Fated Betrayal: A Paranormal Erotic Romance (The Twisted Destiny Saga Book 2) (6 page)

It’ll be okay. She’s my wife. She loves me as deeply as I love her. And she’s carrying my child. We are destined to be together. No one can break that.

He took a moment to calm himself, before walking back into the palace, doing his best to push the confrontation with David out of his mind.

CHAPTER 7

Ryan smiled as he watched Cora finally open her eyes.

“Hey,” she murmured tiredly.

“Hey,” he said, stroking her hair gently as he lay beside her. “What time did you come to bed last night?”

He’d fallen asleep shortly after his head had hit the pillow. And that had been approaching the early morning hours.

“Late. My father and I were training for hours.”

“How did it go?”

She smiled happily. “It’s coming along really well actually. The hardest part was learning how to release my power. The rest is just concentration. I actually kicked his ass twice last night.”

Ryan cocked an eyebrow. “Really? Already?”

“Yeah. He was on his knees. He had to ask me to stop.”

Wow, she’s getting so much stronger, so quickly.
“Congratulations, my love,” he said, stroking her left cheek softly.

“Mmm….” she moaned agreeably.

Ryan grinned down at her. He knew that little noise of hers was her signal for
take me now.
He gazed at the duvet cover she had pulled up to her chin. “You’re naked underneath.” He’d felt her against him earlier. It was what had awoken him—her naked ass pressed against his cock.

“I was too tired to bother with pajamas.”

“Something I am
very
grateful for,” he said, climbing on top of her and straddling her hips.

“Tsk. Tsk.
You’re
wearing boxers,” she complained.

“Life’s not fair, darlin’,” he teased.

“I want you,” she said, reaching for the waistband of his boxers.

He stopped her, gripping her offending hand and telling her, “I have to leave very soon, my love. But I want to say a proper goodbye to you first.”

She shrieked as he ripped the duvet cover off her and readjusted his weight on top of her so she could feel the full length of his hard cock grinding against her pussy. She writhed beneath him, frantically trying to rub herself against him. But he held her still with his full weight. He didn’t want to fuck her like they normally did—hard and rough. Not after the incident the other night. He didn’t want to leave her with any reminder of what had happened. No, this time, he just wanted to leave her with the memory of absolute pleasure from his touch. A memory that she would never be able to forget.

“No, my love. Just relax and lie back,” he whispered in her ear.

He crawled down the bed. He nudged her thighs apart with his knees and settled between them.

His fingers spread her pussy lips apart and then his tongue flicked her clit ever so lightly. She gasped and bucked against him. He smiled to himself. She was so damn responsive. He’d have her coming within moments.

He teased her lips gently and then circled her clit, never quite touching it. It drove her crazy and she writhed beneath him in a state of barely-contained need.

“Ryan…please,” she begged.

I love it when you beg me for it
, he told her with his thoughts.

He tortured her for a little while longer before assaulting her clit mercilessly.

Oh God, yes! Yes, Ryan,
her thoughts screamed at him.

Her nails dug into his shoulders and she thrashed beneath him wildly.

Don’t make me restrain you, darlin’.

When he felt her hands fisting in his hair, trying to control his movements, he grabbed her wrists and pressed them down into the bed, holding them still.

That’s better. I love you at my mercy.

No, I want to feel you! Fuck me, Ryan.

He ignored her and continued his ministrations. She was dripping wet and he lapped at her juices furiously, savoring her sweet taste on his tongue, his lips.

Ah, not yet! Stop! I’m gonna come! No, I want you first!

But, instead, he bit down lightly on her clit. She came around him, screaming his name aloud and in his head. He kept licking her, tasting her until she whimpered for him to release her over-sensitized clit.

He pulled away and crawled back up her body. He cupped the back of her head as his lips brushed against hers gently, taking her in a soft, lingering kiss.

“I love you so much,” he told her, gazing at her in wonder. “You are perfect, my love. It hurts me to have to leave you.”

