Page 34

Tonight is the start of her choosing a path only I can offer her.

16

Lucien

Ididn’t expect to enjoy watching Luna with another man. Not without physically being there myself.

But I did.

I really fucking did.

I stood in my office with the pool feed filling the screen – Luna’s head tipped back against the tiles, her fingers in Kim’s wet hair – and I was instantly hard.

No jealousy. No raging desire to go rip Kim’s head off for touching her.

Just a deep need to see what happened next.

I’ve done this kind of thing before, of course. But never with someone I loved. The way I feel about Luna, I should hate this. I should hate the thought of it, let alone seeing it.

But the blood bond that formed when she drank from me, and I drank from her, changes things.

Because while I was watching them, I could feel her.

Her pleasure in my chest and underneath it, the thing that undid me completely, the fact that she knew I was watching.

She wanted me watching.

Every time I whispered to her – take what you want, kitten – her arousal spiked so hard I could barely stop myself from climaxing.

My woman, in another man’s arms, glowing brighter because my eyes were on her.

I came harder than I have in a century, standing up, jerking my cock hard and fast and ugly.

The most surprising thing is the pride I felt while I came.

Look at her. Look what she takes when she finally believes she’s allowed.

I’m pulling up my pants when my phone rings.

For a moment, I genuinely consider not answering. But I have obligations beyond what’s happening with Nix and Luna. So, I do.

“Speak.”

“Boss.” Renfield’s voice. He’s panicking, which isn’t entirely unexpected; after Kim despatched Zephyra, I named Renfield as the one to take over the FHB underbelly of the city. Although he works for me, he used to work for Zephyra, so her contacts trust him.

Unfortunately, he is nowhere near strong enough and it has been nothing short of chaos since he took over; it was because of him that Nix was able to start causing chaos in the city.

Not entirely his fault; I let things slip. I’ve been distracted. But if Zephyra had still been in charge, I could have afforded to be. The entire city wouldn’t have gone to hell just because I was busy.

“What is it, Renfield?”

“Werewolves. A dozen at least, maybe more. They’ve hit the campsite on the edge of the city. It’s like they’re chasing for sport. Phones everywhere recording it. If this gets out⁠—”

“Contain the perimeter. Call for backup. Nobody leaves with a phone. I’m coming.”

I end the call, text Kim ‘SOS’ and pace up and down until he appears. Slightly dishevelled, hair still damp, looking like he thinks he might be about to take his last breath.

Despite the scent of the chlorine, Luna’s scent is all over him too.