29. Aurelia
Chapter 29
“You okay?”
The words trickled into my awareness, interrupting my whirling thoughts regarding that waxy stuff Granny had put over my product. I needed to find a well-stocked library and do some research so that I might discover both how it was made and how to negate the effects. Once I’d developed a remedy, I’d need to find a way to steal money out of Alexander’s pocket, as he was the only one who could run the organization in Granny’s absence.
I pulled away from Weston’s broad back for a moment, my focus shifting back to the present moment. “Yeah, thanks. Just thinking.”
“You’ve been very quiet. Did you read something in your journals that upset you?”
I went back to leaning against him, sitting behind him on his large, sturdy horse as we walked through the dense trees. I’d been reading those journals, poring over memories from a forgotten time, trying to find some clues of my own.
One thing had become clear: I’d been horribly unhappy in Granny’s village. It had been disguised in many parts, writing cheerful memories of my mother or counting my blessings that I’d found somewhere to live, but I’d been so very lonely. So heartbroken about my mom—just broken, period. No one had put out a hand to help me when I was struggling badly, not even when I had asked for help. Only Xarion had been friendly, but after meeting Hadriel, I realized Xarion had never truly been a friend. He’d been someone to pass the time with, the only person who would talk to me, and half our time together had been spent fielding cheap shots he sent my way, coloring our communication with the disdain shared by the village. I’d written it all down in my journal.
“I see now why everyone thinks my stories are so depressing,” I murmured, feeling no emotion about any of it. I’d clearly resigned myself to the life I lived. I’d made peace with it years ago. It was a survival tactic, I supposed. It shouldn’t have surprised me, and honestly, it didn’t—not really. I had made do because I’d had to. I still did.
“I understand now why I didn’t notice the realities of the village,” I said, peering through the trees. I half wondered if I’d see Alexander keeping pace with us. “I was also turning a blind eye to my own situation. Willful ignorance.”
I took a deep breath, slipping my hands under the hem of his shirt and sliding them along his torso.
“Enough about me. What about you?” I turned my head so that my chin was resting in the hollow between his shoulder blades. “I feel this overpowering urge to be with you, but I don’t know anything about you.” I traced the edges of his muscle. “How do you stay in such great shape?”
“I train with my pack constantly. The pack consists of more than just wolves. We have a lot of dragons that we work with, and they are incredibly powerful. I work hard to ensure we can form a cohesive unit.”
I circled one of his nipples with my pointer finger. “Do you like your nipples stimulated?”
He turned his head to the side and I could see his ear lifting with a smile. “Sometimes. Not as much as you do, I don’t think.”
“Hmm.” I pinched it a little and felt him shiver. “Maybe that’s something we should explore.”
“Maybe,” he whispered.
We hadn’t had sex since yesterday. Part of that was due to not having a tent. We’d had a bed, and even though he’d given me the option of sleeping alone, I’d chosen to have him beside me. We’d wrapped ourselves up in each other’s arms, but the rest of the pack was within sight. I wasn’t in the habit of putting on a show.
I resumed tracing his muscles, following the line of his bulging pec until it connected near his arm pit. On impulse, I tickled him.
He jumped and then twisted, letting out a gurgle of surprise and nearly knocking me off the horse in order to squirm away.
“Gods, don’t do that!” he said as I laughed, clutching onto him so that I didn’t fall. He chuckled, trying to get himself under control, out of breath. “Don’t do that.”
“You’re ticklish.”
“Isn’t everyone?”
“No.”
“You’re not ticklish?”
“No,” I repeated with a smile, and then tried tickling his sides.
He squirmed again, though not as out of control this time. He captured one of my hands with one of his and pressed my palm to his warm skin. “Seriously, stop!” His laughter was large and deep, his head thrown back. “I don’t want to throw you off the horse.”
I delighted in his unchecked mirth, his wide smile, so rare for this alpha. It felt good to bring it out of him, like I’d accomplished some great feat and received my prize.
