She was on top of him, and he was clearly knotted deep inside her. Her pert breasts were covered in red marks around each swollen, dusty-pink nipple, and if I’d thought I was hard before, well…
“Kenai, this had better be important?—”
“Taimyr…” Sylvie’s voice was rough with need, her eyes hungry as she looked at me like I was her salvation. “Help me, please.”
Oh gods…what had I done in a past life to deserve this? “Sylvie…you’re not in your right mind.”
“Tai.” Now it was Kenai looking at me with those pleading eyes. “It’s worse than I thought. It’s like a doe’s first heat—it’s too intense. We need you.”
“I can’t?—”
Kenai shook his head. “We talked about it. She agreed.”
Sylvie nodded frantically.
I stayed rooted by the door, every muscle locked tight. “She’s too deep in heat.”
Kenai shook his head again and gently pulled Sylvie’s long blonde hair to the side.
My eyes snapped to her neck. The fresh mark was unmistakable, already silvering at the edges.
“You bonded with her?”
Kenai’s thumb traced slow circles on Sylvie’s thigh, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it. “It wasn’t something I planned. But it felt right.”
I took a step closer, searching his face. Kenai could be reckless, but never with other people’s hearts. I knew him, and I knew this wasn’t a rut-fueled bonding. The sex, sure—but a mate bond was sacred.
Sylvie nodded. “I didn’t know it would feel like this—like coming home.” I knew the feeling well.
“I can feel you too, through Kenai. This must’ve been so hard for you, with us together and you alone. I didn’t know, Taimyr. I’m so sorry.”
She could feel me—and I could feel her too. Through Kenai, but also through the bond that was starting to form between us. She was more like me than I could’ve imagined. Defenses ofsteel, emotions hidden behind sarcasm and control. But beneath that, she felt so deeply, in a way I rarely let myself feel. It took a kind of bravery I often thought I lacked to feel that much—and she was doing it, for us.
Tears welled in her eyes, and I couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t stand to see her hurting like this, especially when I knew I could help her. I took one step closer, then another, until my fingers wove through her soft blonde hair and she leaned into the touch with a soft moan.
“Taimyr, please.” Her eyes gleamed, and she was so hot—burning up. It would be dangerous to leave her like this, and Kenai wouldn’t be able to knot her again for at least half an hour.
I looked down at Kenai, who gave me a small nod.
“She was meant to be mine. She was meant to be ours.”
Ours.
The walls I always kept around my heart couldn’t withstand that. I took a deep breath and inhaled her scent, now mixed with the scent of the man I loved more than anything.Ourswas right, and I didn’t want to wait a moment longer.
I climbed onto the bed beside her, my knees sinking into the plush mattress. I stroked her beautiful, golden locks, and she curled into my touch.
“I’m going to take care of you, Sylvie, but you must be careful with Kenai still knotted inside you.” She nodded against my palm.
“Untie my pants.”
Her eyes snapped open—hungry.
She tugged at my waistband, her tongue darting out to lick her lips as she did. Her smooth, warm hand dipped beneath the band of my briefs, sliding them down until I sprang free.
My dick was a mess, leaking precum everywhere from the hours sitting unrelieved. Sylvie was licking it off before I could stop her, her warm tongue velvet-soft.
I really needed a medal for all the restraint I was showing today. I wanted nothing more than to slam my cock past those rosy lips until she teared up. In her state, she would’ve loved it. But this was our first time—her first heat. I needed to be gentle, even if that wasn’t something I was particularly good at.
