Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Despite her odd attire, she was simply radiant, her smile infectious and her glow mesmerizing. Her long black hair, cut through with slices of white, fell around her beautiful face, her skin sun-kissed from her time outside. Her agile steps were more like a glide, her walk purposeful and effortless. I couldn’t wait to see her wolf run.
“Aurelia,” I said as she approached, my ill humor evaporating immediately in her proximity.
She spotted me, and her step faltered. Her gaze intensified as it lingered on my eyes and then roamed my face, pausing on my lips. Her eyes dropped, scanning my shoulders and turning hungry as she surveyed my chest. When she met my eyes again, I could see the heat burning within her. I could feel it within our bond, reacting to me the same way I was to her.
Flashbacks from yesterday played through my mind: ripping off her clothes and pinning her against the tree with my body; my cock plunging into her, as deep as I could go, locking her to me; the pack watching us establish a four-way bond, knowing who she belonged to.
She must’ve had similar thoughts, because her answering desire fanned my flame higher. I hadn’t realized either of us had moved until we stopped just inches from each other—her looking up at me, chest heaving, my hands dusting her hips.
“Hi,” she said breathily.
“She was just reminded that a pretty face or even a mythical creature will never compare to her mate,” my wolf said.
He was absolutely correct.
My wolf’s smugness worked into a grin on my lips.
“Hey, baby,” I replied, confident she would come around.
“Gu-guess—” She closed her eyes while clearing her throat, and I knew she was trying to wedge in a little distance between her primal desire and her logical, unemotional brain.
All I needed to do was prove to her logical side that what she felt for me was genuine. She fit with me perfectly, as did her wolf with mine. I’d questioned it when I first met her—I hadn’t understood how I could have been mated to a criminal—but getting to know her had brought me around. I couldn’t wait to watch her feelings for me blossom and grow.
Besides, I loved a good chase.
I could feel my wolf’s anticipation at the prospect.
She tried again. “Guess how many combined dicks we have between us.”
She gestured at Vemar and Hadriel, who waited patiently behind her. Hadriel had a little smirk, and I wondered if it matched mine. He’d clearly picked up on all the same things.
I shook my head slowly, falling into those sunburst eyes. “Give me a hint?”
“At least two, but those aren’t on the jackets.” Her smile intensified as Vemar guffawed.
“I heard you met Hannon,” I said lightly.
She radiated joy. “Yes. An actual phoenix! How cool is that? He seems really nice. Do you know him well?”
“Fairly well. I speak with him often. He’s kind, and he’s a gentleman.”
Hadriel inclined his head in approval as Aurelia nodded. I felt no desire coming through the bond. The last bit of tension within me eased.
“Yeah, he seemed it,” she said. “I spoke to the dragon queen’s brother . . . who is a phoenix. While dragons flew overhead. While standing in a beautiful garden on the grounds of an actual castle. This does not seem like real life.”
I answered her with a smile, while still standing within inches of her.
“He’ll be in here.” I gestured toward the door. “He can read emotions—he’s essentially a human lie detector. They are also going to give you a type of elixir that pushes someone to tell the truth.”
Time to start truly earning her trust.
“I thought about using it when I captured you from your village, but read your journals instead.” She frowned at me, but no anger came through the bond. She no longer held resentment. That was probably the most promising thing of all. “You should know they have your journals, have looked at them, and have both your and my notes regarding them. I’m sorry about the invasion of privacy.”
I meant it. I felt sick knowing that other people were reading her private thoughts. That I’d had to do it. I imagined it was a vulnerable feeling, especially with all she’d gone through, and it wasn’t fair to keep dragging her through it. We didn’t have much of a choice, though. They needed to see what the reality of her situation had been, how Aurelia had been pushed into her trade, and that I was telling the truth when I said she’d had literally no way to escape. Nothing proved her innocence better than the emotional accounts of the events.
She nodded mutely and took a deep breath. “Shall we?”
“I’m proud of you,” I murmured. “I’m proud of you for being willing to put yourself through this. For being so strong.”