16. Alaric

16

Alaric

It was quiet on the way back to the castle. After we arrived, the group split up, and Jade's brothers gave us space to be alone. I hadn't seen Viol since he disappeared after the altercation.

Back in his office, Jade seemed more like himself. He took a quick shower to rinse off the cold sweat, then threw on his robe before slumping into his library armchair with a long sigh. His appearance was back to normal, with his glasses perched on his nose and his hair neatly tied, but he was obviously still rattled.

"I'm sorry, Alaric," he murmured, rubbing his temple. "I cannot believe I behaved in that atrocious manner."

I grinned. "You must be feeling better, since you're back to fancy words and full sentences."

He returned a wry smile. "It's odd. It feels like it happened a long time ago, yet my chest still aches. It feels... raw."

I crossed the room and wrapped my arms around him from behind, pressing my cheek to his damp hair. I had conflicted emotions about the whole thing. On one hand, I couldn't help but be flattered by Jade's devotion to me. It was violent, sure, but undeniably pure. The selfish part of me could overlook the bad in favor of the good.

And yet, I felt terrible for Jade. It wasn't easy for him to be reduced to that primal state. He took pride in himself. He was a respectable man, an upstanding alpha, and a good older brother. When he went feral, he was none of those things.

"I won't let that happen to you again," I promised.

Jade shivered. He blew out a breath and relaxed into the seat. He touched my arms where they wrapped around him.

"Thank you," he murmured.

He was quiet for a while before his face warped into a pained wince.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Jade shut his eyes, as if in agony. "I understand if that... outburst disqualifies me from being a father to your children."

My jaw dropped. I was so annoyed at him that I abruptly shifted to cat form. I lashed my tail, hissing angrily as I landed in his lap.

"What the hell are you talking about, you obstinate lizard?" I yowled, boxing his ears with my paws. "Don't say such ridiculous garbage to me ever again!"

Jade laughed as I beat him with my cotton-soft paws. "Come now, you're not that upset, Alaric. Your claws are sheathed."

"Keep testing me and I'll unsheathe them," I hissed.

He gently took my front paws, set them down, then started petting my fur. My hackles fell under his touch. Grumbling, I curled up in his lap.

"Judging by your reaction, I assume you never retracted your offer," Jade said, amused.

"Of course not," I snapped as my fur bristled again.

Jade stroked it flat. "I see. Well, I appreciate the clarification. And your feelings on the matter."

I tucked my paws under my body and loafed in his lap like I'd staked my claim on it. "I'm not going anywhere. Neither are you." I flicked him with my tail for good measure. "Understood?"

He smiled. "Yes, kitten."

I knew he was teasing me for being in cat form, but it didn't stop my heart from skipping a beat.

I glared at him. "And you will be putting a baby in me. Is that clear?"

A mix of love and desire flashed in Jade's emerald eyes. "Yes, kitten. When and where?"

My whiskers twitched. Now we were onto something. I shifted back to human form, draped naked across his lap.

"Whenever and wherever you want," I promised.

He blinked the desire out of his eyes, turning away. "I don't know if I should. Not so soon after ... that."

I felt a mix of disappointment and sympathy. He was still stuck on going feral earlier. I had to break him out of that spiral.

An idea lit up in my mind.

"Earlier, you mentioned a total loss of control," I said, sliding my arm behind his neck.

Jade raised a brow. "Yes, I did. Why?"

My heart hammered, nerves and anticipation swirling within me. Could I really do this?

"What if... I took your control away?" I asked.

Jade blinked. When he was silent for a few beats, I expected him to turn me down. After all, being the lord of bondage was his thing, not mine. I wouldn't know what to do without Jade walking me through it. Was my offer even tactful after the mess that caused him to go feral in the first place?

Just as I opened my mouth to retract my offer, Jade said, "Yes. Please. I would enjoy that very much."

"You... would?"

He tilted his head. "Do you remember how you felt during our scene?"

"Yes. I felt strangely calm. Almost like I was asleep, or in some kind of trance. I didn't need to think or do anything, because you took care of me."

As I recounted the memory, I realized that was exactly what Jade wanted right now. For once, he didn't want to be the one in charge. He didn't want to contemplate, remember, or spiral. He wanted to wipe his thoughts clean.

"What do you think?" Jade asked, unsure of my answer.

If it meant helping my mate heal, I'd do anything.

"Okay," I said. "But only if you walk me through it. I don't want to mess up twice in one day."

He smiled. "Fair enough."

Before we began, I remembered something. "Oh, and one more thing..."

