Chapter 24 Julie
I saw stars the second Grtirr’s cock slammed back into me, and my fingers clawed the furs beneath me.
In this position, with my ass in the air and his hands gripping my hips, he felt huge.
It felt like I was being split open in the best way possible.
The stretch bordered on overwhelming, especially when those ridges rubbed inside me like they were designed specifically to unravel me from the inside out.
They dragged against every sensitive inch of my pussy and hit my G-spot perfectly.
Each thrust sent a jolt of pleasure straight through me, his cock stretching me wider, filling me deeper than I thought possible.
I was already climbing when his tail slipped between my thighs.
The tip pressed against my clit, vibrating in sharp, relentless pulses, and I nearly came on the spot.
The sensation was too much. Between the stretch of his cock, the twist of his ridges, and the buzz of his tail against my clit, I’d climbed so high I thought I’d never come down again.
My legs shook, my fingers digging into the furs as he fucked me harder, his hips slamming against my ass with every thrust.
I screamed again, my voice raw. I was already so close, my body coiled tight, my pussy clenching around him like it never wanted to let go.
He growled, his grip on my hips tightening, his claws pricking my skin. “Take me,” he snarled. “Take all of me.”
And then I was coming, my orgasm hitting me like a loaded transport.
My body locked up as pleasure ripped through me.
I screamed, my pussy clamping down on him so hard that he had to fight to move.
His ridges drilled inside me, rubbing against every nerve ending, dragging my climax out until I was nothing but a trembling, gasping mess.
But Grtirr didn’t stop. My virile Kadrixan warrior kept fucking me, his hips pistoning against mine, until I was begging, my voice hoarse. “Please, please… I can’t.” I was already broken into a million pieces, and at this rate, I’d never be whole again.
He snarled, his cock swelling even more inside me as he buried himself deep and came with a roar. I felt every pulse of his release, hot and thick, filling me up until it dripped down my thighs.
For a long moment, neither of us moved. Then he pulled out slowly, his cock glistening with our combined release, before he rolled me onto my side and yanked me against him. His arms locked around me, his chest pressed to my back, his breath hot against my neck.
I sighed, my body still humming, my pussy throbbing from the pounding he’d given me.
***
I didn’t know how long we napped, but when I woke the nest was warm and the air was still thick with the scent of sex and pheromones. Grtirr had already cleaned me up and tossed the soiled pillows out of our nest bed. There were still plenty left, soft and plump, piled high around us.
And yes, Grtirr had really leaned into it and gone for an actual round nest! And I was all for it.
The sheets were that soft and silky fabric I loved so much, the ones that always felt cool against the skin. The furs were soft and luxurious. And there were pillows of all sorts, so I would always be able to find the perfect one.
I tried to get out of the bed to check out the rest of the cave, but the walls were padded and curved, making it almost impossible to climb out without help. I flopped back down with a groan, only then noticing the railing and padded step on the side.
“Duh! There’s a step!”
Grtirr chuckled, offering me his hand. “Let me show you around.”
I took it, letting him pull me to my feet. The moment I stepped out of the nest, I gasped.
String lights twinkled overhead, casting a warm glow over everything. Large gems and pretty rocks sparkled on every surface, arranged like little treasures. Smaller gems were strung up and hung to glitter under the lights.
He guided me toward the back of the cave, where a sturdy work table stood.
“So you can continue your lapidary hobby.”
The table was already set up with a proper wet belt sander, an array of tools, and even a small vise for holding stones steady. I couldn’t believe it! This was similar to the old-school setup I’d always dreamed of but could never have, except it was clearly repurposed Kadrixan equipment.
One stone caught my eye. I picked it up and turned it in my hand. It was still raw and a normal person might just overlook it as a plain rock, but I saw the iridescent vein between the dull layers of pitch.
“The vendor guessed it would be similar to the opal you purchased once cut.” Grtirr glanced down at the table. “Even though there are no cutting tools.”
I grinned. “It’s called cutting, but we’re actually grinding away the parts we don’t want.”
