Page 23 of Lord of the Lone Wolf (Bonded Hearts #3)

Auslin

T he veranda offered little comfort as Auslin sat beside Hibiki, lost in thought about his visit to the barracks.

The dragon spirit guardian hovered nearby, his body of purple fire casting dancing shadows across the wooden planks.

Auslin stared out at the castle gardens without seeing them, his mind replaying moments from earlier that day.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Maseo sparring.

The half-wolf shifter commanded the space with an authority that belied his smaller stature among the full shifters.

Each movement was precise, each strike calculated.

Maseo had taken down two opponents twice his size with a grace that made violence look like art.

Auslin shifted on the cushions. His admiration of Maseo’s skill wasn’t the problem. The issue was how his body had reacted to watching Maseo dominate the battle and straddle his final challenger in victory.

Worse were the unbidden fantasies his mind kept conjuring.

What had Kitsuki’s assessment of Maseo’s skills looked like?

His mate had been vague, saying only that it had gone well and that Maseo had proven himself capable.

But Auslin’s imagination filled in the blanks with vivid details of Kitsuki and Maseo circling each other, testing their strength.

Their bodies collided in a dangerous dance of combat until Kitsuki overpowered the half-wolf, pinning him to the training room floor.

“Stop it,” Auslin muttered, running a hand through his hair.

His body betrayed him with unwanted interest, his cock stirring beneath his robes.

He pressed his palm against his thigh, willing himself to calm.

The physical reaction confused and frustrated him.

He loved Kitsuki with his entire being, so why did watching Maseo fight affect him?

Yet even as he tried to concentrate on memories of Kitsuki, his mind betrayed him, weaving Maseo into his thoughts.

What would it be like to witness Kitsuki overpower Maseo in a sparring match?

Why did Auslin want to see the half-wolf yield to his mate’s greater strength?

As incredible as it had been to see Maseo take charge, the thought of someone so powerful submitting to Kitsuki only intensified his arousal.

The sound of someone entering his room startled him from his reverie.

He expected to see Sephen coming to keep him company but was surprised to see Kitsuki standing in the doorway, his blue eyes locking onto Auslin’s.

Color rose to his cheeks, as if Kitsuki could read the thoughts that had been tormenting him.

“Is everything okay?” Auslin asked.

Without answering, Kitsuki crossed the room in long strides. He lowered himself over Auslin, nudging Hibiki away. Before Auslin could question him further, Kitsuki captured his mouth in a demanding kiss.

Auslin yielded, opening for his mate with a soft moan. The kiss deepened, growing almost desperate as Kitsuki’s tongue explored Auslin’s mouth with possessive intent. The mage’s hips lifted in search of friction, his body burning with a need intensified by his earlier forbidden thoughts.

When they broke apart, it took Auslin a moment to find his voice. “While I’m enjoying this, what’s going on?”

“You think too loud,” Kitsuki murmured against his throat, his voice a low rumble.

Guilt plagued Auslin. Had Kitsuki somehow sensed his confused thoughts about Maseo? “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to distract you when you have more important things to do right now.”

“I cannot have my mate feeling neglected,” Kitsuki replied, his formal speech pattern a stark contrast to the heat in his eyes. “Your desire pulled at our bond until I could focus on nothing else.”

“No, I—” Auslin’s protest dissolved into a gasp as silver magic rippled across his skin, dissolving his clothes into shimmering smoke that scattered into the air, followed by Kitsuki’s, and leaving them both bare.

Auslin’s gaze dropped to Maseo’s wish pendant glinting against Kitsuki’s chest. Kitsuki had never removed it since Maseo had entrusted it to him. It felt as if Maseo was present in some small way, witnessing their intimacy. The thought shouldn’t have aroused him further, but it did.

“This really isn’t necessary,” Auslin protested, even as he responded to Kitsuki’s touch. “Everyone will wonder where you went. We’re going to get interrupted, so it’s cruel to tease me when we have no time for follow-through.”

“Nasume himself could knock at my castle gate, and I would make him wait until I have finished satisfying my mate.”

“While I appreciate that—” Auslin’s words caught in his throat as slick fingers, warmed by Kitsuki’s magic, pressed inside him. “But you’re busy. There’s so much planning to do for the battle.”

Kitsuki pushed his fingers deeper, stretching Auslin with careful precision. “It can wait. My dragon will not be denied when our mate is in need.”

Auslin’s hips lifted to meet each thrust, his body betraying his half-hearted protests. The dual sensation of Kitsuki’s hand stroking his length while his fingers worked inside him scattered his thoughts.

When Kitsuki slowed his movements to keep Auslin on the edge, the mage whined with frustration. “Please stop teasing me.”

“As you wish.” Kitsuki withdrew his fingers and positioned himself between Auslin’s thighs. The blunt head of his cock pressed against Auslin’s entrance before sliding in with a slow, relentless push that had them both groaning. “It has been far too long since I claimed what is mine.”

The initial pressure gave way to a profound sense of connection, their mating bond flaring bright when their bodies joined. Time slowed as Kitsuki paused, allowing Auslin to adjust to the fullness and savor the moment of perfect union after so many nights apart.

“I’ve missed this,” Auslin groaned, his voice breaking with emotion. “Missed you.”

Kitsuki leaned down to press his forehead against Auslin’s, their breaths mingling in the small space between them. “You are our everything.”

