by River Ramsey
“They sound important,” Ella said, leaning against the edge of the sofa. She wasn’t sure what to do now that they were alone.
Sterling wandered over to her, placing his hand over hers on the back of the couch. The simple touch made her heart skip and she found herself transfixed as she stared up at him. “We have our role,” he said, touching her cheek with his other hand. “But I’ll never be royalty.”
“You say that like it matters.”
“It does,” he insisted, watching her closely. She wished she could see what was going on in his mind. Maybe then she wouldn’t think she had him figured out one moment only for him to seem like a perfect stranger the next. “You may not understand now, but you will.”
“I’m a stray,” she reminded him. “I don’t even know my real last name.”
“You’re chosen. It doesn’t matter where you come from, it’s clear what you are and what you’re meant to become.”
Ella looked away, feeling the weight of her impending title grow heavier with each word he spoke. She’d once imagined royalty came with privilege and freedom, but she felt more bound than she ever had when she’d been a nobody. What did any of it matter if she couldn’t have what her heart truly wanted?
“I don’t want to be the future Empress tonight,” she said, looking up at him. She placed a hand against the firm surface of his chest. “And I don’t want you to be my teacher. I just want to be with you.”
His gaze softened in understanding and he pulled her closer, his arm around her waist. “Then that’s what we’ll be.”
Ella gasped as his lips met hers. Searing heat spilled throughout her core as his touch reignited what it had already brought to life. Her hands had a mind of their own now that the seemingly impenetrable barrier between them had evaporated. Somehow, they ended up in the bedroom, but all she could think about was her pattering heart. She cursed her fingers for their clumsiness as she tried to unbutton his shirt.
His soft chuckle filled her with desire and embarrassment anew. He finished the task, peeling the white button-down over his head to reveal a torso carved like a statue of a Greek god.
Ella couldn’t help but ogle him. He was too perfect to be real. The fact that he was looking at her in reverent wonder was even more impossible to understand.
“Damn, you’re hot,” she blurted out before she could stop herself.
He stared at her for a second before laughing, a huskier, bolder sound than she’d imagined. It thrummed through the deepest parts of her.
“And you are exquisite,” he said, stroking the curve of her jaw. He brushed her hair over her shoulder and cradled the back of her head, guiding her gently down onto the bed.
Ella squirmed in anticipation as he climbed on top of her and slowly unbuttoned his jeans, revealing the cut of his hips. She watched, eyes transfixed and mouth watering. Rather than taking his jeans off the rest of the way, he looked down at her, letting his attention travel freely over her body.
When he slipped his hand up her thigh, his fingers pushing up against the hem of her skirt, she shivered in need. “Mr. Bryant,” she gasped as he pushed both hands underneath her skirt and tugged her panties down over her hips.
Heat flared in his gaze as he looked up at her, lowering himself to the edge of the bed. “Sterling,” he said in a low, commanding voice that left no room for questioning. Not that Ella would have been capable of forming a coherent question when he slid her panties the rest of the way off before discarding them and gently pushing her thighs open.
Ella’s spine arched as he pressed a kiss to her inner thigh, his fingers biting into the outside of it. The smooth caress of his lips traveled upward until he reached her heated core and the moment his tongue flicked against her, devilishly adroit, she came undone.
Any potential she might have had of staving off the heat he had originally stirred vanished, and she knew the only way out was through. And what a torturously sweet journey it was. As Sterling worshiped her sex, his tongue delving into her hungrily, she felt as if she really was on fire. Rather than the painful, agonizing sensation it had been before, his touch made it pleasurable to give in and allow it to consume her.
At first, she tried to smother the desperate moans and gasps building in her throat, but by the time he had her on the brink of orgasm, she no longer cared. And why should she? It was just the two of them in the middle of nowhere, and the ardent nature of the attention he spent on her with his head buried between her legs made it clear there was no reason to hold back on his account.
The scent of their mutual arousal mingled in the air, a heady incense that was driving Ella all but mad. Her head fell back against the pillows and she moaned as he pushed her over the edge, so skilled that she had no doubt he’d orchestrated her pleasure down to the last second. She shuddered hard, her thighs clenching and her hips surging as the orgasm swept over her. He lifted his mouth off her just in time to keep his touch from becoming torturous, and when he raised his head to meet her eyes, they glowed with something wild and erotic.
Gone was the civilized man who showed no hint of passion or humanity. He’d given himself over to the ravenous nature of a beast, and as he settled on top of her, Ella found herself naturally drawn to submit to his control. It was strangely the most freeing thing she’d ever felt, and she allowed herself to give in to the instinct as fully as he had, her arms and legs wrapped around him, desperate to pull him into herself.
“You taste like sin,” he growled against her lips, his tongue flicking against them.
Ella gasped as she tasted her own arousal on his tongue and he kissed her so hard the room began to spin. She opened herself for him instinctively, and while she wasn’t sure when he’d finished undressing, the swollen head of his cock brushing against her wet folds promised she was close to getting what she craved.
He held her close, easing gently into her. As careful and restrained as his touch was, power vibrated through his lean muscle and with every movement, she became keenly aware of the difference between them. He was all hard edges and raw power, overtaking her soft curves with his strong hands.
