Zion sat on the edge of the bed when there was a knock.

Without waiting for a reply, the door opened and Akela entered, dressed in comfy shorts and a singlet. Her face was downturned as she shut the door and locked it behind her.

"I couldn't sleep," she mumbled shyly.

Zion smiled back at her he felt her nervous jitters. She looked so perfect, stood there looking down, her toes scuffing slightly and her fingers fidgeting.

She drew a deep breath.

"I mean... I couldn't sleep without you," she whispered with a cute blush crawling up her face.

Zion stood and unceremoniously wrapped her into a hug.

"Good! Because I was just sat here wondering how the hell I was going to sleep without you..." he grinned.

Akela lifted her face to look at him again.

"And I kinda think it's time we made it permanent..." she said calmly but quickly.

Zion's breath caught as he realised what she was asking.

"You don't have to... I mean... We don't..." Zion said quietly as he picked up the mixed scents of fear and arousal on her. She wasn't frightened of him. Just of being that vulnerable to another person.

"You don't have to! I will never force you," he whispered.

Slowly her eyes lifted to his again. There was a smile in there somewhere, hidden behind a shy and uncertain barrier.

"Akela... I am really, really, really in love with you. You dont need to feel you have to... not with me... I will never ask you to do anything you don't want. Because I want you to feel safe. And I want you to choose to be with me. Not just today, but for life," he said seriously, his heart thundering in his chest.

"I love you too, Zion... I just... I don't know," she stammered, and saw the smile in his eyes.

"Okay, so we'll talk... and cuddle... and maybe kiss... If that's what you want. And when you want me, I'll do my best to make you feel good about it," he smiled.

Akela gave a faint laugh.

"That's just it, Zion... I want to.. be yours... but I'm still kinda scared," she whispered.

Zion's lips twisted up into a little doggie smirk.

"So you want me..." he teased.

Akela closed her eyes in embarassment while her hands slowly inched up into his t-shirt, feeling the ridges of his muscles and the smoothness of his skin. He was by far the sexiest man she had ever seen.

Zion growled faintly in happiness at her touch, letting his own hands simply stroke her cheek and hair, not willing to break her trust or push her comfort level.

Slowly he moved her hair from her neck, letting him sniff down to the spot he would soon be allowed to bite through. Carefully the tip of his tongue licked her skin, encouraged by the way her hands were crawling further up his chest.

Akela released a faint moan as his tongue touched her skin, trailing patterns up along her jugular vein, to her ear before turning and doing the same back down to the crook of her neck. In that simple kiss, Akela felt his every emotion, his hope and dreams, his devotion to her and the love he felt in every cell of his body for her.

All she had to do was say stop, and he would. She probably wouldn't have to even say it, because he would stop the moment he felt her tense up. But despite all that, Zion's soft tongue was making her feel safe, and weirdly mushy. As if her bones were going soft.

Akela felt like she was the moon goddess herself with the adoration he let flow over her. Shivers ran down her spine with the unbidden thoughts of what his tongue would feel like elsewhere. She gasped at her own suddenly dirty mind and felt him smile into her skin.

"Zion. Stop," she breathed, as his tongue flicked out over her sensitive neck again.

He immediately straightened up, slowly, painfully aware of how her hands were still in his t-shirt. One on his chest, the other resting just above his waistband.

Their eyes met and Akela sighed again.

"I wish I could kiss you..." she whisperd.

Zion smiled and lay his wolfie lips carefully on hers. His tongue flickered out, gently licking her lips as she softened them.

"See. A kiss," he smiled.

Akela gave a faint giggle as she kissed him back.

"You are too perfect for words," she whispered with a soft smile at him, grinning wider at his doubtful frown.

"And you're all mine," she continued and let her hands stroke over the bare skin inside his shirt.

"All... yours," Zion replied, tucking her into a hug.

To his surprise, he felt her hands wander around his body and down to his butt, where she squeezed playfully with a small giggle.

