“The answer is ‘no, alpha,’” Ben corrects.
“If you’re going to execute me, just fucking do it,” she spits.
I crouch down in front of her, bringing my face near hers. “Andwhywould I do that?”
“I attempted to murder a Squadron official.An Earl.The penalty is death.” Her golden eyes meet mine, rage unhidden.
I chuckle. “Little one, do I look like I was almost murdered last night?” I run my hand along the heavy scratch on my bare chest. “Just a little love bite, my bride.” I smile, her anger oddly adorable. “But wewillpunish your behavior. And start your training today. After breakfast.”
I straighten. “Ben, put down a blanket for our bride; their skin is certainly more delicate than ours.” I look at her again, fury still dancing in her eyes, “I had hoped our morning would have started with all of us enjoying each others’ bodies and a meal seated at the table together, but your decisions make that impossible. Perhaps tomorrow, if you shape up.”
Chapter Thirteen
Theodore
Ipick up the empty plate and fork from our bride’s little nest and bring it to the sink. She says nothing, sitting cross-legged. It looks so odd without wings tucked behind her that I stare for a moment. Anger flares on her face but she merely, silently, looks away.
I sigh internally. Perhaps Arch should have listened to Ben.
This one is intractable.Instead of being buried in a sweet, wet cunt this morning, I woke to Arch pushing my knees apart and taking me.Not that I minded that.But I had just been excited for a female to play with.
Our bride,Fern, my mind says, must be trained, must learn to accept her position in our lives for the next year. Longer, if she gives us a babe.That part of the treaty was well-hidden.
But I doubt any female would want to leave a child of their blood though, so it doesn’t really matter.
She’s so angry; we must release that anger, and the fear that underlies it, like training an animal. I frown to myself as I wash dishes, disliking the comparison, but she really must break through that in order to bond with us.And how would I have broken a young, untried, unruly pegasus?
Direct commands, swift corrections, and easy praise.
I fear Ben is too clinical, too angry, too mistrustful, for some reason that I can’t pin, to walk the line between training her to accept her position andtrulybreaking her.
And Arch. Well, he’s enamoured of her, even I can see that.
That leaves me. I sigh as I grab a towel to dry my hands.This could make her hate me. This could drive her away from me. Fuck. This is a disaster. If only we had an omega to center around, who knew and understood their place in our lives.
“Bend over the table, little one,” Arch says.
Ben’s tail picks up the bag with the supplies from the facility, plopping it onto the table, as his eyes stay on our human.
She quickly looks away, an obvious internal battle going on in her head.
I growl, “Do it freely or you’ll be made to, and you’ll add to your consequences.”
As expected, she hesitates. So I scoop her up quickly and stride to the table, folding her body over it and leaving my palm on the back of her neck. She says nothing, skin pinking, and legs firmly closed.
“Ben, you should bring the bench to the living room, I think we’re going to need it,” I suggest quietly. “Now, sweetling,” I say mildly, hand grazing over her back where her wings would be, “We’ll be training all your holes today. Today will be hard for you, I believe, given what we’ve seen of your... personality. Trust me when I say that we can do things the easy way or the hard way and that the hard way will still accomplish our goals but will be much, much more embarrassing for you.”
She makes a noise but I can’t discern the emotion behind it. Arch comes and stands next to me, his hand starting to stroke her hip. “So soft,” he murmurs, gathering up her hair to quickly plait it. “I want to see all of you, little bride.”
“Now, bride, I’m going to remove your trainer from your ass. I want you to use the bathroom before we begin.”
The sound that escapes her is pure outrage. I can’t help the smirk that lights my face. “Don’t test me on this, sweetling. You do not want our ‘help’ in the bathroom. We’re not really into that as a rule—though some chimes are—but if our little flower needs help, of course we will provide assistance.” I pause to see if she fights but she’s still. “Now, I’m going to remove this, and you’re going to crawl to the bathroom, do you understand?”
She nods silently and I slap her ass hard. “Answer.”
“Yes,Sir.”
I roll my eyes at her tone but silently grab the trainer and tug it out quickly. She yelps but slithers off the table and crawls as directed.
