RISE OF THE LYCANS - Mates and Bonds

Selena

Exhaustion washed over me by the time I opened my last graduation present and thanked everyone. I had taken a nap this afternoon, but I couldn’t escape the fatigue. Lycan pup or not, I knew it was too early for the baby to make me feel like this.

“It’s been a busy week,” my wolf reminded me, and she was right.

There had been a great deal of stress with the graduation fashion show, final projects, and the countdown to the mating ball. Then there was the mating haze, a demon, my apartment fire, and graduation. All of this was nothing compared to the emotional rollercoaster I’ve been on over the last few weeks, worrying about the mating ball and losing Lukas forever.

I yawned. Now that most of the excitement had passed and my life had forever been changed, I was ready for a week-long hibernation in bed.

“You want to spend another week in bed with me?” Lukas asked through the mind link, clearly reading my thoughts.

“Sleeping,” I replied with a smile. “I want to spend a week in bed sleeping in your arms.”

“We used to nap together all the time when we were pups,” he grinned. “They couldn’t peel me away from you.”

“It was probably the best sleep I’ve ever had.”

“If you’ll excuse us,” Lukas announced, pushing back from the table. “My mate had a long day and needs her rest.”

“You can leave the gifts,” my mother said. “We’ll take them up and pack them away for you.”

“Now that the apartment is up in smoke, she won’t have much to pack for her move back home,” Flaym reminded me.

The apartment was a furnished rental, and I could have packed everything I owned in three or four suitcases. I didn’t have much that couldn’t be replaced, but I was still feeling emotional about the fire. A rush of guilt plagued me thinking about the people who shared the apartment building with me. They had all been so nice to me, and I had brought this upon them.

“Selena,” Ares called to me. “If you remember where the champagne came from, please let me know.”

“I will,” I nodded. “I’m sorry, everything just seems so hazy right now…”

“It’s probably the pregnancy hormones,” Eudora beamed at us.

Lukas placed his hand on my lower back and guided me out of the hotel restaurant, through the lobby, and to the elevator. The doors pinged open, and he wasted no time pulling me inside. Not a second later, his hand reached for the nape of my neck, and his lips were on mine. He kissed me like he’d been starving for me.

The elevator reached our floor, and a warrior patrolling our floor greeted us. We walked down the quiet hall, and Lukas pushed the door open to our room. I managed to slip my heels off before he wrapped his arms around me.

“I can hardly believe you’re finally mine, Princess.” His breath was on my neck, and he kissed the sensitive skin below my ear.

The zipper of my dress was pulled down, and it slinked to my feet. I stood in nothing but my underwear and a smile. It was a similar bra and panty set that I had worn at the sex club, and I knew Lukas would appreciate it.

“Fuck,” he cursed.

I turned to face him. The look in his eyes was nearly feral, and the bulge in the front of his pants made my heart hammer in my chest. The butterflies in my belly took flight, and suddenly, my fatigue was on the back burner. He pressed his lips down my neck and over the top of my breasts, which were exposed in a half-cup.

I gasped when I felt a claw slice away my underwear in one smooth motion. I was completely naked in front of him, and his blue eyes turned dark and started swirling. The energy radiating from him was strong and primal. If I had been in wolf form, Stella would have dropped onto her belly and held her tail up for him.

His eyes trailed down my body and stopped at my sex. The rumble in his chest told me that was exactly where he wanted to be. Warmth rushed between my thighs, and he dipped his head down to kiss me. His tongue slipped into my mouth, and the room spun with pleasure.

“Need you,” I heard a low growl, and my wolf yipped with excitement.

The next moment, I was up in his arms with my legs wrapped around him. He carried me to the bed and lowered me onto it. Lukas shed his clothing in seconds, and my thoughts went silent. He was gorgeous—handsome, masculine, and pure Alpha. Lukas hovered over me. He’d seen me naked before, but this felt different. His eyes continued to swirl, and I realized Kas was in control.

“Mine!” He said with a throaty rasp. I looked up at him wide-eyed. His beast had spoken.

“Yours,” I said in a low whisper.

“Pup… Mate… Mine.” I felt his voice as if it was stroking my skin, seducing me, and claiming me. His nostrils flared, and his swirling eyes continued to focus on me. He lowered his head and pushed my legs wide open.

A strangled cry ripped from me as his warm, wet tongue lapped at my sensitive flesh. My toes curled when he sucked on my swollen bud, and I felt his touch everywhere. His tongue was nearly as magical as his dick. Naughty Kas, I thought in disbelief as I remembered he could shift his tongue to make it longer. My eyelids closed, and my head lolled back.

“Lukas,” I cried out in a dizzying rush. His touch, his tongue… the pleasure was beyond madness, and I exploded with uncontrollable trembling.

“Mine,” he growled, pressing his cock against the wetness between my thighs, which drew another moan from me.

I met his eyes and found they were still swirling. His mouth peppered kisses along my jaw and down my neck as he slowly pushed into me. My hips shifted restlessly, unsure if I wanted him to move faster or slower. When he was buried to the hilt, he sucked in a deep breath with a low growl.

