In the Shadow of the Moon

Exhausted sleepy helloooo...

It should be written somewhere, and probably is written that writing is like setting up a chessboard for you endgame: Highly involved and mentally straining! I suck at chess btw, so I am working really hard to get to the end I imagine for this story so bear with me. This chapter introduces the last edge pieces of the puzzle. Now our main characters can finally start filling in the picture.

That being said I apologize, but I make no more promises. I put a lot of work into my chapters, my plot and my characters. It doesn't fit some preconceived timeline of when I should post and for that I apologize. That being said, I can tell you that I am not going to simply stop. I will keep working at this story until it is finished. I don't like unfinished stories either. If that affects ratings and whether or not I am a favorite author, so be it. I am writing for the sake of taking the good story out of my h

ead and giving it to the world, not for the ratings.

That little tirade complete and totally in response to an aggressive email I received. Thank you to my editors LadyMirage, AWys, Hal and Lizzie! I will get another chapter out as soon as I possibly can, I am already working away at the keys. Enjoy this one, it took a lot of time and effort and I think it is the natural progression for the story.

P.S. I tried to make it feel not so rushed!

Silently S(leepy)illy

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Victoria was slow to wake up. Her body was heavy and lethargic, her muscles completely relaxed. She kept her eyes closed long after she was fully awake. Last night had been far more than enjoyable. Antony had been forceful with his pleasure; he was all over her like a second skin. His teasing nips had brought her wolf to the surface and Victoria had been overwhelmed by the heightened sensations. The feel, the smells, the sounds...had all worked in conjunction to bring her to a tizzy. She couldn't think any longer. She could only feel the delicious weight of Antony's body on hers. The soundtrack of the night had been their matching pounding heartbeats and pants blended smoothly with sighs and moans. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at the memories, but who could; who would want to?

"I wonder what would put such a gorgeous smile on that beautiful face."

Her smile grew bigger. Without opening her eyes, she started to stretch, but her hands wouldn't move. She cracked one eye and glanced up to see that her right hand was tied to the head board. She looked quickly to the left and saw it was in the same predicament. Antony was standing at the end of the bed, a sly smirk on his face. She glared at him, trying to beat down the rising panic in her chest.

"Now before you work yourself up into something we won't be able to leave this room until we've dealt with it, let me tell you what conclusions I have come to."

Victoria snarled, "You're crazy! Let me go."

"No, I am not crazy and I am not letting you go. Also that isn't listening. Now I realize what my big mistake was. After our mating I gave you space, because I didn't want you to think I was smothering you; I wanted you to know you were free to...to move I guess. That apparently was the wrong move, because you moved in the wrong direction; you and I did a lot of moving. So I thought about it early this morning while you were all curled up against me. Our little honey moon was brief and you didn't come back that first night. I never got to remind you what you were coming back to. By the time I did realize it, you were adeptly avoiding me like the plague."

Victoria's anger and panic was building quickly. She couldn't quite convince herself that Antony was going to let her go. He was rambling and she couldn't straighten it all out in her mind what exactly he was saying. Her heart was seizing and she could feel the tears rolling down her face.

Antony was in her face in a second. He straddled her body and locked eyes with her. She felt him, full force in her head. His panic matched hers, a response to her fear, as he shared his plan. She watched his dramatic attempt at seduction run through his mind and couldn't help, but laugh. There was nothing logical about it, it was ridiculous and silly, but it was exactly what she needed to see. With their minds so deeply intertwined it was difficult to separate her panic from his, but she felt both of them go down. Felt his relief as her eyes looked less frantic. It was only then that he breathed out and closed his eyes resting his forehead against hers.

"Do you want me to let you go? Are you going to bolt?" Antony asked shakily.

