Chapter 46

Sorcha and I just ran until I was able to find a small cave by the beach. I thought my father knew better than to go after me, but I didn't want Volaris or Sono seeing us from above. There was enough driftwood on the beach for me to bring into the cave that she was able to light when I asked her to.

I knew everyone would be thinking I stole her because she was asking us to kiss her, but that wasn't it. I knew this was her first time feeling this. My lion went into hyper protective mode. We needed to get her out of there and protect her so no one took advantage of her.

And fuck me if she didn't practically sit in my lap when she joined me at the fire. I was trying to behave. Sorcha buried her nose in my neck to scent me.

"Fuck. You smell good," she murmured.

"Do you feel better?" I whispered in her ear, putting my arm around her.

It was such a bad idea. I didn't bring her here for that.

"I don't know what I want. I feel better than I did. I know why I can't kiss you and everyone has explained why I can't mate until I choose. I don't know why I laid on all of you and asked you to kiss me. It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"You were drunk and didn't really know what you're doing."

"No, that's it. I knew exactly what I was doing. I know damned well why I can't, too. When I saw the three of you, I just didn't care. My head is a lot clearer after I shifted."

"Yeah, that's how it goes with us. It's not going to stop the hangover, but shifting sobers us up. I don't know if it's magic or biology, but it gives us an edge if humans crash one of our parties."

"That's pretty neat, but if I'm not drunk anymore, I should probably give a shit now that I still want to kiss all three of you."

I let out a little growl.

"Watch it, Sorcha. I brought you out here because I was feeling protective but you're really making me want to prove to you why you only want to kiss me."

Sorcha let out a moan that was definitely sexual and went straight to my cock.

"Leodos says I should be as careful with your feelings as I'd want you to be with mine. It doesn't matter what I do, someone is going to get hurt. Frog says if I'm supposed to bring change, then technically I could just have all three of you. I know why I can't and I've only mated once, but drunk me had some fun ideas about that."

Maybe I was confused, too, because this visual popped into my head of Sono and Neptis taking her at the same time while I watched and told them exactly how to pleasure her. I swear, my cock twitched and got even harder. But then I came back to reality. How would that even work? The three of us were alphas, and we didn't share women.

Even if we did somehow manage that, our fathers wouldn't allow it. I already knew what my father would say. He'd throw a tantrum and yell that he didn't care who she was or that I actually cared about her. He'd yell that it was emasculating. And the stupid thing was that if I told him I wanted to tap into my inner lion and have multiple wives, he would have got it.

She had been watching me and got this utterly devious look on her face. I honestly got why Leodos called her Imp.

"You know more about mating than I do. Leodos didn't give you potato water. You got an idea when I told you what Frog suggested and you liked it."

I groaned. She was going to kill me. Sorcha would be a passionate wife who kept me on my toes. I was crazy about her and really trying to behave. Especially since she was sitting this close to me and I could smell that she was aroused.

"I brought you out here to sober up away from everyone so nothing happened and our fathers tried to pick your husband, but you're kind of a flirt. Should I take you back? I'm not drunk, but I'm having a hard time not kissing you."

"I don't want to go back yet. The last time we were alone, you let a bunch of Theran girls kidnap me and paint my face. And I'm pretty sure your sister said she'd make me a better wife than you would a husband, but I'm still getting used to this whole flirting thing."

I threw back my head and laughed.

"She probably did. My sister has broken more Theran girls' hearts than I have and my father hates it. He'd rather me be the lothario in the family and Fara be into men."

"The way you all do marriage is fucking stupid. If you don't want to marry someone, you shouldn't have to. If your sister likes girls, she should be with one. It's also fucking stupid that you want to kiss me and I want to kiss you and we aren't doing that."

Ah, fuck it. She was right. It was fucking stupid. So, I kissed her. I'd kissed plenty of women, but it never felt like this. I was seeing stars. I knew why we needed to stop, but I really didn't want to. Sorcha pulled me closer like she didn't want to either. I broke the kiss and rested my forehead on hers.

"I wish this wasn't so complicated because how I felt mating was how I figured out the heart flower and how to heal Sono."

I sighed. I was going to seriously regret this if she didn't pick me, but I wasn't going to be the only one who didn't listen to her. She told a lot of people how she figured out Esylle's lesson and healing Sono and what she needed to explore those gifts more.