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down on top of her. “I don’t want you to go, Ryan,” she whispered in his ear.

Her words cut at his heart and he struggled to keep his emotion in check as he said softly, “Take care of our son while I’m gone, my love.”

“I will,” she responded in a broken sob.

He tightened his arms around her and cradled her head to his chest. He felt her tears on his skin. “It’s okay. I’ll be back before you know it. Focus on your training.”

“I’m sorry, Ryan. I think the pregnancy is making me more emotional than usual.”

Ryan chuckled. “I figured as much. You never need to apologize to me, though. Besides, at least I know now how much you really will miss me.”

She looked up at him and told him urgently, “Of course, I will miss you. I love you. You’re my husband, my everything.”

“I want to get us both wedding rings.”

“Really? But we’re already bonded.”

“Under wolf law, yeah. But I want everyone to know.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “You mean David, don’t you?”

“Him and…others.”

“Oh, baby. That whole fiancé thing wasn’t what you think.”

“What?” he asked, sitting up and eyeing her with surprise.

“I found out the other day. My father had sent him to protect me in the human realm.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, why the proposal?”

An uncomfortable look passed over her face as she revealed, “He wasn’t supposed to do that. My father pulled him from the human realm right after. The body I’d seen drained by vampires was just a glamour. My father was furious with him.”

Because David is a manipulative asshole.
“He wants you. He told me as much last night.”

Cora took his face in her hands and told him gently, “I don’t care how he feels. I love
you
. Only you. Always, baby.”

“I know, but—”

She silenced him with her finger to his lips. A wide grin lit up her face as she told him, “Besides, once a woman has had a wolf in her bed, there is no going back.”

Ryan burst out laughing and she joined him until they were both laughing hysterically.

“I’ll make sure I keep all my wolves away from you then,” he said, climbing off the bed.

“I
would
like a ring,” she called to him as he pulled on a pair of fresh boxers and then reached for his jeans draped over the loveseat by the window.

He turned back to her and smiled as he said, “Whatever my wife wants, she gets.”

“Anything?” she teased.

“Anything, my love.”

She chuckled and nuzzled down in the bed.

“Go back to sleep. I don’t want you to watch me leave.”

“Ryan—”

“Please, my love.”

She nodded sadly and then did as he asked, turning on her side and closing her eyes to welcome sleep.

Ryan finished dressing and shrugged on his leather jacket.

And then he slumped onto the loveseat and watched her quietly. He knew she’d be able to sense it if he left the room while she was still awake. And so, he waited until he heard her shallow breathing, indicating that she’d finally fallen asleep.

He stood up quietly, his eyes never leaving her, as he made his way to the door.
Christ, this is hard, leaving my pregnant wife like this.
It wrenched at his heart. But he knew he had no choice. He had to take care of his wolves. They needed him. And she needed her father right now—his training. He wiped away the tears that welled in his eyes, took a deep breath, and turned away from her. He opened the door and stepped outside.

CHAPTER 8

Ryan and Shaye made their way through the forest in comfortable silence. They had passed through the White Realm gates over an hour ago. They were almost out of the forest now and only about ten miles from the wolf compound. As they reached a clearing, Ryan suddenly stopped short.

“What is it?” Shaye asked, concerned, as she watched Ryan sniff at the air.

“There’s a presence,” he told her distractedly, as he tried to concentrate on exactly what he was sensing. “Vampire,” he reported.

“What? I’m not sensing anything,” she said worriedly, turning around and scanning the area anxiously.

Ryan approached her and said, “Teleport us out of here immediately.”

She nodded and gripped his hand. She closed her eyes and he watched her start drawing her magic to herself. But then she screamed and pulled back quickly, slapping her hands to her head.

“Shaye!” he cried, reaching for her.

“Someone’s…blocking me…it…hurts,” she choked out.

“It is I,” a familiar voice sounded around them.

Ryan spun around. There was no one there. But he knew that voice well. “Michael! Show yourself!”

