Bewitching The Alpha (Hex My Heart, #3) (6 page)

“His anger only escalated when he saw your claiming mark on my neck. He hauled me into the High Council and before I knew what was going on I was given an ultimatum. In the span of a day, Julian, I gained you and lost you. And a few weeks later, our baby, too.” Tears burned and threatened to spill down her cheeks at her admission. Water rimmed her eyes and blurred out the dimmed kitchen.

“Fuck. Why didn’t you tell me? Come to me? Something?”

“Like I said, I didn’t even know
to
tell you. I didn’t know I was pregnant until Father’s spell revealed it. If I had known, our mating night would have meant more, if that’s even possible.” No matter how much she tried, he’d never understand how much or how special those few hours were when it was just the two of them. The time before ugly reality had a chance to tear her life to shreds. “And if I had, my family would have been stripped of their royal title within the High Council. We would have lost our magick too. At the time I thought...” She shrugged and let her hands drop from where they rested around his waist. “I thought my family had needed me. Turns out they needed their title more.”

“And that was worth more than what we had? Our own family?”

“At the time, yes. I thought it was my duty to put the High Council above my own needs. I was foolish, naïve and stupid.”

Julian sighed with so much frustration and hurt her own heart constricted. “No, babe. You trusted your family, naturally. No one can fault you there. Their wrongdoings are on them. Your only mistake in the matter was not trusting me to protect my mate. My family.” With an arm wrapped around her, he pulled her closer and rested a hand over her toned midriff. “I would have loved to see you grow plump with my child.” He fell to one knee, pushing her back until she rested on her elbows. Tenderly he place first one kiss right below her navel, then another and another until her head rolled from the sudden spike of adrenaline that hit her blood.

“Doctors said it was stress that caused the miscarriage.” She hitched a finger under his chin until his eyes were level with hers. “Please forgive me. Forgive me for not coming to you, for waiting so long to tell you even after I got back.” Her gaze danced between his eyes, her chest tight, waiting for his response.

“Ember.”

He straightened, wrapped his fingers around the edge of the table and leaned in until she could feel the caress of his shaft along her tender core. “You are so damn beautiful.” He paused, shaking his head, “You put up a cool front of indifference, but I know you better than anyone.”

Sweet, but not the answer she’d expected.

His gaze turned hungry. His arms went around her, drawing her flush against him from thighs to shoulders. Goddesses, the delicious caress of his chest against her nipples... Shockwaves pulsated through her body to draw out a shiver of excitement.

“There’s something else you need to know.” Her chest stilled, her fingers curling around his shoulders. It was at that moment she could see the man she fell head over heart for. The light in his eyes brightened and he looked at her with so much... love?

Hard, mad-for-her, crazy love.

And a hint of mischief. Her brow rose in question and she almost—
almost
let her chest relax enough to breathe.

“All those women you’re so worried about...”

“Yeah?” Her heart tripped over a beat.

A devilish grin drew the corner of his lips up then disappeared from view as he dropped his head.

Heat fused their kiss and the mark on her neck flared to life with a burning sensation. Worry, excitement, need for him to continue kissing her but stop and finish what he wanted to say all warred in her head. As much as she craved him, she wanted—no needed—him to finish.

She broke away and pushed at his chest. “Not fair, Julian.”

“I know.”

Cocky wolf.

His gaze traveled over her breasts, along her abdomen until she could feel the heat of his attention on her pussy. Splayed open by his body she was on full display for her alpha. “Pack mates, all of them, babe.” He turned his gaze back to her. “All there upon my request to make you hot and bothered. And to torture you as much as you tortured me. I never touched them beyond the friendly hug. They knew I was already mated.”

He nipped her shoulder and worked his way up her neck then stopped. Tenderly he pressed a kiss on her claim. “I wouldn’t change a thing, Ember. If I had it all to do again, I would go back and claim you as mine.” All playfulness left his voice. “God, I’ve missed you.” He rested his forehead against hers. “And I would have never let you leave me.” His tone tugged at her heart.

“I would never want to.”

“And now? Where do we go from here, sweetheart?”

