Page 39 of The Queen

Lex snarled and whipped his attention to where Ghost was sitting. Dick in hand, relaxed in the corner.

When Lex shifted, I squeaked, and his attention slid back to me. He blinked rapidly, and the darkness of his ruddy cheeks paled.

He released the grip he’d had on my neck and pushed stray strands of hair back from my sweat-slicked face. Through a graveled throat he asked, “Are you okay?”

“I–I think so.” My throat was sore, my body was sore. I was covered in slick, cum, and sweat. But nothing hurt.

His purr rolled over me, and he pressed kisses to my face. “I’m sorry.”

Everything he did felt so good, everywhere that he touched tingled with pleasure. Which was unfortunate because he was still lodged deep inside me, waiting for his knot to soften. And I felt my need still simmering just under the surface.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Lex.” I loved the way his name felt on my lips. Like it was meant to be there. An unavoidable truth. One I would run to over and over again without question. He felt bad for using my body like a toy, but I asked him to, and I had zero regrets.

Shadow was lounging contently against the headboard, completely naked, unabashed, and sated. His cock flagging at half mast. But Ghost was still rigid and ready, sitting in his chair.

The dim light kissed his naked chest and teased at what his low slung sweats did nothing to hide. My body fluttered around Lex’s softening knot. He turned my chin toward him with a finger and studied my face.

More softly, and without turning his attention away, his words fanned across my face. “Ax, call Grey. We need him up here. Have him bring blood toxicity tests.”

His eyes traced over me as if checking for injuries. Seemingly satisfied, he held me close and let his rolling purr soothe away any lingering discomfort.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Alexi

Iheld her fragile body, so vulnerable and delicate, as she panted in my arms. I could’ve hurt her, broken her. Ruts are dangerous, but this flared through my system like fire. It wasn’t like any rut I’d experienced before. Building rapidly, without warning, and burning out even faster. Fuck.

If she’d been hurt, if she’d died, everything I’d spent my life working for would be gone. My purr stuttered as the thought of losing her rocked me to my core. I would never let that happen.

My lips lingered at her throat, hovering above the slowly blooming bruises. I’d been too rough, but she’d seemed to like it. Her perfume thickened in the air, and her body gripped my knot, begging for more.

“Greedy omega,” I chuckled ruefully against her skin. She was going to be the death of me. Who else could ride out a rut, abbreviated as it was, and still want more?

That thought… It had me considering another option. We could push her into heat again. Her scent was already shifting. It wouldn’t take much after what she’d been through.

No.

We promised to give her time. She should make the decision herself. But holding back was easier said than done. Every minute I kept myself in check, my control thinned.

I’d always been the leader in everything I did, and this was no different. But, in some ways, it was. She was my queen. I’d find a way to bow to her.

My teeth grazed the delicate skin where her shoulder curved to meet her neck. I could taste her honeyed scent on my tongue. She moaned, tipping her head to the side, daring me to finish what I’d started. The urge to bite down, draw blood, and make her mine was a heavy weight on my subconscious mind.

I had more control than that, even if she didn’t want me to. I had to. Maybe if I kept telling myself that, my instincts would start listening, and my hands would stop shaking with need.

I sucked on her skin, trying to sate the drive to mark her. She arched and squirmed beneath me. It wasn’t helping me regain my already diminished control.

A rough hand fisted my hair, yanking my head away. A snarl ripped from my throat. I was pissed, but I was grateful, forced to look into the glacier blue eyes of Axion.

“Grey is on his way. You need to stop before you do something we’ll all regret.”

My nostrils flared in fury, biting back the angry comment teetering on the tip of my tongue. One I wouldn’t be able to take back. Something was wrong. This wasn’t me. Alphas were driven by instinct, but I was riding the very edge of my discipline with no reasonable explanation.

Valyx lounged against the headboard without a care in the world, entertained at my loss of composure. He’d seen me in rut. He knew something was off, but he’d rather let the world burn than stop the thing he wanted, no matter how dangerous it might be.

I had an idea of how to get it, our bond, but an unplanned frenzy was not the way.

Saphyra batted Ax’s hand away from my hair with a pout on her face. She wanted the same thing we did, but did no one else understand? If what my father said was true, and it went wrong, she could die, and we would follow her to that end willingly.

---