by Zoey Ellis
He was still bare-chested, only wearing his pants, but the expression on his face turned her insides to ice. He was utterly furious.
He took in the scene before him and let out a vicious roar she heard in her mind. In an instant, a rush of magic swept through the corridor and parted all who stood before Amara. The world shook as the heavy, enormous Alphas crashed against either wall and the magic pinned them in place. Malloron strode down the center of the corridor as it cleared, a dark snarl on his face as he took her in.
Amara’s eyes widened and she stepped back involuntarily, her fear in that moment stronger than the desire that pulsed through her for him.
"Honor my word?" His fury radiated brighter than any white fire as he stormed toward her. "I honored my word and you took advantage!"
Amara took a tiny step back but it was too late. He descended upon her swiftly, grabbing her roughly, lifting her up and pressing her to him. He turned and slammed her against the corridor wall, forcing her legs around his waist.
"I had to check something,” she responded, trying to fight against his hold even though her body rejoiced that he had his hands on her. Her slick was already gathering. "We did not agree that I had to stay in my room."
"Enough!" The Alpha pressed her against the wall using his entire body and wrapped a hand around her neck. Immediately she went limp, a pleasurable feeling beaming through her at the pressure. "I gave you the honor you so dearly wanted," the Alpha snarled, as he undid his pants. "And I find you here, surrounded by Alphas who would be fucking you if they could truly scent what you are. They looked like they were about to fuck you anyway!" A rumbling growl released from him and his voice lowered into a low, harsh rasp. "You are mine, Amara. Mine alone. You are my queen and my mate, and I don't give a fuck if you don't like it. You will not leave your room again. If I have to lock you in forever, so be it.”
Amara tried to fight him but the pressure around her neck kept her muscles limp and relaxed, and his scent had enhanced to such a degree that her mind was fighting with her to enjoy it. She did not want to be apart from his touch, his scent, his dominance. Every inch of her body wanted him to claim her, and when he pushed her panties to the side and thrust into her, her cry was not from pain.
As he pounded her, he released her neck and hooked her legs over his forearms to widen her for him. Her hips bounded to and fro on the wall as he drove in and out of her, and the depth that he reached made her whole body convulse. Gripping his arms, she rested her chin on his shoulder and suddenly realized that they had an audience. The group of Alphas he had pinned to the wall were watching them with various expressions. The main Alpha, the largest one who had tried to talk to her, seemed highly amused, while the others ranged from anger to lust. Emric had his eyes tightly closed, but there was no other expression obvious on his face.
Amara turned her head to face Malloron’s neck. "They are watching." Her breaths came out in gusts in the rhythm in which he was slamming her body against the wall.
"That is the whole fucking point," Malloron bit out, pulling all the way out and pounding back in, causing her to cry out. "They need to know you are mine, completely."
Amara was too overwhelmed with sensations to fully embrace the mortification that rose at his response. His rough treatment of her and the hard pressure of the wall against her back made her writhe for more. She wanted everything he could give her, everything she knew he was capable of, and in his anger she knew he wouldn't hold back. Soon, that dark, delicious, and raw sensation clawed through her and she was helpless against it. She pressed her face into Malloron’s neck, licking his moistening skin and focusing inward, keen to forget about her surroundings.
As the heightening bliss seized her, her mind slipped deeper inward, and suddenly she became aware of the tenebris. It swept through her like a storm, revolving and bounding as though it was responsible for her carnal feelings. On impulse, she connected to it, and it sprung into her mind, overwhelming her as her climax hit.
She could barely catch her breath. Everything was so intense, it was as though she was riding the highest possible wave of intensity that tore her senses to shreds. Her climax hit her repeatedly, rolling over her again and again until she sobbed with exhaustion, wishing for it to be over.
Finally, the intensity began to fade and she found herself pressed between the wall and the big purring mass that held her firmly, keeping her steady on the massive bulk of flesh stretching her wide between her legs.
She turned her head away and opened her eyes, only to see the same audience as before. "They’re still watching," she moaned, still trying to catch her breath.
Malloron did not answer, but when she glanced up at him, he was already looking down at her. "What did you do?" he demanded, curiosity burning in his gaze.
Amara frowned. "I did nothing."
"You did something, Amara," he insisted. "I can feel the tenebris moving."
Amara blinked and drew her attention inward. Instantly she felt the tenebris moving within her, free and fluid like an ocean.
"What did you do?" Malloron pressed.
"I-I connected to it," she said hesitantly. "I connected to it while we were…" Her voiced faded out as she realized that the vibrancy of the magic around her had returned. Throughout the corridor there were no more gaps or absence of magic anywhere. Color had returned, and vibrations were everywhere.
"I suppose that would make sense,” Malloron murmured, almost to himself.
Amara turned back to him. "What do you mean?”
The Alpha glanced down at her and his face hardened. He suddenly turned, and she gasped, holding on to him as the wall at her back fell away. He held her steady enough but her legs were beginning to tire.
