Page 16

Aliya

M Y HEART WAS FLUTTERING like an excited bird in a cage as I roamed the castle in search of Jax and Tannin. After several hours of laborious back-and-forth deliberating, I had made my decision, and to say I was nervous about declaring it was the biggest understatement of my life.

I found them in the den. Tannin was sitting on the couch, hunched forward with his hands clasped between his thighs as one knee bounced anxiously. The concern on his handsome face was almost precious. My vulnerable, gentle Tannin.

Jax stood next to the crackling fireplace, leaning beside it with his hand braced on the top of the hearth, his serious expression fixed on the dancing flames.

The light cast on his features made him look even more predatory.

Beautiful and deadly, that’s what he was. Like a black widow. Like a siren.

When I walked towards them, they both straightened their postures and turned to me with expectant yet apprehensive gazes.

Even though a tremor quaked through my limbs, commanding the attention of such powerful creatures like them gave me the confidence I desperately needed.

I was the one with the power in this moment, and I had to wield it wisely.

“This wasn’t an easy choice to make,” I prefaced, my voice ringing in the silence. “Though my kingdom is all but gone, I am still its princess, and you are black wolves. My whole life, I was raised to fear and hate your kind, as I’m sure you were mine.”

I paused, letting that resonate with them for a moment. Their features sagged with despair, and seeing it made my heart ache.

“That being said, I can’t deny the powerful hold this bond has over my body and my heart,” I continued.

“I have been alone for so long, and the fact that the first two men I’ve encountered in sixteen months were mated to me must mean something.

I feel like I’d be doing myself a disservice by denying the opportunity to explore this connection we share. ”

Their features lifted with hope, and I fought the urge to smile in relief.

“I’m willing to try,” I said. “But, after everything that’s happened, how do I know I can trust you?”

Tannin shot to his feet and rushed toward me, taking my hands in his. “You can trust us, Aliya. We are fated by the stars to honor and protect you, to cherish you. And we will do whatever it takes to reassure you it’s true.”

His words touched me, warming my insides and soothing the anxious tension in my muscles. Tannin, I believed. He was the sincere one, the kind one.

But Jax was a different animal entirely. Mysterious, elusive, tricky.

He walked toward me with slow, measured steps, as if approaching a forest fawn he feared he might spook.

Then he stopped inches from me, lifted his hand to my face, and oh, so gently brushed his knuckles down the side of my cheek, sending electricity sizzling over my flesh and making my eyelids flutter.

“I know we haven’t given you much reason to trust us,” he said softly. “But give us the chance to prove our devotion to you. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

The dark promise in his sensuous tone sent a thrill stabbing through me, and I wanted so badly to surrender myself to it—to him.

But I fought it, holding my ground for at least a bit longer.

“Devotion?” I asked. “Only yesterday, you were mocking me like I was an ignorant child. And just today, you shouted orders for me to leave your presence. How am I to believe this sudden devotion won’t be washed away by the tide of your next mood swing?”

He nodded, pulling his lips between his teeth in an acceptance of guilt.

“I can’t apologize enough for my earlier behavior.

But I only acted that way because I was fighting a losing battle with this all-consuming hold you have over me.

I’m done fighting. I surrender to you, my mate, my queen. I am yours, if you’ll have me.”

To hear Jax, this powerful, brutal Alpha, say those words to me...I couldn’t describe the way that made me feel. Strong and weak at the same time, vanity and humility all mixed into a potent cocktail of devastating desire and undying affection.

I was gone.

I nodded, letting myself nuzzle into the knuckles he still held against my cheek. He opened his hand and gently cupped my jaw.

I licked my lips, trying to force a breath into my lungs. “So, um...what do we do now?”

A wicked smile spread across Jax’s beautiful lips, and he curled his fingertips teasingly under my chin. “Now, we show you just how much we adore you.”

Before I knew what was happening, Jax picked me up and hoisted me over his shoulder, carrying me across the den and up the stairs. His free hand spread over my ass as we ascended, kneading my flesh, his fingers dipping so close to my center that I couldn’t help but squirm in anticipation.