Esylle and Leodos were trying to be her parents and teach her like a regular Tempris child. She wasn't a child anymore and there was a lot she wasn't saying about the first nineteen years of her life before she left Idric. I had a feeling a lot of what she wasn't saying was much worse than him kidnapping her and lying to her. Sorcha was telling us what she needed. It might be complicated, but if we were careful, it didn't have to be.

"There's a tide pool that feeds to the ocean at the back of this cave. If we both wash in it, no one will be able to tell you've mated after you've also shifted and run back. I'm not going to be one of those people who tells you that you don't know your own mind or what you need. I'll help you if you need more experience feeling good to do what you're supposed to do. I'm not an arsehole either. I'm not going to brag about it and I promise I'll try my hardest to not be horrible to you if you decide you want Sono or Neptis."

Sorcha just smiled and climbed into my lap. Fuck, this girl was going to kill me.

"What if we all did what my froggy best friend suggested and piss your dad off?"

I moaned and started kissing her neck. I loved that she wasn't scared of my father, but it wasn't just my father who wouldn't approve. The Tarks were really devout and Fluvis wouldn't think it was proper. Volaris was pretty open-minded, but I was sure he'd come up with something.

But I had a beautiful, insanely powerful woman grinding herself on my cock and she smelled amazing. I didn't want to think about anything but her. I went through the motions lighting incense and praying to the effigies of the Spirus, but I didn't much take any of that seriously.

Worshipping that perfect body and helping her harness her magic seemed like a much better way. Sorcha was small and delicate, but definitely not breakable. I took my time exploring her mouth and playing with her before I went for the tie at her neck for her robes. When I had her robes off, I started kissing and licking her thighs.

"Did Sono taste you?" I asked.

I wanted tonight to be better than what Sono had done. Yeah, maybe I was a little competitive still. I was teasing her.

"Don't talk about Sono when we're naked unless you want to invite him."

Minx. She might have never heard of mating or her Senso when she left Idric, but she was clearly a fast learner. And slightly kinkier than anyone I'd been with before. And this image briefly flashed in my head of me taking her from behind while Sono fucked her mouth, which confused the fuck out of me because lions didn't share, but she was glorious like that.

Her back arched, and she yanked my hair as I took that swollen knob into my mouth. The cave was big enough to hide us, but not huge. The fire and the warmth coming off of her was making me sweat, but it wasn't unbearable.

I devoured her until she came on my tongue. She tasted divine. Oh, fuck. I really hoped I got to do this with her again. My cock was about to explode and it felt like it was my first time doing this again. I'd have to catch a boat to Idric and live there for the rest of my life if I got my cock in her and came right away like my first time. I sat back on my heels.

"Present," I growled, my lion fighting to get at the surface.

"What the fuck are you talking about? Can you do this without making a baby?"

Oh, she'd look stunning carrying my cubs, but I'd never do that to her. It would mean trapping her and taking her choice away since Belisarus didn't teach her how to protect herself. I could do that after.

"We won't make a baby. Get on all fours. This is how the Theran mate. I'll teach you other ways, too," I reassured her.

Okay, this was mostly how we did it when we were claiming our partners. She wasn't mine yet and she might never be, but if we just had this one night, I wanted to remember it.

I pressed myself into her. Oh, Sorcha felt divine. She was hot, tight, and wet. She drew in a hissing breath.

"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

"Don't stop," she begged.

And fuck me if she didn't flutter around my cock when she said that. And she kept doing it as I thrust into her. I was trying not to lose control, and she was egging me on begging me to go harder and faster. But this wasn't right. It was those eyes. They were huge and so unusual. I wanted to lose myself in them while I lost myself in her. When I stopped, she turned around, confused again, and sat up.

"Why did you stop? I thought that was how you mated."

"It's one way, but there are countless others. I want to look in those beautiful eyes. Lay on your back."

Sorcha did what I asked.

"You don't think my eyes are weird looking?"

"I think they are beautiful, just like you," I said, nipping at her nose. "Hang onto that boulder and don't let go."

"Do it like how you did before. I'm small, but not breakable. I like it like that."

Oh, I planned on it because I could tell she liked it. There were a few things I wanted to try with her, but I also didn't know if she'd burn the shit out of me if I did.

"How do you feel about spankings and choking? Some women like that during sex if you make it feel good after."

"I mean, I don't know? Belisarus whipped me after I made Frog and I didn't like it. He kept yelling and whipping me until I couldn't heal anymore and then he sent me to bed without dinner. If you tell my mother and Leodos that, I'll never forgive you."

