Page 29 of Omission

The warlock walks over to them, hand striking out to grip Ruben’s neck and squeezing it. My brother splutters and tries to move back, to shift and thrash as his hands are bound behind his back, but that seems to amuse the Wiccan king.

“You dare to hurt my mate?” Low. Vicious. A growl that affects me as much as my sibling and for opposing reasons. Prince Ruben is scared, while I’m given a shock to the system, and it’s pleasant. Lovely. Thrilling in the way it sends a shiver down my spine and the place between my thighs grows sensitive.

I’m wet. Positively dripping from the action.

This has never happened to me before. I’m a virgin. Completely untouched in every way.

“She’s not yours. I’d kill her before she—” The single punch thrown by the man claiming to be mine knocks my brother off his feet and leaves him sprawled on the floor unconscious. Just one hit, and there’s a tear across the bridge of Ruben’s nose and the top of his lip.

Yet that’s not what I’m shocked by.

What causes me to break a rule that’s assured my survival all these years is the blood dripping down the warlock’s split knuckles. It’s not a huge cut by any means, but the sight shakes me to the core.

I’m brought to tears and moving without thinking twice. I grab his hand and bring it to my face, kissing the laceration before closing my eyes and healing him. Within seconds, it’s closed and his skin unmarred, but the silence that follows is haunting. Scares the hell out of me.

What did I just do?

“You’ve been holding out on us, ma princesse. That’s going to cost you.”

9

ANAYA

PRESENT…

The threat in Brice’s words causes me to take a step back and drop the warlock’s hand—an action he doesn’t like—and before I can put another few inches between us, I’m hauled against his chest with his nose skimming my hairline. No kiss this time, but instead, he breathes me in and whispers strawberries and decadent creme against my skin.

A simple act that brings so much pleasure, goosebumps rising everywhere. I can’t deny his effect on me. Nor can I lie and say that the tingles my mother spoke about are there, how only your true fated mate can arouse you like this. And I am. My body doesn’t feel mine, and the longer he holds me and his scent infiltrates my senses—embeds itself into my flesh—it’s getting harder to deny him.

This.

Which leads me to one conclusion.

“He lied.” It’s muffled against his chest, my nose pressed tight to his torso. Then, there’s the way the fae part of me vibrates with excitement. Because while we don’t shift, our wings react and our ears twitch. They heat and pulse. And right now, both of these are sensitive.

More so my wings, and while folded at the moment—hidden within the span of my back—they tremble with need beneath my skin.

For his touch. For his admiration.

They’re a part of what makes me who I am, and just like the rest of my body, they crave his attention. Just as a wolf would want their mate to pet its fur or a vampire wishes to have its fang licked, I desire this from him.

No man or woman has ever elicited this kind of reaction from me. Only my fated beloved, the other half of my soul can, solidifying the realization taking hold.

He’s my mate. Mine.

“He truly lied.”

“Who lied, precious one?” The arm wrapped around my back loosens its tight hold and I whine, a sound that’s never come from me. It shocks me and I’m blushing, the heat on my face causing me to burrow deeper, which pulls a throaty chuckle from him. “Tell me, Miss…”

At his trail off, I snort. “Not that smooth, Your Highness.”

“Your name, mate. I need it.”

“It’s Anaya.”

“Anaya.” The way he says it should be criminal. It’s sensual and a bit enthralling, but at the same time settles the part of me that’s lived under nervous duress for years. Isabella gave me a taste of this the moment we met, but never on this level. I go lax in his hold, no other way to explain it. “I’m King Leonardo to the world, my mate…” his voice is low so only I hear “…but to you, I’m just a man. I’m your equal. Simply yours.”

“Mine.” A whisper as a smile tugs at my lips. As my heart pitter patters. “Just mine.”

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