That’s right. This way will be slow and sweet. As he pushed into her, he wrapped his arms around her completely and set his lips against her shoulder.
Sheer pleasure overwhelmed him. He flattened his palm on her abdomen as the sensation of being part of her suffused him. When he let go of his tenuous control, her shivering reaction sank into him, their desire on constant loop. It feels so good when she fucks me. Something about that wasn’t quite right, maybe, only it was, and his steady thrusts quickened as she pushed back, grinding on him until he could come just from the sweetness of it.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.
Cupping her pussy, he strummed her clit as he worked into her from behind. She was all wet heat—so hard. I’m so fucking hard. Words melted out of his brain until there was only the rasp of him panting with each stroke and her shuddering sweat as a light orgasm pulsed through her. She squeezed his cock in delicious waves, but from the raw need still rolling off her, it wasn’t enough.
“Take me.”
“Can you feel how close I am?” He let go of everything except her, pushing deep and holding still, so she must feel the throbbing.
She answered with a deep groan, and the way she swiveled her hips drove him over. The orgasm that drenched him was hers, his, all tightening, arching sweetness, and he fell into her pleasure like it was an endless tropical sea, just as she swam in his. With careful fingertips, he stroked her to another orgasm after he came, and he would’ve gone for more if she hadn’t pulled his sticky fingers away to kiss them.
“I’m on overload,” she whispered.
With a smile that wouldn’t quit, he held her close and licked the sweat from her shoulder. “I’d ask how you feel, but I already know.”
“It’s better,” she said in a wondering tone. “I didn’t really think it could be, but it is.”
“Is that a compliment or a complaint?”
“How am I supposed to know? You just fucked me senseless.”
Though he was satiated for the moment, his cock twitched in response. “You’re trying to get me worked up again.”
“Feels like you’re not quite done anyway.” Pru gave a teasing squirm that locked him into a half-erection.
“Does it please you to be this filthy?”
“Endlessly,” she purred.
“I think that’s my line.”
No matter what she said, Pru must’ve been exhausted because she dozed off in his arms. Dom caught a nap too, and when he roused, the music was still thumping away outside. Her skin smelled of him, commingled sex and sweat. He wished he could parade her through the hold as a possessive statement, but he doubted she’d be amused by such primitive inclinations. At some point, he’d slipped out of her, but having his dick pressed up against her ass was enough to get him going again.
If I’m not careful, she’ll sex me to death. For some odd reason, he wasn’t sad about it.
“You awake?” she whispered.
“Sort of. Barely.”
“I feel like I owe you a blow job. Though you have a way of making my head fuzzy, it seems like you’ve done all the giving in bed lately.”
Dom nearly choked on his own saliva. “You don’t owe me anything. If that’s something you want to do, however, I probably wouldn’t say no.”
“Probably, huh?”
“I’m pretty worn out, you understand. Near dehydrated at this point too.”
“You make me sound like a succubus,” she protested.
He smirked. “Sorry.”
When he first woke up, he hadn’t been contemplating round two, but it was impossible to deny that she had him stirred up. Again. Dom moved so that it wouldn’t be so obvious, and Pru took the opportunity to face him. Her gaze went immediately to his stiff cock.
“You do want a BJ.” She made this fact sound like an amazing discovery instead of an obvious truth.
Before he could say a word, Pru wriggled between his legs and settled like she meant to spend her life there. He swallowed hard, unable to muster a verbal response, but then his situation got worse, or better. Both, actually. From the teasing licks to his thighs, she intended to repay his earlier treatment in kind.
I won’t survive this.
It’s a good way to die.
She ran her tongue upward, nuzzling into the crease near his balls, and he lifted his hips, breathless. He fought the urge take control, shove her head where he wanted it, but this was about Pru choosing to give, not his ability to take. So he fisted his hands in the blanket and absorbed the relentless pleasure of her soft mouth. When she finally wrapped her lips around his dick, he opened his fingers and stroked her cheek, trying to focus on how it felt to her, how he tasted, as a means of slowing his urge to thrust.
