“Tick tock, Roya. The crowd is waiting for the wedding meal,” Thorn teased. “Now, control yourself. And remember, you’re prettier when you smile.”
I bared my teeth and let my skirt fall open to one side. Kavin hissed, nodding at the daggers that showed through the long slit in my dress. “Thorn, what are you doing?”
I knew what he was doing. And it had worked. I faced the crowd and repeated the ten sentences that tied me to my Alphas as the reigning queen of Havira.
“Think she’ll kill him?” Altair murmured to Icarus when the crowd cheered, some of them already heading back to the palace where the entire island had been invited to feast and dance throughout the night.
“Oh, I won’t kill him,” I purred as I trailed my nails lightly down the side of Thorn’s face. “At least not with a knife.”
“Wire, then?” Thorn teased. “Seven ways, hmmm? I was never certain you could really use it as effectively as you boasted.”
His smile was a bit too cocky. “Not wire either. But I may see how close to the edge of death I can bring one of my mates without any weapons or poisons at all. I wager I can do it seven times before midnight.”
His nostrils flared, taking in the scent of my arousal. “Just one of us?” The night was already beginning to blossom with the sounds of music and revelry, and now, with my Alphas’ eyes on me as I ran my hand over my bare shoulder, it also bore the faint tang of passion.
I took a long breath of fresh clover and orange blossoms, the sharpness of citrus and salted honey mixing with spice and apples, heady spirits, leather and almonds.
My core ached, but I shrugged and frowned slightly. “One or two. But you seem tired, Thorn. Probably because of your advanced age. Take a nap or something. We’ll wake you for the fun part.”
“Roya,” Thorn growled. The sky behind us had begun to turn orange and pink, and the light reflected on his cheeks, bathing him in a ruddy glow.
“Temper, temper, old man,” I teased, grabbing Kavin’s hand and running ahead. Altair and Icarus’s laughter followed us as we raced Thorn back to the nest.
ROYA
Before the door to our nesting room was even shut, Kavin had grabbed me by the shoulders, kissed me, and tossed me onto the enormous, fluffy bed. He flung his wolf cloak to the floor while I laughed at his exuberance, straightening the covers around me.
“I hate that thing,” he said, “almost as much as I hate those buttons.” He crawled across the mattress, his gaze on my dress.
I held up a hand. “Let me.” It was the most beautiful piece of clothing I’d ever owned, and I suspected he would tear it in his haste. I toed off my golden slippers, tucking them under the mattress edge, and began unfastening the row of tiny buttons down the side. “If this dress gets destroyed, I’ll never forgive you.” Well, I would eventually. But it would take a lot of groveling.
Which was fine. Kavin was good on his knees.
He blushed. He had ruined more than one of my dresses in the past weeks, though Thorn was the one responsible for destroying my underthings… and not with his hands. Thorn liked to bring knives into the bedchamber, and use them to make things even more exciting than they already were with four Alpha lovers.
By the time I had my dress unbuttoned, the others had arrived. Icarus and Altair had their shirts halfway off before they reached the bed, but Thorn was fully dressed, and... angry? His brows were drawn tight, though something in the way he held his shoulders made me think he was acting.
His voice sounded as stern as always. “Roya, darling. I’m afraid I’m going to have to teach you a lesson in manners.”
“Oh?” I batted my eyelashes. My nipples had gone stiff under the scarlet silk chemise I had worn under my red dress, the only true piece of clothing I had on. Of course, my thigh was still decorated with the leather holster that held my ceremonial daggers. “Do you think I should let him?” I asked Kavin, pushing back on my knees to where he kneeled on the mattress, but keeping my gaze fixed on Thorn.
His eyes shot to my youngest mate. “Kavin, hold her.” Suddenly, I was pinned from behind, Kavin’s huge arms gently but firmly restraining mine, forcing my breasts forward. My heart raced, wondering what Thorn had planned.
He always had a plan.
“Hmm,” he said, pacing around the bed. “I think we should take those knives, Icarus. She might get feisty when her punishment begins.”
“Punishment?” I hissed, trying not to smile. His punishments always ended well for me, but I liked to pretend I didn’t want him to go through with them.
Altair in particular liked to watch me resist. He was already naked from the waist up, his trousers hanging open, his hand moving on his long, curved cock as he lounged against the wall. I licked my lips, and he mouthed the word, “Soon.”
Then Icarus was on his hands and knees in front of me, his nose buried in the silk that hid my mound. His hands made short work of the holster, and he handed the knives to Thorn.
Thorn pulled one out, but carefully placed the holster and the second knife on the small table that held the water, wine, and fruit the servants had left for us.
Icarus smiled up at me. “You can protest all you want, little dove. They set up the wedding party at the other end of the palace, outside in the largest courtyard. No one will hear you.” He used his tongue to wet the silk, running it up and in between my legs as I mock struggled against Kavin’s grip.
Thorn’s growl interrupted my building pleasure. “If you want to stop playing our game, Roya, you know what to say.”
