Читать книгу The Colony Boxed Set 1 - Grace Goodwin - Страница 11

Rachel

Head spinning, I woke lying in some kind of medical station. The room was sparse, to say the least. My mates stood beside me, one at each shoulder as a third Prillon wearing a dark green uniform stood near my feet.

I blinked and my mates leaned down. “Am I on Earth?”

I knew the answer, but it was almost too unreal to assume otherwise.

“No, you are on The Colony,” Maxim said, tucking something around me. “Your processing was successful and we transported directly to the medical unit so the doctor can ensure you are well. Two transports in one day can be taxing, and you are so small and fragile.”

Small? Fragile? I was above average in every way, height, weight, cup-size and attitude, and I’d worked fourteen hours a day, every day, for the last four years. I’d worked two jobs through grad school. Just because I didn’t want to be murdered in jail didn’t mean I was fragile. Or weak.

I looked down, noticing the soft gray blanket. I was naked beneath as I could feel the chill of the exam table. The idea of being bare while they were clothed held appeal, but not like this. Not with the stern doctor. This wasn’t hot at all.

“Yes. I will assess her now and ensure that the biological regulatory implants are functioning properly.”

The doctor was Prillon as well, his coloring a shade between Maxim and Ryston. I was recognizing their physical traits, their size. Their dominating personalities. That was all fine and good with my mates. I could sense their emotions. I could forgive them being a bit bossy and overbearing when I felt the desire and longing that accompanied their words and actions. But the doctor? No.

Pushing up first on my elbows, then up to a sitting position, I took in the doctor as I wrapped the blanket around my back. Seeing my struggle, Ryston assisted in covering me, his gaze flicking once to the doctor. He wore a dark green uniform, more like scrubs than armor. His coloring was golden, more like Ryston than Maxim, but darker. Like honey mixed with a dash of cinnamon. I couldn’t see all of his body, but his left hand was strangely silver, just like Ryston’s temple. That was the only thing I could see that was cyborg. Maybe he had more under that shirt, but I didn’t care to see it. The only aliens I was interested in seeing naked were mine.

The doctor held a strange instrument in each of his hands, lifted one and waved it before me. Lights glowed on the cylindrical tube and he studied them.

“What does your magic wand do, doctor? Can it detect vascular changes, blood oxygen levels? Just the usual vitals?” I asked. “Of course, I don’t know what you guys consider vital.”

He arched one brow.

“This tool analyzes everything from your capillary refill to your kidney function. If there is an abnormality, it will inform me. Then I will perform secondary testing.”

A reasonable answer. As he continued to wave that stick around, Maxim and Ryston eyed me as if I might either leap off the table and run away or possibly implode from transport. I could sense their worry, but didn’t understand the cause. Was I missing something? I looked down at myself. What had been part of the transport processing? What about me had to be modified to live on The Colony? To be a Prillon bride? Lifting my hand to my face, I felt to see if I had a metal implant in my eye.

“Are you hurt?” Maxim asked. The doctor lifted the wand to my face.

I shook my head. “No. I just wondered…wondered what had been done to me before transport. Did I get some silver stuff, too?”

“No. Absolutely not. No Hive implant will ever taint your perfect flesh. I assure you. We will keep you safe from the Hive, from any harm that may come to you.”

The doctor cleared his throat. “Greetings. I am Doctor Surnen.”

“Doctor.” It wasn’t, perhaps, what I was supposed to say, but sitting there naked with three aliens was making me a bit edgy.

The doctor continued with his weird scanning thing as he spoke. “A typical Prillon bride receives body regulatory implants and a full health assessment prior to arrival.”

“Body regulatory implants?” What. The. Hell.

Doctor Surnen turned a slightly darker shade of gold and I wondered if he was blushing? Seriously? Had he never seen a girl before? What, exactly, had they done to me before I woke?