"I don't know how to do this..." she laughed quietly.

Zion stared into her eyes.

"Are you trying to give me hints, my little mate?" he grinned.

Akela nodded with a slightly guilty expression on her face.

"In which case... I'm happy to take them," he whispered more softly, grabbing hold of her, lifting her backwards until he found himself sitting on his bed, with her straddling his lap.

Akela drew a sharp breath. The position made her painfully aware of how the idea of what might happen was affecting him.

"This way. You make the desicions. Don't mind my body's reaction... It's just the first time he might get any attention and he's kinda keen," Zion chuckled, shifting so he wasn't rubbing up on her anymore.

"You're a virgin?" she asked in surprise.

Zion simply nodded.

"You have this body... and you're a virgin?" she repeated and saw him shrug listlessly.

"Oh God... Now I do feel bad," she groaned, resting her head into his shoulder.

"Don't. I mean... you said you've never done this either, right?" he said, stroking her back.

She nodded.

"So.. We're both kinda new at this, right?" he whispered.

"Yeah," she whispered with a nod.

"That means we can learn together. We'll figure out what feels good and what we like. And we'll do it together. When you are ready. I can wait," he said.

Akela's face lifted from his shoulder with a surprised expression.

Once she had finished kissing his face and laughing, she sat up, positioned right on top of him.

"Make me feel good, Zion!" she said seriously.

His face cracked into one of those cute smiles that had her stomach erupt in tingles.

Slowly he slid her shirt up over her head, reverently stroking her breasts once they were uncovered before he looked into her eyes again.

"If you want me to stop. I will," he promised.

"I want you to claim me, Zi. Make me yours," she replied, placing his hands back where he could feel her nipples harden under his fingertips.

Her hands tugged his shirt off him so she could run her fingers along his strong muscles.

"Oh, my Goddess, Akela," he whispered and sat himself up again, letting his tongue gently touch her neck again in small, gentle licks, his tail jappily wagging behind him.

"I love you Zion," she whispered, tugging his ears and enjoying how his thick fur slipped between her fingers.

His hands spoke for him. His tail, tongue and fingers too busy on her skin to make any coherent verbal communication possible, but Akela felt it. She felt his every heartbeat, his every ounce of blood and his emotions. Carefully she lifted up from him, pushing down his sweatpants. His hands snuck into her own shorts, tugging them down in her lifted position, before he slipped them off her, his mouth never leaving her neck.

The slow, satisfied growl building in his chest was joined by her moan as his fingetips carefully explored her, feeling her soft skin and adapting to her hitched breath.

"What do you want, my love," he asked huskily, while his tongue licked the edge of her jaw in the most submissive gesture in Lycan existence.

"I am yours" he whispered.

"You..." Akela sighed, surprising herself with her own candour.

But this was Zion. Her mate. The kind, gentle mate. Given to her by the moon Goddess to make her complete.

Zion's mouth smiled softly as he caught her meaning. Clutching her to him he stood, flipping them over and gently laying her down.

"Anything you want," he said, his eyes a light brown with a red tint, evidencing his arousal.

Gently he gave her a single stroke of his tongue along her body, drawing out a moan from her.

"My beautiful Akela!" he murmured, letting his sense of smell guide him to the part he knew would give her pleasure. 

"Zion," she moaned as he continued his assault in an attempt to draw the pleasure out for her.

Her hands eventually reached for him, pulling him up along her body.

Her arms wound around him, her hands burying into the scruff of his neck as he felt her hips rise up against him.

"Now, claim me," she breathed.

"That good, huh?" he chuckled and got a sharp slap to his shoulder.

He lifted up over her to see a smile on her face.

"You promise to do that every day, and we will never leave this room again!" she grinned.

"I promise," he grinned back and couldn't resist giving her smiling mouth a quick lick, forgetting he was still coated in her scent. He couldn't tear his eyes from her. Her skin flushed with sweat and her eyes shining from what he had made her feel.