Tannin followed behind us, holding my gaze the whole time with both feral need and tender love. I didn’t care where they were taking me, I only knew I couldn’t wait to get there.

Once in the hall on the top floor, I heard a door open behind me, and Jax carried me into a room. Tannin closed the door as Jax set me down on my feet. I only distantly realized we were in Jax’s room as both stared at me like wolves about to pounce on unsuspecting prey.

Jax reached out to run his hand up the back of my head, gently raking his fingers over my scalp.

“We’ll go slow,” he said in a deep, gravelly voice that had my core clenching. “If there’s anything you don’t like, tell us. We only exist to please you.”

I nodded dazedly, and then they descended on me.

With his hand behind my head, Jax pulled my face toward his and pressed his lips to mine. Tannin came up beside me, his hands gripping my hips as he nibbled and sucked on my neck.

Jax’s kisses were slower now than this afternoon, but no less rough and demanding. His tongue invaded my mouth like a conquering warrior, and I welcomed his dominion.

At the same time as Tannin’s teasing kisses were on my neck and earlobe. Both their hands were everywhere—my breasts, my waist, my ass. They had me in a dizzying thrall from which I never wanted to surface.

With one last nip at my bottom lip, Jax turned my face toward Tannin, offering my mouth to his gentle yet hungry kisses.

Jax went to work unfastening the laces of the back of my dress, kissing my shoulder as the falling gown exposed more flesh.

The fabric dropped and pooled around my ankles, leaving me standing in only my scant underwear.

They took turns claiming my mouth as they each removed their articles of clothing. It was a struggle not to get lost in the maelstrom of pleasure that their demanding lips and tongues.

It didn’t matter that I had seen them both naked before. That was a whole lifetime ago, and in a completely different context. Before they were mine to touch, to kiss, to lick.

Seeing them now, they were gods. Their bodies were chiseled perfection.

Hardened muscles under smooth, suntanned skin.

And the proof of their desire for me, the stiff appendages standing at attention between their legs—I couldn’t take my eyes off them even as they continued to block my view with their feverish kisses.

Together, they guided me to bed, and I clumsily fell onto the foot of the mattress as they kissed and caressed me.

Jax slid his hand between my legs, cupping the flesh of my thigh, then dragging his hand down to my knee and pulling it outward. Obediently, I spread my legs wider, desperate for whatever he intended.

With my legs open, my center fully exposed, they both drew back enough to stare at my pink folds, the heat of their gazes making my cheeks heat furiously.

Jax leaned close to Tannin, speaking softly into his ear while his eyes burned into mine. “Taste her, brother. She’s delicious.”

Like a starved man, Tannin dropped to his knees before me and brought his face to my center. I watched his every move, barely breathing. Finally, he stuck out his tongue and gently flicked my clit with the tip.

I sucked in a sharp gasp at the incredible sensation, and he took that as his invitation to proceed, closing his mouth over my flesh and devouring me like a delicacy.

I arched onto the mattress, throwing my head back as his tongue roamed and swirled and licked.

I was now a slave to the incredible pleasure.

Jax claimed my mouth once more, then kissed down my neck and over my collarbone. He stopped at my breast, sucking my nipple into his mouth and flicking it with his tongue. I gasped loudly at the double assault, my nipples tingling with pleasure.

All the while, Jax was stroking his rigid cock with one hand, and the sight made my mouth water.

Tentatively, I reached out and lightly touched the rounded tip. His cock was so warm and soft yet hard.

Amazing.

Jax hissed, and I instinctively retracted my hand, afraid that I’d hurt him somehow.

But he pushed his pelvis closer, then took my hand and guided it back to his cock, silently instructing me with his fingers to close my hand around the shaft.

This shot the most potent excitement through me, intensifying the magic Tannin’s mouth was working between my legs. His cock was so hard, yet so smooth. I never would have thought that such a thing could be pretty, but his was beautiful.

