"What?! You're saying Harper's Mom is Harriet? North Cardinal's 1st Gen Alpha?" Hayden and Heston spoke in unison as they stopped in their tracks.
I blinked and looked at Carter, who appeared just as stunned by their dual response.
"Do you guys literally think the same?" I asked.
"They do that a lot. You get used to it." Damien brushed it off, not even bothered by the news Carter had revealed.
We were heading back home, deciding to walk through the forest that would lead us straight to our house.
Muffin had run ahead, far too excited to wait for us. Though I was originally worried, the others said she'd make it back perfectly fine. If she could do any damage to Carter’s huge wolf with her little paws, she'd be fine in defending herself.
While I'd been unconscious, Ian had signed the contract and finalized everything, making the house officially ours.
With Christmas only two and a half days away, I was excited to go into town and purchase as many decorations as my hands could carry so we could be ready for the holiday celebrations.
With the previous years of us not really celebrating due to our travels with Dolly and Sam, it would be the first official Christmas I'd get to enjoy with the pack, and it was extra special because they would get to be in their human forms.
For the last thirty minutes, I'd been imagining what we could do and what I should make for dinner, while Carter was giving the others the full explanation of what he was allowed to say.
Ian had joined in to reveal what we'd discovered during our confrontation with Sam that led to his arrest, and that included the detail that Harriet Blessed Lake was my Mother.
I tried not to linger over that, unsure as to what my role would be when I finally got to meet her.
From what Kira had mentioned, she was supposed to meet me, but plans had changed. It was understandable with the chaos Rogan and his minions had caused and were probably still causing, even though Rogan was dead.
With me still learning and figuring out the cardinal packs, I couldn't stress about it. Couldn't problem solve with so many variables.
For now, my focus would be to learn more about myself and enjoy the few days I'd have together with the rest of the pack.
Once Christmas was done, I assumed we'd have to return to the North Cardinal Pack's sanctuary to meet the Alphas and hopefully, I'd finally learn more about my background.
"Doesn't that mean Harper's going to be North's Alpha one day?" Heston asked.
Levi crossed his arms, looking deep in thought for a moment. "Most likely. Looks like she'd be the sole heir. Can't say much since we don't have enough information. Kind of feel in the dark about all of this."
"I think all of us do, especially Harper," Damien replied.
"We can't do anything until we talk with the 1st Gen Alphas ourselves. For now, we'll focus on protecting Harper and being on the lookout for any of Rogan's followers. We shouldn't take Kira's warning lightly. She might love to joke around, but when she forewarns shifters like that, it really means something is brewing under our noses," Carter explained.
"I don't get it, though," Ian admitted. "Rogan wanted the blade because he wished for some position back and would offer it to the Compass Witches. He's dead now, so I'm not sure why people would still be after Harper and the artifact. It's rightfully hers and most wolves are taught when we're little that heirlooms can't be stolen, especially when the owner is still alive. Why would they continue?"
"Revenge?" Hayden and Heston commented, tilting their heads in confusion.
Levi frowned and shook his head.
"I doubt a group of wolves would be plotting against Harper over revenge. From what I've been hearing from a few of the North wolves, Rogan wasn't a good leader to begin with. They should be rejoicing now that he's dead. I also believe it’s a specific group, since South Cardinal's 1st Gen Alpha will be coming back soon, and apparently a good portion of the pack is pleased by their return. There's more we're missing."
"Also, didn't Ian say there's even more crime going on in the town and surrounding area now that there's been a lockdown?" Damien questioned.
"Well, they lifted the lockdown this morning because people need to get their Christmas shopping done. They're still going to do the Christmas festival, but there will be tons of security and police around. O'Neil texted me saying he'd be doing a double shift with a few other officers. He'll get a few wolves to join in monitoring and ensuring everything goes smoothly."
"Doesn't that mean you'll be forced to work?" Damien asked with a frown.
Ian gave us a disappointed look. "Maybe? I'm not really sure. I'm going to try to get Christmas off, but no guarantees."
We were all silent, and I stared at the grass, feeling a bit disappointed. I understood it was his duty to help out, especially when his department had dealt with the whole sweep of bad officers and were low on staff, but I didn't want him missing out on Christmas, not with us all together at last.