"What are you waiting for?" she smiled, rubbing herself up on him.

Gently he grabbed hold of her hips, rolling them over so she was on top.

"This," he whispered and guided himself towards her, pausing to see if she would stop him or want to hold back.

Her hands flattened on his chest as she lowered herself to meet him, both of them moaning as their bodies joined. There was a small moment of hesitation as a barrier was broken. She rested on him for a moment, amazed at how the intrusion didn't feel painful as she had expected. It was slightly uncomfortable, a slight sense of soreness, but it felt right. She looked at the reverent look in his eyes, the way he was fighting himself, somewhere between self control and total bliss.
Carefully Akela moved. Zion groaned underneath her and Akela couldn't hold back a smile as she suddenly realised what they were doing.
It was everything she had ever wanted.
She was joined with her true mate.
And he was looking at her as if he could not believe how good it felt to be with her. Her own body felt on fire as instinct took over and her hips ground experimentally against his.

"Akela!" Zion groaned pleadingly. He was praying for more of her. For this to last.
She felt him give in as his hips bucked up into hers and she rolled her hips to meet him.

"I love you so much," he groaned again, as she slid down to meet his movements.

Akela felt herself smile, moving her hair out of the way to allow his teeth access.
They both knew it wouldn't last. Both of them were already panting with the need to reach their own private heaven.
Zion sat up in a half crunch, kissing along her chest and neck before giving another few submissive licks to the underside of her jaw.
Further down, their bodies had found an even rolling rhythm that seemed to hit just the right nerves at the right moment.

"I give myself to you. Forever," he murmured as his tongue circled the mating spot before his teeth sunk in.

Akela's body exploded in unexpected pleasure the moment his teeth bit into her flesh. Her skin felt on fire, her blood went up in flames and all that existed was the man she was unbreakably bound to. Somewhere in the distance, she heard her own moans of pleasure while her mate moaned into the wound he had created. Their bodies moved without any conscious control, chasing the finishline together as their souls fused.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," she heard his thoughts repeat and the last shred of fear disappeared like fog before her.
Zion was made for her. He was hers. And the love he felt for her was beyond the mated bond.
She knew.
She felt.
That even if she had chosen Abel, Zion would have still loved her with a deep devotion until his dying day.

And she felt his grief when he thought he might have to give her up. She remembered with him how his heart had pounded when she had ran to him with tears filling her eyes, thinking she had lost him. And his absolute joy in this moment, when she let his mark adorn her body and her womb open to his pups.

Zion felt his whole body tingle. His face felt weirdly soft and his teeth seemed to dull as he licked at the closing wound. Sounds dulled and his sense of smell reduced with the soft knowledge that she was now his own. His lips released the wound, travelling up along the column of her throat and tracing her jaw until his lips joined with hers in a softly exploring kiss.

Both of them stopped for a second.

A kiss.

A real kiss. His lips were softly sucking on her bottom lip, her tongue was tracing his top lip and slowly he released her lip and let his own tongue out to greet hers, carefully, softly and with curiosity.

Akela placed a hand either side of a face. A very human face, not opening her eyes, not willing to release what she felt were soft, human lips on hers.

Carefully she let her lips and tongue feel the smiling lips in front of her.

Definitely human.

Reluctantly she sat back, his body still joined with hers, her hips still gently rolling to meet his, to stare straight into those familiar brown eyes, so full of love for her. But now, they were no longer placed in a wolfs face. Her eyes widened as she took in the human face of her soulmate. His features were soft and boyish. And he was absolutely stunningly handsome.

"Oh my Goddess. Zion," she whispered.

"I can kiss you," he whispered back, some sounds not quite right as he was getting used to his human face.

"You can," Akela laughed.

His eyebrows raised in an unspoken question.

"I love you Zion. You're the cutest wolf I've ever seen and now you're the most beautiful man I've ever seen!" she replied.

His hand lifted from where it was still clutching her hips to him to feel his own face.

