Chapter 15

KNOT

Sunlight poured through the windows,signaling the arrival of morning. I drew Natalee closer underneath the covers, holding her securely in my arms. She sighed softly in her slumber and snuggled against me. In sleep, she looked peaceful and relaxed, the lines of worry that often creased her brow entirely absent.

As I held her, my cock thickened as I replayed the events of last night. After giving her another long, hard punishment fuck, I’d taken mercy on her and permitted her a release. I’d gently placed her on the bed, nudged her thighs apart, and lapped at her clit until she shattered. Then I’d helped her clean up and tucked her into bed next to me, promising I would be with her when she awoke in the morning.

Having her in my arms felt so very right. This was where she belonged. At my side. Why couldn’t she see it? Why did she persist in her stubbornness?

I reminded myself that I had the funds to keep her away from all other males even while she remained at The Sweet Siren. Though she might not belong to me in name yet, she still very much belonged to me. I would gladly spend my entire fortune just to keep her untouched by the other patrons of the brothel, though at fifty gold pieces a night, it would take decades before I ran out of funds.

Decades. I almost laughed after I finished the calculation, but then I frowned as I peered down at Natalee. I couldn’t wait that long for her to become my wife. My mate. Eventually, if she persisted in her stubbornness, I would lose control and steal away with her. As much as I didn’t want her to view me as her kidnapper, I was starting to worry that might be the only way to take her away from this place.

Would she believe in my affection for her if I took her back to the Northern Isles? Would that make her finally stop fretting over whether I was meant to become the town priest?

Though I’d come to Faircross on a whim, I couldn’t deny that I liked the town and the surrounding mountains. I also couldn’t deny that I liked the luxurious homestead I’d had built. But I cared more about Natalee. I honestly didn’t care where we lived as long as we were together.

A faint knock sounded on the door, and I propped myself up on an elbow and watched as the door opened and Lottie entered with a breakfast tray. She gave me a cold look as she set the tray near the bed. I noticed there were two covered plates, as well two steaming mugs of coffee, and I gave her a nod of thanks.

“She agree to marry you yet?” Lottie asked in a whisper as she crossed her arms.

I suppressed a growl. “Not yet.”

The cook shook her head with an air of exasperation. “In that case, be sure she drinks her special tea.” Uncrossing her arms, she gestured at a third mug that rested on the tray which held the tea that would prevent pregnancy. I frowned at the beverage and had the sudden urge to fling it against the wall.

“Very well,” I grumbled.

Lottie’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “Ah, so you want to be a father, do you?”

I glared at the nosey cook. “Only if Natalee is the mother. More than anything, I want to marry her and start a family together.”

The stubborn female in question stirred in her sleep, and her eyes gradually blinked open. She peered at me with a tired smile, and as her gaze swept around the room and she noticed Lottie standing close by, she yanked the covers higher to her neck.

“Good morning, child.”

“Good morning, Lottie. Is everything okay?”

“I was just dropping off your breakfast since you didn’t come downstairs when you normally do. Madame Sage wanted to make sure you drank your morning tea on time.” Lottie shot a pointed look between us, then turned on her heel and headed for the door. Natalee glanced at the breakfast tray and called out her thanks just as the cook shut the door behind her.

“Breakfast in bed,” the pretty human female mused with a shake of her head. She sat up against the pillows. “I must say, I feel quite spoiled. Also, a bit guilty. I, um, usually don’t sleep this late.”

I brushed my fingers through her silken locks and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. A soft sigh left her, and she blushed when I sat back to regard her. As her blush deepened, I suspected she was recalling everything that had transpired between us last night, including the rough, merciless punishment fuckings I’d given her.

Beneath the covers, I reached for her center and gave her quim a delicate squeeze. “Are you sore?”

“Yes. Very.”

Primal satisfaction filled me. I smirked and playfully kissed her nose, then gave her pussy one last squeeze, this one a bit harder than the first. “Good.”

