Something was happening, and it made me shake.
Being with Cazz had always been a pleasure, a pure, primal pleasure. And the animal in him was still there, growling approval and seeking me with clawed fingers and bright eyes.
But as Cazz kissed me, and stroked, and let his body play mine like music, he shuddered and murmured and… softened against me.
His kiss was desperate and deep. But his lips gave, rather than took. His touch was skilled and intentional, but at times he stroked with a tenderness I’d never felt from him before.
And as we began to move together, even though I felt him tense more than once, he didn’t trap my hands, but let me touch him, grip his back, slide my
~ CASIMIR ~ “Oh!” I jolted awake the next morning, sitting up quickly, and felt the weight of Jesse tumble from my shoulder because she’d been laying her head there. Still foggy and uncertain, I scanned the room to find Ghere standing a few steps inside the doorway, dry-washing his hands, an apologetic look on his face. “I’m sorry, Sire, but it’s urgent.” I frowned. Why was he— “What’s going on?” Jesse’s voice was disoriented and husky with sleep and desire bolted from behind my navel, straight to my groin. But as Ghere averted his eyes, I realized why he’d apologized. I quickly grabbed th
~ JESSE ~“…really just wondering if the females you connected me to the other day… do you consider them… trustworthy? Women you would commend?”Maya frowned, her eyes somehow cloudy with age, and yet piercing as well. She cupped one hand over the other on the top of her walking stick, leaning forward in her chair—which meant her back was hurting—and fixed me with those eyes that were now shrewdly narrowed.“Naturally, I would say yes. If our Cazz were here, challenging my decisions and questioning my judgment, I would, of course, make it very, very clear that I do not bring wolves into the Queen’s sphere that I believe could be a risk to her wellbeing.”I swallowed. That sharp
~ JESSE ~ I shook my head at Maya, but she just stared blandly back at me. “You should be ashamed of yourself,” I said bluntly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she sniffed. “Now, have you finally gotten the ancestries clear in your head, or will you leave me with another headache, trying to help you straighten them out…?” I groaned—the pack bloodlines were my least favorite subject and I knew her bringing them up now meant she was either punishing me, or distracting me. But it didn’t really matter which it was, because I was submitted. And if she wanted to spend the next week talking to me about who sired who, I was going to have to suck it up and learn it so she’d have no reason to bring i
~ CASIMIR ~“I’m sorry… she said what?” I asked, doing my best not to let the irritation and creeping anger seep into my tone. It wasn’t this messenger’s fault that he had been waiting two hours to tell me how my gift was received, because I was too busy to take a break… and now his news wasn’t what I wanted to hear.“She said, let him know I received it and I’m grateful.”“Those exact words?”“Yes, Sire.”With a disgruntled growl, I dismissed the messenger and turned away.Rake and the others were all gathered in clusters around the room. The Gammas had been sent off with instructions and now we waited to see if ou
~ JESSE ~ Cazz’s brows drew down sharply over his nose and his eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, you don’t know how to feel about it?” I looked back and forth, up and down the tunnel. I hadn’t planned to have this conversation with him so soon. I’d been busy hunting down my new friends. But Cazz’s appearance had frightened Wylde, who thought he was going to be angry with her for talking to me while she was supposed to be working, so I didn’t call her back when she darted away. I knew I could find her later. The truth was, feeling that sudden tug behind my ribs, that call that could only be him, had excited me—then stepping into the hallway to see Cazz prowling towards me had been thrilling. He was hunti
~ JESSE ~Cazz was right. My heart did pinch. For him. My heart went out to him. I wanted to gather him in and hug him and pat his chest and soothe him, and promise him that it wasn’t his fault. But the way he bristled, it was very obvious that he had exactly zero interest in my pity.“I am royal. I do not have the luxury of any relationship for the sheer joy of it,” he seethed.Dear Lord, this poor man.So much of how he dealt with me—and with others—was becoming clear.
~ CASIMIR ~ Jesse was still talking. Something about connections being about a lot more than just having sex. No kidding. There was all kinds of play and anticipation that could improve the bond between a pair when both wolves were engaged. I had always prided myself on never compelling an orgasm. I may have eased the path for females into my bed, but once they were there… Well, I learned fast, and applied myself to learning them. I had had no complaints. But my mind was only half on those thoughts—they flitted through, barely registering. Because I was too busy analyzing the bond to really hear her or want to argue. There was something strange going on in her, something I had never sensed before and I was struggling to identify what it was. A warm, solid strength—but not from her. As if the bond itself was growing thicker. But that was the wrong word… The bond was growing more… resilient. Interesting. As she continued speaking earnestly, her pretty brows jumping up and down, h
~ CASIMIR ~ “Promise me you won’t hurt me, Cazz.” “Kitten, I’m going to give you nothing but pleasure so that the next time we’re together, you’ll remember. And you’ll ask for more.” Her heart raced even faster, but there was a simmering heat in her too. “Okay then. Okay. Show me.” To answer, I took the curtain rope and wound it twice around the bedpost, then yanked it tight, before folding the long end in half and reaching for her arm. Jesse’s eyes widened, but she gave me her hand, extending it so I could loop the fabric around her wrist in quick efficient tugs that ended with her wrist knotted expertly in the curtain-rope, positioning her hand higher than her head, but still able to move the limb up and down so it wouldn’t grow too tired. Then I turned her to face the foot of the bed and reached for the curtain on the other side. When I looped that around the opposite post, Jesse watched me nervously. So I slipped up behind her, warming her back with my body as I extended her