Page 14 of The Ozar Triad

She made a demand of them, but spoke to him. Had she detected him as the alpha of the brothers? She was intelligent as well as shrewd. He folded his arms over his chest, trying to ignore the hardening of his cock.

Rujali nodded to Klaej to continue to attend to her. “Why would you say that?”

He watched for any indication that she might be in pain as Klaej worked, but she merely glanced at what he was doing and then focused her attention back to him. Interesting. Her injury didn’t faze her. That was unusual.

“Because there is always an ulterior motive,” she said.

His arms fell to his side and frowned. “Who has wronged you to make you think that way?”

“Why do you even care? God, this is some nightmare I’m having. Maybe it’s not a nightmare. Maybe I’ve finally lost it. PTSD. They said it would happen sooner or later. Too much shit for it not to have some sort of effect.” She made an angry strangled noise, trying to fight the effects of the analgesic. She clenched her eyes shut and tossed her head from side to side. She didn’t seem to know it couldn’t be released without the Corrective. “Who are you people? What do you want with me? Where am I even?”

A tear leaked from beneath her lashes. The monitor that was wirelessly connected to the medi-bed detected alarmingly elevated heart rate. He worried that her frail body might be harmed through fighting.

He put his hand on her cheek, stroking her with his thumb. “Calm, Little One. This fighting is not doing you any good.”

Her eyes snapped open. “I wouldn’t be fighting if you hadn’t done this… this thing to me. If you really wanted me to be calm, you’d take this away.”

She clenched her teeth as more tears fell from her eyes and made a sound born of anger and frustration.

“There are other ways to calm you,” he said.

He continued to stroke her cheek, marveling at the soft smoothness of her skin. She tilted her head into his palm, just slightly, as her breath hitched. Although her heart still raced, the monitor showed her heart rate marginally slowing.

Could it be that she also felt the effects of the mate-sync? She’d calmed when Klaej had kissed her, but it would seem that she needed something more than a mere kiss.

“Like what?” Her voice was angry, but when he cupped her other cheek, her eyes opened and she looked right up at him. In those beautiful depths was a turmoil of emotions, doubt, despair, but he also recognized interest—just a grain, but enough of one to act on his instinct and to know she needed this as much as he did. She might not understand what was happening to her, but he did and it was his job to educate her.

Rujali bent and kissed her. Although he’d been satisfied watching his brother treat their mate to her first kiss from them, he’d also wanted a taste for himself. He started gently, sliding his lips over hers. Her breath hitched and stuttered.

He massaged her lips with his, lightly kissing, almost teasing. She kept her mouth clamped shut, but she stopped struggling.

He pulled back. Just a little so that he could peer into her eyes to judge her emotions. If she didn’t want them to kiss her, then there would be no argument. They would stop, but if what he thought was right, then she was feeling their arousal as her own. It was the away of the mate-sync. What one felt, the others also felt. If she did feel their arousal, it wouldn’t do to leave her unfulfilled. “Do you like that, Little One?”

She drew in a quick breath. “I…” Her lips parted. Her eyes flickered over his face before they caught in his gaze. Her pupils enlarged and he fell into those warm, interested depths. He was right. She was aroused, but perhaps she needed a little persuasion to admit it.

“Shall I kiss you again, so you can make sure?” he murmured, lowering her head until their lips touched.

He kissed her lightly, a little pressure. Once. Twice, then he lingered, massaging her lips with his and ran the tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips. In the corner of his vision, he saw Klaej caress along her arms, and Setzan trace swirling patterns on her thighs.

Her body tensed before relaxing. Again, it was only marginally, but it was something. He massaged her with his fingertips. A sigh escaped her and as she opened her mouth, he allowed the tip of his tongue to trace the seam of her lips.

“Do you like this, Little One? I would like to taste you. Would you like me to kiss you. Would you like me to taste you?” Rujali said.

She panted, her lips gleaming. It took absolute control, but he held back, letting her make up her mind. She would come to them and until that time, he would not take advantage. He was not, however, above being as persuasive as he could.

He nuzzled her, trailing his lips over her jawline, her cheek, the corner of her mouth. He smiled a little as pursed her lips, readying herself for his kiss, but he would need more than that to proceed.

“I need to hear it from you. Tell me you want me to kiss you. That you want Klaej to touch you. That you want Setzan to being you pleasure,” Rujali rasped.

Her lips fell open, her gasp audible. “I…”

He peppered teasing little kisses across her mouth, satisfied as she followed his movements. “Just say the word as we will give you more. What do you say, mate? More?”

He watched her struggle, knowing that she would not be strong enough to deny their mate-bond. Nobody was, but their little mate was a fighter His blood ran hot in the knowledge that they were perfect for each other.

Her mouth fell open and he knew the exact moment she capitulated. “More.”

He didn’t waste time. He caught her mouth with his and kissed her with all of his bottled up passion. Her tongue touched his, tentative at first, but as he dove in a little more, she swept her tongue against his. Her lips moved against his, actively partaking in his kiss. A soft moan sounded from the base of her throat. His blood heated. His entire instinct ignited with the need to claim her, but he resolutely controlled it.

---