“Microscopic implants were inserted into all of your excretory cavities during the processing phase of your transport. They will be in constant communication with our system and eliminate all body waste as it is created via transport. All matter is collected and reassigned in our Spontaneous Matter Generators. We call them S-Gen units. I’m sure your mates will show you how to use them once you are in your quarters.”

Speechless. That was the only word I had. Had he just said what I thought he said? “So, I never have to empty my bowel or bladder again? Ever?”

The doctor nodded, his shoulders slumping in obvious relief that I’d understood. “Correct. So long as you remain within transmission distance of our systems, here, on The Colony, on Prillon Prime, or in one of our battleship groups.”

I didn’t know what to think. As a scientist, I was impressed. The technology he referenced was so far advanced from what could be done on Earth that my mind was thinking of that and not the ick factor I should consider.

But that thought fled my mind when the doctor traded implements and said, “Lie back, put your feet on the edge of the table and part your legs.”

He held up an object that looked like a dildo with a couple of things sticking off. I had a B.O.B, a battery operated boyfriend, in my bedside drawer. What single woman didn’t? That didn’t mean I wanted to have one used on me under the guise of medical science. With a lover, sure. If Maxim or Ryston had said the same command, I might have actually done their bidding just to see what kind of kinky fun might happen next, but not with the damn doctor.

I did exactly the opposite, squeezing my knees together. “I don’t think so.”

The doctor repeated his words.

“From your testing, you probably discovered that my hearing and brain function is fine,” I countered. “The answer is still no.”

His lips thinned into a line and he glanced at Maxim and Ryston.

“They may be my mates, but they don’t have any say. My body, my choice.”

“Is that Earth terminology?” he countered.

“Explain to me, in Prillon terminology, why you need to stick that probe in me.”

“The sensors will help determine that your nervous system is functioning at optimal levels and that you are healthy and fertile for breeding.”

My mouth fell open and I realized he was being serious. Actually, I realized the man—no, the Prillon—was always serious. So I glanced at Maxim and Ryston, who remained silent.

“I’m a scientist. I have a PhD. I am not naive enough to think that my vagina is where you test a human’s nervous system. As for the rest, no fucking way.”

I hopped off the table, tugged the blanket around me.

“Rachel—”

“Breed?” That word made me see red and I whirled around on my mates. “I’m not a dog and this isn’t a puppy mill.” I saw red, literally, swaying for a moment as I was sure my blood pressure spiked. “No. Take me back. I’m not playing this game with you. With any of you.”

When the men frowned in obvious confusion, I continued. “I’ll explain myself in terms you might understand. At the bride testing center you were worried about your contaminated flesh making you deficient in my eyes. And now you want to test me for fertility? What if I’m not fertile? What if I can’t have a baby? Will you find me deficient? Lacking? I thought we were matched because we were perfect for each other. Not based on whether or not I could get pregnant.”

“You will let your mate speak to you this way?” the doctor asked Maxim. His voice was harsh and held some surprise.

These guys needed a swift kick in the balls. Seriously. This place needed more women to bring them into some semblance of the 21^st century. “And I thought you guys were an advanced race. What a joke.” I walked toward what I assumed was a door. It looked like a door, a big, gray sliding door that I hoped would open when I got close. I’d find my way back to the stupid transport room and chalk this up to a stupid, naïve moment of weakness.

I was thirty-two, not twenty-two. I knew better than to believe in fairy tales.

The door didn’t open and I gathered my will to demand to be released. I turned to find Maxim watching me intently. The doctor mumbled under his breath, but I didn’t want nor care to know what he said. Ryston stood by, waiting.

God, what kind of planet was this? People weren’t allowed to speak up for themselves? If the answer was no and I’d done something horribly wrong within five minutes of arrival, what was he going to do about it?

“Yes, my mate will always be free to speak her mind to me,” Maxim finally said. “And she’s right.”

I exhaled, not realizing I had been holding my breath.

