Page 14

Aswan

“I claim you, Hannah Woods, as my Mate, with open hands and an open heart. I will serve you for the rest of our lives and do everything in my power to ensure you are happy.”

I loved the way she blushed, and now—with her wearing a pink sundress, standing in the shade of the oak tree in our backyard, in front of our friends and family—was no different.

“I claim you, Aswan Woods, as my Mate,” she whispered shyly, smiling up at me. “I will provide for you and care for you for the rest of my life. I will help you care for our family, although I know we can be overwhelming at times.”

Behind me, I heard her mother—who’d just rung the bell on her last treatment earlier in the week—snort happily .

And so, knowing Allison and Charlie were now as much of my family as Ben, Tova, and Joshua, my smile grew. “I love you, Hannah. Thank you for giving me three fine kitlings and parents I can be proud to love.”

Her blue eyes bloomed with tears moments before she threw her arms, bouquet and all, around my neck. “I love you, Mate.”

When my lips found hers, I heard Giza’s baritone roar, “ Mbaruk !” the congratulatory cheer I hadn’t heard in a decade. Simbel was next, “ Mbaruk !” and then the other males took up the shout as the humans joined in with their cheers and whistles and claps. I even heard Memnon’s grumbled, “ Mbaruk ” alongside his Mate’s laughter.

I did not , however, hear Abydos’s voice, because my twin brother had chosen not to return to Eastshore for this celebration, a combination of a human wedding and an orcish Mating ceremony. He’d texted a short impersonal note to let me know he was too busy with his work to travel at that moment, and I’d tried not to be hurt.

If my twin brother didn’t approve of me finding a human Mate, then that was his own loss. One day, I hoped he’d return to Eastshore and share in my happiness, meet my kitlings.

One day.

The day was too special to be brought down by him not being here, and I was quickly swept up in celebrations with my new family—both human and the Eastshore orcs I’d lost touch with in the last ten years.

Good-natured Tanis and his talented Mate, Olivia, whom I remembered from the Denver facility, both exhausted from caring for their young twin sons.

Creative Karnak, who was helping to teach the humans about our world through his classes and art, and his Mate Jess, who basically ran the island.

Perpetually grumpy Cairo, who had mellowed slightly since his sunshiny Mate came into his life with her bake shop—Meli had made our wedding cake, which is one human tradition I was one hundred percent on board with. Her brownies still weren’t as good as mine, but we’d had some fun arguments about recipes.

Young Luxor, with his constant good humor and easy way of looking at the world, and his far more serious librarian Mate Zoe…and the dog they brought everywhere with them. It would be strange, had little Seamus not been so cute.

Charming Thebes, who had an online following and had been acting as a sort of orcish ambassador all these years, and his Mate Ashlyn, who had apparently single-handedly revitalized Eastshore’s historic district.

Wise Giza, the male we all looked to for reminders of who we were , with his stunning younger Mate Harper, Eastshore’s lawyer. Their daughter Raina was even cuter than Tanis’s twins, which seemed impossible.

Responsible Sakkara, who had united us and kept us going, even through the darkest days. He’d taken the responsibility for raising sweet Emmy when her parents—our brother Dahshur and his Mate—had been killed. Sakkara’s Mate was Nikki, who had been my Tova’s teacher last year .

My younger brothers, Simbel and Memnon. They’d each found their forevers earlier this spring, which seemed amazing to me. Easygoing Simbel had found Marissa and her teenaged son, Patrick, while Memnon’s Mate was Maya, more suited to his quiet nature.

And of course, Akhmim, who’d only just recently convinced his Mate that they were destined to be together. His Rosemary had been Ben’s teacher last year, but I didn’t make the connection until they arrived here at our ceremony.

Yes, it was certainly special to have so many people here sharing our day with us…but truthfully, I couldn’t wait for them to all go home.

Eventually, they did, and I was left with my family. Hannah and my kitlings. Divide and conquer was the plan, so after I twirled Tova around and told her she was the most beautiful flower girl in the world—despite not knowing what a flower girl was—Hannah took her off to brush her teeth and get ready for bed, leaving me with Joshua.

The little one was tired, I knew, but he babbled nonstop. My mind was already on what Hannah called the wedding night , so I’ll admit I merely hummed and “uh-huh’d” when it seemed appropriate. Then, as I laid Joshua in the bed and tucked Mr. BunBun beside him, he grabbed my finger.

“You give night-night tiss?”

“Of course, buddy.” I bent down and brushed my lips and nose through his soft, sweet-smelling hair. His scent was as much a part of me as his mother’s. “Good night, Joshy. I love you. ”

The toddler thrust his lovey at me. “Give BunBun night-night tiss!” he demanded.

Hiding my smile, I smacked my lips over the stuffed animal. “Goodnight, Mr. BunBun. I love you.”

Satisfied, Joshua rolled to the side, taking his lovey with him. Eyes closing, he announced, “Night-night, Daddy. Wuv you.”

Daddy .