"You're working on the 26th," Carter announced. We all looked at him with puzzled gazes, Ian looking the most confused.
"Um…I didn't get the memo."
"I talked to O'Neil this morning. They're fine with working Christmas and the night of Christmas Eve, as long as you can do some filing tomorrow and Christmas Eve morning shift," Carter explained, upholding his cool appearance while we all gawked at him.
"Carter? Did you organize that?" I asked in awe.
He shrugged. "I figured with everything going on, we'd all need a good break, even if it’s one solid day. Christmas is a time for loved ones to be together and seeing as this is our first Christmas all together with Harper, it wouldn't be the same if Ian was missing."
"You…did that for me?" Ian asked.
"I'm your Alpha, remember? Have to maintain the balance bullshit. You can thank me later. Can we get back to walking? We're close to our territory," Carter grumbled, and began to walk, leaving our stumped booties behind.
Damien strolled over and whispered in my ear. "I think he deserves brownie points."
I giggled and nodded. "I agree."
Looking at Ian, whose eyes were still trailing after Carter as he strode ahead, I noticed the small smile that formed on his lips while his eyes reflected his admiration and gratefulness.
"Carter really cares," Reika noted.
He really does. Even if he tries to make himself look like a stubborn ass.
The others were all smiles, and we rushed to catch up to Carter, whose figure was getting smaller and smaller. I caught up with ease, reaching his side and slipping my hand into his. "Thank you, Carter."
"I didn't do anything," he mumbled.
"Mhm," I replied and squeezed his hand. He squeezed it back and we focused ahead with the others close behind.
"Is O'Neil a wolf shifter?" Reika asked.
I'm not really sure.
"Guys, is O'Neil a wolf shifter?" I asked.
"Yes," Damien replied. "He's actually an Omega wolf."
"What's that?" I asked.
Carter answered as he led the way, my hand still in his. "A Wolf Omega is a shifter who went rogue and left their original pack."
"Why would anyone leave their pack?" I asked, feeling Reika's curiosity on the new topic. I looked over my shoulder to see the others’ concerned expressions, which only escalated my question. "Are some packs really bad?"
"Let's just say our community has a lot of growing to do," Levi replied.
"Our pack would be considered heaven to some shifters," Heston commented.
"Not every pack gets along as we do. Maybe because we've grown up together in a small but safe space, all of us generally get along. Other packs are much bigger, some consisting of a few hundred wolf shifters," Damien explained.
"Few hundred?" I exclaimed, taken aback by the number. Carter came to a halt, and I gave him an appreciative smile, figuring he didn't want me straining my neck while we continued this conversation. We turned around to face the others and I looked to Hayden, who nodded.
"Packs vary in size. For some cardinal packs, it can be one huge pack. Almost like town size. While other cardinal packs can see themselves as one big pack but in reality, they're split up into smaller packs. Usually, when they're grouping wolves, they try to take into consideration similar qualities and hobbies. That way there will be fewer fights. Each group would have their own Alpha leader. South Cardinal Pack runs that way."
Ian nodded.
"O'Neil is an Alpha of his pack in the South Cardinal Pack. His mini pack is maybe fifty or sixty wolf shifters? Most of them work in either the police or emergency services department like ambulances and fire departments. Majority of them have leadership qualities, and I think only one or two of their wolves are submissive, so in the South Cardinal Pack, they're ranked pretty high up. It was a reason why Rogan and Sam hated his guts. Their pack swore to stay true and not be tainted by other packs who are fine with being sneaky or pushing cases or murders under the rug to maintain their position or hide their involvement in the matter," Ian explained.
"How do they keep track of everything though? I mean, Rogan and even Sam were able to get away with so much before they paid their dues. How do the 1st Gen Alpha and their pack of Betas monitor it all?"
The others were silent, all looking unsure of how to answer. Carter stepped forward and turned to look at me.
"They can't. It's rather impossible and to be truthfully honest, most 1st Gen Alpha's don't care."
"Don't care?" Reika commented.
"What do you mean by they 'don't care?' If you're an Alpha of the entire cardinal pack, it's like being a king or queen of your kingdom. You can't sit on a throne and watch your kingdom burn," I said.
