Aaron was barely awake when he felt a hand on his body, and it wasn’t just any hand, but an arousing one. His skin tingled at the contact, and he squirmed and moved to continue the sleep, assuming it was just a dream. The touch came again, and this hand knew his body well. It knew all the right places it needed to touch and how softly and firmly he wanted each part held. A moan erupted from his mouth, and his eyes opened to find Zera between his legs. He drew a sharp breath at the realisation of what was happening.
“You’re awake,” she said, grinning at him, and then stroked him at a medium pace.
“Were you hoping I wouldn’t?”
“I hoped you would stay asleep a little longer; bite me,” she said.
His hand reached out to stroke her face lazily. “With that mouth of yours, I will do whatever you tell me to.”
She chuckled and took his head into her mouth. “Fuck! Oh my, Zera, that feels so good.” He moaned, and his head fell back into the pillow, and his eyes fluttered.
“Do we have time for this?” His head spun around.
She pulled her head off him. “Do you want me to stop?” she asked.
His eyes flutter at alarm because he didn’t think he said that out loud. “No! Fuck! No, please keep going!” he told her and guided her head back on him.
She resumed her work on him, and in no time, he was drawing near the point of ecstasy.
“I want to…” He informed her, “I want to cum in you, babe.” He said, taking hold of her hands and pulling her up so she straddled him. His cock pressed against her cheeks, filled with life and desire for her alone.
He took her lips between his for a deep and passionate kiss that almost brought her to the point of ecstasy. He pulled away and drew a deep breath. “You kiss my soul, sweet.” He told her and reached out his hand to stroke her face. “I won’t last inside you.” He tells her, not being very proud.
She pecked his lips. “I know. It was supposed to be about you.”
“I love you,” he told her, kissing her lips again. He gripped his cock and slowly pushed it into her warm wetness.
He hissed at how it gripped him and welcomed him into her. The moisture and warmth that greeted him were decisive factors; he reached his limit, and his release poured into her. A low cry left his mouth in the process as he stayed buried in her, and her walls gripped him.
He held her close to himself until he completely emptied his seed inside her. He took a few deep breaths to calm his unsteady breathing, and then he pulled out of her.
“Thank you.” He mumbled, regaining his voice.
Returning the favour was more than an honour, and having her cry out his name made him feel alive. Since the threat of war started, they had barely had time for each other. They were either strategizing until the point of sleep or had something to do before sleeping. Intimacy had been almost at a halt. This told him he needed more intimacy with her than he thought he did, and he remains grateful to Zera for initiating this.
“Are you afraid?”
Aaron heard Zera ask as he held her close. He glanced at her and then back at the ceiling, which he had been staring at. “Yes.” He replied. He had no reason to lie; she could read him like a book and knew the truth.
“I have a lot of doubts and fears. Yes, we are fortified, but these are sages, and they are not one or two, but many. Damor and I had to join forces just to take down Mercedes, and we are both alphas. I do not know how the other low rank will survive; a part of me feels as though I am sending them into a slaughter, yet I have no other choice.”
“There are casualties in every war. We should always prepare for the worst, despite expecting the best outcomes.”
“You’re right, you are so wise.”
They hear a knock on the door, and Aaron sits up. “Who is it?” he asked.
“Miguel, Alpha,” he answered. “Lionel and Daniel are in the pack estate, and I thought to inform you.”
Aaron turned to Zera and saw her with an excited look on her face. “Tell them we will be right there with them.”
“Yes, Alpha,” he said, and he heard footsteps depart.
They came downstairs to meet Lionel standing beside Daniel, who stood alert as if an enemy were coming. An enemy was coming, but he was not here yet.
“Lionel!” Zera called, and her brother turned to her, and he had a small smile on his face.
“Zera.”
She threw herself at him, and he caught her and hugged her tightly, chuckling into her neck. “Hey, sis, I missed you too.”
She turned to Daniel. “He is back.” When Daniel nodded, she added, “After just a few days over a week?” She had a little doubt in her voice.
