Page 11 of Ulfar

It is too good to be true—he can never truly be mine—but in the meantime, I’m going to savor every last morsel I can get.

“I’m glad to see you eating,” he says. “Your color’s returning already.”

My face burns at his attention, but I can’t help myself. I love it. I love the way he pampers me. I love the way I feel seen and cared for, for the first time in my life.

For so long I put others ahead of myself. My father. My neighbors. The library patrons. But feeling what it’s like to be the center of attention for once? I don’t think I could ever go back.

I don’t know if I want to.

After eating, I’m full in terms of food, but still horribly empty in another, more pressing way. There’s only one problem—the warmth and richness of the meal have me teetering on the brink of a food coma and I can’t decide which I want more: sleep or sex.

I want to curl up against him and lazily grind on his dick until I cum myself to sleep. But there’s also this instinctual drive to shove my face in the pillow and present myself to him, to use however he pleases...

Ulfar, for his part, is much more in tune with me than I ever would have predicted. He pulls me close and nuzzles against my neck, snaking a hand around to caress my breasts. “Shh,” he whispers, burying his nose in my hair. “Let yourself rest. We have plenty of time. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

All that comes out is a whimper, but even that he knows what to do with. “Let me do the work. All you need to worry about is relaxing. Can you do that for me?”

I answer with a desperate grind of my ass against him. With a low chuckle, he slips his member between my thighs, letting me feel its warmth and hardness while his other hand goes around my hips and between my legs. He circles my clit with practiced strokes, interspersing each jolt of pleasure with whispered praise and the sounds of his breath.

Before I know it, my mind’s somewhere else, floating on clouds of bliss as my walls flutter into a sweet, satisfying climax. And wouldn’t you know it? That was all it took to put me back into a comfortable, easy slumber, my alpha by my side. All of my worries seemed to slip away and wait for tomorrow. I know that I have an incredibly temporary reprieve.

A SECRET?

ULFAR

Iknow I gave Orri a lot of crap about how fussy he got over Isabella. I know I said I’d never end up like him, that I would be different. That I would keep my wits about me.

It’s only been one night, and already I’m eating my words.

She’s so soft and delicate in my arms, but she is still so strong and feisty at the same time. The passion she displays mixed with her cries of pleasure and the way she submits to me so beautifully makes a haunting combination.

One that I can’t get enough of.

I want to shower her in silks and luxury, to give her everything her little heart desires. I want to protect her from the world, to kill anyone or anything who tries to hurt her.

And most of all, I want to see her soft belly swell with my child.

Ourchild.

Because damn, I know this match is only contractual. I know it’s only for a year, and only so that I can produce a child. An heir.

So why does it feel so real?

As the days pass and we fall into a comfortable routine, I begin to learn more about Sarah. One little tidbit at a time, she’s starting to open up to me. To tell me more about who she is. Where she comes from. I want to hear it all, but there’s always this fear in her eyes when she talks about home. This unspoken threat that simmers just below the surface. I could be imagining things—it’s my job to look out for potential danger after all—but I want to wait. To give her the chance to open up.

We may be getting along better now, but there’s still a fragile trust between us. I don’t want to do anything to sabotage that. So for now I’ll wait. I’ll watch. And I’ll see what happens next.

* * *

“Why act so surprised?Of course I read books.” I’m leaning over an enormous bathtub, helping my beautiful mate wash while we talk. This time, the conversation turns to books. I’ve read quite a few of her favorites, and she acts like I told her I eat bark for breakfast (I have—it’s not very good.)

“I thought maybe you’d have different series. Different authors. I never thought...” Sarah goes quiet, sinking slightly lower in the tub.

“Earth, with all its problems, turns out to be an excellent exporter of entertainment.” I rub my fingers through her luxurious hair, massaging the shampoo deep into her scalp. “A lot of the same series are popular here, too. And besides…” I chuckle. “What do you take me for? Some kind of thoughtless savage? What do they teach you down there, anyway?”

Her skin flushes with emotion, and this time it’s not just because of the hot water. “That you’re some of the most fearsome warriors in the galaxy.”

I playfully splash at her, bending down to press a kiss to the back of her neck. “And that means I don’t know anything?”

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