“You can’t be serious,” the doctor countered. “The testing is a requirement of all Prillon—”

Maxim lifted his hand to silence him. “I’m aware of the testing requirements, but my mate is also correct. I don’t care if she’s fertile or not. It’s irrelevant.”

“But that was part of the reasoning for accepting mates from the Brides Program, to start families on The Colony. To grow.”

This wasn’t Noah’s ark, for God’s sake, but I doubted they knew that story and doubted they’d be happy to hear it. I was just glad Maxim was agreeing with me.

“It is not her sole responsibility to populate The Colony’s future generations, Doctor Surnen. Remember, the bond Ryston and I share with Rachel is stronger than regular Prillon mates. We have the collars and the bond that brings, but we also were matched by the Interstellar Brides Program’s matching protocol. We are doubly suited. I will not reject her, regardless of the results of your tests. Therefore, the testing is no longer necessary. She’s ours.”

The corner of his mouth tipped up as he held out his hand. I looked at it, so big, the fingers blunt and long, then walked over and took it. His touch was surprisingly gentle for one of his size. All at once I felt his emotions, his power, roiling through him. He was angry, whether at the doctor for his meddling, or for another reason, I had no idea. I could only hope he wasn’t angry with me.

“As governor, you need to lead by example,” the doctor added.

“Yes, I do. But finding mates through the Brides Program is unprecedented.”

“The very reason to ensure she is well.” The doctor was like a dog with a bone. Did he want to shove something in my vagina that badly?

Maxim reached out, took the probe thing from the doctor’s hands and tossed it to Ryston.

“Thank you for your professional opinions on this matter. We will see to our mate. Privately. If we’re going to put something in her pussy, it’s not going to be a probe.”

Oh. My. God. The combination of Maxim’s command and his blatant innuendo had me dripping in eagerness for him. I imagined exactly what he was going to probe me with. Then I glanced at Ryston and imagined his probe. I gulped, then again when Ryston studied the medical device and placed it on the exam table before moving to stand beside me. I was flanked by two big, very serious Prillon warriors who said I belonged to them.

The doctor nodded once. “As you wish, Governor. May I offer you the ATB? That is standard protocol for all new Prillon brides, and is meant to ensure her comfort and pleasure. She will experience extreme discomfort if not properly prepared for the claiming ceremony.”

Properly prepared? What the hell was this doctor talking about? I had no idea, but Maxim nodded and the doctor went to a cabinet to retrieve a small metal box. The ATB was about the size of a lunchbox, although without a handle.

Ryston stepped forward to take it as Maxim led me to the door, which slid open with a whooshing sound for him, just like in the sci-fi movies. What, was I not tall enough to activate the sensor or something? I searched the wall for a sensor, but could find nothing before Maxim led me into the corridor.

“Doctor,” Maxim called over his shoulder.

“Yes, Governor,” he replied.

“The she you are referring to is my mate. She is Lady Rone to you.”

“Yes, Governor,” he repeated, this time a little more contrite.

Maxim’s satisfaction coursed through my veins, which distracted me temporarily from my situation. I stalled, making Maxim tug on my hand before he, too, stopped.

“I do not know where we are going and I am walking around with just a blanket.” While I didn’t mind him stripping it from me, I wasn’t keen on that happening in this strange white-and-green hallway.

I felt his annoyance through our joined hands.

“If you are so frustrated and angry with me, then perhaps you would be happier with a new mate.”

Maxim looked down at our interlocked fingers. I felt Ryston’s satisfaction through our connection. How could he be so content with the situation and Maxim so disappointed in me at the same time?

“Ah, I see,” Maxim said, his voice losing all the harsh edges. For once, it was soft and smooth, quiet even.

“See what?” I asked, a snap in my voice.

“The collars share our feelings too well, don’t they?” Maxim asked, stroking his knuckles down my cheek, then sliding back and forth over the damn collar. I felt that, not just against my skin, but through my emotions. Maxim’s anger and rising lust. Ryston’s longing and envy at his touch.

