Page 140 of Fated or Knot

The way he rotated my ankles and popped the tiny joints in my toes seemed practiced. Maybe injury care was taught to the future queen’s protector, or he’d gotten himself through his own hurts. The latter thought made me glad I’d be around for future ones.

By the time he was done, I was in a blissful state of painlessness. I rested my weight back in the chair and purred, ready for that nap now.

Marius tapped my knee and growled.“I need to tell you something.”

I glanced down at him, my heart leaping at the gleam of lust in his eyes. They roamed over my figure while his touch driftedhigher up my leg. I tilted my head in my best exaggeration of curiosity. He was the loudest fae in this silent room, but he had to be communicating with me through Niall to keep this private. The two dream wardens would pick up every whispered detail without trouble.

Marius nodded in agreement and kept his feral noises quiet.“Just between you and me. I’m in rut. Sort of. It’s coming and going like your pre-heat symptoms. My father noticed I’m in the stage of looking at any alpha outside of our pack as a threat.”

I’d only heard a few gossipy whispers about ruts amongst the older females in Osme Fen. Alpha males would become insatiable for days. Beta females were taught to avoid tangling with a rutting male unless they wanted to get pregnant, as it represented their most virile period.

I thought about the amazing bloom of his scent and blushed.Oh, that was a taste of rut.Putting off new and enticing pheromones was also a sign of extra virility. I remembered what his fertile mint and waterlily smelled like and sighed wistfully. I wanted so much more of that, and not just because he’d fucked me for hours like, well, an animal.

He began to make a growl of interest before shaking his head sharply. Okay, no horny thoughts. We were in the library nest, after all. Though Kauz glanced over at us, a little knowing smile teasing his lips.

“By the way, rut is contagious between males in the same pack. I don’t know how long I can hold it back, p’nixie, or if it’s only going to come out fully when you succumb to your heat.”

I pressed my thighs more tightly together, trying to think non-sexy thoughts so I didn’t smell like my slick. Fal and I had practiced this since he’d knotted me a few times; otherwise, we found we’d get stuck together for an hour or more, passing pleasure back and forth.

My inner omega liked the idea of all three of my alphas in rut way too much. Marius’s nostrils flared. His fingertips played with the hem of my skirt as he tilted his head, considering.

No, no. Thalas and Eletha are here. We have to wait.This sobered him some. I thought about his parents’ reactions to his impending rut earlier. Elion had been thoughtful, but Nemensia was excited about it.

He cringed, nearly losing his feral side.“She’s hoping for grandbabies.”

Stars, no. I hadn’t changed my mind about kids. They were a future joy to create with my mates once we’d sampled what life had to offer together.

“Anyway, how do you feel about leaving the palace with me tomorrow? I want to take you on a proper date in the sea. Just us water fae.”

My answer was enthusiastic nodding. I was ready to see more of Serian, but more importantly, I yearned to finish our bond.

40

LARK

My date with Marius began early the next morning. The weather had broken while I was cooped up in the palace, and most of the snow was melted, but I was still bundled up like a present due to the chill hanging in the morning air. Marius seemed amused by me huddling into him for warmth as we waited for our train to arrive. He took the opportunity to hold me.

Jani and Lon had packed the essentials for both of us in a waterproof bag with a long strap, designed to be worn over the shoulder while I rode astride my kelpie’s back underwater. If the water was as cold as the Serian chill, I was in for a frigid experience.

“We’re heading south. You’re not going to freeze from the sea’s temperature,” he assured me, rubbing my wings through my cloak. I wasn’t wearing the fur-lined one, not wanting to risk dunking my prized possession in salt water.

“Where were we going again?” I asked, batting my lashes. He hadn’t told me the first couple times I’d asked.

He nuzzled into my hair, taking a sniff, and tightened his hold on me but didn’t look up as a couple packs’ worth of alphas passed by us on their way further into the station. The rut symptoms seemed to be calming some, for now.

“You’ll see, p’nixie. You’ll like it.” And his answer hadn’t changed a bit.

I was just looking forward to whatever he’d decided we were doing and excited for some one-on-one time with a mate. I’d had little of that since I’d first been introduced to Pack Sorles, sometimes to everyone’s detriment. Clumsy love, as Fal would say.

We boarded our train soon afterward. It was heading to Laculi Point, wherever that was…other than “south.” This was a long, dingy passenger train without sleeper cars. The seats were benches along the sides of the cars, with poles interspersed through the center aisle for standing room. We headed to the back car, which was the least crowded.

Though we buckled in for the launch and nodded at the attendant passing through, Marius unbuckled me and held me across his lap when our surroundings started to rattle with the impending launch. I sank into his chest gratefully as the train lurched backward with a hum of essence. We jerked to the side as the machine shot into motion. It pivoted several times through a tangle of magirail before it went gliding toward Laculi Point.

I cupped his cheek as soon as the train leveled out but paused before kissing him. We just looked into each other’s eyes as I brushed the edge of his scar and his clean-shaven skin with my thumb. He seemed to hold his breath when my touch drifted to trace up the line that bisected his face.

His first reaction if I happened to touch his scar was usually to jerk away. Today, in the anonymity of a crowd, he let me feel it and the imperfections hidden under and around it. The teamthat’d reconstructed his face really had done an excellent job.Handsome male,I thought deliberately and kissed his cheeks and the ridge of his nose.

His eyes dilated noticeably. “You’re going to be the death of me, female,” he muttered.

---