latex condom, rubbing herself against the tightness of his balls playfully. Killian hissed at the searing hotness against his skin and began to ooze inside of the condom when he rubbed his length between the cheeks of Emma's behind.
They were so worked up, wound so tightly, neither of them was going to last much longer. They were at the behest of their sexual desires, two wolves with nothing to lose but each other, and as Killian lined himself up and sank into Emma's molten core, all of their roleplay faded away. There didn't need to be an alpha in the bedroom. There was no need for dominance with them, just love, pure and simple, and their whole demeanour changed instantly.
"Turn over, love," Killian insisted gently, helping Emma onto her back. She complied willingly, brushing the hair from her face and letting him pick her up and move her into the middle of the bed. They stayed intimately connected, Emma's muscles gripping his length as they moved and Killian took a second to shed his shirt so that they were both naked.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked softly, gasping when he began to move inside of her again.
"Of course," Killian assured her, wrapping her legs around his waist and making sure he was seated perfectly inside of her as he laid his body down over her own. "I just want to make love to you." He had stilled, eyes flitting over her flustered features and he could feel the thrall of Emma's arousal coursing through his senses, urging him to pound into her with abandon until he was lost forever, but he resisted, cock twitching inside of her as he awaited her response, fingertips brushing a stray strand of hair from her brow.
"No one has ever made love to me before," Emma smiled, her hand finding the side of his face and cupping his cheek in her hand.
"Well, then, may I be the first?" Killian's sudden nervousness made Emma blush, her sweet smile stretching from ear to ear on her face. She nodded, her voiceless reply prompting his long, slow movements, his hips rolling into her and teasing the bundle of nerves between her legs on each thrust.
There was almost no space between them, Emma's breasts flattened by Killian's bulk, his elbows beside her head and hands stroking through her hair lovingly. His lips found hers again and he kissed her, deep, deliberate swipes of his tongue that mirrored his hips, Emma's tongue meeting his like the roll of her own hips. A sheen of sweat began to appear on their bodies and their heavy panting had turned the room humid, neither of them even realising.
Killian made sure to take his time, what little resolve he had left, and could feel every ripple and ridge inside Emma as he pulled out and then sank back into her warmth each time. She was wet, practically soaking the duvet where she lay and he glided in with ease each time. Emma whimpered at the peak of each of his thrusts, her moans gobbled up by his mouth on hers and without warning, stinging tears sprang from her eyelids and rolled down the side of her face.
Killian noticed her breath hitch but didn't stop his ministrations, kissing her harder to reassure her that they would be okay. Neither of them knew what tomorrow was going to bring, or if Killian would still be alive by the week's end, so if this moment was all they had, they had to make it last. Killian's thumb smoothed over her cheek, wiping away her tears and he began doubling his efforts in chasing her orgasm, angling his hips just so when he heard her make the sound he had come to recognise as an indication of her impending release.
"Shhh, love, It's going to be okay." He rolled his hips harder, bumping her clit with his pubic bone, holding her legs to his hips when they began to shake. She was close. He could feel her muscles begin to pinch at his length, drawing his own climax from him, but he didn't want to come yet. He wanted to make love, show Emma that she was the most precious thing to him and that he had meant every single word he had said.
He would fight for her, for them, and he would give her forever. If they had that long.
Emma pulled her lips from his suddenly, her breathing too shallow and she clutched the back of his head, holding his damp forehead against hers as her body began to shudder beneath him. She locked her feet behind his back, getting the right angle that way, her muscles fluttering inside of her as Killian's girth coaxed her release from her with each thrust.
"Come for me, Emma," Killian begged, his words nothing more than a whispered breath in her ear. "Let me feel you fall." His beard tickled her chin as he kissed her again, needing to feel her lips on his before he fell with her.
With a stuttering moan, Emma went rigid, her orgasm ripping through every cell in her body like nothing she had ever felt before. It was different, not as intense, but no less pleasurable that any release she had experienced before. She went deaf, all sound replaced with a low frequency buzz and she felt Killian jerk his hips sporadically, his own climax following seconds after hers.
When the tingle of her euphoria ebbed away and her hearing returned, Killian was kissing her collarbone and holding her as closely as he could without crushing her. Emma's hands skimmed over the expanse of his back, his muscles rippling under her touch, the charm necklace he wore stuck between their bodies and unmoving when Emma's fingers pulled the chain around his neck.
"I promise to always love you," Killian panted against her skin between open mouthed kisses. "Nothing can make me stop."
"Forever," Emma breathed, fingers tickling the hair at the base of his neck.
"Forever," Killian repeated, seizing her lips once more.