Page 80 of The Shadow Prince's Ruin
“Whatever happens, you can always count on me. Now show me,” he says, pointing at the marroweeds.
We don’t have the proper tools, so I show him how to crush the flower petals in his hands, then roll them to release the oils. We fall into an easy rhythm of me picking the petals off the flowers, and him crushing them before spreading the white goo over my shoulder. The numbing effect brings instant relief.
I can’t believe how at peace I am. Just moments ago, I was in absolute emotional and physical agony, and Hawk somehow manages to heal both.
I amnotnothing. My handsome beast would sooner risk his life than see me perish. He put on the Sunwolf Crown without knowing how it might change him, all because I am important to him. Because he loves me.
“I missed your touch,” I say as he’s finishing up with the marroweed cast stiffening on my shoulder. I secretly kept a flower in my bag so there’s enough for his finger later. He didn’t question how much we utilized on me and applied a thick layer of the paste, just because he cares.
I’m so lucky to have found him, and while I still mourn his shadow, it no longer is at the core of our relationship. Maybe it never was.
Hawk licks his lips, leaning over me with a soft sigh. “I missed yours too. I was angry over you making a mistake, and between having company and being so exhausted every day, we never got to clear the air. I’m sorry.”
I stroke his cheek and look into his eyes, even though they’re a little frightening. It’s still my Hawk, and I have nothing to be scared of. As long as he controls the Sunwolf within, I don’t have to worry about him devouring my shadow.
“I understand. I’ve been brought up in a snake pit, but I trust you, and I never want you to doubt me either. I’m sorry you had to go through so much, and in an unfamiliar world at that.”
Hawk stretches next to me, resting on his side and using the heel of his injured hand to support his head. He bites his lip, contemplative as his fingers trail over my naked chest. “I’ve been duped many times. Worst of all, I killed for someone who lied to me because he thought I was too naive to notice. He used me. But not everyone is like him. I don’t want to stay bitter. And you, you will be my reward.”
An hour ago, the depth of my sorrow was so great I thought I’d never be able to feel happiness again, but he washed away all the grime and showed me that I am still whole.
Hawk’s lips twist into a sly grin when he presses his hand more to my chest. “Anything you missed about me most?”
I glance at him, feeling shy, but still put my fingers over his. “Hawk… since you awoke my body to being touched, not an hour passes by that I don’t think about the warmth of your skin.”
He trembles. I can not only feel but also see it, and by the time his lips touch mine, I’m so damn ready for him too. Those three days without his touch were like a lifetime of thirst.
“You were averyeager student, baby,” he whispers, moving his lips to my temple, then down to my jaw.
“And we missed our wedding night…” I gasp and slide my hands over his shoulders with my heart beating faster. I smile when he slides his leg between mine, because it’s clear we both want to reconnect.
“Don’t you worry,” he whispers into my sensitive neck. “If there’s any dangerous beasts out here, I will kill them for you. From now on, I will be your loyal pup.”
I snort. “The Sunpup.” I lost so much today, yet disappointment is draining out of me by the minute, and I’m shedding my past worries like a caterpillar about to become a moth.
His excitement feeds mine when I run my fingers under his coat, touching the broad, sturdy back that feels like a barrier between me and the cruel world that hurt me so many times. His flesh is much hotter now that the Sunwolf is burning within, and I’m already falling in love with how it feels on my skin.
“Let’s be careful with your shoulder, hm?” he asks, stroking my chest in slow circles as he showers my neck with kisses and scratches it with the sharp pins of his stubble. “Don’t want all my hard work wasted.”
“Yes, be careful with me,” I purr, finally accepting that I deserve to be coddled a little, that my man can offer me the safety I always craved. “I guess I just have to lay there as you do all the work,” I grin and stroke the small of his back as my dick hardens against him.
“Such a shame, got myself a pillow prince,” he tells me, again showing off his sharp teeth. I long to find out how they’ll feel against my skin. I open my mouth to speak as a dragonfly lands on the tree above, watching, but then his tongue moves lower, to my nipple, and I choke on air when I sense a needle-sharp edge.
My hand flies to his hair, ready to pull him away. It’s instinct. I know he wouldn’t hurt me. “Be gentle.”
He worships my body with every lick and bite. When I’m with Hawk, I don’t have to worry about my size, my shadow, or my status. In my man’s eyes, I’m not justenough. He made it clear many times that I am exactly what he craves, and so I relax, because while under his protection, there will be no knives in the back. Just pleasure.
He hums in agreement and laps at my skin, squeezing and rubbing my sides, until his chin reaches the tip of my erection, which strains the front of my pants demanding attention. I grunt, opening my legs wider, but Hawk is already in his element and rubs his face against my covered shaft.
“Oh moon and stars!” I exclaim, breathless and so eager for his touch I spread my legs wider. I look at his face, marvelling at the beauty of how the golden markings of the beast enhance his natural features. “I’m insatiable for you.”
He roars, and while I should be scared of the unnatural noise at the back of his throat, when he rips my pants off, dragging them all the way off with a single tug, all I can think about is the heat spreading over me like wildfire. I’m now naked in the middle of the woods, under the dome of trees, and I’m about to be ravished by the rarest of creatures.
Hawk licks my cock from the base, then flicks his tongue against the slit, and despite knowing how sharp his new teeth are, when he takes my cock in, all I can do is pant like a doe dying ofthirst. I’m not afraid of Hawk’s sharp edges. They’re there to protect me.
I’m so aroused I tighten my grip on his hair, flushed and overheating. My cock throbs in his mouth, so hard and needy. I want to buck my hips, but he presses them down to show me he’s in charge. I let out helpless moans, hoping no lost hunter happens to stumble upon this meadow.
“So good,” I whine, curling my toes.
