Beast of Mine Read online

  Tonight.

  He could feel his fangs pushing out, and he had to forcefully clench his jaw to keep him from surrendering to the demands of his blood and take his fill of her.

  Tonight, he promised his other half. He knew what was at stake, knew what he was capable of destroying if he did not consummate their mating. Tonight, he would make her his.

  Unaware of the thoughts running through the prince's mind, Estrella had long succumbed to sleep, her body sated and exhausted in the most wonderful way possible. She dreamt of the start of her happy-ever-after, of Lysander declaring his love, but when she drifted back to consciousness, it was the exact opposite. She woke to the scent of violence, of a fight about to break out...between her husband and her brother.

  Domenico!

  9

  It was like Celebrity Deathmatch in real life...or a scene straight out of Twilight, but instead of wolves facing off with vampires, they were up against...Faes.

  "Everyone, stand back. Please stand back for your own safety." But the policeman's repeated requests, despite being transmitted on a megaphone, only fell on deaf ears. More and more humans were coming in, all of them hoping to get a clear shot of the two camps of preters that appeared seconds away from engaging in a public brawl.

  Such photos could sell for hundreds of dollars, maybe even thousands, considering the people involved. There was Domenico Moretti, a gorgeous billionaire who had been in the public eye long before his Lyccan nature had been revealed, and standing opposite him was none other than his own brother-in-law, a legendary Fae warrior prince whom many had written off as dead.

  The only reason the humans weren't trying to sneak past the barricades was the knowledge that Lysander Allard's other nature was still unverified. No one really knew what could set him off, and until then, most of the humans intended to play it safe.

  While law enforcement struggled to contain the crowd, Alain and Aluin were just as busy doing their own bit of convincing. In particular, their prince - currently in the form of a snarling, twelve-foot beast - had been keeping everyone on their toes for the last ten minutes, with the way he was prowling back and forth and roaring when a Lyccan so much as shifted.

  They had been asking the prince to shift back for dialogue to commence, but the prince had only responded to every overture with more furious snarling.

  In the meantime, Domenico was giving his wife a questioning look. Is this it? The one we spoke about? He was hoping Misty would reply with the negative, but his wife's tiny nod confirmed his worst suspicions.

  The two of them had been in South America when news of the attempted abduction on Estrella and her husband's subsequent return had reached them. They had immediately flown back of course, and while aboard his private jet, Domenico had been apprised of other grimly relevant facts about last night's events.

  The planning that went into Estrella's kidnapping had been frighteningly efficient, and Domenico would willingly bet his life that the kidnappers had known last night was one of the few rare instances that Estrella was the only Moretti in town. Everyone else had been too far away to respond, and it was a costly mistake that Domenico would make sure none of them ever made again.

  If not for Lysander's timely return...

  Domenico's lips tightened at the thought. Well, suffice to say, he owed the man for saving his sister, and for that alone he was willing to...consider letting them stay married. Even if, as Misty had put it, the man's soul was now fused with a powerful beast born in ancient times.

  Ammon, Misty had called it, the moment she saw one of the grainy photos released by the tabloids. Ram-like horns of extraordinary length and as deadly as Fae-forged steel. A whip-like tail that could be used to strangle its victims or gouge flesh with its tip. Its list of anatomical abilities to kill went on and on, and the only reason he wasn't planning its death right now was...

  Here, finally.

  The moment Estrella came flying out of the building, Domenico saw the beast turn its head sharply her direction, way before his sister's scent could even reach him. Interesting, Domenico thought. Faes in general hadn't a particularly strong sense of smell the way Lyccans did, which meant this was a new skill the prince had acquired.

  Lysander! Estrella skidded to a clumsy stop as soon as she reached his side, and her anxious gaze immediately ran over his figure, wanting to see if he was wounded anywhere.

  The concern his sister exhibited did not go unnoticed, and while such filial devotion was always a good sign for their marriage, it did make Domenico feel a little exasperated. Estrella's husband was practically a demi-god now, just minus the immortality. There was no need for her to treat Lysander like he was some breakable piece of glass.

  Estrella laid a trembling hand on her husband's flank. Are you alright?

  He responded with a mental snarl, one loud enough to make her wince. I don't understand. But this only made him growl some more, not just in her mind but out loud, too, and she had to accept she wasn't going to get any straight answer for now.

  Turning to her brother, she had just taken a step towards him when Lysander took everyone by surprise by suddenly leaping into the air. Weapons were instantly drawn, Domenico immediately pushing Misty behind him, but when Lysander landed on its paws, it appeared he had only meant to block Estrella from leaving his side.

  Domenico's face hardened. "Does he think I'm going to hurt my own sister?"

  More growling, and she had to raise her voice just to be heard. "I'm sure that's not it, and I promise I'll explain when I come visit---"

  Lysander's roar was one of unquestionable rage.

  "Or I could just call you instead?"

  Misty touched her husband's arm. "Domenico..."

  At the sound of her sister-in-law's voice, Estrella saw Lysander's head snap towards the other woman's direction, and the pain that struck her upon seeing this made Estrella suck her breath.

