“Did you know you swallowed your children a while ago?”Emmeline took a moment to process Zavian's rather crude comment about her supposedly swallowing their unborn children. After a momentary pause, she lightly tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention."Enough with that, sir. You're embarrassing me," she chided, though her tone was more amused than truly scandalized.A sarcastic smile curved Zavian's lips as he leaned in closer with his voice taking on a darker, more suggestive timbre. "What a dirty woman you are to swallow your children without mercy after they've come all this way, thinking your womb would embrace them."For a fleeting moment, Emmeline did feel a pang of remorse over his words. But she quickly recovered her wits, determined not to let him gain the upper hand so easily."And you're a bad father for throwing your children into my mouth in the first place!" she countered shrewdly.Zavian let out a deep chuckle that seemed to reverberate through Emmeline's very c
“Zavian!” A familiar voice suddenly called out.They both turned to find Yuna hurrying across the immaculate grounds toward them, clearly intent on catching up to the pair before they could make their getaway.Emmeline's face drained of all color, while Zavian's expression was rigid, his jaw clenched tightly.‘Stupid move shutting down the mind link,’ he cursed inwardly. Luca must have tried warning him about Yuna's unexpected arrival.A frown creased his brow as he was struck once again by how Emmeline's presence seemed to dull his usually razor-sharp senses.Did she really affect him that much, or was it the incomplete mate bond screwing with his head whenever she was around?Shoving those troubling thoughts aside for the moment, Zavian turned to face his uninvited wife. "What do you want, Yuna?" he asked coldly."I asked about you in your office half an hour ago so we could have lunch together," Yuna said with a bright smile. "But I learned from the guard you were still in court, so
"It was certainly a pleasant surprise that you came all the way down to the courthouse for me," Yuna began, shooting Emmeline a sidelong glance. "But I have to ask - how did you even think to invite me to lunch in the first place? We don't usually make plans one-on-one like that."Emmeline felt her heart rate kick up a notch as panic gripped her chest. She definitely hadn't anticipated that question and was utterly unprepared with a believable excuse."Honestly..." she hedged, stalling for time as her mind raced. Finally, she settled on the only remotely plausible explanation she could think of, even if it did throw Minnie under the bus a bit. "I felt kind of bad that Minnie and I went to the med spa for facials last weekend without you. I thought doing lunch would be my way of making up for leaving you out this time."She tried to inject a casual, friendly lilt into her tone, realizing the excuse was pretty lame even as the words left her mouth. "I know it's not quite the same as a re
Long after the last customer and employees filtered out, Emmeline remained seated at the bar, nursing a glass of whiskey.She raised the tumbler, staring unseeingly into the liquid as her mind replayed the events earlier."Maybe I'm being too hard on him," she muttered to herself. However, her brow furrowed the next second and she angrily slammed the glass back down, sloshing some of the whiskey over the rim."No, I have every right to be furious. He let it happen, even with me standing right there!!"She threw back a mouthful of the fiery liquid, wincing as it burned a path down her throat. But the sting did nothing to douse the flames of hurt and anger raging within her. An ache unlike anything she'd experienced before seemed to constrict her chest."Why do I feel so betrayed?" she whispered brokenly. "Like I'm being suffocated?"Just then, the restaurant door flew open with a violent bang."Why the hell haven't you been answering my calls?" Zavian's irate voice sliced through the si
A soft smile curved Emmeline’s lips. "It just means you're a good guy, deep down."Her words seemed to strike an unexpected chord. Zavian softened the furrow between his brows and leaned in to rest his forehead against hers. "It's impossible to be completely bad when I'm physically holding someone as good as you. But I make no promises about keeping your heart safe - you're far too fragile."Emmeline glanced up to find him tapping his finger against his lips with a pointed look. "I think you might've nipped my lip during that kiss too. You'll need to make it up to me."Her brows knitted in exasperation. "You're such a pushy guy." She grumbled, rising on her tiptoes to press her mouth to his in a slow, close-mouthed kiss, eyes drifting shut.When she started to pull away, Zavian's arm banded around her waist, hauling her flush against the solid wall of his body and effectively trapping her there.Emmeline's lids fluttered open at the sensation of his heated breath fanning her flushed ch
The month of December brought blustery winds and heavy rains, but Emmeline found herself impatiently awaiting the first snowfall.It had been two long days since she'd last laid eyes on Zavian, with no phone calls or texts exchanged between them.A nagging worry gnawed at her - was he still upset over her jealous outburst during their last date?Emmeline busied herself baking a pair of cakes - one for the Kim family, the other intended for the Blackthorns. It was an excuse to pay Zavian a visit.After carefully boxing up the confections in pink containers, she gathered them into a single bag and headed out.Forgoing a coat over her sleeveless gray dress and black knit shirt, she reasoned the Blackthorn estate was close enough to forego bundling up. "I just hope Mr. Blackthorn is home, and this effort isn't wasted," she muttered under her breath.“Good evening,” Emmeline greeted the guards politely.They simply gave her a curt nod and waved her through the front gates, her face now fami
