“Thank you, Sir.” His breathy words sent a shudder through me. He was the fucking sexiest man I’d ever known.
“This is your reward. You don’t have to hold back. I want you to come down my throat and give me every drop you have stored up for me.”
His eyes were wide. “Yes, Sir.”
“We don’t have time for more now, but after my meeting, I’m going to fuck you until you scream and give you the bite that will bind us forever.”
“Please, Sir. I need your bite.”
“And I need to give it to you. Now lie back and enjoy this.”
I took him into my mouth, swallowing him to the root. He moaned and shifted against the couch, obviously fighting the urge to thrust. I laid my hands over his, brought them to my head, and pulled off long enough to say, “Go ahead and use my mouth however you want. I can take it.”
He was hesitant at first, but when I began to hum around him, his hands tightened on my scalp and he pressed deeper into me. I pushed a hand between his legs to toy with his balls and then tease the edge of his hole.
“Oh God, so close.”
I looked up at him, and he held my gaze as he thrust into my mouth a few more times and then came with a loud cry. I swallowed again and again, not wanting to miss a drop of his essence. When he was done, I licked him clean before pulling him off the couch and onto my lap. He slumped against me. “That was… unexpected.”
“Was it good?”
He sighed. “So good.”
“Now you know what can happen if you’re a good boy.”
“I’m going to be so fucking good for you.”
I kissed the top of his head. “I know you are.”
Aidan was waiting for me outside an abandoned warehouse a few blocks from Tooth and Claw. I’d chosen it as the site for our meeting because it was neutral territory. I’d decided that from now on we wouldn’t meet on property owned by any of the council members. As far as I knew, this warehouse was human owned. But no one had been here in a long time.
“Good evening, Aidan.”
“It’s certainly a better one than the last,” Aidan said.
“Is it? Last night you came to power, something our kind usually finds very satisfactory.”
The lion smiled. “I don’t regret getting rid of my brother. He was a monster, and he made monsters of others of my kind. I also don’t regret taking control. I won’t apologize for that.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to.”
“I will back the plan you’ve laid out, but that doesn’t mean I will give up everything my family has built.”
“I will not sanction anything that involves the selling of human beings.”
“That’s funny coming from the person whose empire is built on prostitution.”
“Everyone who works for me does so willingly. They make a choice; they are not sold as slaves. They choose what they do with their own bodies. That is not slavery.”
“Yes, and I suppose their lives are practically paradise—”
“They are well paid and have better access to healthcare than most humans in this country. I run a clean, safe operation.” I held his gaze until he acquiesced.
“Point taken. I have no stomach for human slavery either. Everyone deserves the right to be free.”
“Do they deserve to be free of the drug you used to kill your brother?”
“Natcylid should be used sparingly. It shouldn’t be on the street.”
“So can I assume you will be concluding that aspect of your family’s business as well?”
“I think you know how tricky all of this is. It takes time. I have goals, but first everyone has to get over what happened last night.”
“The sale of humans stops today. I will help you with my resources if need be. The rest you can see to in your own time.” That was more than generous.
He held my gaze for several seconds, his eyes cold and hard. I could see the calculating man behind his polite façade even more plainly than I had the night before. He would need watching. Finally, he said, “I agree to your terms.”
“Good. Let’s get this done.”
We stepped inside. Light from the moon and a few streetlamps shone in through the rows of half-broken windows, making it relatively easy to see. Damian was there, as well as Bernice and Ingram. I was about to ask if anyone had seen Serena when I smelled her scent. She slipped through the door a moment later.
“Let this meeting come to order.”
We gathered in a circle in the most well-lit area of the warehouse floor. “Tonight, Aidan officially takes Leon’s seat on the council. Aidan, would you like to explain the agreement we’ve made?”
He glanced around at our fellow council members before speaking. “I acknowledge King’s leadership of this council. As of today, my family will no longer take part in the trafficking of human slaves. While I don’t agree with everything in King’s vision for the future, I’m here to help build the council, not tear it apart. I’m not my brother, but I will defend my family and our empire against any challengers.”
Damian smiled. “I’m satisfied. Welcome to the council.”
Damian held out his hand, and Aidan shook it. Bernice followed suit. “I heard you killed your bastard of a brother yourself. Is that true?”
Aidan gave a smile that looked far too wicked for his otherwise angelic face. “It is true. He got less than he deserved.”
Serena whistled. “You’re a cold one. I like it. I’m not happy with all the shit King’s brought down on us either, but I’m here, and I’m willing to listen. War between the shifter clans is not what we need.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“I have no intentions of changing everything my family does,” Bernice said. “But with the humans growing more aware of our movements every day, we’re better off working together, at least for now.”
“If my stated agenda and Aidan’s position are accepted, then our business here is done. We will meet again next month as planned. The location will be announced the day before.”
The council members dispersed, all of them leaving quickly except for Damian. “I have to say I’m impressed.”
“With Aidan?”
“A little. But more with you.”