"The 1st Gen Alphas' focus has migrated over the last few years. Either they're tired of dealing with our race and the multiple fights and issues that arise daily, or they simply don't want to 'babysit' anymore. 2nd Gen Alphas were chosen to be like second-in-command and help maintain the peace, while the 1st Gen Alphas focus on more global or widespread problems like preventing wars with other races, etcetera. However, it’s come to the point that the majority of 2nd generation wolves don't remember what their main Alphas look like," Levi explained.
"As you may have noticed, Kira’s test was given to her by Harriet. North's 1st Gen Alpha is the only one I've seen try to continue to interact with their 2nd Gen wolves, but they haven't had a glimpse of her in a long time and Kira gets messages through the Alpha bond. We can assume something bigger than all of us is happening that's drawn all four Cardinal 1st Gen Alphas’ attention. But with their return, I can't promise things will go smoothly."
"Why not? Wouldn't they be like, 'don't do this and that' and peace will return?" I suggested.
Ian pouted his lips and shook his head. "I think what Carter means is that their return could make things worse because the second generation wolves may feel they don't need the 1st Gen anymore. Think about it. Most of them haven't seen their Alpha since joining their packs. Take Kira and the North Cardinal Pack as an example. If you joined and consistently only saw Kira and her Betas for a few years, your loyalty would solely be to them. Would you really shift gears and take orders from someone who just came back and is claiming to be superior to everyone else?"
"I guess not. I'd be a bit pissed," I admitted.
"Annoyed too. They didn't contribute to our growth. Why would we listen to them?" Reika added. I answered her out loud, wanting the others to hear my theory.
"I get they didn't contribute to many of the second generation wolves’ growth, but if they're all taught about the two generations, wouldn't they grasp that the 1st Gen Alphas are just doing their job?"
Hayden and Heston crossed their arms and shook their heads.
"No," Heston replied. "Wolves function best by seeing the Alpha or shifter in control do their part. Meaning, witnessing it with their own two eyes."
"They don't care about the behind-the-scenes. If whatever was happening without anyone's knowledge was that important, they would be willing to share it with the public to stress the need for their diligent attention," Hayden replied.
"The problem with the cardinal system is there isn't much communication. All the packs are generally doing their own thing, creating their own systems and ways to function properly and maintain whatever little peace we have left,” Carter explained.
"In our parents’ time, things were run differently, smoother even. Sure, there were disputes, and a few wars, but communication was ranked as high importance, especially between other races like witches or vampires. The dilemma we're realizing now is that there's a divide between first and second generation, and now that the Alphas have hopefully realized it, they're going to have to deal with the backlash," Damien elaborated.
"They need someone who connects the generations together. If an Alpha from the first generation won't be listened to, a person who currently belongs to the second generation category and has the potential of becoming a 1st Generation Alpha would make an impact," Levi suggested.
"They're not referring to us, right?" Reika asked. "I don't want to be a cleanup wolf."
"You're not referring to me, right?" I questioned, eyeing them all carefully. "Because Reika isn't a cleanup wolf, and I'm a noob in this wolf game. That would be like throwing me into the deep end of the pool when I don't know how to swim."
Carter sighed. "No one's throwing you into the deep end."
"Feels like it," I countered. "At least give me a damn floaty or something."
"It's simply something to consider," Levi voiced. "I doubt Harriet would use her daughter as a connector to the four cardinal packs, but politically speaking, it would be silly for them to bypass it as an option. When you think about it, our pack has at least one member from each cardinal. We may not all be Alphas or Betas, but that isn't important. As long as we have connections with our home cardinal pack, their leaders, both 1st and 2nd Gen, would have to take our concerns seriously," Damien reasoned.
"So you’re thinking once the four Alphas gather, they'll want to request our help to try to fix shit," Ian summarized.
"We should get Harper a unicorn float," Hayden whispered to Heston, who nodded.
"A big-ass one we can all cling to, seeing as we're being flung into the deep end after her."
Carter sighed. "No one needs a float…unless Harper actually wants a unicorn float."
"Uh…sure?" I replied.
At this point, why not?
Carter glanced at the others. "We won't be able to determine what role we play in all of this until the Alphas arrive. Till then, no need to worry about it. Once the holidays are done, we'll do what we promised the Moon we'd accomplish. Harper's a Wolf Seeker now, and we'll determine who's pushing the buttons and why they're in desperate need of her blade. We won't fix anyone else's shit until ours is dealt with. Clear?"
