Chapter 69 - Our mate is near

NERO

A jolt of pleasure flows through our body and it has Hadrian groaning out loud. “Fuck, do that again.” Hadrian slows his pace and savors the feeling.

Emma has her legs tightly wrapped around our waist. “Like this?” She squeezes her thighs again.

The pressure around his dick becomes impossibly tight. Hadrian falters the pace he had going on. “Fuck yeah.”

They’re mating again. This is the third time today. The first time was this morning when I was still sleeping. The cry of passion from Emma roused me from my sleep. The second time was not even an hour ago. They made quite a mess.

They are in the shower this time, surrounded by steaming clouds. Her back is pressed against the tiles. Hadrian is rough as he drives into her. He hurts her sometimes. I can see it in the light bruises she has and the red strain on her skin. It makes me growl.

Our mate seems to enjoy it. She moans, whines and cries out at every sensation. I can see the stretch she has to give in order to take him into her body. She’s so small and still she cries out for more.

Hadrian sucks a bruise on the side of her neck. Her skin blooms purple easily. Hadrian is adamant about Emma not getting hurt, but then he’s careless at other times. That part is always dictated by the demands of his dick.

Humans are so strange. I have a lot of time to observe them. Hadrian is as human as Emma even if he wouldn’t admit it. Humans have these strange sexual desires for pleasure instead of conceiving pups.

Emma screams out said pleasure and it makes Hadrian only bang her harder against the wall. He drives his cock into the vise between her legs. I think he enjoys tormenting himself. He complains when she’s too tight, but then drives harder into her during her climax.

I worry about Emma getting hurt, especially by ourselves.

They sink to the wet floor and the stream of water sprays over our back. Emma lies down on the tiles and Hadrian pulls out of her. Her cheeks are flushed and her eyes are dazed. He jerks himself off with rough strokes until white ropes of cum expel from him and land on the stomach and chest of our mate.

The water cleans away any spills and all the potential pups that will never be.

*“This is not going to make her pregnant with our pup,”* I growl at him.

Hadrian growls back.

He carries their wet, naked bodies out of the shower, while he presses kisses over her naked frame. He massages her dry with a towel and brings his nose to the scent of our mate.

The scent is sweet and intoxicating. A scent fitted for fated mate, but she isn’t. When I first smelled her I swore that we found her. There is nothing better in this universe than her scent, but when we looked in her gray eyes I realized that she wasn’t.

*“I’m just saying,”* I grumble.

Hadrian lets Emma go to prepare for the gala. *“She’s human, she cannot carry our pup anyway.”*

*“Half-human,”*. I mutter.

*“Do you sense her wolf?”* Hadrian asks. He knows that I don’t. Even people with dormant wolves we can still distinguish.

I watch Emma through Hadrian’s eyes. There is no call from her wolf. Without my mate, I’ll be forever alone.

*“But you need an heir.”*

Hadrian sighs as he dries our body. *“I need Emma more.”*

Having Emma is enough for him. He doesn’t have the same drive to find our fated mate.

Hadrian changes into royal garments. They are black and made from expensive fabric. He moves to his office and pours himself a large glass of whiskey. It has become routine at this point.

There is a strange current in the air and it draws my attention to the people trickling into the palace. There comes a peculiar scent though and swirls around in the room. I can distinguish the scent of roses and orange peel, but there is something else. The other scent is slightly bitter but still draws on my curiosity. It’s a pull that demands me to follow it.

*“What is this all of a sudden?”* Hadrian asks. He must feel it too.

It’s the never-ending search for our fate.

*“Our nature demands us to always search for our fated mate,”* I explain. This isn’t news, but Hadrian seems to need the reminder.

Hadrian places his hand on his desk and hangs his head on his shoulders. *“She died.”*

*“You don’t know that.”* I grumble

Hadrian has been avoiding the pain lately. He can forget about it when Emma is near. The thing is, I can never forget. I’m not human. I don’t fall in love. Yes, I adore Emma, but she has no wolf. It would never be complete this way.

Hadrian grips the edge of the desk hard. *“You felt it that night during the blood moon.”* His patience has been winding down as more time passes. *“It’s been seven years, I cannot hold on to someone who isn’t even alive.”*

The pull in the air gets stronger. It subtly moves through the cracks of the door and resisting it becomes impossible. It’s the instinct of my nature. It’s my purpose. It’s my mate.

*“Our mate is near,”* I whine at Hadrian and urge him toward the pull.

“Hadrian, can you close these buttons?” The soft melodic voice of Emma comes through when she opens the door.

*“Yeah, she is,”* Hadrian says with affection and I know that he has fallen in love with her. Like humans do.

Hadrian gives her all the affection she deserves. He helps her close the row of buttons of her lavender dress. He massages her neck and runs his fingers over her spine until a shiver of calm runs through our body.

But the urgent pull remains and it’s not coming from Emma.

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HADRIAN

Nero is on edge and it reverberates through me. I wrap my arms around Emma’s waist and draw her closer to me. I have to feel her against me. To remind my wolf what we have and that she is here.

“Why don’t we just stay here,” I whisper in her ear.

Emma turns her deep stormy gray eyes to me. “And skip the gala?”

I draw circles over her hipbone. I press deep into her skin until she shivers under my hands. “Yeah.”

“But, it’s your birthday.” She counters, but her voice is breathy.

Seducing my mate has become easier for me. “We can celebrate here.”

She sinks her back onto my chest. “Here?”

She becomes liquid in my hands as I continue to pursue my mate with my touches. “We could try some other things.”

“I don’t know.” She bites her bottom lip as she ponders my offer.

I kiss my way down her neck, slowly making my way to her mark. I know it will tip her over the edge because she is my mate. She’s perfect for me.

“No, we can’t.” She suddenly says and pulls away from me.

I’m shocked that she does and I blink my eyes. “No?”

She puts space between us. “You’re not going to convince me.”

“Why not?” I already had my mind occupied with the possibilities.

“We cannot just stay away. People will ask questions.” She moves to the door and I follow her.

I place a hand on the door to keep it closed and look down at Emma. “I don’t care about other people.”

Emma looks up at me and crosses her arms. She’s unfazed by my larger frame. “Are they not your subjects?” She questions me with a hard stare. “Should you not show your face to the citizens of your kingdom.”

I take a deep inhale. “It’s not my kingdom.”

“It will be.”

I growl as she drives down her point and here I thought that I was convincing her. “Fine.”

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Nero is howling for my attention. He pushes me to take over, but I draw him further to the back of my mind and focus my attention on Emma. There's a twist in my stomach and it makes me nauseous.

There is a mass of people in the ballroom. All eyes turn on us when we walk into the room. Our presence commands all the attention.

Gaia walks up to us with a demure posture and her eyes are lowered to the ground. She wears a crimson red dress that drags behind her. I know there are many people in the room picturing her as Luna.

Emma freezes beside me and I’m annoyed. I’m annoyed that she dares to show her face here. I’m annoyed that she causes anguish to my mate.

“What are you doing here?” The growl crackles from my throat.

“I would like to apologize to the princess.” Her voice has the melody of sincerity. There are whispers of people around who actually believe her.

“You may,” I grumble. Causing a scene will only be in her favor.

I should’ve known. I should’ve seen the signs. I should’ve listened to the howl of my wolf.

Gaia lifts her eyes but directs them at me. Those chocolate brown eyes hook me in and Nero takes over.

*“MATE.”*