Feels Like Home

*Ainslee*

“Why does it still hurt?” I ask after we’ve been holding each other for a while. This is the second thing I ask Rafe after I demand to know where Drake is. While I’m aching to see my baby, Rafe explains to me that he’s the only reason my father is allowing us to be together, so I’ll have to be patient a bit longer. Just knowing that he’s safe and near me is a comfort.

“Maybe because we were separated for so long,” Rafe replies. He strokes my cheek. “But I have an idea of how to make it better.”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “I’m sure you do.”

“Honest. It’s not about sex, it’s about reuniting,” he tells me.

“Hmm.” I wonder if either of us have the energy for sex.

“It’s worth a try,” he says.

“All right,” I agree. I sit up with some effort, and he scoots out of bed to start taking off his clothes.

When he looks over at me, he blinks. “I didn’t realize you were in full ballroom attire.”

“This was for the mating ceremony that was supposed to happen yesterday,” I explain.

His eyes narrow. “Oh.”

“Obviously, it’s not going to happen now, thank the Goddess.” I hold out my hand, and Rafe tugs me to my feet.

We both groan at the exertion, but, undaunted, he takes hold of the front of my gown and rips it in half.

“Rafe!” I protest. “Think of how expensive that gown must have been!”

“It was made to give you away to another man,” he seethes. “It’s ending up just as it should be.” He tears it apart more for good measure.

I can’t really argue the point. If roles were reversed, I’d have shredded whatever Rafe was wearing with my teeth.

Finally we are both naked. He draws me into his arms and kisses me, and my battered heart soars.

“You may be on to something,” I murmur against his lips.

“I know I am.” He backs me to the bed and lays me down, prowling over me on shaking limbs.

I cup his cheek. “Are you all right?”

“I will be in a minute.” He kisses me again, his cool hands exploring my body.

My hands come up to touch him as well, and for a while, we just familiarize ourselves with each other’s bodies once again with kisses and gentle touches.

I trail my fingertips down over his belly to tease his shaft. His cock is already at half-mast, but my touch makes him fully harden, and I feel powerful and wanted.

His kisses turn desperate, and his hand descends between my legs, his fingers pressing up inside me. It’s been a long time, but he takes great care, and soon I am ready for him.

With a low moan, he removes his fingers and presses the head of his dick to my entrance. I wrap my arms around his neck and arch as he slides into me.

Almost immediately, the pain in my chest lessens, and I breathe deeply, maybe for the first time in over a month.

He seems to be similarly affected, so much so that he takes a loud gulp of air. “Yesss.” Not that he needs it to survive, but it’s always nice to be able to breathe.

“It would appear that you were right,” I pant, even as he begins to thrust.

“I’m always right,” he replies cheekily.

I swat his arm. “Modest much?”

“I’m just speaking the truth,” he laughs.

Then the time for laughing is over. We cling to each other as the pleasure builds between us. My body is on fire and then comes apart in an explosion of tingles.

Rafe follows me over the edge with a groan, his dick buried deep inside me, his seed filling me up.

In a moment of inspiration, I bite down on his shoulder.

Catching my drift, he bites down on my mark as well.

Fire rushes through my veins, banishing the last of the tightness in my chest.

He feeds a bit from me, the pull his lips and teeth away, making me hot and bothered all over again.

“Hungry?” I gasp.

“For you,” he says. “I will never stop being hungry for you, Ainslee.”

I chuckle. “I love you, too.”

He rolls to the side and holds me against him, his fingers circling my mark gently. We’re both exhausted, but I’m afraid to go to sleep for fear of him disappearing.

“Am I the only one who’s afraid to close their eyes?” he whispers.

I shake my head and hug him tightly. “I don’t want this to be another dream.”

He kisses me and holds me tightly. “I want you to get some rest. For you and the baby.”

Rest sounds wonderful. But, still. “What if you’re not here when I wake up?”

“I promise to be here when you wake up. If, for any reason, I need to leave, I will wake you before I go,” he says. He kisses my hair and cuddles my head under his chin so I am resting against him. “I will watch over you.”

“But I want you to get some rest, too,” I protest. “And I want to see Drake.”

He meets my green eyes with his dark ones. “Later.”

