Chapter 8

Every week, either Mateus or Damon would venture out of the forest for a hunt. They would tread the path leading to Esteria, leaving the other behind to safeguard their clan.

Despite the anxiety that gnawed at Lilitha, the two alphas never failed to return, each bearing at least a couple of kills.

The moment their scent wafted through the air, signaling their return, Lilitha would sprint to greet them. She would shower them with kisses and hugs, and they would make love until they collapsed on the forest floor—spent, but content—with Lilitha nestled in their arms.

She couldn’t shake off the guilt, though. Her hunger was escalating, mirroring the growth of her belly, now noticeably bulging under her shirt.

She was consuming thrice the amount of meat she used to, and she found herself constantly gnawing on a bone or joint. It was becoming a concern.

“I’m sorry,” she confessed to them as they sat together. She held Mateus’s hands, perched on his lap. It was the end of another week, and he was next in line for the hunt. “I’m eating so much. I’m just making things worse.”

Mateus enveloped her hands in his, then wrapped her arms around her. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. We’re glad to do it,” he said. He planted a kiss on her shoulder, then her neck.

Lilitha turned her face to him, inviting a kiss on her lips.

“We’ll feed you all you need, Lila,” Damon assured her. “Even if it means hunting every day. And we’ll do it gladly.”

Lilitha pulled away. “That won’t happen, though, will it? I couldn’t eat that much!”

Damon just grinned, offering no response.

“Don’t worry,” Mateus soothed. He ran his hand over her belly, then slipped it under her shirt to caress her breasts. “They’re getting bigger,” he whispered in her ear.

“I know.” She winced. “Be gentle. They’re a bit tender.”

Carmella sat next to Silus, her chin resting in her hand, watching Lilitha. Silus, on the other hand, was engrossed in crafting another necklace for Lilitha.

She watched him, a pang of sadness in her heart. Mateus moved his hand lower, sliding it into her pants.

Lilitha wriggled out of his lap and stood. “Come on then.”

Mateus flashed a toothy grin. Once they were far enough from her father, Lilitha disrobed, and they knelt on the ground together.

Mateus’s eyes sparkled, his tail swishing in anticipation.

She pressed her face into his sternum, gripping his hips. “I don’t want you to go.”

“Too bad.” He massaged her back with his large, calloused hands. “Don’t feel guilty. I enjoy hunting. And I especially enjoy doing it for you. It makes me happy. It makes me feel important.”

“You are important. Without you, we’d be starving.”

She wrapped her arms around him, and he reciprocated. She kissed his nipple, then the other, and looked up at him.

His eyes twinkled. “You’re so beautiful.”

Lilitha pointed to a dry patch of grass. “Go over there.”

He complied, crawling over. Lilitha bit her lip as she admired his muscular backside, his balls hanging low between his thighs.

He sat cross-legged, his massive erection pointing at her. He slapped his thighs. “Why are you just staring? Come on then. Chop. Chop.”

Lilitha laughed and crawled into his lap. He nuzzled her throat, then pulled her against him, her breasts pressed against his chest.

She leaned back as he began to nuzzle them. He sucked at her nipples gently, then took her entire left breast into his mouth, sucking until Lilitha gasped, gripping his horns.

She reached down, wrapping her hand around his erection, squeezing it tightly at the base. Mateus grunted and shifted.

Lilitha kissed him, her tongue sweeping across his bottom lip as she raised her hips. Mateus held her waist as his hard tip pressed against her.

Slowly, she slid over him, gripping his shoulders for balance, her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to relax. She exhaled as their groins met.

For a moment, they were still, Lilitha clutching his shoulders, Mateus holding her waist.

She buried her face in his neck. “I love you so much.”

“I love you more.”

“That’s not possible.” She twirled a finger through his hair. “Thank you,” she murmured. “For everything you do for me. For us.”

“You’re welcome. And thank you…for being here. For existing.”

Lilitha smiled. She wiped her eyes against his chest, her heart swelling. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll only be gone a couple of days.”

“Hopefully.”

“Definitely.”

He shifted, grunting. Lilitha began to move her hips, her face buried in his shoulder as she held him tight.

He held her backside, pressing his face into her neck as he moved with her.

It was gentle and sweet. Mateus held her head and Lilitha looked up. They smiled at each other.

Then they kissed, slow and deep, mirroring their lovemaking. Lilitha wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him harder as he began to thrust.

He swelled and hardened inside her to an almost impossible size. When he climaxed, she felt it throughout her body, a powerful pulsing that flushed her face and made her thighs tighten around his hips.

Resting her head on his shoulder, Lilitha intertwined her fingers with his. For a long time, they just sat together, united, connected, their hearts and bodies and minds entwined.

An hour later, he left.

Lilitha watched him go, her heart lodged in her throat.