We started small. Jade lounged in his armchair, with one addition—a silk eye covering.

"How well can you see without your glasses?" I asked, setting them safely aside.

"Horribly," Jade replied with a smile.

"So, this isn't even necessary?"

"No. But it's more fun."

As I loosely knotted the fabric behind his head, my heart picked up the pace. That was exciting, and easy enough to put on with some light guidance. If I was going to do this, I'd need every ounce of confidence I could get. Jade took this seriously, and so would I.

"Does that feel all right?" I asked.

"Perfect."

He already sounded soothed, which I took as a good sign. I wanted him to relax and forget all his worries.

I took his hand and helped him stand up.

"Come this way," I said.

Jade didn't ask where we were going. That was up to me, and he'd obediently follow where I led. That kind of power felt oddly satisfying.

I took Jade to the adjacent bedroom, connected by a door inside his office. Before we started, he'd shown me where all his bondage-play items were kept—alongside another special object.

His bedroom was clean and tidy with minimal furniture. Only a king-sized bed, a full-length mirror, and two antique wood dressers occupied the space. It was sparse compared to his office-slash-hoard, but it was welcoming and cozy—or maybe I just felt that way because it smelled overwhelmingly like him.

"Sit," I ordered when I'd led him to the bed. "Wait there."

Jade took a seat on the edge and folded his hands. He radiated calm energy, a welcome reprieve from his frazzled state earlier.

I smirked as I noticed white cat hairs clinging to the lap of his robe. My visible marks on him filled me with possessive satisfaction.

Despite having full permission, I felt naughty as I rummaged through Jade's sex toy drawer. My heart flipped when I picked up the silk rope. It was the same rope Jade used to tie me. The phantom sensation of his skilful knots tickled my wrists, making me shudder.

I strode back towards him with the rope in hand. I watched Jade for a moment, searching his face for any sign of hesitation, but he looked utterly calm. His willingness to trust me gave me a confidence boost.

"Strip out of your robe," I commanded.

He moved sluggishly, like he was in a dream. The luxurious green robe slipped off his body and onto the floor. He was so relaxed that he didn't even care about his expensive garment touching the ground.

Heat trickled up my neck as I gazed at my mate's naked body. Gods, he was perfect. And he was all mine.

There was one thing missing. I reached for the tie holding his hair together and removed it. Jade sucked in a soft breath as his hair fell loose. I ran my fingers through it the same way Jade had done to mine.

"You never let anybody touch your hair, do you?" I asked.

His breath hitched. "No."

My heart pounded as I carded my fingers through Jade's damp, smooth hair. It felt erotically charged, more intimate than his nude body on display. I brought a handful of strands forward, letting them lie messily across his collarbone. With his eyes covered and his hair tousled, he looked vulnerable and undone. My cock twitched.

I swallowed the sudden thickness in my throat. To see my proud, noble alpha in a helpless state of my own design made me painfully hard. I was starting to understand why Jade was into this stuff.

I lifted the covering from his eyes and showed him the rope. Jade's pupils went wide as the light hit his eyes.

"I'm going to bind your wrists," I explained. "You're going to assist me."

He nodded.

I tucked his wrists together and wrapped the rope around one, then the other.

"Take one end and make a loop—yes, like that. That's right," Jade said. "Now, fold it there and loop it underneath..."

I had no clue what I was doing, but with Jade's instruction, I managed a functional, semi-aesthetically pleasing knot. It wasn't perfect like Jade's, but it worked. I'd bound my mate's wrists safely. He was under my control now.

I pulled the covering back over Jade's eyes, then put my hand to his chest and pushed him gently into the bed. He submitted to my whims. His dark green hair sprawled across the sheets like ivy reaching for sunlight.

"I'm going to bind your ankles," I said. "Is it done the same way?"

I heard Jade swallow in anticipation. "Yes."

I'd paid close attention to his instructions the first time. I carefully worked the rope the way Jade had taught me. When I was finished, his arms and legs were both bound, and he saw nothing but the darkness of the eye covering.

My gaze raked over Jade's exposed body like a hungry predator drooling over my prey. After all, I was a predator in my own right—why shouldn't I crave a piece of my mate?

Now that he was mine for the taking, I kneeled by his side and put my hands on him. Jade inhaled as my palms roamed down his chest towards his rising cock. Now that I could actually see it, its size surprised me. No wonder it felt so damn big in my mouth.

Would it feel just as big in a different hole, too?

I let out a shaky exhale and forced the fantasy out of my mind. I couldn't get ahead of myself. Our game had only just begun.

