My first kiss was in the third grade with a boy who was as curious as I was about lip-locking. We saw adults doing it all the time and wondered what all the fuss was about. So, we decided to find out. After a peck on the lips from my classmate, I was disappointed no fireworks erupted around us like I saw in a few cheesy romance movies. We’d both established that kissing was gross and overrated, and I never kissed a boy again after that.
This kiss with Cole might as well have come with fireworks because the first touch of his lips to mine almost made me combust. So, this was what all the fuss was about. When done properly and with the suitable someone, kissing was…magical. I swore I felt the earth tilt on its axis the moment Cole and I made contact. He was an amazing kisser. His hand slid around my nape and held me in place so he could command my mouth with obvious experience. I melted against him, following his lead.
The kiss wasn’t wild and raw but on the sweeter, gentler side, almost experimental, as if he were getting a feel for me, taking the time to discover what I liked. I did the same and tried to get a feel for him. My eyes closed, and I savored the feeling of the slight pressure of his mouth on mine. He coaxed my lips apart for a slow, sensuous exploration that made me wet between the legs.
That constant chill I felt on the inside, caused by his rejection, vanished because a flame flickered to life in my core and spread through my veins. I wanted more. The other being inside me, my wolf, stirred. It felt as if she clawed to get out, wanting to get closer to her mate. It was the first time I’d ever felt her so prominently. Something moved beneath my skin, frightening me. I gasped and yanked my mouth away from Cole’s.
I was breathless, dazed, and scared. “Something is wrong,” I whispered, clutching my chest. “I feel…” I wasn’t sure how to explain what I felt. “Like something wants to get out.”
Cole hadn’t let me go. His fingers rubbed comforting circles on my nape, which helped to calm me a bit. He seemed to understand what was happening to me. “Stay calm, Sydney. Your wolf gets stronger when she’s this close to her mate. The more we connect, the stronger she gets.”
I stared at him in wonder. There was still so much for me to learn about my werewolf half. “Really?” It made sense now. Before I discovered what I was, I hadn’t felt my wolf at all. It was like she’s stayed completely hidden so as not to frighten me. She’d only come out to protect me when that hunter showed up. When I got to New Orleans and met Cole, however, she’d made her presence completely known, and she got stronger each day. “Does that mean I’ll be able to shift, eventually?”
Cole’s eyes bore into mine. “I don’t think so. Half-breeds aren’t typically capable.”