I gave him a suspicious glance. “You’re up to something.”
He laughed, the sound surprisingly bright. “I’m amused. You’ve consistently surprised me since the death of your father.”
“While I’m glad to have provided you with entertainment, this council is not a joke.”
“It’s certainly not. It’s a tedious balance of arrogant, dangerous animals. Don’t forget that, even when things seem to be going well.”
“Is that a warning or a threat?”
Damian smiled. “Yes.”
“I know all alliances are temporary. I’d be foolish to expect anything else.”
“True. But for now, I’m here if you need anything.”
I stared at him, still unsure if this was a game, but everything in his countenance and his scent indicated it wasn’t. “The same goes for me.”
“Good night, King. Go back to your mate. And don’t be stupid enough to leave him again.”
“How did you know—Henley. Henley took him from the safe house.”
Damian walked away laughing.
22
Emerson
When I arrived at King’s house—our house?—I let out a long breath that I felt like I’d been holding since we’d left the club. I’d spent the entire ride shifting restlessly from one side of the car to the other, constantly watching, expecting a car to come out of nowhere and slam into us.
But we’d made it back safely. Logan had accompanied me, and I’d been introduced to a new driver, Tanya. They’d let me know Denny and Jax were both out of the hospital and recuperating in two of the guest rooms at the Howler estate.
I knew it would be a while before King returned, so I went to visit each of them, needing to satisfy myself that they were truly a
ll right. Denny was obviously banged up, and he was mostly asleep when I entered his room, so after thanking him and assuring him there had been no way he could’ve avoided the accident, I left him to get some sleep.
When I knocked on Jax’s door, it wasn’t Jax who bade me enter, it was Storm. “I’m sorry. Am I interrupting something?”
Storm shook his head. “No, I was just checking on our patients.” He rose as if he were going to leave, but Jax reached out and grabbed his arm. “Stay. I think we have more to talk about.”
Storm didn’t say anything else, but he sank back into the chair.
I smiled at Jax. “I just needed to see for myself that you were okay. Did you hear that I’m going to be a permanent resident here, so you’ll get to follow me around some more?”
Jax laughed. “I’m just glad I’m still here to do the following.”
“So am I. I’m so sorry that—”
“No, it’s me who should be sorry. I should’ve known the Crowns would make a move.”
“If King didn’t know, why should you? I don’t blame any of you. When they dragged me from the car, and you were lying there unconscious, I thought…” I paused to swallow, hoping I could finish my words without breaking down. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever see you again. I’m really glad you’re all right.”
“Me too,” Storm said. Jax smiled at him before looking back at me. “How are you? I’m sure you got banged up too.”
“Not as bad as you or Denny, and I’m fine. In fact, I’m great, now that I’m back here.”
“My brother finally stopped being an idiot,” Storm said.
Jax smiled. “King’s a good man, but when he gets an idea in his head, it’s not easy for him to let go of it.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re telling me.”
“Is he waiting for you?” Jax asked.
“No, but he’ll be here soon, so I’m going to go, but I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“If Storm has his way, I’ll be stuck right here.”
“If that’s the best thing for you, then listen to him.” I left the room and headed upstairs to King’s bedroom. At first it was hard to be there on my own. Memories from the night before when King had given me the key and walked away flooded my mind, but I took a slow, deep breath and pushed them away. King had been scared and angry, and he’d done the only thing he thought he could. And tonight, we were going to erase all those memories. I undressed, showered, did what I could to improve my bruised and banged-up appearance, and lay on the bed to wait for him.
Quicker than I’d expected, I heard King’s voice in the hallway, then the doorknob turned and there he was. The hot, dark look he gave me when he saw me was everything I’d hoped for.
“Are you ready to be claimed, little human?”
“More ready than I can say, Sir.”
“Good. I’m not in the mood to take it slow.”
I didn’t feel any anger from him, just impatience. That was a good sign, right? “Did everything go okay at the meeting?”
“It went according to plan, but that doesn’t mean I trust the council members. They all carry secrets, and how those will affect us in the future, I can’t say. But for now, things are as stable as they can be.”
“So we can focus on us for a little while?”
“My dick is going to focus on your ass, and my teeth are going to focus on your neck, and I’m going to stake my permanent claim on you.”
I stifled a groan as I shifted to a kneeling posture. “I prepared myself for you, Sir.”
“Did you now? Tell me about it.”
“I showered and cleaned myself, and then I lubed myself so my ass was ready for you.”
He sucked in his breath. I loved that I could get that reaction from him.
“And after that—maybe this was a little naughty, and you’ll need to punish me, Sir—I got a toy from your cabinet and put it inside me. Really it was like punishing myself, because I can feel it there, stretching me, not as much as you would, but enough that I’ll be ready for you. Whenever I move, it presses against my prostate and my cock tries desperately to swell, but it can’t, because it belongs to you. You choose when my cock can get hard.”
