51. Chapter Fifty-One
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
WILDER
I stand outside the door, arms crossed, doing my best to maintain a semblance of patience. The muffled voices inside are faint, barely discernible, but the energy that ripples through the air—the connection between them—is unmistakable. A reunion long overdue, the final bond snapping back into place. They deserve their moment, and I don’t intend to interrupt it.
But Caius has other plans.
"Honestly, Caius, we should wait?—"
He snorts, waving me off with a flick of his wrist. “They’ve had hours,” he mutters, throwing a mischievous grin over his shoulder. “Besides, do you really think Az would care? He’ll be grateful. He loves us. All of us.”
I highly doubt that.
“Doesn’t mean they wouldn’t want privacy,” I argue, my hand reaching for Caius’s arm in an attempt to stop him. But he’s already in motion, shrugging off my grip, recklessness in his eyes as his mate just stares on.
With a dramatic flair that I’m certain he saved just for this moment, Caius kicks the door open, sending it slamming against the wall with a resounding thud. Aggonid sighs beside me, rolling his eyes, though the faint smile tugging at his lips betrays him.
“Finally!” Emeric’s laughter fills the space as he barrels through the doorway, following right on Caius’s heels. “Our shadows rise again,” he declares, amused, his grin as wide as ever as he stops in front of the bed.
My heart squeezes, relief flooding my chest at seeing with my own eyes what I already feel in our bond. I step into the room more cautiously, giving them all a moment as Caius makes his way to the foot of the bed. His eyes widen, brows arching as his attention falls on Morte and Az, still wrapped around each other. A wicked grin tugs at his lips.
“See? Told you,” he crows, glancing at me over his shoulder. “They were ready for us.”
Morte hides her face against Azazel’s chest, a blush on her cheeks and a shy smile gracing her lips.
Aggonid walks in behind me, quieter than the rest of them, his stare locked onto Morte, the smirk on his lips softening, something almost tender. He clears his throat, leaning against the doorframe, his eyes shiny, almost glowing. “Mind if we join?” He keeps his voice light, but the question carries a weight beyond just words.
Az takes a deep breath, his gaze shifting between us, and finally, he inclines his head, a crooked smile forming. “Might as well.”
“Move over,” Emeric grumbles, shoving past Caius to climb onto the bed. He sprawls out beside Morte, his arm brushing against her shoulder, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips. “This is more like it.”
Caius laughs, the sound loud and uninhibited as he moves to the other side, nudging Aggonid out of his way. He settles between them, nudging Emeric gently with his shoulder. “Think we’ll fit?”
Aggonid climbs on more gracefully, slipping beside Emeric, his hand reaching out for Morte’s, his eyes almost tender as he looks at her. “We’ll make it work.”
Az wraps an arm around Emeric’s shoulder, tugging him closer. “It’s good to be back,” he murmurs, his eyes closing, exhaustion and contentment settling over his features .
I stay by the door for a moment longer, letting the laughter wash over me, watching as they all fall into place around each other—the way they belong. The way we all belong.
Morte’s eyes meet mine as I stare at her from across the room, and a hint of vulnerability passes over them as she holds out her hand for me, her shell bracelet dangling from her wrist.
I spot the bite marks on both their necks, waiting for the surge of jealousy I’d expected to feel, but instead, a warmth spreads through me knowing my anchor is so loved and protected by so many.
I cross the room and take her outstretched hand, allowing her to pull me onto the crowded bed and settle between her thighs.
“Hey, that’s not fair, I didn’t know that was an option!” Caius pouts, his tail flicking playfully against my leg in mock annoyance. “Dibs next time.”
Morte chuckles, her fingers threading through my hair. "You'll have to fight Wilder for it. He's quite possessive."
I lean back against her chest, feeling her heartbeat against my spine. “You’re damn right I am,” I murmur, turning my head to press a soft kiss to her jaw.
Emeric snorts, his eyes still closed.
I flop over, bringing my chest to Morte’s. “Are you tired, Little Bird?” I whisper in her ear.
The perfume of her arousal fills my senses, and I feel her shiver beneath me. Her fingers tighten in my hair as she pulls me closer, her breath hot against my ear.
“Not anymore,” she breathes, lips brushing against my skin.
