Page 56

Chapter 51

Eirik

S he flinched away from me.

I knew it was a response, a reaction to the trigger that had dragged her furiously into a panic attack, but I hadn't been ready for her to flinch away from my touch. For her words to burrow so deeply under my skin, ripping me to fucking shreds as they had.

Don't touch me!

I was going to be sick.

I tensed, my body pulsing with hunger and adrenaline as they collided with the surge of regret in my stomach. My wolf had gone feral with his need to burst out, the scent of sex still lingering on my skin. But my other half hadn't seen what I had, didn't understand why I ran from our mate when she was needing. His desire to be next to her was like a goddamned calling card that I nearly broke myself to resist. I slammed against a wall, grunting as a partial shift sent pain searing down my spine.

It was enough to ground me, to drown out the endless cries of my beast. His keening ended up vocal in my throat, and in my chest.

Mate. Mate. Mate.

"Mine ."

I gritted my teeth, snarling through the gaps as claws burst from my fingers, gouging into the intricate walls, leaving long jagged scars in the red and gold.

"You look like you've been better, brother," a voice mused, and I flipped to them, not fully in control when I snapped in the familiar face of Yrsa.

She didn't flinch, scoffing with an eye roll. I wasn't sure how she got here, in this isolated hallway, but my beast didn't like her so close. My hackles rose, a growl building so viciously my vocal cords protested. All it took was one look at her face to shift from partially joking to serious.

"What's wrong?" she asked, reaching toward me with hands that I snapped at.

Words felt archaic, unnecessary, and my beast made a point to make it as difficult as he could for me to get them out. Words didn't matter, not when our mate needed us. He didn't understand why I left, and he fought it with every ounce of his strength.

"Scared—" The word ended in a growl that savaged my vocal cords, the shift moving to my shoulders as my spine popped. " Her . Scared her."

"I see … Well, you've chosen a fantastic time to fully descend into a mating frenzy then, and by the sheer amount of pheromones you're pumping out, I'd say you haven't sealed the deal yet," she said. I couldn't answer as I bowed over, and another partial shift threatened to take me to my knees. "Word of advice. I'd remedy that before the start of this. It'll give her a layer of protection and get your wolf off your ass so you can focus on protecting her."

"I can't," I hissed, the words a gnarled mash of letters. "I scared her."

More than scared, terrified. I wouldn't be able to wash away that haunted look she gave me—there was no way I'd ever forget it. Bile rose in my throat, even my wolf calming for a blissful fucking second.

Any chance of mating her tonight was gone, and I would not put this decision on her now. What she'd experienced after getting back her memories had obviously taken more of a toll on her than she realized.

I couldn't ask this of her, wouldn't . Not now, not after smelling her fear in the air like a poison. Even if it meant fighting my wolf for the reins every spare second I had.

Yrsa watched me for a long second, her eyes narrowed on me like she hadn't heard what I'd said. "You are úlfhéenar, and úlfhéenar take what they want, brother. Your wolf has chosen a mate. You've given her time, given her your life. Take her ."

That was the way of our clan, the hunt, the chase. Yrsa had mentioned it to me before, and it filled me with a need so deep my wolf went silent.

For one blissful second, it was just me. The idea of running through the woods, listening to the soft breaths of Aaliyah as she ran, her eyes wide, adrenaline making her blood pump as she dashed through the underbrush.

Heightened by fear.

"I will not scare her again!" I snarled.

What my beast wanted to do was to go beyond a frolic through the woods. It was carnal, a claiming, and my sweet Valkyrja had been through enough. Tonight had proven that. I didn't need to add to the amount of shit already on her plate, no matter my desires.

Not now. Maybe not ever. Her pace, it would always be her pace.

I pushed it down, the wallowing cries of my wolf and the furious need that clung to my blood. Bolted it in place as sweat stuck to my skin. The effect was immediate, the block on my other half making me sick.

I can't fucking scare her again.

"Who says you will?" Yrsa growled.

It was a different kind of feeling, going toe to toe with a wolf again. My own instincts sparked, challenge rolling in my blood, as I stared down my elder. Her eyes, that stormy blue that gave away the beast, stayed trained on me.

