heel of my shoe. Then I set Natasha

ooked at each other. My gaze dr

er's scent, almost

his mate, and the Consort i

ep in my bones, and so did she, even if Na

ant, we reached

people who had been kept apart no

Long, bit

ger flickered

have always

y m

d down her elegant neck until I reached

d that mark that never

ark. My c

tattoo.

l of death from our

owed how little Brent understood about souls that were truly meant to be toge

re than a tool. A way to boost

d protector of his sacred flame. They needed each other to survive. When an Alpha fina

a never had that

ver meant to

nt-do you hear me? She

hile I made love to her, just so Brent would feel it. So he

killed him, I would earn the right to have Natasha by force. That was not the way I wanted it. I did not want to stake my claim throug

e were meant for

o with my nail. As I did, a low sound slipped

I savored the fresh intimacy between us. My hand travel

touch. She sensed the brea

m my mouth and stared up at m

had vanished from her eyes. Her scent, too, grew even more alluring. That f

ad marked, or after their time together. But tonight,

eling, and I knew why. By severing that delicate link between her and

t just any Alpha-I was

has. We were direct descendants of the First Beings, the on

finitely more dangerous than

I leaned in close and explained in a

tween her and my cousin. I could only weaken it, or blo

s. I could see the curiosity burning in he

now how powerfu

om. Did the First Beings really emerge from

loodline in the Cortez family ran so d

re Brent and you the only ones in the family who inherited the supernatural

nd my eyes. My commanding voice

tas

mediately regretted it, so I gently wrapped my arms around her waist

w, I'll answer everything you w

closing the distance and sil

l my arousal against her belly through the sharp trousers I wore tonight. She shivered in my embrace as I let my hand slide down he

ck, rising on her toes to rub her warmth against

ween us fierce and wild, our hearts burni

and I buried my face in her soft hair, drink

d away, unable to

ndressing. I tore her dress

ruined dress to bother covering herse

t my clothes with just as much impatience as I felt. I was only halfway through loosening my tie wh

pulled the shirt off my shoulders, her eyes widening as she stared at the tattoo cov

. The feathe

ne passed down through my mother, the

it was pleased to witness my union with my Consort at last. The Alpha's tattoo was alive- an outward sign

make it followed the ancient method of those spirit

ay it seemed to breathe with supernatural life. For a mome

my chest, giving her the chance to touch me. Natasha let out a soft gasp of surp

owly sliding it from the loops of my pants. Her hand traveled down from my

then leaned in close, movin

y pants and ea

entle eyes fixed on the bulge in my boxers. She moved slowly, never looking away,

, staring at the swollen, flushed ti

apped her hand around the base of m

on in her expression as she tasted me for the first time, her tongue exploring with a hunger that took my b

ng such closeness, and together,

e from Natasha, but all of t

pleasure escaped me. My hand settled gently on her head while she lavished attent

nd her to surrender and take everything from her. But I had sensed, even through her silence, just how harsh Brent had been with her in t

the keeper of my soul. The true heart of my world. I w

deny her anything, and above all, to never force her into anythin

a gift unlik

I could bring crow

could awaken alphas

drawing another deep, sati

harder and har

ep co

ature inside me that was

r, to lose myself i

p, I knew I wo

spered, my voice r

ds of love. She looked up at me with such

dea what she

stood-at least, that

houlders and gently

p going, I'

first release to

the shoulders and kissed her deeply, tasting myself on her tongue and breathing in the scent of her arousal. My han

inside me, making the blaze burn so hot it threat

ha must have been just as desperate as I was, because she i

lifted toward me so beautifully. They were perfect-neither

I was desperate

side her. I could see the same hunger burning in her eyes. He

ng her tumble backward. Gripping my arousal, I moved closer t

didn't have

back to my room that I hadn't even though

atasha asked timi

at I had forgotten to bring protection. "Bu

e, she looked away and admitted, "Brent and I have tried for a long time...

y Consort was infertile. We woul

kind-it was heartbreaking. Among alpha consorts, infertility was an unspoken wound. Non-dominant alpha women often dreamed of being chosen as soulmates, guardians of

apart, taking in the sight of her soft, dark curls and the sweet wetness that told me how much she wanted me. My need to taste her was fierce, but at that moment, the urge to be inside her was even stronger. T

ng our gaze as she looked back at

h word or cruel act Brent had ever used to make her feel unworthy-especia

ider, inviting me in. I eased one finger inside her, then anoth

. Just before she could reach the edge, I withdrew my fin

ween her soft, slick folds, letting her feel the heat and promise of

f her delicate body, as I fought to enter her gen

o cherish every inch

n time, but tonight, our bo

I leaned down to her left breast and bit h

possible, and w

something deeper-irrational, w

ifting her chest so I could sink my

east, I bit down and tasted the

in my hair, holding m

ompletely, and I belonged to her. In that ins

t go too, crying out her name with everything in m

ash