Emmeline woke up the next morning to the insistent buzzing of her phone on the nightstand. Blindly patting around, she finally located the device and squinted at the bright screen, her eyes still adjusting to the pale morning light filtering through the bedroom curtains.A tiny thrill went through her when she registered the name flashing across the display. It was a text from Zavian.“Let's go jogging. I'll wait for you in front of the club.”That simple message was enough to fully rouse Emmeline from her sleepy haze. Her mind drifted briefly to last night.She had returned home with Minnie's audacious proposal weighing heavily on her mind. As tantalizing as the idea was, she knew there was no need to rush into any decisions. Christmas was still several days away, affording her plenty of time to ruminate on the potential consequences. The idea felt both thrilling and terrifying.Sitting upright amongst the rumpled bedsheets, she hastily typed out a reply, unable to contain the giddy s
Zavian’s idea of a 'short walk' was another torturously long ten minutes before the trees finally parted, revealing another part of the famous river.As soon as they reached the grassy bank, Emmeline collapsed gratefully onto the soft ground, spreading her palms on the cool earth as she gulped in deep lungfuls of air."Remind me never to go exercising with you again, you sadistic monster!" she groaned dramatically.Zavian sat down beside her, stretching his long, muscular legs out while giving her a disapproving look, though the corners of his eyes crinkled with barely suppressed amusement."I can't believe you ruthlessly forced me to come this far," Emmeline whined breathlessly. "Why did I get involved with such a masochistic man who considers life a grueling mission he has to do to perfection?"Tipping her head back dramatically, she sobbed, "That's very stressful for a delicate flower like me!"Without a word, Zavian pulled a chilled water bottle from the pocket of his jacket and ha
“Your Majesty. It’s Cara.” A soft, feminine voice whispered, barely carrying across the lavish bedroom. “I’ve come as summoned.”Zavian didn’t turn. His focus stayed locked on Emmeline, on the fragile rise and fall of her chest and the pale strain in her face.The cords in his neck tightened as fury simmered like a storm restrained by threadbare control.Then he moved.The shift was subtle but it sent a chill rippling through the air.Slowly, he rose to his full height and turned to face the person near the door.Cara froze when Zavian’s eyes landed on her, and whatever words she meant to say died in her throat.His glare burned into her with blistering intensity… with an unspoken warning passed with a single look.“Keep my mate safe. Or you’ll understand what true destruction feels like!”Cara gave a quick, frightened nod. She dared not meet his eyes again.The air shifted once more when the door opened behind her. This time, the presence that filled the room carried a different energ
"Home," Zavian replied, a new warmth entering his voice. His hand moved to stroke her hair gently. "Our home."Seeing the confusion in her eyes, he elaborated. "Not the estate you're thinking of. This is different. We're in another realm entirely."His voice took on a note of reverence. "This is my true homeland, the place I was born. A world parallel to the one you know but governed by different laws and energies."Emmeline's eyes widened in surprise and wonder. Throughout their relationship, Zavian had hinted at his otherworldly origins, but she had never fully understood what that meant.The reality of it… that she had crossed between dimensions was almost too much to process in her weakened state.Instinctively, she tried to sit up, wanting to see more of this new world, but the movement sent sharp pain lancing through her body.Emmeline gasped, falling back against the pillows."Careful now," Zavian was quick to move one hand to support her head while the other rested lightly on h
Emmeline's eyes fluttered open to a bright light that streamed through tall windows.She squinted, allowing her vision to adjust gradually while trying to make sense of her surroundings.Her body felt as though it had endured a tremendous ordeal. Every muscle ached, every joint protested, and a profound weakness permeated her entire being.The pain was particularly intense from her waist down, radiating in waves that made movement seem like an impossible feat.Her limbs felt disconnected from her commands, heavy and unresponsive despite her mental efforts to move them.Emmeline felt an unusual sensation in her left hand after several moments of disorientation and she managed to lift it slightly into her field of vision with considerable effort.An intravenous line had been inserted into her vein, connected to a clear bag of fluid hanging from a sleek medical stand positioned beside her bed.Emmeline blinked slowly, allowing her gaze to wander around her.The room was surprisingly spaci
