“Win.” He broke down in sobs, and I held him tight, soothing him.
“Oh, Talvax, the fairest I have ever seen, even fairer than the red sands of Barus. I would spill blood for you daily so you might bathe in its richness,” Urgg pledged.
Talvax’s expression remained unchanged as she reached for her mate, but her tail instantly curled around Urgg to pull them to her side.
I smirked at the possessiveness. It didn’t matter what type of soul the drakcol had; they were fiercely loyal and possessive of what was theirs.
Wyn pressed his nose into my neck, and I pulled him closer, standing with him in my embrace. Yes, we were very possessive of what was ours.
Chapter 45
Need.
My head throbbed, and I pressed closer to the warmth surrounding me. Strong bands encased me even tighter, making me feel impossibly safe. A tangy scent filled my lungs with each inhale. I exhaled with a moan of need.
Mine, I thought. That scent was all mine.
Nuzzling, I claimed it. I wasn’t going to share it. Not ever. I would allow no one to ever touch what was mine. I growled, clambering on top, ignoring the thudding pound in my temples, to nuzzle more.
More and more and more. I needed to bathe it in my scent.
A deep rumble sounded beneath me, and I paused, finally opening my eyes. The first thing I saw was a stretch of greenbroken up by white and gold. My eyes continued up the taut muscles to the thick corded neck to the strong chin to the full lips to the straight nose until landing on the golden eyes that unnerved me with their intelligence and yet captivated me so much I couldn’t look away.
“Star,” I breathed. The sound came from somewhere so deep within me I could hardly say where.
One of his large hands slid down my side and ended on the swell of my butt. The touch wasn’t pressing or insistent, but rather one of ownership. Monqilcolnen clearly knew who I belonged to.
My tail flicked, and I swallowed when I’d realized what I’d done. I’d scent marked Monqilcolnen without permission. I was claiming him; it wasn’t right. But something deep inside me refused to shy away from him. I cared about Monqilcolnen, and I didn’t want to be apart from him.
“Wyn?” he asked, his tail taking mine as surely as his hand had cupped my butt. “Are you well?”
“My apologies.”
The divot between his eyebrows deepened. “For what?”
“I shouldn’t have…” I didn’t regret scent marking him. The mere thought of anyone else ever touching Monqilcolnen or seeing him like this beneath them was enough to set my teeth on edge and my wings flaring, especially since Vorjyn, who’d seen Monqilcolnen like this, was on board.
I blinked, then glanced at my free wings. The last thing I recalled was drinking in the canteen with Seth, Urgg, and Bartholomew. I’d been fully clothed. It took but one moment to ascertain I wasn’t wearing clothes anymore. My scales were deliciously pressed right against Monqilcolnen’s.
His hand gripped my plump cheek a tad harder. “I undressed you. I didn’t wish for you to be uncomfortable.”
My lips found the thick scales over his pounding soul, nibbling. “Thank you.”
Holding me firmly against him, he worked his tail up and down my legs, tickling and stroking me. “Now, why were you apologizing?”
I buried my face. “I shouldn’t have scent marked you like that.”
Monqilcolnen rumbled beneath me again, and I was uncertain as to whether it was a silent growl of annoyance or a suppressed chuckle of humor.
He kissed the top of my head. “I’m not mad or offended in the slightest, Wyn.”
I peeked up at him, the pink strands of my hair hanging around my face. “Truly?”
Monqilcolnen cupped my cheek. “Truly.”
With a smile, I rested against his chest, my ear over his thrumming soul. The even tempo soothed me and helped ease the ache in my head.
“Are you well?” he asked again.
