I look at the picture he’s just taken and can barely believe the woman in it is me. I’m glowing. And not just from all the orgasms I’ve just had. My skin is flushed and I look absolutely sated, freshly fucked and utterly in love.
Just like all five of the men in the picture, tucked all around me in a cuddle puddle. All of our mating marks on full display, while they drape their bodies over mine strategically to hide my good bits.
“I think we look beautiful,” I say honestly.
“I think it should be the new official pack photo. The one hanging in the palace for every visitor to see as soon as they enter,” Court murmurs against my breast.
I giggle at the idea, as Forsythe pulls his phone closer to him, typing on it one handed since I’m laying on his other arm. “I’m sure the queen would love that.”
Court hums. “Don’t really care what she would love, Pixie.”
“Well, I don’t want millions of people to see it.”
“Hmm,” Thay hums vibrating against me. “I think it might be too late for that, killer.”
“Wha-” my eyes slide back to Forsythe’s phone, to the screen that is open to his Instagram page, to the picture he just took, pinned to the top of his profile. It already has thousands of likes.
In a handful of seconds.
Forsythe just announced to the world, to his grandmother, that we’re bonded. That they chose me and there is no going back.
“The blurb is perfect, Sythe,” Thayer says, his eyes on his own phone.
That catches my attention. “What-What does it say?” My voice comes out a little timid, like I’m not sure I really want to know.
Forsythe opens the post and holds it in front of me, letting me read it for myself.
Cor mea.
Our heart. Our center. Our mate.
Ours from the beginning.
Nothing else matters.
I blink at the words, out there for everyone to see, and my chest gets tight. Not like it used to, not with panic that steals my breath and makes it hard to focus, but with… god, I don’t even know what. Love? Gratitude? Maybe some worry in there, too.
Court makes a startled sound when I shift around and scramble up until I’m practically laying on top of Forsythe, my naked body draped over his. “Are you sure? This is a big deal. Everyone is going to see that.”
He just smiles, white teeth flashing in his brown beard. “That’s the entire point,cor mea. I don’t want to go one more moment without the world knowing you’re mine—ours—and that we belong to you, too. No one will be able to argue with that picture. Every single one of us looks so bloody in love with you, that it’s obvious it’s not a manipulation or a scheme.”
“Hmm.” My knees settle on either side of his ribs, my cum and slick cover pussy pressing into his rock hard abs, while he slides his hands up and down my thighs.
“I’m still worried,” I tell him honestly. “I don’t want you to get in trouble for this, for loving me.”
His expression goes soft, softer than I’ve ever seen it before and it takes every ounce of my will not to just belly flop into that softness and let him cradle me. I need him to hear this, all of them, actually. I glance around the room and find the rest of our pack.
“I don’t regret it,” I say first to make that clear. “I meant what I said, I would have bonded you back on that island if you’d said it’s what you wanted. But I do think… maybe we should have done this through the proper channels? Isn’t this like… treason?”
Court chuckles and presses up to trail kisses along my shoulder. “The proper channels? Really? You wanted to go to the queen and petition for the right to bond? You know she never would have agreed.”
Grieves nods. “Much better to commit treason first and ask forgiveness never.”
I frown. “Right but-”
“No,cor mea,” Forsythe cuts me off. “No buts, no regrets, no undoing this.” He takes one of my hands and presses my palm flat against his chest, right over his beating heart, steady, sure, strong, just like him. “You can feel us now, yeah?” His other palm presses into my sternum. “You can feel us right here.” I give a jerky nod. “Then feel us, Florence. Feel how we feel about you, sweet girl.”
I blow out a breath and close my eyes. It's not necessary to find the bonds in my chest, to feel them. I mean I can feel them at every moment. There in my chest, filling me up more than I ever thought I would be.
