30. All Mine 🍋

Sona knew, as a werewolf herself, how possessive and territorial wolves were. When someone said “*Mine*,” they meant it. They would do *anything* to defend what they thought was theirs.
Cerise Redbone seemed like the type who would not hesitate to resort to violence. How incredibly ironic that she would protect Arden from Sona.
She didn’t know what to say or do. Feel betrayed? Angry? Laugh with disbelief? She was well aware that the siblings were waiting for her reaction. *Stay composed.*
Sona inhaled. On the exhale, she smiled politely at Cerise. “Your brother wishes me to wear one of your outfits for an emergency Alpha meeting. I would love a chance to speak with Arden.”
“Requests denied.”
“We don’t have time for this, Cer,” Taos sighed heavily. “May I speak with you a moment?”
He drew her aside just far enough that Sona had to strain her ears to listen in. it was obvious that he wanted her to hear for whatever reason. And also watch him lean down to touch his forehead to hers. Both of them closed their eyes and remained there a moment before Taos murmured, “Princess yesterday, bitch today. One can make friends. The other can’t.”
“Forbidden things,” Cerise said just as quietly, and just like that, she seemed a different female altogether, “have a special charm. Don’t they?”
They looked at Sona.
“Pretty things,” said Taos, Sona feeling his gaze roaming up and down her body even in the dark, “should be given freedom.”
“But you told me—”
Taos raised his voice. “I know!” Cerise didn’t flinch, but he lowered it to say, “I haven’t been the best brother lately…”
“That is true.”
“But you are my sister and I will do whatever it takes for you to be happy. As much as you’re capable of,” he added with a smirk.
She huffed a laugh and lightly punched his arm as they drew apart. “I’m capable of a lot of things.”
“That you are. Prove to me that you can open that nasty heart of yours to a special kind of creature.”
“Is she more special than—”
“Alright! Let’s head inside and down a drink to better deal with my insufferable counterparts. You two,” Taos pointed at the males Cerise brought, “pour my sister and healer a tankard of ale!”
“Ale is gross,” Cerise sneered. “And I don’t keep it anywhere in my—”
Taos slung an arm around her shoulders. “Yes, you do! I keep a stash in the kitchen cabinet. Mistress Mai, come join us. We have an outfit to fit you in.”
-
The meeting of Alphas was to happen on neutral territory at dawn. Taos wouldn’t tell Sona or Cerise, who begged to join and was merely dismissed, who called it or what its purpose was, just that they had to appear as they were: a threat to think twice about.
The outfit she was designated also made her think twice. Given one of the consort’s rooms to rest before changing, Sona padded to the mirror to look and cringe at her reflection. She figured Taos would settle for nothing less than a female of upmost beauty and perfection—one who would be proud to wear Redbone red and bird skulls and chains across their bare ribs. Not her, a passive Goldwater Omega-class average one like her.
They didn’t let her see Arden, of course. It was Cerise’s exchange for letting her wear her clothes.
*Fine*, she thought. *It’s a simple enough deal. Now I just need to sleep*.
Miraculously, that too was simple enough.
-
A soft knock on the door drew Sona from her dreamless sleep. The bed was far better than the one at the inn and found herself more well-rested than she had in the past week. “Who is it?”
“Your future husband.”
Her gut roiled. She sat up, making sure she was sufficiently covered up by the silk slip she’d been given, and called, “Come in.”
Taos opened the door and strode in as if it was his room. “Good morning, trinket! You look vivacious.”
She snorted and swung her legs over the side of the bed to stand. “What a good liar you are—”
Then he was right in front of her; she dropped back down. Taos filled her personal space, her vision, her mind. All she could breathe was his scent that wreathed her senses.
“What the hell are you doing?” she demanded, making the mistake of leaning backward to distance herself. It only gave him the chance to loom over her and brace his hands on either side of her head. His face, chiseled and serious, was mere inches away. In trapping her body in the cage of his, he trapped all rational thought.
“I want you, Sona.” Taos’ voice was a god’s from deep within a cave. She held her breath. “I want you more than I crave blood, crave war, crave scars, crave meat. You are the drug and I am at your mercy. You are wolfsbane and I am not afraid to be burned by you.”
“How…poetic?” Sona managed to rasp as Taos started to press his weight down on her. He was shirtless; all that separated their upper bodies were her thin slip. She braced her palms on his pecs—dear gods, they were firm as hell—and stiff-armed him from bearing closer. “Taos…what are you doing?”
He didn’t force himself on her. “What do you want me to be doing?”
“Uh—”
“Can I touch you?”
Sona didn’t say yes, but she didn’t say no. “Where?”
“I have an idea.”
Her elbows weakened as she stared into his hunter’s eyes. It arrested her heartbeat, that look in their depths, an abyss she was tempted to explore just to see if there was any color within. “Show me.”
Sona let her arms fall, her fingers bunching the down comforter in her fists, closing her eyes and tilting her head up to grant him access to her throat. Somehow she had a feeling that was where—
“No,” he murmured firmly, his thumb on her lips guiding her back. “I want you to look at me.”
She released a shuddering sigh. “Okay.”
Taos’ thumb stroked her lips, gently pulling the lower down. She tasted ale on the rough print; she knew he wasn’t drunk. He was sober and knew exactly what he was doing. And when he leaned toward her, she kept her eyes open, anticipating a slow, deep kiss.
But his sensual mouth didn’t meet hers nor did it tickle her throat. No, it brushed her collarbone, and she shivered knowing it was already making a path toward her breasts.
Sona arched her spine upward, touching her chest to his. He growled deep within it, his arm slipping around her back, drawing her up and around—suddenly he was sitting on the bed and she was in his lap, legs hooking around his waist, arms resting on his shoulders, fingers knotting in his hair. Gods, his skin almost burned it was so warm. It made her want to melt against him.
But when Taos murmured against her ear, “Let me fuck you, Sona,” she wanted to burst into flames.