Page 60 of Mastering their Maiden

“I don’t think you could stand to see me hurt,” I countered. “Why else were you running out here risking your life—”

“You were outnumbered!” she bellowed, rushing at me and pointing her bow toward where my comrades stood. “You needed all the help you could get! Kaiden was on his back with a knife to his throat when I came out!”

“I was on my way to help—”

“You would have been too late!”

She practically screamed at me. Like I hadn’t seen the whole thing. Like I didn’t realize she’d saved Kaiden’s life. I’d been on my way when I spotted her, and I’d have gotten there…

Eventually.

“You still shouldn’t have been out here,” I snapped, angry that I’d failed her and Kaiden both. She should never have felt the need to rush out and save him. I should have been there. “The women and children needed you. Kaiden would have—”

“You truly expected me to stay put?” I could see tears welling in her eyes when she stalked toward me. “The last time I cowered in a building during a Skepna attack, I lost people I loved! I wasn’t going to sit there and watch it happen again!”

Aria’s chest heaved with her breaths, and whatever counter argument I’d had planned vanished from my head. She was shaking all over, and underneath the rage in her voice, the tension in her body, I recognized something else.

It wasn’t only vengeance that pulled her from the safety of the barracks.

It was fear. Not stubborn pride. Not battle lust. Fear.

Of losing us.

She loved us.

And as sweet as that was, sometimes love came with turmoil. It came with pain, and grief, and loss. My girl had known all three.

But I vowed then that she’d never know them again.

Aria stepped back, her breathing increasing in pace when she realized what she’d said. What she’d confessed to me. I could tell it was no longer vengeful energy fueling her, it was fear. Fear of losing us, fear of our rejection. Fear, maybe, that we wouldn’t be able to handle all that she was. All her rage, all her passion, all her desire.

We were the only men in the world who could master it. The only four who could master her.

Aria backed away again, but this time I refused to let her go. I grabbed hold of her wrist and yanked her to me, snaking one arm around her waist. She pushed on my chest, but I fisted my other hand in her hair, fingers threading into her messy braid, and pressed my lips against hers. She tasted like lust. Passion, desire, and unmet need.

The kiss lasted only seconds, not nearly long enough.

Aria bit my lip. So hard I winced and just barely managed to dodge the knee she tried to ram between my legs. I was grinning when I released her, fully aware that she’d fight me. That she’d fight us. She needed to. It was in her nature to struggle, to fight against whatever came her way. To see if what life offered her was worthy of her greatness.

We were worth it. And we’d prove it to her tonight.

“The battle is over, Aleria.” I slowly stalked toward her, desire surging inside me with each step. “Your trials are over. The danger you’ve faced is over. The moon is high and bright. My blood is hot, and my cock is hard.”

Even in the dim light I could see her flushed cheeks, her dilated pupils, the way she clenched and unclenched her hands. But as I expected, she resisted. She fought against her own arousal and scowled at me.

“You’re depraved.” Aria grabbed an arrow and raised her bow, aiming it at my chest. I spread my arms wide, daring her to take the shot.

But just like in the forest, she didn’t move.

“If you’re going to shoot me, shoot me. This is your last chance.”

Her lips pressed together, and her eyes darted away from me toward the fence, searching for escape. I looked over my shoulder to see Kaiden, Umber, and Dex approaching. Jogging. Picking up on what was about to happen. Aria caught sight of them over my shoulder and took another step back, but I shook my head.

“I told you before, girl. I won’t let you leave.”

I lunged for her, managed to grab the bow, tossed it aside before realizing she’d given it up without any fight. Her eyes darted toward Kaiden, Dex, and Umber approaching, their footsteps quickening in response to her attempt to escape. I licked my lips, tasting my own blood from when she’d bitten me, and gave her another feral smile as I waited for the game to start. She seemed torn on what to do now, with the four of us advancing on her outside instead of in our cabin. Should she try to battle us here? Or run until we found a nice private spot in the forest? So many choices…

And it seemed like she was waiting for my permission to make one.

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