Curiously, with my hand still closed around the shaft, I began to stroke it like I saw him do, flicking a glance at his face to gauge his reaction to see if I was doing it right. His eyelids fluttered closed, a long, low breath escaping his lips.

I wanted to make him feel good. No, I needed to.

I tightened my grip slightly, running my hand up and down a little faster, and he grunted in pleasure.

Staring at it transfixed, my mouth ached to taste it.

Such a thought would have been absurd to me a few days ago, but their mouths felt incredible between my legs. Would Jax enjoy my mouth on his cock?

Too enticed to resist anymore, I leaned forward and gently ran the tip of my tongue over the tip.

“Oh, fuck,” he hissed, looking down at me with heavy-lidded eyes, then gave an eager nod.

Yes!

I opened my mouth over his dick and wrapped my lips around it, not expecting the sharp thrill that pulsed inside me at having his cock spreading my lips. Holy gods! Just as I did with my hands, I moved my mouth up and down his shaft, pressing my tongue over his tip as I took it deeper.

His sharp gasps and deep groans encouraged me. I tightened my lips and groaned myself as he began to thrust forward and back, sliding his cock between my lips over and over.

Abruptly, he pulled free, and Tannin’s mouth left my center. For a split second, confusion and self-doubt gripped me. Were they going to abandon me again after we’d shared so much?

But they didn’t leave me. Instead, together my mates flipped me onto my stomach over the corner of the bed, Tannin taking position at my backside and Jax standing in front of me with his hard length pointed right at my face.

Something nudged between my legs, rubbing over my moist entrance and teasing me into desperation.

“Do you want Tannin to fuck you, Princess?” Jax asked darkly.

“Yes, yes!” I whimpered. If that’s what was going to make this incredible ache go away, it was exactly what I wanted.

Jax nodded to Tannin behind me, and slowly, Tannin pressed his cock into me. Inch by slow inch, he penetrated my body, stretching and filling me until he was buried fully inside.

The sensation was mind-blowing in the extreme, but almost too much. I felt so full and achy in a new sort of way, and prayed they knew how to make it better.

Then Tannin gradually pulled out then thrust back in, forcing a groan from my lips as his dick hit my pleasure center deep in my core. He repeated this over and over, falling into a torturous rhythm that I never wanted to end.

Jax rubbed his shaft in front of me, then guided it to my mouth.

“Suck my cock, beautiful,” he commanded in a low growl.

I eagerly parted my lips, and he shoved his dick into my mouth, the thrusting of his hips mimicking the same pace as Tannin’s behind me. Together, they were conquering my body in every way imaginable and it was incredible.

It was too much and yet not enough. I could hardly stand the pleasure they were giving me, but I never wanted it to stop.

The sounds of their groans amplified my own pleasure, knowing they were drawing as much ecstasy from my body as they were delivering to mine. If it weren’t for Jax’s cock filling my mouth, my moans would surely drown out theirs.

“She’s moaning on my dick,” Jax panted, tangling his fingers into my hair. “Fuck her harder. I want to feel her screams.”

Tannin obeyed his Alpha, thrusting into me harder and faster until I was indeed screaming as Jax had foretold. Pleasure erupted in my core and radiated outward, making me convulse and cry out.

“Oh, gods!” Jax hissed, suddenly yanking his cock from my mouth. He gripped it hard and furiously stroked it as creamy white liquid shot from the tip onto the floor.

His body shuddered in front of me, strained grunts bursting from him until he stopped his frenzied squeezing.

Seconds later, Tannin followed us into bliss, slamming into me one last time and letting out a long, loud moan. His hot seed spilled inside me, his pleasure drawing out the last of my own pulses.

He pulled out of me, then they dragged me up to the head of the bed and snuggled in on either side of me. Our heavy panting formed a chorus as their hands continued to roam my body like a playground.

These men were my mates, my saviors, my monsters. And as sleep crept over me, I knew they would be the ruin of me.

The last princess of Varinya. Mated to two black wolves. Oh, the irony of it all...