Victoria hesitated before answering; she wanted to be sure that what she was saying was what she actually wanted. She knew she had so much to think about and such little time to do it. After that night they had been attacked it hadn't been as easy as she hoped it might. Being determined wasn't always enough. She was willing to let him in, when it came to pack stuff. She would let him balance the load, as she had done his when she first started. After a while though, she realized she had taken on more than she could handle. So for at least two weeks she was fighting not only her revulsion at being controlled, but her irritability at being stressed. They had gotten into more fights in the last two weeks than when they had first met. She didn't like it when he asked her where she was going, what she was doing, who she was doing it with. She balked when he planned things for her or changed her schedule.

One day complaining to her grandmere, she was surprised when her story was met with loud laughter.

"Mon petit loup, it sounds to me like your describing yourself. You both are just as controlling. You think you know what's best for everyone around you." Victoria could only stare as her grandmere laughed the whole time she gave the explanation. She laughed her way out the door. It hadn't been the response she had expected, so she had taken a couple hours to actually think about what she had said.

She wasn't controlling per say, she just like the way she did things. It worked! Plus she only had people's best interest in mind. It was that moment when her relationship with Antony got a lot easier. She started thinking about intent, what was the intent behind the decision she made. She couldn't say that she actually enjoyed where her thoughts landed, but then people rarely did. Though hesitant, Victoria started to look at the reasons behind Antony actions using their mental connection. Once he figured out what she was doing, he opened up more to her. She stopped having to poke and prod stealthily.

Not so suddenly, it was easier for them to communicate and interact on one level. They began to work together, but still she couldn't help pulling away on the romantic front. As much as her wolf demanded they return to Antony every night, she would find any reason to stay up late. She would work in the office until everything blurred and then sleep on the couch until morning. She would eat meals in the main dining room, surrounding herself with the pack. She wouldn't let Antony catch her alone. She started working out with some of the women, running with them, teaching them new tactics. She filled her days with the pack, so that outside of their work related interactions, she didn't have time for him. He'd only gotten to her last night because her mother had wanted a sit down dinner. That being said it wasn't as if she didn't dream about him every night. A wad of longing had built up within her, but she had enough experience denying her desires. She ignored the fastidious lump of emotions tying her shoulders up with tension.

Antony was staring down at her, his eyes pleading. She reached out her mind and felt the desperation and desire. She could feel the truth behind his words and it helped relax.

"I believe you had seduction on your mind and I would hate to ruin such a well thought out plan. Besides I should at least give you a shot at what you want, seeing as there is no guarantee that you will be successful."

He chuckled and looked at her, his previous excitement and passion reigniting in his eyes. He sat up and took a deep breath. "Oh now Victoria, don't you know how much I love a challenge?"

He started kissing at her neck, sucking lasciviously at the sweet spots he had discovered in their limited time together. She unconsciously bit at his shoulder. He growled in response. The sound sent chills across her skin, but she held back her moan. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction; he would have to fight for them. She felt his smile against his skin; he looked up and gave her a quick kiss.

"I have no problem fighting."

His head moved back down. He began trailing kisses along her collar bone, nipping and biting all the way until he reached her nipple. With no pause he quickly captured one between his lips and the other between his fingers. Victoria couldn't stop her back from arching. She let her head drop back as she struggled to tread water in the sea of pleasure Antony was creating. Her body was consumed by the quivering fingers of pleasure that were conquering her body. She had to hold tight to the groan of disappointment when his mouth left her breast, but it came out as a breathy sigh as he switched to the other. Her face was hot and it was becoming harder and harder to be silent. She couldn't stop the subtle grinding of her hips against Antony's well placed leg. The need was building slowly within her; it raged hotly in her core and there was no tamping it down.

His ministrations continued to her poor, sensitive, aching buds, then he returned to his kissing and stroking. His fingers felt sinful against her sensitized skin. His progress was slow and deliberately teasing. She squirmed, seeking his attentions much lower.