"She's—" I started, but Yrsa didn't let me get any words out.

"A badass female capable of making her own goddamned choice! That's what you were going to say, right?" she asked, sarcastic, like I wouldn't agree with her. Like I didn't want to worship the ground Aaliyah fucking walked on. I grunted. "So, you scared her. It happens. I take it you also ran away before she could talk to you about it? She won't reject you, Eirik. You know that. Look at your arm, feel it in your chest where your wolf cries for her. You're letting fear talk because you don't know what to expect, either."

As if on cue, the mark at my wrist warmed, the flowing lavender band a constant tie to my chest. The bond was a comfort.

Think of how much we could feel tied to her forever. My beast pushed, slipping through the cracks, images of her pinned beneath us coming without warning. My fangs deep in her neck, a true mating bond sealing us together.

My mouth watered, and the scent of lavender flashed in the air.

My skin rippled again, my wolf nearly ripping away the reins as it tore through my mental defenses. I stumbled away from Yrsa in a desperate attempt at control. Another scent hit, one I wasn't expecting, one I couldn't place in this haze, as she grunted, waving me off.

"Fucking Odin's beard, get out of here. I'll deal with it. Just think of a nice forestry area to go to, but good luck getting your beast to calm down. You've waited far too long," she said.

I didn't have time to question her words as I shot down the hall. The first door I came to, I swung open. Just like Yrsa had said, a forest greeted me.

I breathed in the fresh air, lit by the crispness of salt that didn't quite taste right. I stumbled forward, another shutter.

The shift came like a wave. One second, I was standing.

The next, I was only úlfhéeinn .

* * *

Aaliyah

I followed Eirik in a haze, rushing out after a quick word to Prince and Fallon, who looked on with worried eyes. They called something after me, but I was already out the door, the Eternium carting me away from them and toward what I hoped was Eirik. The halls weaved in front of me, each turn leading to another long hallway that had my heart sinking deeper into the pits of my chest.

My legs were still shaking from what had happened, the thoughts so close to the surface it hurt to breathe … but seeing his face, the fear that flashed across it?

I needed to make sure he was okay.

I turned a blind corner, nearly running into a body that stopped me with two hands on my shoulders. I jerked away from them, their touch like a blow I couldn't fight again. I gritted my teeth, looking up as my legs prepared to run.

"Oh, my," a voice called, bringing me out of my thoughts. I flinched at the sound, curling in on myself instinctively as I swiveled to look up at the woman that had spoken. Not a man, not Nilus or Hugo. "You must be Aaliyah. You were just who I was hoping to run into. Crazy, how the Eternium works, isn't it?"

It only took one look to see the likeness in this woman to Eirik, enough to settle the raging beat of my heart, her sky-colored eyes holding a light flutter of curiosity. She had laugh lines framing the corners, and a broad smile that flashed white teeth. Her long blond hair was pulled up into a high ponytail that draped long over her exposed back. She wore a dress, the sharp blue of it accentuating her soft features and toned body.

"Yrsa?" I asked.

She was everything I'd imagined when Eirik had told me of his siblings, even more so when her head tipped back in a hearty laugh. Her whole body moved as she did, and I couldn't help but wonder if Eirik would do the same.

"So, my brother has told you about me! Only the best things, I'm sure," she said, rubbing some stray tears out of her eyes. "We'll have plenty of time to bond later, sister, but right now, I need your help. Eirik's in a frenzy."

I bit my lip at that, before looking down the long hall and pulling in an unsteady breath, wondering if I even had the strength to keep following him. I wanted to curl up, to force the memories away the only way I knew how.

"What can I do?" I asked, instead.

Yrsa stared at me, her expression shifting. There was a look of war in her eyes, a hardening that came with battle and sacrifice. She assessed me, the look so intense it made me shiver.

I felt inadequate under it, small.

"Do you love him?" she asked.

"I do," I whispered, not a breath of hesitation.

