28. Luna

TWENTY-EIGHT

luna

W hen I'd gone looking for Zain and found him in the throne room, I certainly hadn't imagined that was how it was going to go, but I wasn't upset with the outcome.

Not in the slightest.

I giggled, thinking about how ridiculous it was when Zain froze.

What— I started to ask, but a voice interrupted us before I could.

"Son."

Zain gently settled me down onto my feet and pushed me behind him, hiding me behind his large stature. I'd been glad for the late hour—figuring no one would see us leave or find out what we'd been up to—but this was an unforeseen development.

An unwelcome one, if Zain's body language had anything to say about it. My gut was filled with an unsettling feeling, nausea churning.

"So this is her." His father's voice made an uncomfortable shiver run up my spine. "The human you went to such lengths to keep from me." He spit out the word like it was foul-tasting.

Never mind that I was a witch with powers of my own. That he'd bonded with me, mated with me—that we were stronger together. That we both had deep feelings for each other.

"She's my wife," Zain snarled. "And you will treat her with respect."

I peeked over his shoulder, catching sight of his father.

If I'd thought Zain was tall, his father was even taller, towering over me. Maybe seven feet with a pair of curling black horns coming from his forehead, but those unmistakable golden eyes. It was obvious where Zain had gotten them—and his looks.

"Curious little thing, aren't you?"

Stay behind me, Zain ordered into my mind. I won't let anything happen to you.

Sliding an arm up his back, I held back my unchecked anger. I knew he wouldn't, but I also remembered what he'd told me back in the countryside house. But I was more worried about Zain's emotional state than my own. Even if I'd lost my parents younger than I would have wished, and the ache was always there, I had always known they loved me.

Zain had never had that. He'd lost his mom when he was young. When was the last time anyone told him they loved him? Showed him any care?

I didn't want him hurt, either.

"What are you doing here?" My husband's voice was low. I slid my free hand into the one that he had behind his back, keeping me in place.

His father chuckled. "Just thought I'd check in on things. You haven't given me a report in the last few days. "

"I've been a little busy."

"Bedding your new wife? Because you think that once you have your heir, you can finally be rid of me?"

I scrunched up a face. Zain. I squeezed his hand to get his attention. What does he mean?

Never mind, he thought back, giving me no explanation.

But—

Luna. His voice was stern in my mind. Now's not the time.

Fine. But what game was his father playing?

Zain told me he needed to have an heir, but I hadn't thought twice about it. But was that truly why he wanted me to have a child? So it could be in line for the throne?

I bit my lip. What role did I even serve here? It had been weeks since I came to the demon realm, and all I'd done was comb through the library, bake cookies, and learn how to control my powers. That, and sneak off with Zain whenever we had a spare moment, him always as desperate to get inside of me as I was to have him.

But that wasn't enough.

He'd asked me to help. Had confided in me about his dad. It was everything I'd asked for. I couldn't hold it against him if there was more. Could I?

His father reached out like he was going to touch me, but Zain batted his hand away. "Don't touch her. Don't even look at her. I swear, Father, if you do—I will end you. It will be the last decision you ever make." The ground rumbled under my feet, and I stumbled, my body colliding with Zain's.

He whirled around, not saying another word, pulling me behind him, but I could feel his father's chuckle echoing through my bones.

It was a foreboding sound, one that felt like a bad omen for the future.

Zain slammed the door to his room shut behind us and wasted no time before stripping me down. Both of our clothes were shed in a pile on the floor, and I could almost feel the way his anger was a palpable energy.

Then I was on the bed, face down on the pillows, his large body poised over mine.

"I need you," he said, voice hoarse. "And I'm not going to be gentle. It's going to be hard and rough."

I nodded, and he pushed into me from behind without preamble, rutting into me like a beast in heat. Like he couldn't stop.

Fuck , he was big. Thankfully, I was still wet from his earlier release, his cock slipping inside me easily. This time, I felt him everywhere. He was so deep inside of me in this position.

"Zain," I cried out.

His hips rocked into me, over and over, the sound of our skin slapping filling the room. Zain grunted, his cock hardening further inside of me. He had a hold on my waist with one hand, and the other fisted my hair, arching my back towards him.

Normally, his sole focus was on my pleasure. But tonight, I could sense there was something more… animalistic about his need. Like whatever control he normally had on his desires had snapped.

I was the prey. Just like he'd said, he needed to claim me. To make sure I was his. That need was overriding his brain. Lately, it hadn't felt like fucking when I'd let him inside my body. But that's what this was. Hard and fast. My orgasm hit me the same way, like a burst of electricity in front of my eyes .

My fingers clutched into the pillows as his fingers dug into my hips even tighter, a snarl ripping out of his mouth before he buried his cock in me deep, a warmth spreading through my stomach.

But he didn't stop—he just kept fucking me through it, moving in and out even as he came inside of me, filling me with his thick cum.

I sat up, pushing myself off of him, knowing I was a mess. That my hair was probably in knots from his hands, and my hips ached from his grip, his cum dripping down my legs, but I needed the distance.

"Are you feeling better now?" I didn't turn around to see his face. I couldn't.

He didn't answer, and finally, finally, I forced myself to look at him.

"Are you okay?" I whispered the question. "Will you tell me what happened tonight? Why that happened?"

He shook his head. "No."

I wrapped a robe around myself, tears filling my eyes. I was okay with him using me like that, but not with him shutting me out. Sometimes, it was easy to forget who he was. What he was. When he was so kind to me, winning me over with sweet words and endless praise. When he made me feel better than any man ever had before.

Right now, though, I just felt dirty.

But this was a reminder of the demon underneath. The man I'd married .

"Maybe I should sleep in my bed tonight. I think I need some space."

"Don't go." He wrapped his arms around me. "Fuck, baby. I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you."

"You didn't. Not like that." Sure, I was sore, and I knew there would be bruises tomorrow, but what was hurting was my heart b ecause he wouldn't talk to me. "I can't do this. I can't be your wife and have you shut me out. You have to trust me with all of it."

"I do trust you."

"With what? I don't even have anything to do here. A purpose . I need to do something. " Helping him take down his father didn't count. I would do that happily, but what would be left once it was over?

Zain furrowed his brow. "You have a purpose."

"Do I? Because being with you can't be my purpose. Having your child can't be my purpose. There has to be something more." A deep sigh heaved from my lungs. "In Pleasant Grove, I had the bakery, and it fulfilled me. Gave me a reason to get up each morning. Seeing people's faces light up when they ate things I made brought me joy. A reason for being. Here, I'm just…"

What? What was I? I'd told him when I agreed to all of this that I didn't want to be trapped, but I couldn't help but feel that way, anyway.

"Luna." His voice was soft as he cupped my cheeks, forcing my eyes to meet his. "You can do whatever you'd like."

"Can I?" I raised an eyebrow. "Because the bodyguards following me around wherever I go seem to point to the opposite . Why are you so afraid of him, Zain? You said we could end it. Together. That we could do this." He said nothing, looking away. "Why are you hesitating?"

"It's complicated." He pinched between his brows. "I just…"

"Okay." I sighed. "You know where to find me when you need me." My heart hurt as I walked away from him.

As I curled into my cold sheets, unable to remember when the last time I slept in them was. They didn't smell like him, that musky scent that soothed my frayed nerves.

I let the tears fall, not caring if anyone heard me cry.

Because he was here, and he was still breaking my heart.