The pull between Elsa and the wolven king was stronger than anything she’d ever experienced in her life. From the moment he’d first gazed into her eyes so intently at that party, Elsa knew she’d found…home. This was a good and honorable man, determined to save his people. One who had promised to save her and her
children.
But even if he hadn’t, she knew he would do what she asked in this. It was because of what she sensed was his innate goodness that she was willing to chance a future with him. She believed completely in Leif.
“Just so you know,” she countered, “I’d want you even if you hadn’t promised to help my children.”
“
Kona
,” he breathed before bringing his lips to hers once again. Leif pulled her into his arms, wrapping them tightly around her, holding her to him like a drowning man might hold to a lifeline. His body was incredibly hard, corded with muscle and strength. He wanted her. Needed her. She could feel it in his every breath as he took her lips in a tender caress. Elsa could never remember a time in her life when she’d felt as needed as a woman as she did in this man’s arms.
“When we get back to Denwulf, I’m going to do wicked things to this little body of yours. Some might call them depraved even,” he whispered in her ear. As if an electrical current was suddenly introduced into her body, Elsa stiffened, the fine hairs on her skin standing up as chills swept over her. She’d never known a man could make her wet in a rush with a few husky words. Yet now, she responded as if he’d spoken the words directly over her aching clit. She felt empty, needy for him to fill her. Even in the recklessness of her youth, Elsa had never felt so wanton. “Will you have a problem with that?”
“Mmmm,” she moaned. “Not in the least. But only if you promise you’ll be exceedingly wicked.”
A growl seemed to be ripped from Leif’s chest as he deepened his kiss. “Lusty female…” Tongue plunging into her mouth, teeth nipping at her lips, he gave her a taste of what was to come. Elsa could sense the wildness in him, feel his intense need to take her fiercely even as he seemed to battle with himself to be gentle with her.
Warm, rough palms caressed the bare skin of her back, his nails raking lightly down the center. When she arched into his touch, pressing her breasts into his chest, he moved a hand to skim the curve of one mound until his thumb grazed the peak. The need to be mastered by this man pulled at her to be whatever he needed. Right now, she thought he might just need to know she was his. Leif seemed not to be able to get close enough to her. Even as his thumb continued to feather over her aching nipple, his other arm pulled her even tighter against him.
When he wasn’t kissing her, Leif inhaled deeply, burying his face against her neck, in her hair, anywhere he could as if he were desperate to take her scent into him. Almost as desperate as she was to take
him
into her body. The longer he touched her, kissed her, the more she longed for him to claim her until she was practically writhing in his arms.
“Leif,” she gasped when he gave her neck an open-mouthed kiss, his tongue flicking over her pulse.
“Ah, female,” he rasped, his voice vibrating against her neck. “I can scent your arousal.”
That should have embarrassed her, but Elsa found herself getting that much more excited. Leif would definitely be an aggressive lover, but he was proving he could be a gentle lover as well.
In the past, Elsa had found sex pleasant enough but had never been overly excited about it. As it was, it had been more than four years since she’d taken a lover. Not since her sister had given birth to Surriah. She would have been totally honest if she’d said she hadn’t really missed the act of sex itself. She did, however, miss the feeling of closeness she experienced now. Had it ever been this…enticing? Not likely. If so, she’d never have gone even a day without it. Leif seemed to consume her, to make her long for something more than the physical. If what he’d said was true, maybe she was headed in that direction.
After long, long moments, he ended the kiss, cupping her face in one hand. “Open your eyes for me, sweet,” he rasped. When she did, he smiled down at her. “Lovely. I see pleasure glowing there. You enjoyed that.”
“You doubted I would?”
He shrugged. “I’d hoped you would, but one never knows, especially with a species outside one’s own.”
“So, what exactly am I supposed to do? I mean, you said you’d provide for us. But what is expected of me?” Best to get this out of the way now. If she was to be a concubine or some kind of slave in his world, she needed to know now. Before she started feeling too special or something.
“You’re my mate, Elsa. You’ll share my life as my equal. My queen. My…wife.” He didn’t let her go, continuing to stare into her eyes as if awaiting something.
Then the full meaning of what he’d said sunk in, and her stomach flipped. “You can’t… Leif. You hardly know me! You can’t put me in that kind of position! What if your people hate me? Have you thought they might not take too kindly to a
human
being the wife of their king?” In a quieter voice, she added, “They’d hate me if they knew half the stuff that goes on here. In case you didn’t know it, your kind aren’t universally adored in this realm. They’re treated like…like animals, for the most part. The few people who try to free them are hunted down and imprisoned with the very people they’ve been trying to help. The slave market here is a very lucrative business. Your people would hate me simply for what I represent!” She had no idea what he was looking for, but Leif now smiled down at her with satisfaction. It seemed like some inner musing had been confirmed.
“Just trust me for now. Everything will be fine.” Strangely, she did trust him. She had no reason to, but there it was.
Nodding, she said, “OK then.”
