But I must exercise some self-control. There’s much for us to do and so little time until we need to depart for the feast.

“There’s something else I haven’t told Sloan or Oran, and I wanted to speak to you about it first.”

“My alphas.” She sighs, dreamy and a bit distant, touching her neck where my packmates have bitten her. Longing tears through me, my teeth aching for the privilege to mark her with my claim.

“Yes, darling, this is about your alphas. I spoke with Ciaran and we thought it would be grand if they too were crowned at our coronation. Prince consorts, devoted to their sovereign queen. It would show the court the seriousness of this pack and our devotion to you.”

Ivy’s perfume is instantaneous—a thick, cloying wall of apple cinnamon sweetness.Fucking hell.I’ve never experienced anything that potent. “Do you like knowing how far your alphas would go to pledge themselves to you?”

Ivy nods with vigor, stopping her task of arranging her nest to crawl towards me. Before I can draw breath, her mouth is on mine—breathing life back into me after having been denied her warmth for days.

Her kisses are hungry, and if I weren’t such an idiot, I would sink into each of them. I’d relish in each petal soft press and lick the taste of her straight from her tongue.

But as it were, I’m a fool who needs reassurance from his mate. Last I saw her she wasn’t ready to move forward and now we’re naked with her luscious little body so near to me. I need to understand this sudden shift.

I pull back to ask if this means she finally forgives me. But Ivy shoves at my chest, pushing me flat onto my back before she straddles me.

Before I can question the movement, my mate reaches down to take my cock in her hand.

“Fuck,” I groan. She simply smirks, moaning as she strokes me over and again.

Gods. I could come apart like this. Her scent is so strong—her loving exploration is overwhelming. But I’m eager for absolution and so I press again.

“Do you forgive me, my sweet mate? All I’ve ever wanted was to protect you. I swear it.”

Ivy chuckles. Only stopping her stroking to hover over me. Without another warning, she sinks onto my cock. She’s positively soaking wet—glassy-eyed as she rocks atop me.

I gasp, throwing my head back against the sheets while her palms settle onto my chest. I’m out of breath from the shock of her forwardness.

“Alpha,” she moans, rising up only to drop her hips as she rides me with abandon.

Everything is hazy.Unreal. She is unreal with her silky hair—her soft hips and perfect tits. I squeeze her arse—shifting her up and down to help her along.

“Fuck’s sake, omega. You are so good to me—so giving, I don’t deserve you.”

Ivy scrunches her nose, seeming displeased with that response. She digs her nails into my chest, the sting of it biting and shocking all at once.

I hiss in response—confused on how I went from being mounted for pleasure to being gouged.

“My alpha.”

Ivy leans forward, molding her body against my chest so she can shoving her face into my neck. There she breathes me in, taking my scent into her lungs like it’s vital. All the while, her hips roll—small, toe-curling movements that make me want to die from the pleasure of it all.

“I’m your alpha, yes,” I moan. I’m so tempted to let this go. To simply enjoy this meeting of our bodies but she needs to know what lives inside my heart. “I’m your alpha who has fallen so deeply in love with you. Please say you forgive me, darling. I’ve been in agony without you.”

A brief silence passes, and Ivy rubs her cheek against me, marking me with her scent until I’m purring with pride.

“Forgive you. Love you. My mate.”

My normally verbose queen is of few words today, but I don’t care. Not when we’re finally moving forward. She could speak in fragments for the rest of our days as long as I have her love.

I thread my fingers into her hair and pull her face to mine. I love with my lips—my tongue—kissing her breathless. Instinct urges me to handle her like she is not some breakable, delicate thing.

She’s so strong, so capable, so ready to be fucked.

Bending my knees, I place my feet flat against the mattress, and rut into her from below. Ivy squeals in surprise—right against my mouth—and I swallow the sweet sound of it. I could go on for days like this, pounding into the wet heat of my omega. Feeling her clench around me as she shatters again and again.

Gods. My teeth ache with wanting to sink into her neck. The imperative to mark her alongside where my packmates have staked their claim is riding me hard.