by Claudia King
The pain did not go away entirely, but it ebbed into a deep soreness that joined the heat between Netya's legs until she felt ready for more. Sensing that she had relaxed, the alpha withdrew himself, pushing steadily back and forth, slowly working her tender walls until his firm hips were pressed up against her thighs.
"Now you are ready for me to take you," the alpha whispered into her ear, his own desire breaking through the surface as his chest heaved. "As I will take you many more times in the days to come, for as long as you remain my concubine."
Netya's eyelids fluttered, his words bringing on an unexpected surge of pleasure as he bore down on her, working his hips harder, faster, stirring the painful, delicious burn between her legs into another wave that threatened to break through the dam.
His strength was so great that she feared she might break, her smaller frame rocking beneath his as he took her with all the strength and ferocity of the wolf within him. He tugged her body into an arch with a hand against her lower back, pressing her belly to his toned stomach and her soft breasts to his chest. She put her arms around his neck to hold on, though his iron grip needed no support. He rocked her hips against his, panting with desire, dragging her into kiss after kiss as his hungry mouth explored her neck and lips, tasting the salt of her perspiration and marking her with his scent as their slick bodies pressed together.
Within minutes Netya felt faint, every moment a mess of sensations so raw and so powerful that all she could do was moan and whimper, clinging to the alpha as he slaked his lust. A second rush of pleasure hit her even harder than the first, knocking the air from her lungs as she squealed and convulsed in the alpha's grasp, spurred on by his thrusts until he pushed the peak of her climax beyond what she was able to endure. Her thoughts pulled themselves apart as hot white pleasure burned into her mind, her vision tunnelling as the wave overwhelmed her and dragged her under.
Darkness only stole the world away for an instant, but when she opened her eyes she was lying on her back, the alpha breathing heavily as he rested on top of her. His jaw tightened in the last clutches of his own release, then he braced himself on an elbow and eased his weight off her chest.
Netya groaned as he withdrew from her, raw and aching now that the glow of pleasure had begun to fade. The alpha lay alongside her as he caught his breath, resting his hand against her breast to feel the heavy throb of her heartbeat.
"Breathe. Let the pain come, and let it go."
Despite hurting, Netya's body was aglow with more than just the discomfort of being taken by her first man. She gazed up at the cavern roof, glimpsing the twinkle of stars through one of several narrow gaps in the rocks. What she had just experienced went beyond everything she'd imagined. And perhaps it was only in coming here, being taken by the Moon People, being claimed by their alpha, that had allowed her to feel every moment so vividly. It was the unknown, the anxiety, the anticipation, the danger, that had built up to such an incredible crescendo. She had been torn away from everything familiar to her, from a world that was simple and ordered and predictable, and thrown headlong into everything that had once tantalised her just out of reach.
Though she had been of age for almost a year now, it was only in that moment, in the stirring glow of fractured emotions that surrounded her in the alpha's bed, that she truly began to feel like a woman.
"Netya?" The alpha tilted her face toward him, another question in his eyes.
She took a deep breath and nodded. "I felt everything you described. I am thankful you showed me, Alpha."
"My name is Khelt. Sleep here tonight. You will find these furs warmer than those in Fern's tent." He lay back and dragged one of the heavy animal skins over to cover her, before closing his eyes with a satisfied sigh.
Netya watched him for a long time, wondering what kind of man he was, what kind of a leader he made for his people. Though her body was tired and in need of mending, she could not sleep. She relived their lovemaking over and over again in her head, not quite believing that she was now fully a woman. She knew things now that had been a mystery to her just hours before. Even her soreness couldn't distract her from the glowing feeling of fulfilment that returned every time she thought back to the way Khelt had claimed her.
It was only much later, after she lay awake for an hour or more, that her thoughts turned to home, and the familiar bed that now lay empty in her house. Where did Layon think she was now? Her mother and sisters? Her brow creased as the painful thoughts threatened to steal away her elation. She curled her knees up to her chest, staring at the coals of the fire. Despite the heavy fur wrapped around her, she still felt cold.
Khelt murmured in his sleep and rolled over, his hand encircling her waist and tugging her in against his warm body. Netya's thoughts of home drifted away as she was reminded again of his touch. She let the unwelcome worries slip away as she sank back into his embrace, remembering that she was not a simple village girl any more. She closed her eyes and finally felt the fingers of sleep reach for her.
She was consort to the alpha now.
—6—
The Desires of a Woman
Netya was roused by the sound of voices within the den.
She ached terribly, the soreness between her legs just as bad as it had been when she went to sleep, but the memory of what had caused it brought a smile to her lips.
Daylight filtered down through the openings in the roof of the cave, just enough to add some brightness to the dim chamber. She peeked out from beneath the heavy fur that lay over her and saw Khelt standing near the entrance as he conversed with two other men. He was dressed again in his kilt and boots, and his freshly washed hair dripped down his back, the long black locks giving him a distinctly different look now that he stood alongside his fellow pack members.