“Our bond, the connection between us, is very intense. It will take some time, but you will begin to filter our emotions. For now, know I am not angry or frustrated with you, mate. I am angry at the doctor’s strict adherence to the rules. I am angry at myself for being a hypocrite. I am also upset with myself for not taking care of you and your basic needs, such as providing you with clothing and comfort. Ryston.”

He only said his second’s name, nothing more, and the man went ahead of us down the hall and around a corner out of sight.

Maxim stared down into my eyes, his sincerity and desire to make me happy coming through the collar loud and clear. “Being a mate is new to me. I am sorry for my shortcomings. Ryston will have clothes ready for you in our suite of rooms. In the meantime—”

He picked me up into his arms and carried me down the hall. I gripped his shoulders, afraid of falling, but I shouldn’t have bothered. I felt dwarfed in his hold, his firm embrace. He wasn’t going to let me fall. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to me. I sensed it in him. When I relaxed, I knew he sensed my trust and pleasure at his care as easily as I had sensed his frustration moments ago.

“In the meantime, I’m to roam the base naked?”

Maxim looked down at me with his dark eyes as he continued to walk. “While you can sense my feelings, do not doubt that I can sense yours. Arousal is pulsing from your collar to mine, and Ryston’s. Because of this, I feel I can be bold. You will remain naked when you are in bed with me.” Something shifted in his gaze and I felt a burst of heat, of longing through the collar. Yes, he was aroused too. I gasped at the quick flare, my clit pulsing. “Or against the wall, lying on the table with your legs spread wide, on your knees before me. Between me and Ryston. How would you like to be taken?”

His voice shifted from dark command to rough need. Images of being between the two warriors made my nipples harden and my pussy grow wet. I wanted that. It made no sense. These two were strangers from a strange planet and yet I wanted them with a fierceness I’d never known before. Oh yes, I wanted them, and based on the desire coming from my mate, I’d have them. Soon.

Maxim

Rachel was light as air in my arms, yet heat coursed through me everywhere our bodies touched. How something as soft and fragile as this female could hold such strength, implacable will, was a wonder I wasn’t not sure I would ever understand.

Yet, when she rested her head against my shoulder and relaxed in my arms, I felt like a conqueror of worlds.

The collars we all wore linked us together with an intimate telepathic bond I had heard about but could not have imagined. Such strong emotions coursed through me, and not just my own. My mate’s. Ryston’s. Their reactions to my feelings created a loop that rubbed me raw and made me vulnerable in a way I hadn’t felt since I was a very young boy.

Rachel rested against me and I hurried my pace through the long, empty corridors. The dark green striping along the base of the wall and in the center of the floor gave way to a dark orange and that faded to a subtle cream once we reached the living quarters of the base. The suite of rooms I now entered was new to all three of us. Prior to my mating, I’d lived in a small, two-room area above Base 3’s command center so I could be close to the action if the need arose.

But now I was grateful for the much larger living area. When the door slid open and I carried my mate inside for the first time, contentment settled over me. I set Rachel down on her feet and let her wander around the room, exploring the space.

Our new home. For the first time since I’d been banished to The Colony, I felt like I had a home. A family.

Her gaze flicked to mine, once, then again. Could she sense my feelings through her collar? The soft smile that she gave me as she glanced at me over her shoulder after peeking into the bedroom said she could. It was reassuring to know that she could understand me—as much as anyone could a governor of a banished group of warriors.

Rachel’s hand smoothed over the back of a large brown sofa. There were two in the room, settled facing one another. A workspace and chair were near the comm screen that was nearly as tall as my bride. In the far corner of the room, the S-Gen unit sat, waiting to answer my mate’s every command, to create anything she desired. And if she wanted something that had not been programmed into our system, I would find a way to get it for her.

Anything. I would give her anything.

