Chapter 14 Spread them for me
~Sage~
The clock on my nightstand showed 11:47 PM, and I'd been staring at it for the past hour. Every minute that ticked by felt like torture. Not just because I was anxious about sneaking out to meet Keith, but because the heat was getting worse.
I pressed my thighs together, trying to ignore the persistent ache between them. My skin felt too tight, too hot, like I was burning from the inside out.
11:52 PM.
Close enough.
I slipped out of bed, wearing just a thin sundress because anything heavier felt too hot against my fevered skin. I made sure that no one saw me as I snuck out of my room, escaping the guards doing their nightly rounds.
When I got to the rose garden, Keith was already there, leaning against a stumpy tree, his hands in his pockets.
"I didn't think you'd come," he said when he saw me.
"You said you'd help me." I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly aware of how little I was wearing. "The welcome ceremony is tomorrow night. If what you said is true, about the unmated males..."
"It'll be disastrous." He pushed off the tree and moved closer. "Your scent will drive them wild. They'll fight each other, maybe even challenge my father for you."
I shuddered at the thought of unmated werewolves tearing their throats at my welcome ceremony.
"So how do we stop it?"
He was quiet for a long moment, his jaw working like he was fighting with himself.
"There are only two ways to stop a heat," he finally said. "Either you mate with your fated mate, or you get marked by them."
My heart sank. "But…we're not sure if we're fates mates yet. We can't—"
"There's a third option." His eyes met mine. They were dark and intense. "We trick your wolf into thinking you've been mated."
I blinked. "How?"
"By doing everything except the actual mating." His voice dropped lower. "Your wolf is barely awakened. She won't know the difference if we're... thorough enough."
Heat flooded my cheeks as understanding dawned. "You mean..."
"I mean I touch you. Kiss you. Give you pleasure until your body believes it's been claimed." He moved closer, and I could feel the heat radiating off him. "But I won't take your virginity. That stays intact for... for whoever deserves it."
My mouth went dry. "That's your solution? We basically do everything but..."
"Yes."
"Keith, I don't... I've never..." I couldn't even finish the sentence.
"I know." His hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb stroking my chin gently. "That's why I'm asking for your trust. I'll take care of you, Sage. I'll make it good for you. But only if you want this."
I should say no. This was insane. He was my husband's son. But my body was screaming for relief, and the thought of tomorrow night's ceremony terrified me.
"Okay," I whispered, “I give you permission to touch me.”
"Are you sure?"
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
Keith's hand slid from my cheek to the back of my neck, pulling me closer. "We should go somewhere more private."
He led me deeper into the garden, to a hidden alcove surrounded by rose bushes. Soft grass covered the ground, and the moon provided just enough light to see.
"Lie down," he said gently.
I did, my heart hammering. Keith knelt beside me, his eyes roaming over my face.
"You're shaking,” he observed. “You need to relax. I won't hurt you.”
"I'm nervous."
"We'll go slow." He leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. "Tell me to stop anytime you feel uncomfortable, and I will."
His lips found my neck, and I gasped at the first contact. He kissed softly at first, just pressing his mouth against my pulse point. Then his tongue flicked out, tasting my skin, and I arched beneath him.
"So responsive," he murmured against my throat. "Has anyone ever kissed you here?"
"No," I breathed.
He hummed in satisfaction, continuing his exploration. His lips moved up to my jaw, then across to the other side of my neck. Each kiss felt like fire, stoking the heat already burning through me.
"Keith..."
"Tell me what you need."
"I don't know. I just... I ache."
"Where?" His hand rested on my stomach, over the material of my dress. "Here?"
I shook my head.
His hand moved lower, stopping at my hip. "Here?"
"Lower," I whispered, my face burning with embarrassment.
"Show me."
I took his hand and moved it between my legs, over my dress. The moment his palm pressed against me, I moaned.
"You're burning up," he said, his voice rough. "Even through your dress."
"Please..."
"Please what, Sage? Tell me what you want."
"Kiss me."
He moved up, hovering over me. "Where?"
"My lips."
The moment our mouths met, something exploded between us. Keith groaned deep in his throat, his control snapping. The gentle kisses turned hungry, desperate. His tongue swept into my mouth, and I met it eagerly, not knowing what I was doing but following instinct.
