Chapter 98

Nicholas

I couldn’t stop thinking about kissing Piper.

Even after I had escaped to my rooms, the moment I closed the door separating us, I pressed my forehead against the cool wood and felt myself burn.

Her body had been on fire against mine, the curve of her ass plush in my hands. Her hips had been so tight around my waist, beckoning me into the depths of her most sensitive parts.

She had made me wild. If we hadn’t been in that hallway where anyone could come across us, I might have stripped her bare and taken my fill of her body until we both would be sated.

I could give her pleasure that Julian could not. He was such an asshole, he was likely a selfish lover.

With Piper, I would give everything and then some. I’d want her to come twice before I even thought of entering her. I’d have her on my fingers and on my mouth. I’d lavish her clit with my tongue until she could only moan or cry my name.

In my grief of losing Piper, I had fallen into bed with other women. None of it meant anything, but I had learned from the experience.

I knew the female body well, much more so than when I had touched Piper in the past. Now, I knew the places to touch and how to caress them so that I could make a woman scream.

With Piper, I wanted to use everything I had learned, like it had all been a practice just to learn how to drive her wild.

If I had her in this room right now, I would –

I slammed the door on those thoughts. Piper was a candidate in the competition, and she wasn’t one I could pick even if I wanted to. We were destined to be apart for the rest of our lives.

Fantasizing like this accomplished nothing. Piper would never be mine.

A growl escaped from the back of my throat before I knew to contain it. My inner wolf wasn’t pleased with that remark. Frankly, neither was I.

But it was fact.

To lust after Piper was pointless. Worse, it could even be seen as disrespectful. She had to know as well as I that we couldn’t be together.

And she was Julian’s girl now.

Another growl escaped me, louder than the previous.

Julian did not deserve her.

Only you, Nick, she had said so sweetly, voice breathless and needy.

My dick was shameless, pressing uncomfortably up into my pants. I shouldn’t give it attention. I should take a cold shower or something and forget this whole night.

But then I remembered Piper’s moan.

“Shit,” I grumbled as I hobbled into my bedroom. I lost my pants along the way. The boxers went soon after, and I hissed as the cool night air surrounded my hard, exposed dick.

In my bedroom, I ripped off my shirt and undershirt, so that when I finally toppled onto the bed, I did so entirely naked.

Maybe, I reasoned, if I gave into my fantasies just this once, they would go away. I couldn’t have Piper in the flesh, and that might have been part of her allure. If I imagined her and brought myself to completion, then I’d likely be able to let her go.

Resolved, I wasted no more time and took myself in hand.

I imagined our same position, with me pounding her into the door, but without our clothes in the way. She had been animalistic, all claws and whimpers, just from me rubbing her through our clothes. How wild would she be if my dick was buried inside of her wet, warm folds?

Would she throw her head back against the door? Would she arch her back, shoving those delectable breasts out into my chest? Would she move her own hips, grinding and swirling, trying to match my movements as best she could?

I wouldn’t give her much chance. Some other time, I would want to take it slow. Carry her to a mattress and lick her all over her body.

But for now, for this fantasy, I wanted to fuck her so hard all she could do was hold on and enjoy the ride. I had the strength to keep her pinned for a good long while, and I had the stamina to match. I’d have her coming on my dick until she couldn’t even remember her own name.

She’d know mine though. I’d have her screaming it.

Nick! Ah-aah Nicholas! Don’t stop. Please don’t stop!

“Anything for you,” I growled now as I fucked my dick into my own fist. It wasn’t enough, not near enough, but it was all I had.

I imagined Piper’s face, scrunched up with pleasure, her mouth slack. Moaning and moaning with each thrust.

Only you. Only you, Nick.

I wanted her so badly that my entire chest ached. If she was here… If she was with me…

If I was allowed to have her…

I shoved those thoughts away, and for a while, lost myself in the fantasy of giving Piper the ultimate pleasure. Sometime later, with the thought of her voice near my ear, I finally reached completion. It took me a long while to want to move again.

After cleaning up and preparing for bed, I returned under the covers. I had hoped that fulfilling one desire would sate me enough to ignore the others, but even now, I continued to want her.

And not just to hear her moan.

I wanted to hold her as she slept. I wanted to keep her safe and happy.

But I had no right.

I didn’t sleep at all through the night. In the morning, one of my father’s servants came by my rooms.

“The King wishes to speak with you as soon as possible.”

Nothing like a 6am summoning to start off a day.

I finished dressing, then followed the servant down the hallway to my father’s room. He was sitting at the head of the table there, with my mother beside him. Neither looked up when I came in the door.

The servant moved to one of the chairs at the table and pulled it back, likely telling me this was my spot to sit. For him to have made the movement meant my father must have told him to. I had no choice then but to sit and join them for breakfast.

No sooner had I sat and reached for one of the muffins in a basket on the table, than my father spoke up.

“Nicholas. Do you have any idea where Julian ran off to this time?”

He still wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were on a newspaper trapped over his own empty plate.

“No,” I said. I grabbed the muffin.

“Do not lie to us, Nicholas,” the Luna said now. She did look at me, her judgmental eyes peering into me.

The accusation annoyed me, but I knew better than to reveal that to anyone at this table. “Julian has never shared with me why he leaves when he does or where he goes. This time is no exception.”

Mother leaned back in her chair, frowning.

“He’s right, dearest,” my father said. “Julian has always been reckless and irresponsible all on his own.”

I nodded. At least father could see reason some of the time.

“Was that all you needed?” I asked. Muffin in hand, I was ready to retreat.

“No,” the King said before I could move an inch out of this chair. I stayed where I was. “We have told Joyce and now I will tell you. When we eventually find Julian, we will tell him too.”

I braced myself, knowing I would hate whatever they were about to say.

“About Piper.”

Now I really knew I would hate it. I dropped my muffin to my plate so that I could grip the arms of my chair with both hands.

“No one is allowed to save Piper from the next elimination ceremony. Not you and not Julian. This time, she will be going home.”