Chapter 270

Grace

Charles' ragged breaths echoed in the sterile silence of the office, a stark contrast to the frantic pounding of my own heart. I was beat, but I felt alive in a way I hadn't felt in a long time. We lay tangled on the couch, the scent of sex clinging to the air. A strange sense of exhilaration bubbled within me, a potent mix of relief and raw desire.

His power, the magic that crackled around him after the bond breaking ritual, felt different now. No longer a distant hum, it pulsed against my skin, a tangible current that left me breathless. It wasn't overwhelming, but invigorating, a surge of energy coursing through my veins, chasing away the lingering fatigue that had plagued me for weeks.

It was almost as if his strength had poured into me.

"Grace," Charles murmured, his voice thick with post-coital bliss. He traced a lazy finger down my arm, his touch sending shivers skittering across my skin. His gaze drifted down to the silver challenge circle etched on my wrist, a mirror image of the one adorning his own.

"This changes things, doesn't it?" he continued, his voice laced with a newfound confidence.

I followed his gaze, the silver symbol gleaming faintly in the dim light. Change? The word seemed woefully inadequate to describe the seismic shift that had just occurred in our lives. Being his mate, feel this undeniable connection that hummed beneath the surface, was a whirlwind that threatened to sweep me off my feet.

"Changes everything," I echoed, my voice barely a whisper. The weight of his words settled on me, a truth that resonated deep within my soul.

A mischievous glint sparked in Charles' eyes. "Then let's embrace the change, shall we?" He leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear. "Because trust me, there's a lot more where that came from."

His words sent a jolt through me, a delicious mix of excitement and trepidation. I really did have a meeting scheduled sometime, but I didn't want to get off this couch.

I met his gaze, the unwavering determination mirrored in his own, a newfound sense of purpose bloomed within me.

"Yeah? Promise?"

He smirked. "Clear your schedule, and I'll take you home and show you."

It was tempting, but I chuckled. "I would definitely fall asleep on you."

"You'd wake up eventually."

Curled up in Charles' arms, the sterile scent of the room was oddly comforting, a comfortable silence settled between us. The frenetic energy of the past hour or so had started to wane, replaced by a content feeling.

He traced idle patterns on my back, his touch light and soothing. The hum of his magic, still vibrant, was a comforting presence, a constant reminder of the extraordinary events that had transpired.

"So," I finally ventured, breaking the quiet, "what now?"

Charles chuckled, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. "That," he admitted, "is a very good question."

"How does this work for you?"

"No one can force a Choosing if I have a mate," he whispered. "Which I do."

A shiver danced down my spine despite the warmth of Charles' words.

"You like it."

"I love it," I whispered.

Squeezing Charles' hand, I forced a smile.

"We can't exactly lie here forever, can we?" I teased. "I do have things to do..."

Charles grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"True. I'll let you up... only because I know I'll have you later."

I smiled, dropping my gaze to the mark on his chest. I kissed it and felt the mark on my own warm in response. He turned, crushing me against the back of the couch.

His eyes were full of joy.

A playful idea popped into my head. Leaning in, I brushed my lips against the mark, a mischievous glint in my eyes.

"Maybe," I purred, "if we have enough… extracurricular activities, even my stubborn gray hairs will turn back to their youthful brown."

Charles threw his head back and laughed, a rich, genuine sound that filled the room. The tension that had been building within him seemed to melt away, replaced by a lighthearted joy.

"You're unbelievable, Grace," he chuckled, shaking his head but unable to hide the smile tugging at his lips. "And I am game to try, darling."

"Let me drink some coffee, and I'm game too," I retorted, winking.

The playful banter felt like a lifeline, a brief moment of normalcy amidst the chaos. But even as we laughed, the weight of the situation pressed down on me.

Mates.

We were mates.

How would Cecil take it? Richard probably wouldn't care. Would he want a lycan ceremony too? Could I swear those oaths now?

"No," Charles said, nuzzling me. "You can't."

"Can you read my thoughts?"

"Not exactly, just feel what you're feeling."

"... did you feel this way with Tessa?"

He let out a rumbling sigh. "No."

I frowned. "No?"

He shook his head. "The bond never felt like this with her."

He kissed up my neck. His hand slid between my thighs.

"I feel like I'm burning up for you..."

"Do you like it?"

He met my gaze. "I love it."

I dragged him down into another kiss. In a flash, he'd turned us over, and put me on top, grinding against me. I could hear how wet I was.

"Fuck, Grace," he groaned, lifting me up. I trembled, feeling the blunt head of his cock pressing against me. "Yes, just like--"

He pulled me on to his cock and a sharp rap on the door shattered the moment. Charles groaned, falling back.

"Duty calls, Alpha," he teased. I bit my lip.

"C-Can't it wait?"

He smirked and sat up. He kissed me soundly.

"The sooner we get it done... the sooner you can be back on my cock." His eyes burned with a silver-red light. "I don't want interruptions next time."

I shuddered and nodded, even though I didn't want to get up. We got up, hastily throwing on clothes that were scattered around the floor. Hands skimmed in places they shouldn't have, it was a lot harder to get dressed with his fingers in me than I thought.

Another knock came and he slipped his fingers free. I pulled my dress down as he pocketed my underwear and licked his fingers.

"Coming!" I called out, turned away from him.

With one last lingering glance at Charles, I opened the door. I was greeted by Amira's concerned face. Her gaze flitted between us, taking in our disheveled state with a knowing smile.

"Everything alright in there?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement.

"Everything's… perfectly fine, Amira," I stammered, a blush creeping up my neck. "Just… finishing up some paperwork."

Charles snorted.

"Paperwork," Amira replied. "If it's any concillation, I know a thing or two about Lycan paperwork... It's endless."

My face heated and Charles laughed.

"I'll let you two get cleaned up and grab Xavier for the meeting...." Amira's smile widened, bordering on a smirk. "Unless you want to push it back?"

"No!" I said. "I... We should.... No."

"No interruptions on the Lycan paperwork. That's a thing too." She shook her head. "Open a window maybe, or we'll meet in the conference room."

"Both," I said.

She turned away and I looked back at Charles who was grinning.

"Not funny."

He licked his lips. "Delicious."

I crossed the room and threw open the window. He crowded up behind me and before I could react, he turned me around and dropped to his knees.

He shoved his tongue into me so quick and hard, I screamed. My orgasm crashed. My legs turned to jelly. He shuffled me, got me back in my panties and cast a few spells so the scent of sex vanished.

I glared at him. "You're... terrible."

"A snack to tide me over," he said, grinning at me. "I'm rock fuck hard and I haven't cashed in that blowjob."

My mouth went dry. He grinned and headed to the door.

"When you're ready."

I fell back on the couch, trying to come down and calmdown. I had no idea how long it was before my legs were steady enough to go to the conference room, but they were already talking when I arrived.

"We have a problem," Charles said, shaking his head.

"What sort of problem?"

Amira grimaced. "Apparently, there's been a bit of a… PR snafu."

Her gaze flicked between us, a flicker of something akin to frustration in her eyes.

"A PR snafu?" I echoed, confusion creasing my brow. What could have possibly happened so quickly? "About us?"

"No, you're golden," Xavier said, striding in. "People are eating it up. They're hoping you convince King Charles to give back the enforcer detail to the president."

"Not happening," Charles said.

"So what's going on?"

A sinking feeling settled in my gut.

"This."

Amira turned on the television mounted on the wall. The image that flickered to life sent a jolt of irritation through me.

What the fuck?