The Fallen: Angels of Darkness

Daughter of a Legend III

Phoenix leaned forward to rest her head on his shoulder as the back roads blurred by and she contemplated how she was going to approach this conversation. She had always been confident, fierce, someone who took what she wanted and she also had a secret weapon on her side. She needed to stop acting nervous and shy and remember that Will was her best friend and she'd always been up front with him. She knew he had looked at her with lust, but she had never acted on it and it was well past time she grew a spine and remembered she was an Alpha. She had always loved him and hoped he reciprocated her sentiments because the alternative devastated her. She spent the ride breathing in his intoxicating scent that calmed her so she had gained some courage by the time they reached the hotel and slid off the bike with newfound determination. "Before we check in, will you take a walk with me on the beach?"

"Is something wrong?"

The concern was evident in his gravelly baritone and it reminded her of yet another reason she had fallen for this man. She took his hand in her much smaller one because it had always brought them both comfort and started towards the sand, taking her boots off once they reached it. Phoenix had always loved the beach because it made her feel grounded, but it also reminded her of just how small she was in the grand scheme of things. That was another reason that she had gravitated towards Will. Even though she recognized how inconsequential she was to the universe, he thought she was phenomenal and she had always known she could dominate the world with him by her side. It was an indescribable feeling to know there was someone who had her back even when she was wrong.

He didn't push her to speak as they strolled along the shore, allowing her to contemplate what she would say and she was thankful for his patience. They walked in silence for ten minutes before she pulled him to sit in the sand just close enough for the waves to lap her feet and she turned to face him. His familiar features filled with affection gave her the courage and confidence to pour her soul out to him. "I want you to tell the hotel that you booked too many rooms and you only need one. I don't want you to leave me."

"Of course I will. I didn't think about the fact that you may need a friend close by with everything going on."

She shook her head, biting her bottom lip, nervous tick she had always had and took a deep breath to steady her rattled nerves. "No. That's not how I meant it, Will... Look, I've never voiced this because I was terrified you wouldn't feel the same, but I can't hide from this any longer.". Goddess, why did it suddenly feel like there wasn't enough oxygen?! Stop acting like a little b***h, Serrafim! "I started falling for you when you very first arrived, but I never said anything because I just figured it was a childish crush, but I was wrong. You're my best friend in the world and I fall harder for you every single damn day. I don't understand it because Hel has never said you're our mate, but your presence is the only thing in the world that can bring me back from the brink. I don't really know what's going on, but I know I need to be with you. I know our souls are intertwined even without my wolf. I'm in love with you, William Winston, and it's about damn time that you know it."

A million emotions bombarded him when those words left her ruby lips, the most prevalent being elation, but it was quickly followed by dread. He couldn't do this, couldn't betray the trust Steve had gifted him even if he wanted this more than anything in all of the vast galaxies. "You've got no idea what that means to me and I'd give anything to be with you always, but I just can't. Your dad was my best friend as much as you are and I just can't do that to him."

Her silver eyes swirled with a mischief that piqued Will's full attention and she decided it was time to deploy her secret weapon. "Are you honestly that dense?" she teased and his brow furrowed with absolute confusion. "My dad absolutely adored you and he was perceptive enough to see exactly what I felt before I could even admit it to myself. I actually denied it to his face and he just chuckled and told me when I was ready to admit it to myself, I had his blessing."

His heart hammered thunderously in his chest with hope, but he needed to hear her say she was serious. That Steve had honestly approved. "What do you mean?"

"I asked Daddy that exact same question," she murmured, a loving smile curving her lips as she fell into a memory of her father. "He told me that he saw the way we looked at each other, not to even bother denying it and that we had his approval. He hated the idea of his 'princess' with anyone, but, if he had to choose anyone, it would be you. He said that you would take care of me even when I didn't want you to. Then he told me that when I finally accepted my feelings, we had his blessing because he had always viewed you as his son anyway and that he could tell you would fight for me until your last breath. He said that was the kind of love he always wanted for me and who better to take care of me than his best friend."

Will was in the midst of a maelstrom of emotions, the most dominant being disbelief because he couldn't imagine a realm where Steve gave his blessing to anyone. He made it clear time and again that no one in the universe was good enough for his angel and Will had always agreed. The mere idea of her with another man made him homicidal. "Why didn't he ever tell me this?"

Phoenix tossed him a secretive smile and her magical laughter filled the space around them, making his soul take wing. "I was 16 when he put the pieces together and it wouldn't have exactly been kosher to give his almost 20 year old Beta permission to date me. He also told me that I should date because once I told you there would be no turning back. He actually thought we'd be mates when I turned 18 and when we weren't he informed me there are some bonds stronger than mate bonds and he was sure that was what we had. He said a bond like that was one that would reveal itself over time and not even death would separate us."

His blood froze in his veins as he tried to unravel the meaning behind those words, but only one answer made any sense. Steve had known Phoenix was his anima. How was that even possible? Had the wily old wolf known what he was all along? That was impossible though unless he hasn't been just a mere wolf. Will had often gotten the feeling that the old Alpha was more than he seemed, but in all the years he'd known Steve, he'd never given a true sign that he was more than a badass wolf. If Steve had told Phoenix there were bonds stronger than the wolves', it meant he was wasn't just a wolf because Will's kind were exceedingly secretive. So if Steve was more than a wolf, what did that make his daughter? He quickly decided that he didn't give two shits about what she may be at the moment. The woman he'd been pining over for eight years had just declared her love for him and that was the only thing in any dimension that he gave a f*ck about. "I love you too, Nix, more than you'll ever be able to fathom. I'm fairly certain my soul belonged to you the moment I laid eyes on you. Deep down I've always known that we belonged to each other."

Phoenix stared at him for a brief moment before she leaned forward, twining her arms around his neck and smashed her lips to his. She kissed him passionately, allowing all the emotions she'd harbored for a decade to pour into it and he responded in kind. He deepened the kiss, long fingers framing her face, tongue plunging into her mouth and she couldn't contain the moan that fell from her lips. The kiss was filled with an entire decade's worth of passion which quickly escalated as she straddled him and pressed herself firmly against his chest. His hands fell to her ass, squeezing hard enough to be painfully pleasurable and she tore away with a gasp. "What do you say to checking into our room before I wind up f*****g you on this beach?"

A low growl rumbled up his chest at her words and he bolted to his feet with her still in his arms, causing her to erupt in laughter which earned her a grin. "You best be careful what you say, gorgeous girl, or I might be inclined to follow through," he replied as he strolled casually towards the hotel with her still in his grasp. When they reached the parking lot, he placed her on her feet beside the bike and brushed a gentle kiss across her irresistible lips. "Wait here and I'll run and grab our room key." He was in and out with their keys in under two minutes and grabbed her hand enthusiastically to lead her upstairs to their room. He unlocked the door, pulled her in, slamming it shut behind them and pressed her up against it. "Now, where were we?"

She responded by tugging her top off, unclasping her bra to fall carelessly to the floor and pressed her bare breasts against his chest. She felt his erection near her belly button, proof of how much he wanted her too and the knowledge made her confidence sky rocket. "It would be much easier to show you than tell you," she murmured huskily, threading her fingers through his hair and nipped his bottom lip, earning a lust filled growl. He lightly traced his calloused fingers up her ribcage until his hands cupped her breasts, giving her n*****s a rough squeeze and she slammed her lips to his, moaning erotically. Her hands fumbled with his vest, shoving it from his shoulders, unbuttoned his dress shirt and sent it to meet his best so she could feel his skin against her's.

"If you have any doubts whatsoever about this, you need to tell me now because of this goes any further, I won't be able to stop."