I want to fuck your mouth.
As if she sensed that desire, she gasped, her breath hot against his skin. Don’t play. Suck me. Ever so slowly, her head began to move, her suction gaining intensity as her gaze held his. Her nails scraped lightly against his balls in a tantalizing rhythm that matched the pressure of her hungry mouth. Her delight surged over him, nearly overwhelming in its wildness. His taste seemed to kindle her to greater eagerness, and she watched his face for each flicker of response.
She loves this. She wants it. She needs to lick me until I come apart.
Liberated by that realization, he tangled his hands in her hair, no longer interested in restraint. What she wanted wasn’t his submission, exactly, but proof he ached for her so much that he could deny her nothing. Dom surrendered to the high, hard impulse to rock into her mouth; at first, her eyes widened, but she took his strokes with increasing excitement.
Since he’d come recently, it should’ve taken much longer to reach this state, but with each of her huffs and moans, it jolted him higher. When he noticed that she was humping her hips against the covers, he snarled in desperation.
“That’s good,” he bit out. “Get yourself off. But don’t stop sucking me.”
A high-pitched moan that was almost a whine vibrated against his shaft. Her round ass rose and fell in tempo with her head. The scent of her maddened him. If he didn’t know she craved the hot gush of his juices, he’d spin her so quick and eat her until she came all over his face. Picturing that drove his hips faster, his cock flexing in her mouth.
“You’re so sexy,” he breathed.
And that was enough. She came with a ripple of her beautifully arched back, and her mouth clamped down in response. His own orgasm flooded him, deeper and stronger than should’ve been possible. Dom moaned her name and held her head still when she would’ve continued. Just the stillness and pressure was enough during the aftershocks.
Once his shaking arms steadied, he dragged her up to rest on his chest. Pru closed her eyes, exquisitely wrecked. He petted her sex hair and admired his own role in creating that dishevelment. She loves me. She’s all mine. Incoherent glee ran amok in his bloodstream, along with serotonin and a cocktail of endorphins.
“What now?” she asked, sounding sleepy.
In a flash the answer came to him, but for optimum results, it should be a surprise, the best he could manage under the circumstances. Briefly he hesitated, considering what she’d said about needing time to brace. It’ll work out better than last time. I’ll flip the script. Somehow he kept his expression neutral when he answered, “I guess you’ll just have to trust me.”
“I do. Always.”
Leaving the bed after she drifted off was one of the toughest things he’d ever done.
30.
A few hours before dawn, Pru woke alone in a tangle of blankets to the lingering scent of recently snuffed candles. Groggy, she stumbled out of the bedroom and found neither Dom nor her father. This wasn’t a dream. It all happened. Yet it was hard to be confident, even though she suspected Magda had dragged him off to some critical meeting.
Her timing definitely sucks, though.
Then she noticed the sole candle flickering in the center of the room, well away from ev
erything else, so it couldn’t be considered a fire hazard. The wax had melted until the wick swam in a pool of it, and the glass was hot to the touch when she shifted it aside to dislodge the piece of paper beneath. Pru couldn’t remember if she’d ever seen a note from Dom before. Yes, she decided, a long time ago. And it wasn’t to me. Holding it to the light, she skimmed what he’d written once, twice, and tried to make sense of it.
My precious wife,
Consider this your heads-up. Something marvelous will happen soon (besides the obvious), so be ready. Brace yourself as needed, and then come find me. I’ll be the one waiting for you, forever and always.
Your loving husband,
Dom
PS – Put on the dress hanging on the hook beside the front door. I’ve shaken it clean as best I could, and we’ll make our own glamour from here on out.