There were more raw gems, ones I recognized as having been mined from this mountain. My fingers itched to touch them, polish them, and turn them into something beautiful. Grtirr had built this place with me in mind. A little lump formed in my throat.
Back on Nova Vita, I’d read and researched on this hobby, but never had the means to actually get into it properly. I’d done the best I could, finding pretty rocks and using repurposed wire. This meant so much to me.
I wandered deeper, my fingers trailing over the smooth surface of the table.
There were potted plants scattered around, their leaves lush and green.
I had mentioned plants in that questionnaire way back when I first arrived at the stronghold.
Back on Nova Vita, I couldn’t afford a pet, but I’d tried to bring life into my apartment with store-bought plants.
They’d looked great scattered between my rock collection, like a little piece of the wild in my tame little home.
But I’d never been great at keeping things alive. By the time I’d dragged myself home from the hospital after that kidney infection, every single one of them had withered into brittle, sad little husks. I’d thrown them out, too exhausted to even feel guilty about it.
I frowned at the lack of soil. I tried to pick up one of the pots and realized there was another pot underneath filled with water. Oh! They were self-watering. These might survive after all!
He showed me the kitchen next, and my stomach growled on cue. There was no food replicator, but there was a sleek little stove, a cooling unit already humming with food, and—oh! The cupboards were stuffed full of snacks! Snacks, spices, even a few of my favorite treats. He must’ve researched.
There were also the creature comforts to make our stay during future ruts much more enjoyable. Couples often spent their yearly ruts in their nests; a few lived in them full-time.
The only thing that confused me was the strange, tower-like structure in the corner.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“For Tatertot,” Grtirr answered. “If she ever joins us. Vostak has a similar one for Hardtack. Tatertot can’t climb up here on her own, so we’d have to bring her.”
Golden eyes locked onto mine for a single, electric second before flicking away. His tail twitched, and his claws flexed against his thighs. Was he… nervous?
I knew exactly what he was waiting for. I needed to verbally accept his nest, and in the process, accept the mating.
My chest tightened like a fist had wrapped around my ribs.
Did I love him? The question gnawed at me, like a cooki chewing its way through leftovers.
The mate bond hummed between us; that part was undeniable now.
But love? I didn’t know. Maybe? But was that real?
Was that me, or just some alien pheromone bullshit designed to turn my brain into a puddle of goo?
Ugh.
I hated overthinking. Did I even have a choice at this point, or was I just as locked in by the mate bond as Grtirr?
And was that even a bad thing? A few weeks ago, I’d have said yes.
It was a horrible thing to be stuck with the bossiest, grumpiest Kadrixan of them all, but I didn’t think so anymore.
And he wasn’t so grumpy now that he’d accepted the mate bond. He was still bossy though.
Then, before I could even continue overthinking, Grtirr dropped to one knee in front of me, just like in those old Earth vids I’d watched with Dana back on Nova Vita.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, worn box.
My heart was slamming against my ribs so hard I thought it might crack, as he opened it. There, inside, was the ring.
The gorgeous sky-blue oval sapphire gleamed under the fairy lights, flanked by two triangle-cut diamonds. The ring I’d spent a solid ten minutes drooling over on Halcyon Station. The one I’d told myself was frivolous, impractical, stupid to even think about. He’d gone back for it!
He’d gone back for it despite believing that two of the three stones were practically worthless aside from historical value and sparkle.
I couldn’t believe he’d actually done it.
Oh, fuck it. Who the hell cared if this was real love right now or not? True love would blossom eventually anyway. It always did with the mate bond. I was doing it. I was going to tell him yes, I’d be his mate.
And it wasn’t just about the ring, it was about the fact that he’d somehow figured out I was a sucker for grand gestures and romantic rituals, and had gone all out.
The round nest bed. The workbench. The filled cupboard of snacks.
The plants. And yes, the ring helped too—okay, it helped a lot.
But he could’ve gotten down on his knees and proposed with a rock from the cave floor, and I would’ve said yes. Why? Because the intent was there.
I knew he thought of these customs and gestures as silly, but he did them anyway. For me.
Grtirr’s golden eyes burned into mine. “Julie,” he growled. “Will you be my mate?”