"I'm not asking if it's just a passing fling, or even the start of something more. Do you love him? With your entire soul, from your bones to your blood. Can you imagine a life not by his side?" Yrsa pressed.

Six months ago, I would have laughed at the thought. I would have cowered at the sight of Eirik, like I had that first day I'd seen him. My giant, gentle wolf. The Vivas family was so ingrained in my life now that there was no me without them. Their love was branded on my skin, their names etched into my fate.

So, it wasn't a question, not one I struggled with as I shook my head.

"No, I can't," I answered, as I straightened my spine, hopefully mirroring the severity of her eyes. "I love him with everything I am."

Yrsa was silent again before her lips split into a grin wide enough to show sharp fangs.

"Then listen to me very closely," she said. The edge to her stance softened, and her eyes lost their dark sheen—what I was now realizing had been her wolf. "Wolf Shifters, but especially úlfhéenar , are protective, possessive bastards. They don't do things in halves, and honestly, I'm surprised you've lasted this long without a mark on your shoulder. Eirik and his wolf have claimed you as theirs. In every way but one. It sounds like something happened when he was on the cusp of a full rut. He scared you, and he ran so he wouldn't hurt you. He's fighting his wolf now, because of it."

Yrsa stepped forward, and I flinched when she set her hand on my shoulder.

"If you want him, go to him. I'm not going to lie to you and say it will be easy. This isn't going to be the sweet love-making I'm sure you're used to with your other lovely men. It will be a claiming. He'll chase you, fuck you, and he'll mark you. Likely in the dirt or wherever else you land when he catches you, and he will catch you. If you don't want that, or can't handle it, go back to your room and wait it out."

That declaration was the first thing to cause me to pause. My heart sped up, a fear so bitter it made my mouth go dry, skittering over my skin like little bugs. My legs shook, and the idea of running like that terrified me. The idea of souring this moment that I wanted to be between us with memories of a place that broke me nearly enough to pull me away.

I gave myself a minute to think, to truly consider Yrsa's words. Could I handle this? I wasn't sure, not after everything that had happened. The only thing I really knew was that this was Eirik ; and he wouldn't hurt me. But the act of it, the memories it might bring up …

"What will happen if I don't?" I asked, ashamed the words even slipped out when Yrsa's eyes dimmed.

"Maybe he'll come to his senses. Calm down," she said, shrugging her shoulders, but I knew people, knew their tells. Her eyes dropped low, her hands tensing into fists as tension racked her body.

Eirik would be stuck like this. My Eirik. The man who'd held me so close it chased away the demons that haunted me. Who'd pulled away so quickly when I'd asked that I barely felt the heat of his touch. He treated me with care, always made sure I was in control, always made me feel so safe.

Raised his hands after I'd cut his skin with a knife I'd brought against him, palms facing me. He'd made me feel safe after an auction that I swore was going to be another hell.

I wanted him, all of him. I wasn't sure if I was completely ready for this, but I was out of time, and he was mine. I wouldn't let him suffer if I could help it.

"Thank you, Yrsa," I said with a smile. The abrupt change must have given her whiplash, as her eyes went wide. "I have to go."

"Good choice," she said with a nod. She crossed her arms over her chest. "See you soon, my systur !"

I waved at her over my shoulder, not letting myself think about what I was walking into, only focusing on putting one foot after the other. Each step filled me with determination, pushing me toward my goal.

When I finally came to a door, I pushed through before I could stop myself. It opened to a wide expanse of forest, stretched out from a single clearing. The grass was green, so different from the cold winter I knew existed outside of this mountain.

The entire room was blanketed with a soft light that almost seemed like it was coming from the moon, as an artificial wind blew past, the flowers and plants rustling under the soft onslaught.

Standing in the middle of the clearing was Eirik, just barely feet away. He tipped his head toward me, his eyes nearly midnight black, the color lost to the expansion of his pupils. He'd lost his shirt, his chest damp with sweat as he panted. Those dark tattoos that traced his body glowed like sigils in the low light, the ethereal accents giving him a godly look. His hair was pulled loose, no longer bound into intricate braids, falling over his head in unruly blond waves. He looked wild, feral, as he pulled in a breath that ended in a deep growl.

