Chapter 1
-Phoenix-
My mate rocked on top of me, her eyes glowing yellow as she chased her release. Usually, I took her—dominating her as her alpha—but we were nearing the end of her heat, and my body was drained of strength. So I let my beautiful little Goddess take what she needed, savoring the sight of her above me.
I was becoming more aware of my surroundings, no longer slipping in and out of consciousness, which meant I could fully enjoy this spectacle. I had had her many times and been through her heat before, and still, every time she just looked at me, I desired her with a new, burning fire.
Fuck, she’s incredible, I thought, my need for her growing. But the little vixen clearly wanted to draw this out. The sultry smile on her lips told me she knew just how deliciously tight she had me wrapped. Letting out a low warning growl, I gripped her hips harder, impaling her deeper every time she slid down my cock. Sweet gasps escaped her lips. Just like that, little Goddess, I thought, still unable to find my voice, trapped in the fever of her heat.
I worked her harder, ensuring she felt every inch of me. Her cries told me she was close. Come for me, I urged silently. Come again. Drench me. I wanted her body to weep for me—those slick, slippery sounds pushing me closer to my peak. She leaned her head back, her beautiful white hair cascading down her back, her breasts thrust forward—but the ceiling wasn’t where I wanted her attention.
Reaching up, I grasped her chin, forcing her to look at me. Her mouth opened in a breathless “O”, and I growled in pleasure. That sound triggered her climax—her inner walls convulsing around me—and I couldn’t hold back. I came inside her, filling her with my release as my entire body tensed in ecstasy, and we came together.
Every time seemed better than the last, and I was left panting beneath her, my little mate bracing herself on my chest as she caught her breath. It wasn’t over yet, though. The breaks between the waves of pain were getting longer—another sign her heat was nearing its end. Still, I appreciated the brief reprieve. Even an alpha’s stamina was tested by a mate in heat.
Hope moved closer, her lips brushing over my sweat-slick skin. She was gearing up for another round with her sweet touches. Once, I couldn’t tolerate soft affection. Even now, I loathed being touched by others—but her? Her touch was divine. Not just her looks, but her ability to completely transform me was otherworldly. I growled in pleasure, letting her know I wanted her, and she responded with more kisses along my chest, arms, and neck, nipping my skin. I relished her teasing before flipping us over and pinning her beneath me. She let out a sweet, surprised squeal, but her flirty smile told me she knew exactly where this would lead.
As my strength returned, I prepared to show her who she belonged to. But just as I was about to take her again, another idea struck. Pulling out of her warm, wet heat, I watched my release slip from her. She lay there, sprawled and perfect, like a treat right for the taking, but the confusion on her face told me she didn’t understand why I wasn’t taking her again.
Instead, I grabbed my thick length, still sensitive, and began stroking myself—the skin slick from her and my release. Hope hissed, trying to push up, though her body struggled to obey. Still, I could tell she was furious at not being taken, but I wanted her drenched in my scent before giving her what she craved.
Pressing her down with one hand, I continued stroking myself. She hissed again, angrier now, but I barely needed a few strokes before I came, rough spurts spilling onto her stomach. Hope let out a surprised sound, her resistance stopping. The expression on her face—half curious, half unsure—told me she wasn’t sure if she liked it or not. I knew her instincts craved my scent, but her heat demanded I come inside her to ease the pain. Smirking, I reached down and spread her legs further, still ready for more. Yet I couldn’t help but spread the release across her stomach with two fingers, wanting to coat her nipples in my cum next. But just as I touched her lower belly, I felt something strange.
What was that?
I focused on my mate, but Hope had begun writhing, the pain clearly growing, but did she not feel what I had just felt? Grabbing the edge of the blanket, I wiped her clean. She began pushing at me, her body desperate for relief, but I needed to know what that sensation was. Something in my mind whispered something had changed, but I couldn’t decide if it was good or bad. Had I hurt her?
I scented the air around her, but as I leaned closer, Hope raised her breasts towards me, needing my attention. Those soft, round globes were hard to resist, and I gave one a gentle lick, making her whimper. The sound nearly made me forget what I was doing, but as my nose brushed against her, I noticed something strange within her scent. Me. Her. And… something else.
Alarm bells rang in my head, but they didn’t cause fear to spread—curiosity, maybe? I couldn’t place it. My mate twisted beneath me, managing to turn and push her ass back against me, rubbing herself against my cock.