King was breathing raggedly by the time I stopped speaking. He leaned down and placed his hands on the bed. Claws had emerged from the tips of his fingers and dug into the mattress.
“Careful, you’ll damage it.”
“I don’t fucking care.” The words came out as a growl. King pulled the key to my cock cage from his pocket, removed it, and set it aside. “Turn over and put your ass in the air so I can see your filled hole.”
I did as he said, arching my back deeply and sticking my ass out toward him. He grasped the flange of the plug and tugged, working it in and out a few times before pulling it out and tossing it onto the bed. “I love that your pretty little hole is already open for me, and you’re lucky I do. Because next time, I won’t let you get away with making choices like that on your own.”
I smiled against the mattress, thrilled that I’d pleased him even if I had been disobedient.
His hands dug into my ass cheeks. I felt the sting of his claws, but that was forgotten the second his tongue flicked across my hole. He teased my rim and then lapped at me. “Please, Sir.”
He slapped my ass hard. It was still sore from my last spanking, but I welcomed the pain. I welcomed everything from him.
“I set the pace tonight,” he growled. “I control this. I control you. You’re my mate, and you’re here for my pleasure.”
“Yes, Sir. I want to please you.”
He went back to feasting on my ass, pushing his tongue into me slowly, then harder with little stabbing thrusts. I was writhing by the time he stopped, desperate to be full again, to be stretched open on his knot.
I heard the jangle of King’s belt buckle, and then his zipper lowering. I turned my head enough that I could watch him as he stripped. When he was completely naked, my hole clenched in anticipation of him driving inside me.
I yelped when he grabbed me up and tossed me over his shoulder instead.
“Traditionally, wolves claim their mates under the moonlight. I want to do this in the rose garden.”
“The rose garden? But anyone might be able to see us.”
“The trees mostly block the view from the house, but I don’t care who sees. I would claim you in front of the whole world. You’re mine, and I don’t care who knows it.”
“But I—”
“I want to fuck you in the rose garden, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
My cock throbbed, desperate for relief even though he’d sucked me off not that long ago. I loved King’s dominance. I loved his control. When would I learn to stop fighting that? “Yes, Sir. If that’s what you want, then I want it too.”
He growled and nipped at my ass, then he began walking toward the door. Was he really going to—
He opened the door and started walking down the hall, completely unconcerned that we were both buck naked. We passed by a few staff members, but they didn’t seem startled. I supposed everyone in a shifter household was more used to nudity than humans; they had to strip to prevent destroying their clothes before they shifted, and when they shifted back to humans, they were naked.
“Jesus, King, is this display really necessary?” It was Garrett. He was walking down the hall with a huge brown wolf that was probably Shadow, but to a human, seeing a wolf inside was just as startling as us being naked.
“Fuck off, Garrett. I’m about to claim my mate.”
Garrett rolled his eyes. “You don’t need to announce it.”
King kept moving. Thankfully, there was no one in the kitchen. When he opened the back door and we stepped out into the night, I shivered in the cool breeze. He shifted me to carry me bridal style, tucking me tightly against his body. His heat felt delicious. I didn’t want to part from him, but he set me on my feet once we were in the rose garden. I watched as he opened a storage box and pulled a blanke
t from it. Then we went to a little sitting area at the center of the garden and he spread the blanket on the grassy patch there. “I want you just like you were on the bed.”
I knelt on the blanket and folded forward, sticking my ass in the air. This time, King did what I expected. He knelt behind me and placed the tip of his cock against my well-prepared hole. “This is it. There’s no going back from here. You’re my mate, and I was crazy to ever think we could be apart. You are part of me now, and I’m part of you. Once I bite you, and your mate mark forms, you’ll be mine. This is your last chance to tell me no. If you don’t want—”
“I want you, King. I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you. I may have been drunk that night, but I knew you were mine. You were more special than anyone I’ve ever met. I want you. I want you inside me now. I want you to claim me. I want you to own me.”
He grasped my hips and pushed into me, seating himself fully in one thrust. It hurt, and it felt like the most wonderful thing on earth all at the same time. It was everything I needed.
King drove into me again and again. There was nothing gentle about it. He was making sure I’d never forget what it felt like to be used by him, to be his. I scrabbled at the blanket, trying to keep from sliding forward. He growled as he worked me harder and harder. He seemed to be moving impossibly fast. I was so close. I wanted to let my orgasm overtake me, but I knew I had to wait.
King bent over me and I felt the scrape of teeth against my neck—long, lupine teeth. A shiver raced through me. “King?”
He snarled. “Mine.”
“I… When you bite me…”
“It will hurt but you’ll take it, because this is what you need. Come for me, mate. While I make you mine.”
He sank his teeth into me, and I cried out, working myself back against him. The pain of his bite was blinding for a second, but then my body was flooded with the most intense pleasure I’d ever experienced. I thrust my hips, trying to get his cock as deep as it would go. I writhed and struggled, unable to help myself. King slid his hand into my hair and used his grip to hold me down.
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