Crowning Glory [The Royal Wolves 3] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Honor James

  Leaning over her he let his Wolf growl to his mate in full depth a moment before he sank his teeth into her shoulder and held her pinned for him. Laz was watching this, stunned at what he was doing to her but just couldn’t seem to get the control back to stop hurting her. He didn’t want to hurt her and had to rely on his Wolf not to do any damage.

  He wasn’t hurting her, the wolf and the woman were both so far gone with the pleasure that the bite was just the icing on the cake. His tongue soothed even as his teeth bit and hurt. She howled her pleasure to the office, and he sensed the woman in her praying his office was soundproof, but the wolf hoping it wasn’t.

  Slamming into her body one last time, Laszlo came, the Wolf making Desmonda’s name a throaty growl of pleasure as it rolled from his throat. Collapsing over her he let her legs go so she could keep from falling, and hopefully keep them both from falling as his body throbbed as his seed was pumping deep into hers.

  “Chair,” she gasped out as she stood on legs so wobbly and shaky that she was sure they were about to give out. “Before we fall, chair.” She whispered her plea to him even as she felt her body clench around him and milk him for even more.

  Reaching back, Laz got the chair close enough and then, holding onto her, flopped back into it and thanked god he actually hit it on the first shot. Had they hit the floor, he’d never have been able to move, likely for days. “I think my head exploded,” he murmured as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight to him.

  “I think mine did, too.” Her eyes were closed but she did smile. “You will have eight long furrows and gouges to explain on your desk.” And she didn’t feel one small bit sorry for that. “You can get a new desk if you want to, however.” Although a part of her hoped he kept this one, kept it so that even when working he could touch the marks she made, and know she was always with him.

  “Hell no, I’m not getting a new one.” Laz began to grin. “I want to have something that will have Joan giving you dirty looks for the next however many years she’s with me every time you drop by. It will also have her too fertile imagination in overdrive if you are in my locked office for more than two minutes at a time.”

  Desi groaned and shook her head, “I don’t think that I will ever visit you at work.” She was teasing actually. “That woman will send me dirty looks and notes telling me that I’m not allowed to keep you away from what you are supposed to be doing, working.” She had to admit though she was rather pleased that everyone who came into the office would see those marks and know just how much his mate enjoyed him.

  “Likely,” he agreed, rubbing his lips over her mating mark as he rubbed a hand lightly over her stomach. “But she’ll do it with glee and pleasure in her heart. She’s been after me to stop working so hard and to find the woman who was meant for me.”

  “And then here I am, I just kind of fell into your life.” Her eyes closed as she just relaxed into him. “I’m going to have trouble tonight taking Katherine out, aren’t I, Laszlo?” She was worried that with her being in heat she wouldn’t be able to keep her promise to Katherine, and that would just really blow.

  “You’ll be needy, love. I’m not willing to lie to you about anything, especially something that could affect you so much. If you are around other males you may feel the need to scratch the itch,” he told her even as he winced at the way he’d phrased it. “It’ll be hard,” he mumbled, his face indicating that he felt like an ass.

  “Well, hell,” she grumbled. “I don’t like how that sounds at all.” She breathed and then, “I don’t think that I will be able to do this Laszlo. I hate it, but I don’t think that I can because I don’t want to chance her or myself at all.”

  “I offered to come along and was shot down,” he pointed out, gently rubbing his fingers over her arms. “You could just have a night in, do it up at the cabin between the properties. You’ll be close to those who know, those you trust and yet it’ll be a little bit of something different for Katherine at the same time.”

  Now that was an idea. “Why didn’t you tell me about the cabin earlier, Laszlo? Why didn’t you bring that up before, sweetheart?” Shaking her head she smiled. “Yes, I think that the cabin would be perfect. That way when I get all needy and need to scratch the itch, you will be close.” God just thinking about it made her ache with need, and he was still buried deep inside of her. She was a sick, sick woman.