Fuck. I'd never forgive Belisarus for doing that to her. It was what she was supposed to be doing. She didn't deserve to be beaten for it. I kissed her and rested my forehead on hers.

"That never should have happened to you. I'd never hurt you like that."

"I actually know that. And I want to try it since you like it and say other women do, too. I just don't want to hurt you if I don't like it."

"I'm not Belisarus. I'm not my father either. I don't want or expect you to sit there and take anything from me. If I do or say something you don't like, I'd rather you just tell me rather than hold it in until you explode. You can just tell me you don't like it," I said, booping her nose with my finger.

Sorcha let out this contented sigh and squirmed underneath me. She still hadn't let go of that boulder and she liked what I just told her. I wasn't lying either.

"I really like that. Show me."

I didn't know if Belisarus only beat her that one time or it happened often. I needed her more than I needed that and I'd ease her into it. I spread my fingers like a necklace around her throat but I didn't squeeze. This beautiful blush started at her breasts and rose all the way to her cheeks. I could smell her arousal deepen. My lion started purring and so did her big cat.

"Good girl. I think you like that."

Sorcha broke into goosebumps and let out a moan that went straight to my cock. Yeah, she liked that, too. I tightened my hand just a little, and she whimpered but the smell of her arousal deepened again.

"I don't even know why I like this so much. Leodos and the guys taught me how to punch someone with a fire fist before everyone got here. If we weren't naked, I'd probably feel very different."

"Don't let anyone tell you all there is to life is work and ruling. You have to set time aside to play, too. That means eating good food, finding out how the different tribes party, and learning what you like when you are mating."

"Well, I'd really love you to be inside me right now and then I want to lick that dip in your hips because I really like it."

I mostly exercised by shifting, running, and wrestling but I was going to have to find out what I could do to make my Adonis Belt better than anyone in all three tribes because we were all topless and I only wanted her licking mine.

But she also had another request, and I wanted it, too. I slid inside her and she was just perfect. Sorcha wrapped her legs around me to pull me deeper inside her.

"Be a little rough and choke me a little again."

I was crazy about this girl. I'd give her whatever she wanted. What she wanted happened to be what I wanted, so it was perfect. I fucked her hard and fast. Sorcha didn't complain. She begged for more. I loved that she was scratching me up because I wanted her marks all over me, but I had to remind her that it would show because of my robes. Everyone would know and my father might use this to get stupid.

"I want to bite you, too, and I know why I can't!"

Fuck! I was also resisting marking that spot on her neck that would let everyone know she was mine. It had to mean something that she felt it, too. I'd done this countless times and never wanted to bite anyone. The idea of biting Pulvi actually made me physically ill.

I was trying so hard not to explode, but I needed to wait for her. I was still learning what she liked as this was our first time, but I did know at least one thing. I spread my fingers across her neck and gave it a squeeze.

Damn. I didn't know what the Spirus was like the first time, but this version definitely liked getting choked. Sorcha clamped down on my cock and bucked underneath me as she came. She had let go of the boulder to scratch me, but as soon as I warned her everyone would know what we did, her hands went straight back to the boulder and she never let go.

My lion came to the surface and roared as I came harder than I ever had in my life. Sorcha finally let go of the boulder to cup my cheeks and pull me down for a gentle kiss.

"Thank you. Hey, can I use my mouth on you like you did to me?"

I groaned.

"Yes, but I'm going to need a lot more time to recover than you do."

I wasn't completely done with her. I wanted her to pick me because she wanted me, not because someone forced her to or I had tricked her. I handed her a piece of Funus root and told her to chew it just in case.

"We don't have supplies to make tea, but chewing on it will prevent you from getting pregnant, too. If you need it, this grows all over Nestran. You just need to find any tree with purple and yellow wildflowers at the base. The Farkhi use something different and the Tarks use a type of kelp. All three work and Sono and Neptis can tell you about their methods and where to find them.

"Your mom probably has one, too, since the Barons won't let the Tempris have more than one child and they don't strike me as the type of men who are going to be celibate over a rule. I'm sure they have mistresses or visit the brothels in Guttertown, but all the humans have a bit of a Tempris fetish."

Sorcha moaned.

"Please don't talk about those stinky Barons wanting to have sex with my mother while you were just inside me."

I could honestly die happy. This was perfect. I'd never felt this connected to anyone before. And I said I could do this because she said it would help her learn and keep my feelings separated, but I was lying to myself.

I don't think I could deal with it if I had to watch her marry someone else.