Ana pulled back the string of the bow, feeling it grow tight and dig into her fingertips as she adjusted her aim at the thick oak tree. Holding her breath, she released the arrow and watched it soar. It veered so far to the right it shot past the tree with over a foot of distance between them.
She dropped her arms and cursed. After finally getting the arrow to actually shoot, instead of limp off the bow, now she couldn’t get it go where she wanted it to. She reached for another arrow, determined to hit something, but stopped when anger and relief flared in her chest quickly followed by heavy footsteps approaching from behind.
“Analisa!”
Ana turned to see Maddoc storming towards her, tense and agitated. She smiled. “Morning.”
Maddoc swept her up, her pulling her into him as if desperate to get his hands on her. “You will not leave our bed while I am sleeping,” he thundered, tilting her back to glare at her.
Ana blinked at him. “I didn’t want to disturb you.”
His arms tightened around her. “I intend to waken every morning looking at your face. I do not permit you to leave my side at night.”
Ana reached up and stroked his cheek, twisting her fingers into the thick hair of his beard, and rubbed her thumb along his chin. He calmed, but his baleful glare remained. “I didn’t mean to worry you,” she murmured, leaning forward to nuzzle him. “I just love it here in the mornings. It’s so quiet.”
Although they’d explored as much as they could of the new kingdom, Ana found herself returning to the forest more and more. It felt alive with excitement and mystery, and in the mornings, the pink-tinged sunlight beaming through the trees calmed and settled her mind.
Maddoc breathed heavily, his gaze on her smile as his body finally relaxed. He looked down at where she’d sat and peered at the bow. “Why are you using this? Isn’t this one of Raine’s?”
Ana nodded. “I want to learn.”
Maddoc growled, picking up the bow and quiver, and started walking back to their palace. “You will not be learning archery, Ana.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re not,” Maddoc said firmly. “You will not be learning how to use weapons. That is not your role here. I will not have you getting hurt.”
Ana glared at him. “I won’t get hurt! It’s not like using a blade. Bow and arrows are simpler.” Her frown dropped as she remembered her failures all morning. “At least… I thought they were,” she sighed.
“I can assure you archery is not simple,” Maddoc said. “It requires specific technique and cannot be learned successfully without good tuition.”
“Then maybe someone can teach me?” Ana suggested.
“No.”
“Maddoc!” Ana twisted in his arms. “Why not?”
“I told you already,” Maddoc said. “It’s dangerous, and you don’t need to. That was never something we agreed on.”
“I didn’t realize I had to make an agreement with you about how I live in this place,” Ana snapped. “I thought we could both do whatever we choose and discover new things.”
“There are some things that are obvious,” Maddoc growled. “Discovering you with a weapon in the forest on your own is not something I ever planned to happen.”
Ana’s mouth tightened, but she said nothing more, growing stiff in Maddoc’s arms as he exited the forest.
“You can be as annoyed as much as you like,” Maddoc snapped. “You’re not doing it. The baby needs you.”
Ana narrowed her eyes at him. “So I can only do one or the other? Be a mother or learn to shoot an arrow?”
Maddoc glanced at her. “No. You need not choose. I just told you you’re not doing one of them. Ever.”
Ana huffed, an annoyance smoldering in her chest she knew he could feel.
By the time they reached the Palace both of them were in a state of heightened agitation. Ana wriggled out of his arms and marched away down the corridor, but Maddoc followed her, grabbed her arm and forcing her to a halt.
“Where did you get that?” he asked incredulously, staring at her clothing.
Ana glanced down. She forgot that she was wearing the layered clothing typical of Maddoc’s guild—tunics and pants with boots. “It was a gift from one of the families.”
Maddoc’s jaw clenched. “You may return it.”
“I will not!”
Maddoc’s eyes darkened, and he lifted Ana back into his arms and started walking in the opposite direction. Ana fought against him, but he held her too securely.
“What’s wrong with me wearing this?” she cried as he entered their bedroom and began undressing her. “You and your guild wear it all the time.”
“You are not a member of the guild, Ana!”
He put her down, twisting and turning her until he had peeled every piece of clothing off. A beam of arousal shot through their bond.
“So I can’t be part of your precious guild?” Ana shot at him. “Is that what you’re saying?”
Maddoc grabbed her head and forced her to walk backward to their nest, his eyes dropping to her heavy breasts as his arousal climbed steadily in the bond. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“Maddoc!” Ana growled. Before she could say any more, she backed into the bed and Maddoc forced her down onto it and climbed over her, his scent so powerful, she couldn’t ignore it any longer.
“You are a mother and my queen,” Maddoc said, parting her legs with his knee. “You are not a warrior or an archer or anything else that requires you to wear those clothes, Ana.”
