Sometimes the mate bond gets the better of you, making you lose control. You had accepted Cassian as your mate two weeks ago, offering him a home-cooked meal made with warmth and love. To Cassian, it would forever remain the best day of his life. But that moment, that simple act of offering food, had opened the floodgates for a rush of raging instincts. Protective instincts were in overdrive, and the two of you had scarcely disentangled from one another during the two-week mating period.

Though this onslaught of newfound instincts and possession was a known given, Cassian had been granted two weeks’ leave by Rhysand, a mating gift—two weeks of solace to make love to you with no interruptions, keeping his mate entirely to himself.

Reluctantly, you had ventured out for the first time today. You had been desperate for a freshly baked treat from your favourite bakery, so Cassian had escorted you there, flying you over Velaris to satisfy your need as soon as possible.

Now, Cassian's heart races as he holds his beloved mate close, your petite frame cradled securely in his powerful arms. The cool evening breeze whips around you, tousling your hair and sending shivers across your skin. The sun dips low on the horizon, casting a warm amber glow over the city of Velaris sprawled out beneath you, the glittering spires and cobblestone streets bathed in the serene beauty of twilight.

Cassian can feel every inch of your lithe body pressed against his, the soft curves molding perfectly to the hard planes of his muscular torso. His large, calloused hands splay possessively over the gentle swell of your hips, fingers digging into the plush flesh as he struggles to maintain his tenuous grip on sanity.

The heady, intoxicating scent of your arousal fills his nostrils, stoking the flames of his desire to unbearable heights. Darkness creeps in around the edges of his vision as Cassian fights to keep himself in check, to hold fast to the last vestiges of his waning control. But it is a losing battle, one he knows he can’t hope to win. Not with the way your eyes gaze up at him with such raw, unbridled need. Not with the way your breathy, desperate plea echoes in his ears, a siren’s call he cannot resist.

“Fuck,” Cassian rasps, his voice a low, guttural growl that rumbles through his chest. The coarse fabric of his trousers strains against his throbbing arousal, as the thick length of him nestles against your soft, slick core.

“I can’t wait to get you back home,” he breathes against the delicate skin of your neck, his lips brushing over your racing pulse.

Cassian’s heart clenches, swelling with a fierce, all-consuming love and devotion. He would give anything, do anything, to bring his mate the pleasure and ecstasy they crave. To worship and cherish every inch of your body, to make you scream his name until it was the only word you knew.

“Don’t wait,” your words come out as a desperate whisper, a plea more than anything.

Your neediness sets Cassian aflame, dissipating any semblance of his control. With swift movements, he adjusts you in his arms, tugging your legs over his waist, bearing your core to him. Uncaring of the world behind you, lingering above the House of Wind, Cassian continues to beat his wings, keeping the two of you suspended as he notches himself at your entrance, meeting your eyes.

“Are you sure?” he whispers breathlessly, a splinter of control returning to him momentarily.