Good question. She cupped his face and held his soft gaze. “It’s our new beginning.”

E
mber could feel the heat rising in the cabin. Odd, since snow had begun falling thirty minutes before and they were sans fire, or clothes for that matter.

“Perhaps you can never go home, but if you let me, I can be what you need, be the place where you belong and my pack your new family.” As much as she wanted to trust what he was saying, there were too many variables, too many chances for someone to betray her again. Besides, she had her sisters.

“I can feel your hesitance.”

“It’s not with you, but what if they don’t like me?”Once the words left her lips she cringed at how it sounded. But she already had one family turn on her and they were her people. She had no idea how a whole pack of shifters would look at her knowing she’d left their second-in-command high and dry.

“They’ve been wondering the same thing. Puzzled at why you’ve kept your distance. They’re ready to welcome a new pack member; the question is, you ready to let them?” Burn. Maybe her only obstacle sat a little closer to home?

Lifting her to straddle his thighs, he cupped her bottom and hauled her up the length of her shaft. All thoughts, worries and, damn, even words evaporated.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on. The feel of his smooth skin against hers, the exquisite burning need he ignited in her belly took over her senses. Strong fingers worked the fleshy plumpness of her ass. “You need more than what I can give you on my kitchen table.”

Agreed.

She watched his expression as he carried her across the kitchen, through the hallway and into his bedroom. With a snap and a simple charm, soft muted lights flickered on one by one.

He released her gently to lay her down, the supple material of cotton cradling her from behind. With the grace of a predator he moved around to the opposite side of the room and yanked the curtains open. “Moonlight should be loving your body when I take you. Again. Make no mistake, my sweet Ember, tonight I want what’s mine.” Starting at her knee, he trailed a light caress on her outer thigh then turned inward as he closed the distance to the apex of her thighs. Anticipation raced and collided with her nerves to cause her chest to rattle with heavy breaths.

“So sweet.” He lifted his head and sniffed. “And ready.” Hunger flashed in his eyes. Seconds later he stood before her, stripped of his jeans and just as ready. His thick shaft bobbed, begging her for a lick.

Who was she to deny? Her tongue slipped out to wet her lips and she pushed herself up to her knees.

“Are you begging, Ember?” She would if he kept himself from her much longer. Hades to blazes, she would do whatever he wanted.

“Would you like that? Me, like this, on my knees begging?”

His pupils dilated and slowly shifted to his wolf’s eyes. “How bad do you want it?”He moved to stand in front of her at the end of the bed, the weight of his length inches from her grasp.

His fingers wrapped around the smooth steel of his cock before she could and stroked from head to base. Once. Twice. She swallowed hard, already tasting the drop of pre-cum that wet the tip.

“Bad enough to beg,” she crooned. Heartbeat after heartbeat passed.

“You don’t need to beg for what you own. Take it. Take me. Any way you want, Ember.”

She stared at him, the truth right there for her to read. His lips curled in a warm smile. She tried to control her breathing, her frantic heart, but nothing could wrangle in the happiness that bubbled over inside her. Sweet goddesses. How did she get so lucky? When she set out tonight, her mission was singular: Get the truth. That it would lead to this—them, right here at this moment—not even Harmony with her psychic abilities could have seen this coming.

She looked up at Julian and smiled while gathering him in one hand, the other supporting her weight. With a flick of her tongue, she tasted the precious drop of desire from the tip of his shaft. Pure. Crack.

Oh hell. She moaned and her hips bucked involuntarily. Hot liquid burned her veins, traveled the length of her body until warm cream slipped from her core to wet her thighs.

“That’s it. Fuck, Ember, you have the hottest damn mouth.” His voice was strangled, controlled. He buried his fingers in her short hair and tightened his grip. Her wolf needed her.

She reached between her thighs and let her fingers find her swollen clit. Hades to blazes, she’d missed this connection with him more than she imagined. His touch. His taste.

“Take all of me.”

She obliged. Her jaw relaxed and she worked the full length of him in inch by inch until the tip caressed the back of her throat. Excitement churned through her. Magick hummed along their connection. Every emotion running through him fed into her. Weak, but after tonight their bond would be strong once again.