She remained still, blinking the sleep from her eyes as she watched, pretending to still be asleep. The idea of meeting more of the Moon People, especially in her naked and vulnerable state, still intimidated her.
One of the men Khelt was speaking to seemed to be recounting something, while the other, taller man listened in silence with his arms folded. It was to this second man that her gaze was immediately drawn once her eyes had grown accustomed to the light. He was strikingly handsome, tall and well built like Khelt, with facial hair that had been trimmed neatly short and a mane of brown hair to match. He wore the same collection of animal furs as the rest of the Moon People, but his outfit seemed less rugged somehow. The leather girdle around his waist in particular was ornamented with a wooden clasp that had been carved into a beautifully detailed impression of a wolf's head, clearly the work of a skilled craftsman.
The conversation continued for a short while, and Khelt seemed to be growing impatient. When the taller man finally spoke it was in gentle tones as he interceded between the other two. His companion immediately objected, but Khelt raised a hand to silence him, then led his quieter, more reasonable guest over to the table. When they spoke again, it was in Netya's language. Whatever they were saying was clearly not intended for the ears of the other man, who wore a grimace and a blank look while he waited for them to finish.
"He is not right, but he's only voicing what half the pack are thinking, Khelt," the newcomer said, glancing in the direction of the bed. "You shouldn't have taken her."
"They took Cera from us. I saw her skull there next to the others. Now I have taken one of theirs in return."
"We don't have to be like them."
"Would you rather I killed the girl?"
"Perhaps you should have let them think you did. A death can be mourned, but how can they mourn if they know she is still alive, and with their enemies?"
"They would not have the courage to come looking for her."
"And what if she has a mate of her own? Men can do foolish things in the name of love." The newcomer spoke steadily, and without the emotion of his companion. He was not trying to argue with Khelt, Netya realised.
"She does not. No man had laid claim to her."
"Good. But did you consider that before you took her?"
Khelt rubbed his forehead and sighed. "You cannot always be there to be my good conscience, Caspian."
The other man smiled. "If you have finally decided to take a female, I will not question your choice. Just know that this one has brought more danger than most, and the pack would have preferred to see you return with fresh kill instead of a consort from among our enemies."
Khelt nodded, pondering for a moment. "One way or another, we have reminded her people that they should fear us. What's done is done. I cannot change my decision now."
"Nor would I want you to, but we must be ready for the worst." Caspian inclined his head in Netya's direction. "And make sure the girl does not cause problems within the pack. Adel has already—"
"Let the witch think what she wants. I am alpha, not her." Khelt glanced at the man still waiting by the door and slipped back into his own language. Netya recognised her name being said, and some of the words almost seemed close enough to her language to make sense, but the direction of the conversation quickly lost her, and she waited patiently until the men were done speaking. Khelt threw a fur cloak over his shoulders and made to leave with the others, but just as they were about to depart he caught Caspian's arm and murmured something to him, nodding toward the bed.
Caspian said a word of agreement and remained in the den while the other two left. Netya bit her lip anxiously, already unnerved by the lack of a familiar presence.
"When you are ready you may wash in the pool," he said, picking up Netya's gown from where it had fallen beside the bed and laying it next to her. "Once you've stopped being asleep, of course."
Her cheeks warmed. She thought she'd been well hidden beneath the fur.
Caspian turned his back to her and gathered cooking supplies from the alcove behind Khelt's throne, before filling a clay pot from the gently trickling pool and resting it in the coals of the fire to heat. He paid her no more attention after that, focused on the task at hand rather than the strange girl curled up in the alpha's bed.
Netya waited a few minutes before plucking up the courage to rise from the furs and gather up her gown. Still Caspian paid her no attention, though whether it was out of respect or indifference she couldn't tell. Rather than trying to engage him in conversation she slipped out of bed and hurried over to the other side of the den, where the smaller cave with the pool hid her from view.
The water was cold, but it seemed fresh and clean, and Netya was glad for the opportunity to wash herself before dressing. Crouching in the waist-deep water, she reached down tentatively to explore the aching space between her legs. Only then did she realise that she had bled the previous night, and once again she vividly recalled the pain of Khelt's entry, and the pleasure that had then followed.
She bathed the scent of the alpha and the traces of his lovemaking from her body, then realised that she had nothing to dry herself with. She stood awkwardly at the edge of the pool, wondering whether Caspian's back was still turned. Bathing in the presence of other girls was as natural to her as being naked by herself, but the men and women of her people did not often reveal their bodies to one another out in the open. She brushed the droplets from her shivering body and waited for her skin to dry a little before throwing her gown over her head, wishing that she had something more practical to wear now that she was no longer dressing to entice the alpha.
Caspian was stewing fruit in the cooking pot when she stepped back into the den, sprinkling in more of the nut meal that Fern had served her the evening prior. Netya crept over to the fire and sat down, warming her wet feet by the coals as she shivered. Caspian carved a slice of apple with the flint knife he was using and popped it into his mouth, before handing a second piece to Netya.