  "I just remembered something," Misty told Domenico under her breath. Books often described Ammon as an extremely possessive creature, and those who succeeded in fusing their souls with it would inherit this trait as well. And it certainly seemed the case right now, with the way Lysander had been glaring at Domenico like he was another rival rather than his wife's brother.

  Domenico's incredulity kept growing with every word his wife relayed. If it had been any other person telling him all these things about Lysander's new form, he would have called bullshit on it. But this was Misty, and despite her adorable tendency to get things wrong, his wife knew her folklore well.

  So if he understood correctly, she was saying...the only way for Lysander's possessiveness to be more...manageable, so to speak, was for the Fae prince to have as much sex with Domenico's baby sister?

  The thought was more than enough to make him want to throw up and throw a punch at the same time. He glared down at Misty as he struggled against the usual temptation to shake some sense into her. Goddammit. Did she not realize there were just some things a big brother wasn't ever supposed to know about their little sisters?

  While Misty and Domenico spoke to each other, Estrella waited for Lysander to turn to her. But he didn't. All he did was keep his gaze trained on her sister-in-law. Misty, the girl he used to love. Or still loved?

  Just the thought of it hurt, and pain chipped at her heart as she worked hard to keep her smile in place and make the right sounds while Domenico and Misty finally said their goodbyes. Domenico, in particular, was acting rather oddly, with the way he was suddenly acting like she wasn't even there.

  Could it be that her own brother didn't want to look at her because she'd see the pity in his eyes?

  10

  Too many damn men. This had been Lysander's first thought when Fae informants came to report about Domenico being on the move - and with three dozen men accompanying him. And not just men, but Lyccans. It meant that these men most likely knew his wife long before he did. Might even know things about her that Lysander didn't, and both man and beast violently disliked
this.

  If they were foolish enough to even try taking Estrella away for whatever reason, they'd soon learn firsthand why legends often described Ammon as the most bloodthirsty beast to have walked the face of the earth.

  The twins had tried to convince him to approach the matter at hand in a civilized manner, the way Faes were known to do. But Lysander's answer was to simply shift. They must learn to remember that he was no longer like them. He was a beast, and even worse, he was an extremely territorial beast that was on edge because he had yet to lay a claim on his mate's womanhood.

  And it was getting worse by the second.

  The uneasy standoff between Estrella's packmates and Lysander's men had been going on for sometime now, and he could only prowl impatiently as he waited for just one wolf to make the stupid mistake of attacking first.

  A part of him knew that he was being unreasonably antagonistic, but it was not something he could change even if he wanted to. For as long as Estrella remained innocent, he might as well be a ticking bomb and any red-blooded male who so much as smiled at his wife's direction could be enough of a trigger.

  When his mate suddenly came rushing out of the building, not even the anxious look she showed him was enough to dispel the aggression inside him, and he snarled and growled at her in frustation. She should've stayed inside, dammit. If she had just stayed fucking inside, then he would have no reason to worry about any man looking at her the wrong way and giving him ten thousand reasons to commit murder.

  His breathing hissing out harshly, Lysander struggled to maintain control over his beast, which was now chomping at the bits in its crude desire to hear Lyccan bones break and shatter into pieces under its paws. And he had almost succeeded...until he saw Estrella walking towards the other side.

  FUCK!

  His beast nearly tore out of his control as Lysander found leaping into action, his territorial instincts taking over. It didn't matter that Domenico was her brother; at this point, the beast inside him no longer saw reason, and Lysander's old and complicated feelings of resentment against the older guy only made the beast feel more violent towards the Lyccan prince.

  In a blink of an eye, Lysander had Estrella tucked safely behind him while all the other Lyccans had drawn their weapons out.

  Everyone that is...except Misty.

  All at once, he realized that she was the key to keeping him from losing control, and he deliberately focused his gaze on Estrella's sister-in-law. Because his beast didn't trust anyone with a dick, Misty alone was capable of keeping him from going on a rampage and start snapping necks and biting people's heads off.

  So focused was he at keeping himself in check that it was only when they were walking back to the apartment building that Lysander belatedly became aware of his wife's growing distress. He was instantly agitated, and he growled for her attention inside her mind.

  WHAT'S WRONG?

  Estrella only shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. The moment she opened her mouth, she had a feeling she'd end up crying instead. It hurt. It just hurt.

  Lysander's agitation grew. WHO...HURT...YOU?

  Estrella bit back a sob. Oh God. She had forgotten he could read her thoughts. Again. And she couldn't afford to do that. Not now. Not about this.

  WHAT ABOUT...NOW? WHAT...IS THIS?

  But when Estrella didn't even turn to meet his eyes, Lysander didn't even think twice. He shifted out of his form in the next second, unwilling to accidentally hurt his wife with his claws.

  A blast of icy wind was only her warning, and as her head jerked up in shock, she saw the elevator doors closing on the two of them just as Lysander shifted out of his current form.

  In the next moment, he had her trapped between the wall and his naked body while his hands cupped her face. "What's...wrong?"

  She shook her head even as her eyes started smarting.

