Chapter 168: BONUS CHAPTER

Chapter 168: BONUS CHAPTER
Third POV

Ragel entered Lyra's chambers without knocking. She was standing in front of the mirror, staring at the dress he had made for her.

It was white silk that clung to her body like a second skin. The neckline plunged between her breasts, showing off the curve of her chest. The back was completely open, exposing her spine and the small of her back.

The dress was slit up both thighs, revealing her legs with every step. It was barely a dress at all. It was designed to be ripped off easily.

"You're beautiful," Ragel said, coming up behind her.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against his chest.

"This dress," Lyra said, running her hands over the silk, "it's barely anything, you know."

"I know," Ragel said. His voice was rough with desire. "I made it that way. I want to be able to tear it off you on that altar. I want everyone to see what's mine."

Lyra groaned, getting really turned on by his words. It has been over four months plus and they haven't mated because he wanted her to heal.

“ You just know how to talk dirty and get me worked up,” Lyra giggled.

He turned her around to face him.

"Promise me you won't run," he said. She knew why he was saying this, he was thinking about the last time. "Promise me you won't change your mind and try to escape. If I have hurt you in anyway, please tell me.”

Lyra almost wanted to laugh but she could see how serious he was. "I'm not going to run," Lyra said, meeting his eyes.

"I'm serious," Ragel said. His hands gripped her hips. "Once that ceremony starts, once the bond begins, I won't be able to stop myself. My beast will take over. I will claim you in front of everyone."

"I want you to," Lyra said. She reached up and touched his face. "I want everyone to see that I'm yours. I want to feel you claim me. I want the bond."

Ragel groaned and pulled her mouth to his. He kissed her hard, his tongue sucking on her tongue greedily, invading every space he could touch.

When he pulled away, his eyes were burning gold.

"Don't run," he repeated. "No matter what happens here, don't run from me."

"I won't," she promised.

THE TEMPLE

The temple was filled with light.

Candles burned from every corner with flowers that decorated the altar. The entire kingdom of Salvatore had gathered to witness the soul bond between their king and queen.

Lyra stood at the entrance wearing the white dress Ragel had made. It clung to her body, showing off every curve. Her red hair was braided with silver thread. She looked like a goddess carved from moonlight.

Ragel stood before the altar in black ceremonial robes. The moment she entered, his eyes locked on her and didn't look away.

The High Priest raised his hands and silence engulfed the temple.

"We are here under the eyes of the Divines to witness the soul bond between king Ragel Marcel Angilioleteo, Beast King of Salvatore, and Lyra Ellis, Blood Moon Born Queen of Salvatore."

Lyra walked down the aisle slowly. With each step, the slit in her dress revealed her thigh. Ragel's jaw clenched. His hands balled into fists.

When she reached him, he took her hand and pulled her close.

"You're trying to kill me," he whispered.

"You won't die," she whispered back, smiling.

The priest signalled his junior colleagues. They brought forward two silver cups and a ceremonial blade.

"The king requires no cleansing," the priest announced to the crowd. "His blood is pure and untainted. We shall proceed directly to the exchange."

He took the ceremonial blade and made a small cut on Ragel's palm. His blood was dark and rich. It poured into the first cup, steaming slightly.

Then he turned to Lyra. "Your hand, Your Majesty."

She held it out and the blade sliced into her skin. Her blood was red and bright, it poured into the second cup.

"Now you exchange," the priest instructed.

Lyra took the cup with Ragel's blood. He took the one with hers.

"Drink deeply. Let your blood interwine as one. Let your souls recognize each other and no one else in this life and next."

Lyra brought the cup to her lips and drank. His blood filled her mouth, hot and powerful and intoxicating.

She felt his essence flowing through her. It tasted so good, she just didn't have the words to describe it.

Ragel drank from her cup. Her blood was sweet and light and also intoxicating.

He licked his lips, he could taste her emotions such as her kindness, her and strength. He could taste how much she loved him despite everything.

The moment both cups were empty, the priest began chanting in the language of the gods.

Blue light burst from where Ragel stood. Red light erupted from Lyra.

The two colors mixed, swirling around them both, slowly lifting them off the ground.

Lyra gasped as she floated into the air beside Ragel. The light was so bright she had to close her eyes.

Heat flooded her entire body. It wasn't painful or uncomfortable. It was just an overwhelming and all-consuming one.

She felt Ragel's presence in her mind, not just his emotions anymore. But his actual thoughts.

His memories stretching back to how long he has lived. His soul laid bare before her, every kill, every victory, every moment he had waited for her, long and yearn for her, every regret and hurt.

And he felt hers as well, every moment of her life. Every fear and second she had doubted herself. Every moment she had learned to be strong.

The connection snapped into place with such force that it took her breath away.

"Ragel," she whispered through the bond.

"I'm here," he called back, his voice echoed in her mind, so clear it was like he was speaking from inside her own thoughts. "I've always been here, Lyra. Every moment. Every second. I will always be here."

The light began to fade and they descended slowly back to the altar.

When Lyra opened her eyes, she felt different. Stronger and complete in a way she had never imagined possible.

She looked at Ragel. His eyes were burning gold, alive and intense and filled with desire so raw it mirrored her own.

And on his neck, glowing faintly, was her symbol. A red wolf with silver eyes, surrounded by a blood moon.

She touched her own neck and felt raised skin there. Ragel's symbol. A golden eagle beast, with horns and golden eyes latched there.

"The marks have appeared," the priest announced with excitement. "The Divines approve of their union. But the bond must be sealed."

