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IN CONTROL

Ryther

O ver the years, I’ve had plenty of practice in the art of masking my feelings so well I can even hide them from myself. Pretend I have none. I think that centuries of practice is the only thing preventing the mixture of anger, disgust, regret, and shame from consuming me.

I knew that I wasn’t what Darina would have chosen for herself. We’ve known each other for days. But the fact that she voiced the denial, the rejection, stating she’d happily swap me for Valdred—a man who used, abused her when she was most vulnerable?

I don’t even think the Undoing influences any of my sudden devastating need to destroy everything. That’s all me.

She doesn’t want me. She doesn’t want me, and we’re stuck together for eternity.

We’ll make it work. I’ll return to the wild, and she can remain in the Hollow. The distance can’t be a permanent solution—the mating bond will push us together, make us crave each other’s touch in a primal, carnal way—but we can fuck and part ways for weeks, months, maybe even years given enough practice. Or I could return to my prolonged absence; join the Hunt, let my body rest in eversleep. I don’t think the craving will be as overwhelming if my mortal coil’s inactive.

It’s for the best, with this destructive force inside me.

I’ll leave after the other lords are gone. One day, a few at most. I can do it. For tonight, I get to pretend she’s almost mine.

I wonder if she’ll keep Valdred around. If not him, then someone else will get to stay by her side.

The Undoing is watchful, yet quiet, like this doesn’t affect it. Like he expected nothing less.

I’m spared their flirting once we’re in the privacy of the queen’s quarters. We get straight to business. Darina undresses herself in silence, and we both do the same. Valdred can’t kick his pants off fast enough. I fold mine on a side table, willing myself to take my time. Regain some sort of control before this truly starts.

Once she’s entirely naked but for those marks now running along her hips, she looks up at me, hesitating.

I let my eyes roam from the tip of her toes to her eyes. She’s so small. Her thighs are the size of my arms. So breakable. And I do wish I could break her, if only to be free of this inadequacy, this complete lack of hope for any future.

Before, I was bored and expectant, waiting for my life to begin. Now, there’s nothing but the bleak prospect of a vast nothingness ahead of me.

I could force my presence upon her, but I’ve seen that play out with my brother and Rena. They wasted years in complete misery. I’ll spare us both. We will part ways, and meet only when one of us needs to scratch an itch.

I’ll be fine. I lived a thousand years without her. I’ll be fine for another thousand.

“Sit,” I tell her, and she immediately complies, lowering herself to the edge of the bed.

My cock rises to full attention at her obedience. Her submission. She’ll push and tease and mouth off, but at the core, her satisfaction comes from giving in to what I demand.

Perfect. She’s absolutely perfect for me. Except for the fact that she doesn’t want me. Doesn’t want this. If she had the choice, she would no doubt be back to her little life, her teaching job, her violin, her friends, and never think of me again.

“Spread your legs. Knees up. Show us your pretty cunt, my queen. Show us how wet it is, knowing it’ll be used as a cum hole by the both of us tonight.”

There’s no denying that she found the idea of being shared appealing. She didn’t like Loch’s suggestion when he said she should fuck Valdred, but when she understood I wasn’t going to let that happen without being present, I saw how intrigued she became.

This, too, is to my taste. I’m man enough to admit it. I want to be seen. I want others to watch how much control I have over Darina. The fact that she defers to me, obeys me, with more readiness than when it’s just the two of us, proclaims it loud and clear: she’s mine. Mine to share.

If only that were true.

Her feet move to the edge of the bed, knees wide apart, and indeed, I can see just how glistening her folds already are.

“You’ve already had the pleasure of Darina’s mouth, Dred,” I remind them both, making one blush, the other scowl. “Time to return the favor. On your knees, bone prince.”

I expect some protests on his part, but he doesn’t so much as hesitate, crossing the distance between them and getting down to the floor, head between her thighs. He laps at her like she’s milk and honey and cream. Darina’s eyes finally leave mine, as she throws her head back in a deep moan.

“That’s it. Work that tongue, prince,” I demand as I step toward them. “Work it good while I fuck your ass.”

That gets Darina’s attention. Her eyes are right back where they belong when I fist my cock, aiming it right between the prince’s legs. He has the ass of a rider, the kind one can bounce a quarter off, plump and muscular all at once. From the way he loosens the moment the head of my cock pushes into the ring of muscles surrounding his hole, I know I’m far from the first cock to take this lush ass. He groans against her pussy as I make my way inside in one slow thrust—slow, because I didn’t bother with lubricant. I’m not a complete barbarian.

The second thrust isn’t as kind. Nor is the next. Valdred bucks against me, lifting his head to growl.

“Tut tut. That won’t do. You’re to service your queen,” I remind him.

As his hair’s long again, after the way he pumped energy into Darina earlier, I grasp a fistful and push him back down.

Darina watches, mouth open in a shocked gasp, eyes filled with desire and wonder, as I take him ruthlessly. He grunts, and moans, and tries to speak, all the while licking and slobbering on her cunt. Darina’s legs start to shake, her hips pushing up, whimpers crossing her lips.

“She’s close. She’s going to come on your face. Take your reward.”

The hand I buried in his hair remains there, but the one I used to palm his shapely ass I move to his cock, jerking the hard shaft.

He comes first, his muscles squeezing my cock as he sobs and coats my fingers with his cum, but he doesn’t stop his mouth, so Darina’s quick to follow, screaming her release.

I’m nowhere near satisfied. The only thing I sated here was my need to dominate them both.

In all honesty, I could dismiss him now. He’s got enough material to make a point to the rest of the court. But now we’ve started something, and I’ll be the one to end it.

“On your knees, Valdred. Be a good lad and clean the taste of your ass off my cock.”

He’s slow to comply, but he turns, and obediently opens his mouth wide, taking in my cock. He’s not new at this either. Before long, I’m fully seated in his throat, balls deep, and his tongue’s dancing along my shaft.

“Good boy. You ought to take lessons, mate,” I tell Darina. “Your lover is very talented with his mouth.”

“I’ll say,” she purrs languorously.

She’s moved to lie on her side for a better view, and her hand’s playing with her folds absentmindedly as she watches me fuck Valdred’s throat. He chokes on it, slavering all over it, but his loose throat can take it.

Once my cock is thoroughly clean, and then some, I withdraw it from his throat, still hard, and finally make my way to my mate’s bed. I lie back in the middle of it, and cock an eyebrow.

“Well?” I gesture to my shaft, standing tall. “Who’s going to ride me first?”

She’s the first to move, rushing to seat herself on my cock. Unprompted, Valdred climbs over her, placing his own cock in her asshole while she lifts and lowers her hips, faster, harder, deeper.

I watch her. I watch them both.

All night, and sometime past dawn, I watch. I demand. I dictate.

I don’t come even once. Not until they’re both passed out, covered in each other’s sweat and cum.

Then I close my eyes, wrap my hand around my own cock, and imagine what I need.

I want you.

Three words she’s never said. Words I’ll likely never hear.

I completely cover my fist, the sheets and their bodies in thick whiteness.

Fuck me.