Page 108 of Under the Lion Star

We groaned together as I pushed inside her, my arm returning to cage her in with her hands still bound above us. She tilted her head back, closing her eyes and wiggling her body underneath mine.

I didn’t bother easing her into the pace, choosing to start with thrusts that both communicated how much I needed her and how fucking mad I was that she’d nearly sacrificed herself for me.

“You’re going to take my cock,” I grunted between thrusts. “And then you’re going to take my cum into this beautiful fucking body.”

“Yes.”

“And when you’re sore tomorrow,” I panted. “You’re going to remember that you’re not fucking allowed to risk yourself for me. Ever. Again.”

“Leor,” she moaned.

My hips slammed into her over and over again, but she needed more. Shifting my weight onto one arm, I slid the other between her stomach and the mattress, moving down between her thighs and stroking her roughly.

“Oh, fuck. Please,” she begged.

“Take it,” I growled. “Take it. That’s it. Take this cock.”

Her body tensed under mine, squeezing my dick like a fist, as she muttered a string of unintelligible words into the sheets. I followed close behind her, giving a few forceful thrusts before I spilled myself inside my wife.

I reached up, untying her wrists and pulling us onto our sides. My legs curled up, forcing hers to follow as I wrapped myself around her. Snaking my arms around her torso, I pulled her tightly against me, finally feeling a flood of relief once I had her cocooned in my embrace.

“Don’t you ever do that again,” I whispered into her hair.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly, running her hand over my forearm.

“You have no idea, Z,” I breathed, fighting against the sting in my eyes. “No idea what it was like to think that I had lost you. Right after I’d finally found you. I can’t do this alone, Zialda. I need you. I don’t want to live a single day of this life without you by my side—without you as my wife.”

“You’ll never have to,” she assured me.

“You never put yourself in danger. Especially for me. If we do anything in this life, we do it together. Always together.”

Z rolled over, causing my cock to slip out of her as she moved to face me. Her leg wrapped over my hip, tugging us together. Her hands came to the sides of my face, palms holding my cheeks as we stared into each other’s eyes.

“Always together,” she repeated.

Epilogue

Zialda

Five years later

Orin looked terrified, and I realized it was the first time I had seen him scared. The boy, although I supposed he was a man now, who had destroyed an entire town, skinned a lord, and didn’t hesitate to kill anyone he perceived as a threat to his family, was tense with fear.

“King Doran knows of your intention, then?” Lord Merhan asked Leor.

“He had proposed the match during our first meeting,” Leor nodded. “I will discuss the details with him upon our arrival, but I’m hoping the visit is a quick one.”

My husband’s eyes moved to the bump under my gown. I tried to hide my grin as I ran my hand over where our first child grew. Even after taking out the threat of assassination, Leor had a long list of things he wanted to do in Fjorn before we brought a child into the equation. I had been happy to wait. After all, we had many years left together.

Orin’s gulp was audible, and I wanted to laugh at how dumb-struck he was over his marriage alliance with the humans. Kira was only a year younger than his twenty-four, and I felt she would more easily find herself once she was out from under her father’s thumb.

The peace between humans and elves was going well. Given we were only five years out from a nearly two-decade long war, both sides were hesitant to let their guard down. It was yet another reason why marrying Kira to Orin was a smart move.

Sanna was beside herself with excitement at the idea of having another princess in the castle. She’d gone all out to decorate the room that adjoined Orin’s in preparation for Kira’s arrival. Leor had granted Orin’s wish of a quick, small ceremony with only the necessary parties in attendance.

While he seemed distraught over his impending nuptials, I did not doubt that he would make a fine husband. The prince was nothing if not loyal.

I did fear for Kira’s adjustment. She had never met the man she was going to marry if Leor’s negotiation worked. Add to that, moving to an entirely new country amongst a completely different culture. Despite the years that had passed, I hadn’t forgotten her fear when sitting next to her own father. Sanna and I would help her along the way. She’d find her place in our patchwork family.

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