Chapter 11
Lyrian
The night was dark as Zoren gently pushed me onto my back on the bed, his tall form looming over me. After everything that happened between us, we deserved this moment of relative peace.
His alpha presence filled the room, as usual, but tonight, it felt different—more intimate and protective than dominant. I knew he understood how vulnerable I felt after everything that had happened with the Lunar Harvesters, even though some time had already passed since.
He leaned down, pressing soft kisses along my jawline as his large hands traced patterns on my chest. "Let me take care of you. I know you need that. I can feel it," Zoren murmured against my skin, his deep voice husky with desire and concern.
I sighed softly, melting into his touch despite the lingering fear. His fingers danced across my birthmark, the crescent moon glowing faintly in the dim light. I had always been protective of this mark, hiding it away like a shameful secret, but now Zoren's gentle exploration made me feel cherished rather than exposed.
I wasn't feeling that way for the first time, but this time, it felt different. He was reaffirming his love for me and how much it meant to him.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered, his breath warm against my collarbone as he trailed kisses down to my chest. "Every day, when I wake up, I immediately begin to think about you."
As if in response to his words, heat began to pool between my legs—a desire that had nothing to do with fear or vulnerability. I arched into Zoren's cocooning warmth, craving more of him despite the risks we both knew lurked just beyond our door.
Zoren pulled back just a little, meeting my gaze with eyes full of lust and tenderness. "Can I make love to you? Here, in this safe space?"
He didn't have to ask. Everything in my body was screaming for the answer he was looking for.
I nodded without saying anything, too overwhelmed by emotions and arousal to find words. His hands slid down to the waistband of my pants, pausing for a moment as if seeking further permission.
For a cartel boss, he was surprisingly well-educated.
As he slowly unbuttoned them, something shifted within me—not just desire, but an unfamiliar sensation deep inside that felt almost...wrong. It wasn't pain or discomfort exactly, but rather an inexplicable wrongness that I couldn't quite place.
As Zoren's hands explored my body, a strange sensation began to build inside me—an unfamiliar tightness in my core that I couldn't quite identify. What was it?
It wasn't painful or uncomfortable exactly, but it felt out of place amidst the heat and desire coursing through my veins.
"Zoren," I breathed his name as his fingers traced patterns on my skin, leaving trails of goosebumps in their wake. "There's something... I need to tell you. It's important."
I didn't want to stop what was happening, but didn't have another choice.
My mate paused, lifting his head to meet my gaze with concern etched across his features. He was always attentive like that, even when we were completely immersed in our sex.
"What is it?" Zoren asked gently, though there was a hint of wariness beneath his tone. His hands stilled on my skin, waiting for me to continue as I gathered my thoughts.
I bit my lip, unsure how he would react to this particular revelation about myself. It wasn't something I had ever shared with anyone before—not even Mae. "It's...part of why we've always been able to hide so easily from the Harvesters," I began.
My voice echoed my hesitation, but there wasn't anything I could do about it.
Zoren raised an eyebrow in question as his gaze locked onto mine, signaling me to continue explaining whatever this secret was that seemed to be troubling my mind right then.
Whatever it was, he wanted it dealt with as soon as possible so we could resume what we were doing.
His expression remained calm and collected despite the obvious curiosity burning behind those eyes.
"There's something different about you right now," Zoren murmured against my skin as he trailed kisses down my neck. "You don't react to alpha pheromones in the same way. The way you react to mine is something I've never seen before."
His words sent a chill of fear down my spine, but I tried to shake it off with a deep breath. It was true—I had always been more resistant to the effects of pheromones compared to others like me.
All of a sudden, Zoren paused his movements and sat up on the bed beside me as he stared at me wide-eyed in shock.
"There's more... something else that might be connected."
Zoren cocked an eyebrow upward as if he was challenging me to continue explaining what the hell was going on right then. And I was going to. I made an oath not to lie to him again and intended to keep my word.
I took another deep breath, preparing myself for the revelation ahead of me. It was going to be difficult, but something in me was telling me that it was going to be worth it.
"You already know I'm not just your average omega, but it's more than that," I confessed with a slight tremor in my voice. "My birthmark is more than a symbol that lights up to warn me about danger; it's an active part of who I am."
Zoren arched an eyebrow at that statement but remained silent, waiting to hear out what I had to say next about this revelation regarding my origins.