  “Well, other than the fact that all I’ve been thinking about since meeting you is sex, sex, sex…” He shrugged. “And the fact that I’m buried balls deep inside of you and I can smell your need, gee.” He rolled his eyes. “I honestly can’t say why the heck I’d even remember my name let alone a cabin we barely ever use.”

  Biting her lip she grinned. “This is true, I can’t think of anything else right now other than having you inside of me. Even though we both just came deliciously I still can only think of the next time, of when we will be together again.”

  “Well, I think it will have to wait since you have to go and get Katherine,” he told her softly still stroking over her belly lightly. “You have to be a good aunt and do the girly things for the night,” he teased, nipping at her mating mark gently.

  “Right, I need to go get Katherine.” Desmonda grinned and shivered in his arms. “You will be close, near the cabin for when I need you, won’t you?” She turned to look at him and knew that if he said yes, she could only agree. He would never tell her he would be there, and not show, it simply wasn’t the way that he was.

  Nodding he stroked her cheek. “Of course I’ll be close, love. I’ll run with the pack for a while I think and then I’ll just find a spot to catch a nap near where you are.” It was in him to protect and, even though he knew the cabin was safe, he couldn’t leave her alone for too long.

  “Just don’t think so hard that you will come to me all grumbly,” she put in with a frown. She leaned into his touch and moaned softly. “I want to sleep with you tonight, Laszlo, even if you have to be in and out while Katherine sleeps I need to sleep in your arms.” There was no other place for her, they both knew that.

  “You could just tell her I’m coming to stay the night to keep you both company while the cabin creaks and groans and to keep the boogeyman away,” he told her in a droll voice. At the smack on his arm he chuckled. “Or I could just creep in and out the window and risk one of my brothers kicking my ass thinking I’m an intruder.”

  “Yep, that sounds like the better idea all around,” she said with a pleased smile. “Because we know they will all be out and roaming in their wolf forms since they know that Katherine and I will be out and at the cabin, well when you call them and tell them I will be at the cabin that is.” She winked. “All but Janos, I do believe that he and Mina have other plans for the night.”

  “That was the gist of the conversation I had with him earlier, course if he figures out what we did in his office, we may be getting letter bombs,” he commented leaning his head back as he lightly stroked her skin. “I’m actually amazed that Janos hasn’t called yet to ream me out, but knowing my baby brother, he’s too busy plotting his revenge.”

  She snickered and shook her head. “He will likely make time with Mina in your office, Laszlo.” She leaned into his touch and sighed happily. “I love you, Laszlo.” When she opened her eyes asked with a serious look. “Do you think that Mina will relent and ask Janos to change her? I know it has to be eating him up that she won’t let him change her, or am I wrong?”

  “She will in time, she’s just terrified of pain and he’s reluctant to cause her more,” he murmured softly. “She was there for Harker’s change and it’s made her even more afraid. I wish I could make it easier for them both but I can’t so I let it just slide but, eventually, it’s going to be too late.”

  “I was there for Harker’s change, too, but I did it just fine.” Yeah right. She had been terrified of the change and had only done it because she refused to allow fear to rule her. “She will change her mind. She loves him mor
e than anything else and wants to be with him for all time, so yeah, she will change her mind.”

  “I hope so,” Laz said quietly as he hugged her to him tighter. “I don’t know what I’d do in the same position but I am eternally glad I never have to find out,” he told her kissing her mating mark lightly.

  A full-body shiver raced down her as she looked at him. “No, you will never have to find out, sweetheart, because you, sir, are stuck with me. For all time you are stuck with me. Poor man.”