“To be continued.” I flattened my palms to his sides.
“You’re not ticklish?” he asked again. I shook my head against his back in response. “Bullshit. You must be ticklish somewhere.”
“Mind over matter.”
“That doesn’t work with the bottom of a person’s feet. There is no mind control capable of cutting out how much that tickles.”
I rolled my eyes, laughing. “I can stop the effects of drugs. Tell me why I couldn’t stop the effects of someone tickling the bottom of my feet.”
“Different thing. Ticklish feet transcend the mind.”
My smile felt glued on. I settled my forehead between his shoulder blades again, back to tracing his muscles.
“How did you learn to do that, by the way?” he asked. “Cutting out the effect?”
“Are you sure you want yet another depressing story?”
“Lay it on me.”
“You asked for it.” I sighed. “I always try every batch of product. Drug, I guess?—“
“Product. We’ll use drugs for what Granny has put out into the world.”
“She’s just altering what I give her, but sure. Anyway, one time the journey took a sharp left and before I knew it, I was reliving my mother’s death. Only this time, I was burning alive with her. In desperation, I... found my way out. I envisioned scrubbing my blood free of the chemicals and seeing clearly again. Somehow, it worked. From then on, my hobby was figuring out how to repeat what I’d done, and then getting good at it. Mind over matter.”
“That’s incredible. And you did that with Granny’s... altered product?”
“Yes, except I realized there is a very important distinction. My product is safe to take in multiple doses—that waxy stuff is not. I don’t think I am scrubbing the effects from my body, I’m ignoring the effects somehow. I must be, right? Because that waxy stuff did not go away. It hung around, and when I put more of that poison into my bloodstream, it took me down.”
My mind drifted in that direction again.
“What sort of poisonous effect would be so incredibly addictive?” I murmured. “I took another of Granny’s doses last night?—“
“You did what?”
Weston’s sharp tone stopped me up short.
“What?” I said stupidly.
Anger blistered in each word. “You took another of those doses last night? When?”
I froze, suddenly uncomfortable. The guy could be intimidating when he wanted to be.
“Um... last night after dinner? I figured I should have a full stomach for it because of that waxy stuff.”
“Are you fucking serious?” He was off the horse in a blink. I barely had enough time to register him reaching for me before I was ripped off the back of the horse and set on my feet. He leaned down into my face, his tone icy. “You would’ve died yesterday, Aurelia. If we hadn’t given you the phoenix enhanced elixir, you would’ve died. We have precious little left and it’s not safe to bring out your animal to help you heal. If you take more of that poison, there is a damn good chance you’ll die. Is that what our sacrifice means to you?”
His anger was contagious. I was no longer a captive, not like before. I’d have a say in my life, especially in the parts that held the potential for danger.
“Your sacrifice?” I demanded. “Is that what you call it when you bash my head in? You used one of your precious elixirs for that, didn’t you?”
I’d asked Hadriel about it, and was riveted to learn how a phoenix came to be.
“You are not to take more of those drugs,” he said in a vicious tone.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do,” I spat back. “You have pack members suffering from a loss created by those drugs. I played a part in that. I’ll be damned if I don’t do everything in my power to at least try to make it right. In order to know what I’m up against, I have to understand it. In order to understand it, I have to know the effects it has on the body. To properly study the effects, I have to take it. I think I’ve gotten a handle on how long it stays in the bloodstream. It’s kind of like alcohol, I think, but the addiction is a cumulative effect. I’m starting to crave?—“
He grabbed my arm and marched me farther into the trees until we were standing on our own, without an audience.
“Are you out of your fucking mind?” he demanded in a low growl. “You’re putting yourself at risk, and we don’t have the resources to keep pulling you out. You’re starting to crave it? What happens when you get fully addicted? You’re already malnourished from that horror village. You can’t stand to eat much less and I won’t let you put yourself in harm’s way to combat an unfeeling organization that would gladly throw you back into its production like just another faceless cog. If you don’t stop, I’ll be forced to strip you of your things and tie you up, if need be. I won’t allow you to continue this madness.”