Auslin shifted his hips, taking Kitsuki deeper, reveling in the fullness and connection he had been craving. “Yes,” he breathed, his hands finding purchase on Kitsuki’s broad shoulders.

Hunger burned in Kitsuki’s eyes as his thrusts grew harder and more demanding, each one punctuated by a feral growl that vibrated through Auslin’s body.

With each powerful movement, the wish pendant swung between them, catching the light. Auslin couldn’t tear his gaze away from the small token that Maseo had given to Kitsuki, now rocking in rhythm with their bodies. The sight of it bouncing against Kitsuki’s pale skin made his heart race faster.

Pleasure surged with each stroke against that perfect spot inside him. Auslin reached between them to touch himself, seeking distraction from his guilt over what had led to his arousal, but Kitsuki caught his wrist, pinning it beside his head.

Being held down and controlled ignited a fresh wave of heat through Auslin. It mirrored how he’d imagined Kitsuki holding Maseo down, and the parallel made him moan.

“Are you that ready for it to be over?” Kitsuki asked, his blue eyes studying Auslin’s flushed face.

“No, but you don’t have a lot of time,” Auslin explained, desperation coloring his words as he tried to focus on his mate. “I need more. Please, Kitsuki.”

“Is this not enough?” Kitsuki punctuated each word with a hard, deep thrust that had Auslin crying out. He shifted his weight, using one hand to pin both of Auslin’s wrists above his head, the other gripping his hip.

The new position left Auslin at Kitsuki’s mercy, unable to touch or move except as Kitsuki allowed. It was everything he needed. There was safety in being so overwhelmed and having control taken from him so there was no room for his confusing thoughts.

Auslin’s neglected cock lay heavy against his stomach, leaking with each thrust. “Please touch me.”

Kitsuki released his grip on Auslin’s hip, wrapping his hand around Auslin’s length instead. His thumb circled the sensitive head, spreading the wetness that had gathered there.

The dual sensations of being filled and stroked overwhelmed Auslin’s senses. His body responded with increasing desperation, seeking more, deeper, harder. The veranda cushions shifted beneath them with the force of their movements.

“Kitsuki,” he gasped, the name a prayer on his lips. “Please don’t stop.”

“I have no intention of stopping,” Kitsuki assured him, his rhythm never faltering. “Not until you are thoroughly satisfied and everyone in the castle knows who you belong to.”

The possessive declaration ignited fresh desire in Auslin.

He tilted his head back, baring his throat in instinctive submission, and Kitsuki ran his tongue along the curve of Auslin’s neck, tasting the salt of his skin.

The pendant brushed against Auslin’s chest, a whisper of metal that felt like Maseo’s touch.

It made him gasp, his body clenching around Kitsuki.

Auslin hooked a leg over Kitsuki’s hip, urging him deeper. His thoughts fragmented, leaving only the sensations of stretching and being full of Kitsuki, the slick slide of his mate’s hand around his cock, and the constant reminder of Maseo with each swing of his pendant.

In the haze of pleasure, his mind conjured the image of Maseo pinned beneath Kitsuki in much the same way, his green eyes wide with desire as he yielded to the dragon king’s strength.

Guilt flashed through Auslin, sharp and jarring despite his arousal.

He didn’t want to imagine Kitsuki with someone else while his mate made love to him with such devotion.

Auslin squeezed his eyes shut, trying to banish Maseo from his mind.

He focused on Kitsuki, his beloved mate, his greatest love, the one who had claimed his heart across centuries.

But the harder he tried to push Maseo away, the more persistent the half-wolf’s image became, as if his subconscious refused to be denied.

Despite his efforts, the forbidden fantasy returned, transforming into something unexpected.

Auslin envisioned himself lying beneath Maseo, their bodies aligned chest to chest, the half-wolf’s weight a delicious pressure pinning him to the bed.

Maseo dominated him with the same controlled power he had displayed during training, now channeled into pleasure rather than combat.

Kitsuki knelt behind Maseo as he set the pace for all three of them, his strength and control orchestrating their pleasure.

Auslin tried to push the vision away, but it refused to be dismissed.

He imagined Maseo’s breath catching with each of Kitsuki’s powerful thrusts, the half-wolf’s hands clutching the sheets beside Auslin’s head as their mouths met in desperate kisses that tasted of surrender and desire.

In the forbidden vision, Maseo became the bridge between them, both dominant and submissive, claiming and being claimed in the same moment.

Kitsuki’s thrusts grew more forceful, his control slipping. He alternated between hard, fast movements and slow, deliberate rolls of his hips that had Auslin gasping his name. The rhythm kept Auslin right on the edge of release without allowing him to fall.

“What do you need?” Kitsuki asked, his voice strained with the effort of maintaining control. “Tell me what you need to find release.”

“Just you,” Auslin gasped, the words both truth and lie. “Just like this. Don’t stop.”

Kitsuki released Auslin’s wrists to brace himself better, changing the angle once more.

The new position allowed him to thrust even deeper, each stroke hitting Auslin’s prostate with unerring accuracy.

“Mine,” Kitsuki growled, the word fierce and possessive.

His hand tightened around Auslin’s length, stroking in time with his thrusts, bringing him closer to the edge with each movement.

The tension within Auslin became almost unbearable.

Every muscle grew taut with impending climax as he curled in on himself.

His breath came in quick gasps as the pressure built to impossible heights.

He only needed a little more to achieve the release his body craved.

Perhaps then he could find relief from the relentless fantasies that haunted him.