The room seemed to grow darker and heavier.It suddenly went dead quiet. Not peaceful quiet… the kind of silence that crushes your lungs and makes your skin crawl.The fire that had danced so merrily before had withered to pathetic embers, their feeble orange glow mocking the darkness closing in.Frost slithered up the walls like hungry fingers turning their sanctuary into a tomb.Emmeline trembled violently beneath Zavian, her heart hammering against her ribs. Not from the biting cold, but from the terrifying wrongness radiating from the man she loved.His touch—God, his touch had transformed completely. Those hands that once traced her skin with reverence now moved with mechanical precision like a puppeteer yanking invisible strings.His eyes kept fracturing before her, flashing between the current molten gold, blood-red, obsidian like the very abyss and a silver so bright it hurt to look at.Each transformation felt like a knife twisting in her gut, screaming the truth she couldn't
Emmeline’s chest rose and fell in uneven waves, still trembling from the aftershocks of everything he had unleashed within her.Her skin glistened with sweat and every inch of her painted in the memory of his touch.The raw and soul-rending pain had receded at last, melting into something distant, hazy… almost dreamlike.Whatever Zavian had done to her... It was like a balm to her broken edges, a breath of cool air after drowning in a sea of fire.She blinked slowly, eyes dazed and glassy as the sensations gradually settled into her bones.Her lungs dragged in air hungrily, as though she had finally surfaced after being submerged in a flame licking at every nerve and every thought.A sweet, dizzying relief coursed through her veins, loosening the tight coil of agony that had gripped her since the moment he claimed her.Her fingers curled weakly against his chest. “That’s it? Have I truly lost my virginity?” she whispered, dazed, as though she hadn’t just been wrecked beyond repair.A d
Emmeline felt as though her entire being was being shattered, only to be reforged in the same breath again and again in an endless, excruciating cycle.Her body was no longer her own. It was his canvas, his battlefield, and his altar all at once.Pain seared through her hot and unrelenting, blurring the lines between agony and ecstasy until she couldn’t tell them apart. Her brain felt liquified, scrambled, as if it were melting beneath the weight of every thrust, every stretch… every unrelenting claim.Black spots flickered at the corners of her vision like cinders floating in smoke, and her breath came in shallow, desperate gasps.She could no longer see Zavian clearly save for the gleam of his eyes and the heat of his penis pounding into her in a savage branding.Every brutal snap of his hips sent her body lurching forward, sent her spine arching in protest and raw need, only to be wrenched back again before she could even catch her breath.There was no mercy in his rhythm only relen
A guttural growl rumbled through Zavian’s chest as her slick walls clamped around him, struggling to accommodate his size.The stretch was unbearable for Emmeline. Her body trembled beneath his weight and her breath came in shallow gasps as she adjusted to the brutal invasion.“You’re so tight.” Zavian’s gaze lingered, devouring every expression that flickered across her face.“I’m fine so far,” Emmeline struggled to articulate her thoughts, squeezing her eyes tightly shut as she struggled to contain the tears that threatened to spill. Yet, the way her nails dug into his skin revealed the truth behind her facade.Zavian clenched his teeth so tightly that the sound reverberated through the room, evidence of his struggle for control. He thrust deeper, inch by inch, splitting her open but paused when a sharp cry tore from her throat and her back arching in protest.“It hurts… fuck, it hurts so bad,” Emmeline choked out in a voice cracked and broken, trembling with the rawness of it.Her b
Zavian’s grip tightened on Emmeline’s shoulder as he captured her lips in a fierce, possessive kiss.His tongue slipped into her mouth, demanding, tasting, claiming her as his own.Emmeline was too numb with pleasure to resist—not that she wanted to.Their mouths moved in a synchronized dance.Emmeline breath caught in the moment as his taste lingered on her lips, mingling with the remnants of her own essence that he had just devoured.She traced her fingertips over his chest, teasing the taut peaks of his nipples.Zavian let out a deep, guttural groan that sent her already oversensitized body quivering. His saliva trickled down her throat, laced with her arousal and setting her senses ablaze. Zavian finally released her, just as she was on the brink of breathlessness and fainting.“What do you think of your food?” he murmured.Emmeline licked the taste of her from his lips. She hesitated before scoffing lightly. “Either you’re exaggerating, or I’ve lost my sense of taste because I do
A tremor ran through Emmeline at his words and his tongue swirling around her aching bud. She gripped the sheets tighter, desperate to ground herself against the pleasure consuming her."Zavian," she whispered breathlessly. "You always know how to push me to the edge."Another strangled moan ripped from her throat when his tongue flicked over her clit.Zavian groaned in response, the vibrations sending another surge of pleasure through her."You're driving me mad," he rasped before sucking her into his mouth, drawing her deep, consuming her essence like a man starved.“Oh, Zavian!” A sharp cry escaped Emmeline. She writhed beneath him, every nerve in her body igniting like wildfire as her thighs quivering around his head."If only you could see what I see," Zavian mused. "How your folds swell for me, how they burn with need. Your lips don’t need rouge, love… their blush is natural, painted just for me."His gaze remained locked on hers, dark and filled with something primal. "You're be