Goddess’s Revenge

The Claiming

Hera POV

I smile coldly at Selene.

"Gladly."

My golden eyes blaze with divine power as I turn to face the room, locking my gaze on the sobbing girl cowering behind her parents.

"Please, Goddess... have mercy," she cries.

I don't spare her a shred of pity.

"That child is my mate's child. And according to werewolf law, the parent with the higher status has the right to claim the child. Is that correct, Selene?"

"Sadly, yes," Selene sighs. "Far too many wolves have decided that the display of power is more important than decency, loyalty, or love."

Sadness fills her voice.

She truly mourns what her creations have become.

Mariah's eyes suddenly widen as my words finally sink in.

I am a Goddess.

By every law they have created, I outrank her beyond comparison.

Which means my beloved mate, Michael, outranks her as well.

"N-no..." she whispers, wrapping trembling arms around her swollen belly.

"Yes."

I raise my hand and point directly at her.

"The child you carry belongs to my mate. Therefore, by your own laws, that child belongs to us."

"No!" Mariah screams. "You can't take my baby!"

"I am not taking your child because I desire to," I reply, my voice calm enough to make the room tremble. "I am taking this child because you chose this path. Every consequence before you is one of your own making."

I take a single step toward her.

"As the Goddess of Marriage, Family, and Childbirth, I proclaim before all who stand here that the child you carry shall be recognized as my own."

The room falls deathly silent.

"When that child is born, my mate and I will return to claim them. They will be given the Ambrosia of the Gods and ascend, becoming a God or Goddess."

Mariah's anguished wails echo through the room, but they do not move me.

Mercy was hers to earn.

She threw it away.

I turn from her and fix my attention on the young man standing at the front of the room—the Young Alpha, no doubt.

"As for the rest of you..."

My gaze sweeps across every wolf present.

"You stood by while innocents were betrayed."

"You watched as she attempted to steal another woman's mate."

"You condemned the wrong people without ever seeking the truth."

"You allowed her to hurt not only my mate, but also the female who was destined to help lead this pack."

I look toward Selene.

"Her own sister."

My anger surges as Selene gives me a solemn nod.

"You all share responsibility."

Several wolves lower their heads in shame.

"Though I am certain Selene has punishments of her own to deliver, I shall also pass judgment."

A slow smile spreads across my face.

"My punishment will not come today."

"It will not come tomorrow."

"In truth, you may not even realize it has begun."

I let my divine power roll through the room, forcing every wolf to their knees.

"But when you finally understand what I have done..."

I hold each of their terrified gazes.

"...it will already be far too late."

Fear rolls off them in waves.

"Selene, I believe we're done here," I say, turning back to my mate.

I catch him adjusting himself, his eyes glazed with unmistakable lust as he watches me.

I can't help but laugh softly.

Don't worry, my love. The moment I get you back to my villa, I fully intend to make you mine. The thought sends a thrill through me. If everything goes according to plan, neither of us will be leaving the bed for days.

"Are you ready to go home, my love?" I ask Michael.

"Yes, my Queen," he purrs.

Gods... he knows exactly what to say.

With a flick of my hand, I open a shimmering portal to my villa in the Celestial Realm. Taking Michael's hand, I lead us through.

We step into my private garden, the familiar scent of blooming flowers surrounding us.

"Welco—"

I don't even finish the word before I'm suddenly tossed over Michael's shoulder.

"What are you doing?" I ask between giggles.

"I'm going to claim my Queen," he growls.

A rush of anticipation races through me.

"How do you even know where my bedroom is?"

"Your scent," he rumbles. "I can smell your strongest scent coming from this room."

He pushes open the bedroom door before kicking it shut behind us.

In one swift movement, he lowers me just enough to wrap my legs around his waist and pin me against the door. His lips crash against mine in a fierce kiss, stealing my breath. I melt into him, kissing him back just as hungrily. When he finally pulls away, his mouth trails down my neck, leaving kisses and marks that make me shiver.

"Please..." I whisper, barely recognizing my own voice.

Without another word, he carries me to the bed, laying me down with surprising gentleness.

I look up at my mate.

Desire burns in his amber eyes.

