Taming the Queen of Beasts

If you like music while you read, try "Right Here" by Ashes Remain. It's what I listened to while I was writing this scene!

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<strong>AARYN</strong>

"You were amazing in the Rite," Elreth breathed into his hair as he pressed her against the trunk of the Weeping Tree. Aaryn grunted and took her mouth.

When she'd first suggested coming here, he'd thought she was joking.

Turned out she wasn't. And the moment they'd pushed through the draping branches and leaves, she'd started unbuttoning her shirt.

He didn't know if it was the stress release from their victory, or just the sheer tension they'd been bearing for weeks now, but Aaryn felt like he was coming apart at the seams in all the right ways.

When Elreth turned around, her chin low, looking up at him through her lashes, and her shirt open, he'd howled and come after her.

Now their clothes were… somewhere on the ground and Aaryn had her pressed against the trunk of the tree.

But she kept talking, telling him what he'd looked like to her—first as her mate, proud and naked in the bowl of the Hallowed Grounds, then as he stepped into Alpha of the Disformed, then when he stood for his people…

He shivered with the picture she painted of her own desire, of the light in her eyes when they rested on him, but her voice was becoming more ragged with every heaving breath. Probably because he had one of her legs bent up, his hand cupping the back of her knee, keeping her pinned against the tree and balanced on her toes as he ground against her.

Aaryn walked a ragged edge himself, trembling with need for her, and something else that he couldn't identify. Something desperate and a little angry. Not at her, but at the world. At this place they found themselves in—never enough time, never enough space. Never the break to breathe before the next blow came.

When Elreth turned her head out his kiss to keep talking, he growled and took her mouth again. Stroking her sides, kissing her neck, laving her skin with his tongue, always, always taking her. Her body tensed, but in all the right ways. She urged him on with her cries and clinging fingers.

Then she rocked her hips against him, and something inside him cracked open. Aaryn fisted a hand in her hair and pulled her head back to lay his mouth right on her throat. He sucked on her neck at the same time he rubbed himself against her, and when she gasped his name, he thrust into her without warning.

Elreth clenched around him at the invasion, her entire body tensed, her skin pebbling. And when he thrust again, almost taking her off the one foot she still had on the ground, she gripped his shoulders, her voice breaking on a cry of sheer pleasure.

She finally stopped talking, unable to make words because she could only call for him.

Aaryn smiled into their kiss when he felt her surrender completely. "Hold on, El," he whispered as he lifted her off her feet and wrapped her legs around his hips.

She made a gorgeous purr in the back of her throat and used her legs to pull him in harder, deeper.

Strangled with pleasure, Aaryn snarled, braced one hand against the tree, and cupped her ass with the other, leaning into her, fighting, thrusting, seeking that perfect joining. As he pounded into her, Elreth's head fell back and she let out a cry—half-laugh, half-sob. But he nipped at her chin and kept going.

Her breath began to rasp and her fingers dug into the muscles of his shoulders as she met him, thrust for thrust, desperate and crying.

Aaryn knew it was fast, but they were both wound so tightly, he prayed she could find her release—he knew he wouldn't have trouble—because they both needed it.

Then, dropping one hand to her breast, he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. One of her hands slapped on his back and she hissed his name through gritted teeth.

"Again!"

So he did, his own body aching, yearning, climbing, clawing towards the climax he fought because she was close. So close.

"Aaryn… oh shit."

"Come for me baby," he whispered, his lips hovering over hers, his skin tingling everywhere they brushed.

"Aaryn!"

"I've got you."

"Oh g—"

She went rigid in his arms, head back, hair stuck to her face, her voice climbing to high, thin cries of pleasure that stopped as she crested the wave and stopped breathing.

Aaryn dropped his forehead against her chest and thrust again, again, again, as the world narrowed and disappeared, became consumed by the ecstasy of their joining.

Then her breath whooshed out of her and she rippled back to life, opening her knees and rolling her hips differently to take him even deeper.

Aaryn bellowed her name, clung to her, his nails digging into her plump ass. Deep inside, he thanked the Creator for her as everything disappeared by the bliss of his climax and the slick warmth of her.

Then, seconds later, an hour later, a lifetime later, he slumped against her, clutching holding her to him, keeping her pinned between him and the tree, partly so she could relax, and partly because he was afraid if he moved, his knees would give out from under them.

Both panting, both sheened in sweat, they gripped each other and breathed, waiting for their hearts to ease back to normal.

A minute later, when their chests still rose and fell, but they were no longer rasping, Elreth tipped her head back against the tree to meet his eyes.

"Holy shit, Aaryn. Sorry, I know that was fast, but… I needed that."

He nodded, not quite ready to make words. Instead, he tipped his forehead against hers, then kissed her briefly.

She lifted one hand to his jaw and cupped his face, lifting it so he'd meet her eyes. They stared at each other for a long moment, her piercing blue eyes searching his.

"You did so good tonight," he said hoarsely. "You're amazing, El."

"I was about to say the same thing to you."

He tried to smile but it faltered and he closed his eyes.

"What is it, what's wrong?" she whispered.

He shook his head. "I just… I can't take it all in," he breathed.

"I know," she said, folding her arms around his neck and pulling him back to her so they were wrapped in each other. "I know. Me too."