He pumped her mouth in a slow, steady rhythm. Delicious pressure built within her channel as she worked her clit with soft strokes.

Julian stilled. “Ember, stop.” She hollowed her cheeks as he pulled from her mouth. A deep groan her reward. “God, you’re so fucking mine.” A guttural possessive growl tore from his lips. The need to feel his hands on her overwhelmed every other thought. Lifting her up, he pulled her flush against him, his cock nestled between her thighs to rest against her aching core.

A second later she was turned around, her ass in the air, his hand running along the dip in her back. The other guiding the bulbous head of his cock along her wet slit in slow, sensuous strokes.

“Turn and look at me.” Ember angled her head. Their gazes locked and for one solid heartbeat the world imploded, leaving only them, right here right now.

Mixing every kiss, every touch with a dose of ecstasy, her blood turned to pure lust-filled liquid. Flames licked the walls of her channel, desperate for what the raw, wild look in his eyes promised. He leaned over her, his hot body pressing into hers. The delicious weight of him everything she dreamed about having again. “We are bound. Through heart...” he pressed forward, gliding through her juices until his full length buried to the hilt, “...and soul.”

Her nails dug into the sheets. Muscles clenched around his shaft. Goddesses, he was burning hot and hard. “Don’t stop.” Pressing back, she swished her hips, forcing his shaft to slip from her. Breathless. He left her completely and utterly breathless.

“Again.” He commanded, his back arched to drive deeper. Strong fingers dug into the flesh of her hips, and she rocked forward as he pulled her back. They set a steady pace that carried her deeper under the veil of submission.

Warm lips met the flesh of her cheeks. First one side then the other. With a light touch he caressed a path around her waist then slipped a finger between her folds. She sucked in a breath. Shock hit hard then bloomed on first contact, and she stilled against the wave of pleasure driving her back against him. “Easy, baby.”

His voice grew deeper, a hint he was as affected by the pleasure as she was. With one knee he pushed her thighs further apart and angled her for deeper penetration.

Through the slit of her lashes she watched him drink in the view. Every part of her on full display. “Beautiful. And mine, as long as you’ll have me.” Lifting his gaze, he looked at her. Holding her attention, he pistoned forward with a thrust that rocked her body. Fingertips glanced against her thighs, the soft touch a stark contrast to the strong man.

He gripped her in place again. Thrust.

His thighs smacked into hers, amping up the hungry ache that swirled in her belly. “Have you always needed me, Ember?” Her finger tightened in the sheets. He drove deeper, finding the bundle of nerves buried within her core. “Long for me when you were gone. Did you feel the bond pull you back?”

“Yes.” She found it harder to breath with each stroke he delivered to her channel. Her orgasm built, the pressure a delicious treat waiting just beyond her reach. Maybe if she concentrated more...

“Yes, that’s all you have?”

“Yes, always. Always, Julian. The bond was impossible to bury fully.” She angled her head to look at him over her shoulder. His eyes smoldered with the truth she freely gave. Still buried within her walls, he pulled her up flush against him. Her heart raced. Every problem before tonight and after faded into nothing. No longer could either touch her. The problems of tomorrow were nothing more than her imagination, and the painful past couldn’t touch her. Not while he held her so closely and loved her with the growing power that fed through their bond.

“Because there’s not a night I didn’t want to hunt you down, find you and claim you over and over again until you realized how much you belong to me,” he rasped.

“And you to me.”

His fingers moved between her thighs, parted her swollen lips and glanced against the super sensitive bundle of nerves hidden there. She shuddered, so close to giving him what he wanted.

Her muscles tensed as he teased her clit. “Oh, goddesses, don’t stop, Julian,” she moaned, low. Her head rolled back to rest on his shoulder, her hips bucking to the rhythm he set. Friction built, the heat almost too much to handle. Hot liquid pooled between her thighs to coat his length. “I’ve never needed anyone the way I need you.”

So close. So fucking close.

“Show me your nipples. Show me how hard they get when I claim you.” He growled out his command, pinning her back to his front.