“You’d strip me of my things and tie—” I narrowed my eyes at him. “You can’t control me, so you’re going to force me to be a prisoner again, is that it? You’re the alpha—you get what you want by any means necessary.” I lifted my eyebrows in question. “People fall in line or people are forced in line, right?”
“If you don’t listen to reason, don’t do what’s in your best interest, then yes, I’ll force you to do as you’re told.”
Delicious shivers washed over me. Now was not the time to get turned on by his dominance.
I took a step toward him, my anger now unleashed. The electricity between us danced like lightning.
“Let’s get a few things straight, shall we?” My voice was firm and rough, matching his. “You don’t get to decide how I live my life because you offered to shield me from those who wish to use me. Never forget that shielding me from them helps your cause, too. Taking me to your dragons was always your end goal—I’m now helping you do that. I didn’t deliver myself into your care so that you could control me or push me around.
“That horror village, as you called it, was my home. It wasn’t pretty, but it was all I had. If nothing else, have a little fucking respect for my feelings. If I get fully addicted, which I plan to do, I’ll take notes on how it feels and prevent myself from taking more to see how long it takes to wane. All of that is relevant. Like I said, I need to understand it in order to combat it. You came for me in order to stop the drug trade, and now that I am gathering information to do exactly that, you’re pushing back and ordering me around? Fuck that. I am in a unique position to help you here. Do not prevent me from doing my job.”
“If you get addicted, you won’t be able to prevent yourself from taking more. That’s not how it works.”
“I know exactly how it works. I spoke to those who were in the throes of it. Unlike them, I know what I’m getting into. I’m approaching this the right way. You have to trust me to do my job, Weston, just as I am trusting you to do yours.”
“You’re naive, Aurelia. You don’t know how the world works.”
I scoffed. “And you do, you insufferable prick? Expecting everyone you meet to jump when you give an order is not how the world works. Not for me. Didn’t you read about all the beatings I took when I wouldn’t do as I was told?”
“Damn it, Aurelia, you stubborn—” He leaned down into my face, breathing heavy, the air between us like fire. “You will stop taking those drugs. It’s the last time I’m going to say it. You will do as you’re told.”
My whole body was vibrating with energy. With desire. With the need to fight this fucker until one of us submitted. Usually I’d want it to be me, writhing in climax. This time, I’d be damned if I let him get his way.
I held his steely glare with a matching one of my own. “Or what?”
We stared at each other for one more intense beat as I challenged his alpha authority.
Like a damn bursting, he collided with me, hands ripping at clothes, lips fused together. He pushed me up against a tree trunk, shoving down my pants and then spinning me around. My palms hit the rough bark. One of his palms slapped down onto my bare ass and the fingers of the other hand plunged into my pussy, slick from my juices.
His growl was feral, carnal. He fell to his knees behind me and licked up my center.
He ripped my pants down further with his free hand until I could step out of them and then he pushed my legs wider. He angled his head to suction my clit in his hot mouth as his other hand finger-fucked my pussy. My mouth dropped open at the onslaught, quickly and roughly stimulated.
“Fuck... you,” I said, defiant and angry all while fucking loving this.
His thumb applied pressure against my asshole. He sucked harder at my clit, angling his other fingers just right to hit where I needed.
“Holy—“ I exploded in orgasm and he moved to drink it in. It was filthy and sexy and I was still really fucking angry at him.
He yanked off his clothes as I turned. I shoved him away, only to be caught by the hair and pulled after him. He fell back into a bush and I rode him down, scratching down his chest before tweaking one of his nipples hard. He grunted as I landed on top of him, slapping him across the face even as I sank down onto his hard cock. Hand still in my hair, he yanked me closer until he could capture my lips, consuming me.
“You’ll do as you’re told,” he ground out before biting into my neck.
I slid back and forth on top of him, grinding hard on that big dick, working him in deep.