I open my mouth to argue, but he kisses me silent.

“Later,” he says again.

I huff in his arms, but finally give in and close my eyes. It doesn’t take long at all for me to drift off into sleep.

* * *

I awaken to Rafe’s kisses, feeling more rested than I have in months.

“Someone wants to see you,” he whispers, and he slides to the side, revealing my beautiful son on the bed beside me.

“Drake!” Tears instantly flow from my eyes as I scoop him up and cradle him in my arms. “My baby. My son.” I look up at Rafe. “Is he okay?”

“He’s fine,” he says. I have the feeling he’s leaving something out, but right now, I don’t care. I have my husband and son with me, and our little girl is safe in my now-healed body.

After several minutes, Lucia pokes in her head. “I’m sorry to bother you, but the king has asked you to come to dinner.”

Rafe laughs. “Let’s go.”

Lucia leaves and I get dressed and head downstairs, my son in my arms and my husband by my side.

* * *

“I have a new proposition for you,” my father says at the dinner table.

“A new proposition?” I echo.

“Yes.” My father looks dotingly at Drake, who is sitting in my lap, trying to grab my silverware. “I’ve decided to give up this whole marrying-you-off-to-Marcus nonsense. I’ll admit, it was not one of my better ideas.”

Relief washes over me. “Thank you, Father.”

“However.” He holds one finger up in the air to stop further interruptions. “I have decided on the price for allowing you to go back to Shadowglade.”

I choke on my steak. The goblet of blood Rafe is drinking hovers in the air between the table and his lips. “Price?” he asks.

“Yes. I have decided that Drake will visit here, as well as the new little one. Every summer,” my father says.

I can tell it’s more of a plea than an edict by the way my father’s eyes rest on Drake with kindness, but also a bit of desperation. It occurs to me how lonely my father must be. I look at Rafe.

He shrugs. “I think Drake and our little girl would like that very much.”

My father’s smile can outshine the sun. “Wonderful! You are also invited, of course, but I know how difficult it is for a king to be gone from his kingdom for a long period of time.”

I bite back a laugh. “Thanks, Father.”

Lucia and Marcus are his next targets. “So, did you mark her properly yet?” he asks the couple sternly.

Marcus’s steak falls right off his fork. “How did you know?”

“I’ve never seen Lucia wear a scarf,” my father chuckles. He’s in good spirits, so the table relaxes. “I hope you enjoyed it and will live a long happy life together, even if this isn’t what I had anticipated.”

“I did say Ainslee isn’t my mate,” Marcus replies awkwardly.

“Well, it’s all turned out for the best,” my father says. He looks at Drake again and I smile and hand the baby over.

Drake immediately tries to grab his wine glass.

My father laughs loudly. “No, not for you yet, little one.” He kisses the top of Drake’s head. “But this summer, Grandpa is going to introduce you to candy.”

“You’ll spoil him!” I give a teasing protest as my father takes him from me. I don’t want to let my baby go, now that I have him again.

“That’s what grandpas are for.” He bounces Drake on his knee and our little boy squeals with delight.

Then he turns his attention back to Marcus. “We’ll have to have a proper ceremony, now that you’re mated.”

“That would be very nice, Your Majesty,” Marcus replies.

“I think things were already set up for Marcus and Ainslee,” Lucia pipes up. “Maybe we can just use what’s there.”

“Nonsense,” my father snorts. “I won’t just have you switch places with Ainslee. I want the celebration to reflect the both of you and your tastes. Though I do think you would look lovely in that dress.”

Rafe chokes on his blood. “The dress may have gotten a bit ruined.”

“So I noticed.” Lucia grins.

My father shrugs. “Oh well. We’ll make you something in any color you want, dear. Never let it be said we didn’t properly celebrate my Beta’s mating to this lovely creature.”

She blushes. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Also, Percival? How are you feeling?” my father asks, still steering the conversation.

“Much better, Your Majesty, which is good because I’ll need to be fighting fit to lead my people in rebuilding the north,” Percival responds.

“You’re a very decent fellow, Percy. Anything you need, you let me know,” the king says.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” the hybrid replies with great sincerity.

I smile. It’s good that things have turned out so well.