She swatted at my chest. “You, sir, are a beast. I feel positively brutalized. I’m not even sure I’ll be able to walk today. Gods, even my arms and legs ache.”

I helped arrange a few more pillows behind her, then set the tray on the bed between us. We tucked into breakfast while the chorus of songbirds drifted in the cracked window, along with a cool morning breeze. A companionable silence stretched between us as we ate, though we found ourselves exchanging an awkward look when Natalee picked up the mug of tea. She took a deep breath, then finished the beverage in a few quick gulps.

“How did you become a priest?” she suddenly asked, shooting me an inquisitive look.

I took a final sip of coffee before placing the empty mug on the tray. My gaze drifted to the window as I considered how to best explain how I was called to lead a flock in my hometown. I met her eyes and exhaled slowly. “Well, I was a young male when I felt the calling. Barely twenty. My older brothers had just departed the Northern Isles to fight in a war in the old Unseelie lands, and I was struggling to find the trade that would best suit me. At my father’s insistence, I entered a carpentry apprenticeship, but then our town’s priest passed away, and the very next day, the wolves chose me.”

Her eyes sparkled with interest, and she shifted closer. “The wolves? I’ve heard animals play a part in the selection of priests, though I must confess, I have never paid much attention to the details.”

I nodded as the memories washed over me. “When a male has a peaceful encounter with a dangerous predator—or in my case, a pack of them—and the encounter is witnessed by a large group of people, it’s considered a sign from the gods.”

“So, you had a peaceful encounter with a pack of wolves, and people from your hometown witnessed it?”

“Yes. It happened on a warm, sunny day, when nearly everyone in town was out and about. I was walking down the street when suddenly, a huge black wolf crept out of an alley and approached me. Despite the beast’s size, I felt no fear. Instead, I felt an immense aura of peace surrounding me, and before I realized what I was doing, I was petting the wolf.” I smiled wistfully as I recalled the texture of the creature’s long coarse fur.

“What happened then?”

“Five more wolves soon emerged from the alley, and they surrounded me in a circle. At first, they all stared as I continued petting the black wolf. Then the black wolf joined them in the circle, and the newcomers took turns approaching me and nuzzling my hand, each saying hello in their own way. I didn’t realize the whole town had stopped to watch what was happening until the wolves vanished back into the alley. Then one of the town elders shouted that I’d been chosen to be the town’s new spiritual leader, and a retired priest from a neighboring village was brought in to complete my formal education.”

“Wow, that’s amazing,” she said. “Chosen by the gods, indeed. Have you had any more encounters with wolves since then?”

“Not really. I’ve glimpsed a few from a distance while traveling through the mountains of this island, only to watch them run back into the forest.” I couldn’t resist running my fingers through her silken locks all over again, and I reveled in the sweet sigh that escaped her lips as she leaned into my touch. “Of course, I placed bespelled charms in a wide perimeter around my property on the mountain, which no doubt dissuades dangerous beasts from coming near.”

Her lips quirked, and her eyes flashed with amusement. “Bespelled charms? You don’t trust that the gods will protect you?”

I returned her smile. “Truth be told, it’s more of a habit, a tradition from childhood that I’m disinclined to do away with. My father always insisted we use the protection of bespelled charms on our property, and though I would like to believe in the protection of the gods, if I’m to bring a wife to the mountain soon, I want to make sure she’ll be able to walk around our property and remain safe.” My smile faded as I thought about how the gods hadn’t protected Emalise and our baby. Yes, the bespelled charms were necessary, and even if I were to become a priest again, I would continue to use them around whatever land I called home.

We spent the next hour in bed, talking quietly, as we enjoyed the music provided by the songbirds outside the window. It felt as natural as breathing, sitting next to Natalee and speaking with her as if we were old friends. I never wanted the morning to end, but I knew I should return to The Bluebird Inn at some point for bathing purposes and clean clothes.

I departed just before midday, though I promised the little human I would return in just a few hours. My heart warmed with the knowledge that we wouldn’t be parted for long.