The others nodded in understanding and I sighed. "Are we home yet? Can we go for our run or something? Talking about all this is just depressing and giving me a headache."
"Race, race, race!" Reika chanted.
I grinned and added, "And Reika wants to race."
"Oh, hell nah. I'm gone," Damien declared and began walking over to Ian. "If we get a head start now, maybe we'll outrun Mr. and Miss competitive."
"I'm down. Go, go, go," Ian encouraged, and the two of them were running before we knew it.
"Wait for us!" Hayden and Heston chased after them and Levi shrugged.
"I'll just walk. We don't stand a chance."
"I love how accepting you are of your defeat." Carter chuckled.
"After years of watching you go head-to-head, it's easy to accept. Might as well teach Harper how to shift while you're here," Levi encouraged, giving us a smooth grin. "See you back at home."
With that, he left us, his hands in his pockets. The twins had stopped far ahead, looking like they were waiting for Levi to catch up. Once he did, the three of them began to walk, deep in conversation.
"They just...left us," I mumbled with a pouted lip. I turned my gaze on Carter, who shook his head and heaved a small sigh.
"They do that a lot."
"Shift? We're going to learn to shift and race in wolf form?" Reika clarified.
"Does that mean you're going to teach us how to shift and we'll race?" I questioned.
Carter was quiet for a few seconds before he replied. "There isn't a lot to teach. When you shifted the first time, Reika had bolted to the surface and broke through, right?"
"Yes, but before that she never could push through. Kind of like an invisible wall was in the way. That's why we assumed we need to be taught in order to do it whenever we want," I described.
"Once Reika broke through the barrier, it permanently destroyed it. You shouldn't have any restraints holding you from shifting back and forth. Well…aside from clothes." He gave me a playful smirk and lifted his shirt off, the action making my face burn while my heart began to beat faster.
"Well…that escalated quickly." Reika hummed. "I'll be in my corner, lalalala."
Wait, what? Where are you going? We're just talking! Reika?!
Reika completely ignored me, returning to her corner and zoning me out completely.
I returned my attention to Carter, who was midway through lowering his black joggers, and my face grew redder.
"Why are you stripping?!" I exclaimed.
"I just bought these. I'm not ripping them apart. I also can't use magic to save them through the shift either. That means stripping down," he explained casually.
As he stepped out of his pants, my gaze trailed his almost naked body, watching his hands reach the waistband of his black boxers.
How the hell am I going to focus on shifting when he's standing there like a hot fucking snack. Fuck…I want that snack, though. God…those abs, those lines…seeing his full sexy body in broad daylight is hot as fuck. Wait, that means I have to strip too?! Oh no, I can't do this. Maybe if I turn around and run the other way I can find another path home? No, that's stupid, home is the complete opposite direction and Carter would chase after me, with or without clothes.
I'd been so into my internal debate, I hadn't noticed Carter was in front of me until his hand pressed against my cheek, pulling me out of my thoughts. I studied his handsome face, and then slowly lowered my gaze until my eyes stopped at his length, taking in the reality that my very hot mate was naked in the middle of the forest.
"You're overthinking, aren't you?" he muttered, his husky voice making me lift my head and look into his lust-filled eyes.
I bit my lip but couldn't help but gravitate to him, taking the single step for our bodies to press together, and I mentally wished I wasn't wearing clothes right now.
"Maybe," I replied; the yearning in my low voice was apparent.
His thumb reached out to run along my bottom lip, and without a second thought, he kissed me firmly on the lips. His free hand began to unbutton the front of my white short-sleeved shirt and I fiddled with unbuttoning my shorts.
By the time he deepened the kiss, I was just as naked as him and my hands roamed over his body, wanting to feel his muscles, while his hands lowered to my ass, squeezing it firmly and making me moan.
"Carter." My voice was heavy with desire, and when I met his heated gaze, I knew he was struggling to hold back.
"For so fucking long I've wished to hear you moan my name like that, Harper."
The rawness in his voice left me trembling for him, desiring nothing but to give him exactly what he wanted.
What he wholeheartedly deserved.
I fought not to cry and I answered him with a steamy kiss. It wasn't till we couldn't continue the intense connection that we pulled back, both of us taking deep inhales to catch our breath.