"I, Michael Hanson, warrior of the Howler Moon Pack, accept you, Hera, Goddess of Marriage, Family, and Childbirth, as my mate and my Queen."

His words steal my breath.

Emotion swells inside me until I can hardly speak.

"I, Hera, Goddess of Marriage, Family, and Childbirth, Queen of the Gods, accept you, Michael Hanson, as my mate."

A warm pulse of divine energy flows between us as our bond settles into place.

Michael tears his shirt over his head, revealing the powerful body beneath. My gaze travels over every hard-earned muscle, and I find myself licking my lips.

He notices.

The corner of his mouth lifts into a confident grin.

In one smooth motion, he sheds the rest of his clothing, never taking his eyes off me.

Before I can say another word, he's kissing me again, his hands finding the fastening of my dress. The delicate fabric gives way beneath his claws, falling away in ruined pieces.

"I'm sorry, my Queen," he murmurs against my skin. "I need you."

His lips continue their slow journey down my body, each kiss sending another shiver through me.

When he settles between my legs, he looks up at me with raw devotion and unrestrained desire.

From the instant I smelled you, I longed to taste you.

His touch captivates me, stealing my breath and making my heart race.

With a growl, he plunges in, devouring me as if I were his last supper.

His tongue glides over my c**t. As he sucks, his tongue swirls.

A gasp escaped me as he added a finger. I’m close to the edge. I move to thread my hands into his hair.

He growls, “Hands on the headboard.”

His dominance is making me significantly more wet. I comply grabbing the head board.

He continues to devour me, adding a second finger, lapping at my wetness with desperate hunger.

"Michael," I moan, the sound torn from my throat, gasping for air as my legs begin to tighten. He pins them to the bed, spreading me wider, refusing to let me escape the pleasure.

"Michael, I'm so close..." I cry out, my voice breaking.

"c*m for me, my queen," he growls against my thigh, the vibration shuddering through me.

The command tears through my restraint. A world-shattering orgasm crashes over me in violent waves. My back arches off the bed, my eyes rolling back until I swear I'm seeing stars explode behind my eyelids for the very first time.

When my vision clears, Michael is watching me with dark, triumphant eyes, smirking as he slowly licks his fingers clean, then drags his tongue across his lower lip.

"I knew you would taste even sweeter than you smelled, my queen."

He crawls over me, caging me beneath the weight of his body.

"I'm going to claim you now," he breathes against my mouth, his voice rough with need. "I'm going to mark you as mine so every wolf knows who you belong to."

He lines his thick length against my entrance, pushing just enough to part my folds, stretching me, making me feel every inch I have yet to take.

"Please, Michael," I beg, my fingers digging into his shoulders. "Make me yours. Completely."

He growls, a feral sound that vibrates through my chest, and crashes his mouth onto mine. In one solid thrust, he buries himself completely inside me, filling me until I feel nothing but him, everywhere, overwhelming and perfect.

Once seated deep, he begins to move, thrusting in and out with deliberate slowness, letting me feel every inch of his claiming. Then his pace quickens, each stroke harder, deeper, relentless, driving me toward the edge with ruthless intent.

The world blurs. Mating sparks explode across our skin, crackling where our bodies meet, binding us together as we move as one. The sensation is raw, primal, inevitable.

"Michael," I cry out, my voice breaking. "I'm so close."

I feel myself tightening around him, my inner walls fluttering, drawing him deeper. I let my soul rise up, to bond with his completely as my orgasm builds like a storm about to break.

It crashes through me the moment his canines pierce the skin at the base of my neck. The claiming bite. Our souls slam together, binding irrevocably, and the orgasm that explodes through us is transcendent, otherworldly, tearing through every nerve until I cannot tell where I end and he begins.

My vision blurs. I look up at Michael through heavy lids and see his own eyes rolling back, his face slack with shock and pleasure, as if he too might pass out from the sheer intensity of our joining.

He collapses to the side, pulling me with him, tucking me against his sweat-slicked chest. His heart hammers against my back as he presses his lips to my hair.

"Sleep, my queen," he murmurs, his voice wrecked. "I've got you."

I let my eyes fall closed, the darkness rising to claim me, while in the arms of my mate.