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Every cell in Koen’s body was screaming for him to claim this man. To make Gawain his in the most basic ways possible. It was like, by mating with him, Koen would ensure Gawain wouldn’t die. Deep down, he knew that wasn’t the way things worked, but he hated the thought of living without this man.
A huge part of that was the fact that they were mates. He knew that, understood it, but it didn’t seem to make a difference. Not where it counted anyway, in his soul.
At the same time, he heard the pain and suffering in his mate’s voice at the thought of his death causing Koen to die too. That was something he wasn’t sure he could do to Gawain. Not when he’d finally found the courage to do the right thing.
With each touch, each kiss, each taste of Gawain’s skin, Koen became more intoxicated with his mate. He wasn’t even sure he’d be able to stop himself from taking that bite that would seal them for all eternity. Hell, he wasn’t sure he wanted to.
It was as if his heart and soul were being torn in half. Unsure how to come to terms with either option, he decided, for now at least, he’d just feel. Nothing was as erotic as the sensation of Gawain beneath him. His body arching up to his touch, begging for more.
And fuck, did the man know how to talk dirty.
“Right there, Koen. Ungh,” Gawain moaned. “I love the way your fingers are stretching me. Can’t wait to feel this thick cock filling me all the way up,” he added as he stroked one hand along Koen’s dick.
It was all he could do to keep his sanity long enough to open him up. “Damn, baby,” he cooed. “You’re so tight, I can’t wait to feel you squeezing me.”
Gawain’s hand tightened along his length in response and for a moment Koen feared he was going to come before getting inside all that wonderful heat. Unwilling to let that happen, he tugged his fingers free.
“I hope you’re ready,” he said as he spat into his hand and slicked up his prick. It wasn’t the greatest lube but he hoped it would be enough.
“Yes,” Gawain nearly shouted and rolled his hips upward, grabbing onto his legs as if presenting himself to Koen.
Damn if that wasn’t the prettiest sight he’d ever seen. Gawain’s pucker even opened and closed as if winking at him. Crawling forward on his knees, Koen lined himself up.
His gaze went from where their bodies were about to connect in the most intimate of ways, to Gawain’s amber eyes. Fuck, this man was beautiful from head to toe. Strands of his light brown hair glinted in the streams of sunlight that filtered through the leaves of the trees. His eyes glowed with passion, making them almost appear on fire.
And those lips, nicely swollen from their kissing, said the naughtiest, most erotic things. “Please fill me up with that fat cock. I need you to fuck me like you mean it, my love.”
My love.
Could he...should he hope for that? When it came to matings, love tended to happen a lot sooner than between humans. Just hearing the word had Koen wanting it all with this man.
Thrusting forward, he sank deep, not stopping, even when he heard his mate’s hiss as the burn of being stretched became too much, until he was balls deep. He had no clue what would happen between them after this, and if Koen was to honor Gawain’s wish and not claim him, then he wanted to be sure Gawain knew who completely owned his body for days to come.
The tight heat was nearly too much. Koen had to grit his teeth to keep his orgasm at bay. But he wasn’t sure it was going to be enough. He was too on edge. Gawain’s body was too damn perfect as the muscles along his channel clenched and unclenched rhythmically, as if he fought to accommodate Koen’s length.
“That’s it, baby, open up and let me in,” he cooed encouragingly. He stroked a hand down along Gawain’s side and along his flank, almost as if petting him, hoping to soothe his mate.
Things had progressed so fast since he’d started tracking Gawain. From the moment he’d realized the man he was after was his mate, a battle had ensued within him. His emotions and thoughts had swung wildly from hating fate for giving him this man as his mate, to wanting to hold and comfort Gawain.
But it wasn’t until he had come face to face with the fact that Gawain would most likely die that everything became crystal clear. What had happened in the past couldn’t be changed. It was time to come to grips with that fact and move on, because no matter what Gawain had or hadn’t done, Koen liked his mate. In fact, he was falling for him, hard.
Gawain might not have made the best decisions, but fear tends to make people act in ways they’d never imagined. What was important was the fact that Gawain was trying to do the right thing now.
“Move,” Gawain groaned. “Make me feel you for days.”
Koen couldn’t help but smile that his mate had said the same thing he’d been thinking moments ago. Taking Gawain on his word that he was ready, Koen pulled his hips back until the edges of the crown were tugging at Gawain’s hole. Then he reversed direction, slamming deep.
“Fuck yes,” Gawain cried out, his hand gripping Koen’s arms. “Again.”
Determined to give his mate exactly what he asked for, Koen started a punishing rhythm that had them both groaning with pleasure. With each slide into his mate’s body, those muscles surrounding his prick rippled, as if welcoming him.