The rest of the day Leif spent walking throughout the city with Elsa. She’d taken him to the observation bridge and shown him the view below the city. A large stadium dominated the view with a wasteland of browns surrounding it until it was broken by a colossal black wall off in the distance. Beyond that, he could see the green of trees and other foliage but was too far away to determine much else. Part of the area around the stadium had been urbanized, buildings sprouting up around the structure. Likely shops or spas. All the things to entertain a wealthy clientele before and after the games.
A muscle ticked in Leif’s jaw, but he did his best to control the worst of his fury. It wasn’t this girl’s fault. In fact, she gazed out over the sight with something like pained sadness.
“It’s tragic,” she said softly. “So many men and women die there every week.”
“Why do you come here?” Leif hadn’t meant for the question to sound so harsh, but knew it did when she looked up at him sharply, her eyes going wide. To soften the blow, he smiled. “It just seems like an unpleasant way to pass the time.”
“To remind myself all that others are suffering while I live a comfortable, peaceful existence. I may not have much to give my children, but at least we’re together. Down there, women have their children literally ripped from their arms. I never intend to let that happen to us. The people there have no choice in the matter, no way to fight back.”
“I suppose that would keep one focused on what was important. It also sheds light on your concern over your own children.”
Elsa thought briefly about telling him of the small group of friends working to free as many as they could but thought better of it. She wasn’t directly a part of the group, but she looked the other way, not revealing anything she knew about the group or its members. Unfortunately, they were still in public, and the chancellor had eyes and ears everywhere. If he found out she was in any way involved—even that she knew of the group’s existence and hadn’t turned them in—she’d only wish her children going off to accelerated schooling was the least of her worries.
She turned back to Leif. “I just wanted you to know that, while I can’t possibly understand the worry and anguish you feel knowing your people are treated like that, I don’t support it. Nor would I wish for it to continue.” Even saying that much might be more than she should. But she needed him to know, didn’t want him to think she was immune to the suffering of his people or, worse, that she condoned it.
He seemed to consider her for a long moment before nodding slowly. “I imagine that was difficult for you to admit,” he said carefully.
Elsa knew he was trying to feel her out, to read between her words and hear what she wasn’t saying out loud. “Perhaps. But likely not for the obvious reasons.” Taking his hand in hers, she pulled him away from the sight beneath them. “You should know, however, that the…use…of your people thusly is a very lucrative business for many. Skyward Home and Sky City had a corner on the shifter slave market. When Sky City was devastated, all eyes turned here. It’s made many men and women very wealthy indeed. While only a few actually capture and sell your kind, there are many ways to make money. Anyone who has more than a modest amount of money, likely made it from the trade of shifters worldwide. Directly or indirectly.” She met his eyes, doing her best to hold his gaze. To say all the things she couldn’t. If he threatened to cut off the money, there would be a whole society gunning for him.
Tilting his head, Leif gave her an odd look, like maybe he didn’t understand. Surely he didn’t think she approved of the way things were. If so, he’d likely reconsider their budding relationship. The thought hit her harder than she would have thought possible in such a short period of time, and she nearly blurted out everything. She hardly knew the guy. Sure, she could say it was because he was her ticket to keeping her children safe, but she knew it was more than that. Leif was a good man. She knew this like she knew her own name. It was stamped in every line of his face, every expression he tried so hard to hide when the subject of freeing his people was brought up. He was a good man. And protective of anything he considered his.
“We should be getting back,” he said at length. Looking around warily, he muttered to himself, “We’re too exposed out here.” Elsa couldn’t agree more. She felt like every eye in the city was on her. It was probably just the conversation, knowing most would consider it treasonous. With her son’s new schooling arrangements, maybe she was just paranoid, but she felt like there was a big target on her back. On her family. Even though Leif’s man was with them, guarding them, she had a pressing need to get back home to check on her children.
“Yes. I should be getting back.”
He turned to her. “Come back to the embassy with me for a moment. I have something for you before you go home.” He smiled gently. “A gift of promise, so to speak.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know. I want to. You need to know how serious I am in this matter because of your young ones. You need. I provide.”
She hesitated, but could tell from the intent look in his eyes he was determined to do this no matter what she said. “Very well.” Smiling up at him she added, “I have the feeling you’ll likely get your way no matter what I say, anyhow.”
Returning her smile he said, “Only in matters like this. You’ll find I’ll likely be a slave to your will if you give me more kisses like the ones we’ve shared so far.”
How could she possibly resist him? This man wasn’t like any other male she’d ever known. Even now, he laced his fingers with hers, holding her hand as they walked back to the embassy. No one had ever felt the need to hold her hand. Was it the smartest thing she’d ever done? Absolutely not. It was likely the chancellor would see his interest in her and use it against Leif, but she simply couldn’t deny herself the pleasure of the contact.
Once back at the embassy, he opened the door for her, leading her back to the rotunda and all the lovely greenery. “This place isn’t unlike my own home,” he murmured. “It calls to mind a place where I’d always intended to have a residence to get away from the city from time to time.” The longing in his voice called to Elsa on a primitive level. She had the urge to stroke his face, to bring him down for a soft kiss.