I created a ring with my index finger and thumb and circled the base of Jade's cock. He shivered as I brushed his sensitive skin, but he didn't jerk or buck into it. He knew he was under my control. The only pleasure he'd receive was what I chose to give him.

In a deliberately slow motion, I moved my fingers up. Jade ground his teeth with a soft hiss. The vein on the underside of his shaft throbbed. He'd become desperately hard only a few minutes into our scene.

"How does it feel to be completely at my mercy?" I asked with a languid stroke.

Jade's voice was thick with pleasure, his breathing choppy. "Wonderful."

I shifted my weight on the bed, pushing my knees together. Despite my cool act, I was just as aroused as Jade.

"Do you like being helpless for your omega?" I asked.

A muffled whimper escaped him. "Yes, I do," he said fervently.

As he spoke, his erection twitched in my hand. I gave it a few praising strokes as Jade inhaled sharply through his teeth. How long could he take this without going over the edge? Could he wait until my little scheme went into effect?

"Do you like my hand touching you, Jade?" I asked.

His breathing was too ragged to speak, so he nodded instead.

"Really?" Another playful flick of my wrist made him whine again. "Are you sure you don't want vinyl instead?"

Jade stilled, except for his cock. It twitched violently in my grasp.

I chuckled. "Well, that answers my question."

Swallowing audibly, Jade asked, "You aren't going to...?"

"Obviously. Why else would I have asked where the air pump is?"

Jade groaned quietly. "Oh, Holy Drake..."

It was a prayer of pleasure, not a complaint. Which was good, because the inflatable toy was so fucking big and unwieldy that it took five minutes to unravel from its storage box. The smell of vinyl assaulted my nose as I propped the toy upright and attached the air pump.

Did I understand Jade's pool toy fetish? No. But I was damned well going to try to understand.

As the giant toy filled with air, I glanced at Jade lying bound and prone on the bed. His chest rose and fell rapidly, and his frame trembled. I could tell he was bursting with anticipation.

The previously limp toy expanded to its full size. It was no longer a wrinkled pile of plastic—now it was a black dragon with half-lidded bedroom eyes and a sultry smile printed on its face. Standing at five feet tall and half as wide as Jade's bed, it was the biggest pool toy I'd ever seen.

Finding myself intrigued, I tried to familiarize myself with the dragon. I stared into its lusty expression. This was definitely not an inflatable you'd buy in the summer section of a big box store. This was a lovingly crafted specialty kink item for adults only.

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. By now, the dragon was almost nostalgic. The first time I'd seen it was when I broke into Jade's office... and triggered an unforgettable series of events. The toy was one of Jade's most private secrets—one he now chose to share with me.

To forge a truce, I gave the air-filled plastic dragon an awkward pat on the head. In return, it looked seductively back at me.

When I turned off the air pump, Jade's head turned in our direction. His cheeks were flushed a deep pink. His excitement invigorated me, so I picked up the dragon and carried it to the bed. Thank gods it was only filled with air.

"Stay still," I ordered Jade.

He clenched his jaw with a stiff nod. His thudding heartbeat and rapid breathing betrayed his voracious lust.

Well... here goes nothing.

I lowered the inflatable until its belly touched Jade's erection. He gasped. A shudder tore through him.

I blushed at his reaction. Did it feel that good?

I cleared my throat, then plunged the toy lower until the two were flush against each other. I only felt silly for a second—when Jade moaned, loud and vulgar, it killed any lingering doubts.

A slow grin spread over my face. I held the toy by its haunches, since that was the easiest way to grip the plastic beast, and pushed it lightly into Jade's chest. He rewarded me with another desperate cry.

I didn't quite get it, but I didn't need to. Jade loved this, so I was happy to participate.

"You like it?" I asked.

Jade's tiny reply was practically a mewl. "Yes."

Heat flickered in my chest. All I was doing was rubbing a fucking pool toy against my mate's dick, yet his wanton pleasure fiercely turned me on.

The vinyl dragon and I are about to become good friends, I thought.

I noticed Jade straining to stay still. His body trembled with the need to buck against the toy's belly, but I hadn't allowed him to move. It was a good reminder that I needed to pay attention to Jade's needs, since all the control lay in my hands.

"Go ahead," I said. "Pleasure yourself with your toy."

Jade gasped like he'd just surfaced from icy waters. He rocked his hips off the bed, shaking with urgency. I gripped the dragon firmly to keep it in place. As Jade thrusted against it, the erotic vibrations travelled up my arms and down my spine. I shuddered as hot arousal pooled in the pit of my stomach. My cock protested against its restraints, but I couldn't touch myself without letting go of the toy.