"I thought your people would eat more meat," she said after a moment of silence had passed.
"Hunting has been bad. Even the alpha eats poorly when there is little to go around."
"I heard you giving advice to him. Do you help lead your people too?"
Caspian paused his chewing and looked at her for the first time. "Only the alpha leads our people, and I am not him."
"But he seems to listen to you."
Caspian smiled. "He does. Perhaps he finds value in some of the things I say. But the decisions are his to make."
"Is my being here going to cause problems?"
"Yes," he said plainly, "at first. Whether those problems are small enough to be forgotten in a day, or large enough to last for weeks, is up to you."
"You said you were worried my people would come looking for me?"
He lifted the steaming pot out of the fire with a pair of sticks. "Will they?"
"I don't know," Netya admitted.
"Then we should both hope the Sun People keep to their forest."
"Is that what you call us?"
"Of course. Is it so strange to hear?" he said as he scooped the mix of meal and fruit on to a flat stone and handed it to Netya. She accepted it gratefully.
"I suppose not."
"Fear is not the best way to keep the peace," Caspian said. "But sometimes it is the only way we have."
"What do you mean?" Netya said in between mouthfuls as she scooped the food up with her fingers.
Caspian murmured something in his own language and shook his head, tossing more wood on the fire now that he was done cooking. "Nevermind. I catch myself discussing the business of men with the females far too often. Worry about showing the pack that you are one of them, and let Khelt deal with the consequences of bringing you here."
The back of Netya's neck tingled with unease. She did not want to be responsible for putting anyone in danger, but she was forced to accept it. As Caspian had said, leadership was the business of men. Her duties to the Moon People had been fulfilled the previous evening in Khelt's bed. It was clearly not her place to concern herself with anything more.
"How do I show your pack I am one of them?" she asked, turning her thoughts to more immediate matters.
"Obey those of greater status than you. The seers, the hunters, the mothers. You have the alpha's blessing, but you are still an outsider, and you have no rank among our pack. Speak plainly, be obedient, and listen to those who offer you advice. Once they see you are no threat to them, they will quickly forget about you."
Netya nodded as she ate. It was simple and practical advice. There was much she had to learn about the Moon People and their ways, and she was eager to discover it. Unlike Fern, Caspian did not seem one to talk much, and they passed the rest of the meal without speaking further.
The sun had already risen half way by the time Netya stepped out of the cave. She had wondered where she would be staying from now on, but Caspian made it clear that nobody, not even her, was allowed to remain in the alpha's den without his permission. Even those of the highest status were only welcome via invitation, and most of the pack had never even glimpsed the inside of Khelt's private chamber.
For a short while she wondered whether Caspian was to be her companion for the day, but as soon as they were outside he left her on her own and strode off to attend to his own business.
The entrance of the alpha's cave was in sight of almost every dwelling on the slope below, and a waving hand quickly caught her attention. Fern was climbing to her feet from outside her tent, and she hurried up to greet Netya. When the other girl emerged from between the rocks it was with a grin on her face, and she took Netya by the hands immediately.
"Well?" she asked. "What was it like?"
It didn't take much thought to guess what she was talking about.
"It was very..." Netya paused as she searched for the words, feeling an unbidden smile spreading across her lips.
Fern giggled. "It's like nothing else in the world, isn't it? I felt the same my first time."
"I was afraid, but it made me feel like a woman. A real woman. I think I would want to do it again, even if it still hurt."
"The pain will not be as bad, and
soon it will be gone completely. Are you still feeling it?"
Netya nodded. "A little."
"Come, I will fetch you something to sooth it. And I have washed your clothes, they will be dry by now."
"Thank you." Netya held on to Fern's hand as she led her down the slope to her tent. It was a great easing of the emotions inside her to be able to share them with another woman. Better still, she hoped, a new friend.
"What kind of a lover was he?" Fern asked in an excited whisper as she sat her down outside the tent and began to boil a bowl of water to make tea.
Netya swallowed, running her tongue across the inside of her teeth as her breath quickened at just the thought of Khelt's muscular body pressed up against hers. "He was firm. Very strong. Heavy. I am not sure. Are other men different?"
Fern let out a wistful sigh. "Oh yes. Poor Netya, you are spoiled for men now. The rest of us only get the chance to lie with an alpha in our dreams!"
Netya pressed a hand to her mouth to contain a titter. "I suppose it is difficult to think of many other men I would want as much as him."
Fern gave her a coy look. "I can think of one."
Netya's brow furrowed in confusion, before following her companion's gaze over her shoulder. On the other side of the slope, just visible between the rocks, Caspian stood on a raised boulder shielding his eyes from the sun as he gazed at something out on the plains. An unbidden twinge came to her belly at Fern's insinuation. Caspian's remarkable good looks hadn't been lost on her, but she'd still been too preoccupied with memories of Khelt to think of him in that way.
"Surely he has a mate?" she said, finding herself whispering now too. It was a giddy new thrill to talk about men in this way, now that she had been exposed to the pleasures they could bring.
