Page 38 of Their War

I gasped at his words, my hands fisting the fabric of his shirt as my knees weakened. He nipped at me softly, but I dared not move. It felt like his wolf was close to the surface and any sudden movements would have him pouncing on me. He turned my head, claiming my mouth, before pulling back. “Do you think you could handle that, Trouble? To submit to me and be fully at my mercy, at my command?”

His words held an unsure tone, more than the simple words, his question was much deeper than that. He seemed as if he desperately needed me to give this to him, and I found that while I had never been the type to submit to anyone, I now had two men who needed that from me. After everything they had given me, how could I deny either of them.

“I can do that,” I whispered, awed by the weight that lifted from his eyes with my words. “It may not come naturally to me, but if it's what you need, I can give you that.”

He swallowed deeply before nodding. I could see his demons threatening him, pushed back by my words. Finally, he smiled. “Oh the things I plan to do to you. For all those times you pushed me, I plan to punish you until you're begging me for your release.”

“I don't beg,” I challenged him. His eyes flashed with the provocation.

“Oh, we'll see about that.”

Chapter Twenty Two: Rhowyn

As much as I wished we could go back to my room and explore the images Callum had placed in my head, we didn't get the chance. Brannoc returned with Lennox and Arryn before disappearing again. A twinge of guilt struck me at his leaving. Arryn's brow wrinkled as he eyed the spot where Brannoc had been before turning to me. I pushed a smile onto my face, glad that they both made it back safely. Callum and Baer had distracted me well enough that I hadn't had time to worry anymore over the final two of my men.

But now, Brannoc was gone, and I couldn't help but fear that he'd do something rash, that by trying to escape the confusion we were feeling, he'd stumble into danger somehow. Rationally, I knew he was a big boy, that he could take care of himself and had for a long time, but it didn't mean that I had to like it.

Needing the distraction, I hugged Lennox, giving him a peck on the cheek before turning to Arryn. “Well, did you two have any success?”

Arryn hugged me and kissed the top of my head. “We had some. Not as much as I'd hoped, but it's better than nothing.”

“Who'd you go to meet?”

“A brownie named Gorn. He didn't have much information on the dungeons, but he did say he'd put us in contact with a friend of his who could help us. However, this friend will want payment of some sort.”

“So, not a member of your rebellion?” Callum asked.

“No. I have no idea who this contact is.”

“Can we trust him?” Callum asked.

Arryn ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. “That, I do not know. I trust Gorn, but I'm not sure if we should take the chance on this unknown.”

“What did you find out?” Lennox asked Baer and Callum.

Baer smiled. “Other than the fact that despite being the largest of us, Callum is obviously the lightweight when it comes to drinking, not much.”

I laughed again at Callum's scowl directed at Baer for revealing that tiny nugget of information to everyone. “And when he's drunk, he turns into a big softie.”

Lennox laughed. “I'll have to remember that.”

Callum turned his glare from Baer and me to Lennox, where it morphed into a heat that threatened to set me aflame. Lennox blushed under the weight of it, but I could tell he was turned on. “Trust me, there is nothing soft about me.”

Shit, I wanted to sign up to watch that show. Maybe a little crowd participation as well? A repeat of what we'd done together the other night. I shifted on my feet, trying to relieve the desire that had settled there.

All my men snapped their gazes to me, their nostrils flaring, and it was my turn to blush. If I thought Callum was intense before, having all of them look at me that way, their desire pulsing down the bond and threatening to consume me ,was something I couldn't resist. My mouth parted, suddenly dry as all the moisture rushed south. Licking my lips, I watched as they all held themselves still.

“Killer, if you don't stop that train of thought right now, we're all going to have our way with you. While I would normally be on board for that, I know you want to rescue Master Jude as quickly as possible.” Glancing at the others before settling his eyes back on me, he continued, “And what we have planned will not be quick.”

Oh shit. I wanted to push them, to see what would come from having them all. I wanted to indulge in the fantasy I hadn't ever considered until then, but Baer was right. I needed to focus. Afterward though....after, we could pursue this.

Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes, needing to distance myself from the weight of their stares, I put a pin in that idea. I took a few more deep inhales before finally returning to sanity.

“Okay,” I started. “So, Baer and Callum didn't find out anything. Brannoc and I weren't much more successful. Juniper can't get us into the dungeons, but she was able to provide some information.”

“At this point, anything she can give us would help.” Arryn urged me to continue, brow furrowing as he glanced at where Brannoc should have been in this discussion with us.

“Apparently, she was in the original rebellion with my father. She doesn't know what happened to him but tried to continue his work by working in the castle, spying, and trying to gather information.”