Ava
“You’re right.” Braiden is not accustomed to saying these words. I can tell by the sour look on his face.
“How did that taste coming out?” I ask, laughing.
“Bitter. Don’t tell anyone about this. They may think I have gone soft.”
His smile reaches his eyes, diffusing the tension between us so that all that is left is the realization of how close to
each other we are.
As if his scent weren't enticing enough. Being this close to him allows me to see everything so clearly. And, man
alive, it’s just as good as I remember.
His black hair is messy, but unlike when mine is in the same state, he can pull it off. It's probably because of his
grey eyes that almost bleed into his pupils, the not-too-sharp nose that sits above perfect full lips, and the shadow of
a beard surrounding said lips that he could pull it off so deliciously.
As usual, he is in a suit sans tie, this time with one button open. Always black suits. Always fitted. With a muscular
body filling it like a fucking Greek god. He was an Alpha male. A King. And his physical stature was built for
those roles. Bigger, stronger, more ferocious than the rest.
Dangerous and primal. My eyes travel the length of his suit, noticing the large bulge tenting his suit pants. As
delicious as his suit was, I wished I could see what lay beneath.
My eyes meet with his again, his sharp jaw twitching as we look at each other, his eyes landing on the spot on my
neck as the vein there gives away the erratic beating of my heart. Heat pools in my stomach as I remember the kiss
we shared in the forest, accompanying me to dreamland every night so far and leading me into dreams filled with
strong hands kneading my body, touching every part of me until I am screaming out in ecstasy. I look down at his
hands, which are now gripping the ladder we are standing on so hard that his knuckles are white.
“If you continue looking at me like that, people will know I have not gone soft when you are shouting my name,
begging me to fuck you harder, little minx.” His words make me blush and lift my head while I squeeze my thighs
together, looking at a point across the room. An ugly painting of a fucking rooster. How ironic. Let's focus on the
ugly cock on the other side of the room instead of the delicious one digging into my thigh.
“Don’t worry, I will not do anything until you ask me.” His words are said softly close to my ear before he pulls
back and climbs off the ladder. I follow suit, dusting my clothes off as if that will rid the sexual tension in and
around me. The evidence of his arousal is clear while mine sits in the air around us, creating a scent that makes me
blush.
“Fuck, Ava, you’re driving me insane,” he growls out, taking a couple of st eps away as if to stop himself from
pinning me against the wall and taking me as I have experienced in my dreams. The reality would be much better.
Rougher, more raw. I shake my head, banishing the thoughts.
Nick was going through the same thing with Samuel, if not worse. They were going at it like rabbits every chance
they got. Having completed their mating by marking each other, their bond was even more intense than what
Braiden and I were experiencing. Which, for me, was already pretty intense.
Imagine fully mating. We would be banging each other's brains out.
“Come,” Braiden orders, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the door.
“Where are we going?” I ask, trying to ke ep up with him as he speed walks in front of me.
“We need air.” While I couldn’t argue that some air would be great, considering I hadn’t been outside since
arriving here, I could argue about how he was dragging me around.
“I can’t ke ep up with your pace, Braiden. Slow down, or let me go. Pick one.” The eyes of a guard nearby arch up,
probably at the use of the King's name and my tone. From now on, I must remember to call him My King, not to
draw attention. Though, walking outside hand in hand would undoubtedly do the job.
Braiden slows his pace, giving me a chance to walk beside him.
“See, better,” I say, smiling at him sweetly. His face is stern, but the slight upturn of his lips at the corners tells me
he is amused.
“Maybe we shouldn’t go outside holding hands. Nothing has been decided. This,” I gesture towards our clasped
hand, “will do nothing but fuel gossip.”
His answer is as expected.
“I don’t care what people say or think, Ava. Besides, we are not going outside.” I roll my eyes, his arrogance
having no limitation.
We pass through many corridors until we reach sizeable arched glass doors, condensation on the window inside
hinting at what is beyond. When we enter, the gasp leaving my lips cannot be contained.
The glass-domed building must be at least thirty meters wide and fifteen meters long, the dome reaching at least ten
meters at its highest point.
Flowers and ferns caress my skin as I walk through the narrow pathways that lead through this wonderland. A fine
mist coats my skin like the plants, ke eping everything lush and green. I stop, my hand cupping a flower I have
never seen, its delicate petals a purple that probably inspired every other purple captured in paintings.
“Wow, My King, this is amazing.” Before I know what is happening, Braiden is behind me, his hand around my
throat firmly as he pulls me flush against his body. Excitement jolts through me while desire pools in my panties,
like the moisture on the leaves directly before me.
“Call me My King again, Ava, and I will spank your ass so hard you won’t be able to sit for a week.” His stubble
grazes my jaw as roughly as his words run through my body, sending delicious goosebumps everywhere.
The sparks from his touch sear my skin, I’m sure branding me for life.
Giggles approach us, prompting Braiden to release me and st ep back quickly, his face betraying none of what just
happened. I whip around, my face burning red. A little girl, no more than six, with pigtails, jumps out
from behind some ferns. Her cute face lights up as her eyes land on Braiden.
“My King! You came back!” She squeals, running and jumping into arms that open swiftly to catch her.
The transformation on Braiden's face is instantaneous, his features softening as he looks at the small child in his
arms with an affection I have not seen before.
My ovaries explode as he lifts the girl, swinging her around in the air and eliciting a stomach-de ep giggle from the
child that makes me smile.
“Of course I am back. There's no way I would leave you.” He pinches her nose gently as she hugs his neck.
“I had to go get someone important. Do you want to meet her?” Braiden turns fully to face me, the little girl's eyes
going wide and her mouth forming an ‘o’ when she sees me.
“Wow, are you a princess? You look like Belle. Are you Belle?” she asks as Braiden approaches me. A pained
emotion flickers across his features briefly before it is gone.
“From Beauty and the Beast?” She nods vigorously, her face still in awe.
“If I’m Beauty, then who is the Beast?” I ask her conspiratorially, her eyes briefly shifting to the man holding her.
This conversation stirs something in me, a Deja Vu of a moment lost.
“The King?” she whispers, her hand covering her mouth as if that will ke ep Braiden from hearing.
I laugh when Braiden raises his eyebrow, not impressed with our character selection. Briefly, there is a look of
nostalgia on his face, making me yearn to know the cause.
“No, I’m not a princess. My name is Ava,” I say, my response causing her head to inch to the side as she assesses
me.
“And you are?” Braiden prompts her, tickling her armpit as he does.
“My name is Sarah,” she says before her hand cups her mouth again.
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone what you are.” She laughs when Braiden tickles her again.
“Okay, little one. That’s enough for one day. Where is your mother?”
Braiden’s question has Sarah’s little finger pointing towards a path on our right.
Braiden leads while I follow behind, Sarah chattering nonstop about her friends and her new favorite toy, filling
Braiden in on all that is important in the days he has been gone. If this little interaction between Braiden and Sarah
was surprising, I was shocked when we entered a small grass-covered area, kids screeching and running towards
him while he scooped the two smallest up. With three, including Sarah, in his arms, two others hanging off his legs,
and a couple more hugging his waist, this man is so far removed from what I was expecting that my jaw is probably
hanging on the floor.
Just who in the hell was my mate?