Amused and reluctantly intrigued, she washed up in cold water and then donned the dress he’d chosen, a splendid yellow statement that defied the weather. As she put out the candle, someone knocked. Hurrying, she slipped into her cutest intact shoes and went to answer. To her surprise, it wasn’t her mate, but Joss, beaming so bright that Pru checked behind her for a spotlight, as her cousin only ever looked this happy on stage.
“You know something,” she guessed.
“No hints. He’s told you enough that you can’t call this an ambush. And I’m so happy for you.” The last sentence came out as a joyful squeal.
“So you’re my escort, then?”
“And me,” her dad said, stepping out of the shadows.
She hadn’t seen him dressed so nicely since before her mother passed away. Sheepish, he straightened his lapels and tugged at his tie, then he offered his arm. It was three in the morning, the music still playing, and she had no fucking idea what was going on.
I guess you’ll have to trust me, Dom had said.
Time to prove that I do.
With a smile, she set her hand in the crook of her father’s elbow, and Joss linked with her other arm. The floor was still uneven, but she didn’t notice it as much with her family on either side. Even the broken steps didn’t take as much navigating, and she didn’t ask for explanations, content to be guided to whatever Dom had planned.
With the lateness of the hour, some of the initial wildness had settled, but a shocking majority of pride members and allied guests were still awake, and most were gathered in the park. Someone had strung fairy lights, and sleepy musicians plucked out a soft, heartfelt melody as her party approached the pergola. There was no snow any longer, only the damp, bare ground, where something beautiful would one day grow.
That’s life, she thought.
Maybe it was because of the darkness, but the weight of so many eyes didn’t feel punishing. Pru only wondered where her mate had gone. And then he stepped out of the crowd wearing a dark suit that fit him beautifully. The silver and black of his hair caught the twinkling lights, reflected in his eyes. There were no words to express how her heart swelled. As she feasted her eyes on him, she realized that the shadow that always lingered on him was gone.
With a flourish, he presented a bouquet of flowers rescued from the greenhouse, and she couldn’t stop herself from clutching the blooms to her chest, no more than she could help breathing in their sweetness or the tears that spilled down her cheeks. This is too much.
But he was only getting started, apparently. Dom kissed her cheek and whispered, “You don’t have to talk. Just listen, all right?”
The heat in her cheeks didn’t come from embarrassment but a surfeit of joy. “Okay.”
“We didn’t get to have a proper wedding,” he called, signaling to the band for a pause. “So I thank those who stuck around tonight to celebrate with us.”
People banged on tables, clapped and hooted. Most of them were more than a little booze-merry, so that added to her comfort. Who knew what anyone would even remember about tonight? Except me. I’ll never forget a second of this. Not ever.
“First off…” He turned to her dad and dropped to one knee despite the wet pavement. “Better late than never, I guess. May I have your lovely daughter? Please, sir. I promise to love, cherish, and protect her for the rest of my days.”
Pru might actually evaporate in a steam cloud if her father said anything but, “Yes.”
And then she registered that terse assent had come from the old lynx, not her imagination. The crowd whooped in response, and Joss raced over to the band, where she took the mic and unleashed the most exquisite love song. Without you, dear—without you here… even the rowdiest of partiers settled, gazing at Joss like she was a goddess incarnate.
When the last note died away, applause rang out like thunder. Joss took a bow, and then she hurried back to Pru’s side. She hugged her cousin tight and wanted to whisper to her as she had to Jase, Thank you for surviving. Thank you for bringing such light to my world. Over Joss’s shoulder, Pru’s teary gaze met Dom’s.
Am I doing it right? he mouthed.
Pru could tell that he was ready to pull the plug right then if she shook her head, if she was tense or unhappy. Swiping at a tear, she said, “Perfect,” loud enough for everyone to hear, but they didn’t understand. They didn’t have to.
Joss took it as a compliment on her performance. “I’m so glad. You deserve all of this and more.”
“Then… it’s time for our vows and the exchange of rings,” Dom cut in.
