(Aren's PoV)

There has been torrential rain for too many days now and it is driving me to distraction. I have not had a moment alone with Elissa since Samhain and this accursed weather has kept me from my nightly ritual of flying up to her balcony to kiss her goodnight.

Moodily, I stare at the sheets of rain. Enough!

Determined, I step outside and transform. The powerful wings of the eagle battle against the elements and win, carrying me at last to her balcony.

Surprise is evident on Elissa's face as she opens the door wearing a floor length nightgown. Shivering, she rubs her arms and looks warily up at the sky.

"Come in."

"It would not be proper." I shake my head, scattering droplets from my sodden hair and causing her to jump backwards.

"Well, I am not coming out and you are going to drown if you stand there much longer. At least come in briefly, since you made the effort to fly up." She shivers again, goosebumps peppering her skin.

I step through into her room and close the door on the inclement weather. Elissa takes my dripping cloak and hangs it up by the fire, then stoops down to put another log in the grate.

"Please take a seat." She indicates to a settee by the fireplace.

I stand there hesitant, for I really should leave.

No, I should join my beautiful female by the warm fire, the tiger urges.

My legs make the decision for me, walking over and sitting down. Elissa hovers, her eyes dilating, seemingly mesmerised by the rivulets of water snaking down from my hair and soaking into my shirt, making the material transparent and plastering it to my skin.

Flushing prettily, she darts off into another room and comes back moments later to offer me a towel. "You appear a little damp."

Sitting down, she leaves a healthy gap between us and seems unable to look at me properly.

"Perhaps you should remove my shirt and place it by the fire." I only mean to tease her and as I predicted it causes her to blush.

But then her eyes rise to mine and they glitter dangerously in the firelight. "If you insist."

I give her a full-on smile, dimples and all, then lean towards her, reducing the gap between us. I up the ante, agreeing, "It would be the hospitable thing to do."

Reaching out, she undoes the first button, then torturously slowly works her way down, button after button. I am unsure whether I have the upper hand in this game anymore.

I want this annoying barrier gone now, the tiger grumbles.

Taking her sweet time, her fingertips smooth over my abdominal muscles and up to my chest. I shiver, not from the cold, but from the tingling currents running through me at her touch. Her hands glide over my shoulders and then ever so slowly down my arms, pushing the sleeves of my shirt down.

Done with the teasing, I impatiently shuck out of the shirt and carelessly fling it onto the floor. She is a temptation that I am unable to resist.

"My turn, kitten."

Warning issued, my fingers thread through her hair and hold her head in place, whilst my mouth falls upon hers, demanding attention. I am driven by a hunger I have not felt before and without meaning to, manoeuvre her beneath me.

Breaking apart, both our breaths ragged, my lips move to her neck, teeth grazing her skin, while my hands skim over the soft contours of her body. She mews like a kitten and I growl, needing to feel skin on skin. Shifting position slightly, I grasp her nightdress in two fists and pull, ripping it open, the white undergarments the only protection to her modesty.

There is a flicker of uncertainty in her expression, then she reaches up, her fingers tangling in my hair and she pulls me down. Her exploring hands and lips drive me to distraction, while I too seek to worship every inch of the woman I love. She is like an addiction that I can never have enough of.

The sound of my name penetrates the haze of lust and I push myself up in to a kneeling position. Elissa is laid beneath me, her nightdress half destroyed and her neck bruised from my over-ardent administrations. A cold chill runs through me, washing away any remnants of passion. I lost control to the tiger. What have you done?

I have been pleasing my female. The tiger sounds smug, with no sense of contrition.

I jump up, as if scalded. You could have ravished her.

The tiger swishes a metaphorical tail. You think I could ever possibly harm her?

Stop, we are upsetting our mate, the eagle pleads.

Stricken, I look to Elissa, who is sat at the end of the settee, hugging her knees against her chest. Her wide-eyes are filled with a mixture of confusion and hurt. I stretch out a hand to her, only to snatch it back in shame. I promised my parents that I would be honourable and instead I almost seduced her.

