Page 43 of Claimed By the Alien Prince
"No," I defy him, even as my body betrays me, arching into his touch, craving more.
A sharp thrust, a punishing rhythm that punches the lie from my lungs. I choke on a moan, my nails raking over the sacred markings along his spine, tracing the deep green geometric patterns that tell the history of his people. "Th-that’s cheating?—”
"Say it feels good," he orders, dragging out to the tip before slamming home, the angle shifting in a way that sends shockwaves of pleasure rippling through me. Deeper, hotter, stars bursting behind my eyelids in a celestial display that rivals the luminescent fungi of the underbrush.
"Never—” The word is a gasp, a denial that is lost in the symphony of our joining.
He flips us mid-thrust, a display of strength that is as thrilling as it is terrifying. My back hits the soft moss, a stark contrast to the hardness of the body that covers me. My legs wrap around his waist on instinct, locking him to me, as if there's any chance of escape. His grin is pure predation, a baring of teeth that sends a shiver down my spine.
"Different enough for you?" he taunts, the smugness in his tone only serving to stoke the fire of my defiance.
"Basic… missionary… isn’t…innovative—” My words are punctuated by the harsh rhythm of our breaths, by the relentless pounding of his hips against mine.
Three punishing strokes cut me off, each one a declaration of possession, a demand for surrender. His hand circles my throat, not tightening—claiming. A silent promise of protection, a vow that he will never let me fall. "Take.All.Of. It."
And I do. I take every thrust, every growl, every whispered endearment in a language I've never heard but somehow understand. I take the pleasure and the pain, the sweetness and the sting, until there is nothing left but us.
The climax rips through me like solar flare. He follows with a roar, spilling heat that rivals Verus’ core. We collapse in a tangle of limbs and gasped breaths, his chuckle vibrating against my sweat-slicked shoulder.
I bite his bicep.
“Brat.”
“Tyrant.”
"Mate."
I pause, looking at him. Really looking at him. And, even though I don't say it… I know he sees it.
I'm his mate. And he's mine.
CHAPTER 34
ZEVRAN
Ilay back against the soft moss, her warmth nestled against my side. Carys snuggles deeper, seeking refuge in the curve of my body. “Don’t let the leeches get me again,” she murmurs, her breath a sweet whisper against my skin.
I chuckle, tightening my hold around her. “I won’t. I promise.” It feels good—too good—to have her here, tangled together like we belong in this moment. No. We do belong. Everything else fades away.
Gently, I brush her curls back from her face, tracing the curve of her cheek with my fingertips. “Come back with me.”
Her amber eyes search mine, wide and uncertain. “I don’t even know why I left.”
The weight of the truth hangs heavy between us. “The envoy from the Desert Kingdom was poisoned with that fungus you were cataloging.”
Her expression shifts, confusion mingling with a dawning realization. “But… I didn’t do anything.”
“I know,” I say, frustration simmering beneath my calm facade. “But the council thinks otherwise.”
Her brow furrows as she processes it all. “They think I’m responsible?”
“Indeed.” I lean closer, keeping my voice low and steady despite the chaos swirling in my chest. “When you ran away…” I swallow hard, feeling the tension coiling tighter around us. “It only made them more suspicious.”
She bites her lip, gaze drifting to the canopy above us where bioluminescent vines weave through ancient branches like stars in a night sky. The forest feels alive; every rustle of leaves echoes our heartbeats.
"I didn't do it," Carys says, her voice barely above a whisper. Sadness lingers in her eyes, a flicker of vulnerability that pulls at something deep within me.
“I know,” I reassure her, my tone firm. “I trust you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