He nodded. “Time passes slower for a hunter’s training to control his ability. And so while it was one week here, it was four weeks for him, and that is the training period needed for a hunter to master his abilities. The rest is left to him.”
“Thank you, then,” she said, and despite Daniel looking like someone who didn’t want any physical contact, she hugged him.
“You’re welcome.” He said that and hugged her back. “I saw the training going on in the field. What is it about?” He asked, and his gaze travelled to Aaron, who had been quietly watching them since they stepped in to see them.
“A war is coming, and we are preparing for it.” Aaron answered.
“A war,” Lionel echoed, shocked by his answer, and he turned to Zera, who just nodded in response. “What war, Zera?” he asked.
“We do not know much about the enemy; we just know they have a legion of sages on their sides,” she answered.
“Creatures like yourself?” Daniel asked, his eyes narrowing. “I thought you were the only sage in existence.”
“We thought the same until a month ago, and now we have to prepare because a war is coming.” Zera answered.
She turned to Lionel to say, “I wouldn’t ask you to fight for me; I am a sage, and you’re a hunter. Your role now is to hunt down supernatural creatures and put an end to anything that threatens the balance, and I understand.”
He took hold of her hand. “If they are coming for you, then it is my business to stand by and fight with you. You might be a sage and I, a hunter, but you’re still my family.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it against the natural order of things to have a legion of sages under the control of an alpha?” Daniel asked, sounding confused and lost in thought.
“Lucius had their bodies, minds, and souls broken before turning them into sages, and so they have no mind of their own and take orders from him.” Ivan spoke from behind, making his presence known in the room.
“That’s some twisted motherfucker.” Daniel muttered under his breath.
“Lionel is back.” Ivan pointed out the obvious.
Zera nodded and stepped away from him with a proud look on her face. “His training is already complete.”
“Good,” Ivan said, throwing a penknife at him immediately. Lionel’s reflexes kicked in despite facing the other way. He turned around just as the blade swung extremely close to him. His hand shot out and caught the blade by its scabbard.
Zera gasped, taken over by shock at what had just happened before. Ivan Act had taken everyone in the room by surprise.
“Ivan! What the hell? You could have killed him!”
“He’s a hunter now that leaves his senses on a higher alert than ordinary humans.” Ivan answered blankly, as if he didn’t see what was wrong with what he just did.
Zera turned to Aaron with her eyes filled with anger and said, “Talk to your brother.”
“Ivan,” Aaron called, not very pleased. Lionel was on their side, and it seemed as if Ivan was trying to jeopardise it.
“I am sorry, but if he is on our side and fighting in the coming war, he needs to be as sharp as he needs to be,” Ivan said.
“It’s fine,” Lionel said, jumping into his defense. “He is right; the last thing I want to be is a burden to anyone in this coming war.” He said that and threw the knife at Ivan immediately, and it flew the same way it did when Ivan had thrown it. The knife flew straight, with its pointy tip going straight for Ivan’s eyes. Ivan’s hand shot out, and he suspended the knife in the air just before it would pierce his left eye.
Ivan’s hand wrapped around the scabbard, and he lowered the knife from his face. He nodded at Lionel before taking his leave.
“What about you?” Zera asked, her gaze moving to Daniel.
“What about me?” His brow furrowed.
“Unlike Lionel, you have no reason to break your hunter’s code to help us again.” She answered.
“A hunter’s code is to eliminate anything and anyone that poses a threat to the natural order of things. That should tell you where I will be during the war,” he answered.
Knowing he would be on their side surprised Aaron, who just stood watching the conversation take place, yet it was a welcome order of things.
“Well, a few things have changed since the last time I was here, that’s for sure.” Lionel said as soon as the door shut.
“Yeah, about that.” Zera started. She paused and pressed her lips together, sceptical of her next words but knowing they had to be said. “Sesi came yesterday, and Manon will be here later today.”