I don’t know how long I stood there, staring down at him, stunned. When I finally shook myself enough to turn away, it was to see my Mate standing in the door, a soft smile on her lips. I went to her, taking her hand.

“He called me Daddy,” I whispered.

“I heard.” Her smile grew. “He knows he’s safe with you.”

I glanced back at the toddler bed. “I wonder where he got the idea.”

Ben didn’t have to clear his throat for me to know he’d stepped out of his room; he was as much a part of me as the rest of the family, and I whipped my head around to check on him.

His bashful smile told me he wanted to speak to us.

At Hannah’s insistence, we’d found him a counselor on the mainland, someone with whom he could speak each week. Travis’s attempted kidnapping, and the fear we’d all felt, was slowly fading, and each day, I helped remind him how to be a kid again. Hannah’s ex-husband was back in jail in Nashville, and although she would have to travel there soon to testify against him, her lawyer was confident none of us would be seeing Travis again any time soon .

There would always be dangers to my family, but now they knew we were stronger together. I was strong for them.

“Thanks for standing beside us today, Benny,” Hannah was saying, reaching her free hand to our son.

Still blushing, he joined us, taking her hand but staring up at me.

“Um…I was the one who told Joshy he could call you that. Tova wants to call you Dad too, since she thinks whatever orcish word her friend Emmy uses is too hard.”

Stunned, I could only nod. I wasn’t sure if I was agreeing with the complexity of orcish titles, or that she should call me Dad .

Ben’s gaze dropped to his bare feet. “I, uh…I thought maybe, if it made things easier, maybe I should call you Dad too? I mean, so Tova and Joshy don’t get confused.”

Hannah had made a little noise that sounded suspiciously like a sob, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away from this remarkable kitling I’d been entrusted with. My son.

My hand went to his shoulder, and I rasped, “Benjamin.” I waited until his gaze had dragged, uncertain, to mine, before I swallowed and tried to find the words to continue. “I…I am beyond honored to be your stepfather. I am proud of the way you care about your siblings and their comfort, and the remarkable person you are becoming.” I had to swallow again, because his teary-eyed gaze was becoming blurry as my own eyes watered. “I will feel that way, even if you call me by my name for the rest of our lives.”

“You told me…” The boy dashed at his eyes, then mulishly set his chin and met my gaze. “You told me orcs choose ne w names when they, like, get to new parts of their lives, right? Well, this is a new part of your life.”

I understood what he was saying. “I am Mated now, and my Mate has the right to give me whatever name she deems appropriate.”

Hannah’s arm slid around my waist. “I think I’m going to call you love . The rest of the world can call you Aswan. And the children…”

The boy’s jaw hardened in challenge. “We’re going to call you Dad .”

My grin split my face as I pulled him to me for a fierce embrace. “And I couldn’t be happier with my new name, son.”

Ben’s squeeze was every bit as important to me as his mother’s.

After his goodnights, Hannah was the one to lead me to our bedroom. We undressed in silence, each in our own thoughts. It might be our wedding night, but it was…normal. Every day. I had the rest of my life full of nights like this…and I couldn’t wait.

“What are you thinking of?” she murmured once she was naked in my arms.

I grinned down at her. “How I could make tonight special for you.”

“It already is,” she whispered, stretching up on her toes to kiss me.

When I deepened the kiss, her arms went around my neck, and I lifted. I loved the way she wrapped her legs around my waist, uninhibited, joyful. The sweet scent of her arousal already perfumed the air, and my Kteer pulsed, urging me to pleasure my Mate.

I took my time, teasing her with my tongue and then my fingers, stroking her skin and kissing her sensitive areas, when I laid her on the bed. She was spread out before me like a feast, and I was a very hungry male.

Her nipples weren’t terribly sensitive, and I knew she liked it when I used my tusks on them. Her shudders and moans told me I’d guessed correctly, but I couldn’t wait any longer, and I moved my mouth down her stomach to her curls.

Hannah’s legs went over my shoulders as I feasted on her sweet pussy. My tusks scraped along her inner thighs as my long, ridged tongue lapped at her dew. I made certain my claws were retracted when I finally began to stroke her, and moved my mouth to her clitoris.

“Aswan!” she gasped, her fingers digging into my hair. “Oh my gosh , there.”

Grinning, I pressed my tongue against the spot I knew she liked as my fingers curled forward. The pad of my middle finger found that rough spot behind her clit that drove her wild, and I massaged her from both sides.

The sudden tightening of her inner muscles told me it had worked, and when she came with a gasp, I eagerly licked her spend, trying to drink all of her down. I could spend an eternity between my Mate’s thighs—Hannah was an addiction—but soon she was tugging on my hair, trying to pull me up her body.

“I’m not done with you,” she muttered, and I smiled, allowing her to tug me from my favorite spot .

I pushed myself upright, only for her to plant her palms on my shoulders and shove .

When I rolled onto my back, she went with me, and I changed my mind. Had I thought between her legs was my favorite spot? No, being pinned down, with her tits hanging heavy above me and her hair framing her face as she smiled down at me… that was my favorite spot.