She tried to cross her ankles behind his back, but he was too wide. As she fidgeted, he slipped a hand underneath her bottom to hold her steady on his knot, tucking his elbow against the outside of her knee and holding onto her other leg with his other hand, taking the pressure off her. She relaxed onto him, her arms locked around his neck, and suddenly noticed he was speaking over her shoulder.
Glancing behind her, the Alphas who had been pinned against the wall were now released, and Malloron stopped a few feet from them as he spoke. She craned her head around to look upon the strange Alphas’ reactions, but Malloron suddenly stopped speaking, grabbed her head, and turned her eyes back to him. He glared at her, the warning clear in his eyes, before pushing her face into his neck.
Amara held herself still in the position he wanted her in. She was too exhausted to fight him, and anyway, his knot was still stretching her open. Each time she jostled it cause a pleasurable pain deep within her—she was utterly vulnerable. A movement caught her eye, and she lifted her head slightly to see Emric standing behind Malloron.
His face was crumpled and she was shocked to see tears. He mouthed to her, “Are you well?” She lifted her head up as high as she could to be seen over Malloron’s shoulder and smiled at him warmly, touched that he had actually been worried for her.
She nodded and watched the worry seep from him. He bowed and then moved back out of view.
Within a few moments, Malloron was marching along the corridor, holding her firmly in his arms. She lay limp on him, allowing him to carry her weight while her head lolled on his shoulder, that familiar drowsiness overpowering her. The cool sheen of magic rushed over her skin, signifying they had gone through a portal and then suddenly she was looking at the walls of her rooms.
By the time Malloron placed her down on the bed and carefully lay on top of her, she was barely awake. But she still heard his last words. "You are never leaving this room again, Amara.”
***
The next morning, she woke to Malloron slamming into her rough and wild. Her wrists were pinned above her head and her back was already arching, pushing her nipple up into his eager mouth.
After he made her come twice, he slammed his knot into her with a husky groan and then caged her in with his arms as they rem
ained locked together like he always did, but this time his eyes were hard. Amara ignored him, turning away as much as she could and shifting against him in annoyance. She was hot, sweaty, and sticky and in desperate need of a bath. He had held onto her all night, keeping her flush against him, since the moment he grabbed her in the corridor yesterday. He hadn't released his hold once.
"I understand you feel no remorse for your actions,” Malloron’s voice thundered into her mind, "but you know how dangerous it was for you to be roaming the castle on your own, at night!”
Amara served him a glare. "Good morning to you too.”
"You know what goes on in this castle.” Agitation burned through his tone. "And you know you are no longer hiding your dynamic. Anything could have happened.”
A tremble of annoyance and worry flickered in Amara and she suddenly became conscious of a cloud of awareness within her. But she ignored it, her curiosity burning strong. "Who were those Alphas in the corridor?”
The cloud twisted and revolved as the feelings within it deepened to hard anger and… jealousy. "That is not your concern,” Malloron snapped. "And you do not ever look at them again.”
Amara held still as the emotions softened, a realization coming to her. She could feel his connection to her, and somehow his emotions were attached. But they didn't seem to remain strong. She glanced around the room. The magic around them materialized with barely any effort, in full color—vibrant and strong. When she returned her gaze to Malloron he looked as he always looked—gorgeous and majestic—and the draw to him that she had felt floating over the Lands had returned. It was the tenebris.
A quiet relief washed over her. Her feelings toward him weren't because of any poison or potion—the tenebris was causing it. Although that still didn't help her, it at least provided an explanation. And maybe over time she could find a way to mitigate its effect on her.
"Do you hear me?” Malloron’s voice boomed in her mind and a surge of a feeling so raw, she couldn't recognize it, blew through the cloud and then softened.
"You want a queen that doesn't look at anyone,” Amara murmured. "I hear you.”
Malloron’s expression hardened as he glared at her, but he didn't say anything.
Amara eyed him. If she was truly feeling his emotions, this could be interesting. "You said I was your mate.”
A blend of feelings embraced the cloud that she couldn't differentiate, and she was unable to identify them before they faded.
"You are. We are true mates.”
Amara’s brows shot up. She vaguely remembered receiving training about that back at the Omega Compound. True mates were a pairing that was deemed sacred by many. "How can we be?”
"How can we not be?” Malloron said sharply. "What do you think is causing this impulsive attraction? We are compatible.”
"That doesn't mean—”
"I am not discussing it,” Malloron interrupted. "You will figure out for yourself that I am your Alpha and when you do, you will claim me like you’re supposed to. I am not arguing about it.”
Amara stared at him, shocked at how agitated he was. Strands of concern threaded through the cloud, surprising her even more. Had he been truly worried about her?
"The tenebris feels like it’s working correctly. Are you feeling different?”
Amara hesitated for a moment and decided not to press the issue about being true mates. It didn't really matter if he thought they were—they weren't.
She explained the difference in the tenebris since they mated in the corridor, and when he pressed her for more information, she described the draw she felt for him.
Malloron scowled. "You felt this out in the Lands and you ignored it?”
Amara shrugged. What did he expect?
His face hardened. "You will not ignore me!”