I trail kisses down her neck, pausing to nip gently at the mark left by Azazel. Morte gasps softly as the others shift around us, her fingers tangling in my hair as she guides me lower while I trace the curve of her collarbone with my tongue.
The bed creaks softly as I pull back, resting my ass on my heels while I pull my shirt off me.
Morte’s fingers trace the wave tattoos on my abs, her eyes darkening. My skin tingles where she grazes, and her hands slip under my waistband to relieve me of my pants .
I lift my hips, allowing her to slide them down my legs. Her eyes roam over my body, her stare hungry and appreciative. I lean down, capturing her lips in a kiss before pulling her to me, my hands gripping her thighs as she straddles my hips. She sinks down onto me with a soft moan, her wet heat enveloping my cock. I groan at the sensation, my hands gripping her hips as she begins to move.
“You going to bite me, too?” I whisper in her ear. “Lay your claim on me that you’ve had since the day you spied on me at the waterfall?” She’s done it before, but after dying that mark is gone now, and by the gods, I want it back.
Her breath hitches, her movements faltering for a moment. “I’m going to bite all of you,” she purrs, rolling her hips in a way that drags a groan out of me.
I thread my fingers through her hair, gripping it at the base as I press her lips to my neck. “Then fucking take it.”
She doesn’t hesitate, and exquisite pleasure chases away the sharp bite of pain as she marks me, her inner walls clenching around my length.
I growl low in my throat, the sensation of her teeth in my flesh igniting a primal urge within me. With a swift movement, I flip us over, pinning Morte beneath me as I drive deeper into her welcoming heat. Her legs wrap around my waist, pulling me closer as I thrust into her with renewed vigor. Her nails rake down my back, leaving trails of fire in their wake. The pain only fuels my desire, driving me to claim her more thoroughly.
"Harder," Morte gasps, her head thrown back in ecstasy. "Make me yours."
“Grab the headboard,” I growl.
She obeys, her fingers wrapping around the ornate wooden frame above her head. I grip her hips, angling them upward as I thrust even deeper. She cries out, her back arching off the bed.
“Look how well she takes you,” Caius muses, eyes on where we’re joined while he gives himself a tug.
I glance at Caius, a predatory grin spreading across my face. "She was made for us," I growl, never slowing my punishing pace .
She whimpers, her eyes fluttering open to take in the sight of her other mates. The rest of them have removed their clothes, eyes on our mate beneath me.
Her attention locks on Caius, her eyes burning with desire. "Come here," she breathes, her voice thick with need.
Caius doesn't hesitate, moving to kneel beside her head on the bed. He threads his fingers through her hair, guiding her mouth to his pierced length. She eagerly takes him in, her tongue swirling around his tip before she hollows her cheeks and sucks him deeper.
He groans, his arm braced against the wall, head resting against it as he gently rocks his hips. His tail brushes against her breasts before the tip slides between her legs.
She moans around his length, the vibrations making him shudder with pleasure.
Her inner walls clench around me, her climax building. My own release coils tight in my abdomen as I drive into her with even more intensity, determined to push her over the edge. Caius matches my rhythm, his hips rocking in counterpoint as our mate takes him deeper. Her muffled cries of pleasure grow louder, more desperate.
"That's it, Little Bird," I growl.
Caius roars, his hips stuttering as he finds his release, spilling down Morte's eager throat. She swallows every drop, her tongue lapping at him even as her own climax crashes over her. Her pussy clamps down on me like a vise, pulling me over the edge with her. I thrust deep one final time, grinding against her as I empty myself inside her.
As the waves of ecstasy ebb, I pull out slowly, admiring the sight of my release trickling from her pussy.
Caius falls onto the bed, legs splayed and boneless next to us. Morte gives him a little shove.
“You okay there, big guy?” She grins down at him.
“Just trying,” he breathes, “to figure out which hole I like more.”
Morte giggles, leaning over to press her lips to his. She lets out a yelp as she’s dragged by her ankle across the bed and pinned under Aggonid .
His red eyes flash as his shadows loop around her wrists and bind her legs to opposite ends of the bed.
“Who said you were done?” He grins down at her, playfully nipping at her nipple.
“Oh, fuck.”