**Rhian's POV**
I had been stuck in the packhouse under guard for over a week now. Erick didn't believe that I was fully recovered and wanted me to rest. He thought it would be best if I spent the time here so that I would at the very least have others nearby versus the seclusion of the cabin.
Martha stopped by every day and as much as I enjoyed her company I wanted out of this place. I was missing out on all the cleanup and details of Eliza's destruction. Including the integration of my old pack to Samuels.
We decided we would name an interim liaison who would be able to either become the pack's alpha or name one. My step-brother was brought here so we could determine if he was involved in Eliza's schemes or another victim. Erick still hadn't let me see him yet but they didn't suspect him of any wrongdoings.
When the truth came out my pack had refused to fight on Eliza's pack. A few loyal rogues she had brought in had to be dealt with but they were focused near the castle and our attack teams dealt with them fairly easily. I was grateful to hear no one loyal to my former pack had died during the attacks.
I was sitting waiting for Erick to come back to the room so I could give him a piece of my mind. I still hadn't told him the full scope of the choice the Goddess gave me. Just that she had healed me. He was just still worried and as endearing as it was the first day I was ready to get back to normal.
Just as I had worked myself up to demand my freedom I heard his footsteps outside the door. He knocked lightly before opening the door, "Hey, how are you feeling?"
I huffed, "I am feeling fine. I would feel even better if you would let me leave this room! I may not be chained up this time but you are making me feel like I am still a prisoner."
He rushed across the room putting his arms around my waist and his forehead to mine. "I am so sorry. I didn't realize you felt that way. I just wanted to make sure you were safe. Seeing you in the condition you were terrified me. I thought I lost you."
"I understand, and it is why I didn't protest the first few days, but Erick, I am fine. I am telling you the Goddess healed me. The only thing that remains of those days is my memory. Look she even made sure I had no scars from Joel's claws." I lifted the back of my shirt to show him.
He ran his hand across my back trying to feel any residual scarring although I knew he wouldn't. "Even if the scars are gone I can't get the image to leave my mind." His head sank.
I pulled him in wrapping my arms around his neck. "Shh, please don't think about that. I am safe, I am alive, I am here with you. I know we can't change what happened but we can move forward knowing things are better, safer now." I got up on tiptoe and kissed his nose before resting my head on his chest tucked into the side of his neck.
I could feel his little growl of satisfaction as he wrapped his arms tighter. "You don't realize just how much I missed your little kisses."
I grinned, "Well I guess it is a good thing you will never have to live without them." I leaned up to kiss his nose again but he lifted his head at the last second and my kiss landed on his lips instead. It was tentative, soft, I think he was still afraid of hurting me.
I deepened the kiss, running a hand down his chest to his arm. I wrapped my leg around him and put his hand under my thigh. Moving my hand back around his neck he anticipated what I was leading to and grabbed my other thigh as I wrapped my legs around his waist.
Carrying me he backed up until I was pressed against the wall. We both moaned at the touch of the other's bodies. We hadn't been intimate since we had been back. I knew Erick was worried I was still fragile and might break. He was wrong I needed this, we needed this.
My kiss became frenzied the pent-up desire now finally releasing. My hips grinding into him I could feel his reaction to our kiss. Breathless I pulled away and whispered, "I need you." That was all it took.
Being braced against the wall he let go, I squeezed my legs tighter and he fumbled pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it. He went for my shirt next and the moment it cleared my head I felt his kisses along my neck.
His hands gripped tightly on my ass as he moved us off the wall. The sofa chair was the closest to us and he set me down. As he got down on his knees he quickly pulled my pants and underwear off. Leaving me naked and exposed and breathless on the couch.
"Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?" I chuckled as I scooted forward to the edge of the seat and took his face in my hands to kiss him again. After a few moments, he broke the kiss working his way down my neck. Stopping at my chest he swirled my nipples with his tongue.
It caused me to arch back as I moaned and he grinned as he lowered me back so I was laying now with Erick kneeling between my legs. He took a hand on either knee and opened my legs, "mmh beautiful." He winked at me before he started kissing my thighs working his way upward.
I was already turned on and he easily slid his finger inside of me. While his thumb circled my clit. His touch sent sparks through my body and my hips eagerly responded to his movements. I moaned as his finger was replaced with tongue and I cried out as I could no longer hold back my orgasm.
He stood up and reached his hand to help me up. He walked backward never breaking eye contact until he reached the edge of the bed. He brought me into his arms to kiss me again but I turned the tables on him. I pushed him and he flopped onto his back on the bed.
"I take it you're in charge now?" he chuckled.
"Yup, deal with it," I crawled onto the bed and put my knees on either side of his thighs. He was already excited and it was easy to guide him inside of me. He let out a gasp as I sat down fully on him. I leaned in and kissed his nose. "See you like when I am in charge!"
"I never said I didn't." He laughed as he brought me down closer with his hands tangled in my hair kissing me. Slowly pushing and rubbing my hips we moved together. Everything disappeared but him and I in that moment. It was intimate, I felt safe, protected in his arms it's where I was always meant to be.
Even the slow steady movements were causing the desire to well up inside me. As if he knew what I was thinking Erick sat up the angle caused him to move deeper inside me. I rocked my hips quicker in response. I wrapped my arms under him around to his shoulders.
My breathing was getting more rapid as the feeling built. With a final thrust, I felt Erick release as I clenched around him tightly feeling my own release. We were both still feeling the slight twitches of ecstasy we just experienced. Frozen in each other's arms.
After some time passed we both collapsed together on the bed laughing. I turned to put my head on his chest and wrap a leg around him. "Ready to believe I am feeling fine now?"
"OK, OK, I get your point. I will try my best to chill out. It's hard knowing I failed to protect you. You went through so much if I had been there you wouldn't have been tortured." His eyes showed fear and guilt as he spoke.
I leaned up on my elbow so I could see him more clearly. "Stop, it is not your fault. The only one to blame is Eliza. I want you to change your mindset if you feel an ounce of blame for this. Besides, in the end, it is all worth it because Eliza is dead and we will never have to deal with her again."
"But if anything ever happened to you I wouldn't have been able to live with myself."
I interrupted, "Then it is a good thing it didn't and it never will."
"What do you mean never will?"
"When I was unconscious I had a chat with the Moon Goddess. We're going to have to talk. She told me some of the information that was forgotten about the prophecy over the years."