" My smár Valkyrja ," he rumbled, more beast than man, his chest expanding in a purr that sent a shock wave down my spine. He took a step toward me. His next words were spoken with savage pride. " Our mate . Knew you'd come. "

"Eirik, are you okay?" I asked carefully, muscles tensing when he took another step toward me.

His head was tilted to the side, his eyes locked in on me, unblinking.

"Yes," he rumbled, taking another step. He was right there. I could reach out and touch him now. My breath caught.

This was it. I struggled to keep my cool as I looked him up and down. His stature really came to me now, his staggering height suddenly intimidating as I looked past him into the woods. It would take him no time at all to catch me in this chase.

That same fear came bubbling up inside me again, my vision blurring at the edges as I swallowed several times, trying to breathe away the sound of Nilus's voice.

Eirik's purr stumbled, and I looked back just in time to see his eyebrows cinch together. " Why do you fear us? We will not harm you. "

He lifted his hand, as if to reach out to me, before pulling it back to his chest. His rolling tattoos flexed across his bare skin, his body shivering as a fine layer of sweat coated it. Every bit of him tensed as he looked down, trying to make himself seem small.

Safe .

"Can you both see me?" I asked, relaxing as curled tighter, his chest vibrating in that comforting purr.

"Yes," he grunted with a nod.

"Eirik …" I started, reaching up to press my hand to his chest. His heart thundered under my palm, his skin vibrating with the captivating melody that only grew when I smiled. "My sweet, beautiful wolf."

That purr deepened, and Eirik leaned down, his nose brushing against the top of my head, his entire large body leaning over mine, encompassing me. His breath brushed against the skin of my temple. Little puffs.

" Mine , " he growled, the sound bitingly dangerous. Another skitter of fear laced down my spine, blending with the lust that had been building between my legs. The serious edge to his word was the last push I needed. This was it. I lifted my hand higher, cupping his cheek. The rough stubble of his beard tickled my palm, but the warmth didn't scare me this time.

"Can I ask you a question?" I started, looking him in his blown eyes, searching for the Eirik I knew was buried there, finding him watching carefully alongside his beastly half.

" Always , " he whispered, one of his hands finding my hair, toying with the braid he'd woven.

"If I leave, what will you do?" I asked, watching as his face scrunched up like he hadn't been expecting that. He pulled his hand up, showing me his wrist. The one that bore a single lavender line. When he responded, it was all wolf.

" No mark? "

I shook my head, pushing past the anxiety in my stomach. "No mark."

Eirik hummed as if contemplating it, gentle fingers caressing my cheek, his hand large enough to cup the entirety of my face. So much power held in him, and he used it to tuck the hair behind my ear.

" Then we wait, " his wolf whispered, and I froze, not expecting that he'd be the one that came forward. There was such sincerity in the words that I almost didn't hear him finish. " Until you crave us again. Until the fear has settled, and you are ready for us. "

I let out a breath, reaching up to cup his hand, savoring the warmth he gave off. I searched for the fear that had gripped me in the training room, dreading that it might come stumbling forward again, but for now, it stayed quiet.

"And if we start, and I need you to stop?" I pressed, and this time there was no waiting.

"I won't ever do something you aren't willing to, Elskan. " Eirik said, vehemently, his eyes his again as they flashed sky blue. "No matter what. If you wish to stop, we stop ."

His beast closed it out, and they didn't let go of my eyes as they watched me carefully. Blissful silence filled my head, and the voices that had stolen my thoughts were nothing but a distant memory.

I wasn't sure if doing this would bring another up; I wasn't sure if I could handle this … but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Eirik would stop if I asked. I trusted him more than anything.

It was why I felt comfortable stepping back, keeping a bare point of contact with his cheek.

"I love you, Eirik," I said, and his expression melted, his lips tilting into an adorable smile that was so contrasting to what I was about to do with him. The fear that had swallowed me was washed away by the gentleness in his eyes, the caring words he said so fervently. "So, chase me . Mark me, please."