"Truffle, I am going to remind you what you are coming back to. I am not going to let you hide. Even when you are sitting in your office, you are going to remember me, remember what I feel like deep inside you... my fingers, my tongue, my essence, my manhood branded into you. I won't stop until it seems to you an aberration to keep me from your mind and your body. Do you hear me? I will NOT stop until I am branded on your heart as much as you are on mine."

Victoria had been so lost in his words and the teasing strokes of his hand that she had never noticed him taking off his pants and lining himself up, but her attention was brought to his state as he thrust hard and deep within her. He held still as she quivered around him. She didn't know what to do. He was in her head filling her mind with the memory of his touches. Phantom fingers, tongues and lips danced across her skin and stoked her internal fire. She was lost drowning in the memories and his fantasies and desires. She felt consumed and on that thought alone she came in glorious waves of pleasure. Filled to the brim she shuddered around him, clenching tightly. The phantom fingers slowly brought her back to the surface. She lay there floating. When she opened her eyes Antony still hadn't moved. He was still deep inside her and the strain was evident on his face; desire burned in his eyes. He pulled out slowly, dragging against her pleasure drenched flesh, before surging into her again. She let out an airy gasp as he stroked her core; the feelings quickly building yet again. Victoria knew in that moment that this was a fight she would lose, but she would love every minute of it.

Every morning she woke to some sort of ravishing. If she got up before him, he would catch her in the shower. He came in so quiet the first time she didn't even notice. He put his hands on hers and pressed them against the wall and thrust into her. He would hold still until she begged him to move. When she had gone to the gym, he had come and found her and with one irritable growl cleared out the whole gym. He insisted that she continue what she was doing. She had been at the shoulder press and three reps into her set her pants and underwear vanished. He had arched an eyebrow when she stopped. So she continued refusing to be deterred, but who in their right mind wouldn't be distracted by someone going down on you while you worked out.

At the end of the day she always fell asleep with him tucked deep in her body or wrapped around her like a python. What happened in between was a tossup. He was mastering her ability quickly, just as quickly as she was mastering his. Sometimes he would make her panties disappear in the middle of a meeting. He would fill her with thoughts of being stroked and licked until she was forced to leave, quivering, and find him. Sometimes he would catch her walking the halls or talking to someone. It was always one of those cases where he saw her, but she didn't see him. He would send her the vivid memory of being filled. It was a memory so vivid she felt it and her body always responded.

After a while she began to take her revenge. She would send her own memories: her mouth nibbling at the mating mark on his neck, her kissing her way down his body, the quivering clench of her passion. More often than not, though, her plans backfired in a positive way.

She had known he was in a meeting and had been sending feelings to him the whole time. The feeling of her tongue teasing the head of his sex, her hands cupping his balls, her mouth encompassing him to the root, it had been a wholly satisfying experience to feel his roiling desire build. Pleased with the fact that she had thoroughly interrupted his day as he did hers on so many occasions, Victoria returned to her work. She was deeply entrenched in invoices 30 minutes later. She didn't notice him walk into her office. When she did finally look up, Antony was leaned casually against the book shelf across from her desk.

"Can I help you?" She couldn't keep the smile from her voice.

"Proud of yourself are you?" When he lifted his head, she met the eyes of his wolf.

"Pride doesn't quite describe it, but I am ok with the word."

When he didn't speak again she returned her eyes to her work. She didn't feel any malice coming from him, just unrequited desire; desire she had no intention of indulging at the moment. She worked hard to keep the smirk from her face. Antony had begun to move towards her. She could sense that he was stalking her; she felt like prey. Just as quietly as he had come, he moved behind her and gently lifted her out of her seat and sat down himself. She could imagine the view he had. She was bent over now her warm damp core inches from his face. Her struggle was real, but she studiously kept at her work. She checked balances and reviewed the accounts of the different departments. Antony seemed content with the situation and she had almost forgotten him when she felt the razor sharp claw drawing swirling lines down her back. She knew the pattern; it was the lines of glowing magic that had faded from her skin. He had been fascinated by them when they had mated. She rolled her eyes and determinedly turned back to her work. She didn't know where this was going, but as far as she could tell she was winning.

