Page 78 of The Princess and the Pack

I break away from our kiss, slowing my thrusts as I gaze upon her with open admiration. She is stunning, my mate. So flawless and fuckable. My knot is swelling already—the haze of rut creeping in. It begs me to claim her, to make her scream my name.

“I want to bite you,” I growl. “Want my claim on you.”

Her eyes roll back, sweat beading on her fair skin. “Yes, Alpha, yes. Bite. Claim.”

I shudder at her eager acquiescence. I won’t allow myself time to overthink this.

With swift precision, I hold her close and flip us so she is on her back, looking up at me with wildness in her eyes.

“You’re going to come, little terror. You’re going to scream yourself hoarse while I knot your perfect cunt. And then I’m going to bite you. Make you mine forever.”

Gripping her thighs, I don’t wait for an answer. Rather, I press her knees into her chest, pinning her so she can do nothing but take what I give her.

My mate goes wild, panting and shouting as I drive my cock into her until she’s gushing and ready for my knot. All I can taste is her sweetness on the air.

“Rut,”my inner alpha demands.“Claim.”

And I do. I shove my knot into the welcoming wetness that is her spasming sex, brace myself for the blessed tightness, and revel as she screams for me. She’s clenching me so tightly that my vision fades to black. My mind is awash with the heady pleasure of being locked together so intimately.

When I come to, my canines are in her neck, deep and claiming. The taste of her blood—of her apple cinnamon sex—fills my mouth, just as she fills my soul. The gentleness of her heart, the intense ardor she holds for me, her bliss, her need for more—I feel it all as I come for her.

Her mind is so hazy, so full of burning desire. And then it hits me.

Fuck.

Her heat. How could I have been so stupid to miss the signs?

“Omega, are you?—”

The door to the nest slams open/ Oran rushes in, swiftly followed by Sloan. I shouldn’t be shocked at their presence, but being knotted to my freshly bonded mate feels like a private moment I don’t want to share—not even with my packmates.

“Fucking hell, Cillian. Our omega goes into heat, and you don’t think to tell us?” Oran growls, quick in his mission to disrobe.

“I didn’t—I didn’t realize?—”

“Are you mad?” This from Sloan, who approaches the bed, strokes Ivy’s hair, and kisses her forehead.

“I’m—” I hesitate, still high on the sweet taste of her skin. “We’re knotted!” I huff. They must have felt her heat rising in their shared bond and rushed to the nest at once.

“I could give a shite, Cillian. We’re about to become very intimately aware of each other very fast.” Our prime alpha laughs. His gaze never leaves Ivy.

She’s so content in our bond—her heart is full now that all her alphas have marked her. I lean forward, sucking her flesh between my lips to tend to my bond mark.

“More,” she moans. “Alphas.”

“Fuck’s sake,” Oran groans. He climbs onto the bed, naked as the day he was born. “We were meant to meet with the court.”

“We can’t leave her,” Sloan chimes in. “She won’t allow it once she finally succumbs to her heat.”

This is far from ideal but we have no other choice. Even if Ivy would allow it, none of us would ever want to miss a moment of this special time with our mate. Sharing a heat is a sacred rite that should be placed above all other duties.

“Tell Ciaran he has to step in,” I say through panting breaths. “We can’t delay this any longer. He’s got to be the one to tell them now.”

Sloan laughs, just as aware as I am that my brother is going to lose his mind over having to pick up my slack yet again. But he’s the crown prince. If Ivy and I are indisposed, he’s in charge.

“Fuck. All right. I’ll be back. Oran, you need to—” Sloan starts.

“I know what I need to do,” Oran growls. “Just hurry back.”

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