Chapter 19 - It will hurt

EMMA

Prince Hadrian moves up the flights of stairs in a matter of no time. We pass through doors until we reach a dark bedroom. He puts me down on a soft bed that is big enough for ten people. There'ss not much else to the room other than the bronze bed, a velvet green sofa and three floor-to-ceiling windows that are arched at the top. The windows showcase a beautiful display of the waning moon and the gardens surrounding the palace.

Prince Hadrian is standing on the other side of the room. He's facing the door and his fist is pressed against the wall. He rips off the bow tie around his neck and hangs his head. “I should leave.” There is tension in his shoulders and the muscles in his neck. I don’t know if he's telling me or trying to convince himself, but then his hand reaches for the door.

“Wait! You can't.” I say as I further dig my own grave. “People will know.” It has been made abundantly clear that there are two parts to the ritual. The marking and the mating. I won't give Princess Morana any ammunition to accuse me of backing out of our deal. I will go through all of it.

The prince sighs and turns to face me and his eyes have turned back to amber. There are conflicted emotions in them and he scans his eyes over me. There is a tremble in my body, but he must see my determination too.

“Have you done this before?”

“No,” I answer honestly.

He runs his hand through his hair and it leaves a disheveled mess. Inky black strands hang like a curtain in front of his eyes and they seem soft. “It will hurt.”

I sit up on the bed and I hiss when the wound in my neck starts to throb. “I know.”

The prince stares at me for a long time but then starts to unbutton his shirt. My cheeks flush as his collarbone comes into view and I look away. “Can you turn off the lights?”

With two clicks the room is cast in darkness. The only light illuminating the bed is coming from the moon. Footsteps echo through the room and a shadow casts over the bed as the prince comes closer. The bed dips as he places his knee on the mattress. I would lie if I couldn’t see his chiseled torso in the moonlight. His skin looks almost white in the luminescence like his muscles are carved out of marble. His hand reaches for my hip and I gasp when he turns me around in one swift move. My hands are trapped under my chest. The prince runs his fingers over the buttons of my dress and pops them open one by one.

The bodice comes loose and my heartbeat picks up speed. His warm hand slides under the fabric of the bodice and he pulls the dress down, over my hips. I’m wearing a satin slip dress under the ball gown, but I feel exposed.

I turn around and hold an arm over my chest. “I’d want to keep this on,” I whisper.

The prince seems emotionless as he lifts my slip dress to my hips and unbuttons his trousers. We both know this is something we need to do out of duty, rather than passion. I don’t stop to think about what this means for the future, all I know is that I’m saving the people I care about. I can handle anything else that’s thrown at me.

My jaw threatens to fall slack at the moment he lowers his trousers and boxers to free his manhood. His hand tightly wraps around the base of his shaft as he moves his hand up and down. I quickly avert my eyes to look at the ceiling. I’ve seen the male sexual reproductive organ multiple times while treating the injured men of the town. I can positively say that I’ve never ever seen a man equipped with that much between his legs.

He lowers himself and I come face to face with him. I turn my head to look out the window. His body is hot above mine. The warmth seeps into my skin through the satin layer between us. The scent of cedar, sandalwood and bergamot envelops me. He moves his hand to my hip to remove my underwear. This is the most naked I’ve ever been in front of a man.

The strands of his hair tickle my neck and his nose runs from the spot below my ear to the bite mark. When he sucks on the mark I’m surprised what it does to my body. My stomach burns hot like a furnace like he switched it on with a single touch. I place my hands on his chest to push him away. His skin feels hot to the touch. The prince stops to look at me.

“Don’t, just don’t,” I say. I don’t want it to feel good. I want it to hurt. I want to be reminded that what I’m doing is with a purpose. And I certainly don’t want to enjoy the touch of a werewolf.

The prince takes a deep breath and his scowl is filled with disappointment. Good. He takes himself in hand again and I force myself to step over the mental barrier and spread my legs for him. A low growl vibrates from him and through my body as he lets himself sink down to the apex of my thighs. He’s heavy, even with the weight he’s holding. The muscles of his shoulders and arms are strained with tension.

The head of his manhood is pressed against my entrance and the pressure he exerts to enter my body is already grueling. My body tries to stretch beyond what it is capable of.

“You feel too tight.” He lowers his forehead to my shoulder “Are you sure you don’t want to loosen up first?” His breath feels hot in my neck.

I shake my head. “No”

The prince hesitates for a few seconds but then presses further into me. I can’t help the whimper escaping my lips when he pushes through. I lift my knees and hold on to him.

He stops with a choked groan and his eyes search mine. “Are you okay?”

I ignore the concern I see. I try to breathe through it and I close my eyes. “Yes, go on.”

His breath is labored and he doesn’t wait this time. He slowly pushes in and out of me. “Fuck.” He’s holding himself back. His fingers dig in the sheets beside my head and his muscles are solid beneath my grip as he keeps the same slow pace.

I need to get this over with. I need him to finish this. I move my hips, urging him to hurry up. I push through the discomfort and take him deeper. Tears spring from my eyes and I keep them closed. I ignore the other sensations in my body, beyond the pain. I ignore the lingering knot deep in my stomach and the sparks where our bodies touch.

They don’t exist.

“You’re going to make me come.” He growls and buries his head in my neck as he increases the pace. “Fuck.”

“Do it.” I bite back.

The prince rakes his teeth over the bite mark and I shiver. “You first. I know your body wants to.”

I dig my nails deep into the skin of his shoulders. “I won’t.”

“Stubborn woman.” He groans in my ear.

My body tightens and I arch my back to stop the sensations. I don’t want to feel like this. I’m not feeling this. His arm snakes around my back and he pulls me tightly against him. He rolls his hips three more times in stocky movements and his chest rumbles when his climax sends him over the edge. The sound he makes is low and animalistic. He stays there for three heaving breaths before he pulls out. I can’t help the wince that escapes my lips.

“Shit.” He barks.

I look down to see that the sheets are covered in blood. It looks worse than it is. I fold in on myself and move to my side and away from the prince.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” He growls and places a hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t touch me.” I warn.

The prince immediately lets go and moves away. The crashing sound of splintering wood fills the room. I flinch and the next thing I hear is the smashing of a closing door.

I’m alone and I let the tears flow freely. I don’t know how long I lay there in this position, but after a while, there's a soft knock on the door. I Ignore it and close my eyes.

“Emma, are you okay?” Galena calls. “Prince Hadrian sent me to check up on you.” The door opens and I hear a soft gasp.

“I’m fine, please leave.” I’m embarrassed that other people have to see me like this. The prince didn’t force himself on me and I was bound to bleed during my first time.

Galena places a healing hand on my stomach. She sighs. “I can’t heal you, you’re still blocking me.”

It doesn't matter. I know what I've gotten myself into.