Page 82 of Devoted to the Dragon

His heavy weight curls over my back, his warm breath skirting my ear. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me, pup. But now, you’ll get what you so loudly asked for.”

The feel of his large presence weighing me down quiets some of the roaring in my ears. Fennik yanks my pants down in harsh swipes until they’re at my knees. The first strike against my ass is sharp, cracking through all the buzzing energy in my body. He does it again, spanking my ass hard in raining blows that he alternates between each cheek.

“She’s building her nest. It’s normal,” he says. His voice is so calm and deep that it feels as if I’m floating. “When she’s ready, she’ll let us in.”

The scratch of his blunt nails over my heated flesh makes me whimper, but it isn’t because I want him to stop. I need him to keep going. My cock is hard, aching to come, but it isn’t even about that. His big paw kneads the flesh, pinching and grabbing. It hurts, but it hurts in that good way where the pain slices through all the bullshit and makes my head go quiet.

He lands another three fucking hard smacks, and I melt into the wood beneath me.

“I went to see Knox because it needed to be done. He is going to be a part of us. We’re a horde. Three mates to her.” He moves me until my hand splays against the wooden table, his fingers weaving through mine.

The feel of his clothes against my ass burns, the fabric chafing. That flash of pain sends a wave of pleasure through my body, making me shiver. The scent of forest swells around me, frosted pine and sweet amber, but the lingering smoke still makes me grit my teeth.

I want the world for Randi, but I don’t want Knox. At first, I was trying to be neutral and let her decide what she needed, but the way she screamed and raged at him set off all my protective instincts. He’s hurt her. Really hurt her. And yet he was the one who held her while she cried. I hate it.

Fennik’s words soften, his purr thrumming against my back. “I’m not saying forgive him. I’m not saying touch him.”

His fingers drag up my arm, over my shoulder, and down. He grabs my cock, squeezing the base. It’s a grip of ownership—of possession.

“But we will do what’s best for her, and it isn’t adding our opinions about him to her already clouded head.” The hand still clasped with mine squeezes. “I love you, pup. Randi does too. I promise Knox won’t change that.”

I didn’t know I needed to hear that, but I did. His words land, and the seal breaks, sobs choking out of me.

We end up on the floor. Fennik braces himself against the table as I cling to his chest as if it will keep me from floating away. “I can’t lose this too. I can’t?—”

“You won’t, pup.” He kisses my hair, and I cling harder, digging my fingers into his shirt. “You won’t.”

He tugs on my beard, and I meet his eyes, but all I see is love and understanding. His lips are soft, coaxing me to open andgive him everything. His hand cups my jaw, deepening the kiss and making me feel it down to my soul.

My wolf settles, my ass stings, and I’m twisted up in my pants, but right this moment, it’s perfect. He holds me, his purr rumbling, until the world feels less out of control.

When I’m ready, he helps me up, rights my pants, and kisses my neck. “Come on. Let’s go see our dragon. I have some things I think will help.”

Fennik peeks into the nest,arms full of Knox’s things. I crowd behind him.

Randi is in the center of a mound of nesting items, looking unsatisfied. I know the moment she sniffs us out. She turns up her nose, and her eyes go wide.

“Little dove, I brought you some things for your nest,” Fennik says softly. He takes a tentative step inside, then another and another.

I hang back because I’m a chickenshit and Randi hissing fire scares me.

She crawls to the edge of her nest and holds out her hand, big eyes staring up at him. Her eyes are a beautiful mixture of lilac and icy-blue crystals—the new color is a mindfuck.

Fennik tries to cup her cheek, but she hisses, snatching the clothes from him and letting off a steaming burst in warning. My alpha mate has balls of steel because he doesn’t retreat. He sits outside the nest boundary, marked by a steep mound of blankets, and purrs for her.

For long minutes, she ignores his presence, staring blankly at her nest. Eventually, Randi adds the things Fennik brought from Knox to her collection. At first, I think this will be it. She’llsettle. But then she bursts into tears, rocking back and forth on her knees.

I join Fennik at the edge of her nest, unable to keep away. She looks so lost. She’s in layers of our clothes, surrounded by the scent of us, but she’s never looked more alone.

“What do you need, baby girl? Whatever it is, I’ll get it,” Fennik says in a deep voice full of anguish.

She shakes her head, white hair a storm around her. “It’s wrong.”

I can’t take it, and I move to crawl to her, but Fennik holds me back. “No. She has to invite you in. Until then, we wait.”

We stare and watch.

When I’m convinced I should just go in there, omega etiquette be damned, her eyes meet ours. “I can’t do this without Knox. He’s a part of me, and I want him here.” She fiddles with the edges of the blanket, eyes downcast, then crawls to Fennik and sits in his lap.

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