Time could have frozen with the way Eirik's face shifted, the skin under my palm bunching. His eyes rolled back, his teeth bared in a snarl before he spoke. "You're sure?"

It was Eirik's voice, not the beast. Still there enough to ask, to make sure.

He wouldn't hurt me in any way I didn't want , not my Eirik.

I didn't answer, not with words, but a nod as I stepped around him. His eyes traced me as I walked slowly, keeping my eyes on him until I hit the tree line.

My heart rate skyrocketed, adrenaline already soaring in my blood.

"Then run," he whispered, his words falling into a growl as his eyes flushed fully black again. The playful nature there fell completely to lust, and he shivered. "You get a head start, little warrior."

My heart jolted, adrenaline so clear in my blood it made my fingers tingle. His eyes narrowed, the look of a predator stalking prey as his purr shifted into an eager growl.

This was Eirik.

Fear came with the steps I took, but I didn't stop. I held my breath, flipping to face the trees.

And I ran .

I dashed through the thick underbrush, my legs catching the stray shrubs and branches. The stings started and ended on a breath, but I was so numb to the feeling I barely felt it as adrenaline kept me soaring forward. My heart was the only thing I could truly feel.

It thundered, a mix of foreboding and anticipation that kept me moving at full speed. My senses honed, my ears listening for every sound I could catch, the woods silent around me for all of a second.

A twig snapped to my right, cracking like gunfire in my ears as I gasped, jolting away from it, stumbling as I tried to move in the other direction. My knees hit the ground, the forest floor slick as I hauled myself back to my feet.

A growl filled the air, far enough away that it faded into the panicked breaths I let out. Close enough that I could feel it in my bones. The space between my legs ached, a deep emptiness in my core catching me off guard. My gait stuttered with each beat of my heart, and my rational brain urged caution while the primal side sought to run harder, knowing that he was close.

I stumbled again, hitting a tree hard enough to hurt. I swore I could feel hot breath on the back of my neck as I looked over my shoulder, finding empty forest. Like he was toying with me, playful and eager, while not wanting the chase to be over just yet. I knew it wouldn't last; it was only a matter of time before he caught me. I moved again, refusing to stay idle. It was freeing, in a way, how my mind cleared with the sole intention of running. There wasn't a worry beyond my next step, a fear beyond the one I knew wouldn't really hurt me.

I wanted this. I realized, and I trusted Eirik to not take it too far. Another snapping twig had me stumbling in another direction, then another, until I was in a field of familiar flowers.

The white buds of the moonflowers barely registered before a body hit me from behind. I fell to the ground with an oof, my front cushioned by the hand that now caged me possessively to a broad chest.

" Got you, Elskan , " Eirik panted, his nose running along my neck, teeth quick to follow as a deep growl vibrated along my spine. He consumed me as he flexed, that rumbling growl mixing with a groan low in his chest. It went straight to my core, like a direct line. " Now you're ours. "

He molded me to him, pressing every inch into me, including the thick length that settled against my back. I shivered at his size, the thought of it making me dizzy. It wasn't my first time, but Eirik was huge, and more than intimidating, especially with the frantic way he nipped at my neck, his large hand trailing down my lower stomach. His hand wandered, toying with the hem of my pants.

I didn't have time to worry, as Eirik moved, keeping me on my hands and knees as he ripped my pants and underwear down in one swift jerk. Next thing I knew, I was sitting, knees hitting the ground by his ears, my hands planted firmly on the ground above his head. Even like this, I wasn't in control. His hand dug into my thighs as he pulled me down to sit fully on his face. The first swipe of his tongue had me jerking forward. There was no room to move as his fingers tightened and his moan lit with a savage growl that sounded like a beast digging into its meal. The grunts and groans that spilled out of him would have been mortifying if I wasn't so completely lost in the haze of pleasure he brought. He sank a finger into me, testing me with smooth, gentle strokes that betrayed the nip of his teeth against the back of my thigh.