He rocked his hips slowly at first, stretching and exploring the limits of my body as my back arched for more. I could tell he was fighting a primal instinct to fuck me hard the way he wanted to. He didn’t want to hurt me, and as I tapped into his thoughts, I could hear his constant reminder to be gentle because of the pup. His beast needed to own my pussy, to leave me sore, and remind me that it was his. Lukas needed to be one with me, to love me, and remind me that I was his.

After two hours and several orgasms, he pulled me down on top of him, though he remained knotted deep inside of me. I was left breathless and spent. The heat of my heavy breathing against his neck, mingled with his scent, comforted me. I’d never felt this kind of peace as I did at this moment.

“You never told me why you returned to Kardec’s grave with flowers,” he rasped. He wanted to know my wish.

“When I heard about the mating ball several months ago—”

“You wished for a mate?”

“No,” I swallowed the lump in my throat. I still couldn’t believe it was happening. “I wished for you to be my mate.”

I heard the sharp inhale of breath, and his arms tightened around me. His beast was as happy as Stella. The emotions that whirled around inside me threatened to overwhelm me. I’ve loved Lukas my entire life, and now he was finally mine with our pup on the way.

“When you caught Grandma and Persephone at my apartment and spent the night… Did you sleep sitting in the chair?”

“Why do you ask?”

“My bedding smelled like you,” I answered, digging my nose deeper into his neck.

“You had been gone too long from me,” he started to say. “I needed to hold you.”

“It was some of the best sleep I’ve had in a long time.”

“Sleep, Princess,” he whispered and brushed his lips against the top of my head.

“My King,” I mumbled as the exhaustion returned. “My Kas.”

It was nearly noon by the time we left our room and went upstairs to the rooftop terrace, where lunch was being served.

Grandma was seated between Storm and Caspian while Flaym was forking something with a raw egg on top of it, and I realized he was eating steak tartare. Wolves enjoyed raw meat, but our human side typically preferred cooked meat. I didn’t mind seeing others enjoy tartare, but the sight of the raw egg yolk on top of the raw meat suddenly sent a strange wave of nausea through me. I looked away from Flaym and focused on the Eiffel Tower. After a few long deep breaths, the queasiness passed.

“Are you okay?” Lukas asked as his hand gently stroked my back.

“I’m fine,” I nodded. “I think it was the sight of raw egg.”

“Don’t worry, he’s wolfed it down already,” Storm announced.

“Would you like some water or something?” Lukas asked, and I nodded.

We moved to the table to join them, and I sat furthest away from Flaym, worried I might catch a sniff of the raw egg. Lukas reached for my hand and pulled me back to my feet. He sat down in my chair, then wrapped his arm around my waist to lower me onto his lap.

“Sweet Moon Goddess, not you too,” Storm rolled her eyes.

“Leave them alone,” Grandma replied. “It’s perfectly normal for mated couples to eat like that or canoodle in public. Just wait until you find your mate.”

“Unless Storm has him sitting on her lap,” Flaym laughed until he was choking for air. His eyes went wide when he realized he was paying the price for teasing her.

“Storm,” Lukas warned.

“Just having a little fun of my own,” she smiled. She had removed the air from his lungs.

Flaym and Cynder had both inherited their father’s gifts of being fireproof and breathing underwater, but he couldn’t breathe if she was extracting the oxygen out of his lungs.

Caspian burst into laughter as Flaym sucked in huge gulps of air before reaching for a glass of water. Everyone knew better than to tease her because Storm didn’t take shit from anyone. She was the first female-born lycan, the daughter of a demigod, and she was just as lethal as the male lycans.

“Holy hell, Storm, I was just kidding,” Flaym coughed.

“So was I,” she said with a sly grin.

The others had already finished appetizers, but Flaym ordered a second or possibly his third appetizer. Lukas had a salad, and I requested the next course, which was pot-au-feu.

“Pot?” Grandma asked. “Is that to calm your nausea?”

“No,” I laughed. “Pot-au-feu is being served for lunch. It’s braised beef and vegetables, but the broth is served first.”

“Where’s Rex?” Lukas asked.

“He ran security detail last night, so he’s sleeping,” Caspian replied.

“Are we expecting my sister and Ranger?”

“You know how new mates are,” Caspian smirked. “Ranger and Zane are a little preoccupied.”

“Who’s running security right now?” Lukas asked as the broth arrived with bread, pickles, and other condiments.

“Zander is. I’m on duty this evening,” he told us. “You know how Uncle Ares is.”

“For someone who doesn’t believe in demons, he sure has tightened up security around here,” Grandma said.

“Is there any news on my apartment?”

“Nothing yet, but Xena and Killian are working on that,” Storm told us.

The rest of the food arrived, and Lukas held me tight to his lap despite the curious glances from some of the human staff. There was a low purr coming through the mind link, and I knew his beast was content. My sweet Kas. He was a ferocious sight that struck fear into the hearts of most shifters, but he was always sweet with me. While most shifted when they reached maturity, Lukas shifted before he was even a year old. I had loved both of them for as long as I could remember.

“Selena, do you think we’ll have time to see Sainte-Chapelle church, like you promised?” Grandma asked.

