Page 45 of King

My pleasure hits its peak. I can’t hold back. I grow my knot just a bit more, stretching her to her limit around me.

She holds my face against hers, keeping our lips locked as I groan out my release. The jolts along my skin fade to the background as pleasure shoots through my cock in bursts.

Her moans fill the air as she finds her own pleasure. She twitches and jerks against me while clinging to our kiss. It stretches on, feeling endless. But she eventually comes down,falling limply against my chest like a warm blanket.

I gently brush the damp hair from her forehead and smile, struck by her soft beauty and incredible strength.

“I’m happy, Durin,” she whispers, stilling my heart. “I can still be happy because of you.”

I’d thought my next mission, after defeating the queen, would be helping Rue find joy again. Somehow, I managed to accomplish that one first. I hug her close, feeling quite victorious.

“Me too,” I whisper into her hair. “I love you, my little treasure.”

Call it selfish, but I’m fighting for Rue now. I want a realm where I can focus on loving and pleasing her without hiding. Where she can explore and enjoy Faerie without facing hatred or fear.

I’m not just killing the queen; I’m ripping her off the throne and putting someone there who actually deserves it. Because Rue is the only true royalty this realm has ever known.

Chapter 15

Rue

Durin and I deserve a day in bed. The emotional beating we took yesterday certainly calls for one. But the realm needs him. I’ll just have to settle for endless lazy days in bed after the battle is over.

Because he’ll win, and he will survive. Then, we can have the perfect life that fate owes us.

I step out of the bedroom and find Durin at an empty table. “No breakfast?” I ask, frowning. “I guess the elves are done providing for me.”

He walks over and scoops me into his arms. “You don’t need them. You have me.”

I smile and snuggle against his chest, enjoying the strong, steady beating of his heart. He carries me out of the hut, and I make no move to get down. The stuffy elves can think whatever they want. I love my mate, and I want everyone to know it.

He may be the realm’s savior, but he was mine first.

Durin carries me down the path and out into the clearing. Vaegon and his mate-group are sitting in a circle, enjoying the bright morning sun. They’re eating a typical elven breakfast of oats and fruit, with a generous side of smoked meat for the hungry Alphas.

Jade’s face lights up with a warm smile when she sees us. Shewaves us over and scoots closer to Vaegon to give us room.

“Come, sit,” Paren calls, patting the empty space between her and Jade. She spots the bite marks on Durin’s neck and gives me a knowing smile.

I briefly smile back. Even though her rounded belly reminds me of what I lost, there’s a soft spot in my heart for her. She stood up for Durin when that Beta tried to spread hate against him in their realm. She gave Vaegon some hope that his father wasn’t as horrible as the Beta made it seem.

As we move to join her, the seer suddenly appears behind Vaegon. Durin and I instinctively take a step back. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel comfortable around that elf. She’s a destroyer, masquerading as a spiritual guide. She’s too powerful. There’s so much she can manipulate to suit her own desires.

“Please, eat,” she says, locking eyes with me. “There is much to do.”

I let out a small growl but sit down next to Paren and accept the bowl she hands me. Durin follows, and I eat quickly before the seer can say something that ruins my appetite. She has a knack for souring my stomach.

“Frederick,” she says, setting her gaze on the young Alpha. “You will stay here with your mate. I know your instincts will urge you to fight, but she needs you more.”

Before he can protest, she shifts her focus to the rest of us. “Durin, you and the other Alphas will be delivering supplies to the kelpies today and assisting the shifters with the common fae.”

Movement catches my eye across the clearing. A group of elves has emerged from the trees, their arms loaded with stacks of pale green fabric. Another group follows with woven sacks, clinking with the sound of glass. They come to a stop behind the seer, waiting for instructions.

“What about the rest of us?” I demand. I can see my irritationmirrored on Jade’s face. “And don’t tell me we’re just supposed to sit here and wait.”

“The more of you in the forest today, the higher the risk of being discovered,” she states, raising her chin at me. “We don’t have time for rescue missions. The rest of you will indeed remain here.”

Before I can argue, Vaegon, the elf, appears to the side with a group of shifters. As I look over them, I realize they’re members of my old pack. There are a dozen Alphas, along with Arya and other vulnerable members of the pack.

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