Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Suzette flinched, uncertain where he was going with this speech. It seemed like he was all over the place.
He glanced at her, pointed at her cup, and said, “Drink your milk, Little doll.”
Her stomach flipped over at the soft command he interrupted his speech to deliver. He even waited, watching her until she picked up the strange cup and brought it to her lips. It had a lid and a rubber tip sort of like a nipple. It was the sort of cup toddlers used so they wouldn’t spill.
Wetness leaked out of her as she obeyed him, taking a long drink before he finally cupped her face and said, “Good girl.”
He held her gaze for a moment before turning toward Arion again. “I learned a lesson watching you with Jezebel. Though our mates may be submissive, and they are taught to respect and obey us, they are not incapable of intelligent thoughts and ideas. They are educated, sharp, and smart as tacks.”
Suzette’s chest tightened at his acknowledgment.
“As we’ve learned lately, I would be doing my mate a disservice and possibly putting her life in danger if I left her out of matters that pertain to her and her safety.”
His father nodded. “You make a valid point, son.”
The rest of the men grunted their agreement.
Brock glanced at her again. He pointed at her milk. “Drink, Little one. If I have to remind you again, I will pour that into a bottle, feed you on my lap, and put you down for a nap while I discuss your future.”
“Yes, Sir.” She quickly lifted the sippy cup to her mouth. It was sly how he managed to point out that she was both intelligent and deeply submissive at the same time. He wanted to stick up for her, but he made it clear that she would also be expected to obey him in all things.
The message was loud. If she wanted to be included, she needed to be obedient at the same time.
“Good girl.” He tugged one of her braids and smiled at her.
She loved it so much when he praised her, and she was grateful for the pleats on the front of her dress that kept everyone from noticing how hard her nipples were. So hard in fact that she decided not to look down for fear perhaps she wasn’t hiding their erection at all.
Chapter Fifteen
Brock was so proud of his Little mate as she tipped her sippy cup back and finished off her milk. He was also certain she’d understood his unspoken words.
The last thing Brock wanted was for his sweet mate to pull away from him the way Arion had experienced with Jezebel. Brock wanted to acknowledge her rightful place by his side as his intellectual equal, while at the same time, ensuring she understood that in all other aspects of her life she would submit to his will.
He wanted to lift her out of that damn highchair and settle her on his lap. His desire to touch her wasn’t unreasonable. It was perfectly normal. Ordinarily newly mated couples spent the first month of their union shut off from the rest of the world while they got to know each other and spent a great deal of that time naked.
Circumstances in this case were beyond his control, though. Someone had abducted his mate on the morning of their ceremony, and that someone was still at large. Until the suspect was apprehended and Brock was sure the threat was eliminated, he couldn’t take the risk of holing up in his home indefinitely with his sweet mate. Her safety was top priority. He needed to rein in his natural inclination to take her back to bed for the time being.
He couldn’t resist touching her, though, so he reached to set his palm on her thigh under the tray while he continued to devour his breakfast.
Her skin was warm, her pulse beating rapidly, and the soft whimper that escaped her mouth didn’t go unnoticed by him. Her thigh muscles tightened as he let his thumb trail up toward her pussy. He could smell her arousal. Everyone in the room would be able to also, but no one would comment. Her need was natural and expected.
“I sense she completed her first shift,” Talon commented.
Brock pushed his empty plate away and took a sip of coffee. “Yes, in the early morning before the sun came up.”
“Good,” Talon continued, “That will make her stronger. Her senses will heighten and sharpen with every passing hour.”
Brock nodded. “Have there been any new developments?”
His father set his mug down and put his elbows on the table. “No. Several of the Alphas, including a few elders, met last night and again early this morning. We’re stumped, and you know we don’t like to be taken unaware like this.”
Brock was well aware of the truth of his father’s acknowledgment. The Alpha Protectors had been tasked with keeping the valley safe for centuries. A breach like this had not occurred in longer than anyone alive had first-hand knowledge of, but Brock also knew there were possibilities, most of which no one would ordinarily want to voice out loud.