“I thought we were going to see the catacombs?” Flaym replied.

“Catacombs?” Caspian questioned. “Didn’t you tell Ares you were going to go see the place Marie Antoinette was guillotined?”

Grandma waved a hand dismissively. “Tomato, tomahto,”

“I’m supposed to take you to go see it and bring you right back,” Caspian said. “No detours.”

“Right, but the catacombs might help Storm. They call it the Empire of the Dead for a reason,” Grandma said. “When I was in Egypt, we had to access the entrance of the underworld through the tomb of a pharaoh. I bet the doors to hell she’s been seeing are down there.”

“Don’t demons torture the dead?” Flaym asked.

“That’s a human myth,” Grandma explained. “We already know other realms exist. Different cultures throughout history had their own underworld, Hell, Tartarus, land of the dead, whatever you want to call it. If I were having visions of the doors to hell, maybe I’d walk through the catacombs and see if something calls to me.”

“Why would we want to find the doors or gates of hell?” Flaym asked.

“Because Storm is seeing visions of it for a reason,” Grandma said. “Many civilizations have believed in the underworld of some kind. It doesn’t matter which culture, civilization, or religion. The ancient Greeks, the Sumerians, even Jesus mentions the gates of hell.”

“Jesus? You’ve read the bible?” Flaym asked.

“The Qur’an, too. It mentions seven gates. I’ve had a lot of time on my hands,” she shrugged. “I’ve already made an appointment with Sylvie for one o’clock.”

“Who’s Sylvie?” Caspian asked.

“Our private Parisian tour guide,” Grandma told him. “She used to be a history professor, so I’m sure she’ll be full of knowledge.”

An hour later, we made our way downstairs to the lobby to wait for the hotel car. Because there were six of us, the concierge arranged for the limousine to drive us. Caspian called Zane to let him know we would be out for a few hours, and I silently wondered if I should worry about what Grandma might have in her purse.

“Selena!” I turned to see Jose rushing through the hotel doors with the Givenchy scarf I gave him for his birthday wrapped around his neck. I quickly looped my scarf around my neck to help hide the fresh marks. “Girl, I just saw the front page of the newspaper. Are you okay? Don’t tell me all that fabulous couture is gone.”

He reached out to hug me, and I could feel Lukas tense. Though he knew Jose was just a friend and absolutely not interested in me, the Alpha in him had to fight basic instincts to protect what was his. I had even heard that pregnancy caused the males to take protectiveness to a whole different level.

“I’m okay, and yes… pretty much everything is gone,” I told him, and he gasped.

“It was nothing that couldn’t be replaced,” Lukas said and wrapped his arm around me.

“Hello, Jose,” Grandma greeted him.

“Granny,” he leaned in and gave her air kisses. “Are you off to somewhere?”

“We’ve got a date to tour the catacombs,” she said. “It should be a real good time.”

“Have you got your hush puppies on for the stairs?” He asked, looking down at her feet.

“Of course,” she replied. “If you’re not doing anything, you should come with us.”

The concierge gave us a wave. “Monsieur Crow, the limousine has arrived.”

“Oooh, limousine?” Jose questioned. “Count me in,” he held his elbow out for Grandma to take.

We climbed into the back of the limousine, and Lukas kept his arm possessively around me the entire time. Jose lifted a brow, silently questioning my new relationship.

“If only he knew,” Stella whispered.

“I love your hair,” Jose said.

“Thank you,” Flaym smiled. “People tend to have a deep appreciation for redheads.”

“He was talking to me,” Storm shook her head. “And thank you. I was born with it.”

“Wow! Is it a genetic thing?” He asked.

“Something like that,” she smirked.

“Jose, how’s Erick doing?” Grandma asked. “I didn’t see him at your graduation.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Jose said. “We broke up.”

“I hope it wasn’t because of the fire,” she replied.

“I don’t think so,” he told her.

“What fire?” Caspian asked.

“The one at the restaurant,” Jose said. “There was an incident with a flambé trolley.”

“Let me guess, it was at La Tour in the Eiffel Tower,” Lukas cast me a look that made my cheeks feel flushed.

“Busted,” my wolf snickered.

“Erick is the Sous Chef at La Tour, he was also working at the gala,” I told them.

“I see,” Lukas nodded as if connecting the dots. “How long did you two date?”

“What is this, twenty questions?” Flaym asked.

“It was nothing serious, I suppose,” Jose said. “We’ve been seeing each other on and off for just over nine months.”

“Did he ever say anything about magic?” Grandma asked.

“As in hocus pocus, bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, type of magic?” Jose questioned.

“Wait, what?” Flaym said, the shock evident on his face.

“Magic,” Storm repeated, her interest peaking.

***********

**Do not wait to read the book. I say this every time because once the book is complete, it goes through a final edit and is removed from the platform. Every time, I have a few people complain that they weren’t finished reading it, and they’re upset. It’s normally the people I never get any feedback from, which is the whole reason why I’m still here.

This book is expected to be completed around May 10th and will be pulled about 3 days later. The Amazon release date target is May 15, 2024.