Ana struggled against the tide of desire and arousal that swamped her, both her own and his. Usually, she submitted to it, riding the wave of carnal pleasure and satisfaction it caused but she couldn’t let it distract her this time. “I can be all of them,” she said, through gritted teeth. “There were queens in the past who had combat skills and they—”
Maddoc’s growl cut her off. He lowered to lick up her neck, circling his tongue over his claiming bite, and a violent shudder embraced her. Before she even knew what she was doing, her hands were on his pants, freeing his length and caressing along its shaft.
“Maddoc,” she moaned, squeezing and rubbing as his fluid moistened her palms. “It’s not…”
He kissed up to her chin and delved his tongue into her mouth. And all thought was lost.
By the time Maddoc and finished kissing her in his beautifully brutal way, she was guiding him between her open legs and pull him down on her. She gasped when he entered, filling her up as she twitched and writhed. It was always so unbelievably intense, so raw, so magnificent. Ana whimpered as he pounded her into the bed, reveling in his scent, the rhythmic sound of their wet joining, and his tongue on her neck. Nothing was ever this good.
* * *
When Ana woke, she was disoriented. It took a long moment for her thoughts to straighten, but once they did, determination gripped her again. She would not be a slave to the bond.
Untangled herself from Maddoc, she pulled back on the clothes Maddoc had taken off her. Picking back up the bow, she slipped out of the room and headed to the nursery.
When she peeked in, she saw Milly rocking the baby in a chair by the window. “How is she?” she whispered as she approached.
Milly grinned. “Sleeping. She is a good one. She’s been no problem since you left.”
“Let’s hope she stays that way.” Ana propped the bow up against the wall and slumped down in the chair next to Milly. “I didn’t get to do much this morning.”
“I’m guessing Maddoc was not that enthusiastic about it?” Milly said, giving her a wry smile.
“No,” Ana scowled. “He told me he ‘forbids it.’”
“You’re not surprised, are you?” Milly shot her a knowing look.
“He’s being unreasonable.”
Milly raised a brow. “And you’re not surprised, are you?”
Ana sighed. “No. Raine said he didn’t want her to train either. But she’s amazing now. You should see her fight, Milly. I’ve seen nothing like it. She’s as good as Maddoc.”
“How did she convince him to let her?”
“She said she wouldn’t let him tell her what to do,” Ana said.
Milly laughed quietly. “Well, I don’t think you’re going to have much success arguing that point, Ana.” She rose and placed the baby in Ana’s arms.
The baby stirred, but eventually settled in Ana’s arms.
“I know,” she grumbled, tracing her finger along her sleeping daughter’s cheek. “But I don’t understand why he’s so against it. It would be better if I learned.”
Milly tilted her head. “I thought you didn’t like bow and arrows? You said they reminded you of your wedding, and your father.”
“They do.” Ana said, nodding. “But if I have to learn something, I’d rather learn that. And I realized I don’t want to forget what happened.”
Milly nodded.
“And besides, it’s different when I’m in control of it…” Ana grimaced. “I’m not saying I’m in control of it yet.”
“Why doesn’t he want you to learn it?” Milly asked.
“He doesn’t want me to learn to fight.”.
“He probably won’t ever let you enter battle anyway,” Milly admitted. “So it’s probably pointless.”
“I don’t care,” Ana muttered. “It’s not pointless to me.”
Milly laughed. “You two are just as stubborn as each other. Don’t tear the kingdom down while disagreeing about this. Or your bed,” she chuckled, winking.
Ana couldn’t help but smile. It was true. She and Maddoc couldn’t argue without ending up in their bed. A strange compulsion happened when their scent changed that they both couldn’t resist. The bond made every emotion more powerful, and she was still trying to make sure it didn’t overwhelm her like it had earlier. She wouldn’t let the bond give Maddoc an advantage over her when she wanted to do something.
“I’m going to go back out.”
Milly raised her brows. “If you think it’s wise…”
As she got up to hand the baby back to Milly, she woke, and Ana leaned in to kiss her. “Good afternoon, Lu. Mama’s going back out to train.”
Luella blinked up at her, a toothless grin lighting up her face. “You’re the only one enthusiastic about this,” Ana said softly, grinning at her back. Ana glanced up at Milly. “Wish me luck.”
* * *
She only made it as far as the edge of forest before she felt Maddoc’s anger spike again. She ignored him, setting up her bow and arrow, and practicing until he arrived. She was sure she could stand her ground if they were outside of the palace.
But she didn’t even hear him approach.
Huge hands swept her up, and before she could even scream, a tree bark pressed into her back.
“Explain to me why you are out here again, Analisa!” Maddoc demanded.
“I already told you,” she said as soon as she could catch her breath.
