I gasped, my head falling back against the pillows as pleasure sparked through my body. Zoren's fingers were electric, setting my nerve endings alight with sensation. He worked me slowly, teasing me as much as possible, until I was writhing beneath him, desperate for more.
The best part was knowing he wasn’t done—he was going to give me everything he had planned. I could see it clearly in his eyes.
"Please," I whimpered, not even sure what I was begging for. I couldn't find the right words. All I knew was that when I said 'please,' he understood me perfectly.
Zoren seemed satisfied, and he smiled, a slow, wicked curve of his lips that promised all sorts of delights.
He leaned down, his breath hot against the sensitive skin of my inner thigh, and I shuddered, my cock twitching with anticipation. And then, his mouth was on me, his tongue swirling around the head of my cock before he took me deep, all the way to the back of his throat.
I didn't think he was going to do that. It was the first time he was doing it, and it caught me completely by surprise.
I cried out, my fingers tangling in his hair as he worked me with lips and tongue and throat. He was relentless, determined to bring me to the edge of ecstasy and beyond. And just when I thought I couldn't take anymore, he pulled away, leaving me gasping and desperate.
Zoren chuckled, a low, dark sound that sent shivers down my spine. "It would be too soon, so I'm not about to make it that easy for you," he said, his voice rough with his own desire. "I'm not done with you yet. Not by a long shot."
He pushed me onto my hands and knees, and I felt the blunt head of his cock pressing against my entrance. I bore down, trying to take him inside, and he slid in with a groan, stretching me open around his thick length.
He changed from pleasuring my junk to penetrating me, and it was already the best thing about this moment.
"Fuck," he growled, his fingers digging into my hips as he started to move. "You feel so good, so tight and hot around me." He took a deep breath, as if preparing me for his next words. "I know we spend a lot of time together every day, but you have no idea how much I've missed being inside of you."
I could only moan in response, lost in the sensation of him filling me, claiming me, making me his. He set a hard, fast pace, pounding into me with a force that rocked me forward with each thrust.
And then, he was coming, his knot swelling inside me, locking us together as he spilled his seed deep in my core. I could feel it, hot and thick, painting my insides with his essence.
It wasn't going to get me pregnant again, but I wished it could. The thought alone brought a smile to my face.
"Mine," he snarled, his teeth sinking into the back of my neck, marking me, claiming me again for all to see. "You're mine, now and forever."
I could only whimper my agreement, my own orgasm crashing over me like an unstoppable surge, my cock pulsing as I spilled onto the sheets beneath us.
This moment would forever remain etched in my mind and I would always treasure it.
Chapter 12
Zoren
The scent of jasmine and moonlight clung to my skin as I left our bedroom, Lyrian's peaceful sleeping form still fresh in my mind. His honesty about his empathic abilities had changed something between us and deepened our connection in ways I hadn't expected. But right now, I had to focus on the message that had just come through.
"Tell me," I commanded, entering the secure command center where Viktor waited.
I wished I didn’t have to do this. I wished I could be doing anything else, wished I could be with my mate, but right now, it just wasn’t an option.
"The Crimson Fangs sent an... interesting proposal." Viktor handed me a tablet. What did they want this time? I asked myself. "They want to merge territories."
I scanned the document, feeling my wolf bristle at the underlying threat. Merge territories? Really? Did they think I was stupid?
"They're not proposing a merger. They're offering protection in exchange for submission. That's what this is really about."
"Yes. They know about the internal dissent. They’re trying to capitalize on this, and we need to stop it before it’s too late. People like them can sense weakness from miles away."
Of course they were trying to do that. The timing was too perfect to be a coincidence. It couldn't be anything else. They were going to pay the price for trying to go against my cartel, though.
"Who leaked the information about what's really going on behind the scenes?" I asked, though I already had my suspicions.
"Elena's second, Mason. We caught him making a call an hour ago." Viktor's expression darkened. "He's in the holding cells."
I nodded, unsurprised. I'd sensed Elena's growing frustration, but I hadn't expected her to be careless enough to let her subordinate act so recklessly. She was going to learn what always happened when someone disappointed me.