SWNOVELS Chapter 49: Treaties
Sighing, I sink further into Heloix's lap, watching his lips quirk up before he tilts his head away from the papers that sit in front of us. He meets my gaze with a soft smile.
"Pretty much." He answers, his arm reaching forward to smooth out my eyebrow.
"It's boring."
Heloix chuckles at my words, shaking his head as he focuses back in on the documents that lay scattered along the desk.
"That it is."
Pursing my lips, my throat clenches as I try to think of something else to say, frowning as nothing comes to mind. Things have been a bit tense between us since our argument, and although we are still speaking and friendly to one another, something seems to be missing.
I've tried to apologize a thousand times, but Heloix refuses to let me, his lips connecting with mine until my mind goes hazy and I forget what I'm saying. Despite his reluctance to hear my regret, I still wish to express how bad I feel about the mean words I shared, and for putting his kingdom at risk by spreading the news that I'm his mate.
He's assured me that everybody pretty much already knew and that my words alone aren't going to start a revolt, but that it will make it harder to earn their respect.
Taking a deep breath, I hold the air in my cheeks for a moment before exhaling, dropping my head back down to the desk. I asked Heloix to teach me more about his work, but I wasn't anticipating it to be this tedious. For days now we have sat next to one another reading over the alliance demands of the neighboring kingdoms, trying to filter through and determine which ones will provide the best protection for us.
Although he hasn't provided much detail, Heloix has explained that after claiming me he will be sick while his Beast forms a connection with me.
If I were a Beast then they would just merge, making both of us stronger together. But, because I'm a human and don't have a Beast to offer him, his will instead have to stretch thin in order to protect us both.
He's also told me that even though I will be unable to take the form of a Beast, his will gain the ability to take over my body, blackening my eyes and forcing its way to the forefront of my mind to make decisions on my behalf.
The thought of giving him such control of my body worries me, but Heloix has promised that once his body has adjusted to the power shift and he is no longer sick, he will teach me how to control it.
I'm honestly rather anxious about the whole thing, especially since it is likely that the rebellion will happen immediately after we complete the bond. I'm just grateful that he's still willing to bond with me, and am surprised at the change of heart he has had.
I was under the impression that it would be months, if not years, before he finally claimed me. Now he talks about it as if he expects it to happen in mere weeks. I'm more than ready to be his mate, though, and haven't questioned it on him for fear that he would take it as a rejection.
Heloix is extra cautious with me lately, too, constantly asking how I feel and what I'm doing. It's clear that he is worried about my state of mind after learning about my rape, and as hard as it is to come to terms with I am grateful for his concern.
I was so sure that he wouldn't make any changes after our argument, and am appreciative that he took my complaints to heart, no longer leaving me in the dark on his work. It feels like progress.
"What do you think?" Heloix speaks up, nudging me lightly with his shoulder.
Startled, I jump a bit, letting out a quiet squeak in the process. I turn to face Heloix with a grimace, shrugging lightly as I offer him a sheepish smile.
"I got distracted, sorry."
Heloix frowns, and I internally cringe as I wait for him to lecture me on the importance of these alliances. Instead, to my surprise, he sets down his pen and turns me around in his lap so I'm facing him.
"What're you thinking about?" He asks.
His arms wrap around my waist as I plant myself on his lap, the thick muscles flexing against my sides and back. I bury my face into his neck, breathing in his comforting scent.
"I'm sorry for calling you a shit mate." I murmur, pressing a light kiss into his skin.
His body tenses beneath mine, freezing for a moment before relaxing once more.
"I did a lot of shitty things." He admits.
Pulling back slightly, I look over his face, noting the frown he holds. Silently, I lift my fingers to his face and push at his lips, lifting the downturned corners until he relents and smiles.
Biting my lip, I pause for a moment to prepare myself for my next question, fearful of his answer.
"If you found that that King was happy after discarding his true mate and choosing another, would you have gone through with it?" I ask, hesitancy clear in my tone.
It's a question I've been thinking a lot about lately and have been unable to find the right time to discuss it.
Heloix doesn't immediately respond, making my heart race and blood run cold. I knew that I wouldn't like the answer to this question, and already regret asking it. Sighing, he reaches up and grabs my hands, removing the fingertips from his cheeks and moving them to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the skin.
"Addie, I was working with Axis to write up the alliance requests before we even left." He responds in a soft whisper.
I squint my eyes as I look over his face, letting out a sigh of relief as I see no deception. Relaxing forward onto his body, I rest my cheek against his body, enjoying the sound of his heart beating just underneath the skin. He palms the back of my head, stroking the hair as his chest rumbles slightly below me.
"Then why did we still go?" I ask.
His shoulders shrug underneath me. "A couple of reasons. One we both know and I don't want to say, but another was because I needed to get you away from the castle for a few days. Axis was announcing several human rule changes for the Beasts and I was worried that the guards would retaliate and try to hurt you."
Pulling back, I look at Heloix, tilting my head to the side in confusion.
"You were making changes before I asked for them?" I question, shocked.
Heloix nods, smiling slightly at me for a moment before his body stiffens and eyes flicker.
