Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Giza

Harper allowed me to carry her to the bedroom—my room, which had become hers. I set her down gently, hardly daring to breathe, for fear this would all melt away. Hoping beyond hope she finally understood what she meant to me.

What our connection meant.

She hadn't confirmed it, not yet, but soon…I inhaled slowly, tasting her scent, tasting her arousal, and knowing I would soon claim her fully.

My Kteer was anxious to make her mine, but I knew I couldn't rush things.

Harper was the strongest, most capable female I knew, and I would never want her to think I was pushing her into anything. She had to accept this Mating bond before I could.

But for now…

I undressed her slowly, reverently. And she did the same for me, both of us moving without words. I loved the hungry way she eyed my body, the way her hands slid over my biceps and up my flanks, as if she wanted to memorize my form.

And me?

I worshipped her with my fingers, my palms, my lips.

Each kiss, each gentle touch, wrung a soft sigh from her, and the scent of her arousal mixed with my blood, the pounding of my own need, until we were both half-mad with desire.

When I laid her down on the bed, she grabbed my hand.

"Don't leave me."

I smiled tenderly. "Of course not, dkaar ."

But her expression was intense, her brows drawn in, as if worried. "Stay with me, Giza."

Did she mean tonight? She wanted to sleep in my arms again, rather than me moving back to the couch? Or did she mean… forever ?

I leaned down to kiss her, and whispered against her mouth, " Always ."

Determined to keep my vow, I kissed my way down her body, marveling in her curves and dips and gyrations. I didn't mean to linger on the swell of her stomach, but as I cupped my palms around it, I wondered if my son could feel how much I loved him.

I kissed the bump, then moved lower.

As I settled between her thighs and lowered my mouth to her already-wet pussy, I inhaled her sweetness. Mine . I positively ached with need for Harper, but not just physically.

I licked and sucked and used my fingers on her, until my Mate squeezed around me. "Giza!" she gasped in that delighted way of hers, and I smiled against her inner lips .

When she came, her juices spilled across my lips and through my beard, and I wanted to burrow even deeper.

As she spasmed around my fingers, I tipped my head back to stare up her body. She was writhing in pleasure, and the sight was almost better than the feel of her. Above the soft curve of my son, I could see her breasts and her face as she panted in pleasure.

Did something move beneath her skin? Was that just her gyrations, or had our kit made his presence known?

My smile grew.

Harper

Oh Lord. Oh Lord . I was having trouble catching my breath.

Was it going to be like this every time Giza licked me? Oh Lord. I pressed my hand to my chest, panting, my hips still subtly rocking against his mouth.

I think it was possible my climaxes were getting even better with Giza.

Eyes wide, I lifted my face to peer down my body at him. Between my breasts, I could easily see the top of his head, his salt-and-pepper hair in somewhat of a disarray from my hold.

But between us…my stomach bulged gently. I could feel soft movements within, as if the baby was active, but it was a little disconcerting to not be able to see my own crotch. I mean, I was thirty-two years old; I'd spent years being able to glance down and think " Whoops, time to shave" or…or…or whatever else I'd think about when I saw my own crotch .

Giza shifted, lifting his face. Over the mound of my stomach, I saw the lower half of his face covered in my juices. That should have been gross—or possibly kinky—but I liked that he didn't think that way. He grinned and licked his lips, but I guess my orgasm had faded, because my responding smile felt weak.

He noticed, because of course he did.

" Dkaar ? What is it?" Pushing himself up, he shifted toward me. "What are you thinking about?"

With his big hands stroking my hip and flank so comfortingly, I couldn't lie. I sighed. "I guess I was just thinking about my body. The way it's changed."

His expression darkened for a moment, lips tugging down, before his eyes turned understanding. The green glow was still there, but nowhere near as fierce as it had been at the table. Had eating me out dimmed that, or was it tied to his emotions?

"Is this about the perfection thing, Harper?" he sighed, reaching for my hand and tugging me upright.

