Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
King Tovik
Hundreds of fresh-faced wolf shifters stare at me in silence as I walk the line, inspecting them. They’ve come from all over the kingdom to patrol the Blood River and to keep our wolves in Varkhar, and now the humans in Aurevale, safe.
I was hoping for a few dozen, but we got over two hundred. It’s more than enough to keep the Blood River secure. The Hollowborn won’t stand a chance.
I move down the line, checking the boys. Some have just barely gotten hair on their chins, but we’ll find a use for them. Cassius and I agreed to send our veteran guards to the most dangerous areas while these new recruits get their paws wet.
“It’s okay to be afraid,” I holler. “That fear keeps you alive. What I don’t want to see is complacency. When you let your guard down, you become Hollowborn food.”
The kid in front of me—thirteen years at the most—trembles as I stop in front of him. I give him a nod and smack his shoulder before moving on.
“Listen to the men who’ve been doing this a long time,” I holler as I walk down the line.
“Do what they do. Think how they think. They’ve stayed alive out here.
You can learn a lot from them. There is power in the pack.
The Hollowborn are ruthless and vicious, but we are stronger when we work together.
No beast in all the nine kingdoms can overcome a pack working together. Now, everyone phase.”
The line of recruits starts popping into wolves of all shapes, colors, and sizes.
I move down the line, checking claws and inspecting teeth.
Some are small, but they’ll grow. These recruits will be helping to secure Vaela’s homeland for the next decade or so.
It’s a responsibility I take very seriously.
I won’t let anything happen to my mate’s family.
Just the thought of her throws off my focus. The sexy image of her with my cock in her hand, burying it into her mouth as I growled and snarled in bliss… Fuck… I can’t even think straight.
It’s a struggle to go on with these sensual thoughts while she’s back in the castle waiting for me, but I do. Keeping my girl safe is not a responsibility I take lightly, no matter what my carnal desires are begging for.
By the time I dismiss the recruits, the sun is dipping low over the training grounds, painting everything in a golden hue. I catch myself grinning like a fool as I race back to the castle for dinner with her.
Cassius is waiting outside the hall, already dressed and ready for our dinner. I quickly throw on some fine clothes and join him.
When we’re inside the dining room and Vaela walks in, I nearly collapse at the stunning sight.
She’s wearing a light purple dress tonight, the material looking as soft and beautiful as her pale skin. Her hair is a nest of curls and waves, pinned up with sparkling jewels, and the smile on her face is one I’ll never forget.
“Did you miss me, boys?” she asks with a grin as she glides in like a goddess.
“More than you could ever know,” I say.
This princess looks like she was born for a throne. Our throne.
We sit down and have a lovely dinner. This time, my nerves are in check and I’m able to eat. I’ve barely eaten in days and I catch the princess watching in awe at how much I’m wolfing down.
Cassius gets her laughing about the new recruits and how they had the same look of shock as she did when she arrived in the courtyard.
“Although they didn’t look nearly as beautiful,” he says with a grin.
Her cheeks blush as she playfully swats his hand. “I bet they weren’t so foolish as to show up in a fancy dress and silk slippers.”
“It wasn’t foolish, Princess,” I tell her. “You looked every bit the queen that Varkhar needs.”
“That reminds me,” Cassius says. “We’d like to show you the throne room after dinner. Would you like to see where you’ll be sitting between us?”
“Perhaps I’d prefer to sit on your laps?” she says, teasingly.
“I was hoping you’d say our faces,” Cassius says, grinning.
She blushes as she takes a sip of her wine. “Perhaps we can arrange that,” she whispers.
We’re both in awe as we listen to her tell us about Lark and her family and her life growing up. I hang on every word. I want to know everything about her. I feel like I’ve missed so much.
By the time the plates are cleared and the candles have burned low, we are ready to move on. I catch a glimpse of her neck and feel my heart pounding as I imagine my mark there, making her mine forever.
Cassius catches my eye across the table. I can tell he’s thinking the same thing.
It’s time to mark our girl.
“Should we move on to the throne room?” he throws out casually.
“I’d like to see it,” Vaela says, placing her napkin on the table.
I get up and pull out her chair. Cassius offers his hand as our mate stands.
“Such gentlemen,” she whispers.
“Not for long,” I growl under my breath.
She grins as she gives me a knowing look.
