Chapter 24 - Robyn

It was a windy Sunday when we got married.

The sun hung over the top of the trees like a shimmering lantern, warming the woods to the left of our new home. Paths marked with silver stones wound from the backyard to the clearing surrounded by towering trees. Paper lanterns lounged lazily over the crowd that danced on a wide stage of wooden slats erected for this special occasion.

Behind the dance floor stood the white awning with silver balloons, white tinsel, and white carnations threaded around it. Excited hands rose to the sky to shout with the music. My heart thumped along with the beat as I jumped next to Cliff and Sydney, singing along with the crowd.

Moments ago, Cliff and I had stood under that awning with our hands clasped and the world watching us blubber our vows to each other. I never felt more alive than in that moment—except for when I gave birth to Sydney. I beheld my daughter in her satin dress and white buckle shoes, a smile lighting up her face as she held on to the pillow that held the rings.

On my left hand was a gorgeous and generous diamond. Cliff dragged his fingers over the rock, tracing it, massaging my knuckles, and touching the ring every chance he got. I was sure he was thinking the same as me, reflecting on those vows we had just exchanged.

I was afraid to say it, I told him, but not anymore. I love you. I'll say that for the rest of my life. I love you, Clifton Spears.

Alpha. Mate. Husband.

Was there any title he couldn't wear?

The music faded, giving me a moment to catch my breath as I melted into a chair. Sydney climbed into my lap. Cliff hoisted her up and set her in a chair right next to me. "Let your mother get some space."

I smiled. "Thanks, Honey."

"I'll get you some more cake."

I held my stomach. "I would love some more."

Sydney swung her legs while beaming up at her father. "Can I have some cake, Daddy?"

"You can have anything you like, pumpkin."

"Can I have a pony?"

I tipped my head back with glee as Cliff sighed. "I walked right into that one, didn't I?"

Sydney giggled as Cliff wandered off. I leaned forward to sneak my daughter back into my lap. Truthfully, I didn't care how tired I got. I didn't want to be left alone. "Are you having a good time?"

"The best time, Mommy."

"Good!"

I spotted my mother weaving her way toward us with a champagne flute. Sighing, I watched her sit across from me with a tight smile. "Congrats, my dear."

"That's nice of you to say," I said bitterly, "considering you weren't at the engagement party."

"How was I supposed to know he was going to propose?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. It just would have been nice if you were there."

"Well, I'm sorry about that, Dear. I wouldn't have missed your wedding for the world." She sipped her champagne. "If only you let me attend the dress rehearsal."

"Mom, can we not do this right now?"

She set her glass on the white tablecloth. "You bagged an Alpha. Good job."

"Yeah, good for me, right?"

Mom raised her trim brows, observed the crowd with a posh look, and then scooted toward me. "Darling, I'm sorry about pressuring you."

My shoulders drooped. "Are you serious?"

"Hear me out. I want to…" She avoided eye contact. "I want to be accountable. I was obsessed with you getting into a secure marriage and disregarded your needs."

I looked at her aged features. "You're being serious."

"Your father agrees I was harsh."

"You spoke to Dad?"

She nodded, dusted the table with her fingers, and then fixed her sparkling gown. "He's sorry he couldn't make it, but he'll be here in the morning."

"Oh. I wondered if he got the invitation."

"I made sure he got the invitation."

I teared up. "Mom…"

"We haven't always been very good to each other, Robyn, but let's try to be good to Sydney. Together."

I smiled warmly. "Yeah, together."

Cliff appeared with two plates of cake and a cup of milk. I hungrily accepted my plate and dug in, noticing that my mother was opening her mouth to say something. When she caught me staring at her, she clamped her mouth shut and turned away.

Good .

Let that continue for a lifetime, please. We had enough things to worry about inside this pack. Cliff snuggled up to my right and handed Sydney a plastic fork. She eagerly stabbed her cake and munched happily, dabbing her father's nose with a little frosting.

"Did Angora get back to you with a report?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, she says there's a pattern of possessions on the east coast. We'll know more tomorrow."

"We'll buckle down and prepare for the worst."

"Maybe that was the worst."

I frowned. "We can't be sure yet. At least get Faye to leave some easy spells or something behind."

"Angora cleansed the area and put up wards. Why do you want spells?"

Jillian huffed as she stumbled up to the table and leaned against it. "Sonya won't make me stop dancing."

I chuckled. "Mom, can you let Jillian sit?"

Mom grinned. "Of course, Dear."

She moved for Jillian to sit down and disappeared into the crowd. She was probably on the lookout for someone's outfit to pick apart.

I pushed a bottle of water toward Jillian, who gratefully lifted it, uncapped it, and chugged half of it in a matter of seconds. She gasped when she was done. "They are killing me on that dance floor."

"Save some energy for the research party tomorrow," I joked. "I can't lead that thing without you."

"Research for what again?"

My expert reflexes kept my mouth safe from my daughter's hard head as she excitedly kicked off my lap and darted toward Hector.

Cliff glowered. "Aw, she's got a new bestie."

"Isn't his daughter your bestie?"

"Yeah, but that's different."

I laughed. "How is that different?"

"It's not fair."

Chuckles bubbled from me until I was hoarse. "You're ridiculous."

"And you're obsessed with your research."

I rolled my eyes. "I want to get to the bottom of this demon thing. If I'm an heiress to an estate because of my bloodline and the demons came after me , then I need to know why. I need to know what's in my blood to make that happen."

Cliff grabbed my hand. "I'll be by your side the whole way through."

"Me, too," Jillian said while placing her hand over ours. "I'll help as much as I can. As long as I'm hydrated."