"I knew I needed to after the incident." He admits, the quiet rumbling in his chest transforming from a comforting tune to something angry.
"I thought maybe-" I pause, clicking my tongue as I search for the right words. "I thought that something more had happened than what you and John let on, but I inspected myself and found no pain, so I believed your words."
Heloix's lip twitches and his hand moves to the back of my head, pushing my face into his neck. I can feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest, and I try to pull back but he keeps me firmly in place.
"There is something about the attack that I haven't told you. And I don't think you need to know." He whispers, his pulse speeding up against my lips as he admits this.
I can't help but tense up as I absorb what he's saying, my body stiffening against his. Moving my arms to his shoulders, I push against the muscle in an effort to pull away from him, the attempt in vain as he refuses to lessen the force against my head.
"What more specifically is it about?" I probe, fingers digging into the skin of his shoulder.
Another quiet grumble falls from his chest.
"Me healing you."
My mind races as I work to put together the pieces, lips pursing as I realize what he's alluding to. A part of me wants to push for more information, but knowing that I should trust him, I force my body to relax once more against his.
"Then don't tell me." I eventually answer, relieved as his hand loosens on my head and drops to my waist.
Heloix slowly turns and places a kiss on my temple, his lips pressing gently into my skin before grazing back and forth. Tightening his hold on my waist, he kicks out his legs and moves his chair back towards the desk. I feel his hair brush against my eyelid as he looks down at the papers sitting upon it, a quiet huff falling from his mouth as he gets back to work.
We remain in this position for a while, and I don't realize that I've dozed off until I'm jerking upright, cringing at the splotch of drool that has dried on the tanned skin of his neck.
Heloix chuckles slightly at my actions, his chest vibrating against me. The jerky movement coupled with my abrupt awakening makes me feel a bit queasy, and I take a deep breath to settle down my stomach.
"Have a good nap?" He jokes.
I huff quietly, reaching up to wipe the drool off his skin. "Yes."
Twisting around, I peer down at the papers in his hand, frowning as I notice that he's still working through the same alliance contract.
"How's it going?"
Heloix grunts as his hand balls into a fist, crinkling the sharp edges of the paper. With a quiet thump, he sets the sheets down, moving his hand to hover over the words before pointing down at a particular section.
"They want access to our ports." He explains, resting his head on top of mine.
The air falling from his lips blows a couple strands of my hair out of place, but he quickly smooths them back down.
Confused, I turn back around to face him. "What's the issue with that?"
"Us being the only kingdom with access to the ports means we control what comes in and out. If others start using them it will lessen our authority." He explains, eyes slowly moving from his desk to me. "What do you think we should do?"
Even though I know he can feel my emotions, I try not to let the surprise that he wants my opinion show. Humming quietly, my brain starts to churn as I try to think over the options.
"Do they have a big army?" I ask, eyebrows furrowing together.
A wide smile spreads across Heloix's face at my question, his approval filtering through the bond. I'm rarely able to feel his emotions, the cause of this due to a mixture of him keeping them hidden and the fact that I'm not a Beast, but sometimes he will push them through to me.
"One of the best." He responds, moving his attention back to the documents. "That's why they have such a big ask."
I nod, understanding now where his trepidation is coming from.
"Maybe we should wait on it until we have a better idea of what the other kingdoms will ask for?" I suggest, squealing as his cold hands abruptly slide underneath my dress and push against my lower back.
His mouth suddenly latches to mine, teeth nipping at my bottom lip for a moment before disconnecting and re-attaching to my neck. A throaty gasp falls from my lips as his tongue presses against my skin, his hot breath warming the spot for a quick moment before he pulls back and blows on the wetness, sending shivers through my body.
"I need a distraction." He groans.
Grabbing onto my waist, he holds me firmly in place as he rolls his hips up against mine, pushing the hard length of him along my core. Shuddering, I tense up at the contact, feeling a bit uncomfortable being touched in such a matter after learning about the rape.
Heloix's eyes soften at my reaction, his hands loosening their grip.
"I'm sorry." He murmurs, pushing me back a couple of inches so his cock is no longer pressing against me.
Sucking in a deep breath, I lean forward and rest my face in the crook of his neck, reminding myself that Heloix will never hurt me or let anybody else do so again.
Pulling back, I plant a soft kiss on his lips, wanting to feel close to him after such a tense couple of days.
"I want to." I admit, scootching forward and connecting myself with him once more.
He doesn't seem convinced, eyeing me warily as he no doubt tries to decipher my emotions. I reach down and move my underwear to the side, exposing myself to the cold air for a moment as I grab Heloix's hand and bring it to my core, forcing his middle finger inside of me.
It slides in with a bit of friction, a product of me not being too aroused just yet, but as I rock back and forth against him I feel myself begin to wetten, his finger easily gliding in and out of me.
"See?" I ask, referring to the audible sound of my wetness around his finger.
Looking down, a quiet gasp falls from my mouth as I watch myself ride his hand, the rings on his fingers glistening as they press against me. Heloix seems to have the same idea, his forehead dropping down and pressing against mine as he watches.
