by Aria Winter
“Do you like the way I feel?” Finn asks as he cups his hand to my breast.
“Yes,” I breathe against his lips. “I love holding you like this. That you trust me with the most vulnerable part of you just as I trust you when you enter my body.”
He kisses me long and deep as he brushes his thumb across the peak of my breast. “You’re perfect, Ella. Your body is so soft and giving.” He closes his eyes. “I long to sink myself deep inside you again and fill you with my essence.”
As he speaks, my inner walls clamp tightly around Cash’s cock as he pumps into me. He grips my hips firmly to hold me in place. “Come for me, Ella,” he breathes in my ear. “Open yourself and take all of me.”
His words and the movement of his cock deep in my channel ignites a spark of pleasure in my core. It turns into a roaring flame when my release moves through me; he growls as he erupts deep inside me as we come together.
Finn’s length twitches in my grasp, and a burst of warmth coats my abdomen. When Cash unsheathes himself from my body, Finn pulls me to him and enters me in one long stroke.
I cry out at the sensation as he begins to thrust. “You are perfect, Ella,” he breathes against my lips as Cash continues to kiss along my neck, cupping my breasts from behind.
“Tell me you want me,” he whispers.
“I want you, Finn. I want you,” I breathe.
He clamps his hand on my thigh, holding me firmly to him as his strokes become deeper and more urgent.
The faster pace creates a delicious friction deep inside me, pushing me over the edge. I open my mouth and cry out his name as wave after wave of pleasure moves through me.
He slams his hips against mine, and his cock begins to pulse. Warmth erupts from his body as he fills me again with his seed.
When he’s finished, he remains inside me. Cash continues to press soft kisses to my neck and back while Finn skims his nose from my temple down to my jaw. “You are ours, Ella. And we’ll always protect you,” he whispers against my skin.
When he finally pulls away from my body, my thighs and abdomen are sticky with their release. Finn retrieves a towel from the bathroom and tenderly cleans me.
“I can take a bath,” I offer.
Finn shakes his head and presses another kiss to my lips.
Cash cups my face, and I turn my head back to his so he can do the same. “No,” he breathes into my mouth. “You smell of us.” A low growl of arousal escapes his lips. “We prefer you this way.” I moan as he cups my breast and kisses me deep. “You are ours, Ella. And we’re never letting you go.”
I stare deep into his eyes. “I never want to leave either of you. Ever again. I’m yours, and you are mine.”
Chapter 23
Nyx
As I stand in the kitchen preparing breakfast, I grit my teeth as I hear Finn growl upstairs and roar Ella’s name. She cries out as well, and I am so jealous I can hardly stand it. I swear, the next time they shift, I’m going to rip those two chipmunks to shreds with my bare teeth.
I look to the living room and find Devon lounging lazily on the couch. I gesture angrily to him. “How can you just lie there like that? Do you not hear what’s going on upstairs?”
His eyes snap open, and he stares directly at me. His green, vertically slit pupils narrowing. “Of course, I can hear it. I am trying to ignore it. You should do the same.”
“How can I?” I snap. “They have been doing this all night and now this morning as well.”
Kai walks in from outside. He looks between the two of us. “What is the problem here?”
Ella cries out, and his gaze lifts to the ceiling. He looks back at us with understanding and sighs heavily. “They are our brothers. We should not be jealous of them. We should be happy for them... and for her.”
I arch a brow. “And what if she wants only them and not us as well?”
Kai clenches his jaw but says nothing. That tells me he is worried about it too. I feel sorry for him. He is the one who took the brunt of her anger yesterday. She is mad at him for trying to push her toward the prince just to fulfill the prophecy.
He is our leader, and it is because of this that she holds him more responsible than she does the rest of us. I pity my brother. It was easy to read the devastation in his blue eyes yesterday. And as I look to him now, the haunted expression has not left him this morning either.
Now he worries, just as Devon and I do, that she will not want us. She is human, and she may wish only to have two of us instead of all of us.
If that is the case, it will be difficult to watch my brothers so happy and in love with their mate while I remain alone and miserable. I cast a glance at Devon and Kai. Well, I suppose I will not be alone in my misery, so there’s that.
It goes quiet upstairs, and I wonder if they are finally sleeping. They will probably remain up there the rest of the day since I am almost certain they did not get any rest at all last night.
I am surprised when I hear footsteps at the top of the stairs. I look up and find Ella wearing her nightshift and robe we procured for her. Her hair is tousled, and her clothing is rumpled, but despite her disheveled appearance, she is still the most beautiful female I have ever seen.
Cash and Finn walk beside her, and when they reach the kitchen, they take a seat on either side of her as Kai serves everyone breakfast.
It is difficult, but I manage to push down my jealousy as we eat.
Kai’s gaze sweeps over us and lands upon me. “I know your illusion magic skills are strong. But the wolf shifters can see past certain spells due to their heightened sense of smell. I need you to make sure you fortify the shield you erected to hide us.”
I nod. I had planned on weaving more spells into our cloak this morning anyway, for that specific reason.