He didn’t exactly take her away from Joss, but he slid into their embrace and stayed until her cousin let go, wiping at her eyes. The first hints of panic kicked in, but with his arm around her, the terror-wings didn’t take flight. He said I don’t have to speak. I trust him.
“Tonight I spent an hour sifting through the rubble. And you know what I found?” Dom unfurled his fingers, revealing a very old ring. Though it was scratched, Pru could tell someone had once worn it with great devotion. It seems like I’ve seen it before…
“That belonged to your mother,” someone called back.
Dom smiled. “I know. So it couldn’t be more fitting that I put it on Pru’s finger now. I clawed this out of the wreckage because I knew there had to be something worth saving. And that’s how this incredible woman feels about me. I can only promise in front of these witnesses to treat her like the treasure she is. Henceforth we are one heart, one body, one life.”
“Devil take you,” Raff snarled from the back of the crowd. “Keep on like this and you’ll have us weeping.”
I am already. She understood what this meant and why he was giving it to her. This was more than just a ring; it was also a promise that belonged to her alone. Me, not Dalena. Not anymore. Be at peace, my dear friend. I’ll love him well.
Dom’s hands were steady when he eased his mother’s ring onto the fourth finger of her left hand. Pru had no gift for public speaking, and no ring for him either. But receiving his adoration in silence could never be enough. If she had nothing else, she’d give him words.
Mustering all her courage, Pru spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “If I’m a treasure, then you’re the dragon who guards me. I trust that you will keep me safe, along with our friends and allies. There is no part of me that isn’t yours completely. I love you with all of me. We are one heart, one body, one life. I only regret that I have no ring to offer in turn.”
“But you do,” her father corrected.
Then he pulled the wedding band from his finger, also scratched and worn, to proffer the greatest symbol of love she’d ever known.
Pru burst into tears.
For a few seconds, Dom hesitated, torn between comforting his mate and accepting this generous offer. When the other man nodded, he took the ring, the metal still warm from its tenure on his father-in-law’s finger. The pride had a legend—it was said that if you used old rings passed down through each family line, it heralded a long and prosperous union.
I hope that’s true.
Dom set her dad’s blessing in Pru’s hand, and she shook so hard
she almost dropped the ring, but in the end, she got it on him. He pulled her close and jerked his chin at the musicians. Moments later, a cheerful song enticed the spectators to sing along, drink more, or dance. He held her until she calmed down, but he didn’t think he’d gone terribly wrong this time.
“Should I be apologizing?” he asked.
“No. It’s wonderful. Everything was better than I could’ve imagined, if I was prone to envisioning such things.”
“You weren’t?”
Hating himself a little for brightening over that, Dom still wondered why she never pictured the future with Slay. But he didn’t—couldn’t—ask. I wish you were here, you arse. It’s not right without you. He also hated that he hadn’t asked about the situation with Talfayen, about Slay’s secrets, because now it felt like he might never get an answer, and that uncertainty fell like a stain on his second’s memory.
No, not that. He’s not dead. Just… gone. So… not memory. Reputation.
“Hardly. It would’ve meant that somebody wanted me forever, and I could never picture it. Until you said I had to take you on.” Her bright eyes sparkled up at him in the moonlight, adorable, irresistible, all teasing sweetness.
I love this woman, head to toe.
“Kiss!” Raff shouted, interrupting the moment.
Soon other wolves took up the chant, and Dom didn’t like to disappoint his audience. He swept Pru close, dipped her so it crushed her bouquet in a cloud of sweetness, and pillaged her mouth until her father actually had to haul him upright. But her smiling face made up for everything; her cheeks were pink with pleasure, and she pretended to pummel him with her flowers, showering them with petals.
“Don’t destroy it!” Joss shouted.
At her behest, a score of single pride mates gathered in front of Pru, who couldn’t seem to believe they expected her to toss it. In the distance, the dawn sky was lightening, pink and gold unfurling like a promise on the horizon. Dom nudged his mate and grinned; she argued with her eyes, but there was no stopping this tradition.