Fuck. Her offer was too sweet to deny. I positioned myself and pushed in. Hope cried out in relief, and I began taking her roughly, loving how she surrendered to me completely. I leaned down, ready to kiss her skin, but the confusing scent returned. Why the hell was there a third presence in our combined scent? Only I belonged on her.
The scent triggered my dominance, and I fucked her harder, hearing her cries rise in pitch. That’s it, little Goddess. You know I’m the only one for you. The bed creaked beneath us, and I was on the verge of exploding, but she came first, and I wanted to see her face. I pulled her up, turning her head to me so I could watch her fall apart. She was so fucking beautiful. All mine.
My hips slapped against hers, the sounds a turn-on in themselves, and I needed her more than ever. I wrapped an arm around her, holding her tight, but as my hand slid over her stomach again, that strange sensation hit me.
I froze, the ache of orgasm receding making me groan in frustration. Hope whimpered, her pain still growing since I hadn’t finished inside her, but I couldn’t ignore this anymore. I pulled out, ignoring her complaints, and flipped her onto her back. She glared up at me, eyes showing her agony, but I had to understand what was happening.
Holding her down, I leaned my weight on her and trailed my nose along her neck to inhale her scent. Yes. There was definitely something new there. It wasn’t spicy, but sweeter, triggering my alpha side. It was not a warning—but a message.
What message?
Still dazed from the heat, I struggled to piece it together. I continued moving lower, scenting my mate, still detecting that third presence on her. But I was the only one who had ever touched my mate. Why was I picking up on something else? We were in our room, a place that smelled only of us. I moved lower, Hope shifting beneath me, trying to open her legs more to bring me inside her, but I held her hips in place, trailing my nose between her breasts, down her stomach, further and further… until I pulled back, the strange sensation hitting me again as I reached her lower abdomen.
Hope twisted beneath me again, but I growled in warning. She hissed in response. I knew she ached—my cock throbbed with need for release, too—but if something was wrong with Hope, I needed to understand what it was. Yet a realization started to form in my mind.
Leaning down again, I pressed my ear against her skin. Hope moaned in pain, and I growled again, this time with more authority, making sure she stayed quiet. I could tell it was hard for her, but she obeyed her alpha, allowing me the space to focus. It only took seconds before I felt it—no heartbeat had formed yet, but I could sense the subtle vibrations. Little wolves always recognize their parents in the womb, sending out vibrations that only a wolf could feel.
A deep, pleased rumble escaped me, almost like a purr—a sound I didn’t even know I could make. And then, the warmest of feelings that a dark assassin with a dead heart like mine could experience spread through my chest. I couldn’t fucking believe it! But I knew it was unmistakable. My mate is pregnant!
I glanced up at Hope, and I saw the same realization in her yellow eyes. She was just beginning to understand it, too. I didn’t think I could appreciate her more than I already did, but Hope kept surprising me, rewarding me with something I never thought I would deserve. No, I still didn’t deserve it, but this—this was mine. And I was going to protect my family with my life.
Overcome with joy, I began kissing Hope’s stomach, and the sweetest sound escaped her lips, her twisting body coming to a halt. She clearly enjoyed my attention, but I couldn’t forget that my mate still needed me to quench the fire within her. Giving her one last kiss, I moved up her body and pressed inside her, pushing deep, hearing the gasp she gave in my ear.
Instantly, I froze. For the first time, I restrained myself from taking her hard. Hope always understood my needs and gave me everything I desired, but this time, I remembered what she was carrying. Shit, I thought, fearing that I had already hurt her and not wanting to move any further. But my mate grew desperate, biting and rocking her hips against me. I growled in warning, but she continued, needier than ever.
Knowing I couldn’t stop my reaction, I moved slower than I ever had before, trying to be as careful as I could with her. Wolves’ pregnancies are fragile, was all I could think as I mated slowly with her. My mate didn’t agree with my pace, obviously tired of waiting for me to relieve her pain, but when she started twisting again, I grasped her wrists, holding them firmly against the bed.
However, my mate always knew how to provoke me. She pushed up against me, sinking her teeth into my neck, right where she had placed her mark. The orgasm hit me instantly—crashing through me like a storm. It was euphoric, making me forget everything else. Until, breathless, I collapsed on top of her, her sigh of relief echoing in my ear. But then, quickly, I remembered I was still resting on her.
I turned to the side, keeping us connected, and reached down to touch her stomach, sensing the little life within her growing strong. This time, I let out a deep sigh of relief, having feared the worst. I refocused on my mate, who smiled at me, clearly satisfied. I reached up and ran my hand through her hair, my golden skin contrasting against her white locks.
“Mine,” I growled. “Both... of... you.”