Maddoc exhaled in frustration. “Why are you putting yourself at risk like this? Don’t you realize you don’t need to?”
“Then what am I good for?” she snapped.
Maddoc frowned. “What do you mean? You are queen. You lead and guide the guild alongside me and we make sure everyone is happy here.”
“But I don’t know about to be that,” Ana shot back. “I’ve never known. I wasn’t really taught how to be a queen, not really. If I don’t learn to fight, I cannot defend our people; I cannot fight to help defend our child.”
“You don’t need to,” Maddoc insisted. “Others will do that—it is not your job.”
“What is my job?” she said, tears threatening. “Everyone has a role here, everyone knows their responsibilities and duties. They all have skills they use to make valued contributions to our community, and what do I do, Maddoc? I cannot do anything!”
“You are the most valued person we have, Ana,” he said fiercely. “You may not have been prepared to rule in Allandis, but you are prepared for ruling our kingdom. We are starting anew, and your view of the world is what we needed to make sure that we can succeed.” He exhaled a heavy breath as he looked down at her. “Do you think I don’t know that we will eventually have crimes here? Or disputes and problems with some of our people as we grow and expand? It’s impossible for us to remain without all the things a normal society would experience. And you have all the knowledge, Ana. You studied Allandis, you know its history, you know its failings and its weaknesses, but you also know it strengths. And you are the one that needs to guide and lead and protect us. But you can’t do it with a bow and arrow!”
Ana clung onto him, tears streaming from her face, unable to come to terms with her fear. “Why can’t I just try? What harm will it do?”
He paused for a moment, as if trying to find the right words. “Preparing yourself to fight isn’t just about learning a weapon,” he said finally. “Being skilled is just the start of it. It is also about how you use the weapon, how you expect other person going to use their instrument, and then you have to consider your surroundings, and ways you can attack and defend yourself. Sometimes you cannot prepare for what your opponent may do.”
He lowered his gaze to her, his eyes soft as he took in her tearful expression. “And above all, you have to be prepared to kill them if they will not stop attacking you,” he said. “I have seen many times—someone thinking their training truly prepares them for battle, but they are not really ready to take that last strike. And they ended up wounded or worse because of it. And that is why I am not allowing it, Ana. You will need to prepare your mind to kill and you don’t realize the consequences of it. You are not like the highcloaks. You did not grow up witnessing what was happening in the kingdom, you did not have years of seeing or being a part of that kind of violence. I don’t think you realize how much it will affect you. I don’t want that for you.”
A sob escaped Ana’s throat as she realized his intention. He wasn’t trying to restrict her—he was trying to look after her, to make sure she didn’t have to experience what he had.
Maddoc gazed at her, the frustration in the bond draining away. Pulling her off the tree, he gathered her into his arms and cuddled her close. “Where is this coming from, Ana?” he rumbled. “I’ve felt your strange mood in the bond since you had Luella, but I thought it was because you were tired or getting used to motherhood.”
Ana shook her head, scratching away tears that trickled from the corner of her eyes. “I just…” She swallowed. “What if I get it wrong?” she murmured. “When Luella was born, I held her, and I looked down at my beautiful tiny baby, and for the first time I could understand my mother’s fear for her family, And I was scared too, Maddoc.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “I don’t know what I’m doing, and I don’t have my mother to help. I don’t know how to raise our daughter to be strong and smart and capable—especially when I am not those things.”
“You are,” Maddoc said sharply. Turning, he headed out of the forest. “Those feelings are normal,” he said. “Everyone fears for their children. It doesn’t mean that you are incapable of raising them properly, Ana. We all have to do our best, and you are not alone. You don’t have your mother, but you don’t need her. You have me, you have Milly, you have all the families to help you. But most of all, you are an Omega. Of all of us, you have the best instincts to raise our child.”
Ana took a deep breath, wiping her tears away. “I couldn’t tell you were my mate, Maddoc,” she pointed. “And I love her too much—I love you both too much—to harm you the way my parents harmed me. Well-intentioned, but harmful nonetheless.”
As the last of the sun’s rays streamed through the trees, Maddoc carried Analisa to a small area where the sun’s golden light pooled on the ground, and sat, crossed legged in the direct heat. Fixing her in his lap, he tilted her face up to his, the warmth of the sun and the feel of his body calming her.
“Ana,” Maddoc murmured, kissing her lips. “Your instincts told you I was your mate. They told you loud and clear. You just didn’t believe them.”
Ana bit her lip. That was true.
“You are not that sheltered Ana from Allandis you once were, not anymore,” Maddoc continued. “You are not part of any Royal Assembly or a Redcrest. You are my mate, and my wife, and the mother of my children. You are loved and respected and your opinion matters to everyone here.” He stroked her cheek, and the tension deep within her that had build in the months since Luella was born unraveled. “You need to trust that we will make the right decisions together, Ana.”
