Chapter 21
Phoenix
“Oh fuck…” I groaned as Karrick’s thick cock slipped inside me. Overwhelming bliss filled me from head to toe as he pushed deeper, forcing me to savor every exquisite inch of his girthy cock.
My entire body shuddered as he filled me completely, his massive form hovering above me, casting me in shadow. The dim light from his bedside lamp caught on his tusks as he smiled down at me, his brown eyes nearly black with desire.
“You okay?” he rumbled, his voice so deep I could feel it vibrate through my chest.
“More than okay,” I whispered, reaching up to stroke the coarse fur along his jaw. “Now fuck me.”
He growled in response, the sound deep and possessive as he began to move.
Each thrust sent sparks of pleasure racing up my spine, making my toes curl and my back arch off the mattress.
The heavy weight of his balls slapped against me with each powerful movement, a reminder of just how much bigger he was, how completely he dominated me.
“Phoenix,” he moaned, leaning down to nuzzle his face against my neck. His hot breath tickled my skin as he inhaled deeply. “You smell so fucking good.”
I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him deeper, wanting and needing more of him. The mate bond between us pulsed with each thrust, amplifying every sensation until I couldn’t tell where my pleasure ended and his began.
“Harder,” I begged, digging my fingers into the thick fur covering his broad back. “Please, Karrick.”
He obliged immediately, his powerful hips snapping forward with enough force to make the bed frame creak in protest. The sound of our bodies coming together filled the small dorm room, obscene and perfect.
“You take me so well,” he panted, his claws carefully gripping my hips. “It’s incredible.”
I couldn’t form words anymore, reduced to desperate moans and whimpers as he hit that perfect spot inside me over and over. My cock leaked steadily between us, untouched but so hard it ached.
“Karrick,” I gasped, feeling the familiar tightness building in my core. “I’m close...”
“Cum for me,” he growled against my throat, his pace never faltering. “I want to feel you.”
His words pushed me over the edge. My orgasm crashed through me like a tidal wave without every touching myself.
It made my entire body convulse as I painted both our chests with my cum.
The intensity of it left me seeing stars, my muscles clenching around him as waves of pleasure rolled through me.
Karrick’s roar followed moments later, his hips stuttering as he buried himself deep inside me. I could feel his seed filling me, claiming me once again. The mate bond sang between us, a golden thread of pure contentment and love.
We stayed like that for long moments, both of us breathing hard. Finally, he carefully pulled out and collapsed beside me on the narrow dorm bed, immediately pulling me against his massive chest. His fur was damp with sweat, and I could feel his heart hammering beneath my cheek.
“Wow...” I started, then trailed off, not having adequate words.
“Yeah,” he agreed, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of my head. “Pretty good if you ask me.”
I traced lazy patterns through the thick hair covering his chest, marveling at how right this felt. How complete. “I love you,” I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
His arms tightened around me. “I love you too, Phoenix. It seems fast, but then again… it doesn’t. I knew you for so long as a kid and now… now it doesn’t feel like a leap to say that.”
I nodded against his chest, feeling the bond between us swell with warmth and love. I knew he meant it; I could feel the truth pulsing between us. And it didn’t scare me at all. It was just honesty.
We lay in comfortable silence for a while, basking in the afterglow and the warm pulse of our bond. Eventually, Karrick spoke up.
“So... homecoming is this weekend,” he said, his voice carefully casual.
I lifted my head to look at him. “Yeah?”
“The football game is Friday night. Big rivalry match against Hollow Academy.” He was trying to sound nonchalant, but I could sense his nervousness through our connection. “I was wondering if... maybe you’d want to come watch?”
My stomach immediately knotted with anxiety. “Karrick, I don’t know. Being seen at your game... that’s not very aligned with what people expect from me.”
“You wouldn’t be there for me, officially,” he said quickly. “Just... a student supporting the team. Bring Lila. Make it look like you’re just hanging out with a friend.”
I bit my lip, weighing the risks. “What if someone notices? What if they see us looking at each other? Lila isn’t exactly subtle either. I’m not supposed to be making friends with anyone that isn’t a witch.”
“I just... I want you there, Phoenix. I want to know you’re in the stands cheering for me, even if I can’t acknowledge it. Even if people don’t accept it.” He paused for a long moment. “I understand if you can’t, and I’m not trying to guilt you into it… I just… I like feeling you close by.”
The raw vulnerability in his voice made my chest ache. I could feel how much this meant to him through our bond. It wasn’t just about having me there but having some small piece of normalcy in our relationship. That was something both of us craved desperately.
“Okay,” I said, the word feeling both terrifying and thrilling. It was a risk, but one I felt I could take without too much blowback. “I’ll come.”