I giggled. "I should hydrate, too." I focused on Cliff with a look of yearning. "We have a long night ahead of us…"

***

The blood of my ancients circulated my body, reminding me of my true nature. I wasn't just a wolf shifter—I was a wolf princess, a guardian of the Wildtooth Tails whose fate was entwined with that of my Alpha, my husband.

My mate.

Inside me lived every affectionate molecule that existed for him. As he smoothed his hands over my waist and bowed to the ground to kiss my stomach, I rested my hand on the back of his neck and listened to the peaceful silence of our home. Long gone were the sounds of celebration. What remained was the subtle creek of the house against Maine's insistent wind, the tick of the clock, and the shuffle of clothes.

The tulle of my skirt rustled, and then a cool draft drifted over my thighs. "Take your dress off."

I did as he instructed, exposing the thin satin thong I wore for our ceremony. The tiny bow on the front shimmered in the dim light spilling in from the kitchen. That very same light revealed his pleased smile, followed by a glimmer of lust in his eyes as he gazed up at me.

Eyes locked. Pupils blown. Irises sparkling.

We were playing our secret game. I wasn't sure precisely when it started, but I knew breaking eye contact now would lead to an unmerciful demise. The last time I lost a round of staring with my mate, I ended up in a three-hour edging session that ended with me losing my mind for a good twenty minutes once I finally came. Though if anybody could handle his games, it was certainly me.

It would always be me.

He extended his tongue without blinking, slowly applying the tip to the outline of my slit without even searching for it. One confident stroke was enough to undo the glue that held my hips still. I bucked right into his mouth, urgently chasing lick after lick as I clutched his head tightly to me. Each thrust led to a bigger mess. That same mess was now soaking my thighs and making them slick, making it hard to keep my body in the same position as he teased my clit with a slurp.

Without breaking eye contact, he dug beneath the fabric of my thong to lap my wet folds, keeping a strong grip on my hips with the robes pinned there. The extent of his strength and endurance was incredible—and part of me was eager to push his buttons, to see how far he would take me.

But another part of me wanted to win this game. I doubled down my staring, only blinking when it was absolutely necessary and sharpening my gaze each time I did it. He stroked my slit apart and dove for my entrance, plunging his tongue into the wet arousal mixed with his saliva.

My lips quivered as I whimpered against the tide of his plunge. Quick licks demanded my bucks shorten, tightening my grip on the back of his head to keep him from so much as taking a breath. I didn't want him to stop, even as I yearned for other things. Even as I desperately craved his cock to drill me into a state of chaos.

I gritted my teeth while trying to keep my eyes focused on his eyes, watching the way his mirthful grin crinkled his eyelids and curved the almond shape of his eyes. He knew just how to make me wiggle. And I knew I would lose soon if I didn't clamp down on the urge to throw my head back.

With great strain, I managed to pull his mouth away from my slit, gasping for air as I pushed him back on the ground and mounted him. All the while, our eyes remained locked, and my peripheral vision became a frenzy of movement as I yanked his robes up to reveal his hardened cock. The thick shaft bounced between my thighs, teasing my clit with light taps that made me bite my lower lip.

I raised my hips and perched his cock at my entrance. "What happens if neither of us breaks eye contact?"

His eyes widened with mischief. "I guess we'll have to find out."

I sheathed him an inch, triumphant by the sight of him ever-so-subtly twitching in response. He gripped my thighs and held me still, teasing me with a short thrust that made me shudder.

I struggled to hold myself up, my muscles aching from standing so long. "Does that mean the end of the game?"

He smirked as he thrust hard, sending a shock of pleasure to my nipples. "No, it just means the game gets better…"

As he dug his fingers into my hips, I let my attention drift to the hard planes of muscle meeting my bottom, the desperation in his grip, and the way his stony stomach felt under my palms. Sweat coated our hot bodies, a steamy heat that boiled me up from the inside out. Looking into my mate's eyes like this as he plowed between my legs was intimidating.

Yet I couldn't get enough of it.

I used to think closing my eyes made my senses stronger, but I was rapidly discovering it was quite the opposite. With my full visual attention on Cliff's eyes, every other sensation intensified. My nipples hardened against the cool air that drifted down my center to where Cliff plunged into my entrance. Arousal soaked my folds and slicked his entry, making my responsive bucks slippery and sloppy.

His strong hands massaged a path to my hips, over my waist, and to my breasts that longed for his bruising touch. The way his pupils swallowed his irises made him look demonic for a second, a fear that lashed through me and nearly made me look away. Cliff paused mid-thrust, holding me steady with one hand on my shoulder to keep me from moving.

"Breathe," he instructed, "go on—that's it—keep breathing—"

I did as he instructed, unable to resist the commanding tone of his voice edged with comfort. He didn't judge me for the momentary anxiety. He just intuitively knew what to do.

He pumped once, a testing thrust that made my eyelids flutter. But no broken eye contact. I wouldn't dare.

He wrapped his arms around my back, leaving enough space to look into my eyes. "Good girl. Now, ride me."

Confidence renewed, I proceeded to obey him, biting my lip as I focused on his brilliant irises returning. Hazel-brown exploded into view, a loving combination of seafoam with cosmic teal and earthy roots that made me feel at home. My hips developed a mind of their own with hard bucks that made me shake. I bounced in his lap, clawing his shoulders as I fought the urge to look away, to close my eyes, to lose sight of him looking at me.

His expression hardened with a fierce determination that thrilled me. His features twisted into sweet surrender, and then he was groaning through gasping breaths, rocking me in his lap with feverish thrusts that broke my control. Hot lightning struck my core in ragged bursts as I came with him.

Sweep after sweep, I came undone. With him, it was the most natural process in the world.

And it was one that I knew I would repeat for the rest of my life.