Traded

“Merikh”

The sun has been up for a few hours, gently creeping through the window as the soft breeze brushes the curtains aside. Ordinarily I wouldn’t sleep with a window open, not after what happened with Colette and the dream weavers, but this is a magic free zone.

No one, not even the assholes who are lurking behind these mansion walls, can use magic without being detected. Caspian himself will have to log his magic use from last night.

Colette stirs, a sweet groan passing her plush lips as her hands glide up the satin sheets above her head as she stretches. The sage fabric slips down, exposing her supple breast and my lycan pants, begging for more of her.

He is raging about not having marked her when we had the chance. But no matter how much he tries to force that I refuse to mark her. Not until she knows everything.

I have fucked up in every way when it comes to this stunning woman, and I want her to know exactly who and what she is getting when she agrees to my mark. Yes, she is stuck with me. But I have taken every option from her and the guilt is eating me alive more than my need to show the world she is mine and initiate that final step in our relationship. One that is rocky at best half the time.

Her head turns to me, her eyes blinking away the sleepiness as the sun filters in, landing on her exposed chest, and I grin at her. With steady hands, I reach out, stroking her check, dragging my index finger along her jawline and down her throat.

1 pause at her collarbone, making eye contact as she arches her back up toward my touch and nibbles on her lip. She is asking for more. Looking for that touch as she reaches for the blanket. My stomach flops and I reach down to stop her from covering herself.

“Don’t hide from me.” I whisper as I slide down the bed, my hand brushing over her flesh and making her shiver. “Don’t you ever hide from me

“I’m not the one who is always hiding,” she murmurs, her eyes closing and her words breathy as I move closer, pressing my nose to her neck and kiss her soft skin. She makes a very solid point.

She is always the one trying, chasing, and waiting for me. But if she knew what I knew, if she knew just how well I know her. would she finally pull away? Would that be the last straw for her? Or would she remain constant, patient and waiting like she always has with me?

I cover her breast with my hand, kneading her gently, before twisting and playing with her alert skin. Damn, she feels perfect in my hands, my arms…every way. She gasps and my mouth finds hers like a magnet snapping into place.

I swallow her sexy little noises, feeding off of them as they fuel the throbbing erection pressing into her side. She reaches up, her arms snaking under my arms and up my back as she tugs at me, leading me over her. Then she spreads her legs with no prompting, and I grin against her lips. Colette is just as needy as I am, just as addicted.

Her nails dig into my flesh, making me groan as I seule between her legs, hovering just mere centimeters away. I can feel the heat of her, the way she is already beyond ready for me as I press my hips down, hissing at the feel of her as she whimpers in delight

I roll my hips, her hands sliding down my back and gripping onto my ass as she meets my movements with her own, just as someone knocks on the door. Colette freezes, her eyes going wide as she tears from my lips and looks over as if someone is going to come in.

The knock sounds again, and she furrows her brow, looking up at me, lost for what to do. So I glide out and back in, making her worried eyes roll back as she gasps. The knock sounds again, this time angrier, more frantic, but I’m too lost in my luna to give a rat’s ass about what the hell is happening

“Alpha.” Percy calls out in such a way I stop mid thrust and snap my eyes to the door. Colette pushes up onto her elbows, her eyes following mine.

1/4

Chapter 34

“Something is wrong” She whispers.

“Shit.” I grumble, swooping down and pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. “Get dressed.”

I jump up

from her, hating leaving the warmth of her arms and the softness of her body as I slip on a pair of boxer briefs and the first pants I can find. Colette grabs a handful of clothing, her hands shaking as she rushes to the bathroom.

“What is it. Perc?” I ask, yanking the door open and catching my bloodied gamma

“I’m not healing.” He says, looking up at me through a swollen bloody eye. His arm is tucked over his stomach as he stumbles into me, trying to remain upright but failing as I catch him.

“Holy shit. What the fuck happened?” I ask, dragging him into the room and laying him on the couch.

“I think someone poisoned me,” he says, his breathing labored.

“And beat you?” I ask, furrowing my brow

“They beat me up?” he asks, sounding shocked before his eyes rolling to the back of his head. I slap his cheek gently, trying to keep him conscious.

“Stay with me, Percy. Come on.” I whisper, looking around for something, anything to help, with what I have no fucking clue. “Colette!”

The bathroom door flies open, Colette appearing as she yanks a shirt over her head and sprints across the room to me. Her

goes white as she looks down at her gamma and friend, then up at me.

face

“What the hell happened?” She asks me

“I don’t know. He says he isn’t healing. That he was poisoned?”

“Luna Letty,” Percy says in a sigh of relief. “You are safe”

“Of course I am,” she whispers, reaching out to take his black and blue hand. “How could I not be when I have you as a shadow?

He tries to smile, but it makes him wince.

“I need you to tell me what happened. Do you think you can do that?” I ask him, and he winces as he tries to swallow.

“Can try,” he murmurs, his words growing slurred. Shit. I don’t know what the fuck to do, who the fuck I can go to with this, There isn’t a single fucking person here I trust.

“I will go get someone to help. Colette says, turning toward the door. I catch her wrist, unable to let her go. With Percy down, she has no one to be with her when I am not around. There is no one protecting her. She can not leave my sight or Percy’s. Not now, not until I have backup.

“You stay. I will be back in two minutes. Do not open the door for and she furrows her brow but nods.

anyone Do you

understand me?” I give her a grave look

“Of course,” she whispers. I move to walk away, but she touches my back and when I look back at her, she has tears in her eyes before she jumps into my arms and presses a kiss to my lips. “Please be safe and fast.” She whispers, stepping back.

I give her a nod, my heart pounding as 1 exit the door and move down the hall. When I turn the corner, 1 someone bent down, looking at droplets of blood on the floor before looking up at me. Brent stands, taking two steps closer, taking in my topless state and, I’m sure, disheveled hair.

“Who is injured?” he asks, and it feels almost genuine. If I didn’t know the wizard, I would think he actually cared,

“None of your fucking business.” I growl, trying to move around him.