"What?" I mean, I guess it had been in some way, but I hadn't thought of it like that. "Pregnancy is normal, yeah? My body will change." Was I telling him, or myself?

Giza didn't answer, but his expression remained determined as he pulled me to my feet. My legs were a little wobbly, so he didn't release me until he was certain I could stand on my own.

Then I watched as he moved around the room, rearranging furniture.

A large mirror hung on the wall beside the door to the bathroom. I hadn't thought much of it, just used it a few times to check that my cardigan covered my butt or that I was wearing matching shoes; things like that.

But now, Giza dragged a chair over toward the mirror and arranged it so someone sitting in it would face away from their reflection.

That's not what he had in mind, though.

Without speaking, he returned to me and took my hand, then led me toward that chair. He placed my hands on the back, and—using his hands on my hips to guide me—had me climb up and kneel on the seat.

I was now kneeling on the chair, supporting myself by my hold on the back, and facing the mirror. I glanced at him. "What are—"

"Hush, dkaar ," he commanded, using one clawed finger on my cheek to turn my gaze to the mirror.

To my reflection.

My hair was down, flowing around my shoulders, too long to be neat. My cheeks were flushed from my recent climax, and my curves…

I swallowed.

My boobs were bigger, there was no denying that. My nipples were thicker and darker than they used to be. And on either side of the chair's back, my rounded hips stuck out. I couldn't see the swell of my stomach, but I was definitely curvier than I had been six months ago.

And you know what?

I was hot .

My lips slowly curled into a proud smile.

"Look at me," came Giza's command, his voice a mere rasp.

I obeyed instinctively, flicking my gaze up to meet his in the mirror. But he didn't hold it for long. Instead, after assuring himself that I was watching him, he stepped closer, and his gaze dropped…

I watched his reflection as Giza's gaze raked me in the mirror. From the tip of my head to my knees, holding my weight. From my elbows to my ass, pushing toward him, he examined me. And I could see it in his eyes; he liked what he saw.

I felt myself heating beneath his examination, felt my pulse speed, felt my breathing stutter.

And between my thighs, where I'd only just exploded, I felt the heat building once more.

"Perfect," he rasped, and his gaze snapped back to mine. "So fucking perfect."

He didn't expect a response, and instead stepped behind me. I watched in the mirror as he moved closer, shifting his legs on either side of the chair, on either side of my thighs. He bracketed me, and his hips nestled against my ass…

His thick cock throbbed against my lower back.

And still holding my gaze in the mirror, he reached his arms around me and cupped my breasts, squeezing them, claiming them.

My reflection was completely surrounded by green skin. His green skin. It looked…right. Perfect .

My Mate held me, and it seemed all too natural to lean back against him, to allow him to surround me. He wasn't consuming me, he was… adding to me. To my life.

"Yes," I whispered.

"You are magnificent," Giza murmured. Without dropping my gaze, he lowered his lips to the top of my head. "Remarkable. Perfect in every way that truly matters, dkaar . Look at you."

"I…" I swallowed; not sure I could put into words what this revelation meant.

"Look at the way we fit together, Harper," he commanded, teasing my breasts. "Look at how perfectly we fit. We were made for each other."

Since he rolled my nipples between my thumb and forefinger when he said that, I couldn't help the way my eyes fluttered shut on a moan, and I arched into him.

"I'm going to fuck you like this," he promised in a low voice, his hips already moving against my ass. "I'm going to claim you. And I'm going to fill your sweet little pussy with my seed."

My eyes flew open on that vow, my lips automatically parting, but no sound emerging. I didn't know what to say.

I realized I was rocking my hips, so my ass moved with him, his thick cock sliding along the cleft of my ass.

"What do you say, dkaar ?"

"Yes," I managed in a strangled whisper. "Yes please."

"Good."

