Page 43 of Protected By the Wolven

Before I can second guess myself and turn back, I urge, “Do it!”

When he doesn’t immediately comply, I say it more forcefully. “Do it.”

He must understand my urgency, my fear that I’ll chicken out if he doesn’t act quickly, so he clamps his mouth in the same spot he placed those tiny pinpricks the first time we made love.

This time the bite is deeper. He’s right. It hurts.

And then I’m swirling with bliss, like lightning strikes not just in my clit and pussy, but darts through me. It’s as though every inch of me is orgasming, spiraling higher, peaking in pleasure I never thought possible.

I’m screaming. It’s wordless noise at the top of my lungs and I have absolutely no shame about embracing every moment of ecstasy.

“Lash!” I manage, but my coherence doesn’t last. I’m babbling again, quivering, shaking, clutching him so tightly I’m surely drawing blood. Instead of encouraging me to stop, or pulling away from me, he howls so long and low I don’t know how he has the oxygen to keep going. Then he yips happily, dips his head, and laps at the bite, calming any remnants of pain.

We fall in a panting, sweaty heap. I’m laughing and crying, unable to decide what emotion is the most powerful. Ah. I know. Love.

“You took my knot, Starlight, and it swelled for you. I knew it. We’re soulbound. Forever.Myshara, hawrl. Rorrn, Starlight,rosh.”

He tugs me gently until we’re face to face on our sides, still connected.

“It will be a while.” He slashes me a proud smile. I guess he has every right.

He covers us with the spread and does my new favorite thing as he glides his claws through my hair. Upping the ante, he speaks in soft wolven to me between sweet top-of-the-head kisses.

I silently wish his knot would take hours to go down. I love being so close. Being connected like this.

“We have three months to wait.” I want to see what he says to this.

“For what, Starlight? A piece of paper? I can go to the Warrior’s office and get you a ream of the stuff from the copy machine. We don’t need a piece of paper. We have this.”

He tucks me close and nuzzles me, then shimmies his hips to remind me we’re still knotted. As if I could forget.

“Yes, my love. We have this.” I tuck myself even closer to his chest, close my eyes, and don’t even try to wipe the happy smile off my face.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Zoya

“No, no, no!” I mutter under my breath, peering into the oven. The scent of vanilla and sugary sweetness fills the kitchen, but underneath I detect a whiff of something darker.Blin!Is the cake burning?

I grab the oven mitts and yank open the door, wincing as I prepare to inspect the damage. I wave away non-existent smoke and gingerly extract the cake pans. The tops are more than golden brown, a shade too dark to be called perfect.

“Everything okay in here?” Lash pokes his head into the kitchen, his brow furrowed in concern. “Did I hear my bride-to-be yelling?”

I set the pans on the cooling rack with a heavy sigh. “It’s ruined. The cake, it’s all wrong. Too dry, too dark. It has to be perfect, Lash. It’s our wedding cake.”

He crosses the kitchen in two long strides and gathers me into his arms. I burrow my face into his chest, breathing in his comforting scent of loam and musk.

“Hey, hey, Starlight. It’s just a cake. The only thing that needs to be perfect tomorrow is you, and that’s a given.”

I tilt my head back to meet his eyes, those stunning silver pools that still make my heart flutter. “But it’s our wedding. In front of all our friends, our new family, my parents. I want everything to be amazing.”

Lash cradles my face in his hands, his touch infinitely gentle. “Zoya, my love, it is already amazing. We’re getting married. Me, the wolven warrior who never thought he’d find a mate. You, the bravest, strongest woman I know. That’s what matters. That’s the only thing our pack cares about. Your parents will be there on video call.”

Hot emotion wells in my throat. Not only did I stumble into this tender, loving male who somehow loves me back with all his heart, but I have a family here in America. More than a family. A pack.

“No Other will care about the cake, and your parents will be on video call. They won’t be able to taste it.” He slashes me that sexy smile where all four of his canines show.

“How did I get so lucky?” I whisper, stretching up on my toes to press a soft kiss to his lips.

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