Page 50 of Consort

My heart races again, and I race toward the thicket. When I burst through the branches, I allow my smile to shine. Durin’s blue eyes flash when he sees how excited I am, but that spark quickly dims. In the shadows, I see his expression shift into one of pain.

My joy is ripped away from me, dumped out like refuse at my feet. I wonder what he’s been doing all this time while I’ve been daydreaming of him. Whatever it is, it doesn’t seem to be sitting well. My stomach sinks, imagining what could have carved that expression onto his face.

“Durin,” I whisper, reaching for him.

He stares at my outstretched arms with anguish in his eyes. I don’t know if something bad happened to him or if he changed his mind about me. It doesn’t matter which it is, though. He clearly needs comfort, and I can give him that.

I put aside my worry and close the distance between us. He doesn’t meet my gaze, but he doesn’t stop me as I slip my arms around his waist and give him a gentle hug.

He exhales deeply and buries his face in my neck, holding onto me as if I’m his next breath. I feel needed, and I can’t denyhow good that feels.

We hold each other close in the scattered moonlight. The forest is sleeping, the only sound a whisper of wind through the branches. It’s not exhilarating like I’d hoped seeing him again would be. But it’s peaceful.

Until he pulls away.

I thought he would look more put together, but he just seems defeated. It hurts to see him like this. I have to get rid of that look. Whatever is bothering him is spoiling this. I’ve been waiting for weeks. I refuse to waste whatever time we have dealing with whatever thing has affected him.

My only solution is to distract him from it, maybe even well enough to cure him of it.

I grab his hand and take off into the darkness. He stumbles behind me but doesn’t protest. The excitement I’d been looking for returns as we race through the quiet night. I have to muffle my giggles to keep from being caught as we crash through the trees. The last bit of chill in the air bites at my lungs, invigorating me and giving me the energy to keep going.

I grip his hand like I’m going to lose him, only loosening it when we’re standing in front of the cave where we first met. I don’t see the gryphon, so I tug him inside, just enough to hide in the shadows.

He grips my hand tightly to still me and reaches into his cloak. As he approaches the narrow passage leading to the gryphon’s nest, he pulls out a white coin sack. He crouches down and places the sack in the opening. But instead of turning back to me, he stares silently into the darkness, toward the place where I woke up in his arms.

It looks like he’s lost in those memories. But why would he linger in the past? I’mright here. One day, I’ll ask him about my heat, but it’s time for some new ones.

I walk over and kneel down in front of his crouched form,waiting for him to look at me. But it’s like I’m not even there. He continues gazing down the passageway with the same pained expression as before. Frustrated, I slide my hands up his thighs, resting them as high as I dare, hoping to break his daze.

Luckily, it catches his attention. He looks at me intently, searching my eyes for something I can’t place. My mind races in every direction, desperate to understand. I’d do anything to know what it is. I try to ask him multiple times as he studies my face, but I’m too afraid. I feel as if I speak, or even move, it might distract him and cause him to give up.

But as his eyes dart across my features again and again, I realize he’s not finding what he’s looking for. He takes my hand and looks down at it, then inhales deeply as he prepares to speak.

I don’t know what he intends to say, but I do know that I’ve failed.

I feel a surge of anger toward my Omega, as if the short-coming is her fault. Like she’s the reason he’s pulling away from me. She rises up inside me as if to defend herself, but we both know it doesn’t matter. Regardless of whose fault it is, I’m about to lose Durin with his next words.

I manage to shove my Omega down, but a whimper still escapes my throat. Durin’s eyes snap up at the sound, and his lips part in surprise. As ashamed as I am of my reaction, I’m unable to look away from the depths of blue staring back at me.

My heart stutters when he lowers himself to his knees and cups my face with his big hands.

What changed? Did I do something right?

He closes his eyes and presses his forehead against mine, breathing softly against my skin. I grasp his wrists and fill myself with his woodsy scent while I still can. It’s warm. It’s savory. It belongs inside me.

We breathe for few moments, kneeling together in the dark,before he lets his hands drop and starts to pull away.

No! What changed, now?

I panic and lean in, boldly pressing my lips against his before he can get too far. He pauses for just a heartbeat, then responds eagerly, deepening the kiss and drawing my body against him.

My fear slinks away when he doesn’t deny me, but I feel the need to cling to him anyway. I wrap my arms tightly around his neck as if it will keep him from changing his mind.

My heart leaps when he pulls me closer and threads his fingers through my hair. It’s tender, but teases with a dominance I’ve been craving from him. I want him to be desperate to have me and bold in taking what he wants.

A gasp escapes my lips when he grips me hard and shoves his tongue all the way back to my throat. It’s what I’m dying for, and my core throbs wildly in response.

Our bodies are pressed together so closely that he can’t hide his own desire from me. I want to feel it without the barrier of our clothing. To pull it inside me where it belongs.

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