"I am sorry, I should not have let things get this far." My voice is clipped. I am so disgusted with myself. "It will not happen again."

Elissa covers herself and points to the door, her voice practically glacial. "I think it is best that you leave."

Grabbing my now dry cloak, I stumble numbly into the night, thinking myself a monster.

........

Jolting awake, I rake my hand through my tangled hair. Last night I acted disgracefully. I should not have allowed myself to give into temptation. I love Elissa and she is worth waiting for.

Though sick to my stomach and cannot really contemplate eating, I go to the main hall, hoping to see her. I need to know if she is alright. My heart stutters when she is not at our table.

Automatically, I fill my plate from the buffet and take my normal seat. Somehow, I manage to stop my voice from quavering and casually ask Tabbi if she has seen Elissa. My cousin shakes her head.

I cannot take sustenance while my mate is missing. The eagle grates at my mind so, pushing aside the untouched food, I set out to find her.

The search of her room and the library both prove fruitless, so I brave the weather to check the stables. The sight of baby Storm gambolling in the stall, healthy as can be, raises the briefest flicker of a smile.

Dejected, I start to trudge back to my chambers and notice that lights are shining from the windows of the training hall. We are not due to practice until this afternoon, so I decide to investigate.

Inside Bram is pressing Elissa up against a wall and both are breathing heavily. Elissa looks up from their intimate clinch, her face flushed. Her eyes meet mine and then fall away.

The tiger is outraged. WHAT is he doing with MY female?

Anger writhes within me as I stride towards the pair, who are frozen in place. How could she seek comfort with him?

On closer inspection, the scene appears more sinister. Bram has a weapon pressed against Elissa's throat. Without thought, I snarl and launch forward, only to be grabbed around my waist by an unseen force.

Gawain's voice sounds close to my ear and holds an edge of menace to it. "Bram, I suggest that you step away from Elissa."

Bram slowly withdraws his weapon and pivots away from her, to reveal that Elissa has what appears to be a wooden dagger pointed up at Bram's chest.

Elissa coolly explains, "Bram was kindly training me to handle a weapon. I seem to attract the wrong sort of attention and cannot always rely on a gentleman to come to my aid."

My body sags, for it feels like the jibe was directed at me and her words cut deep, compounding my sense of tarnished honour. Gawain releases his vice-like grip.

She bows to Bram. "Thank you, Bram. Now, if you will excuse me, gentlemen."

Elissa completely ignores me, yet I cannot help admire her. She is dressed in an exotic silken black outfit, her cheeks are touched with colour and her eyes are bright with anger. I call out her name as she strides across the room, but she does not even look back. It is with a heavy heart that I watch her leave.

We must go after her, the eagle insists.

He should pay. The tiger's anger vibrates through me.

Once Gawain has left, I turn and square off against Bram with a low growl.

Bram returns the growl, his normally calm demeanour replaced with animosity. "How could you treat her with such disrespect?"

Sick with guilt, I take a step backwards, my shoulders slumping with defeat. "She told you?"

"I thought your days as a wretched bedswerver were behind you."

My eyes narrow. "Do you have designs on her?"

"Do not put this upon me. She has already been through too much. Did you really need to break her heart?" Bram shakes his head. The sheer look of disappointment on his face makes me feel as bad as his chastisement.

"Wait!" I struggle to understand the meaning of his words. "What did she say to you?"

"That she no longer has your favour. That you cast her aside."

She thinks I have rejected her? I swear under my breath and run from the room.

..............

AN - the song is hands to myself by Selena Gomez. It's not really my speed, but watch the video - it has Christopher Mason in it and see what might be getting Elissa hot under the collar. 😛 This chapter is dedicated to Dalleena - thank you so much for inviting me virtual camping ⛺️ and for encouraging me about art 😉 😉