He released one of my breasts long enough to reach behind me, between us, and grab his cock. I felt the wide head probing my entrance, and realized I was already soaking with need for him.

For my Mate.

"Harper."

The command in his voice snapped my gaze back to his in the mirror. He raised a brow.

"Watch yourself. I want you to watch yourself taking me like a good girl, the way you were meant to."

My eyes widened, and I might have responded to that order, had he not slid his thick, ridged cock into me at that moment.

As soon as his pelvis hit my ass, as soon as he was sunk to the hilt in my pussy, I came. It wasn't unexpected, of course, but still I gasped and arched into his hold. He reached for my breasts again and held on as I bucked and writhed, pinned to the chair by that huge cock.

And the most incredible thing?

I couldn't look away from my reflection. The reflection of that wild, uninhibited, perfectly imperfect woman coming on her silver fox's cock.

"That's my good girl," he crooned, settling his weight on either side of my thighs. "That's my Mate."

I'm not sure if it was his words, or the way he began to move, slowly pulling his cock from me and pushing it back in, that stretched my orgasm. All I knew was that I was still coming, pleasure still bursting through me in the most intense way.

" Dkaar ," he murmured.

"What—" The pleasure was so intense I could barely focus my thoughts. "That word…"

His rhythm faltered for the tiniest beat, and his hold on my breasts tightened. I didn't think he would answer, but he did.

"My love. It means my love ."

And he'd been calling me that all along? I saw my reflection smile. " Yes ."

Yes, my love.

I saw something snap in Giza's control. That strange green light flared in his eyes, and he growled, lowering his face to press a kiss to my shoulder before straightening once more.

His thrusts became faster, more powerful.

Each time he plunged into me, forcing me forward against the back of the chair, he tightened his hold on my boobs, as if he could pull me right back to him.

It was aggressive, intense…desperate in a way my first orgasm hadn't been.

And I loved it.

Absofuckinglutely loved it.

Giza… claimed me. He held my gaze in the mirror as he pounded into me, again and again, leaving me breathless and panting at the same time, struggling to do more than gasp and groan. As each ridge of his cock—even better than the ridges of his tongue—slid in and out of me, my mind seemed to melt into a loop of yes yes more that yes there please yes .

" Dkaar ," he growled, dragging me to him and slamming deep, until I swear I could feel every inch of his cock. "I want you to come."

"Yes," I managed to gasp.

" Now ," he commanded. "Come on my cock like the perfect Mate you are."

With that, he lowered his mouth farther than I thought possible, his lips dropping to my shoulder. He didn't kiss me, though, he… bit me. His tusks dug into my skin just shy of drawing blood, and the sensation was so unexpected, especially after that last command, that I obeyed.

Or maybe I had never stopped climaxing. Maybe the last moments—eons—ages—heartbeats had all been part of one explosion of pleasure.

All I know was I finally broke eye contact with him and threw my head back and screamed .

The neighbors might have called the police.

But dimly, I heard him roar in response, felt him come, his seed spilling into me, filling me in the most perfect way.

Oh God, yes. Yes.

This was it.

This was what I'd been missing, what I'd been waiting for.

Something inside me clicked into place.

I melted back against Giza, and I knew the truth: Even if I was scared to give up control of my life to this male, he was my future. Our child and I belonged with him, no matter how strange it felt to me to let someone else take care of my problems …

" Dkaar ," he whispered, nuzzling the top of my head.

My love.

I barely felt him pulling from me, gathering me up and laying me on the bed to clean me. I was floating on a cloud of pure bliss, and I wasn't sure if it was because of Giza's cock, his confession, or my realization.

I belonged with him, no matter how scary that change would be.

He turned down the lights and climbed into the bed, gathering me in his arms. It felt so natural to curl up with my back against his chest, his hand resting on my stomach, his breath ruffling my hair. I needed a shower, but I didn't want to move.

I could feel him begin to speak, but he paused, then exhaled and tried again. "Harper, I hope…I'm sorry if I was too harsh."

