Page 58 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
His heat made everything more intense and confusing, but he couldn’t blame his condition for the way his body had responded to Maseo’s touch, his words, his gentle dominance. The trinity bond must have been having a bigger effect on him than he expected.
He moved to the window, gazing out at the training grounds, where torches still burned as soldiers made final preparations. Maseo would join them soon, preparing to risk his life in a war that had begun long before either of them was born. The thought of losing him created an ache in Auslin’s chest that felt far too profound for mere friendship.
“Please keep him safe,” Auslin prayed to Sophina, his fingers touching the glass. “Bring him home to me.”
The words slipped out before he could stop them, and their implications left him shaken. With that plea on his lips, he turned away from the window and headed to his chambers, hoping Kitsuki would visit before departing for war. Maybe his mate’s presence would help quiet the confusing desires Maseo had awakened, the needs that his heat had amplified beyond his ability to ignore.
Chapter 23
Kitsuki
Moonlight spilled across the palace grounds, casting silver shadows that danced beneath his window. By dawn, he would lead his army west to face Nasume’s forces. The weight of his crown had never felt heavier. A king’s duty never ended, especially not on the eve of war.
The door opened behind him. Auslin’s footsteps crossed the threshold and then halted. Kitsuki remained still, his enhanced senses cataloging the changes in the air. Something was different.
“I’m so happy you’re here.” Auslin rushed forward, encircling his arms around Kitsuki’s waist and pressing his face against his mate’s back.
The familiar warmth of Auslin’s embrace should have brought comfort, but Kitsuki detected no scent from his mate. Magic masked whatever natural aroma Auslin carried, leaving only the sterile absence where his beloved’s essence should bloom.
He turned within Auslin’s embrace, pulling him closer. “Are you suppressing your scent to hide the fact that you met with Maseo?”
Auslin’s eyes widened with confusion, his hands splayed across Kitsuki’s chest. “No, I wasn’t trying to hide that. I asked Maseo to come here so I could talk to him before you leave. In case…” He swallowed hard, unable to finish the thought.
Kitsuki searched for deception in his mate’s expression and found none. If Auslin had not been concealing his meeting with Maseo, there remained only one other reason he would mask his scent. “You have started your heat.”
Auslin blushed, confirming Kitsuki’s suspicion. “A servant told me. I didn’t want to distract you from what you needed to do tonight before you leave in the morning.”
“Take it off,” Kitsuki ordered, his eyes fixed on the pendant that masked Auslin’s natural scent. His hands tightened around Auslin’s waist, drawing him closer.
Auslin shook his head. “That’s not a good idea. You need to stay focused on your soldiers and the battles ahead.”
The refusal cracked Kitsuki’s restraint. His dragon came to the surface, silver eyes gleaming as he took control. “We will not be denied what is ours.” His voice transformed, taking on the dual-toned rumble of dragon and man speaking as one. “Take it off this instant.”
“But you have to leave at daybreak,” Auslin protested, his hands pressed against Kitsuki’s chest to create space. “If I do that, you won’t want to stop, and you need to lead your army.”
His dragon snarled, patience exhausted. With one swift motion, he reached for the amulet and tore it from Auslin’s neck, dropping it to the floor.
The spicy and intoxicating scent of Auslin’s heat called to the most primal part of his nature. But it was not only Auslin’s arousal that flooded his senses. Maseo’s distinct aroma of sun-warmed cedar, wild mountain herbs, and the subtle sweetness of berries clung to Auslin’s skin. It was strongest around his neck and cheek, as if Maseo had nuzzled against those places. The combined effect roused Kitsuki’s dragon.
We taste him on our mate, his dragon roared within his mind.The third piece of our bond calls to us.
Kitsuki’s cock stirred with need as the trinity bond blazed to life between them. The knowledge that both his mate and their intended third were present in scent and touch drove his dragon into a frenzy.
“Perfect. Ours.” His arousal strained against his formal attire. His claws extended, pricking through the fabric as he fought for control. “You would dare to deny us on the night before we depart for war?” His dragon dissolved their clothing into smoke, though Maseo’s wish pendant remained.
“You sequester me for the full week of my heat.” Despite his protests, he reacted to Kitsuki’s dominant display with visible arousal. “I was trying to be a supportive mate and not distract you.”
His dragon ran possessive hands down Auslin’s sides, mapping the familiar territory. “The only thing we need to be doing is you.” He slipped his fingers between Auslin’s ass cheeks to tease him.
Auslin scowled. “This is what I was trying to prevent. You leave in a few hours, and you need to be focused, not exhausted from?—”
“We will not leave without a reminder of the pleasure you bring us.” His dragon seized Auslin’s ass with both hands, pulling their bodies flush against each other. Their erections slid together with delicious friction. “The memory will keep us company during our lonely nights away from your side.”
“You have plenty of memories to entertain you,” Auslin protested.
His dragon captured Auslin’s hand and guided it to wrap around his erection. “We ache for you. We long to be inside you. To mark you so all will know who you belong to.”
A groan escaped Auslin as his fingers curled around Kitsuki’s girth to stroke. “I want that, too. But my heat is still days away from being over, and you don’t have the luxury of time for this right now.”