She didn't know if she felt it in the air or sensed it through the bond, but his intent changed. The claw that had drawn so intricately was now cutting through the seams of her jeans like butter. He followed the seams around until the jeans fell away in pieces. Victoria could not catch the small gasp that escaped her lips, but she schooled the rest of her responses. There was a slight thrill at the wild animal she knew was behind her. Though the wolf remained in the form of Antony, she knew without a doubt, it was the wolf she was dealing with now. Her panties were damp and molded to the shape of her intimate folds. The numbers in front of her blurred as his claw took to delicately tracing the folds. This wasn't teasing it was torture. Her legs quivered as she tried to find some internal balance, but there was none to found. She simply parted her legs more and gripped the desk tightly.

Antony never changed pace his perusal continued to be slow and methodical and her pleasure continued to mount. She refused to beg. In the morning when she wanted it as much as he did, it was inevitable that she would demand and beg "so sweetly" as he described it, but here...now... she refused. It was her game and she had to win sometimes. As determined as she was though, she could not resist the mounting pleasure. The whimper she had held back squeaked out past gritted teeth. She had no clue how long he had been at this, but as some point, she had tried to grind on his hand, but that had only gotten her a firm smack. When she had tried to sit on his lap he held her in place, never breaking his stroking.

Never had she been this turned on, this wet. She felt the moisture running down her legs as she waited, for him to do something, anything. She couldn't see him so she couldn't even tell if his resolve was weakening. His mind revealed nothing and hadn't since he walked in the room. She knew this was a battle of the wills, knew his wolf wanted her to submit, to beg and now her body quaked at the thought. Her wolf was salivating in her mind, they agreed.

She let out the word in a whisper. "Please."

"Finally!" He growled behind her.

The instrument of her torture moved away and the groan she released quickly turned to a squeak as her panties fell from her legs. She was barely aware his movements behind her, she was too busy being bowled over by the sensation of the air brushing against her sensitive flesh. Her body was trying to hold back an inferno and she was all too willing to simply let it loose in her office.

The next thing she was aware of she was free falling, or at least that was what it felt like. Maybe it was because her head was spinning so much. But he entered her quickly. It was a shock to her system and seemed to come out of nowhere. It was deliciously invasive. She felt him on every inch of her and on that alone, she was pushed over the edge. She imploded and rocketed out into empty space. The waves of pleasure never stopped as he rapidly plundered her body. She was barely away of him moving her, bending her over the desk. She only noticed his shift to hybrid because he expanded inside her body, driving her to new heights. She was overwhelmed with the pleasure and emotion. Her mind was flung open to his and his to hers. The idea of cutting off that intimate communication, the communication that was pushing her pleasure on, keeping it a float, terrified her. She felt torn apart and when she felt the pulsing of his seed deep within her body, felt the sharp teeth biting at her shoulder, she allowed herself to fall back to earth through the atmosphere and into darkness.

When she woke, Antony had moved them to the couch. She clenched at finding them still locked together. Antony growled and began to thrust into her again, her nerves surprisingly reawakening.

"I win mate."

Victoria smiled, "Yes love, you do." She let out a guttural moan as he stroked her back into pleasure.

********

"So how much longer do you think this will last?"

"As long as it takes, He's got the right idea. All that time she spent ignoring and avoiding him allowed her to shore up her defenses and made it impossible for her natural instincts to take over. She kept overriding them with twisted logic. This method keeps her constantly mired in her instincts. The only successful future I can see; they have to be working as one. They have to be a truly bonded pair."

"That is lovely and all, but I am pretty sure the compound is ready for them to dial it down. With their combined power, this place is a shook up beehive full of sexual energy."

"You say that as if you aren't reveling in it. Your realm flourishes in this kind of passion driven environment."