"Words can't express how thankful I am to you, Carter. How amazing and loving of an Alpha you are to our pack. You make decisions for the best of others and never focus on yourself," I whispered and pressed my lip to his neck.
A rumble vibrated in his throat and he squeezed my ass again. I tried not to gasp at the movement, my pussy clenching in aching need. I wanted to enjoy kissing his flesh while we were close, with our bodies pressed against each other.
Sucking his flesh, I gently bit down with the intention of leaving a love mark.
"Fuck, Harper." He moaned, and I pulled back to give him a grin.
"I like when you moan."
"Likewise," he whispered and kissed me. "I don't think I'm in the mood to run yet."
"Me neither. However, I don't know if I want prickling grass up my ass," I noted with an amused grin on my lips. He smiled and closed his eyes, and I noticed the sudden breeze that began to whirl around us, carrying various green leaves.
By the time the wind settled, I looked over my shoulder to see what Carter had done; a vine-made bed was nestled between two large oak trees with leaves woven together like a smooth blanket on top.
"No way."
I looked back at him with a wide smile and he opened his eyes to meet my thrilled gaze.
"You're not supposed to be using magic!" I playfully slapped his chest and he merely chuckled.
"A little magic goes a long way. To be honest, I wouldn't enjoy this luscious body of yours unless you were comfortable. I'll try to make sure you walk away with the least amount of soreness possible."
My cheeks burned from his words and I stuttered. "S-sore?! I'm not as fragile as you're making me seem."
His eyes darkened and the grin that formed on his lips made me gulp, realizing I was going to regret my words.
"Let's see how many rounds you last, Harper.”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Is that a challenge?"
"If you want to make it one. I don't care what it is, as long as I can fuck you without holding back."
I huffed but reached out to hook my arms around his neck, pulling him down into a ferocious kiss. When I released his lips, I whispered, "Don't test me, Carter. I can take a banging."
He chuckled and slapped my ass, which made me gasp. "I know you can take a banging, Eternal Love. Now it comes down to whether you can take a banging from me, as I won't be as merciful the next round."
"Next round? What happened to the first one?"
His expression softened then and he kissed me ever so lightly. "The first one is going to be enjoying every inch of you. I'm going lay your body on that bed, leave trails of me all over your flesh, make you cum with this mouth, and listen to you beg for me as I fuck you with my cock."
I pressed my lower half against him and tugged at his bottom lip with my teeth. "You're spending a lot of time talking and not a lot of time doing, baby. Actions speak louder than words."
He chuckled and smothered me with a kiss. "Let’s see if you'll be this confident when I'm done with you,"
"Confidence doesn't fade after sex and I have tons of stamina," I argued and lightly tugged his earlobe, which rewarded me with another moan.
He laid me down on the nature-created bed and to my surprise the surface was soft, while the base and the leaf-made mattress were firm, giving it the perfect balance of comfort.
My fingers raked through his hair, enjoying how electrifying Carter's kisses were. There wasn't a hint of delicacy in the way he consumed my mouth like he owned it, and yet his hands roaming down my body were so gentle and soothing, leaving me trembling for more.
The passion with each kiss, suck, and nibble made me feel more alive, and his addicting pumpkin spice scent wrapped around me like a void, ready to consume me.
His lips left mine, traveling down my neck and inciting moans and gasps from my swollen lips.
"Keep moaning, baby. Let me hear how much of an effect I have on you," he mumbled against my flesh. He sucked on my breasts, each of them getting a moment of pleasurable torture as he sucked and flicked the nipple of one while fondling the other.
By the time he reached between my legs, I was panting and moaning, my whole body feeling like it was on fire. There was something buzzing between us, so intense yet pure, and it made me even more impatient to have Carter's cock inside me.
Have him fill me up with his cum.
My desperate need was put on hold as I felt Carter's fingers explore my slick folds, and I arched my back and lifted my hips slightly, the touch feeling a lot more sensitive than it ever had.
"Why…does every little thing you do feel so much better than anything I've experienced?" I practically growled and I lifted my head slightly to see Carter's mischievous eyes.
"Being royal mates is very different from being a normal mate, Harper. Our souls are connected and now that we've acknowledged one another as mates, our soul, body, and magic are responding. That's why every little thing I do feels sweeter," Carter explained and as if on cue, slid his fingers inside me.