We each take one of her soft, delicate hands and guide her to the throne room. The doors rise up ahead of us, tall and iron-banded. I push them open easily and the princess drags her hand along my bicep as she walks in, gasping at the vast room.
It has the tallest ceilings in the castle with long banners hanging down the stone walls. It’s mostly empty with three prominent thrones on the raised dais on the far side of the room. For too long, the middle throne has been empty. No longer.
Our queen has arrived.
We keep our heated eyes on her as she glides into the room, spinning around as she looks up at the vaulted ceiling.
Her neck is extra exposed as she raises her chin and I can feel both of our wolves growling in anticipation.
It’s been killing them to have her here without our marks on her neck.
Teasing them like this is just being cruel.
I close the heavy doors and lift the large beam into the brackets, locking them. No one will interrupt us in here. Not tonight.
We can do whatever we like, just the three of us.
Cassius and I share a dark look as we follow Vaela over to the thrones. She drags her hand along the red velvet material as she admires the carvings along the armrests and back.
“Is it to your liking, Princess?” Cassius asks.
“It’s beautiful,” she says. “Fit for a queen.”
“Fit for you, I hope,” I say.
She smiles at us with those adorable blushing cheeks. I never knew beauty like this existed in the world until I saw her. I’m finding it more and more impossible to look away whenever she’s in the room.
“Have a seat,” Cassius says as we walk up the steps. “See how it feels.”
She takes a deep breath as she tucks her dress under her legs and carefully sits down. We both watch in awe as our queen’s throne is finally filled. There’s no one more perfect for the job than her.
“I’m glad it’s you,” I say, kneeling in front of her. “I’m so glad it’s you.”
“Aww,” she says as Cassius kneels down on her other side. We each take one of her hands. “I’m glad it’s me too.”
She leans forward and kisses my mouth. I moan as I taste her sweetness mixed with the bloodberry wine from dinner. Our tongues tangle as I cup her jaw and pull her closer, careful not to be too rough.
Kissing her is my new favorite thing in the world. After a long moment, she pulls back just enough to catch her breath. Her eyes are glassy as she looks at my mouth, her lips all puffy and red.
She turns, and Cassius doesn’t wait. He cups her jaw and draws her mouth to his, groaning low in his chest the second their lips meet.
“Gods,” he whispers against her mouth. “I’ve been thinking about this all through dinner.”
She smiles and continues the kiss, her fingers sliding into his hair.
I stay kneeling by her side, my hand sliding up her bare calf as I watch them. My wolf paces under my skin, restless and hungry to put his mark on her.
There’s no jealousy as I watch them—only desperate need. She’s ours. Both of ours. And tonight, on this throne built for a queen who finally has a name, we’re going to make sure she knows it.
Her legs part as I slide my hand up under her dress. I continue over her trembling knee and onto her soft thigh. I feel the heat as I get closer. Her pussy is smelling so hot and ready, it makes my mouth water.
My wolf growls inside as I reach her damp mound. She shivers and moans as I slide my fingers up her sex, trying to stop myself from ripping her pretty purple dress to shreds.
Meanwhile, she’s still kissing Cassius as he reaches down and slides his hand into her dress, pulling one breast out at a time. I stare at her perfect pink nipples and take one into my mouth as I grab her panties and pull them down her legs.
“Yes,” she moans as she slides her hand into my hair, holding my mouth against her chest. I drag my tongue across her hard nipple and kiss the soft flesh around it.
When I’ve coated both of her breasts with my mouth, I turn my attention back down to her lower half. The heady scent of her lust fills my lungs as I pull her dress up her thighs.
“This is a pretty dress,” Cassius says between kisses, “but it would look better on the floor, I think. What do you think, Tovik?”
I don’t even answer. I just start lifting it. She stands up and Cassius and I pull it over her head.
My eyes dart right to her virgin pussy, glistening in the light from the torches. Awe hits me right in the chest and I can’t breathe as I stare at her beauty.
“Let’s get you a better view, Tovik,” Cassius says as he guides her back onto the throne. I take one leg and he takes the other. Our Vaela moans as we spread her legs, revealing everything.
My mouth waters as I stare at her pink pussy, ready for the taking.
I need to have a taste first. I won’t be able to breathe until I do.
She sucks in a breath and curses as I lunge forward and begin to devour her. I planned to go slow and be gentle, but once my mouth touches her soft folds, I’m like a beast licking, sucking, and kissing every inch of her sweet pussy.