Hannah straddled me, her fingers circling my cock as she stroked, and my palms ran up her thighs to her hips.

“Hmmm. You’re going to hold me down and fuck me, wife?” I teased. “Use my body?”

She’d positioned herself above me, her weight on my shoulders, my cock resting at her entrance, and now she smirked down at me. “I’m just being a good Mate,” she announced.

I would have said something else—something loving, I’m sure—had she not sat back at that moment, impaling herself on my cock. Her orgasm was instant, of course, and she tossed her head back with a groan as her muscles spasmed around me.

“That’s it,” I murmured, my hands rising to cup her tits as she sat back on me. “Use my cock. Ride me. Take all you want from me, dkaar . Gods below, do you have any idea how beautiful you are right now, Hannah?”

As I spoke, I flicked my thumbs across her nipples, and her wide-eyed, flushed gaze dropped down to watch me play with her breasts.

“You like that?” I murmured, even as I began to move, slowly flexing my hips upward. “You like to watch me play with your tits?” I tugged on the nipples, causing her to gasp, her lust-hazed eyes going to mine, and I smiled wickedly, thrusting upward into her throbbing pussy again.

“You like it when I treat them roughly?” I allowed my claws to extend, to dimple her delicate skin as I squeezed them, pulling her toward me. “You’re such a good girl, to let your Mate treat your tits like this.”

Whimpering, she braced her palms on either side of my head so I could plant my heels and thrust upward into her tight wetness. I kept up my litany of praise and crudeness, each one seeming to send her closer to pleasure.

Hannah's breath hitched as she matched my rhythm, her hips undulating with each powerful thrust. “Yes,” she whispered, her voice husky with desire. “I'm your good girl, Aswan. Only yours.” Her words were like a spark to tinder, igniting a primal, possessive fire within me.

I growled, my hands moving from her breasts to grip her hips firmly, my claws pressing gently into her soft flesh. "Mine," I affirmed, my voice a low rumble. "Every inch of you, Hannah. Every moan, every gasp. All. Mine." I punctuated each word with a deep, upward thrust, feeling her inner walls clench around me.

She leaned down, her hair cascading around us like a curtain, and captured my mouth in a fierce kiss. Her teeth nipped at my lower lip, and I growled in approval, my hands moving back to her breasts, pinching and rolling her nipples between my fingers.

Breaking the kiss, she sat up, her hands resting on my chest. Her eyes bore into mine, fierce and full of love. "And you're mine, Aswan. My Mate." She emphasized her words with a swivel of her hips, grinding down on me, drawing a groan from deep within my chest, my Kteer lost to her.

“Yes, dkaar ,” I grunted, my hips bucking up to meet hers. “Yours. Always.” I could feel the pressure building, the heat between us rising. My hands roamed her body, touching, claiming, memorizing every curve, every line.

And with each of her gasps and moans, and that remarkably arousing way she wriggled against my thrusts, my Kteer howled with pleasure until I knew I was ready to spill.

Hannah's breath hitched again, her body tensing as she rode me faster, harder. “ Now , Aswan!” she groaned, rocking back to meet my plunges. “I want you now .”

Well, I wasn’t going to allow myself release without bringing her along with me, so I reached between us. My thumb found her clit, and I rubbed it gently, the way I knew she liked.

I could hear her heart pounding, her pulse racing. I pressed, circled, and her breath came in short, sharp gasps. “Come for me, Hannah,” I commanded, my voice barely more than a growl. “Let me feel you come around my cock.”

“Aswan!” she blurted, arching into my hold as her orgasm took her…and I allowed myself to let go.

With a groan, I thrust up into her pussy, spilling against her womb. I had come home.

And it was remarkable .

Forget any other position. This was my favorite position; my Mate milking me of all pleasure, my blood humming, my Kteer at peace.

Yes, this was where I belonged.

Hannah collapsed over my chest with a satisfied moan, and I smiled, gathering her to me. “Such a good Mate,” I crooned, stroking her back and hair. “Taking your male’s cum like that.”

Smirking, she pushed herself up to kiss me again, and I could taste her perfection.

It was a sweet kiss, a satisfied kiss…but under it all, I could smell the scent of her arousal wafting through the room. Ready for me again, soon.

She was the one to break away. “I love you, husband.”

Husband. Mate. Daddy . When I’d made the decision to leave my restaurant and the home I’d built in Bramblewood, I had never believed it possible to find such happiness. But now? Hannah had completed me, given me all of this.

My hands spread across her ass. “And I love you, dkaar .” Beloved . “Wife. Mate.”

Her smile turned wicked as she bent down over me again. “ Mine .”

“Yes,” I whispered, before I surprised a squeak out of her by flipping her onto her back and looming over her. “All yours.”

Laughing, Hannah’s arms went to my shoulders. “Now what?”

“Now, my love…” My lips found her skin as my fingers stroked her. “I’m going to make you scream my name.”

I kept my vow. It was, after all, my wedding night, and I was where I was meant to be.