Page 95 of The Ashpaw: Part One

Hearing her name made her flinch. Darion noticed her reaction, but did not say anything. “She will be my mate. My priority. The one who sits to my right at all functions and, should she bear me an alpha, it will be her son who becomes my heir.”

Darion stared at her pointedly until she gave him a shaky nod to show her understanding. He grunted softly and continued.

“Your most important role is to ensure I have plenty of heirs to choose from, should my mate be unable to fulfill her duties. As an omega, one born human at that, I have high hopes this won’t be difficult to achieve.”

Fern’s mouth went dry, and her hand crept down to rest on her lower stomach. She had not escaped her fate to serve as a broodmare after all. Only now being an omega meant she was good enough for an alpha.

Her eyes slowly slid to his large bed, and she supposed she could take small joy in knowing that if she’d always been meant to serve the clan on her back, at least now she’d be comfortable doing it.

“Omegas are… more fertile, then?”

The fire popped, and she flinched again.

“Much. Now, your secondary role, in between birthing pups, is to make my life easier, in whatever capacity that means.”

She attempted to swallow the nervous lump that had started growing in her throat. “Could… you give me some examples?”

He slowly paced in front of her. “While my mate is expected to push me to be a better leader, a better wolf, I will want no pushing from you whatsoever. You will be expected to offer peace rather than conflict when I come to you. You will make no demands of me, and you will not question me, especially before the clan. Is that example enough?”

For once, her wolf seemed troubled, her earlier excitement dulling. But she wouldn’t elaborate why, preferring to now silently watch from the shadows.

“Aye, it is enough.”

He looked at her quickly, then turned back. “I understand now that some of your more vexatious quirks come from your designation, and I will strive to be more forgiving of them going forward. But I must also insist you do not draw unnecessary attention to yourself when other wolfkin are present. Your scent is too distracting, and I don’t want to have to reprimand you in front of the other alphas. Are we clear on this?”

Her gaze fell to the floor. “We are clear,” she answered.

“Good. Now, disrobe.”

Fern’s eyes widened, and she looked up in shock, but made no move at first.

Darion stepped closer. “You seemed comfortable enough on my brother’s lap with your breasts against his bare chest.”

“I… I was moon drunk. I needed the comfort.”

He tilted his head. “And you don’t anymore?”

“You’re still too terrifying to be comforting,” she answered honestly.

His lips curled into a smile, spreading to show his predatory teeth. “As I should be.”

Darion’s hands shot out and peeled the cloak off, pushing it over her shoulders and letting the gray fabric pool on the floor around her feet.

Her arms shot up to cover herself, but he grabbed her wrists, holding them in the air between them as he devoured her through sight.

“Omega,” he purred, the tone low and vibration so slow it sounded more like a growl.

He let go of her wrists as a hand cupped one of her breasts, weighing it in his palm. Fern gasped, her nipples hardening while her inner thighs became slick.

“Are you a virgin?” he asked, his lips lowering to her neck, teeth scraping her skin.

“N-no, I’m not…”

He chuckled. “Then why do you tremble like one?”

His mouth suctioned around the spot where her neck connected with her shoulders, and she whimpered loudly, not knowing the place had ever been such a sensitive spot before. She could climax from that alone. Her hands found his upper arms to bring him closer and to keep herself from falling.

Her whole body was hot and tingling, as though lightning now traveled through her bloodstream.