“I’ll do as I want.” I yanked his head to the side and sucked at his neck before leaving a bite mark of my own. Two could play this game. “The next time you want to fuck me, you’ll say please.”
He jerked away from my lips. The taste of blood lingered on my tongue from the vicious bite I’d inflicted. His lust-filled gaze connected with mine, fire and frustration and...
Respect.
He held me firm while he fucked up into me. I felt the swell of his cock. I rose up to get away. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knotting me.
He grabbed my shoulders, one hand firmly in my hair, his eyes rooted to mine. I saw the alpha’s need, felt a strange primal buzz between us, felt my desire to resist melting away. He fucked harder, pounding me, pushing in deep. I gasped as he pulled me down, overpowering me. Dominating me.
Fuck, that felt good.
I groaned, tilting my head back to close my eyes.
“Look at me,” he growled, his strength enveloping me.
I braced my hands around his neck and squeezed in anger. In a strange sort of kinky desire. In blind fucking lust.
The swell of his knot grew and he held himself deep, his arms holding me in place.
“You’ll take your alpha’s knot whenever I give it to you,” he said as I panted, our lips now close, his power caressing me.
My slide was smaller, feeling his pulse within me. I groaned again.
He shook me a little. “Won’t you?”
“Fuck you.”
His lips crashed onto mine, his tongue sweeping through my mouth. I fell into that kiss, the feeling of him so right, the two of us like equal halves merging to connect a solid whole. His tongue danced with mine as we ground together, arms around each other now, straining to get closer. Higher. To come harder.
He marked me again, nearly making me explode. I held strong, meeting his eyes when he was done, before bending slowly to his shoulder. He tensed but didn’t move and I lightly trailed my lips across that sensitive hollow before then dragging my teeth across his skin. His moan was low and anguished and suddenly I wanted to bite down hard. Not on his neck but here. I wanted to claim him. I wanted this alpha to be mine and mine alone, so strong and powerful, so steadfast and loyal, so fitting of his title.
I wasn’t that naive, though. Everything would change when we got back to the dragon lands. He probably had a huge line of hopeful suitors. I was a mere distraction. What a fool to think I could be anything more. What ridiculousness to want it.
I ignored the sting in my heart that accompanied those thoughts.
Regardless of our chemistry, I didn’t know anything about this guy beyond the tiny snippets I’d gleaned. This feeling would eventually wane and then what would I be left with? A really hot, somewhat tortured, dominant wolf who was great in the sack.
Okay, fine, things could be worse . . .
I continued to rake my teeth up until I bit him again on his neck, the other side this time. His groan was pure carnal delight.
“Come with me,” he commanded, his power sending a pulse straight to my core.
I blasted apart as he shuddered, his arms holding me tightly. We breathed deeply in the afterglow, his cock lodged firmly within me, pulsing in continual stimulation.
“Well, now that I have you,” I said lightly, smiling against his lips.
“We need to figure this out.” He kissed me. “I’m afraid for you, Aurelia.” He kissed me again, sucking on my bottom lip with an added sound of pleasure. “Can you at least wait until we’re back in the dragon lands and we have more medicine at our disposal?”
I gave little pumps of my hips. I couldn’t help it; that pulse was so fucking delicious.
“I’m right in how I’m treating the drug, Weston.” I pulled back so that I could look him in the eye. “I have a handle on the effects of that waxy stuff. I can tell where I am with things based on the level of sickness. Next I’ll let it start to hook me, and then I’ll stop to gain all the necessary information from the effects. It’ll be a slow plod to figure this thing out, and once I’m in the dragon court, I might not have the time. I need to start now.”
He put his palm to my cheek, his eyes igniting with a fierceness that made my insides quiver and my pulse pound harder. “They won’t hurt you. I’ll make sure of it. No harm will come to you.”
“You can’t control that. You answer to them, right? Not the other way around.”
His gaze rooted me. “I will control that.”