Jade's grunts grew louder with each thrust. His breaths were raw, guttural. He'd lost himself to lust. Seeing him in this obscene state made my cock throb. I was so turned on, I was getting dizzy. I bit my lip and dug my knees into the bed for support. Part of me wanted to toss the damn toy across the room and take its place, but Jade was clearly enjoying himself. I wanted him to indulge his fetish until he was satisfied.

"Alaric," he said, half gasping, "I want you."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Hurry," he added, his voice deeper and more desperate.

Swallowing hard, I dropped the pool toy on the floor and scrambled out of my clothes before climbing on top of Jade. I shuddered as I removed my briefs—they were already damp with the slick fluid leaking from my hole.

Jade inhaled a deep breath. No doubt he smelled my arousal. If he hadn't been bound by ropes, what would he have done to me?

I straddled his abdomen, my bare ass hovering just above his cock. I wasn't done teasing him yet. I lowered my face and captured Jade's mouth in a hungry kiss. His impatient whine turned into a growl vibrating in his throat.

A thrill jolted through me. How close was his dragon to the surface?

I slid my tongue past his lips, perusing my territory. But unlike the rest of his body, Jade's mouth wasn't trapped by bondage. His velvety tongue battled mine, shooting electric sparks across my body until I moaned into his mouth.

My arousal spiked. I felt natural lubricant trickle down my thighs. My body wanted Jade.

He seized the moment of opportunity born from my distraction. His tongue overpowered mine, kissing me so fiercely it was almost violent. I shuddered as the sharp tips of his shifted fangs grazed my lip.

I couldn't speak while he dominated my mouth, so I moaned my gratification instead. My hips trembled with greed—my body instinctively wanted to lower onto Jade's cock.

Jade's mouth pulled back just enough to let me gasp for air. When he did, I saw his fangs.

I wanted to see his eyes, too. I lifted the covering to witness Jade's eyes flash vivid green, so bright they almost glowed.

"I want to claim you," he growled.

Gods, how long I'd waited to hear him say that. I couldn't wait any longer.

"Then claim me," I said.

Suddenly, something ripped apart. It happened so fast I didn't realize it was the silk ropes binding Jade's hands until he'd grabbed my waist and thrust me down onto his cock.

I arched my back and cried out as a burst of pleasure erupted within me. Thick aftershocks of it followed, flowing throughout my body like ripples on a pond. I took a few shaky breaths as I adjusted to being skewered on Jade's cock. At the same time, I was aware of his nails—halfway shifted to dragon claws—gripping my hips.

As I met his gaze, he blinked as if struck by a sudden spark of clarity.

"I'm so sorry," Jade said. "Was I too rough? Are you hurt?"

I smirked. "Oh, please. Do you think I'm some kind of delicate bottom who can't take you?"

He breathed out, relieved. "I never said that. Rather, at the moment, my dragon's urges are... difficult to restrain."

I leaned in closer to his face. As I moved, his cock moved inside my ass, hitting a sweet spot. I shivered before murmuring, "Then don't restrain him."

Jade's eyes widened, then clouded with doubt as he recalled the earlier incident. But I wouldn't let him descend into a guilt spiral.

"Your dragon is you. He would never hurt me, because I know you wouldn't," I said.

"No. Never," Jade said with absolute faith. With a mischievous grin, he added, "But the sex might get rough."

I scoffed. "What am I, a sopping wet tissue? Give it to me. And I don't care if you're a dragon or a human, just fuck my ass already."

Jade exhaled a low chuckle, then growled, "If you say so."

As his fingers dug into my waist, the tips of his claws prickled my skin. The slight dash of pain catalyzed with my pleasure. When Jade thrust me down to the base of his cock, I screamed with ecstasy. The sound was loud, uninhibited, and embarrassing. I sounded like a porn star. But it really did feel that good.

I was dazed for a second, blinking the blurred stars from my vision. All I could do was breathe—but with every breath, I felt my insides brush up against Jade's throbbing cock. He was big, and he was deep. I'd never been penetrated like this before.

It was a damned good thing Jade was my fated mate, because I knew instantly I couldn't go back to life without getting fucked this hard.

Tattered remains of the silk bondage lay on the bed cover. Jade's primal dragon strength was no match for the poor rope. I knew how much he treasured his possessions. For him to destroy it because he needed to fuck me that badly made me feel dearly important.

