Lunar Cravings

**Chapter 1: The Call of the Wild**

Mattheo paced the dimly lit room, his wolf-hybrid instincts clawing at his insides. Heat coursed through him, a primal ache that left him restless, needy, and damn near pathetic with want. His skin prickled with sweat, muscles tense, as he gripped his phone with a trembling hand. He couldn’t wait any longer. He needed her. Now.

“Lila,” he rasped when she picked up, his voice low and strained, almost a growl. “I’m losing it over here. I’m in heat, and it’s fucking torture. Get your ass home.”

On the other end, Lila leaned against the counter of the dingy diner where she slung coffee for tips, her sharp green eyes narrowing. “Mattheo, I’m in the middle of a shift. You think I can just drop everything because your wolfy hormones are throwing a tantrum?” Her tone was biting, but there was a flicker of amusement beneath it. She loved pushing his buttons, especially when he was like this—desperate, raw, and utterly at her mercy.

“Lila, I’m not kidding,” he growled, pacing again, his free hand raking through his dark, messy hair. “It hurts. I’m hard as hell, and I can’t think straight. I need you. Please.” His voice cracked on the last word, a pitiful edge that made her pause.

She sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes even though he couldn’t see it. “You’re such a drama queen, you know that? Fine. But you owe me big time, pup. I’m walking out on this shitty job for you.” She smirked, already imagining the look on her boss’s face as she tossed her apron. “Better be worth it.”

“Oh, it will be,” Mattheo promised, a hungry edge creeping into his tone. “I’m gonna make you forget you ever had a job. Just hurry.”

Twenty minutes later, the door to his apartment slammed open, and Lila strode in like she owned the place. Her leather jacket hugged her curves, her boots clicking against the hardwood with authority. She took one look at Mattheo—shirtless, sweating, his eyes wild with need—and smirked. “Damn, you weren’t kidding. You look like a kicked puppy. A horny, kicked puppy.”

“Funny,” he snapped, but his voice was thick with desperation as he closed the distance between them. “I’m dying here, and you’re cracking jokes?”

She tilted her head, her gaze raking over him, lingering on the bulge straining against his jeans. “Oh, I see the problem. Poor baby’s all pent up.” She stepped closer, her fingers brushing his chest, teasing. “But I’m not some damsel rushing to save you, Mattheo. You want relief? You’re gonna beg for it.”

His breath hitched, a low growl rumbling in his throat as her scent—sharp, intoxicating—hit him like a drug. “Lila, I’m already begging. Don’t make me crawl.”

Her lips curled into a wicked grin. “Oh, I might. But first…” She pushed him back toward the bed, her strength surprising for someone half his size. “Let’s see how bad you really need me.”

Mattheo’s knees hit the mattress, and he fell back, panting already, his cock throbbing painfully as she loomed over him. Her eyes glinted with power, and he knew she wasn’t going to make this easy. But fuck, he didn’t care. He was hers to toy with, and the thought alone had him dripping with anticipation.

She leaned down, her lips hovering just above his, her breath hot against his skin. “Tell me how much you want it, pup. I wanna hear every pathetic word before I decide if you’re worth my time.”

His hands clenched the sheets, every muscle in his body taut with need. “Lila, I’m burning up. I want you so bad I can’t breathe. I need to feel you, taste you, fuck you until I can’t think. Please.”

Her laugh was low, dangerous, as she straddled his hips, her heat pressing against him through their clothes. “Good boy,” she purred, her nails dragging down his chest. “Let’s see if you can handle me.”

Their lips crashed together, hungry and feral, as the room filled with the sound of their ragged breaths. This was only the beginning, and they both knew it was about to get a whole lot messier.