I shivered, kissing him. “You’re really fucking sexy. It scatters my thoughts.” I took a deep breath. I needed to get this conversation over with before the building started again and I lost all ability to focus on anything beyond the feel of his body. “Weston, honestly, this sort of approach was how I created the product in the first place. I dissected the products on the market, duplicated them, and then made them better. I can figure this out, I just need time.”
“That other product won’t kill you. This one will.”
“Only if I take too much too quickly.”
“What if there are longer term effects? It might build up over time—have you thought of that?”
“Yes. But again, I might not have time.”
“You will have a lifetime, Little Wolf. I promise.” His cock pulsed and his eyes hooded as a sensual hum rolled through my body.
I groaned. My head fell back and it took a concentrated effort to lift it up again. I loved that knot but fuck, it was not conducive to a serious conversation.
“Take this slow,” he said. “It’s dangerous. I don’t want to lose you, Aurelia.” He paused for a moment, his thumb stroking my chin, his gaze sincere. “Please, do this for me. Wait until we have some backup. The dragon queen and the king’s mother are outstanding healers. Wait until they are on hand to help in case anything goes wrong.”
“How about this. Let me take one more—” He tensed, his eyes holding a warning. I put up a finger. “One more. I have a feeling there’ll be a low-level addictive quality by then. Just one more and then I’ll stop until the dragon lands. Okay? Just let me work on part of the problem. I’m not used to being idle.”
He released a breath before covering a breast with his palm. “One more, that is it. And you’ll do it when I am on hand and watching you in case something goes wrong.”
“Okay.”
“And you won’t sneak any others when I’m not looking or I will follow through on my threat. I’ll strip you of your pack and treat you like a prisoner.”
“You just want to anger bang me again, don’t you?” I grinned at him. “I wouldn’t mind. This was fun.”
“It was. But please, Little Wolf, promise me.”
“I promise.”
I could taste the relief in his kiss, and it felt good that someone was worried about me.
“Now move a little faster,” he murmured against my lips. “I want to feel you come again before we try and calm this down so that we can get back to traveling.”
His cock pulsed again, amplifying that hum, and I let the thoughts unravel in my mind. His fingers gently twisted my nipple as I slid back and forth on top of him, moving that big cock within me. It rubbed just right, pulsing again, building me higher.
“Oh fuck, yes,” I said, moving faster.
“Fuck that cock, baby,” he groaned, grabbing my hips. “That’s right. Fuck that big cock. I want to feel you come all over my dick.”
I whimpered as I chased my orgasm, so blessedly full. Another pulse had me crying out, my climax hitting hard as he groaned, coming with me.
“Mmm, good girl,” he said, running his lips up my neck to induce one last pronounced shiver. “I love how easily I can make you come.”
So did I.
After we settled, him still pulsing within me, I melted down around him. “We really should get going.”
“It would be very awkward to try and get you up on a horse like this. I mean, we could try?—“
“No! Great gods, no.”
“We can probably find some room in one of the carts. You could?—“
“No, no,” I laughed. I leaned back enough so I could see his face. “No, I didn’t mean traveling like this. Just that we probably shouldn’t have... you know.”
“Banged? Knotted?”
“Probably both of those things, yeah.”
He nodded before pulling me closer to kiss me softly. “I wasn’t feeling all that rational.”
“Me, either.” I snuggled against him, content to be held. “You said we could try and calm it down?”
“We should try. Maybe just not think sexy thoughts?”
Yeah, right. Like that was possible with him.
I let my mind drift, trying.
“I wish I had some of my supplies. I could at least try to break down the drug and start working on which chemicals might be mixed up in it. Now is about the time when I’d ask Granny for some books that might help. I wonder if I’ll be able to find any of those. Do you have libraries in the dragon kingdom?”
He laughed, now kissing up my neck. It wasn’t helping the no-sexy-thoughts situation. “The royal library is the largest in the world. And I have some of your supplies. A bunch were broken but I brought them anyway, in case the queen needed to see them.”
I leaned back to study his face. “Which supplies, exactly?”
He hesitated. “All of them.”