Page 49 of The Princess and the Pack

As for my feelings…Sloan is so very easy to love in return. Bonding with him has given me an insight to who he is at the deepest, most essential level, and I adore the gentle, soft-hearted protector I see.

Soon after waking, we spent a lazy morning in my nest dozing and making love. He then took me to the massive marble bath in the connecting chamber. There he took his time to clean my skin, knead my sore muscles, and wash my hair.

Well, heattemptedto wash my hair. But my alpha is a fine specimen—not to mention masterful in handling my body. I couldn’t resist the pull to settle on his lap, slide myself down the thick, throbbing length of him, and ride him until we both came undone. Only after he gave me the gift of his mind-numbing knot did I allow him to continue pampering me.

“Fuck’s sake,omega,” my massive alpha moans. “If you keep wiggling like that, I’ll die.”

I giggle, entranced by his fingers scrubbing my scalp. Warm water sloshes around us as I rock on his swollen knot. The little sparks of pleasure blooming in my body are too tempting to refrain from. Never has a bath been so luxurious, so pleasure-filled, as this.

When Sloan rinses the suds from my hair, I send my growing love and appreciation through our connection. A seed, as he said—I’m watering it now, tending to this love we’re growing so it can flourish.

“You’re so good to me, alpha,” I whimper. Gripping his shoulders, I lean back so my breasts rise above the water; a move intended to entice him to rut into me. I’m not willing to let go of this pleasure, and not quite ready to face what awaits us when we leave our little bubble.

“And you seem to know how to get what you want from me. Do you like knowing I’m wrapped around your finger? Hmm?” My bonded’s deep voice sparks need right at the center of me. His large hands grip my thighs, maneuvering me against the edge of the tub. There, he grinds his knot into me until white spots dot my vision and I’m shaking with the promise of release.

“Yes,” I admit, gasping when sucks his bond mark. The rapture that stems from his claim radiates through every part of me. His own lust—how his release builds at the base of his spine—sends my bliss skyward. It’s a marvel how well we fit together, giving and taking until we both burst.

My cunt spasms around him, my nails clawing at his back when the fizzling frenzy of euphoria washes over me. Sloan moans into the skin of my neck, rutting harder until I feel the warmth of his release inside me.

“Fuck,” he exhales. His hands roam my body, taking inventory and soothing me until my shaking subsides. All the while, Sloan pours adoration into me. Through the bond I sense his gratitude and wonder over this gift Fate has given us.

Sloan continues to hold me, kissing me gently and whispering sweet praise in my ear until his knot releases us. When he retreats, I’m tempted to distract him with my body all over again so we can avoid reality a while longer. But my skin is pruning and my alpha is all too aware of my inner workings now.

“I think that’s enough stalling now, don’t you?” His arched brow and lazy smirk are maddening. He’s too handsome and too apt with his observations.

“Forgive me,” I scoff, wading through the water to step out of the sunken bath. “I didn’t realize mystallingwas such a hardship for you. Let’s never do it again.”

I reach for a linen, tucking it around my body when the sounds of my mate splashing around bring a smile to my lips. The wet slaps of his footsteps are soon followed by the dripping, naked mass of him wrapping around me from behind.

“Wild horses couldn’t drag me from between your thighs, my sweet mate.” His thumb strokes the juncture of my throat—a reminder of the permanence of our union. “Besides, we both know you couldn’t resist me for long either.”

Cocky, arrogant—correct. But he doesn’t need to know that.

“You’re getting me all wet!” I laugh, wiggling from his embrace. I’ll need to dry off all over again.

“Already?” He chuckles, pulling me into another damp hug.

My cheeks ache with all the smiles this alpha has put on my face.

“I can’t believe I’m bonded to you,” I scoff, teasing.

But the kiss Sloan buries in my hair leaves no room to question his sincerity. “Neither can I, petal. Neither can I.”

* * *

After we dryoff and dress, Sloan leads me back to the bedchamber I share with Cillian by way of a hall I’ve never seen before. Apparently Castle Ancaire is full of secret passageways that I will absolutely be exploring in the near future. My need to snoop requires it.

Sloan appears so at ease, sitting on the edge of the bed while I pace.

I’m not ashamed of what’s happened. Nor do I fear retribution from Cillian. I just don’t care for the uncertainty of it all.

Will we have to lie to others about my bond mark? My gut tells me yes, but it seems wrong to deny my bond with Sloan. We’re fated-blessed, after all. I challenge anyone to deny the pull of that connection. Myself included.

After last night, I don’t see any other option but to give Cillian and Oran a chance. I’m terrified to trust them again, and not sure they deserve my forgiveness yet. But Sloan’s surety in his packmates is a constant, anchoring presence in our bond.

Besides, if being with my other alphas is anything like being with him, I don’t see how I could fight that for long. Scent matches are not so simple to ignore. Even with my anger, I miss Cillian and the way his affection satisfied an instinctual need to be cared for. I miss his sweet words, his handsome face, the way he kissed me like I was precious.

But given my history with lying kings, his deception cuts me the deepest. Perhaps it’s unfair of me to punish him for the actions of my father, but I couldn’t help but to draw parallels between them. From what I’ve seen of Cillian, and his heart is good, his affection appeared genuine—both very unlike the alpha who sired me. Still, I need to know more before I can move on.

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