  Squeezing her until she protested, Laszlo shook his head. “I’m lucky,” he told her quietly. “I love you, Desmonda, you are my perfect mate. You are strong enough that I’ll never truly dominate, you are opinionated enough to never let me get away with anything if you know I’m wrong, and you are sweet enough to know when all I need is for you to just hold me and get me through the next few hours before we start all over again.” Closing his eyes he leaned his forehead to her shoulder. “I’m absolutely terrified, Des,” he breathed out softly. “And I know that as my mate you won’t shun me for weakness and won’t mock my fears. I never wanted the Throne even when Father was instructing me on how to deal with everything in our world and how to listen to the people, to know what they want before they need it. But so many want my family dead and all I’ve done is drag you into it with me, the thought of losing you terrifies me beyond all belief.”

  She understood his fears because they were hers as well. Shaking her head and caressing him lightly she held onto him and moved his head to her neck. “Believe me when I tell you that I, too, am terrified.” She let her nails travel through his hair to scratch. “But you and I both know that our people need you, Laszlo. The ones who want us all dead won’t stop because you abdicated the crown, love, no they will keep coming after us and what happens when I get pregnant? Will our children even know life? And if they did, would they live?” She sighed. “This is for the best, Laszlo. For you to once more put your family back on the throne so that you can toss the bastards out who are threatening our family, it’s the only way.”

  “I know,” he whispered softly holding her even tighter to him. “But it doesn’t make it any easier just to know that this is the path I have to take. It irks me that I’m being played into the position because of events falling as they have. I’d rather have the choice, the option to either step into the position or to step away.”

  “I know that you would love. Hopefully one day you and I will have children and at least one will be a son. A son who wants to take on being the King of the Werewolf Nation. For now however”—she patted his chest—“you are the best they have, Laszlo. You are what our people need. It sucks, believe me it does because I am nowhere near what a Queen should be but you and I both know it’s the only option.”

  “You are the perfect Queen,” he told her as he tightened his arms a hair more before relaxing. “The Wolves all will love you, Des,” he promised kissing her cheek. “Me on the other hand.” A sigh slid free. “Most remember my father and he had incredibly large shoes for me to fill, love. I’d be a little less”—his face seemed to be holding back other words, like scared, freaked, numb—“worried if I’d had more time under him to learn, but we only had him for such a short time.” And the pain evidently still raked over his wounded heart harshly each time he thought of his parents, she could tell.

  “I know, darling,” she whispered and touched his lips. “And I’m so sorry that he is gone, Laszlo, because I would dearly love for him to be a part of our lives and the lives of any children that we might have, him and your mother but they are gone, my love.” And she was so sad about that, about the pain it caused her mate. “But we are here now and we need to ensure that all will be well with our people, right?”

  Nodding, he held her closer to him and laid his cheek to hers. “You are right,” he murmured softly. Sighing once more he lifted his head slightly. “We should finish up here, love, and head out or you will be late for your date with Katherine and Janos will have my hide for delaying his date night with Mina,” Laz told her quietly.

  “Ahh yes, it’s nothing to do with ensuring that I am on time.” Her eyes twinkled in merriment. “It’s all to do with Janos.” She owed her brother big. “We wrecked his office and now I’m running late. Think that he will ever want to talk to me again, Laszlo, or ever forgive you?”

  “I doubt it, love, on both counts.” He grinned slowly. Kissing her cheek he stroked her leg. “Up you get, love. Pull on your clothes and we can get out of here before anyone sees my desk and starts grilling you. Because that would only take a few hours of women wanting every single detail and they would make us really, really late.”

  “They would never dare,” she assured him sweetly. But up she went anyway because he was right, they did need to get going. They were far too short on time as it was. “But we should go anyway so that the men in the office aren’t put off by your studliness.”

  Rolling his eyes at her, Laszlo got to his feet and moved to gather his clothing. “I’m sure they’re all worried about it.” His tone had a definite “not!” in it. “I think they’re all just happy I have someone to distract me on occasion so they can try and get away with not filing all their paperwork.”

  “Well I’m sure that they will soon learn their mistake in that one, won’t they?” Desmonda snickered. “Besides if they give you crap let me know because I have a badge and I’m more than willing to use it.”