"AH." I gasped, my head falling back as a pleasure surged through me.
With just a few teasing thrusts of his fingers, I was trembling and close to cumming, doing my best to muffle my whimpers.
He paused before I went over the edge and I groaned, lifting my head to glare menacingly at him. He grinned at my anger. "I want to hear you, Harper."
"It's…embarrassing. We're in the forest," I argued, not wanting to admit how fucking turned on I was right now.
Sure, Ian and I had had plenty of sex, but this felt like a whole new experience and with how sensitive my body was, I was worried I was being TOO turned on for my first time with him.
"We're surrounded by Mother Nature, who is perfectly fine listening to us please one another, and there's no one else around to hear you." He pulled his fingers out and I whimpered at the blistering ache that throbbed through my pussy, begging to be relieved by the one person who could bring me over the edge.
"Carter." I literally growled his name. It only made him grin in satisfaction as he spread my legs wider with his hands.
"I want to hear every moan, whimper, gasp, and growl you make, Harper." The authority in his voice should have made me angry, but it had the opposite effect, contributing to the ache that continued to assault my body.
"Only if you say it without that annoying tone," I grumbled and looked away, unable to let it go.
He chuckled and I was taken off guard when his tongue slipped between my folds, glistening from my arousal, and with a few deep movements, he had me screaming in ecstasy.
My back arched, hands gripping the vined material as my orgasm thrummed through me and Carter sucked every bit of my release, leaving me a panting mess.
"Fuck…why can't sex be this intense all the time?" I commented.
"It can. You just need to know what you're doing. The royal bond is a bonus." I could hear the humor in his voice and I giggled.
"I'm just going to assume you're experienced." I didn't care if he was. It wasn't fair for him to hold off his own sexual needs because he secretly loved me.
Carter let my legs go and I left them spread out, my mind more focused on me catching my breath. I opened my eyes to see Carter's devilish smirk and I couldn't help but lean up and kiss him, tasting myself on his lips.
He groaned and shot his tongue into my mouth, our tongues intertwining.
It wasn’t long till his cock pressed at my entrance, gathering my juices and leaving me in anticipation. Carter leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Does my mate really think I'd please anyone but her?"
My eyes grew wide and I looked at him and shook my head.
"You. Did. Not. Wait." I emphasized every word and his eyes softened.
"I did," he declared and slipped his cock inside me. I gasped but fought to not lose my train of thought.
"Lia-MHM!" He pinned me to the bed and his dominating kiss shut me up. He began to move inside me, his thrusts agonizingly slow but heightening the building sensation that coiled inside me.
When he had no choice but to release my lips, I spoke.
"You did not wait."
"And what evidence do you have to make such a claim?" he countered with a smug look as we continued to fuck, his thrusts growing in pace.
"You…can't...ah fuck," I cursed, struggling to keep my train of thought while he fucked me so well.
"I can't be good at pleasing my woman because I haven't fucked another? I think you're underestimating my skills at researching, Harper." Carter's dominating tone excited me and it was taking everything for me to not give up on this discussion.
"Yes. Impossible. No fucking way…oh god, right there!" I practically begged.
Carter switched gears, shifting his movement and lifting my hips just slightly to hit the right spot that delivered double the pleasure.
"Oh baby, you're so fucking wrong, but I'll show you what this amateur Alpha can do. Don't regret your words later." His words were challenging but filled with love, and with that, his pace doubled.
He ruthlessly fucked me and he started murmuring about how long he'd wanted to fuck me, how much he craved being with me for years, and how he wished time hadn't escaped us. But he also said how much he loved me, how my beauty outshined any human or shifter on this planet, and most importantly, how he would have waited for all eternity to enjoy this exotic moment with me and only me.
"Carter, Carter!" I continued to moan his name as my voice grew louder and increased in pitch, my orgasm inching closer and closer. The atmosphere around was thick with power and everything felt so intense, it was hard to breathe.
"Cum, my Eternal love," he growled, and with one final deep thrust, I came undone, screaming his name in ecstasy.
"Harper." He gasped out my name and gripped my hips hard as he climaxed, shooting his hot load inside me. My body felt like mush, and as I collapsed back onto the bed, my eyes closed as I fought to breathe.
