Page 65 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

“Move your hips to rock back and forth.” She did, and soonwanted more.

He groaned and his eyes closed as he rubbed his warrior’srough palms over her nipples causing them to harden into tight buds.

She continued to rock back and forth, sensing a rising needto be joined with him. He must have shared her need for he opened his eyes, andwith his hands on her waist, moved her forward.

“What—” She was about to ask what he wanted her to do whenhe lifted her onto his shaft and pushed down until he was fully sheathed insideher. “Oh…,” she sighed, closing her eyes at the pleasure she felt from thefullness of him inside her.

He pulled her head down to kiss her, then allowed her to situp. She could see what he wanted and leaned forward, her palms on his chest asshe used her legs to move up and down on his hardened flesh until her pleasureincreased with the rising tension in her body.

His shaft, buried deep, caused her to throb with need. Thetension where they were joined grew more urgent, and she rose to meet it,moving against his upward thrusts. Their coupling became a wild exchange ofpassion as Serena strained toward the release he had spoken of. He utteredsounds that told her he was nearing his own fulfillment.

Suddenly, he rolled her beneath him and plunged deep.

Her muscles constricted. She soared into a world of blindingsensation. Then she was floating, floating, as ripples of pleasure coursedthrough her, her muscles throbbing around his hardened flesh.

“Ahhh…” she rasped. Opening her eyes, she looked up at hisface, their gazes meeting. Could he see the passion in her eyes? Could he seethe love in her heart?

“Serena…,” he said, his breathing ragged, “my Serena.”Bracing himself above her, he tensed and shut his eyes tightly. A flood of warmliquid flowed into her passage as he fell upon her. But he did not stay there.Rolling to one side, he drew her against his chest and wrapped his arms aroundher, holding her close. He pressed a light kiss to her forehead, a tendergesture for this hardened knight.

Never could she have imagined the wonder of what they hadshared. And with her acceptance of their union, Serena experienced a peace.From the first time he’d kissed her, she had desired him. It was that desirethat had frightened her into fleeing, knowing he was a Norman. Now she was hiswife and would be for as long as they lived.

Stroking her back, he spoke words of comfort in French,smoothing the damp strands of hair from her face.

She turned and pressed a kiss to his lips, which he returned.

“Serena,” he said, “you are mine. After this day, you willsleep only in my chamber.”

“It shall be as you wish.”

She had fought her own desire to run from him. But with thecertain knowledge she was his came the guilt of submitting so fully to herconqueror, not merely her body, but her heart. For in their joining, she hadtruly bonded with this man in a way she had not expected. She had submitted forher people never fully realizing the pleasure she would find in his arms. Neverrealizing the truth their coupling would reveal hidden in her heart. Againsther will, a fledgling love had been born for the knight called the Red Wolf.

She was now his mate. Maugris had spoken the truth: shewould birth his sons. Even this day, his seed might have taken root. Strangely,the picture of small versions of the Red Wolf following after their fatherbrought a smile to her face.

Chapter 18

“I’m so glad ye agreed to the blue silk,” Cassie weaklyuttered from Serena’s bed where she watched Serena dress for her wedding thenext afternoon. “It brings out the blue in yer eyes.”

Eawyn nodded her agreement and carried the gown to Serena.

“I will wear it as a token of our friendship, Cassie,” saidSerena.

“And mine for ye is woven into every fold,” came the softreply from the bed.

So that Cassie could be a part of the day, Serena had chosento dress for her wedding in her old chamber. Sir Maurin, who frequently checkedon the object of his affection, had to be shooed away to allow the women toprepare. In Cassie’s place, Eawyn and Aethel were to help Serena don the gownshe and Cassie had sewn in anticipation of this day.

Serena’s gaze drifted to Aethel who had remained mostlysilent. Now sorry for all the damage she had caused, the woman had not leftCassie’s side since they carried her back to Talisand. Serena believed Aethelwas trying to atone for her misguided act. Her demeanor had changed, that muchwas certain. Sir Alain might have had something to do with it for Serena hadobserved the knight speaking in hushed tones to Aethel more than once lastevening.

“How are you feeling?” she asked the handmaiden.

“Better.” Fortunately, the knife that had sliced throughCassie’s skin entered at an angle and had not gone so deep as to jeopardize herlife. Still, she would need care for some time to recover. Aethel’s knowledgeof herbs would be helpful.

Serena gave Cassie a warm, encouraging smile. “Each day willbe better.”

She turned to admire the finished gown Eawyn held out toher. The undertunic was of soft linen dyed a pale blue. The fine outer garmentEawyn slipped over Serena’s head was a shimmering sapphire silk. Around herwaist was a belt of silver links.

A knock at the chamber door sounded and Jamie peeked hishead in. “Are ye ready, Serena? I have yer father’s sword.” The boy, nowproudly wearing a midnight blue tunic bearing a snarling red wolf, hefted asword nearly three feet long. According to their custom, there would be anexchange of the weapons following the priest’s blessing. Renaud would give herhis longer, ancestral sword, one he told her he held in reserve, and she wouldgive him a weapon to symbolize his protection of her and their children.

She had chosen her father’s sword, retrieved by his menafter he’d fallen at Hastings. Shorter than a Norman sword and lighter and moreflexible, it was the final symbol of her acceptance that she was the willingbride of Sir Renaud de Pierrepont, now Earl of Talisand.