Jade grunted. I heard another ripping sound—the ropes binding his ankles. I shuddered at the implication of both his animalistic strength and his loving trust. The ropes never truly bound him. He could've broken them anytime. But he submitted utterly to my control until the second I relieved him of it. I found that beautiful.

Jade's breaths were raspy and thick as his dragon's voice mingled with his human one. He nuzzled his nose against mine and breathed in my air. His motions were as slow and hypnotic as a cobra's.

He slipped a clawed finger beneath my collar and tugged it.

"You are mine, Alaric," he growled. "You have always belonged to me."

My racing heart leapt into my throat. As I swallowed, the collar tightened, awakening another ripple of pleasure. "I'm yours."

Jade rocked his hips, grazing my hyper-sensitive channel. A small gasp escaped me.

I wrapped my arms around his shoulder blades. The hairs bristled on the back of my neck. The onslaught of pleasure and emotion got to me. My nails shifted into cat claws, curving lightly on Jade's skin.

"Are you going feral too, kitten?" Jade teased.

I responded with an impatient growl. "I will if you don't hurry up and fuck me already."

My world spun as Jade reversed our positions and pinned me to the bed. He drew back his hips, then pounded forward. I yowled, digging my claws into his back. Jade flashed a wild grin. His eyes gleamed with bliss—he liked the pain.

I writhed against the bed, moaning and mewling as Jade fucked me. Sweat beaded on my forehead. My skin heated up to a blazing temperature.

"Did the pool toy... turn you on this much?" I said between heavy breaths.

"Yes," Jade admitted, grunting. "But this is your fault, too."

I smirked appreciatively. I liked holding the key to his sexuality in the palm of my hand.

Jade grabbed my thighs and hooked them over his shoulders. I hissed in pleasure. The position was obscene, and allowed my mate's cock to penetrate me deeper. I could barely think from the lust fogging my brain.

Jade arched his back with a deep growl. His motions were passionate, erratic. His frantic breathing and bucking made me think he'd shift into dragon form at any moment. I clung to him tighter as he rocked my frame with each thrust.

Jade snarled. A cracking noise was followed by a snap . Leathery wings unfurled from Jade's shoulder blades, just below where my claws sank into his skin. Lustrous green feathers shimmered on the back of his wings. I stared, awed by their beauty.

Jade hissed through his fangs. His long, messy hair cascaded down his face. He looked wild. Unpredictable. And so fucking hot.

A thrill of anticipation shot through my system as Jade parted his mouth to reveal full rows of dragon fangs. Quicker than lightning, he lunged forward. His teeth sank into the space between my neck and shoulder. I expected a stab of pain—but there was none. Only a numbing wave of pleasure.

Jade bucked savagely. Instinctively, my tight wetness clamped down, as if trapping him forever. Tingles of ecstasy spread from my lower half, seeping into my every cell.

Pleasure made me delirious. I knew I wouldn't last much longer. My head rolled on my shoulders as I groaned, completely at my mate's mercy.

Jade's breaths quickened. His muscles twitched erratically, and his claws cradled my hips tighter.

"I'm going to claim you in every way that matters," he growled.

The desperation in his raspy voice sent another ripple of pleasure across my skin. I couldn't take it anymore. With a needy cry, I rocked my hips down, meeting his next thrust halfway. As if by instinct, my body clenched around his cock.

The collision of pleasure drove both of us over the edge. As we came together, our symphony of moans filled the room. My channel pulsed wildly, tightening around Jade, milking him dry. His cock throbbed as it unloaded deep within me. I gasped at the warm feeling of his thick cum coating my insides. I'd never felt so deliciously full.

As Jade's orgasm slowed, his wings drooped against the bed. He twitched with aftershocks of pleasure. His cheeks were flushed deeper than I'd ever seen them.

Breathlessly, he said, "Oh, my. That was..."

"Yep," I said succinctly. Glancing down, I added, "Look what you did to me."

Jade peeked at my rounded belly, swollen from his cock and half-dragon sized load.

"Ah," he said. "I'll... fix that."

Carefully lifting my hips, Jade wriggled me off his spent erection. I gasped as it popped out. Now that he'd unplugged me, a cascade of thick white fluid dripped from my ass onto the bed. I should've been embarrassed at the visual, but instead I filed it away under images-to-make-me-instantly-horny.

"Sorry about your sheets," I said. "They must've been expensive."

Jade chuckled. "Don't worry about those. I should apologize for stretching your hole."

" Never apologize for that."

He looked smug. "All right. Then I take it back."

"Good, because I expect you to stretch my hole upon request, thank you very much."

He brushed his lips against my cheek with a soft laugh. "Your wish is my command, kitten."