Page 9

H ow are you? I nuzzled Yelena’s cheek, stretched out at her side, and wrapped around her. The others were gone for the moment, setting up Logan’s plans to reduce tension in the nest. I wasn’t sure if it would succeed, but it couldn’t hurt.

I don’t know. She sighed, rolling toward me and tracing her fingertips along my jaw. “I’m sorry I bonded her before you.”

It was an emergency.

“I know, but it’s important to me that you know it wasn’t on purpose, and that I love you just as much now as I always have.”

My kiss with her was sweet and slow. I’ve never doubted that you love me. Do you love the witch?

Yelena hummed quietly. “Not quite yet, but I’m definitely moving in that direction.”

I could have guessed as much, but I needed to hear it anyway.

“Regardless of my affection,” Yelena continued, “she’s my omega now, my responsibility.”

I snorted. Don’t let her hear you calling her your responsibility. Pretty sure she’d hate that.

“She can hate it all she likes. It doesn’t make it less true. The whole nest is my responsibility, and as my bonded mate, she’s doubly so.”

I cuddled against her. She took so much onto her shoulders, even when she had plenty surrounding her who would take up the burden.

We’d barely had a minute alone like this since the others arrived. Before it seemed like we’d had endless hours, but now we’d have to make a concerted effort to create time for each other.

Yelena hadn’t discussed the new bond with Logan, or her feelings about Yelena and I continuing our relationship.

“My love, I’ve known you long enough to see those questions in your eyes. I have no intention of abandoning you. Mate or not, you were here first and you’ve been my steadfast companion for years.”

Relief was more potent than I’d expected, burning bright in my chest.

I couldn’t imagine that Logan would have a problem with Yelena and me, but I’d heard stories of some omegas wanting their pack to hold them at the center. She didn’t seem to mind Seth and me together, though, so I was hopeful that would stay true for Yelena and me.

What do you think the odds are of us all dying?

Yelena’s eyebrows pinched together. “Higher than I would like.”

Even if their coming here means the end, I’m glad we’ll be together for it. Dying might not be so terrible if Yelena and Seth were at my side. Of course, I’d prefer none of us died, but with a monster at our gates, it crossed my mind a time or two.

Yelena pulled in a slow breath, using it to steady herself. She jolted, closing her eyes a moment.

What is it?

“I forgot Logan would be able to use telepathy with me now that we’re bonded. Not used to hearing her.”

What did she want?

“Just checking if everything is okay. I told her I’m processing.” She blinked her golden eyes open, leaning closer to me. “It’s strange being able to feel the little bursts of Logan’s excitement, and the more distant brushes of Seth’s pride and affection for her.”

I wanted that connection with my lioness. The wider the web of a bond, the more complicated everything became, and the less hiding we could do when everyone was part of it.

Are your feelings on bonding me still the same? I asked, running my nose along her jaw before planting a kiss just below her ear.

“It seems silly to keep you at arm’s length in that regard now that I’m bonded to Logan.

” Yelena’s tongue danced with mine, and she nipped my lip before drawing back again.

“I’ve always been adamant I didn’t want you bound to this place.

You lived so much of your life with complete freedom to go where you wanted. ”

I was never going to leave you. I rose up on my elbow to look down at her.

She was so fucking beautiful with her curls still bound in silk and her mouth begging to be kissed.

You are the one I love, and you’re bonded through Logan to the only other person I ever thought I could love.

I’m not going anywhere whether you bond me or not, but I still want to share that with you.

I drew her into a kiss, savoring the taste of her mouth.

Please. I pulled away, searching Yelena’s face.

“You really want to be stuck with me forever?”

I’ve wanted that since the day we met. I know you were waiting for me to be sure, but I always have been.

I hadn’t walked three thousand miles after fleeing an abusive nest to not be with her. The gods themselves had led me to Yelena, just as they had led Logan and her panthers to us. We were all exactly where we were meant to be, and nothing would make me leave their sides.

“You’re so good at wearing down my self-control,” Yelena said lightly, though what I was asking for was as serious as anyone could get between partners.

Bite me. Claim me. I’ve always been yours and I always will be.

I watched her resolve crumble, anticipation coiling in my stomach at the realization this was finally going to happen.

“As much as I’ve always wanted you to have the opportunity to go, it would’ve torn me apart if you ever had. The selfish part of me wants to keep you forever.”

Be selfish because I want to keep you, too.

I was already naked so it was a simple matter for her to nudge me onto my back and kiss me until my cock stirred to life.

I unraveled the robe barely containing her, and gently pulled the silk from her hair as she sat up, her curls tumbling down.

Straddling me let her glide along every piercing, a shudder rolling through her with each brush of the metal.

She teased both of us until she was wet enough to take me.

“I’m a little jealous she was able to take your knot the first time.”

Don’t be. She’s designed for it. I promise it feels just as good when you hold it and grind on it.

“I was going to say I don’t know if I believe you, but there will be no room for any lies or secrets in the bond. You’re still sure you wouldn’t rather keep your privacy?”

I bucked against her. If you don’t get a move on, I’m going to have to channel some alpha energy and do it myself.

“No need for that, my love. I want to keep you as much as you want to be kept.”

With a simple shift in position, she lined me up and carefully worked herself down. Each piercing made her shiver, and once she was fully seated, she started a slow grind that had my eyes closing and my fingers digging into her.

