Chapter 152 152
Denzel’s POV
I kissed her with a hunger that had been waiting far too long, pouring everything I felt into that single act, and she welcomed it without hesitation. Nyla surged to the surface, and Nigel followed just as fiercely.
“Denz,” she moaned, her voice breaking softly as my lips claimed hers before trailing down to her neck.
I wanted needed to give her pleasure.
To remind her she was mine.
I found her sweet spot and sucked gently, already eager to sink my teeth in, to mark her, to claim her as my Luna. She tugged my shirt over my head with impatient hands, as desperate as I was.
“Make love to me, Denz,” she said, her voice firm, commanding, trusting me to do right by her.
And I did.
I carried her to the bed, laid her down carefully, reverently, then undressed her piece by piece as though she were something sacred. My lips followed my hands, tracing her body with slow, deliberate kisses. I licked and sucked at her nipples until they hardened against my mouth, my tongue flicking over them until she gasped. Her fingers threaded through my hair, pulling me closer, and the sensation sent a sharp thrill through me.
I moved between her legs and focused entirely on her. I tasted her, searched for her with my tongue, licking her folds until I found exactly what I was looking for. When I finally sucked gently on her nub, her reaction told me everything I had her completely.
It was going to be a long day, and I was more than willing to make every moment count.
There was no world in which I would ever let her go again.
Venessa worshipped my body in return, her lips driving me past reason as she took me into her mouth until pleasure overwhelmed me completely. When I finally slid into her, the relief was indescribable. I found myself praying thanking the goddess for the greatest gift I had ever been given.
I buried myself inside her and never wanted to leave.
It was her first time in this lifetime, but we moved together patiently, instinctively, until the initial tenderness faded into something pure and blissful. We made love through most of the afternoon, losing track of time, of everything else. Eventually, exhaustion claimed us, and we fell asleep tangled together.
My phone rang.
Waking up was difficult we had thoroughly overdone it but I didn’t mind. After everything we had endured, it was expected. The constant fear, the pressure of time running out, the weight of an approaching war and an uncertain future it was all gone now.
With those burdens lifted, all that remained was love and the promise of peace.
I reached for my phone, surprised to see King Fabian’s name on the screen. Remembering how true he had remained until the very end, I felt a deep respect for him. The fact that he was calling meant he, too, had been sent back.
“Hello,” I said, and his voice came through bright with laughter.
“Denzel! Atabey sent you back too?” he asked.
“Yes,” I replied. “I think she sent all of us back.”
He laughed. “Not all of us, Denzel. That’s why I’m calling. The last thing I remember is that bastard exploding, then everything went dark. I swear, I thought that was it only to wake up in my bed this morning.”
He paused, then continued. “It took me hours to understand what had happened. I called everyone in the werewolf kingdom just to be sure I wasn’t losing my mind. But it seems the goddess only sent back those who were loyal to her.”
My chest tightened as he went on. “Desmond, Allen, and Shane didn’t return. No one remembers them. Other than Alpha Carlton Gordon, no one remembers what happened at all. It’s as if those three never existed.”
I listened in stunned silence.
“New leaders are ruling their packs now, Denz. Even some of my men didn’t return I suspect they were among the traitors. No one remembers them either. I had to stop asking questions so I wouldn’t seem mad to my people.”
The truth settled heavily between us. Atabey had given second chances only to those who deserved them.
“Those who betrayed the Moon Mother were erased,” he said quietly. “They fought and died for nothing. If only they had stood with her, she would have given them new life.”
Gratitude washed through me I had chosen the right side.
“Anyway,” he said, his tone lightening, “I just wanted to check on you. Jalisa said our Queen returned with her mother.”
I laughed at the way he referred to Venessa. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I hope you’re taking her and her mother to see King Jamar,” he added. “I know he’ll be thrilled.”
I told him my plans, and he hummed approvingly. “This time, I intend to do right by my people. No more chasing illusions and empty ambitions.”
We said our goodbyes, and I ended the call.
Next, I dialed Keon. I needed to know how Atabey had handled the Donovan situation.
He answered on the second ring, his voice brimming with excitement. “Denz!”
I smiled. “Do you remember what happened?” he asked. “The battle?”
I laughed softly. “I do.”
“Moon Mother gave us second chances,” he said, thoughtful now. “But it seems only those who fought on her side returned and only the leaders remember the events.”
He was right. The bear had always been wise.
“Guess what?” he said.
I waited.
“Donovan didn’t return,” he announced. “I woke up as the Bear King.”
I froze. “What?”
“I asked about Donovan, and no one knew who he was,” Keon continued. “It’s like he was wiped away completely.”
I laughed, understanding perfectly. It was the same fate that had befallen most of Eshera’s devotees.
We talked a while longer before ending the call.
I set the phone aside and slipped back beneath the covers, pulling Venessa close and holding her like she was my entire world because she was.