Carter rested his head against my shoulder, his hot breath hitting my skin as he continued to fill me with his cum. He slowly pulled out and collapsed next to me, sounding just as out of breath as me.
"That…was far more intense than I expected,” he breathed.
"What happened…mister…I'll fuck you until you're sore…bull—hehehe." I broke out in giggles when he touched a specific spot of my stomach, knowing full well that was my ticklish spot. "Carter!" I shrieked, trying to move away from him, but he wrapped me in his arms and kissed my neck.
"Alright, I admit defeat this time," he mumbled. "Only because you performed so well."
"Jeez, thanks for the 10/10 rating." I sighed and melted in his hold.
"1000/10," he countered, making me laugh.
"You're on some orgasm high."
"I'm actually a gentle beast when I get my way. One, having the round of first-time sex ever, and two, listening to your wonderful laugh. As a bonus, I can feel your happiness, which inevitably makes me happy."
"Can you?" I asked, as he turned to lie on his back with my naked body plastered on top of him.
"Yeah." His hand brushed my cheek and his fingers ran through my long brunette locks.
"We didn't use protection, you know," I pointed out. I should have been more panicked about it, but I felt pretty calm. "Guess royal bonds don't have superpowers to stop pregnancy?" Carter's slow grin made me frown and arch an eyebrow at him. "It does not."
"Seeing as you were far too young to learn about it before we were separated, being royally bonded means you can only get pregnant by your royal mate."
I gawked at him. "Shut the fuck up. That's a lie."
"Truth. Also, you need the blessings of the Moon, which requires a ceremony where you get to bask in pleasure in the great outdoors."
My jaw was left open and I swear my heart stopped for a second. He must have realized where my thoughts were headed because he continued.
"At night, under a full moon, and you need to be wearing blessed attire in all white."
"Attire?"
"White lingerie. Nothing special."
"Now you're really shitting me. Blessed white lingerie under the full moon in the great outdoors is a ceremony for one to have children with their royal mate?!" I exclaimed and legit started laughing like I was crazy. "I'm done. This is utter bullshit."
Carter started laughing too and he shook his head. "I'm serious. Stop laughing, you're making me laugh."
"I'm not doing anything. See, am I tickling you?" I asked.
"N-" He was cut off by me tickling him back, taking a chance at his tickle spot, which I'd discovered when I was nine. It was one of the reasons why he knew my ticklish spot while Ian didn't. "Harper!"
"That's payback for tickling me!" I retorted through giggles. He groaned and rolled us over, pinning me under him.
"Now the tables have turned."
"Fuck you." I happily cursed, and he laughed and kissed me.
"I'd happily fuck you again."
"Tease." I moaned against his lips. "In all seriousness though, that means only we can have children?"
"Not necessarily. If you're worried about the others, you'd be able to, as long as we both agree to it."
"Really?" I asked and then blushed. "I mean, I'm not saying I wouldn't want to have your children first…uh…wow, this is suddenly weird to talk about." I blushed.
He gave me a peck on my lips and rolled us onto our sides so we could stare at each other more comfortably.
"One of the reasons for our dual permission regarding the opportunity to give birth is to prevent pregnancy through rape from happening."
"Huh? How does a mark and our joint permission prevent rape?" I asked.
"It doesn't necessarily prevent the action, but before our grandparents’ time, it was common for random men to ambush the Princess or Queen of a pack and rape them. This would lead to them getting pregnant and being forced to bear the child. The men did those despicable actions in hope that the child would automatically be the future heir of the royal line and that would mean a favorable future for the rapist. However, each time backfired, with the child dying either at birth or living only a short life because of the Moon's anger. It happened so often and the last one killed the Princess during childbirth. The pack's royal line was flushed out and that led to raging wolves going into battle against the pack who'd planned the rape. With all the bloodshed, the sole survivor of the battle was from the deceased Princess' pack and prayed to the Moon to prevent this from happening again. Since then, a royal mark would form on the Prince and Princess and would direct them to their mate or mates. It wouldn't prevent rape, but the idea of raping a royal female was eliminated because they couldn't get pregnant from anyone except their mate."
"Wow…talk about history. What about if the Prince or Princess can't find their mate?" I asked.