  “We won’t need the badge, my love, all I have to do is give them a little snarl and they’re all on their best behaviour for weeks afterward. Every now and again they seem to forget their boss knows when they are bullshitting him.”

  “Aww, I like being able to use the badge. To be able to remind people that I have the right with that badge to order them around, yep I like it.”

  Looking to her he lifted a brow and smiled slowly. “I’m so glad you haven’t pulled that one on me yet,” he told her with a chuckle. “I think I might have to resist arrest just based on my principles, love.” Pulling on his shoes he straightened and, tucking in his shirt, threw her a look. “You ready, darling?”

  Straightening herself once more she nodded. “Yep.” She moved the gun back to her back and adjusted her cuffs which were biting into her waist. “I’m ready if you are, handsome.” She winked. “Let’s stop by and pick up some junk food before we get Katherine, all right?”

  “You know that stuff will just rot your teeth and gut, Wolf or not,” he pointed out with a dry tone as they left his office. Nodding to his assistant he took the files she’d pulled for him and the additional messages. “Thanks, darling, I’ll call you tomorrow with some things we need to take care of.”

  Chapter 10

  Desmonda fought not to growl at the woman who beamed up at her mate and his use of calling her “darling.” She knew deep down that she was the only one for Laszlo but the Wolf was far too close to the surface for her not to pick up on everything, especially with her Wolf being in heat.

  Checking through the messages he passed a couple back to Joan with short instructions and then looked to her. “You might as well head home and kiss your baby, Joan. I’ll call you first thing in the morning about the rest of these as well as a few changes we’ll be making to the Johnson-Small contracts.” Finished going through the messages he tucked them in his pocket. “Thank you, Joan, have a good evening,” he told her with a smile as he took Desmonda’s hand and squeezed.

  Leading her down the hall, he kept her close and even closer as they went into the elevator. Facing her, he backed her to a corner. “Want to tell me what that was about, love?” he asked softly keeping his voice inquisitive but with no challenge to it. She was on edge and he knew that, but she also couldn’t freak out every time he was polite to his staff.

  “I’m trying, Laszlo, but this is my first heat as a Wolf and I have to tell you that it’s really stressing me out.” She wanted to reach out and touch him but forced herself not to. “I know me, the woman, knew and know that Joan is
only a friend, a staff member and more like family than anything else but the Wolf.” She shook her head. “I think I’m losing my ever loving mind, Laz, because the Wolf in me is jumping at each and every wrong conclusion even though I know better.”

  Stepping into her space more Laszlo lowered his head as if to breathe her in, his body evidently reacting to the heavy and heady scent of her need. “She is a friend, she is the best assistant I’ve ever had, and she is madly in love with her husband and baby. You are my mate, the only woman that can touch my soul, the only one who I would ever trust to guard and care for my heart,” he whispered against her cheek. “I would kill for you, Desmonda, and to hell with the repercussions as long as you were safe. I love you, I always need you, and I feel the same urges when you are in heat as you currently are. When it becomes too much, Des, just remember that I love you, that I always am fantasizing about you naked, bent over, and wet for me.”

  She shivered fully and nodded, reaching out she stroked her hand down his chest. “And I you, Laszlo, I love you with everything that I have. These are things that I know, Laz, but I couldn’t focus. I’m sorry.” She felt her body shifting closer to him. “We need to get home, get Katherine so that the Wolf will be less, volatile.”

  “You never have to apologize to me, Des, for how you are reacting with the Wolf pushing your buttons. She’s powerful and she’s needy in your first heat. It will settle in time and the more of them you go through. I won’t ever be far, love,” he promised and kissed her cheek softly.

  “And that’s the only thing that makes any of this somewhat bearable, Laszlo, knowing that you are never far, that you are close if I need you,” Desi told him simply. “And we do need to get home. Call Janos and let him know we are coming, please?”