Page 27 of Owned By Four Alphas

She chewed her lip. He had just pretended to attack her. But then again, surely he wouldn’t actually hurt her?

With the sinking realization that if she wanted those books, she would have to listen to him, she closed her eyes, her muscles tense and ready to flinch away.

Elian tutted, “So suspicious.”

“Can you blame me?”

“Hush, little dove. Just concentrate on breathing.”

She huffed but obeyed, focusing on drawing deep lungfuls of air in and out of her body.

Her magic flickered over skin, suddenly agitated.

“Keep your eyes closed,” he said.

She clenched her fists together in concentration.

The first flicker against her ankles she could have mistaken for a draft. But as the sensation traveled up her legs, becoming warmer and more insistent against her skin, she realized what was happening.

“Elian…” she said, a small tremor in her voice, “Elian, is that…”

“My shadows,” he said, his voice suddenly low and gravelly. “Maybe if my magic isn’t attacking…yours will be less aggressive.”

The shadows brushed further, curling over her knees, as heavy against her as hands. They crept up and her magic flared slightly but settled down as the tendrils gently caressed her inner thighs.

“Oh,” she gasped, familiar heat pooling in her belly.

“Keep your eyes closed,” Elian’s voice was close, right behind her, his breath tickling her ear.

She squeaked, falling back into him, her legs widening as his shadows reached higher. Her magic thrummed, more solid, more curious than aggressive.

Elian’s hands settled on her sides, his thumbs grazing the underside of her breasts, and she fought back a moan. His shadows brushed over the fabric of her underwear, the barest hint of pressure against her throbbing heat.

“Try and solidify your magic around you,” Elian whispered into her ear, his hands moving up to cup her breasts, his thumbs rubbing circles over her stiffening nipples.

She gulped as the shadows pressed against her again, the pleasure mixing with frustration. Gritting her teeth, she felt for her magic, coaxing it into the shape she imagined. It fluttered, stretching, and Elian’s fingers pressed harder against her nipples, sending jolts of heat to her core.

“Oh! I…I…”

“Keep going, little dove,” he murmured, the shadows now moving against her in a solid rhythm, not quite hard enough to bring her pleasure, but enough to worsen the ache of need within her.

She sucked in a breath, grasping the magic, stretching it further over herself, molding it to her shape.

“Well done, keep going,” Elian urged, his shadows rubbing harder now, the pressure building low in her belly, hot and delicious. A whine escaped her, and she tried to buck her hips against the shadows, but Elian kept them just out of reach.

“Come on, Selena, concentrate,” he said, hands still massaging her aching breasts.

She whined but obeyed, her magic flowing through her. She was close to success now, her magic was soft and pliant, wrapping around her, calmer than it had ever been.

“That’s it, you’re doing it,” Elian said, pushing his shadows harder against her, the delicious friction nearly enough to send her over the edge.

Clenching her fists, she focused on strengthening it, on letting it coat her. She was nearly there, she had nearly done it…

A sharp, stabbing pain radiated from her thigh where Elian’s magic had burned her.

The consequence was instantaneous.

Instantly any control she had slipped from her fingers and her magic lashed out, throwing Elian away from her, lashing around her in furious waves. The windows rattled and she gasped, reaching inwards, fighting to subdue it again.

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