Chapter 14

Emerging from the best sleep I could ever recall, I stretched loudly. After the wildest sex marathon with my man, I felt wonderfully sore and a little guilty we missed the after-match feast.

Only a little...

It still blew my mind that I managed to take him. No words could describe how massive he was or how impossibly full I felt with him inside me. By rights, this should have been a strenuous if not dreadful experience. But the gentleness and care my giant displayed, constantly focusing on my responses and reaction to him, rocked my world.

I couldn't have hoped for a more perfect male.

Krogal made me feel cherished, even worshiped. There was no doubt in my mind that he was falling in love with me, as I was with him. The prospect of our future together filled me with a joy impossible to describe.

This was what a healthy relationship felt like, with a partner who showed you respect, made you feel valued, and made your needs and welfare their priority. When someone treated you that way, you couldn't help but want to reciprocate, not out of duty or guilt, but out of genuine desire. I wanted to spoil him rotten. The challenge was what did you give a man who already had everything?

Tons of cuddles and help mend the rift with his mother.

That first part was a breeze. Krogal couldn't get enough hugs, and he was the best living pillow to snuggle with. Even now, I hungered for his powerful embrace.

I sighed as I glanced at his empty side of the bed. It saddened me not to have awakened in his arms. Granted, he got up early every morning for his training routine—alongside most Zamorian males. However, I would have expected him to skip it today, not only to give his body a chance to recover from getting seriously roughed up during the Fultar match, but especially to savor our first time sharing a bed.

Heaving another sigh, I forced myself to get up, a wicked smile settling on my lips as the lingering soreness made its presence known as a sauntered to the hygiene room. It didn't hurt. In fact, it was almost turning me on again just thinking how he had felt riding me. When passion finally got the best of him, and Krogal started pounding into me, it both thrilled and scared me. It should have hurt, but I'd shouted his name, begging for more. Even then, my man had kept control over his insane strength, taking me with unbridled passion while also keeping me safe.

But then, he only used his secondary cock. It was smaller and shared all the same functionalities as the primary one. Considering how massive the former was, it slightly scared me to imagine what it would feel like the day he took me with the latter.

And let's not talk about double penetration.

I had done anal before. Although it wasn't my favorite thing, I didn't mind it and even enjoyed it at times. But I didn't know if I would ever be able to handle it with someone endowed the way he was.

I had fun last night riding his humongous club. Maybe I'll enjoy that with him, too.

There was no point borrowing trouble. As the saying went, we would cross that bridge once we got there. For now, I wanted to enjoy further strengthening the bond between Krogal and me.

As I stepped inside the shower, I took in my surroundings. Judging by the towel hanging on the wall, Krogal already bathed this morning. As I began to wash myself, a million thoughts flooded my mind. It was my first time entering his hygiene room. Or should I call it our room? After last night, did Krogal expect me to move into his bedroom? Did I want to? Was it too soon? Going back to my own room struck me as weird. But I also didn't want to come on too strong. And I suspected my behemoth would feel the same about not pressuring me into doing anything.

There was such a thing as being to considerate sometimes.

I quickly showered, got dressed, and headed into the kitchen. My heart melted when I saw a sumptuous breakfast already waiting for me on the plate heater. A card on top of the placemat on the table, next to a large, temperature-controlled covered plate displayed a holographic message which read ‘Thinking of you.'

Damn the man for being so freaking awesome.

Liam never had that type of little attentions for me. Granted, he made sure I had all the material things I needed, and that service staff always waited on me hand and foot. But using your wealth and influence to buy comfort for your partner didn't compare to you personally doing things for your significant other to prove how much you cared.

I heartily devoured the feast, wondering where my dear husband could possibly be. He wore me out so much that I slept in. It was already 10:00 AM. Krogal should have returned from training more than two hours ago. Then again, considering his spectacular performance last night, it would make sense for him to have gone out a little later than usual.

I finished putting away the leftovers and was starting to rinse the dirty dishes to put them in the dishwasher when I saw our personal shuttle landing on the terrace. That took me aback. Krogal never flew out to train as our fortress—like every other with bloodline dwellings—possessed its own training gymnasium in the basement and mini-arena in one of the courtyards outside.

I all but shoved the dishes in the appliance and hastened to the large patio doors. They parted before Krogal, who reached them before me. I only meant to give him a warm greeting and let him set the tone to what our interactions would be. But I broke into a run and threw myself into his arms. His chest vibrated with a happy chuckle as he caught me and gave me one of those squishing hugs I loved so much.