Before she could stifle the need, she did stroke his cheek. Wouldn’t you know it—he leaned into her touch, closing his eyes with obvious pleasure. Bliss, even. A fine shudder went through him before she sighed and did, indeed, pull him down for a kiss.
Instead of the insatiable hunger she’d felt before, there was a tenderness that took her breath. Elsa wanted to wrap her body around his and let him kiss her all night and the rest of the day. There was the perfect mix of aggression and tenderness, his mouth taking hers insistently without intimidating her. Though they were inside the embassy, she knew anyone could come upon them and wasn’t too keen on sharing the intimacy of the moment with an audience. The thought hadn’t occurred to her before when he’d kissed her here. Now, with the sun streaming in from the outside and the knowledge there were indeed others in the embassy, Elsa felt more vulnerable than she had before when he’d taken her mouth so thoroughly.
Not that it mattered. She was still hungry for him.
With gentle licks of her lips, Leif ended the kiss, pulling her into his arms to rest his chin on her head. As if it had been some silent cue, several other men filed into the room. They lined up in three lines, all of them stony faced and grave as if they’d been summoned to a formal affair. Every single one of them was huge, a deadly force of danger should the need arise. It was in every line on each face, every muscle that clenched and bulged as they stood. The king’s elite guard. No one could mistake them for anything else.
Under the shelter of Leif’s arm, Elsa found herself putting her shoulders back and her chin up. These men might intimidate the hell out of her, but she refused to let them see it. Leif’s grip on her shoulder gave her courage she didn’t really feel, helping her stand her ground in the face of so many proud,
stalwart
warriors.
“What’s going on?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but she had no doubt Leif heard her.
“You need to know I’m serious. I need to tie you to me. I think we can both win if you’ll just trust me.”
“Just understand that I don’t love you. I need you to help my children and myself. That’s why I agreed to come with you.”
He just smiled a cocky smile at her. “Yet.”
“What?”
“You don’t love me
yet
. I’m willing to wait. We’ll start out as necessary to each other for different reasons. But if you give me the chance you promised me, I will grow on you. I will make you love me.”
Elsa watched as another man approached Leif, ornate wooden box in hand. She shifted her body that much closer to Leif, as if seeking his protection. It wasn’t until she heard his grunt of pleasure when he tightened his arm around her—protectively—that she realized what she’d done. Elsa might be nervous about committing herself to a man she didn’t know, but her body had already made the leap. What was a girl to say to that?
Geroni-
fucking-
mo.
***
Leif’s shoulders went back as Elsa unconsciously moved to him for protection. No, she wasn’t nearly ready for this, but he was selfish enough to take what she was offering, no matter if she had her own reasons. The underlying instinct was in her to cleave to him. He’d figure the rest out after the fact.
When Aldar, one of his elite guard, approached them with the circlet of their joining, Elsa’s hand found Leif’s tunic and bunched there. Her heart sped up, but she didn’t back down. She met Aldar’s solemn gaze with her own. Bold as any queen.
“Your majesty,” Aldar intoned, holding the box out to Leif with both hands. Leif took the box, holding it with one hand on top, the other beneath the intricately carved piece. Bowing slightly in respect, Aldar glanced at Elsa once before falling back into the line. “For your mate-in-waiting,” Aldar said in a louder voice.
Leif set the box on a nearby ornate pedestal, opening it reverently. Inside, a simple circlet of gold. Once he’d fully claimed her, she could adorned it however she wished it. For now, it symbolized her place as his future queen, one that had been forged at his birth for this one woman.
“Elsa, will you accept this symbol of our future bond with my elite guard bearing witness?”
“Leif?” Her whisper made the corner of his lips twitch. For such a proud woman, she was vulnerable where her heart was concerned. He had no idea why, but Leif knew it as well as he knew his own name.
Smiling, he said, “Just say yes,
kona
.”
Elsa nodded her head slightly several times before choking out a strangled, “Yes.”
With reverence, excitement coursing through him like he’d never known, Leif gently placed the diadem over her head. The thin band fit perfectly, resting around the middle of her forehead as if it has been fashioned for her specifically. In that moment, Leif couldn’t have been surer of his decision. This impromptu ceremony wouldn’t wholly bind them, but it would place her under his protection and give her the authority she needed to protect herself and her children.
“Then take this token of our pending union. Accept the responsibilities and privileges that go with being mate-in-waiting to the king of Denwulf.”
“I don’t know what that means,” she whispered.
Leif just smiled. “You can use the full authority of my station to protect your children,” he whispered back. “Just say you accept it.”
Elsa’s breath seemed to catch in her throat. Clearly, she hadn’t thought about that. Hadn’t thought to use his power as her own. “I accept,” she breathed, almost too softly for anyone to hear, but the wolves with their keen hearing heard and grunted their approval. As quickly as the group had gathered, they turned to leave without a word.
“Aldar,” Leif called out. The other man faced his king, bowing his head slightly in acknowledgement. “Go to Elsa’s home. Jorak is there with her young ones. You will stay there until she returns. While Jorak is plenty capable, I’d feel better if you had his back.”
“Of course, my king.” The large man looked at her and smiled kindly. “I will protect your young ones with my life, my lady.”