"Yes, I know the consequences of ignoring you, Your Majesty,” she remarked. "Thousands of daggers stabbing me from the inside out, if I recall. What happens now?”
Malloron’s face was like stone. He glared at her for a long moment before responding. "Now that it is responding, I want to see what the extent at which you and I can control it.”
"I thought you wanted to fix my eyes and ears,” Amara snapped. "Not play with your new toy.”
Amusement and desire rose in the cloud, but Malloron’s stern expression didn't change. "I want to make sure it’s working correctly before I do anything to it,” he replied.
"How do you plan to try and fix it?”
"I have some ideas in mind.”
A sudden feeling of displacement rocked through her, and in her mind’s eye a fuzzy image appeared of a thick, worn book sitting on a stand. It faded slowly along with the odd feeling. It had to be from Malloron—but there was no way of guessing what it meant. "What was that?” she asked cautiously.
"What?”
"That book? Is it important?”
Malloron’s face slacked. "You saw a book?”
"Yes, on a stand in some kind of room with bookshelves.”
Malloron’s brows raised. "Did you see anything else?”
Amara shook her head. "What was it?”
"It was a memory.”
So she could see his memories? That was something she did not want at all. "Is it important?”
"Yes.” Malloron peered down at her. "Can you feel or see anything else from me?”
Amara didn't hesitate to shake her head. Being able to feel his emotions without him knowing, might give her an advantage. "What is important about that book?”
"That is the book the spell was in.” But his answer was steeped in a deep feeling of concern, and it unsettled her.
"It never mentioned this result?” Amara asked, gesturing to her eyes.
"No.”
"So how do you intend to—”
"I will resolve this, Amara,” Malloron interrupted. "You don't need to worry about it. You just need to worry about staying in this fucking room.” He grabbed her hair roughly and pulled it hard until her head tilted as far back as it could go—her forehead almost touching the pillow underneath her. At the same time, he pushed his knot against her, causing an exquisite blend of painful pleasure to spark through her while his mouth closed over her upturned chin and his teeth dragged over it. "It’s clear I need to remind you where you belong—and we won't be leaving this bed until I am sure you will remember.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
AMARA
Everything became worse.
Unbearably worse.
He was on top of her all the time, pressing her into the bed, trapping her. The first few days he didn't even allow her to bathe—not until he had smeared every inch of her body with his seed and demanded that she tell him who she belonged to. And even when she did finally get the chance to bathe, he was there with her, an arm around her waist as he lowered into the bath with her. He made a point of washing her only to tell her that he would be marking her with his fluids again within the next few minutes, and forced her to wash him so that she would know the body of the Alpha that she would claim as mate.
It became a pattern of their washroom habits, he would wash her and she would wash him. Then he would return her to the bed. It was the same when they ate. He would hold her on his lap and feed her as though she was some kind of child, ignoring her protests and holding her down when she tried to remove herself. If she fought too much, he used her body against her, slipping his hand between her legs or brushing her nipple with his thumb to try and soften her. And because of the fucking tenebris, it worked.
Her life became a pattern of him dominating her in every way. She no longer had any say in anything she did, he did everything for her, even deciding how she slept. Through the cloud of awareness, she could tell his determined attitude was caused by the fury that she had left the room and a fierce desire for her that she was shocked by.
After a while, her fight began to wane. Unless she could find a way to prevent the intensity of his claim on her, she would lose her mind and he would have h
er completely. Because, as much as she tried not to let him affect her, it was impossible not to be overwhelmed by him—everything about him sparked a reaction in her, and that reaction wasn't always negative.
She barely even wanted to admit to herself that the animalistic feeling deep within her rejoiced in hearing every single thing he planned to do to her. It loved when he petted her, loved when he used the word mate, and found a twisted sense of peace on his knot.
Worst of all, the repaired tenebris heightened and strengthened the connection between them, particularly with his cloud of awareness nested within her. Not only could she feel his desire for her, which fed into her own desire for him, but his touch felt more intense; his hand running across her stomach shivered to her core, his mouth sucking on every part of her engulfed every thought in her mind, and his cock was king and conqueror. Nothing else could enter her mind when he dominated her, and his domination reigned supreme. She knew it was because of the tenebris—it had to be. There were even moments when she saw flashes of herself in his mind, a slip of an image of her face contorted in ecstasy or her mouth around his cock. She knew for certain now that they were memories, because as soon as one of them came up in her mind, he was moving her into position to recreate it.
The days blurred into each other until she had no idea how long she’d been in the room for. No one knocked again and the king did not leave.
Finally, in a rare moment of sharp awareness in the middle of the night, she realized he would succeed in wearing her down. She had to do something—try anything—to get out from under him. Literally.
She began to focus on the room. By pinpointing all of her attention onto one single thing, she tried honing her thoughts to keep her mind thinking on something other than him. The first couple of times, while she was under him, he didn't allow it. But when he took her on her side, one hand clutching her breast as he drove into her from behind, he didn't notice. She stared at the knob on her chest of drawers, forcing herself to keep her eyes open as the pleasure spiraled through her, and then suddenly, the intense feeling of his presence dropped away in one gust as she disconnected from him.