A small dining area was off to the side, but most took their meals in the common rooms and cafeterias, meals often the only time many interacted with others during their workday. And The Colony warriors did work. We ran some of the deepest, most dangerous mines in the solar system. We monitored Hive activity and fed intel on all member worlds back to Prillon. We were analysts and builders, programmers and battle-hardened commanders. We planned battle strategy and monitored the front lines for shifts in Hive strategy. And we had every scientist, doctor and engineer on the planet working on a way to get rid of the implants that scarred us. That made us unfit. That denied us brides. Families. Lives outside this forsaken world.

But now, with my mate walking around our new home with curious eyes, everything inside me shifted.

When I first put the collar on when I heard I’d been officially matched, I’d felt no change. Only the physical symbol of a match occurring was heavy about my neck. When Ryston donned his, I sensed his pride in being my second, at the collar’s confirmation and permanence of the decision. He was eager to meet our mate as well. I’d been able to filter his feelings and emotions from mine. They weren’t a heavy burden to carry along with my own. Perhaps it was because we were both male, or that we were warriors together, or even that we were Prillon. A similar history, a similar sense of tradition, rules and custom.

When Rachel affixed the collar about her neck in the processing center on Earth, accepting both of us as her matched mates, was something else entirely. It was as if I was being held down by the Hive, my emotions, my feelings, hell, my brain being tugged and pulled on.

The sensation of absorbing a mate’s wants and desires, her fears and disappointments was powerful and had my cock turning rock hard in an instant. The need to sink balls deep into her had been immediate and intense.

But that had been dampened when every bit of her frustration at her incarceration, her innocence and her need to prove it hit me next. That was followed by her indecisiveness of becoming our mate and leaving Earth.

What the fuck? I’d known she had refused the match, but she’d been in a prison, with bars. No freedom. I would save her from that as I’d saved Ryston and others from the Hive’s captivity.

It was all there, her emotions and anger, in my head, bombarding me and knocking on my defenses.

As governor, I was responsible for a large group of men, or rejects, on The Colony. They weren’t easy to rule, to organize into a peaceful society. Who could blame them for their defiance after what they’d been through? What we’d all been through? I’d built walls to keep my personal opinions at bay in order to rule without bias and to remain mindful of what was best for all.

Now? Hell, now I wanted to track down those who’d framed Rachel on Earth and rip their heads off. They were mere earthlings. It would be an easy task to eliminate any who made her feel…feel anything but joy.

But I hadn’t considered that my feelings would bombard her. I hadn’t considered that my own anger and frustration would be oppressive for her, or that she would misconstrue it as directed at her. Even if I hid my feelings to all that looked at me, she would know the truth beneath the façade. She would sense it. Feel it all as strongly as me.

And Ryston’s emotions as well. He was as much a warrior as I, therefore she had to handle both of us. How she wasn’t curled up in a ball on the floor with all the intensity hammering at her, I didn’t know.

She was not weak-willed. No, she was strong. Brave. Defiant. Beautiful.

I’d known the second I saw her behind those fucking prison bars that she was mine. I’d traveled ten light years for her and a row of weak metal bars was not going to keep me from her. While she had mere human strength, Ryston and I weren’t just Prillon warriors, but altered ones. We had the power of a Prillon plus the technology of the Hive. The bars were like twigs beneath our muscles.

But Rachel? She didn’t break under our intense scrutiny, the condemnation of her justice system, even the fucking Prillon doctor. She had a spine of Hive steel to match her gorgeous dark hair and pale skin. The top of her head just reached my shoulder, yet she had lush, full-figured curves that were perfect for mine and Ryston’s large hands. I’d met Prince Nial’s Earth mate, Jessica, before and knew of their physical characteristics. I was not surprised at her coloring and how it differed so drastically from mine. I was surprised, however, by my attraction.

Instant. Intense. So fucking powerful.

I thought I would find her attractive. Appealing. Fuckable. But I was not prepared to feel this…desperation.