And he did, appearing right in front of Shaye. He smirked at her as he said, “Can’t cast out my magic, Shaye?”

“Release her!” Ryan roared.

Michael turned to him and said, “I will.
If
you stand down.”

“What?”

“Luca wants a word with you. If you agree to come peacefully, I will release your white witch. And, don’t you need her to protect your wolves tonight? Well, to
try
to protect them. From the looks of it, her magic is no match for mine. Your choice, wolf. You, or your wolves.”

“No, Ryan!” Shaye screamed. “Cora’s blood runs through your veins. That is what they want.”

Ryan hesitated. He knew Shaye was right.

A bolt of red lightning shot from Michael’s hand and struck Shaye. She screamed and collapsed onto the grass, writhing in pain.

“The poison from the claws of my wolves—in magical form,” Michael told Ryan. “Comes in handy from time to time. Do you need more convincing?” he threatened as he readied his magic to strike Shaye again.

“No! Release her and I’ll meet with Luca.”

Michael smiled. “Good decision.”

Ryan watched as Michael waved his hand over Shaye, releasing her from his magical hold. Shaye climbed to her feet and glared at him heatedly. “You subvert the rules of magic.”

“I know. Brilliant, isn’t it?
So
much power.” He turned his attention back to Ryan and ordered, “On your knees, wolf.”

Ryan complied and lowered himself to his knees.

Michael approached him and withdrew a pair of cuffs from his wool coat. “Pure silver. Impenetrable by any wolf, even the Wolf King.”

“No! Leave him be! He’s already agreed to meet with Luca!” Shaye yelled, knowing, as Ryan did, the agony that the cuffs would cause him the moment they touched his skin. They weren’t just tinged with a little silver. Michael had said that they were
pure
silver.

“Shaye. Go to the compound,” Ryan told her.

“Ryan—”

“Go. Don’t tell my wolves about this until after the full moon. They will lose control if they know I’m in danger.”

The two of them locked eyes and his eyes flashed at her. He wanted her to read his thoughts. He didn’t have the ability to read hers, but he knew she could read his. She nodded, getting it, knowing him well.

If you don’t leave now, Michael will kill you and my wolves will die without your help. Draw on the magic of the coven and it will be able to overpower Michael if he attempts an attack. Please, Shaye. Leave now. I know what Michael is about to do and I don’t want you to witness it, because I know you won’t leave me. But you must. For the sake of my wolves. Please, darlin’.

He watched her nod again, letting him know that she’d read his thoughts. And then she disappeared in a flash of bright, white light.

Michael cuffed Ryan’s hands behind his back. As the pure silver made contact with his wrists it burned like a son of a bitch. He seethed in agony and fought to prevent himself from crying out. He didn’t want to give Michael the satisfaction of hearing him.

“Those should have rendered any normal wolf unconscious.”

“I am the Wolf King,” Ryan spat at him.

Michael chuckled. “But even the Wolf King won’t be able to withstand
this
.”

A rush of adrenaline shot down Ryan’s spine and his gaze snapped to Michael’s.

“Luca! Boys!” Michael called as he waved both his hands out to his sides.

A second later, Luca and two vampires appeared. Michael had hidden them in a cloak of magic.

Ryan’s eyes widened as he watched Luca and the vampires approach him with a net. He knew immediately what it was—he’d heard of such a thing. He’d just never thought he would ever see one up close and personal. It was a net made of pure silver. The silver cuffs around his wrists prevented him from moving at all—he was already too weak from the effect of them. Michael had been right—if he hadn’t been the Wolf King, he would already have passed out. And, so, he could do nothing as Luca and the vampires draped the net over him.

And then he really did scream.

The silver netting burned every part of him, melting his clothing and searing his flesh. The pain was excruciating. He could barely breathe. It felt as though every part of him was on fire.

It wasn’t long before it became too much for his body to handle.

He collapsed onto the grass.

And then everything slipped away.