“Relax,” he purred, stroking her thigh as he slowly pushed into her, his length and girth proving to be a challenge despite her arousal. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
Ella moaned in protest, too breathless to tell him she didn’t care. She just wanted him inside her, however much it hurt. She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, her hips surging into him. His breath rushed out against her lips in a startled groan as he sheathed himself inside her.
The heat between Ella’s legs turned to an inferno as his cock filled her and her sex clenched around him, instinctively trying to push against the invasion she had initiated. Ella gasped against his lips, her body trembling in pain and pleasure as she adjusted to the sensation of him filling her so perfectly.
His eyes darkened as the faint scent of blood hit the air and once again, something wild and feral took the place of the genteel man she knew. He was familiar in his soft touch and whispers as he coaxed her to relax for him, but she saw the animal in his gaze. Hers responded in kind as she writhed and arched beneath him, her nails scraping along his muscular back. Soon, his blood tinged the air with hers, inviting him to thrust into her the way she craved, body and soul.
“You’re so tight,” he growled, his voice low and rough in approval as he thrust into her, his cock hitting the sensitive bullseye within her over and over.
“You’re huge,” she murmured when she was finally able to catch her breath. The ache between her legs was finally starting to give way to pleasure, but even when it had been at its sharpest, she couldn’t resist the automatic impulse to buck her hips and beckon him in deeper.
Being filled with him felt more than right. It felt like a primal need that had become unbearable was finally being sated, and she couldn’t get enough, even if he was too much already. His lips found hers again, his tongue forcing its way into her mouth, taking control in the same way
his body had taken command of hers. With each jut of his hips, he seemed to reach new parts of her, strumming chords she didn’t even know existed until her body became a symphony of ecstasy, punctuated by gasps.
“Sterling,” she moaned as his mouth found her neck, his teeth grazing deliciously against her flesh. Her nails dug in deeper, begging him to bite harder. She wasn’t even fully aware of what she was doing until she felt him tense up, the steady rhythm of their lovemaking interrupted for once.
“Ella,” he warned, studying her with barely restrained hunger. “If we’re not careful, I could mark you.”
She was too deep in lust to see what the problem might be, and kissed him harder, eager to taste him if he wouldn’t give her the sweet pain she craved. His tension melted away as he became fully enmeshed in her once more, their tongues tangling as their bodies merged. His hands groped the parts of her she was most self-conscious of with a fervor that left her incapable of feeling anything but perfect. He was everywhere, everything she could taste, feel, hear and touch. She lost sight of the lines between them as their pleasure built to a crescendo.
When his seed filled her, satisfying a craving she hadn’t even realized she’d had, another wave of pleasure even stronger than the last came crashing down over her. Her fingers dug into his hair as her body clenched and released around him, every shiver sending aftershocks of bliss through her that seemed to echo through him as well.
His low growl of claim and possession would have been enough to push her over the edge itself. He buried his face in her neck and his breath was cool and soothing against her sensitive flesh. The sharpest edge of the heat had been ground away, but her desire for him had only multiplied.
By the time she caught her breath, she realized he was gazing down at her with an indefinable look on his perfect face.
“What is it?” she asked in a breathless whisper, still overwhelmed by just how much it all was. The pleasure, the satisfaction, the feeling of him inside her, even now. The deep arousal that lingered, as thoroughly satisfying as the encounter had been for both of them.
“I was just thinking how beautiful you are,” he answered, stroking her flushed cheek. As absurd as it seemed for someone like him to see her that way, his voice was so sincere she didn’t dare to doubt it. Instead, she kissed him and realized it had the same earth-shattering, heart-quickening effect on her as the very first one had.
“How are you feeling?” he finally asked as they lay together, her head resting against his firm chest.
“Tired,” she murmured. “And like I want to do that again.”
He gave a throaty chuckle, stroking her hair. Her strands of white mingled with his inky black. “It is your first heat. It’s going to take more than mating once to ease it.”
Ella snuggled closer, breathing in his enticingly masculine scent. There was a primal satisfaction in the fact that her scent was mingled with his, marking him as hers, even if it was only temporary. “Then I think I was wrong.”
“About what?” he asked curiously.
“About heat,” she murmured, listening to the steady sound of his pulse as she began to give in to the exhaustion weighing her body down. “I’m starting to see the benefit.”
Chapter 18
Ella
Ella awoke to the sunlight streaming on her face, warm in comparison to the way her skin had cooled so considerably overnight. There was still a burning core deep within her, and she felt her arousal resurging as she regained consciousness and realized the other side of the bed was empty, but it wasn’t the maddening thing it had been the night before.
She’d woken up twice in need, and Sterling had tended to her dutifully each time. She could still feel the echoes of his skin brushing against hers, and when she looked down at the fingertip-sized bruises forming on her hips, fond memories of riding him as the sun rose through the cabin windows resurfaced.
Ella had imagined that giving in to the heat would resolve it, but she realized it had only opened the floodgates. She hardly recognized herself in the ravenous, shameless creature she’d become, but when they were in the throes of passion, it was hard to care.