Devon leans forward. “I do not understand. Why would the wolf shifters go against the prophecy? The Elders are the ones who assigned us to Ella so that she could unite the two kingdoms. Why would they not wish for peace among our two peoples?”
Kai shakes his head. “I do not know. Perhaps the Wolf Queen and her kin see Ella as a threat to her rule. I only know what I saw that night in the castle. The male who attacked Ella was not the prince. He must have possessed strong magic, indeed, to have hidden so well. None of us even detected that he was a shifter.”
I have considered this. Our kind is always able to sense one another. To see past the human façade to the animal beneath. But with the prince, I detected nothing that night to indicate he was not entirely human.
I think again about my recurring nightmare of the Wolf Shifter Queen killing Ella. I turn to Kai. He is our leader, and from the look in his eyes, it is easy to see that he already has a plan. “What should we do?”
He meets my gaze evenly. “I will fly out to find one of the Elders. I must consult with her and see if she can sense anything amiss in the threads of fate. We need to know for certain who is after Ella so that we can better protect her. You will fortify your concealment illusion.” He looks to Cash, Finn, and Devon. “You will check the borders of the spell for any weakness or indication that someone is at the edge of the barrier.”
Ella looks to me. “I will go with you so we can begin my training.”
Kai’s head snaps to her. “You should remain here, in the cottage, where it is safe for now.”
“No,” she states firmly. “I need to learn how to defend myself. Nyx,” she gestures to me, “already agreed to train me.”
Kai’s blue eyes widen as he turns to me.
Before he can speak, I offer. “She wants to learn. I see no reason not to train her.”
Reluctantly, he nods, but it is easy to see in his gaze that he feels I’ve betrayed him. After all, he is our leader and I should have cleared this with him first.
Ella turns to him. “What do you think happened to the prince? Do you think he’s still alive?”
Kai shakes his head. “I do not know.”
She reaches out and takes his hand.
/>
His expression softens as he looks to her.
I am irrationally jealous as her blue eyes stare deep into his with a look of concern. “Will it be safe for you to go to the Elder?”
“Yes. I trust her. I have known her since I was a child.”
“Please be careful,” she says. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Her eyes drift over each of us. “Or any of you.”
Kai’s gaze darts briefly to mine and I recognize the hope that flashes behind his eyes. Perhaps she is not still angry with him. Only time will tell, I suppose.
As soon as Kai leaves, each of us goes off to tend to our duties. I promise to return to her as soon as I’m done, so we may begin her training.
I am standing at the edge of the magical barrier, arms raised as I weave more spells into the illusion, when I hear something behind me.
I flick one ear back toward the sound and flare my nostrils. I recognize immediately that it is Ella, but what is she doing here?
When I finish, I turn to face her with a questioning look. “You should be back in the cottage, where it is safe. I promised I would come back as soon as I was finished.”
“It’s been hours,” she says. “I was worried about you.”
Her concern touches me deeply. “I appreciate your concern, but I am fine, Ella.”
She blinks up at me. “I’d like to stay out here with you.”
Her luminous blue eyes search mine. She is the most enchanting creature I have ever seen. How could I deny her anything she wants when she looks at me like that? “All right. But please stay close.”
We move from one area to another as I weave more intricate spells into the barrier. She is quiet as I work, but I hear her begin to hum softly behind me after a moment. Her voice is beautiful. I’ve heard her sing before in the gardens of her home, and so as she begins to sing a soft tune to herself, I do not interrupt.
Clouds begin gathering overhead. A loud crack of thunder startles us both, and I move to her side. “We should return to the cottage.”
She nods, and together we race back toward the clearing and the cottage in the center. I make certain she moves through the door first. She turns to me, and she appears miserable. Her entire body shaking, wet and cold.
I take her hand and guide her up the stairs to the bathroom. “You must get out of these clothes and get warm,” I tell her.
She nods, and I begin to draw her a warm bath. I make sure to keep my eyes averted from her nude form. As soon as she enters the tub, I go back into the bedroom and stoke the fire to make certain it remains burning to heat the room.
“Nyx?” she calls out, and I rush back to the bathroom.
“Yes?”
“Can you hand me the soap?”
I find the soap and give it to her, making sure not to look upon her as she bathes. I recall how Devon reminded me that humans are embarrassed by their nudity, and I do not wish to make her nervous.
When she is finished bathing, I leave the room so she may change, making sure to leave her a gown and soft robe.
As soon as she enters the bedroom, my jaw drops as my gaze travels over her body. She is more beautiful than any female I have ever seen. The strap of her sleep gown hangs off to one side, baring her shoulder.
The v of the gown dips between the valley of her breast, accentuating the softly rounded globes. Her nipples are easily outlined through the fabric. The two beaded tips straining against the silken material as if begging for my attention.
I am seated on the couch, and I’m surprised as she moves to my side and sits down. So close, her thigh is touching mine. I draw in a shaky breath as she curls one leg beneath her and leans against me.
My nostrils flare as I draw her delicate scent deep into my lungs. My mouth begins to water at the thought of tracing my tongue over her body and through her folds to taste her sweet nectar.
But she does not want me in this way; I do not think.