"I inherited powers from my grandmother," I continued as Zoren listened without as much as blinking. "She was the last of our coven before she died protecting me years ago. The Lunar Harvesters didn't expect her power because they believed moon-blessed omegas couldn't breed anymore. But that was a lie perpetrated by my grandmother. She used it to keep us safe."
A pause followed where Zoren seemed to absorb all that information in silence until he spoke up once again, breaking through my trail of thought.
"So, what exactly does this mean?" He asked as his eyes searched mine for answers, but he wasn't going to find any just by looking. "What kind of power do you have that you haven't told me about yet?"
I sighed softly before leaning forward slightly towards him so I could whisper into his ear. I felt paranoid, as though someone might be listening. I knew it was a silly thought, but I couldn't shake it from my mind.
I hesitated for just a moment, the weight of what I was about to reveal settling over me like a cool blanket. "When I touch someone... it can influence emotions and memories in others," I murmured, tracing patterns on the sheets with my fingers as if they held all the answers. Deep inside, I was hoping they did, even though it was just another silly thought.
Zoren's eyes widened just a bit, but he didn't break our gaze. "How does that work exactly?" His voice was tinged with both awe and a hint of wariness, as if he wasn't quite sure how to process this new information about me.
Even I was struggling to explain it to him. My grandmother knew everything, so we never had a conversation like this, and no one else could know about my power.
"I... well, when I touch someone or look deeply into their eyes, I can see glimpses of their past," I explained, my heart pounding in my chest. It felt like it was going to burst right through the ribcage. "And sometimes, the emotions they're feeling are so strong that they spill over onto me."
Zoren nodded slowly, absorbing this new piece of information about me as if he were savoring every word. "So, you could... change how someone feels just by touching them?" There was a glint in his eyes, almost mischievous, but there was also an undercurrent of something deeper—something that made my stomach flutter.
Several implications were connected to my statement. I didn't even like to think about them. I just hoped that Zoren wasn't going to change how he thought about me.
I bit my lip, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. "Not exactly," I said, trying to find the right words. "But... if someone is really close to me, and they're willing, I can help them remember things they've forgotten—or maybe even feel something new."
Zoren's fingers traced the line of my jaw, sending shivers down my spine. "Would you do that for me?" He murmured, his voice full of longing.
I was surprised he asked. I thought it would be a deal breaker—that he wouldn't want anything to do with me anymore. After all, I could change how he felt about me. Shouldn't he be wondering if I altered his mind so he'd like me? I was pretty sure that thought crossed his mind, but he didn't want to voice it. He trusted me, above all else.
A few seconds later, I nodded, feeling a rush of affection for him. "Of course," I said, reaching out to touch his hand with mine, our fingers intertwining. His skin was warm and familiar. I could keep doing this for hours on end. If only it were possible…
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, savoring the occasion as if it were a cherished memory already. And even if it wasn't supposed to be that way at first, he would change it so that it became. He was determined to make the most of his time with me. Zoren was strong and fearless, but even he didn’t know if we would stay like this until we grew old.
When he opened his beautiful eyes again, they were filled with such warmth and love that my heart swelled. "Show me something. Show me what you can see. Show me that you really have the power you said you have," he murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper.
I wasn't going to disappoint him. I couldn't. I knew he would stay with me, even if I couldn’t show him what he wanted, but I didn’t want him to think I was lying. Still, I didn’t have to worry too much about it. I wasn't lying.
I took a deep breath, feeling the power within me stirring. I could feel the memories and emotions swirling just beneath the surface, waiting to be shared. With Zoren's permission, I touched his forehead gently with my hand, letting the warmth of our connection flow between us.
"I can show you... what we might have," I said softly, my voice trembling slightly as I let the power take hold. "All the moments and memories we could create together."
Zoren's eyes widened in wonder, and he leaned against me, his breathing growing shallower as he surrendered to the magic between us. "I see... so many colors," he murmured, his voice filled with awe. "And there are... feelings too. Happiness, joy, contentment... I didn't think it was going to be like this and I'm happily surprised."
His words were like music to my ears, and I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.
Still sitting in the same place we were, lost in the magic of the moment, hunger began to stir within us. More specifically, there was a hunger in his eyes that I was seeing at that very moment, and it was the prelude to something I wanted.