Then another joined it, and I cried out at the stretch. His mouth returned to its place, licking around his fingers, clinging to my clit as he continued to growl and snarl. He bucked hard enough for me to feel it. Then a third finger was joining the other two, until I was completely full of him and rocking back onto his hand and face with reckless abandonment. The stretch stung, but it was no more noticeable than the scrapes that lined my legs and arms from the run.

He didn't let go, not until I was a mess for him, the hint of an orgasm sitting just out of reach. Every time I got close, he pulled back, and I was left reeling, chasing the feeling as he shifted his movements to drag out the pleasure.

"Eirik?" I asked when he pulled away, a needy whine leaving my lips at the loss of his fingers. He moved me how he wanted, my hands still planted in the dewy underbrush, my cheek digging in as he kneeled behind me. I was so desperate for release that when I finally felt the brush of his cock head against my entrance, I jolted at the feeling, gasping when he ran it along my clit.

His chest rumbled, his body falling over mine again. One hand fell to my hip, the other landing on my neck in a hold that had me arching into him. He held me gently, but with purpose, a control that told me exactly what I needed.

He wouldn't push too far. He'd keep me safe.

But I wasn't going anywhere.

" Soon, you'll wear our mark ," he whispered.

My body flushed, and I gasped, the strangled sound forcing my hips back, searching for something as I tilted in his hands. His mouth opened, a tongue trailing a line over my shoulder. When I felt his fangs, my own started burning.

" Here ," he whispered, kissing the spot lovingly. The idea of a mark, one from him that I'd carry forever, appealed to me in a way I wasn't expecting.

It would scar no doubt, but I didn't hate that idea. If anything, I reveled in it. I wanted a good scar, like the one he wore on his face. I wanted one that I didn't have to flinch away from.

" Mine ," he snarled, as his tip sank into me.

There was a burn, one I expected even with all of his preparation, but he didn't just slam into me, like I'd worried he might. The hand at my hip moved, settling on my clit as he gently rocked his hips. His entire body shook, little grunts of pleasure echoing in my ear as he nibbled on my earlobe and down my neck, sinking in inch by devastating inch.

The bites of pain were quickly washed away by the sheer fullness he left me with. I was encompassed by him, I wasn't sure where I ended and he began by the time I felt the front of his thighs meet the back of mine. He didn't give any leeway, pressing as deep as he could go until I was squirming in his arms, unable to move away. When his hand climbed, pressing on my abdomen, feeling himself through the muscle there, I groaned helplessly.

He'd stretched places that hadn't been before, pressed firm against my cervix, and it was daunting to feel him so fully.

His hand went back to stroking my hip, the other at my neck applying that ever so steady gentle pressure.

"You okay, Elskan ?" he asked, his words coming between growls and pants.

I flexed around him, causing an answering groan from both of us.

"Move, Eirik. Please," I whimpered, nodding.

His entire body shivered, his breath stopping as the low rumble in his chest picked back up. His breath was a soft warning as he pulled out, leaving just the tip inside before he slammed back in. Yrsa's words fully registered at the impact of his hips against mine. It rattled my teeth, and he somehow seemed even deeper now, my vision blotting as I held my breath. There was no pause as he pulled out and snapped back forward with a heady grunt. He held me tightly, so close to him I had no choice but to surrender to the brutal pleasure his thrusts brought.

One after another, he overloaded my senses with him, never shying away from the depth he seemed desperate to get to. His hand fell to my clit, the shock of it enough to send me spiraling, dragging out an orgasm I hadn't seen coming as he sank deep and held himself there. He made sure every second of it was spent entirely on his thick cock, which still pulsed inside me.

He started moving again, a shift in his thrusts matching an erratic hitch in his purr as he continued to lick my neck. The sinful growl was a shock, almost as much as when his teeth bit down, the little love bites shifting into something more urgent. Not enough to break skin, but enough to send a sharp burst of pain down my spine. I gasped when his tongue covered the mark, soothing the ache.

I hadn't thought to ask if the marking would hurt. I'd been bitten before.

Eirik snapped his hips one more time, his thumb a constant pressure on my clit, sending me spiraling into an orgasm that my body tried desperately to give him. It was then that his fangs sank deep. It wasn't a feeding bite, the brutality of it taking my breath away as pain shot out from the wound. A cold shiver shot down my spine, spreading as though ice had entered my bloodstream.