  "Tell...me." His voice came out in a roar. "Who...hurt...you!"

  The irony of it wasn't lost on her, and she started to cry. It hurt. It hurt. It hurt.

  His snarl of frustration could've frightened away grown men and sent them scurrying, but his lips were tender and gentle as he kissed her cheeks and licked her tears away. "Tell...me. Can't...stand. Seeing...you...hurt."

  But this only made his mate cry harder, and he swept her up in his arms as the elevator doors opened. Alain and Aluin were already waiting at the hallway, and their faces turned expressionless the moment they saw their prince walk out of the elevator naked and with a sobbing princess in his arms.

  This probably meant the rest of the today's meetings would have to be rescheduled, Aluin thought as they took their usual positions. But if making up would also make Lysander a little less moody and unpredictable...

  The twins exchanged glances as Alain opened the door for the royal couple, and Aluin waited for his brother to pull the door shut before asking, "You're thinking what I'm thinking?"

  "Of course." Come hell or high water, they would do whatever it took to ensure that their prince's marriage was consummated before the day was over.

  Estrella started struggling the moment Lysander tried undressing her. "No!" How dare he? Anguish rose inside of her at the sheer gall of his actions, and she worked harder to free herself even as her tears fell faster. It hurt. It hurt. It hurt.

  The words that kept echoing in her mind was driving both man and beast crazy. Neither could stand the pain and despair that Estrella was drowning in, and because she stubbornly refused to explain why she was hurting, there was only one thing left to do.

  "Nooooooooo!"

  But her cries of protest and struggles proved futile as the ripping sound of fabric filled the room. One by one, torn pieces of her clothes fell to the floor. Her dress. The lace cups of her bra. And finally, the scrap of silk that protected her femininity.

  "No, no, no!" She clawed and struck his chest with her fists, trying to get away, but he was just too powerful, and another sob tore out of her throat as he succeeded in having her flat on her back on the bed. She tried kicking him away, but not a single kick landed, and soon he was parting her legs wide open---

  Panic consumed her.

  For him to take her virginity, knowing that he still wanted another woman---

  Pain devoured her.

  NO, NO, NO, NOOOOOOO!

  She screamed and screamed and screamed. She was hurting so much that it took her long, long moments to realize that he had gone completely still, and when her red and swollen eyes slowly drifted open---

  Why?

  Just one word, but it was filled with so much pain as well.

  Why...do you...think...I...want...someone else?

  Oh God. Her hands flew to cover her face as she could no longer stop herself from crying. How can I not? You were looking at her ALL THE TIME!

  Understanding dawned, and Lysander's chest clenched with harsh remorse. Ma...belle...etoile.

  She sobbed harder. How dare he? How dare he call her that after---

  You...misunderstand. And because the most eloquent words were still beyond him, Lysander could only grab her hands and press his lips to them as he showed her his thoughts from earlier.

  Berserk. He had nearly gone berserk, the moment news reached him about Domenico coming to visit, along with his pack's finest soldiers.

  Insanely jealous. It was what he had felt, being surrounded by men who had known her scent long before he did.

  Control. He had known he had to stay in control of his urges, had known the smallest mistake could cost his race everything.

  Misty. And so he had stared at the one person who hadn't possessed a dick to make him snarl with jealousy.

  Lysander ran his lips over her knuckles. Do you...understand...now?

  But tears still kept falling down her cheeks. You loved her once.

  Maybe.

  Don't lie. I know what I saw. I know how much you loved her.

  Not...lying. Maybe...I was...almost...in love. Maybe. I just...cared. Either way...she is...unimport
ant now.

  He let go of her hand as he spoke.

  Only you...matter. And it will...always...only...be...you.

  He took hold of her knees, and this time when he gently pried her legs apart, she no longer resisted.

  Open...your eyes. Please.

  And she did. Her gaze was still bright with tears, but there was no longer despair, and the tightness in his chest eased.

  Never...doubt...yourself...again.

  A sob escaped her.

  Because...when you...hurt...I...also...hurt.

  And the words that she had tried to contain for so many years could no longer remain hidden in her heart.

  "I love you," she whispered brokenly.

  And in answer, his full weight pressed down as his cock slowly and steadily pushed in.

  Deeper and deeper.

  Until the soft membrane of her virginity broke.

  And she became his.

  With this, he became her first, and he would also be last because she was his. Always his. HIS.

  Both man and beast tried to be slow and gentle even as the primal urge to possess every inch of her grew stronger. Slow and gentle. Muscles bulged and strained, sweat glistening over bronze skin, as the prince struggled not to ravage her. But it soon turned into a losing battle, the moment his own mate made it clear she wouldn't stand for it.

  Her arms went around his neck, tightening just as her inner muscles clenched around his oversized cock. "Please," she choked out. "Take me as only you can---"

  His control snapped, and from there on, nothing...nothing existed except his need to claim every inch of her. He pounded into her, just like what she demanded, pounded into her the way only he could---

  InOutInOutInOutInOutInOut

  And when she suddenly arched, and he saw her eyes rolling back as she started coming, he didn't stop thrusting into her---