Zoren's hands moved to the hem of my shirt, slowly pulling it up and over my head, exposing my bare chest. I shivered as the cool air hit my skin, but it was quickly replaced by the warmth of Zoren's fingers as he explored my torso with reverent movements.
He got what he came for. The answer he was looking for was his, but now his focus had shifted. He wanted me—all of me—and I was ready to give it to him.
"You don't need to tell me anything else. I've heard enough," Zoren murmured, his voice husky with desire. "I just need to know that you trust me, and that you're here with me, in this moment. I don't want you to think about anything else. I want you thinking only about us."
I nodded, my throat too tight to speak as I watched him remove his own shirt, revealing the sculpted muscles beneath. He was a work of art, all hard planes, and sharp angles, and I ached to run my hands over every inch of him.
I couldn't believe how, in one moment, he was completely absorbed in uncovering another detail about me, and the next, his focus shifted—just as it had so many times before—to bringing me pleasure.
Zoren seemed to sense my thoughts, and he smiled, a slow, wicked curve of his lips that sent heat rushing through my veins. He knew the effect that was going to have on me and took advantage of it as much as he could.
"Let me take care of you," he whispered, and he didn't have to repeat himself. He could do whatever he wanted to me. I trusted him.
I lifted my hips, allowing him to slide my underwear down my legs and toss it aside. And then, I was bare before him, my cock already hard and leaking against my stomach. Zoren's eyes darkened as he took in the sight of me, and he licked his lips as if he were starving.
And he might as well be. From the moment this started, his mind was fixed on one thing: how much pleasure he was going to give me.
"Beautiful, as usual," he breathed, and then his hands were on me again, cupping the weight of my balls in his palm, rolling them gently as if they were precious gems.
I gasped, my head falling back against the pillows as pleasure sparked through my body. Zoren's fingers were electric, setting my nerve endings alight with sensation. He worked me slowly, teasing me as much as possible, until I was writhing beneath him, desperate for more.
The best part was knowing he wasn’t done—he was going to give me everything he had planned. I could see it clearly in his eyes.
"Please," I whimpered, not even sure what I was begging for. I couldn't find the right words. All I knew was that when I said 'please,' he understood me perfectly.
Zoren seemed satisfied, and he smiled, a slow, wicked curve of his lips that promised all sorts of delights.
He leaned down, his breath hot against the sensitive skin of my inner thigh, and I shuddered, my cock twitching with anticipation. And then, his mouth was on me, his tongue swirling around the head of my cock before he took me deep, all the way to the back of his throat.
I didn't think he was going to do that. It was the first time he was doing it, and it caught me completely by surprise.
I cried out, my fingers tangling in his hair as he worked me with lips and tongue and throat. He was relentless, determined to bring me to the edge of ecstasy and beyond. And just when I thought I couldn't take anymore, he pulled away, leaving me gasping and desperate.
Zoren chuckled, a low, dark sound that sent shivers down my spine. " It would be too soon, so I'm not about to make it that easy for you," he said, his voice rough with his own desire. "I'm not done with you yet. Not by a long shot."
He pushed me onto my hands and knees, and I felt the blunt head of his cock pressing against my entrance. I bore down, trying to take him inside, and he slid in with a groan, stretching me open around his thick length.
He changed from pleasuring my junk to penetrating me, and it was already the best thing about this moment.
"Fuck," he growled, his fingers digging into my hips as he started to move. "You feel so good, so tight and hot around me." He took a deep breath, as if preparing me for his next words. "I know we spend a lot of time together every day, but you have no idea how much I've missed being inside of you."
I could only moan in response, lost in the sensation of him filling me, claiming me, making me his. He set a hard, fast pace, pounding into me with a force that rocked me forward with each thrust.
And then, he was coming, his knot swelling inside me, locking us together as he spilled his seed deep in my core. I could feel it, hot and thick, painting my insides with his essence.
It wasn't going to get me pregnant again, but I wished it could. The thought alone brought a smile to my face.
"Mine," he snarled, his teeth sinking into the back of my neck, marking me, claiming me again for all to see. "You're mine, now and forever."
I could only whimper my agreement, my own orgasm crashing over me like an unstoppable surge, my cock pulsing as I spilled onto the sheets beneath us.
This moment would forever remain etched in my mind and I would always treasure it.