“You look so good steeped in bliss.”

I couldn’t make many sounds after the damage to my throat, but that didn’t stop me from trying. Broken moans filled the quiet.

With the intention set to make Yelena mine, my fangs descended, ready to stake my claim.

More often than not, this was exactly the position Yelena and I ended up in, with me stretched beneath her, my lioness taking pleasure for both of us.

Sometimes it was more theatrical, but given the gravity of what we were about to do, she must have felt, like I did, that it would be best to keep things simple.

I maneuvered my hands around so that each thrust down had her clit stroking against my thumbs.

Sweat glistened on Yelena’s skin. The nerves I had expected to go along with this momentous occasion were strangely placid.

I had known from the moment I met Yelena that we were meant to be together, and the bite we would wear on our skin was a declaration into the world that we had given each other our souls.

I wanted everyone to know. I’d been her chosen since my arrival at the nest, but this was so much more than that.

Yelena picked up speed, chasing sensations, her pussy tightening around me. “I love you.”

I love you .

Desire and electricity poured through me as she slammed her hips down and pulled me up to her, sinking her fangs into the curve of my shoulder.

The orgasm took me off guard with its strength, stealing my breath and pulling my muscles taut.

My knot surged inside her. She’d always pulled back before, but not this time.

I bit down hard, my fangs claiming her in return.

Her pain roared across the bond, dancing violently with my pleasure.

Overwhelmed and shaking, I couldn’t do a damn thing except hold still and take all of it.

Yelena washed over me like a wave on the shore, her joy and worries, pleasure and frustration, all buffeting me in the surf of the bond.

I couldn’t pull together more than a word or two at a time, thoughts blitzed out of existence as quickly as they could form each time her pussy clamped onto my knot.

Oh gods. Yelena moaned against my skin. How can something feel incredible and also hurt like a fucking bitch? I think it feels so good to you that it’s spilling over to me and dulling the pain of taking a knot unprepared.

You weren’t supposed to take my knot, I admonished. It’s hurting you .

That was exactly why we’d never pushed knotting in the past. Not every body was suited to it, and that was completely fine. I didn’t need to knot someone to be satisfied and Yelena had certainly never left me wanting.

I was busy thinking of other things, and maybe I was a little jealous.

You were a very naughty alpha. I detached my fangs so I could kiss up her throat. You never need to be jealous, love. You feel fucking incredible.

She groaned and rocked experimentally, the ache in her cunt filtering through the bond, mitigated by the pleasure pouring through from me.

I’m going to walk like I’d been on horseback for a week.

Everyone was going to know from the bite marks that we’d claimed each other, but pride kindled that they’d be able to tell from how she moved too.

Yelena kept her fangs inside me, trembling and breathing hard through her nose.

I wrapped my arms around her, offering my comfort and anchoring myself in the physical.

Privacy wasn’t really a true concept within the bond, but I didn’t want to let my mind wander and flit through emotions she might be trying to keep under wraps.

I was so high on adrenaline when I bit Logan, but this is different. I love that it’s not life or death. It’s just a choice.

I lost track of how long we sat clinging together. The strength of my lioness was like a monument I couldn’t help but stare at in wonder. I think I died for a second there.

Yelena’s laughter rebounded in my mind.

Don’t let me knot you again. We can keep playing with prepping your body for it, but don’t push yourself.

Amusement glimmered in the bond. Try and stop me.

Hey, strangers. I jolted at Seth’s voice in my head. Welcome to the bond, Haru. I don’t want to interrupt this moment, but you guys made Logan come out of nowhere and the power blast knocked a couple people out and there might be a brawl happening in the dining hall.

Yelena unlatched herself from my skin. “Fucking hell.”

How am I going to get my knot out of you?

A quick test revealed we were plenty stuck together. You’ll have to handle it, Yelena told him. We’re attached for a while yet.

Roger that, Seth replied. Sorry to bother you.

Yelena tugged on the knot again and whimpered. That sucker wasn’t going anywhere.

Breathe. They can handle it, I insisted.

“I should be there.”

You should be right where you are. The nest has six Protectors. You don’t have to abandon everything at a moment’s notice. Trust the others.

She let out a laugh. “Have you met the others?”

My answering grin melted some of her worries in the bond.

“Okay, I’ll give them a chance to manage the situation, but if they call for help again we have to go.”

You can drag me around by the knot just like wolves in the wild.

She laughed and settled in, every limb wrapped around me. “I know I need to get better at trusting people.”

My lioness was very much of the mind that nothing would ever be done as correctly as she wanted unless she did it herself, but she had mellowed a lot about it since I’d come into the picture.

My beautiful control freak. I cupped her head and drew her into a kiss. You’re doing just fine.

It was a strange sensation to feel my kiss from her perspective and mine at the same time. I craved experiencing everything this way, though we had no time for it today.

You know what this means, right? I asked.

I’m going to need a little more context.

We made Logan come. That means anyone in the bond can fuck and recharge her.

That certainly has interesting implications. If anyone in the bond can recharge her without needing to be all over her for her to get the benefit, then she’ll be in a much better position to protect us.

We should make sure she doesn’t run out of power while she’s dealing with the chaos . I kissed down her throat, tipping Yelena back so I could close my mouth over her nipple, tongue swirling until she shuddered in my lap.

My thoughts exactly.