Chapter 27
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
LASH
Warm water flowed over our bodies, drenching my clothes and making them heavy. But I didn’t care.
After not leaving her side for days on end, being apart from her had been almost unbearable. It didn’t matter that it was only for a couple of hours while Tauren and his toadies bombarded me with questions. She was all I’d thought as I endured their relentless stream of insults and commands.
A few months ago, that kind of treatment would have sent me into a fit of rage. Every taunt would have been met with a fist. Every insinuation that I was lying with a claw. Every provocation with the sweet revenge of watching their blood spill onto the floor.
But not today.
Today I balled my fists, bit my tongue, and answered every bark and inquiry.
Yes, I know where Nelissa’s camp is located.
Yes, I know her battle plans—I helped create them.
Yes, Felicity really is my mate.
And no, I’m not lying.
This went on for several hours—the same questions over and over. They were trying to break me, but there was nothing to break. Every word I spoke was the truth, and the only thing I cared about was getting back to Felicity.
I got through the hours, every interminable minute, by focusing on the image of her face. Her smile. The look in her eyes as she gazed up at me in desire.
The same look she was giving me now.
I kissed her hard, taking my prize, but all the while wanting more.
“Lash,” she breathed hard and heavy against my lips. “Your clothes.”
Did she really think that I gave a shit about a few swaths of fabric right now? After making it through the day alive? “I don’t care.”
“Well, I do,” she laughed. “They’ll make the water dirty.”
I grumbled at her logic. She was right, of course. After a full week of stealth travel through the woods, nearly every inch of us was filthy, clothes included.
Besides, right now I wanted to feel all of her. No barriers between us. Just water and skin and heat.
So with a vexed groan, I thrust myself back up to my feet, peeling off the sopping gear as fast as my hands could move, spurred on by the sight of Felicity staring up hungrily at my exposed body. Before the last of the rags could hit the floor, I was back on top of her.
“Better?” I growled as I pressed my lips against her neck.
“God, yes,” she cried, leaving me to wonder if she was answering my question or simply reacting to my kiss…or both.
No matter the reason, the sound spurred me on. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I rolled us over in the tub so our positions were switched—her on the top and me on the bottom.
Hell, yeah.
I liked it better this way. With her soft, slender legs straddling my hips and her spine stretched straight and tall, I could see every gorgeous inch of her.
I watched the bathwater cascade down her breasts, individual drops pooling on her tightened nipples before falling back into the tub below.
I licked my lips in anticipation as steam rose up through the tendrils of her wet hair, making her beauty seem even more ethereal.
And my cock hardened as the weight of her small body pressed down against mine, the opening between her legs grinding slowly against my skin.
“Fates, you drive me mad,” I told her, wrapping one hand around the swell of her hip while I cupped the other over the curve of her shoulder.
She smiled, a look of pride flashing in her eyes.
Pride that she was my lover. Pride that she was my mate.
It was an emotion I was unused to. No one had ever been proud of me before. Not my family. Not pack. Not anyone.
Not until today, when Felicity had stood tall in front of a battalion of hostile enemy strangers and proudly declared herself mine.
“Lash, please.” Her whispered plea washed over me, as soft and warm as the water clinging to our skin.
I didn’t make her wait.
Guiding her hips back, I slid her over the ridge of my swelling cock. Her eyes closed, and her lips parted as her head fell back. Her sweet moan filled the room—and I was lost.
Lifting her up, I positioned her hips right above the head of my cock, teasing her opening until the heated wash of slick I craved poured out to coat my shaft.
Her moans turned to cries as I lowered her down. I grit my teeth, resisting the greedy urge to move faster, to take all of her at once. But Felicity showed no such restraint.
The instant her legs were pressed against my body, she started to move. Rising and falling, pivoting her hips so her clit rubbed against my groin with every sway.
Merciful Fates, it was heaven.
My muscles tightened as she sped her movements. Giving more. Taking all.
The sound of her pleasure bounced off the walls of our chamber, loud enough to slip through the thin cracks around the solid redwood door, I was sure.
But I didn’t care if she didn’t.
Those self-righteous guards outside could think whatever the hell they wanted about me, so long as they knew I was the only one who could make Felicity cry out in perfect pleasure.
When her legs tired, I tightened my grip around her hips and steered her myself, matching the rhythm of the strokes to the tempo of her moans. My arms supported her weight as her inner walls constricted around my cock.
I went on as long as I could, savoring the sounds and sights and feel of our lovemaking until I couldn’t take any more. Until the sweet contractions of her climax gripped me fast and dragged me over the edge with her.
My hips bucked as jet after jet of come exploded deep inside her, my knot locking us tight and sealing us together.
I wrapped my arms around Felicity as she collapsed against my chest. Several minutes later, after our breathing had slowed, but before my knot had eased, she lifted her chin just far enough to look me in the eye.
“How did it go with the other alphas?” she asked.
Water sluiced over my shoulders as I shrugged. “It could have been worse.”
She graced me with a tired smile. “For you, or for them?”
“Both,” I teased back. “I answered all their questions, but I don’t think they believed a single one of my answers.”
She raised her hand to tenderly cup my cheek. “That’s because you’re a liar.”
“Hey!”
“Why are you upset?” she asked, contented smile still plastered all over her face. “You’re the one who told me you’d killed Hannah.”
Oh, yeah—that.
“I meant to clear that up, but it kept slipping my mind.”
Her eyes narrowed skeptically. “The fact that you didn’t murder an innocent woman kept slipping your mind?”
“To be fair, I’ve killed a lot of people,” I said, gently stroking back her hair so I could see those beautiful sapphire eyes of hers a little better. “You can’t expect me to remember all the people I killed.”
Her mouth flattened. “See, this is why people don’t trust you.”
“I don’t need people to trust me,” I told her plainly. “I just need you to.”
“Well, then swear to me right now that you’ll never lie to me again.”
“About everything? Or murder specifically?” I teased.
Felicity slapped her hand against my chest. “Everything.”
“Done,” I swore without hesitation. “From this moment on, I promise to be nothing but honest with you, my love.”
Her eyes lit up, the corners shooting up in surprise. “My love?”
“You’re the one who wanted the truth,” I said. “Or have you changed your mind so quickly?”
“Absolutely not.” Inching her way up my chest, she pressed her lips against mine.
Even though the water was cooling, new heat washed over my skin. The last swell of my knot had finally faded away, allowing me to rise up from the tub, lifting her with me as I went.
“What are you doing?” she asked, as I stepped out of the tub and toward the bed.
“What do you think? I’m bringing my mate to our bed for the night.”
“But we just finished a few minutes ago.”
“Are you bored with me that quickly?” I teased.
“No, but?—“
A hard knock at the door cut off whatever silly argument had been about to come out of her mouth.
“What?” I shouted, stopping in the middle of the floor, just feet from the bed.
“Your dinner,” a gruff voice answered from the other side.
“Leave it.”
“But—“
“I said, leave it,” I snapped. “We’re not hungry yet.” Then, lowering Felicity’s warm, naked body down on the mattress, I tented my arms over her. “Not for food at least.”