I wanted to kiss her, to touch her, to taste her, to fuck her, but I wanted her to want that from me. From Ryston. From both of us together.

Before we did anything with her—to her—I needed to ensure her concerns were met. Her objection to the doctor’s exam was absolute. I heard it from her lips. Felt it through the collar. Considered it not only from a governor’s ear, but from a mate’s heart.

She would not be subjected to the doctor’s exam. Rachel had been correct. Her fertility was not relevant. Subjecting her to a test I sensed was humiliating for her was not acceptable. As I told the doctor, Ryston and I would be the only ones to put things in her pussy. Our cocks, our fingers, our toys.

Her breathing sped and her gaze darted to mine then away once more and I realized she could feel my need. My lust. Yes, the collars worked quite well.

But I was not an animal. I’d never felt desire this strong, but my mate’s needs came before my own. I would wait as long as it took for her to be ready. The last thing in the universe I wanted was to push her too hard and scare her away.

Until she officially accepted me as her matched mate and allowed Ryston and me to take her in the claiming ceremony, she could walk away from us. She could choose another.

The thought was like an axe buried between my shoulder blades and I realized I wouldn’t survive losing her. I could have lived without hope for the rest of my life. But to have her here, my matched mate, the one female in the universe that was mine, and lose her? To make her unhappy? Push her into the arms of another warrior and his second?

I’d rather die.

My cock would just have to stand down until she was ready to play. For now, we would talk to her and ease her concerns. I was determined to earn her trust and affection. I hoped, beyond reason, that she could one day learn to look past our Hive contamination and come to care for us.

And where was Ryston with her damn clothes? Every step she took, the blanket dragged on the floor, playing the children’s game of peek-a-boo with the bare skin of her back and shoulder.

If she would just drop her arms to her sides, the fabric would fall, and she would be gloriously naked before me.

I remained near the door, afraid to test my resolve not to touch her by following her into the living area. Ryston would come, give her a gown to cover herself, and we would send her into the bedroom to dress.

Soft and warm and so very naked beneath that blanket, she was too dangerous a temptation.

Rachel wandered the room, touching everything. She lifted the pillows from the sofa and sniffed them. How odd.

“I hope the suite is acceptable, mate. It’s your home now. Anything you want to do to change things, all you need to do is ask.”

Her smile was a curious mix of nervousness and resignation, as were the emotions bombarding me through the collar.

“It’s fine. For now.” She tossed the pillow back among the others on the sofa and took in the entire room in a glance. “It’s doesn’t smell like anything.”

I took a step forward, studying her closely. “I don’t understand. Is that not acceptable?”

“No. It’s not that.” She walked toward me slowly, covering the distance between us as I forgot to breathe. She was so small and yet she had me by the fucking balls. Aching, blue ones. “A home should smell like something, you know? Like cookies baking. Or fabric softener from the dryer. Maybe chicken noodle soup on the stove or a scented candle burning in the kitchen.” She stopped when she was within an arm’s length of me and looked up, way up, into my eyes. “But it doesn’t smell like anything. It’s like a model home the contractors build to try to sell you a house. It’s pretty, but no one actually lives there.”

There was no anger behind her words, and I was not sure what she wanted or needed me to say. “I have no idea what you are talking about, mate. But if you want our home to smell like something in particular, I will instruct the base programmers to enter whatever you need into the S-Gen database for replication.”

Her smile was more than worth my confusion. “I have no idea what you just said.”

“That makes us even. I have not slept in this space yet. These are quarters for those with mates. It is as new for you as it is for me.”

I expected her to step away, but she did not move, simply stood before me, studying my face as if I were a great puzzle she was trying to solve. “Mates. So, are you really mine?”

The bold question shocked me, but the vulnerability I felt behind the words knocked the air from my lungs. She’d come so far, and while I worried she might reject us, I was home. This planet was new for her. Her worry at being rejected was a true concern, at least until she believed my words. “Yes.”