"Now that's just weird!" he muttered.

"Well.... Are you still my kind, generous Zion who makes my heart stop with a single smile? Who told me he will be mine forever?" Akela flirted.

Zion smiled before placing a tender kiss at the tip of her nose.

"I will happily love you forever, my Akela," he said and leaned down to kiss the still slightly bleeding wound at the base of her neck.

"Goddess. You are beautiful," he whispered as his hips moved into her again.

Akela tipped him backwards again, capturing his lips in another deep kiss while their bodies rolled into each other. With a loud moan they both ended the kiss, brushing their lips, unwilling to let the other go as Akela felt him arch into her, releasing with a tight grip on her hips while her own pleasure crashed around her, making her clench around him.

For a long time all they could do was rock together, catching their breaths until Akela slumped on top of him.

Zion gently clutched her tightly to him with a wide smile.

"Mine-mine-mine-mine," he chanted happily while tipping them over on their side.

Akela laughed at his almost childish possession, letting her hands stroke his weirdly human face.

"It will take me some getting used to... but yeah." she grinned.

"What? My face? Coz that's gonna freak the whole pack out," he grinned.

Silently she studied the even, masculine features. He looked a lot like Archer. Dark blonde hair and square jaw teamed with a slightly innocent, boyish softness and his mother's dark eyes.

"You'll put Abel in the shade for sure!" she grinned.

"Yeah?" Zion asked with a teasing smile.

"Yeah," she nodded.

"We just had sex and you are comparing me to my brother?" he frowned playfully.

"Not comparing... There is no comparison. It's you. Only you. And you are everything I ever wished for," she whispered softly just before his lips met hers again.

"I thought I was too damaged to fall in love. But I love you Zion. I love your heart and your kindness," she said with tears in her eyes.

"I will never, ever take you for granted, my Akela," he whispered back with equal emotional overload.

Her hand found her mated mark and she smiled.

"Thank you for making me yours," Akela said.

"It's the opposite. You made me yours," he replied and set them into a more comfortable cuddle.

A few minutes later, Akela was nearly asleep, lulled to slumber by his steady heartbeat in her ear and his gentle breath in her hair. Zion pulled the covers over them, settling himself back into her embrace, knowing he would live his life a happy man with her. Sniffing her neck he sensed her increase in hormones and smiled at the idea of maybe, just maybe, in a few months he might even welcome a new Connor into his own family. Reaching into Akela's sleepy mind, he sensed that she knew it too. She knew her heat was coming up. And she wanted to spend it with him.

Half awake, Akela shifted her face up towards him.

"I wanted to be yours before the hormones made the decision for me," she murmured.

Silently Zion projected into her mind all his best childhood memories of playing with his brothers and of spending time with his dad. In return, Akela shared her memories with her sister and their parents, always on the run from something, but never unhappy. Because they were together. He understood, seeing how she remembered her parents' undying love for each other, how he would always set her comfort above his own and how the two of them would always be touching, kissing and openly show their love.

Zion chuckled and opened his mind to a recent set of images. A fantasy he had concocted when he realised he might have to let her be Abel's. A fantasy of the two of them and a pair of pups.

"I'd like that," Akela yawned and settled back to sleep, safely knowing he was there, walking the same path as her.

Zion closed his eyes, knowing that he would feel this happy when he woke up as well. She had chosen him. She had really chosen him, come to him and made him hers in every possible way. Her body molded to his perfectly, made for his embrace.

Allowing a hand to rest on her hip, and the fingers of the other to entwine with hers he fell asleep with a smile on his new, weirdly flattened face.

A/N
For those of you who are wondering who I'm modeling Zion's human appearance on...
His name is Emraan Hashmi and this is the photo I have had saved on my phone for inspo all this time:

But then, out of curiosity, I decided to merge the faces of Zion's "parents" (Alia Baht and Jensen Ackles) and I can not stop giggling at the result.
He's so cute!
But he could literally not be more different from my original cast...