She saw Sterling’s shirt on the floor and pulled it on, buttoning the top few buttons before she ventured out to the main room. She froze when she heard two deep, familiar voices.
“She’s sleeping, but I’ll see what she says when she wakes up,” Sterling said in a tense voice. Whoever he was talking to, it was clearly far from a friendly conversation.
“I’m not going anywhere. And you’re not really in a position to tell me otherwise.”
Bishop. Ella felt a familiar blend of longing and wariness the moment she realized he was there. The threatening edge of his words only echoed it.
She stepped out into the main room to find both men in the kitchen, facing each other down. There was food on the stove that Sterling had obviously been cooking when Bishop had arrived. Unannounced, if the tension between them was any indication.
“Ella,” Sterling said, his gaze softening as he looked over at her. “You’re awake.”
“What is he doing here?” she asked, turning to Bishop.
Bishop took a step closer and stopped short when he seemed to notice her unease. She didn’t miss the hurt in his gaze, but she didn’t feel badly enough to let her guard down. “I came when I got back to the Academy and found out you were gone,” he answered, his words pointed, as if he expected an explanation. When he seemed to realize he wasn’t getting one, he sighed and continued. “I figured there was only one reason you would’ve left the lodge, and when I found out Mr. Bryant was gone, too, I put the two together.”
“So you’re stalking me now?” she challenged, folding her arms.
He frowned. “I was worried about you, Ella. You haven’t been answering my calls or texts.”
“And you didn’t think there might be a reason for that?”
Bishop looked from her to Sterling, clearly unhappy with the direction the conversation was taking. “Can you give us a moment alone?”
“No,” Sterling answered without hesitation.
Ella couldn’t help but smile at his protective response. At least now she didn’t have to worry about what to say to him the morning after. If nothing else, Bishop’s presence had dealt with the worry of any awkward silence.
“I’d really rather not be alone with you right now,” she admitted. It had been hard to overcome her reluctance to speak her mind, but now she was starting to think she was having the opposite problem. And she really couldn’t bring herself to care. “Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of him.”
She could tell he wanted to argue. That look of indignation in his gaze wasn’t so different from Axel’s, and she’d already learned how to deal with his ego. Bishop’s might have been more well hidden, but she now knew it was every bit as big.
“I guess I can understand that,” he said, his shoulders sagging in defeat. “I know you’re upset at me for what happened, and I don’t blame you. I lost control, and I’m sorry.”
“Are you sorry you lost control, or that I saw you?” she asked, refusing to back down.
Bishop snorted. “A little of both, I guess.”
“At least you’re honest,” Ella muttered.
Sterling’s scoff earned him a filthy glare from the other tom.
“So when did this happen?” Bishop demanded, looking between them.
“It’s none of your business,” said Ella.
“The hell it isn’t,” Bishop said, turning toward Sterling. “The way I see it, this creep lured you out on a trip to a remote location and took advantage of the fact that you went into heat.”
Sterling didn’t blink at the accusation, leaning calmly against the counter. He raised a hand to show the silver ring and Bishop’s eyes narrowed in rage. “Your deductive skills could use a bit of work. Then again, you did score four points lower than your brother on the entrance exam, so I suppose that’s to be expected.”
B
ishop’s fists clenched at his sides and a growl built in his throat. He seemed to be ready to start another fight.
“That’s enough,” Ella snapped. “Sterling didn’t take advantage of anything. He was there when I needed him.”
“You didn’t exactly give me the chance to be there, did you?” Bishop challenged.
Ella looked away in irritation. He had a point, but she was still furious. “You proved you’re not the person I thought you were. I needed time to think.”
“Yeah. I can tell you’ve been doing a lot of that,” he said, casting a disgusted look at Sterling.
“What happened between me and Sterling is none of your business,” Ella said, intent on redirecting his anger toward her. The last thing she wanted was for Sterling to deal with the backlash of the Academy finding out they’d mated, and given Bishop’s veiled threat, that seemed a likely possibility. “And I’m not going to apologize for it.”
Bishop turned back to her, his jaw set in stubborn agitation. His expression finally softened to something that almost made her feel bad for her harsh response. Almost. “I wouldn’t expect you to,” he finally said. “I fucked up. I know that. I just needed to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m fine,” she said, her anger wavering. It was easier to stay upset at him when they were apart. Face to face was another matter entirely, especially with the puppy eyes he was giving her.
“You’re still in heat,” he murmured. There was no mistaking the glimmer of need in his gaze, and after everything that had happened, he was still capable of stirring the same within her. It was different from the way she needed Sterling, but no less powerful. She’d hoped that she would be one of the rare queens capable of resolving her heat with one male, but his unexpected arrival had made her realize that was a naïve hope.
“I’m aware of that,” Ella said, her face growing warm as she hugged herself tighter. She’d all but forgotten she was wearing Sterling’s shirt, until his gaze traveled over her in approval. Even he wasn’t above the alpha male instinct to have his female marked by his scent, it seemed. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, and she could tell from the way Bishop was looking at her that it had also had the unintended effect of making her arousal even more obvious.