His hand between my legs started moving, rubbing in slow circles through my dress. I broke the kiss to gasp.
"Are you good?" he asked.
"Yes... God, yes."
"Can I touch you properly? Under your dress?"
I nodded frantically.
His hand slipped beneath my dress, and his fingers found the edge of my underwear. "You're soaked," he said, wonder in his voice. "Is this all for me?"
"Keith, please..."
"I've got you." He moved my underwear aside, and then his fingers were on me, skin to skin, fingers on clit.
I cried out at the contact, my hips bucking up.
"Shh," he soothed, kissing my neck again. "You have to be quiet. We don't want anyone finding us."
His fingers explored gently, learning what made me gasp, what made me moan. When he found that bundle of nerves at my center, I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming.
"That's it," he encouraged. "You're doing so well. Does it feel good?"
"I've never... it's too much..."
"No, it's exactly right. Your body knows what it needs." He kissed me again, swallowing my moans as his fingers worked faster. "You're so beautiful like this, Sage. So perfect."
I felt something building inside me, like pressure about to burst. "Keith, I think... something's happening..."
"Let it happen. I've got you. Let go for me."
His thumb pressed firmly against that sensitive spot while his other fingers rubbed, and I shattered. Waves of pleasure crashed over me, my body arching off the ground. Keith held me through it, murmuring praise against my skin.
When I finally came down, I was panting, boneless.
"What... what was that?" I asked, my head spinning.
"Your first orgasm," he said, pressing soft kisses to my face. "How do you feel?"
"Like I'm floating."
"Good. But we're not done yet." His hand started moving again, and I whimpered. "One isn't enough to convince your wolf. Trust me?"
I nodded, already feeling the heat building again.
This time he took his time, edging me closer and closer but pulling back just before I could fall over. It was torture and bliss combined.
"Please," I begged. "Keith, please..."
"What do you need?"
"More. Anything. Everything."
He shifted, moving between my legs. "Lift your hips."
I did, and he pulled my underwear off completely. The cool night air against my heated flesh made me shiver.
"Spread your legs for me," he commanded softly.
“W-what?” I gasped.
“Spread them for me. I want to show you another side of pleasure town.”
I did then, my face burning at how exposed I was.
"Perfect," he breathed. Then his mouth was on my inner thigh, kissing, licking, moving higher.
"Keith, what are you—"
His mouth found my center, and coherent thought fled. His tongue moved against me, exploring, tasting, driving me absolutely wild. When he sucked on that sensitive clit again, I had to stuff my fist in my mouth to stay quiet.
"You taste incredible," he said against me, the vibration of his words making me writhe. "I could do this for hours."
"I can't... it's too..."
"Yes, you can. Come for me again, Sage. Let me taste you."
His tongue worked faster, combined with his fingers rubbing just right, and I exploded again, harder than before. This time he didn't stop, working me through it and straight into another building wave.
"No more," I gasped. "I can't..."
"Your wolf needs to be fully satisfied," he said, but his touch became gentle. "Almost done, I promise."
The third orgasm hit me by surprise, rolling through me like thunder. When it finished, I was completely spent, unable to move.
Keith moved back up, gathering me in his arms. "How do you feel now?"
"Like jelly," I mumbled against his chest.
He chuckled. "The heat?"
I took stock of my body. The burning urgency was gone, replaced by a pleasant hum of satisfaction.
"Better. So much better."
"Good. Your scent has changed too. You smell claimed, satisfied. It should last through tomorrow night."
Reality crept back in. Tomorrow. The ceremony.
"Keith... what are we doing?"
"Surviving," he said simply. "Getting through each day until we can find a real solution."
"This can't happen again."
"I know."
But the way he held me, the way his hands stroked through my hair, said otherwise.
We stayed there in the rose garden until the sky started becoming brighter, neither of us willing to break the spell. But eventually, reality intruded.
"You should get back," Keith said. "The servants will be up soon."
I stood on shaky legs, finding my underwear and trying to make myself presentable.
"Sage."
I turned back to him.
"You were incredible," he said softly. "Any man would be lucky to be your true mate."
Even you? I wanted to ask, but didn't.
Instead, I fled back to my room, my body still humming with satisfaction, my heart more confused than ever.
The welcome ceremony was tonight, and everything was about to change.