Page 25

Zara

I moaned as Rudgar moved under me—just a slight shift of muscles, but enough for me to notice and to wake up. I peeked open an eye, glaring up at him and he grinned down at me.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he murmured in a deep, gravelly voice.

“Hey,” I croaked, realizing that I wasn’t the only one who had screamed too much last night. He had too. As the memories filled me, I wiggled over him, pouting as I realized that he was no longer filling me up with his huge cock.

“Aww,” I crooned, pressing a kiss to his bearded chin, crinkling my nose as the hairs tickled them. “No more sex?”

“If I fuck you again,” he said, his eyes darkening, “I’m sure you won’t be able to walk.”

I snorted out a laugh, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips. “That’s true.”

I slid off of him, cringing at the feel of his sticky, dried cum on the inside of my thighs, eyeing the pool next to us. “I’m going to need a bath.”

With a miffed and exaggerated sigh, he moved us to the pool, his big hands taking their time to explore every inch of my body again. I floated in the water, allowing him full access, not waiting long before I took greedy advantage of his body, touching him everywhere while “cleaning” him as well.

The slow, sloppy hand job that I gave him under the water—since my pussy was leaking for him, but all battered and achy—had him coming in no time, and I wore a smug grin on my face right up until the moment that he buried two fingers inside my pussy, strumming my clit with his thumb and I came within a minute.

Self-satisfied and on trembling legs, we exited the pool of water, laughing as we tried to shake the water off of ourselves before redressing in our clothes. I stared up at my male, love for him filling my chest.

I have fun with him.

That was something I’d never had in any relationship before. And it was something I was coming to realize was key to keeping me happy—and dear Goddess Mother , I was happy. Deliriously so.

I should be freaked out. This mating. This commitment should bother me way more than it did. Yet here I was, settling against him and knowing that I was going to be with him for the rest of my life. And I was totally okay with that.

I was grinning up at him like an idiot when he noticed, running his fingers down my cheek. “Everything okay?” he asked, leaning down to nuzzle my nose with his.

“I love you so fucking much,” I blurted and I watched his eyes flare before he gathered me in his arms and buried his face against my hair, taking a deep breath.

“Thank the Gods, because I’m never letting you go,” he whispered and I grinned.

“Are you two decent?” I heard from behind me and I snorted out a laugh, not releasing my mate.

“Define decent,” I called to Enka, who was probably hiding behind a rock, trying to give us privacy.

“Dressed, you hussy,” he responded, and I laughed for real this time, turning in Rudgar’s arms.

“Yes, you prude,” I yelled and I heard a harrumph before the three males came into the main cavern.

“We missed our baths because of you,” Enka huffed as he entered with a smiling Savla and a sniggering Krusk.

“And you smell the same, so maybe they don’t even help,” I told him with a grin, sticking my tongue out at him.

He narrowed his eyes at me, and I knew if Rudgar wasn’t here to protect me, he would have tickled me into submission, but he wasn’t going to challenge Rudgar when he was curled around me, his eyes still dark with his rut.

“Enough of that,” Krusk said, rolling his eyes. “How do we get out of here? Are we allowed to just leave ?” he added with a wary look around.

“Are you ready?” the voice sounded from all around us and we spun in a circle, trying to see if it was a threat.

The voice was familiar though. Papa Bois . “Bonjour, vieux Papa,” I said, bowing my head slightly and the males followed my lead.

“If you would like to leave, I will show you the way,” he said, that disembodied voice surrounding us.

“We’d appreciate that,” I told him, keeping my head bowed, and he appeared in front of me in a moment. I jerked hard against Rudgar, but he didn’t flinch, his eyes wary as he looked at the male.

He tilted his horned head at me, eyeing me with curiosity, a slight twinkle in his eyes. “Your mating is complete,” he said in a low, pleased voice. “Good.”

I felt heat flood my cheeks again, but I nodded, not ashamed of our bond in any way. “You’ll protect each other,” he told me, before looking at the males behind us. “And the rest of your family.”

I nodded, and he lifted his hand, his palm calloused and strong. I bowed my head again as he said, “Until then.”

My head lifted in shock, but he was already gone. We all gasped as we realized that we were back at the edge of the forest, Rudgar’s SUV parked behind us.

“What the hell just happened?” my mate asked, and I turned with a huge grin on my face, the branch held tight against my chest.

“I can’t believe he’s going to help us when Veron and his men come,” I cried, shaking my booty with glee. “And he gave me a branch for my wand,” I added, holding it out to him, but snatching it back when he tried to touch it. “Nuh-uh, mine ,” I sniffed, and laughed when he shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“Is no one else freaked out by the fact that we’re suddenly back at the start?” Enka squawked, looking around us as though we’d all lost our minds.

I shrugged, making my way with my wand wood toward the front of the SUV, humming happily.

I grinned as Rudgar looked like he was brimming with questions. He was waiting for me, I could tell, but the poor male was about to burst. He opened my door, ensuring that I was settled inside, leaning in and buckling me in before pulling away.

Reaching out to grip his tusks, I yanked him toward me and he allowed me to, leaning in with eagerness. I kissed him, letting him feel the enthusiasm and excitement that was filling me from the inside out.

“We did it,” I told him, burying my fingers in his hair and nuzzling against his soft beard. “Thank you.”

He pulled me close, squeezing me to him, a breath leaving him as he held me in his arms.

“You never have to thank me, Gul-ar,” he whispered, love filling his gaze, softening it as he leaned his forehead against mine. “This,” he continued, tapping his big finger just above my heart, “is mine to protect. And I’m going to cherish it every day of my life.”

I held my breath, strangled by the breadth of emotion that washed over me. Instead of trying to vocalize it, I reached out, tapping my finger across his own heart.

“And this is mine,” I murmured.

The smile he gave me was so soft that I had to swallow against the tears that were threatening to rise inside me.

Not now. Don’t blubber now.

“We can hear you,” Enka said in a loud whisper next to my ear. Startled, Rudgar and I jerked away from each other as he continued. “In case you two didn’t know and weren’t meaning to shove your mated joy into our faces.”

I swatted at him as he made kissy noises next to me. Krusk laughed from his seat and Savla shook his head, pretty much ignoring us.

Rudgar closed my door, making his way to the driver’s seat, his glare fixed on Enka who didn’t look repentant in any way.

“Our realm has more magick than this plane,” Krusk said, leaning forward, his fingers drumming on the back of Rudgar’s seat, “but even I’ve never seen anything like that. I was looking at the trees in that grove after he revealed them, Zara. They were moving . On their own!”

I nodded, gathering my thoughts that had been scattered with Rudgar’s kiss and sweetness. “It’s not just a Sacred Grove. It’s one of the original groves where it’s believed that life began. Just behind the trees, there’s a spring and that water can heal most illnesses,” I explained. “Getting access is almost unheard of. And for all of us to be allowed,” I continued, shaking my head, “I still can’t believe it happened.”

“We’re damn lucky then,” Enka said, and I felt Savla move in behind me, looking at the wood in my hands. I handed it over to him, knowing he would treat it with gentle care that I didn’t trust the other to have.

“It’s beautiful,” he said in a low voice, his fingers running over it, tracking the grooves and the ridges. I didn’t know what was going through his artist’s brain, but I knew that he was already seeing what he would be carving from it.

Sweet relief ran through me. Finally, I had the start that I needed to prepare myself to face off against Veron and his army. And now I had the Guardian and The Grove behind me too.

With some luck, we just might be able to get out of this alive.