Page 51 of The Silent Mate

You won’t be a member of a unit anymore, and you won’t see battle at the front lines,I warned before making my offer.I’ll take you on as my adjutant—my assistant. You’ll stay by my side and perform administrative tasks,butin our spare time, I’ll train you. How does that sound?

His eyes lit up.Your adjutant? You mean it?

I dipped my chin once, and the smile on Gio’s face could’ve melted a glacier.Goddess,I hoped I wouldn’t come to regret my decision.

I didn’tneedan assistant. I’d performed my tasks as General for countless years without one, but I didn’t have a mate all those years. Now, having someone to perform my administrative tasks would certainly free up time to spend with Aria…

You’ll begin tomorrow,I decided and turned away, eager to get away from the young male before he acted on the gratitude that pooled in his gaze and tried to hug me or fall to his knees.Listen to my mate so your shoulder heals properly.

“Yes, sir! I will, sir!” Gio called after me, but I’d already pressed a quick, chaste kiss to the top of Aria’s head and began walking away.

Malik, wait!Aria called, and I slowed my steps to allow her to catch up to me. A bright smile greeted me when she arrived, and she twined her fingers with mine.That was incredibly kind of you.

I shrugged, though warmth crept up my cheeks at her praise.I know what it’s like to want to impress your father,I muttered by way of explanation.

She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, and I knew she wanted to know more. I saw the question dancing behind her sky-blue eyes.

Before she could ask it, I shook my head.Not here, little dove.

Because any conversation pertaining to my father would not be a pleasant one. Nor ashortone.

Of course. Not until you’re ready,she answered, shifting until we stood face-to-face. With the utmost gentleness, she dropped my hand in favor of reaching up to stroke my cheeks.Goddess,she was too good for me.

Bending low, I captured her mouth in a quick, hard kiss, willing every ounce of devotion that filled my body into the touch of our lips. My hands tangled in her hair, teeth nipping at her fleshy lower lip once before pulling away.Soon. I’ll tell you everythingsoon.

Aria nodded, hands sliding up and down my chest.You have a good heart, Malik,she whispered in our bond, and I felt the words like a caress down my spine.I’m so lucky you’re mine. This pack is lucky, too.

That night,Aria laid on top of me in bed. Our bodies connected at the hips, locked together until my biological response to our coupling subsided. The duration of the knot had decreased with every climax that rocked through my body, but we still had at least fifteen minutes before we’d be able to separate. Neither of us cared.

I stroked her back, memorizing the landscape of the muscles that lined her spine. Sweat dampened her skin, and a smallgroan escaped her lips when I massaged the globes of her backside.

“That feels good,” she hummed in contentment, still regaining her breath.

She’d done a majority of the work in that round, and, when I closed my eyes, images of her breasts bouncing as she rode me with abandon filled my mind.

She’d braced her hands on my bent knees for support, leaning back to offer me an unrestricted view as she impaled herself on my cock time and time again. Her slick arousal lubricated every movement, coating my groin and dampening the natural curls around her sex.

I clamped by eyes shut as the memory caused another spurt of seed to shoot from my tip, and I jerked beneath her.

Aria felt it, another laugh bubbling from her throat. “What made that happen?”

Rather than explain, I sent the mental image through our bond. She gasped and pushed onto her elbows to look me in the eye, her cheeks coloring. “Oh.”

It was my turn to chuckle.Exactly.

She settled deeper onto my cock in response, getting comfortable again.At this rate, it’ll be a wonder if I’m not pregnant by the next full moon.

I stilled beneath her.Pregnant. Pups.

It was something I never knew I wanted until I found Aria. Before she walked into my life, I’d long since given up hope of ever finding someone to mate with. As a result, I never even contemplated the possibility of children—pups, as they were known to shifters.

Apprehension edged into my excitement. Every cell in my body rejoiced at the prospect of Aria carrying my heirs—as many as the Moon Goddess was willing to give us. In the samebreath, I didn’t know the first thing about being a good father. I’d never had an example. My own father…

Nausea roiled up my throat at the memories that threatened to resurface, but I tampered them down.

Malik?Aria’s soft voice was a balm in my mind. She lifted her head, peeking at me with concern etched across her round features.

I stroked a lock of blonde away from her bare shoulder and sighed. I promised her the truth. It was time she learned it.My father wanted to kill me.

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