He handed them each a small vial of ink that had the color of their symbol. "Trace the patterns on each other's necks and make the symbols visible to all. Then drink from each other to seal it and the marks permanent."

Lyra took the vial with trembling hands. She dipped her finger in the dark ink and reached for Ragel's neck.

Her symbol was already there, glowing beneath his skin. She traced it carefully, following each line of the wolf's head, the piercing eyes, the blood moon surrounding it.

As she traced, Ragel's breathing grew heavier. His hands gripped her waist.

Ragel did the same for her. His large hand was gentle despite the size. He traced the beast's powerful form, the lowered horns, the golden eyes on her neck.

When they finished, the symbols shone brighter, brilliant against their skin.

"You may now drink," the priest instructed. "And release your pheromones. Let your beasts claim each other fully."

Ragel pulled Lyra closer, his hands gripping her hips. He tilted his head, exposing his neck where her symbol now marked him.

She leaned in and bit down. His blood filled her mouth, hot and delicious. He groaned, and closed his eyes, his hands tightening on her, pulling her closer.

Then he bit her in return. His fangs sank into the place where his symbol marked her skin.

The moment his teeth broke her skin, Lyra’s suppressed desires broke free. Her wolf surged forward.

Lauren released her pheromones in a wave so strong it filled the entire temple. The scent of arousal filled the air.

Ragel's beast did the same. The two scents mixed, creating something so intoxicating that unmated females in the crowd began to gasp and moan, their bodies responding to the overwhelming call of a mated pair completing their bond.

"Get them out," Darius ordered the soldiers. "Take away all the unmated females away and attend to them."

Soldiers obeyed quickly. They escorted the affected women out of the temple, their faces flushed, their breathing heavy, their bodies aching from need they didn't understand.

But the couple didn't wait for them to leave. Ragel laid Lyra back on the altar, the cold stone against her bare skin making her gasp.

His hands slid to her gown, ripping it away from her. The fabric torn easily, just like Ragel wanted.

It fell away in shreds, leaving her completely naked before him and the witnesses.

She should have felt embarrassed, instead she felt powerful. She was his queen and he was claiming her in front of everyone, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Ragel stripped off his robes. His body was revealed, Lyra ran her hands down his hard body pulling him to herself.

His chest heaved with each touch. His cock was already hard and leaking, desperate to sheathe himself in her tight warmth.

He positioned himself between her thighs. But first, he took her left nipple in his mouth and sucked hard on it.

“ Ahhhhh…more, please don't stop,” Lyra moaned, trying to lift her hips to take him but Ragel won't let her.

"I need you," Lyra gasped, her hips arching toward him. "Please, Ragel. I need you inside me."

"I know. I can feel it through the bond." He gave her what she wanted and pushed inside her in one thrust, filling her thoroughly.

They both moaned at the connection. It felt different now. Very much intensified than ever.

The soul bond made every sensation three times as strong. She could feel every inch of him. Every vein and every ridge inside her.

Whatever he felt, she could feel, whatever she felt, he could feel. Ragel set a hard and slow rhythm between thrusts.

His hips rolled against hers, driving deep. The altar shook with each thrust, stone against stone, echoing through the temple.

"Oh goddess," Lyra cried out. "Yes, yes, yes."

She wrapped her legs around his waist, taking him deeper. Her nails raked down his back, drawing blood. The pain mixed with pleasure, only driving him faster, harder, more desperate.

"You feel so good," he growled against her neck. "You are so fucking mine."

"Yours," she gasped. "I'm all yours."

He pulled out almost completely, then drove back in with such force it knocked the breath from her body.

"Touch yourself," he ordered, his voice edged with need. "I want to feel it when you come. I want to feel your pussy clenching around my cock."

Her hand slipped between their bodies to obey his command. She found her clit and rubbed it in quick, desperate circles.

The pleasure built quicker and faster and through the bond, Ragel felt every moment of her pleasure.

He felt exactly what she was feeling. Her body, tightening around him. The waves of sensation building and building.

"That's it," he groaned. "Keep touching yourself. I want to feel you come on my cock."

He reached down and covered her hand with his, helping her rub faster.

"Ragel, I'm going to…"

"It's okay, love, come for me. Now. I want to feel it."

She cried out so loud the entire temple seemed to shake. Her body trembled beneath him as waves of pleasure rushed through her, her pussy clenching and releasing around his cock over and over.

Through the bond, Ragel felt every spasm of her orgasm. The intensity of it, the completeness of it, the way her entire body convulsed with pleasure pushed him over the edge.

He buried himself deep inside her, deeper than he'd ever been, and released with a roar that echoed through the entire temple.

His cum filled her, hot and sticky. She could feel every pulse of him, every release and their bodies merged together in the most primal way.

The symbols on their necks blazed bright blue and red. Then they solidified, becoming permanent marks etched into their skin that could never be erased.

"The bond is sealed, and completed," the priest announced, his voice reverent and slightly flustered.

Ragel collapsed onto Lyra, both of them breathing hard, both of them trembling from the intensity of what they had just experienced.

She could feel his satisfaction through the bond. She could feel that he was complete in a way he had never been before in his entire existence.

And he felt hers. The sense of finally being home. Of finally belonging.

He pulled back slightly to look at her face, his forehead resting against hers.

"Mine," he whispered fiercely. "You are completely, utterly, eternally mine."

"Yours," she agreed breathlessly. "Forever. I'm yours forever."

They lay together on the altar as the temple erupted in cheers. Their kingdom celebrating the bond between their king and queen.

In that moment, with Ragel still inside her and the bond thrumming between them, Lyra felt truly free for the first time since this all began.

And she was finally, completely home.