Ana exhaled slowly, her fear and worry draining out of her. He was right. She couldn’t let her old fears dictate the new opportunity they had. This was the chance for her to be the Ana she wanted to be, and she could choose what that was.
Lifting her arms and wrapping them around Maddoc’s neck, she kissed him slow and long, breathing in his scent and moaning at the way he squeezed her ass. The simmering arousal that had sparked when he first lifted her up exploded between them, and Ana knew they would not make it back to their bed. As he yanked her tunic down, growling in search of her nipple, Ana made her choice. She wouldn’t be a warrior. She would be a loving mother, a devoted mate, and the kind of queen Allandis had always needed but didn’t get.
Ana smiled against Maddoc’s neck as he lay her on her back, pushed up her tunic, and sunk into her, that delicious burn taking her breath away. She would be the woman she was always meant to be, with the man she was always meant to be with.
And she would enjoy every moment.
The End
Thanks so much for reading the Beholden Duet! I hope you enjoyed it. If you like my anti-heroes and sassy heroines, why not check out my most popular series, Myth of Omega?
Crave To Conquer
He conquered an empire, and she’s next.
Despite conquering a powerful throne, Emperor Drocco wants an omega.
Tales of their beauty and submissiveness convince him that he must have his own, but omegas disappeared over 100 years ago.
When he enlists a beautiful, willful historian to help him, their attraction is instant. Yet she agitates him in a way no other has. He aches to dominate her, to force her to respect him. But he can’t jeopardize his goal.
So, he harbors his dark desire and waits.
As an omega spy, Cailyn’s mission seemed simple: pretend to be an innocent historian, protect omega secrets, and under no circumstances draw his attention. She never expected to meet the ruthless emperor himself.
Savage and dominant, with rugged good looks, he is the most intolerable male she’s ever encountered.
He rarely leaves her side, inflicting his bold arrogance, heated gaze, and alpha dominance in a way that infuriates her.
Yet his intense attraction captivates her in a way she cannot resist.
Cailyn tries to withstand his growing obsession, but everything changes one night when her cover is ripped away.
And everything turns to sinful desolation.
Buy now and jump straight into this sinful, angsty journey. For fans of faithful alpha anti-heroes and captive romances. Cliffhanger included however this series is complete. Includes dark romance situations. See author website for full warnings.
Excerpt from Crave To Conquer
As he sat down, he saw Cailyn enter. He couldn’t take his eyes from her as she threaded through the crowd toward him. He almost held his breath as he stared. The woman was utterly gorgeous. Her hair had been swept up again revealing that delicate neck, and the dress clung to every delicious curve. Finally he could see her luscious figure in detail and it had been worth the wait. With the cut of the dress revealing the tops of her shoulders, her simple elegance seemed out of place among the raucous crowd.
His guards let her through at his instruction and she climbed the platform and stood before him, her head low.
“I’m not pleased you had to be summoned, kitten,” he said, lifting his ale and keeping his eyes on her.
“I’m sure you can understand I wasn’t eager to attend, considering your plans to…” Her voice petered out, her head lifted and she closed her eyes, swaying slightly. Then her eyes opened, widening as an expression of horror seeped into her face.
Drocco frowned, confused, and then a scent hit him. A rich, luscious, sublime scent, like nothing he had smelled before. It penetrated every part of him, causing a yearning so powerful that suddenly every fiber of his being switched to high alert.
“No,” Cailyn whispered, taking a step back. “No. It can’t…”
Drocco ignored her and leaned forward, trying to decipher what he was experiencing. A fog began to swamp his mind, and the only clear thought emerging was that he needed that scent—it belonged to him. He turned his head slowly seeking it out, and then snapped back to Cailyn. It was her.
Cailyn glanced around wildly as she backed away, her whole body tense and poised to bolt.
Drocco rose slowly, every inch of him aware of every inch of her. A raw hunger developed as he took in her terrified expression, her scent blossoming into an aroma so enticing, so complex, his cock hardened to rock. At the same time, the guards behind her began to turn and look at her, their nostrils flaring.
Something snapped in Drocco. He swept forward and lifted Cailyn, throwing her over his shoulder before storming out of the Great Hall. He maneuvered through the corridors of the palace to the nearest private space he could find, trying to ignore the heady, sweet aroma filling his nostrils. He could barely think. All he knew was that he needed to be alone with her. His guards would be following him; he wanted to lose them.
He arrived at his barely used office and entered without breaking his stride. Heading to the center of the room, he put her down, keeping his hands on her soft body as he breathed her in.
She looked up at him and he froze. Her brown irises had morphed to include a hint of gold—a gold he had only ever read about, a gold that no one had seen in one hundred and eleven years.
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