As fantastic as it felt, it was also speeding up his need to come. Wrapping a hand around Gawain’s dick to be sure his mate would find his release at the same time, Koen gave it several tugs in time with the pounding he was giving Gawain.
“Ungh,” Gawain moan. “Need...now...” Then those beautiful amber eyes turned to molten honey as they opened wide. His back arched up and his muscles went taut. His prick twitched in Koen’s hand before fluid poured out.
“Gorgeous,” he whispered. But the tight, vise-like grip Gawain had on his cock was too much to stay still a moment longer. He thrust twice more before spilling his seed within his mate.
His canines lengthened as he desperately wanted nothing more than to sink them into his mate’s shoulder, but Koen forced himself to hold back. Gawain deserved to know his mate would honor his wishes. No matter how much Koen wanted to do otherwise.
***
“THANK YOU FOR NOT CLAIMING me,” Gawain whispered a little while later as they lay on the floor of the forest still holding each other.
They needed to get up and decide how to precede with this crazy plan to assassinate Decimus, but neither of them were ready to let go. Koen wasn’t sure he’d ever be.
“You’re welcome,” he whispered against Gawain’s temple, his lips brushing against his silky smooth hair. It had nearly killed him to do it, but in the end, the need to make his mate happy had won out over his own selfish ones.
As much as he hated to admit it, they had no idea what was coming their way. Either, or both for that matter, could die as they tried to take out Decimus. Then there was still the matter of Gawain having to face the Council for his crimes.
Bonded or not, Koen didn’t believe for a minute that he’d survive if he lost Gawain, but his mate didn’t need to know that. He didn’t need to be burdened with the guilt that if he died, so would Koen.
But instead of talking about any of that, they continued to lie there, holding each other tight as they gently touched and kissed, not to reignite their passion, more for comfort. Koen had little doubt his mate was thinking the same thing he was. This could be their one and only chance to love on each other. No way were either of them about to cut their time short. Not even by talking. There was no denying Koen’s need to tell his mate his feelings, but he feared if he said the wrong thing, it might break the bubble of peace they were currently in.
The sweet way his mate’s fingers trailed along Koen’s arms, then to his abs where they traced each ridge of muscle, had Koen floating. He knew it was stupid to think it, but he could get used to this. A bed would be nice, but so long as Gawain was beside him, there was nowhere Koen would rather be.
Before he knew it, his eyes were closing and he was being lulled to sleep by the sounds of the forest and the soft breaths of his mate across his shoulder.
***
SOMETHING AWAKENED Koen, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. At first he’d feared he’d find Gawain gone, but his mate was still safely tucked against his body. The subtle change of Gawain’s breathing alerted him that his mate felt the same slight change in the air.
That’s when he realized what it was. The sounds of the forest had gone eerily quiet. The snap of twig not more than a hundred yards to their right had them both tensing. Someone was there, watching them, surrounding them.
Koen could feel it like a noose tightening around his neck as whoever it was closed in. “You need to shift and fly away,” he whispered against Gawain’s ear.
His mate shook his head and glared at him mutinously. “It’s Decimus,” he mouthed. “Not leaving you,” he added soundlessly.
Great. Now his mate gets a backbone. It was an asshole thing to think, but Koen couldn’t help it. He was terrified for his mate. Not that he wasn’t scared for himself, but he no longer could handle something happening to this man who had come to mean so much to him in just a few days.
With far more stealth then the men around them, Koen and Gawain unwrapped themselves from each other’s arms and stood. Not more than a minute later the man the entire shifter world feared walked out of the tree line with a smirk on his face.
“Gawain. I have to say, I was a little surprised when my men said they spotted you not far away from the castle.” His lips morphed into a sneer as he glanced over at Koen. “To find you in a compromising position with him, has me thinking I should have killed you years ago, despite your father’s protests.”
It was odd. One minute, Gawain had been a loving mate, who had somehow managed to steal Koen’s heart, and the next...it was as if his mate had two personalities that he could switch on and off.
“Like I’d ever lower myself by getting involved with a do-gooder like him,” Gawain said as he his fingers wrapped around Koen’s arm like a vise. “I was just doing what was necessary to bring him to you.”
There was none of the warmth or softness in Gawain’s voice as he spoke, leaving Koen wondering if he’d been duped by his mate this entire time. His fox was aggressively denying it, but Koen had his doubts, especially when he flung Koen to the ground at Decimus’s feet.
“This is one of the usurpers who stole the Council from us,” Gawain said with a sneer that nearly matched Decimus’s. “I thought it would be a good idea to send him back...” Gawain paused for effect, which Koen had to admit caused a chill of apprehension to go down his spine. “Piece by piece.”
What did he get himself into?