Her teeth sank into her bottom lip, a lip I ached to kiss, but I held completely still as I felt her emotions settle, as if she’d reached some sort of decision. “Then what now?”

I held out my hand and nearly leapt with joy when she didn’t hesitate to place her much smaller one in my own. Tugging gently, I drew her forward until she stood pressed to my body. I wrapped my arms around her and she turned, placing her cheek to my chest.

“Now, we will get to know each other. I know you are wary, Rachel. But you are mine and I want no other. Ryston and I will take care of you. We will protect you, cherish you, and ensure your pleasure. When you grow heavy with child, we will treasure you both beyond anything you can imagine. You are hope and life and home for us, mate. You can’t understand what you mean to us. And we will wait. We will wait to claim you until you are ready.”

Her arms snaked around my waist as a shudder passed through her body. “What if I don’t want to wait? What if I want you to fuck me now?”

Desire unfurled within me and for the first time I realized I was not feeling my own body’s need, but hers. The longing to belong, to surrender, to feel wanted, rose within my mate like a storm.

The door slid open behind me and Ryston entered the room.

Where I was always controlled, deliberate in my choices, Ryston was wild and completely fearless.

I turned to meet his gaze as he set aside a soft, flowing gown of deepest copper—the color of the Rone family—and the ATB he’d taken from the doctor. Inside that box were the anal toys we would need to make sure our mate was ready for the claiming ceremony, and I could not wait to begin their use. As to the gown, I approved of his choice. If her collar must remain black until her official claiming, we both wanted everyone on the planet to know exactly who she belonged to.

Us.

Ryston shoved the items aside as if they were of no consequence and closed the distance between us. I had to hope he felt her desire and need through his collar. His gaze darted from our mate to me. “By the gods, Maxim. You two are fucking killing me.”

Yes, he felt it, too.

Rachel gasped as Ryston’s almost frenzied need to fuck hit us both like a blast from an ion cannon.

Without asking, he placed his hands on Rachel’s shoulders and spun her to face him.

Her back to me, he pressed her forward until she was trapped between our hard bodies. I would have protested, but Rachel’s reaction stopped me. Raw, achy desire filled her as Ryston lowered his head to claim a kiss.

To claim her. For the need was like a fire in his blood. Unapologetic. Dominant. Demanding.

Our mate melted into me and I raised my hands to cup her breasts as Ryston pushed her back with the force of his kiss, her head nestled against my chest.

He slid his hands to our mate’s hips. Grateful for her quiet moan of encouragement, I gave up the thought of going slow, learning her curves first over the blanket. Fuck that. I slid my hands beneath the bothersome layer to explore bare flesh, to cup the heavy softness of her breasts and roll her nipples between my fingers. Yes. Gods, she felt like heaven in my palms.

She gasped and turned her head away, but Ryston shook his head and wrapped his hand gently around her throat, forcing her to meet his gaze. Forcing her head back once again. She was truly pinned between us.

The rush of desire at his movement hit us both like fists squeezing my hard cock. She wasn’t shying away from his power. She wasn’t afraid. Nor shy. She liked his dominance. Loved it. Based on her emotions, she needed it.

“Do you want us to stop?” Ryston asked, even though he knew she’d say no.

She didn’t respond right away and I would swear my heart stopped beating as I waited for her answer. I didn’t want to stop, I wanted to bury my cock in her wet heat and pump her full of my seed. I wanted my child growing in her belly. As her Prime male, it was my right to take her first, to plant my seed in her womb. To make her mine. After she became pregnant with our first child, Ryston would have his turn. But until then, Rachel’s hot, wet pussy was all mine.

Rachel kept her eyes fixed on Ryston—not that he gave her a choice to look anywhere else—and lifted her arms up high, wrapping her hands around my neck. She buried her fingers in my hair and arched her back, shoving her breasts into my hands, demanding more attention.

“No. I don’t want to stop.”