Filed to story: Luna Riannon and Alpha Brayden Novel
Bjorn froze.
He couldn’t do it. Sure, she knew who he was, but she didn’t really know. She didn’t see him commit his crimes. This beautiful little creature had no idea she placed herself in the hands of a predator.
He could tell it was her first kiss. Of course, it was. The Firstborns didn’t lead a normal life. That girl saw nothing, knew nothing. It was the only reason she was remotely interested in him.
He couldn’t take her innocence. He couldn’t do that to her.
“Darius?” Her heart was about to burst out of her chest, leaving her panting breathlessly.
“Strawberry -” he sighed and cupped her cheek. “We should stop. You don’t need this.”
“The only thing I don’t need is you telling me what to do!” she insisted, angry as hell itself.
He sensed it and tried to smile apologetically, but his lips quivered and curled downwards instead
“You will understand why I do this one day,” Bjorn promised. “You deserve so much better than me than this-“
“It’s not for you to decide!” Nikki’s eyes were already burning with tears. He was doing it again leading her on and then hurting her feelings. She had never felt this way for anyone before. He was the first one who had awakened this side of her.
“I am a horrible man,” he tried to reason with the girl who was still sitting on top of him, arousing desire like no other.
Nikki may not have been experienced, but she knew what that meant. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him.
“Maybe you are,” she agreed, her fingers digging into his skin. “Or maybe you were. Who am I to judge? After you, they will send me on a new mission, and I will have to kill someone. And then again, and again, and again. Until one of those missions becomes my last one.”
His whole body shuddered at the thought. She was not wrong. This was how the Firstborns lived. This was how they died.
The same destiny awaited Nikki.
“This is why you should run. Now!” An internal growl left him.
*They found Astrea, and she is ten times more prepared for anything than 1 am. If I run, I am as good as dead. Because he keeps me to control her. If I run, he will lose her and I will be the one to pay the price.”
6jom clenched his jaw, thinking of what she said andknowing it was the truth.
“You still deserve better-“
“You are right.” she finally agreed. “I deserve so much better than this! I deserve to be loved and wanted. I deserved to have my body worshipped and cherished. And I definitely deserve not to have to beg the man I like to take me because this may as well be the only good memory I have this year!”
Nikki’s voice broke, and she tried to stand up when he held her in place.
“I just I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Then don’t.” She claimed his lips again, and this time, he couldn’t resist.
Bjom checked the settee with one hand, and in the next moment, he flipped Nikki over, pinning her arms above her head.
“Tell me you want this.”
I want this” she murmured, and that was all he needed to unleash him.
The werebear traced his tongue across her delicate neck while one of his hands lifted her skirt, sliding up her smooth, toned thigh.
“Strawberry, you – drive me crazy,” he rasped out as she arched her back for him.
It was quite possible that the world around them was falling apart, but in this moment, there were only the two of them in the entire universe.
When his fingers reached her core, a sweet moan escaped her lips, and Bjorn gave her a smug half-smile. He drew his finger along her ruined underwear, ready to hook it and rip it off, when Nikki reached for him and… took his sunglasses away.
Bjorn stopped in his tracks, knowing that what she saw could only be ugly. He used to wear an eyepatch over the eye he lost first or cover it with his hair after his late mate Ingrid told him she couldn’t stand to look at the scars. And he was no fool to know that his second eye hardly looked any better after a divine weapon went through it. He didn’t even have his long locks to cover it anymore.
“What’s wrong?” Nikki asked, seeing his frustration.
“The glasses-“
“Weren’t they in the way?” She blinked, afraid she just ruined the moment.
“Maybe we can use a ribbon or something instead?” He suggested
“For what?” Nikki furrowed her brows.
“So that you don’t have to look at it.”
“Why would-” She stopped mid sentence, realising how insecure the man on top of her was about his scars. He was worried they would scare her off, and that made the young assassin bite her lip.
He tried to pull away, but she took his face in her hands.
“It’s fine,” she breathed. “I like you this way. Scars are normal to me.”
Bjorn leaned down, searching her lips, and she helped him find them, entwining her hands around his neck to get him closer.
“What the hell is this?” Joran’s voice broke their bliss, and Bjorn instinctively pressed Nikki to his chest, ready to pounce at the intruder before them. Right then, he smelled a new yet somehow familiar scent.
“Goddess!” Nikki gasped and urged him to stand up.
Luckily, they were both still fully dressed.
“Is this a joke to you?” Fenir shot his brow up at his brother. “May I remind you it’s your clock that is ticking, Jor?”
Nikki still tried to fix her dress, even though it was perfect.
She was sure her hair was dishevelled, though, and she couldn’t help but notice her lipstick on Bjorn’s chin. She never realised it could stain like that.
“It’s a private matter,” Bjorn responded calmly and searched for her hand, gripping her fingers the moment they touched.
She was amazed at how composed he remained despite the circumstances, which gave her confidence, too.
“I’ll deal with you both later,” Joran gave them both a withering glance. “Where is Astrea?”
“But She was with you.” Nikki’s brows went up. She wasn’t sure if this was a joke or a test, but then her eyes went to the man she had never met before. Tall, strong and handsome, he had flames burning in his eyes, and she instinctively knew who or what he was.
“I left her right here!” Joran pointed at the settee. “Use common sense! Would I be asking if she was with me?”
“No one was here when we came,” Bjorn interjected. “We were alone the whole time.”
The Teacher looked surprised, and Nikki had a gut feeling that something was wrong.
“I’ll look for her,” she said and rushed to check every available room in the penthouse, finding all of them empty.
Her thoughts were racing. Astrea would never leave her.
Joran would never let her go. Yet there were no signs of a fight.
Just what was happening?
“And?” Joran growled when she returned to the main area, and she shook her head, confused. “What the f*ck?!” the Teacher swore under his breath, and the man next to him clenched his fists.
“Where is she, Jor?” he demanded.
“I-” Joran looked at his brother with knitted brows. “I don’t know, Rir. But I will find her!”
***
Astrea felt nauseous, her whole body contorting, forcing her to open her eyes. She tried to move her arms, but found them bound by a golden chain to a tree. The chain was wrapped around her body several times. So thin, yet she couldn’t break it when she tried because she noticed how stiff all her muscles felt.
She had been here for a while.