"The Moon will always guide a wolf shifter to their mate. It's also a reason why some individuals have two or three options—because the sad possibility of one passing away, whether destined or not," Carter replied.
"That means I could have one more mate?"
He smirked. "Six sexy men ain't enough for you. Want one more? Two? Th—"
I slapped his chest. "I didn't mean it like that!" My face burned with embarrassment and he chuckled.
"Yes, you can have more than one mate. I don't know if they would be royal, seeing as I haven't heard of any from our side of the world that have more than one, but it’s possible. Maybe when the 1st Gen Alphas have spare time we can ask. I guess I should put it out there, that you already have my permission to be intimate with the others. I already gave them a talk."
"You gave who a talk?" I asked in astonishment.
"The rest of the pack."
"You did not! Aren't you…like embarrassed? What did they say? Oh, did Ian get all upset?"
He moved a few strands of my hair out of the way. "No one was upset and no, Ian didn't give me any attitude. Sometimes I allow him to express his emotions. This topic, however, was a take it or leave it. He said he was willing to share you and that means in all areas. If you start growing feelings for the others, it's not fair for you to be guilt-tripped into thinking it’s wrong over unnecessary insecurities. Also, it isn't fair to the others. Now with the blood bond, the stronger we grow as a pack, the more intense certain things will feel in close proximity to one another. If I desperately want you, chances are, the others will too. It's basically like you're the connector to all of us. That's as much as I've gathered about the bond from this morning after asking Kira about it."
"She knows about it?"
"Kira specifically didn't say who it was, but my instincts tell me she's the connector between her four pack mates."
"Really?"
"No offence to Kira, but all four of her pack mates were Omegas. They were from the top packs from across the world and could take on an entire pack on their own and survive. For them to settle down in our parts, with Kira who's also an Omega and rare female Alpha, there has to be a catch, and the strongest connection that could hold them together is them conducting the blood bond. I could be completely wrong, but I'm almost never wrong."
"Except when it comes to leaving me sore after passionate sex," I mumbled quietly.
"I'm more than happy to go for another round, Harper."
I grinned and moved to kiss him. "In a few minutes. Let me enjoy cuddling you." I moved to press against him and he seemed to relax even more, wrapping his hand securely around my waist."
"So…you're literally okay with me being intimate with the others? Like…kissing, hugging..."
"Fucking. Yes, Harper. As long as you're fine with it, I have no objections. With the bond, you won't need condoms or birth control. I don't need a moody Harper."
"Birth control does not make women moody," I argued, and he rolled his eyes.
"Now I want you to take it, and in a week, tell me if you still agree."
"Hmph," I grumbled, not wanting to try it out. "I refuse your challenge."
"Because you know I'm right." He placed a kiss to my right temple. "Just…if you do want children one day…could I have the chance to be first?" he whispered, and I felt the hint of vulnerability in his voice.
I looked up and he lowered his serene gaze to meet mine. I graced him a broad smile.
"For a man who has stood back and protected me and his pack selflessly over and over again, I'd gladly carry your child first," I vowed, sensing the magic in my words as it carried their weight through the air.
The smile that formed on his face almost made me tear up, and he lowered his lips to mine in a satisfying kiss.
"I'd do it all again. As long as I'm with you, Harper. I'll do anything for your love."
"Anythinggggg?" I purred, getting an idea my mind. He must have caught on yet again, and he frowned.
"No."
"You don't even know what I was going to say!" I argued.
"I'm not enjoying you with Ian."
"Oh, c'mon. How did you do that?!' I whined.
"Certain thoughts gravitate to me. It's just like when you experience certain feelings that are clearly aren't yours. The answer is no."
"Please?"
"No."
"You said you'd do anything."
"Anything but that."
"Aww. How about if I cry?"
"Please don't cry. I can't stand it and no."
"How about you think about it and get back to me?"
"You're going to find some cunning seductive way to catch us off guard and make it happen," he accused.
"Wellllll....since you said it like that, probably."
He groaned and pressed my head to his chest. "I'll think about it."
"Excellent," I said in a chilling tone and he sighed.
"My mate is crazy."
"You love crazy."
"Guess I do." He pressed his lips against my head, and I closed my eyes.
If we were going to have another round of sex, I'd enjoy this break in his arms.