We kissed with a mix of passion and tenderness that utterly wrecked me. Yeah, I was definitely falling in love with this man. Our tongues mingled, and our hands caressed each other with a depth of affection devoid of animal lust that confirmed the nature of the feelings spreading their roots between us.

He broke the kiss, buried his face in my neck, and inhaled my scent. My arms tightened around him as another wave of affection swelled through me. We remained in each other's embrace for a few moments longer before Krogal reluctantly released me and set me back down on my feet.

"Did you sleep well, my mate?" he asked in a gentle voice, although I didn't miss the sliver of worry.

"I slept wonderfully," I replied in a reassuring tone, my arms around his waist giving him a little squeeze.

He didn't need to spell it out for me to know the true nature of his inquiry. That, too, moved me to the core. He had been so gentle with me and still he worried about how I fared this morning.

"But I was sorry not to find you by my side when I awakened," I continued with a playful pout.

He grinned, an unrepentant—almost smug—expression settling on his features. "Believe me, my Farah, it took all my willpower to force myself away from you this morning. But I have a couple of surprises for you that I needed to finalize."

My eyes widened with curiosity. "Surprises?"

I looked over his shoulder at the shuttle outside, wondering if he had left them inside the vessel since he clearly didn't have them on him.

"They're not here," he said, guessing my thoughts. He glanced at the breakfast table, visibly pleased to find it empty. "I see you've had your meal. Then we can go now if you're ready."

"I did, and it was excellent, as always," I said truthfully. "You know, if I hadn't already married you, I would have had to claim you."

My chest warmed again upon seeing the air of pure joy that descended over his features in response to my words. It was insane how little he required to be happy. Knowing that my mere presence and acceptance of him were the cause filled me with a sense of purpose and worth that had been taken away from me in a slow and insidious fashion.

Liam convinced me that no one could ever love me just the way I was. He made me believe that I needed to fit a mold and follow guidelines dictated by my betters to be of any value.

"I am glad to hear it, my Farah. In case you have not noticed, I am falling madly in love with you. So had you not married me, I would devote every waking hour trying to convince you to do it. Instead, I will devote the rest of my days reminding you why marrying me was the best decision you ever made," Krogal said with fervor.

My throat constricted, and tears pricked my eyes. I'd never been the crying type, but this man was bringing out my deepest emotions. They had lain dormant or grown so stunted over the years that they now threatened to overwhelm me.

Realizing how his words affected me, Krogal smiled, cupped my face with his primary hands, and gave me a kiss full of love that left me weak in the knees.

"Come, my mate. Let me show you those surprises," he said in a gentle voice.

I smiled and let him lead me by the hand to the shuttle.

To my shock, he made me settle in the pilot's seat.

"Wait, what?" I asked, half confused, half panicked.

"Peace, my mate. All is well," he replied with a mischievous grin before closing the door and circling around to the passenger's side.

Was that his surprise? Teaching me how to pilot a shuttle?

"The controls are extremely simple," he said in a reassuring tone. "The artificial intelligence handles most of it. It's no different than driving a hovercar. You only have to steer in the direction you want and set the speed. The A.I. will automatically kick in if your flight becomes erratic or dangerous. But you can also fully set it on autopilot, just sit back, and enjoy the ride."

"Oookay…" I said carefully, still confused as to why he felt the need to make me do this.

"To answer the question in your eyes, I'm getting a second personal shuttle for you," he said with a smile. "You're going to need it to move around freely when I go to work."

"Move around to go where?"

He gave me a shit-eating grin. "That's part of the surprise."

"What the heck kind of surprise is that? Where are you taking me?"

"I am not taking you anywhere. You are taking us," he deadpanned, making me want to throw something at him. "And you'll find out soon enough. Come on, get this thing airborne."

I muttered under my breath but complied. Sure enough, piloting the shuttle was a breeze. Playing video games offered far more challenges than this. I literally only had to move the stick left and right to turn, or forward and backward to go up or descend. Speed could either be controlled with a pair of buttons on the stick, or pedals under the navigation board.

I went with the pedals, which were more natural for me.

It ended up being a good ten-minute flight, taking us to the edge of the fortified city to a new sector under development. They'd just completed Phase Three of a massive complex, with the fourth beginning construction in a couple of weeks, and the final one in about six months. As I understood, the entire complex would be devoted to creative arts in all their forms, including a Fine Arts school, academies dedicated to dance, music, and performing arts, a fashion section, and digital arts specializing in holograms and virtual reality.