My brows rose, although he couldn't see it, and I smiled as I patted his arm. "I loved every second of it. You can tell me to come anytime you want."

His little huff of laughter made my smile grow, and I cuddled closer.

The movement was echoed by the baby in my womb, and I decided—now that the morning sickness had passed—I enjoyed being pregnant. But behind me, Giza had frozen.

"Harper," he began cautiously. "Was that…did the kit just move?"

As if in answer, the tiny being in my stomach did a somersault or something grand enough for us both to feel it, judging from the way Giza gasped.

Gathering his hand, I pressed it against the lower right side of my stomach, because that's where the little dude liked to hang out when I was lying like this .

I could feel Giza's pulse, and I knew he was holding his breath.

"Maybe that was it," I whispered. "It's still really early to be feeling him, I think he's just bigger than human babies."

"Or more advanced," he whispered back, and I could feel him relaxing once more.

I snorted softly. "Yes, our child will be a genius, clearly."

He didn't speak for a long moment, but his hand didn't move either, as if he desperately wanted to feel his child move again. "A miracle," he whispered. "A fucking miracle."

He'd lost the female he'd thought would be his Mate.

He'd lost the chance to have children—so he'd thought.

Giza had lived the last two decades thinking he'd never have children.

This pregnancy was a miracle…in more ways than one.

Slowly, cumbersomely, I rolled beneath his arm, turning to face him. I shifted until I could rest my head on his shoulder, gazing up at him.

His eyes were black again, but there were tears in them.

"I'm sorry, Giza," I whispered, reaching up to cup his cheek with my palm. "I was wrong to think I could raise this baby without you."

"No you weren't." He pulled me closer. "Harper, you can do anything. Anything . I love your strength and determination."

And I loved that he had so much confidence in me. I smiled a little sadly as I began to stroke his beard and skin. "I meant…it was wrong of me not to find you and tell you I was pregnant, at the very beginning. I was self-centered. I…"

Beneath my hand, he shook his head slightly. "You were scared. I can only imagine how terrifying it must've been to realize you were pregnant after a one-night stand."

Well…true. "All I thought of was myself, and what the ba by meant to me ." Between us, I felt a flutter in my stomach, and knew it was our child joining the conversation. "I thought it— he —was just for me, and that he'd be my responsibility. I'm sorry I didn't think of his father."

His expression had softened, and he leaned down to brush a kiss on my brow. "I will be forever grateful that you are giving me the chance to know this kitling, dkaar . Thank you."

He was acknowledging the power was mine. I remembered the moment I stood at his door, when he begged me for that chance. He'd always given me that power …

All he wanted was a chance to be in this child's life. I remembered the horror in his eyes when he misunderstood and thought I'd seriously considered terminating the pregnancy, and now I understood why. This baby was a blessing, yes, but more than that…to Giza, our child meant so much more. The continuation of his species, the orcish history and culture he'd devoted his life to remembering and sharing.

And the connection between us.

If I'd understood that, I would have told him about the baby as soon as I'd seen that second line on the pregnancy test.

"I'm sorry it took me so long," I finally whispered. "I shouldn't have made you wait."

Another kiss. "Whatever the future brings, Harper, I want you to know how much I've treasured this time with you."

I dropped my hand to his chest and snuggled closer. "Me too," I confessed, and although I initially had to be forced to move in with him, it was now the truth.

This male…he'd changed me. He was the strong force I needed in my life but was also scared of embracing. I'd spent my life standing on my own, not needing anyone, and Giza could make me orgasm just by commanding it. I loved it, but didn't know what it would mean for my carefully ordered future.

Our future.

"Harper, I want to be with you, wherever you go, but please know that these weeks have been the best of my life."

"Mine too, dkaar ."

It slipped out, but when I felt Giza hum in happiness, I knew I couldn't deny the truth.

I loved him.

I loved my Mate.

And I was terrified of that.