Chapter 34: 34: Something Of My Own [E]
My legs wrapped around his torso, and with one final thrust, Soren plunged as far as he could, slamming me against the door as he groaned. I could feel his member pulsing inside me as I clenched down hard, coming undone for the umpteenth time.
Shakes took over my body, and I could only wrap my arms tighter around him as I waited for this crushing high to slowly subside. Meanwhile, Soren remained hilted inside, occasionally moving his hips as ropes of his release spilled inside me.
We stayed in that position for a good minute or two, waiting for our climaxes to run their course.
When Soren finally pulled out, I gasped at the sensation. My nether regions were insanely sore, and even the slightest bit of friction sent a frisson of pain and pleasure through me.
He set me down gently on the floor, and for a second, I needed his support to stand. My legs felt as though they belonged to a newborn deer, and I could barely walk.
"Careful," he said, his eyes still slightly misted over.
The smell of our sex filled the room, and whenever I breathed in, I was instantly reminded of everything that had just happened. My stomach felt hot, but more importantly, my chest felt warm.
Soren looked at me so tenderly, as though I were a precious porcelain doll that he had to protect. It was the very look I had wished my fated mates would give me, and now, I had it.
"Will you stay with me?" I asked, though it sounded more like a croak than anything. My voice was coarse, not a bit romantic or demure, but it still caused Soren to crack a smile.
"Yes," he said. He bent down and scooped me up with one hand under my knees and the other supporting my back. Slowly, he placed me back on the bed before wriggling in under the covers. "Sleep."
I wasn’t sure why I even asked, but I did have a guess. After what had happened with Rowan, I was worried that Soren would be the same.
Rowan had reacted so quickly, as though a switch had been flipped the moment we cooled our heads. He acted as though it was a mistake, which it was, but the way he instantly changed his attitude made it hurt so much more.
With Rowan, I felt like I was nothing more than a common whore. It didn’t matter that I was his fated mate. He didn’t want me.
But with Soren, I felt wanted.
More than the musty scent of our sex filling the room, I could smell Soren’s natural scent as I was tucked away in his arms. It was minty and refreshing even after our round of physical activity. My eyelids quickly grew heavy.
Slowly, I fell asleep to his steady and strong heartbeat. For the first time in a long while, I slept peacefully.
***
[SOREN POV]
"Where the fuck have you been?" Cassian asked, practically shouting. "We have been looking everywhere for you."
I closed the door behind me, my steps fairly light as I breezed past Cassian.
"I didn’t realize there was a party in my bedroom," I said, shrugging off my jacket before haphazardly tossing it onto the armchair. As I did so, a wave of Briar’s scent swept into the air. It clung onto my clothes so well that I could still smell her even after I had left her bedroom. She was sound asleep when I left, tucked snugly in her covers.
I glanced around the room. Surprisingly, Cassian was the only one here. Rowan and Violet were missing. I had half expected all three of them would be here waiting to interrogate me, and it was a pleasant surprise that that wasn’t the case.
"Where’s Rowan and Violet?" I casually asked.
"Asleep," Cassian said, scoffing. "Not everyone has the energy to wait for you to return from your rendezvous. Some of us had a busy day and would like to rest early."
"And you?" I asked. "Why aren’t you accompanying the new bride?"
Cassian’s gaze darkened. "That’s your new bride, too." He stepped closer towards me, and when he got about an arm’s length away, he frowned. Cassian’s lips curled in disgust. "What is that smell? Is that..."
His eyes widened. I could practically see him connecting the dots.
For some reason, a wave of satisfaction ran through me. I couldn’t resist the smug grin that quickly plastered on my lips.
It had been conflicting and confusing when we first found out the Briar was our fated mate. Much like my brothers, I didn’t want anything to do with her at first. However, there was just something about her that pulled me towards her.
It wasn’t just the fact that Briar was our fated mate. It was also the fact that the three of us had to share a fated mate all over again. We were triplets, but we weren’t the same person. It always felt unfair that we had to share everything― the position of Alpha, a chosen mate, a bride, and even fated mates.
For once, I wanted to have something that was entirely mine, especially something so special as a fated connection. I could also tell that she liked me― at least way more than she did my two brothers.
"Fucking hell, Soren," Cassian said, his voice breathy with disbelief. "Did you seriously fuck her?"
"Must everything you say be so vulgar?" I snapped back, rolling my eyes.
"You must be joking!" Cassian threw his hands in the air in disbelief. He looked around, stumped. His hands rested on his hips as he paced back and forth on my bedroom floor.
I ignored him as best as I could, slowly removing my clothes. The moment I shrugged my shirt off, Cassian practically pounced on me. He grabbed my shoulders and examined my back, his fingers tracing across the fresh scratch marks left by Briar’s nails.
"How the fuck have you not healed?!" Cassian barked.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror, the memory of those marks causing the corner of my lips to quirk up. I could still picture Briar mewling in my arms, writhing as I pounded into her, her face the very look of bliss.
I could not make those scratches stay there forever, but I could slow down my healing as much as possible to savor the look of her on me.
"Are you fucking crazy, Soren?" Cassian continued. His fist collided with my cheek before I could dodge, and I staggered a little before gaining my balance.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I yelled back, holding my cheek. The cut healed instantly, but it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.
"What’s wrong with me?" Cassian echoed, scoffing in disbelief. "What’s wrong with you?!" He gestured at my shirtless body, and he wore the look of abject horror. "Have you gone mad? Don’t tell me that you’ve forgotten what Briar did?"
"You guys have been blaming her for a bevy of crimes recently, so forgive me if I am clueless about what you mean at the current moment," I retorted, sneering. "If it’s about Willow―"
I had been avoiding this for a long time, so much so that it nearly completely shattered whatever budding good feelings Briar had for me. On any other day, perhaps I would’ve kept my mouth shut, but the intimate night spent had quickly loosened my resolve.
Cassian cut me off before I could finish my sentence.
"It’s not about Willow!"