"Were going to Penlam?" I asked when he indicated for me to begin our descent towards the huge underground parking lot of the Phase Three building.

"We are," he said smugly. "The Third Phase contains new lofts dedicated to students, artists, and young entrepreneurs in art-related fields. The upper floors are reserved as housing whereas the lower ones can be used as studios or shops."

My eyes widened with growing suspicion laced with excitement.

"And you want me to become comfortable piloting so that I can make the trip here often?" I asked, trying to make him spill the beans at last.

"Exactly. You can switch to autopilot here, if you want," he added pointing at the navigation board's interface. "The parking spot is already programmed in the shuttle. And it will park it for you if you so wish."

He didn't have to suggest it twice. Although I felt relatively confident I could safely land it myself, I had nothing to prove, and would rather not blow us up or this place by risking it. He chuckled at the swiftness with which I activated the feature.

Seconds later, the vessel settled down in our reserved spot. The place was quite empty, which would have unnerved me under different circumstances. But it was well lit and open, eliminating the gloomy and claustrophobic vibe underground parking spaces often had.

"Are you finally going to tell me what we're doing here?" I insisted as he helped me out of the shuttle.

"Patience, my love. Just a few more minutes, and I will show you," he said with a thrill in his voice.

As contagious as his excitement was, my mind remained locked on the fact that he had called me his love. It was the first time he'd ever done so. It didn't mean that he was in love with me just yet. After all, I'd only been here a month. But I knew that he had not used that term of endearment lightly.

I smiled and let him lead me by the hand to the elevator, which took us to the 4th floor of the fifteen-story building.

"This is the highest floor authorized for any space that could have commercial activities," Krogal explained as the doors of the lift parted.

My jaw dropped at the sight of the spectacle that awaited us as we stepped out of the cabin. It almost looked like I had entered a mix between a huge shopping mall and a fancy office building, with doors and windows lining each side of a humongous central area that could serve as a gathering place or indoor Plaza.

From where I stood, I could see a few glass walls revealing the interior of some kind of store being set up. Others had solid walls which hid what was happening inside. The signs above the doors hinted at the type of business they intended to run there, while others revealed nothing at all.

Krogal turned right, leading me to a wide set of fancy wooden doors at the back. At a glance, I suspected that the room behind it occupied at least half of the back wall. As we approached, my mate's smugness gave way to a growing air of nervousness. It always messed with my head to see this vulnerable side of him. Remembering how intimidating, savage, and powerful he had been last night during the match, it seemed impossible that he should be so worried about how I would react to his surprise. You'd think someone like him would be ruthless and cocksure.

He opened the door and stepped in, beckoning me inside. I smiled at his air of inquisitive anticipation, typical of people who awaited the verdict of a particularly picky customer once they presented the work they did for them.

But the room took my breath away. It was huge, with pristine white walls framed by exposed black wooden beams, and ceiling-high French windows on the back wall that flooded the room with light. A pair of doors to the right gave access to two more rooms, while another on the left led the way to a fourth room.

"This place is beautiful, Krogal!" I breathed out.

A huge smile lit up his face, and his broad shoulders relaxed. "I'm happy you like it, because it's yours! Come, let me show you the other rooms!"

"Mine?" I echoed even as I fell into step with him as he led me by the hand to one of the rooms on the right.

"Yes, yours to do with it what you please," Krogal said proudly. "There are four rooms, all of which are fully soundproof. So you can have a dance studio, a singing or recording room with perfect acoustics, a sewing and design room, and a storage area."

He opened the second door to the room that would be a perfect place for a recording studio, with acoustic walls. Here too, a large window allowed plenty of light in. But the total absence of sound coming from the outside confirmed it had been specifically designed for it.

"You expect me to do all of that?" I asked, unsure if I felt excited about this perfect space to do whatever my heart desired, or worried that he was trying to force my hand to do things he felt I should, regardless of my preferences.

"No, my Farah," he said, taking on a serious expression as he turned to face me. "I want you to be able to pursue whatever passions you have. Our dwelling isn't suited for you to be able to dance and sing freely the way you might want without risking injury. You're also extremely cramped at home trying to work on the fashion articles you want to make. There's no reason for you to be restricted in how creative you can be due to lack of space. This allows you to do exactly that. You can fit the rooms however you please, whether it's to pursue one or all of those activities. But if you do not wish to do any of them, it's also entirely fine."

"You wouldn't mind if I said I didn't really need this space?" I asked cautiously.

