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I held him close as I welcomed him inside me, and moments later, I felt the torrent of heat rushing inside. It was glorious and wondrous, and I had never been as happy as I had been in that moment.
When it was over, I rolled away and found myself nestled between the two men, my two lions. Their arms draped around me and kept me safe, while my heart thundered inside. I was no longer a virgin, no longer a girl. I was a woman, and I had my place in my pride. My hand fell over my stomach as I thought about all the days that awaited us. After the Night Fangs had taken my home, I thought I would be alone. The world was hollow and bleak, but now it was filled with love and passion. There was an adventure waiting for us, and I was going to enjoy every minute of it.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Axanar
The sky of Orestes glowed with warmth. My skin was still dappled with sweat from the night’s endeavors. I looked back at the bed, gazing upon Kara and Volkan. I swelled with pride. There were not two people I trusted more in the world, and they looked perfect with their limbs tangled together. The night had been filled with passion. Kara had proven herself to be my equal, which was not something I ever thought I would find. I knew my future was safe with her. The future of the entire pride was.
I had a wash and got changed, then descended the stairs. There was someone I needed to see.
Tania was back in the library, for I had ended her punishment with duties for the kitchen. She greeted me with a smile and a bow of the head.
“How can I help you today, Alpha?” she asked.
“First, I would like to apologize to you. I believe the punishment was too harsh. You were only doing what you thought your duty was. You were only trying to help Kara find her power. I should not have reacted so dramatically.”
Tania’s eyes flickered, clearly surprised to hear me conceding this point. I admit, I had been stubborn before.
“As always, your judgment is wise,” she said, bowing.
“And now I would ask you two things. One is to search the stories for tales of other worlds. If we are to travel to new realms then we must understand what is waiting for us, what we are likely to find. Gather as many lions as you need to study the stories. I would not wish to lead my pride into a world where threats await us.”
“Of course, Axanar. Are you still planning to go ahead with the plan to conquer these new worlds?”
I shook my head. I had already thought about the matter when I had been in Kara’s world. The moment I heard the words slip out of the Night Fang’s mouth, I knew that I could not continue with my proposed plan of action. It would have seen the lions of Orestes lose the qualities that set them apart from others. There were many different types of strength in the world. Kara had helped me see that.
“We shall not conquer, we shall learn. When we come across anything new, we shall try and absorb that knowledge and allow it to shape the way we live here. It is arrogant to think that we are the pinnacle of the universe. There is always an opportunity for us to learn.”
“I see that she had a good effect on you,” Tania said with a teasing smile. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Before you do this though, there is one other thing I would ask of you, since you are the wisdom of the pride. Would you gather the lions later so that we might induct Kara into the pride properly?” I asked. Tania’s eyes lit up with delight.
“Of course!” she said, and set about doing it right away.
*
Volkan and I kept Kara distracted for the rest of the day, as I wanted to keep the ceremony a surprise. When the sun began to set, I took her downstairs and she was amazed to see that all the lions had gathered, and they were all wearing ceremonial robes.
“What is this?” Kara asked.
“This is your welcome into the pride,” I said. We walked to a clearing where Tania was standing. There was a small gold crown and a ceremonial blade. Tania spoke the ancient words that had been passed down from generation to generation, and all the lions listened with humble hearts. Kara bowed her head and pledged herself to this pride. She gave her blood and her life and her soul, as well as her heart. I watched on with pride. I thought back to the first moment I had seen her, so weak and pitiful and vulnerable.
I had been blind.
I hadn’t been able to see all that had been in front of me, all the noble qualities within her heart. She was such a spirited woman and now she was my mate, and as time passed, she would lead our pride on to bigger and better things. She would also provide us with strong children, children with the ability to walk between worlds.
As Kara promised herself to the pride, she took the blade in her hand and dragged it across her palm, spilling blood onto the sacred ground below us. As soon as this happened, there was a great cheer that I’m sure would be audible in the Great Plains themselves, and would echo throughout eternity.
Kara then turned towards Volkan and I. She gave us both a hug and a kiss, and if anyone had been unaware of the arrangement between us, then that had changed. Nobody would think anything ill of it though. Together we were stronger, and as a trio there would be no stopping us. There would be plenty of time for celebration and mating in the future, but tonight it was time to feast. Music played and delicious food was shared, while songs were sung of the glory of battle. People’s tongues wagged excitedly as they talked about the world we had entered and all we had seen, and it made them wonder what else was out there. Kara was no longer a prisoner, but rather she was the star of the night, and everyone wanted to speak with her.
“She is magnificent, isn’t she?” Volkan asked as he came up to me.
“She certainly is. We are lucky men.”
“I was thinking the same. So, you have changed your mind about conquering these new worlds then?”
“I have. I saw the hatred in the eyes of the Night Fangs. I knew that is what awaits us if we carve a path of destruction through the galaxy. It is enough for me to know that we can defeat anyone we are up against, without having to go to the lengths of proving it. Besides, as much as I like the idea of traveling to other worlds, I do not believe I would wish to leave this place. The air is not sweeter anywhere else, nor are there any better sights to greet my eyes. Orestes is where we belong, and I do not envy our ancestors for leaving.”