He pulls his finger out to the tip before plunging two back inside of me, the additional pressure forcing a surprised moan from me. We continue like this for a moment, my head falling back as he presses his thumb against my clit.
I moan as he circles the sensitive bundle of nerves and sends heated tingles throughout my body. The sound turns into a whine as he removes his fingers from me completely.
Glancing down, I watch as Heloix reaches into his pants and pulls out his cock from the tight confines of his clothing. His thick length smacks against his stomach as it breaks free, and I lick my lips at the sight of it. So big.
Heloix wastes no time grabbing my hips and lifting me into the air. He takes advantage of the gap and lines himself up with my entrance.
"I've never been ridden before." He admits, looking up at me with wide, eager eyes. "Well other than for the two seconds before I came in you, but that doesn't count."
Smiling, I can't help the slight blush that spreads across my cheeks as I sink down onto him, excited to be the first person to give this to him.
I'm unable to take him all the way in this position, grunting quietly as his tip presses against my cervix and sends a shock through my body.
"Oh." I sigh, pushing up on my knees until just the tip of him remains in me. He moans as I sink back down, pausing right before he reaches my end.
Heloix's hands squeeze my hips, helping to guide my movements and ensure that I don't push too much of him inside of me. The first couple of times I lift off too much and he falls out, but he quickly realigns himself with my entrance and fucks up into me.
It doesn't take long for me to get the hang of it, throwing my head back as his thumb once more connects with my clit. Gravely moans fall from his lips as the delicious pressure of my orgasm begins to build.
"You look so hot on top of me like this." Heloix grunts out, his jaw clenching shut as he lets out a quiet hiss. "I love seeing you fuck yourself on my cock. You're so wet for me."
I gasp at his words, stopping my bouncing and switching to a gentle rock back and forth, the action both easier and more pleasurable for me. Heloix continues to rub my clit with his right hand, sliding his left up my dress and pinching my nipples.
It's enough to push me over the edge, and I pant against him as I still. His cock twitches inside of me as I reach my orgasm, hot waves of pleasure rocking through my body.
Heloix fucks up into me gently as I cum, quiet gasps falling from his lips as his hips smack against my ass. I take a moment to pause, clenching my pussy around his cock as I regain my balance and begin to rock on him once more.
His hands tighten on my hips at the motion, fingers tensing as he guides me back and forth. I watch him with wide eyes, smirking as he slides his hand towards his cock and presses his fingers against me, feeling my skin that stretches around him.
"Fuck. I'm gonna-" He chokes out, throwing his head back.
I quickly slide off him, replacing my insides with my hand. Gripping him loosely, I hastily begin to stroke his length, using my wetness as lubrication. The vein in his neck bulges at the contact, a throaty grunt falling from his lips as he twitches in my hand.
My fingers barely wrap all the way around his cock, and the knowledge that this thick muscle was just inside of me has me clenching my thighs in excitement.
Dropping his head back down, his eyes spring open before narrowing in on my hand, watching through unfocused eyes as his cock disappears within my fist.
"Harder." He orders. Moving his hand to cover mine, he squeezes my fingers and adjusts my motions from soft strokes to hard tugs.
"Good."
My mouth falls open as I watch myself touching him, wishing to have him back inside of me for another round. Glancing back up, I gape as he bites onto his bottom lip, eyes locked in on my hand.
"You're mine." I state, overcome with an abrupt need to state my ownership of him. "Say it."
I move my hand to the base of his cock and pause, squeezing his length as I wait for him to say the words I wish to hear.
Heloix's eyes open slightly, his pupils blown out as he heaves, clearly frustrated with my antics. Ignoring my command, he grips the exposed skin of his cock above my hand and begins to stroke himself, hissing as he squeezes his tip.
"Fuck." He curses, hand speeding up its motions, his wrist twisting every time he reaches his bulbous cockhead.
Irritated, I smack at his hand, satisfied when he lets out a loud groan and stills his movements.
"Say it." I order.
Removing his hand completely, he moves it to the back of my head and pulls it against his. The kiss is messy, his teeth clashing against mine as he darts his tongue into my mouth and flattens it against mine. Pulling back, he rests his forehead on my head, rugged pants falling from his lips.
"My mate. I'm yours and yours only." He whispers, grunting as I tighten my hold around his cock. "Now, please let me cum."
Smiling, I begin to stroke him once more, twisting when I teach the tip the way he did for himself. Heloix bucks into my hand, hissing through his teeth as he adjusts his grip from my waist to shoulder to thigh, his body struggling to remain still as his orgasm approaches.
He lets out a deafening groan, and I watch in awe as he freezes up against me, his fingers digging painfully into my skin as he begins to ejaculate. Thick cum shoots out onto my stomach and hand, covering the skin and the fabric of my dress.
After a couple seconds he sags underneath me, hissing and pulling my hand away as I give him one last stroke.
"I absolutely hated the edging while you were doing it, but fuck I've never cum so hard in my life." He laughs, throwing his head back against the chair as he struggles to catch his breath.
I smirk, happy to have brought such a reaction out of him.
Leaning forward, I press a gentle kiss to his lips. "I'm going to shower, and when I come back we can look over some more documents."