Page 84 of The Dark War

“Alpha,” she teased. “Are you needy?”

“Always for you, love.” My hands rubbed up and down her back, holding her close. I had done as much as possible to take care of her and do the things she needed to heal. Held her close and rubbed her empty womb with my hand, but all of that was nothing for the pain she felt.

I don’t know why I didn’t feel it before, the pain she had when those claws ripped across her abdomen, spilling innocent blood of our child. I realized she hid it from me so I didn’t kill everyone and everything in my sight.

She still looked after me, even when she was in pain. Clara wanted me to be okay and not have me worry. I was going to remedy this problem, but now was not the time to chastise. It was the time to show her how much I loved her.

I was going to taste her again. Have her body squirm because of what my tongue would do to her. I’d lock my dick away for the night.

“Are you—” I wanted to ask if she was all right, to ensure that anything I did wouldn’t hurt her. I didn’t know how a woman’s body worked, what pain they felt, especially since she shielded me. Which I didn’t fucking like.

“I’m not made of glass, Kane,” she joked. “Giana healed me just fine.” Her finger brushed back my hair, and the tenderness in her touch had me purring into her chest that I laid on.

“I’m not worried about you physically,” I murmured. “Other ways too.” My mate cupped my cheeks, pulling me closer to her pouty lips. She kissed me softly, her mouth parting, letting my needy tongue rub against hers.

My body took over, my hands squeezing her torso impossibly closer. My cock was angry, but I wanted it to be about her tonight. Not fuck her into oblivion, not rut her until we both couldn’t see straight. I wanted to love and worship her body before tomorrow.

Show her the love she deserved all along.

My lips left her with a gentle pop. I gently pulled the soft dress from her body, right over her head. She was left bare underneath. No bra or underwear to be seen.

“Clara.” I growled in warning. “What were you doing?” She bit her lip, her hands running through my hair.

“Just a surprise for you.” She licked her lips. Again, always about me.

“Tonight is just about you, love. Tonight is just about how much I love you,” I whispered. Her body reacted to mine as my hand came down on one of her breasts, sucking her nipple until her body moved against me.

Her body rubbing against my leathered pants made my erection extremely painful. My dumb ass wouldn’t be able to take them off, not now. Not when I had a surprise for her when the war was all over.

I couldn’t stand it when my mate was in so much pain for the few days of her healing. My body had to feel something, and sparing was out of the question. Fucking killing one of my own warriors wouldn’t do.

So I fucking got my dick pierced, and it hurt like a motherfucking bitch. I got the best piercing that would fit my mate’s needs. A deep shaft reverse Prince Albert. It would be perfect when I fucked her and had the ball rub against her clit each time I pulled out and forced it back in her wet pussy.

I bet Torin was pissed he didn’t heal me faster now with our mate wanting our cock.

“Kane.” She tugged at my pants.

“No.” I panted. “Just you.” My nose nestled into her pussy, as I breathed deep. “Tonight is all about you.”

Chapter Forty-five

Clara

Beforethelightsourcesbreached the eastern horizon, we had all begun our journey to the edge of the ward. Taliyah had stayed back while Jasper fought for her and their child. Taliyah cried in his arms, begging him to come back to her.

The worst part of it all was that there were no guarantees. There were no promises that could be made that would ensure that anyone would return. For all we know, we could be marching to our deaths because the magic instilled around Bergarian was far more potent than any of us could have imagined.

The somber undertone as our footsteps reached the boundaries stopped as we stared through the ward. Taliyah’s power had already weakened from her pregnancy, and the tar-like substance embedded into the soil before the ward was now reaching for the plants still living on our protected side.

Jasper linked his mate, his face hard as he concentrated. That was another problem we faced. All of our links would be broken, the static would fill our minds, and we were all truly alone with our animals. We wouldn’t be a pack, but all single entities fighting against one prominent being.

The ward broke, the liquid glass poured to the ground, and the black tar seeped beneath our feet. It did not grab us to pull us under; rather, it went around and took on anything growing in the soil. Folen and his brother gritted their teeth, their hands touching the ground as they felt the life force of Bergarian fade.

Kane led us forward. Carriages carried tents, weapons, and a new powder concoction that Taliyah and the three sisters had given us. It was to be the antidote to the memory powder. Each day we were to touch our forehead with a single finger of dust to protect at least our minds from being erased.

Giana prowled in my head, the static pushing against our minds. The further we stepped into the now dead land of nothing but black and gray, the stronger the dark magic became. Unfortunately, the power our wolves carried with us to get rid of fatigue was weakening. Along with that, more pain in a shift and healing significantly slowed.

“Let’s shift!” Kane yelled across the group. With no mind-link, Kane’s voice echoed through the crowd as the hordes of warriors passed along his command. The horses were manned by the several that would remain in human form, their clomping of feet bringing up ash from the burned grasses.

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