She sighs in contentment as she nestles into my side.
I wrap one arm around her, pulling her close. “Thank you, Nyx.”
“For what?”
“For taking such good care of me. I just want you to know that I appreciate all that you are doing to keep me safe.”
I turn to her. “We are your guards. We will always protect you, Ella.”
She smiles up at me, and it’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
“Tell me about you, Nyx.”
I arch a brow. “What would you like to know?”
“Why do you and Devon seem to always be at odds with one another?”
A smile quirks my lips. It seems Ella is rather direct. I like that she gets right to the core of things. “We bicker, yes,” I explain, “but we do not hate each other.”
“But why do you play tricks on him, like you did with the fountain?”
He laughs softly. “I suppose it is our nature to be slightly adversarial with each other. Rabbit and Cat shifters do not normally mix.”
“Why is that?”
“Cats seem to be ... easily annoyed and often quick-tempered,” I explain. “Whereas my kind, we... in rabbit shifter litters there are often many children born. So we are very social creatures and often play tricks with each other. Especially our siblings. It is a... type of affection among us, I suppose.”
Her brow furrows. “Why are there so many children in rabbit shifter litters?”
A red flush creeps up my neck to my cheeks. I am loath to admit this to her because I fear her rejection. “Rabbits are known for their… stamina.”
Her mouth drifts open in shock.
With a heavy sigh, I continue. I do not wish to hold back anything about myself to her. If I want her to choose me, I have to be completely honest in who and what I am. “Our urge to mate is powerful compared to the other shifters,” I add. “I am uncertain why it is this way for us. It just is.” I pause. “I suppose it is part of my nature that I long for a large family with many kits.”
She gives me a curious look. “What do guards do about families if they do not bond to the person they protect?”
I’ve dreamed of Ella many times, and almost every dream ends with her in my arms as we make passionate love. I desire her to be my mate and to have a family with her.
I swallow thickly. I’m worried that her question may be hinting that she does not desire me and never will as she does Finn and Cash. “Most guards dedicate their entire lives to the one they protect.” I cup her chin and meet her gaze evenly. “I have already decided this is what I will do. I want only to guard you and be at your side, Ella. And I understand if you never take me as yours the way you have taken Cash and Finn. After all, as I said, many females do not want to mate a rabbit shifter.”
“It’s all right,” she whispers. “It’s just part of who you are. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
I lift my gaze to her. “Many shifter females refuse to mate a rabbit shifter because of it. They refuse cat shifters as well, but for a... different reason,” I mumble.
“Well, you don’t ever need to be ashamed of who or what you are, Nyx. I will never judge you for it.”
“Thank you, Ella.”
She gives me a curious look. “Is that why you did not want to look at me while I was bathing? While I was dressing?”
With a slight clench of my jaw, I nod. “You are very beautiful, Ella. I know humans are averse to being observed while they are nude. And also... it stirs something in me to see you. Desires that I... do not believe you will want.”
She touches my jaw. “Why would you think I would not want you?”
“Although I have never experienced it, I have heard of the mating frenzy that my people experience. The desire to mate repeatedly is so great… it can be overwhelming for those outside of other rabbit shifters.”
Her blue eyes search mine. “Why does this worry you so much?”
I clench my jaw. “I want to be tender and gentle with you. I worry my desires and my needs would be too much. That you
would—”
She presses her finger to my lips to silence me. “I am not made of glass. If this is part of who you are, I accept it.”
Hope flares inside me. “You do?”
She smiles. “I... I’m not ready to mate, if that’s what you are asking. But I... I do feel drawn to you, Nyx. You and the others.”
I lower my gaze. “It’s the bond, Ella. It makes you feel—”
She presses a finger to my lips to silence me as she softly shakes her head. “It’s more than that. I feel it here.” She places her hand over her heart.
I frown. “How do you know?”
“Because when I was kissing who I thought was the prince, it felt wrong. It felt wrong the moment his hand touched mine.”
With a heavy sigh, I nod. “That is probably because he was not the prince.”
“No,” she states firmly. “It’s because he wasn’t you. He wasn’t any of my guards. You are the ones I want. The ones I feel drawn to. It felt wrong to give myself to someone else.” Her gaze holds mine. “And even if we find the prince alive somewhere, I’ve already decided.”
My brow furrows. “Decided what?”
“That I am not going to be his wife. I will find another way to make him an ally with your people.”
My mouth drifts open in shock. We’ve messed all of this up. Horribly. The Elders and everyone else placed their faith in us. Fate chose us to guide her, and now... we are causing her to divert her path from what the prophecy foretold.
As if sensing my concern, she cups my cheek, guiding my face to hers. “I don’t care what the prophecy says. This is my life, and I’m not going to allow anyone to make my decisions for me. Not the Elders, not some ancient scroll and certainly not the prince—if he’s still alive somewhere.”
She is brave and much stronger than I first realized. Her fragile form belies a strength of will as mighty as any warrior. And I find myself falling for her even more as her determined gaze meets mine, full of conviction. “You are my guard, Nyx, and I want to seal you to me. Do you agree?”