I wiggled instinctively, trying to get away from the pressure, Eirik keeping me locked to him with his hands as a growl rocked his frame, ending in his teeth that were still locked in my neck. An unyielding panic started to build inside me when Eirik pressed deeper, harder. His feet dug into the ground, the arm at my waist dragging me back against him in the same movement. He strained against my cervix, my body not willing to yield.

Then, the base of him, which was just inside of me, past my pubic bone, started to grow.

I jolted, choking on my gasp at the sharp feeling, but there was no getting away from it. Eirik's teeth were still buried deep, and even his purr couldn't calm me as he continued to grow. Tears pooled in my eyes, and I sobbed when it finally stopped, seconds before I was sure it would be too late, sure he'd tear me.

My breathing was the only thing I could hear, ragged and panicked, as Eirik's fangs pulled from my neck, his tongue lapping up the blood that spilled from the wound.

" Mine, " Eirik whispered, his beast still firmly in control as he rocked his hips slightly. I flinched at the tight, tugging feeling, taken by surprise as the pain dulled to a pleasant ache. My shoulder went numb, a contented warmth flowing through me as he continued to move slightly back and forth.

"What's happening?" I asked, gasping as I spasmed around him, his purr making him vibrate inside .

" The claiming, " the beast said simply, continuing to lick and play. " You're mine , little mate . "

Warmth spread through me, and I arched involuntarily as I melted beneath him.

" My other half has watched enough. He longs for you, " he whispered, the raspy tone of his beast fading a bit. He kissed my neck again, lips pressed to the mark he'd left there. Sparks of pure euphoria danced beneath it.

It still ached, bleeding as my body worked on healing it, but that didn't stop me from reaching for it. My heart sped up at the idea of seeing it every day. The scar it would leave. Eirik had told me once that the scar on his face was a point of pride for him, and I hadn't understood.

I did now. I wanted the imprint of his teeth to remain on my skin forever.

"My beautiful, fierce Valkyrja, " Eirik groaned, his voice his own again. "Are you okay?"

He licked the wound, and I gasped, still clenched around him, moaning as he pressed hard against my inner walls.

"Yeah, I am," I whispered, half whimpering when he shifted, grinding into me.

I didn't think I'd be able to come again, not after everything, but the gentle press of Eirik's lips against my neck, and the weight of him over me, told me I might be wrong.

"What is this?" I asked.

I hadn't been expecting this, even from what Yrsa had told me. It had been terrifying, at first, but now that it was there … I could get used to it.

He ground again, catching something inside of me that had my eyes rolling back. Yes, I could really get used to this.

"Don't know," Eirik mumbled. "He didn't warn me."

The pull from inside had me gasping again, tensing when Eirik's deft fingers found my clit and began swirling in steady circles.

He kept his thrusts short and steady, gentle compared to how his beast had taken me, driving me up as my legs began to tremble, and I found myself arching back into him. "Eirik?—"

A moan tore itself from my chest, muted against the ground as he nipped the newly healed mark.

"You are my sweetest treasure, Aaliyah," he whispered, pride stealing his words as his free hand found my lower stomach again, pressing above where we were joined, making me squirm. I reached up, grabbing the arm that was planted by my head. "My other half claimed you. Your last cries are mine."

He said it so sweetly while he did everything in his power to make me come undone again, and I was helpless to do anything but let him. I sobbed into the ground, his hand moving up, cupping my face, holding me reverently as he continued to move, and me doing the same.

Chasing a pleasure that would burn me to ashes.

"Feed," Eirik growled as I licked his palm. It was barely a question before I'd buried my fangs into him, pulling in a mouthful of sea-tinted blood.

The combination was all I needed, and I climaxed again, getting lost in the feel and taste of him as he grunted, continuing to grind. I felt his release bathing my insides for the second time, leaving me contently warm as he curled around me, holding me close, his nose brushing his mark every few seconds as if to make sure it was still there.

My wolf, my protector.

My mate .