He shook his head and held my gaze unwaveringly to confirm he was speaking truthfully. "This is a gift to make your life easier, not a burden to coerce you into anything. If you have no use for it, then I'll just cancel the lease."

"So this would be my playground, if I decide to keep it?" I asked, trying to hide the excitement in my voice.

He nodded. "Absolutely. You can keep it for personal use, turn the main room into a shop to sell your clothes, or a studio to give dance lessons, should you so desire."

This time, I dropped my mask of wariness and threw myself into his arms.

"I freaking love it!" I exclaimed before crushing his lips with a kiss.

He chuckled and gave me another of his amazing bear hugs while spinning us around.

"Are you sure you like it?" he asked.

"Absolutely! I really needed more room for the designs I want to work on. And after last night's match, I'm seriously itching to get back to dancing and experimenting on some choreographies inspired by the Zamorian traditional dances."

His happiness at my response filled my heart to bursting. My behemoth was truly going out of his way to give me everything my heart desired. The silly man didn't realize that the wonderful husband he was proving to be already accomplished that.

"Why are you so perfect?" I whispered.

"Because I like seeing you smile… and hearing you call me perfect," he deadpanned.

I snorted and lifted my face to give him another kiss, to which he responded passionately.

"Come, let's check out the other two rooms and your second surprise," Krogal said enthusiastically.

He put me back on my feet and led me to the third room. It had clearly been set up as a potential dance studio, if only for the giant mirror that covered the entire south wall. My mind was already bubbling with ideas on how I would decorate each of those spaces, although the main room—which I intended to turn into the sewing room—claimed most of my thoughts.

We crossed it on the way to the other side where the storage room was located. When Krogal opened the door, my first thought was that it was huge enough to serve more as someone's primary bedroom than a storage area. But all such musings flew right out of my mind when a familiar yipping sound filled my ears.

"Joree!" I shouted, shock and wonder washing over me as I gazed upon the little Nulia.

She was lying on a large cushion on a built-in shelf by the large windows at the back of the room. A full bowl of water and food rested next to her. She took flight towards me at the same time I ran towards her. I caught her, and she snuggled in my arms, rubbing her furry face against mine while I laughed and cooed at the little beauty.

I couldn't believe she remembered me after that single visit nearly a month ago. Then again, maybe her warm response was in reaction to what her empathic abilities revealed about my feelings towards her. She yipped and purred, her small paws patting my cheeks.

"She's officially your new companion," Krogal said in a soft voice behind me.

I jerked my head over my shoulder to look at him in disbelief as he closed the distance between us.

"My companion?" I repeated, not daring to hope. "Her mother rejected her again?"

He shook his head and smiled as he reached a hand to scratch the back of Joree's left ear.

"No. Her mother fully embraced her. Even though she's a little behind compared to her siblings, Joree's training is progressing nicely. She can never achieve the levels the others will since she started later than would have been ideal, but that wouldn't have stopped her from being someone's companion. Since you love her so much, and you imprinted on her at my clinic, it wasn't too hard convincing Cyric to let you have her."

"You're serious? I get to keep her?" I asked with a shaky voice.

He nodded, his eyes filled with affection.

"Oh, my God! You're the best!" I exclaimed, pressing myself against him.

Although I was careful not to squish Joree between us, she wiggled free of my embrace and climbed on top of Krogal's shoulder. She booped his cheek and then stretched her neck to rub her cheek against mine. Tears pricked my eyes as I held my man even more tightly.

"Your happiness is all that matters to me, my Farah. And I was overdue for having a pet at home," he said in a rumbling voice meant to hide his shyness. "But be warned that she still needs training. She's coming to you to start strengthening the bond between you. For now, she won't live with us as she still needs her mother."

"Oh!" I said with a sliver of disappointment as I caressed Joree's head, who was still perched on Krogal's shoulder.

She licked my hand before leaning into my touch.

"She will come and go until she can live permanently with us. Over time, she will stay for longer periods," Krogal explained before pointing at a small window in the top right corner of the room. "She will be able to come in and out on her own through this window. As we speak, a similar one is being installed at home."

"Oh, my God! I love you!"

I hadn't meant those words that way, but I also didn't feel guilty about using them. Anyway, I was well on my way there.

"Of course, you do! I'm beyond lovable and huggable," he said smugly, making me chuckle. "But be warned, woman. Don't expect me to give you every pet you find cute in the future."

"I won't!" I said in the least sincere fashion.

He snorted and shook his head at me.