Karrick’s face lit up with such joy that any doubts I had immediately vanished. His smile was so bright it made his tusks more prominent, and I couldn’t help but reach up to trace one with my finger.
“Really?” he asked, his voice thick with emotion.
“Really,” I confirmed. “I’ll bring Lila. We’ll just be two students supporting the school team. Nothing suspicious about that.”
He pulled me closer, nuzzling his face into my hair and inhaling me deeply. “Thank you,” he whispered. “It means more than you know.”
I could feel exactly how much it meant through our bond.
There was a surge of happiness so intense it made my own heart swell.
For a moment, I let myself imagine what it would be like if we didn’t have to hide.
If I could openly cheer for him, wear his jersey, kiss him after the game regardless of who was watching.
“What position do you play?” I asked, realizing I knew literally nothing about football.
Karrick chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. “Defensive line. I basically stop the other team from getting to our quarterback. Who, between you and me, could use a few more clobberings. The dude can be a dick sometimes.”
“So you’re good at protecting people,” I said softly.
“I try to be.” His hand stroked my back. “Especially the ones I care about.”
The implications weren’t lost on me. Karrick had always been protective, even when we were kids.
I remembered how he’d stand between me and any perceived danger, whether it was a snake on the trail or older kids who might have given us trouble or a bear that had suddenly appeared as we came around a bend in the path.
“What time is the game?” I asked, settling back against his chest.
“Seven. But you should get there by six-thirty to get good seats. The stands fill up fast for homecoming. And the concession lines can be long.”
I nodded, already mentally preparing what I would wear. It would have to be something that wouldn’t draw attention, something that would help me blend in with the crowd and not be recognized.
“And after the game?” I asked, trailing my fingers through the fur on his chest.
His eyes darkened. “After the game, I was hoping you might sneak back here. Win or lose, I’ll want to see you.”
“I think that can be arranged,” I said with a smile. “Lila’s been giving me tips on all the best secret meeting spots around campus.”
Karrick raised an eyebrow. “Has she now?”
“Don’t worry, I’ve been sparing you the details of our conversations,” I laughed. “Trust me, you don’t want to know half the things she’s told me.”
“That vampire is something else,” he said, shaking his head. “But I’m glad you have her. Everyone needs a friend they can trust.”
The word friend hung between us, a reminder of what we’d once been to each other before life and prejudice had torn us apart.
Now we were so much more, yet still hiding as if our connection was something shameful.
It broke my heart to hide how I felt from Karrick and the world.
But for now, it was a necessary evil. All we had to do was get through college and we’d be free.
Four years had never seemed like such an impossible amount of time.
“After we graduate, we can go anywhere,” Karrick said softly, as if reading my thoughts. “Somewhere nobody knows us or cares what we are. We could have a normal life.”
I pressed a kiss to his collarbone, tasting the salt of his skin beyond the fur. “Four years feels like forever right now.”
“It’ll go faster than you think,” he murmured, his claws gently combing through my hair. “And in the meantime, we have this. We have each other.”
The bond between us pulsed with warmth and certainty.
He was right. Whatever we had to endure to keep this secret, it was worth it.
I’d spent too many years without him to give up now.
It didn’t matter what kind of fucked up things my parents were involved with.
Karrick was mine, and I was never going to let him go.
“I should probably head back to my room soon,” I said reluctantly, though I made no move to leave the comfort of his arms. “Thomas will be suspicious if I’m gone too long.”
Karrick’s arms tightened around me. “Five more minutes?”
I couldn’t help but smile at the pleading note in his voice. For someone who projected such a tough, macho image on the football field and around campus, he was surprisingly tender with me.
“Five more minutes,” I agreed.
We settled back into comfortable silence, and I let myself memorize this moment - the steady rhythm of his breathing, the way his fur felt against my skin, the absolute rightness of being held by him.
Friday suddenly couldn’t come fast enough.
The thought of watching him play, of seeing him in his element even if I couldn’t openly cheer for him, sent a thrill through me.
“What jersey number are you?” I asked.
“Forty-seven,” he said, pride evident in his voice. “You thinking of getting a jersey?”
I laughed. “That would be subtle. ‘Hey everyone, look at me wearing the Beastkin player’s number for no particular reason.’”
“Fair point,” he chuckled. “Though I’d love to see you in my jersey sometime. Maybe here… in just my jersey.”
The image made the heat pool in my stomach again, and I felt Karrick’s responding arousal through our bond. At this rate, I was never going to get out of his room in five minutes. But I wasn’t sure I cared. Instead, I crawled into Karrick’s lap and wrapped my arms around his neck.
“I love you so much,” I murmured, biting his lower lip.
“Fuck…” he groaned, his hands already on my ass. “I love you too, Phoenix. More than anything.”