Chapter 3: Between Fire and Velvet
The heavy oak doors of the Alpha mansion slammed shut behind us, cutting off the angry murmurs of the crowd still gathered outside. My heart hadn’t stopped racing since the grove. Every step I took reminded me of the slick still coating my inner thighs and the possessive marks Ryker and Ash had sucked into my skin.
Ryker’s arm stayed locked around my waist like he was afraid I might vanish. His fingers dug into my hip with that same dominant grip that had me falling apart barely twenty minutes ago. On my other side, Ash kept my hand firmly in his, thumb stroking slow circles over my knuckles — soothing, yet somehow just as claiming.
I felt tiny between them. Small. Overwhelmed. And shamefully, desperately aroused all over again.
“Everyone’s staring,” I whispered, voice barely audible as we climbed the grand staircase. Crystal chandeliers glowed above us, casting warm light over dark wood and rich tapestries. “They think I’m a mistake.”
“Let them stare,” Ryker growled, voice low and rough. He pulled me closer until my side pressed fully against his hard body. “You’re ours. The Moon doesn’t make mistakes.”
Ash shot his brother a sharp look over my head. “She’s exhausted and terrified, Ryker. Stop pushing.”
“I’m not pushing. I’m stating facts.” Ryker’s hand slid lower, palming my ass possessively right there in the hallway. “And she’s still wet. I can smell it.”
Heat flooded my face. I tried to pull away, but there was nowhere to go. My body betrayed me instantly — another rush of slick pulsed between my legs at his crude words. Goddess, what was wrong with me?
We reached a set of double doors at the end of the hall. Ryker pushed them open without hesitation, revealing a massive bedroom that looked fit for royalty. A huge four-poster bed dominated the center, draped in deep crimson and gold. Moonlight poured through tall windows, and a fireplace crackled softly in the corner.
“This is yours now,” Ash said gently, guiding me inside. “Our room is right through those connecting doors. You’ll never sleep alone again.”
I stepped forward on shaky legs, eyes wide. The room smelled like them — cedar and rain, power and safety mixed with raw masculinity. My omega instincts purred at the scent, even as my mind spiraled.
*This can’t be my life. I was supposed to be invisible.*
Ryker closed the doors with a decisive click and stalked toward me like a predator. “Take off the dress, Elara.”
I froze. “What?”
“You heard me.” His eyes glowed with wolf-gold as he circled me slowly. “That cheap thing is ruined anyway. I want to see what’s mine.”
Ash sighed but didn’t stop him. Instead, he moved to the sideboard and poured a glass of water, watching both of us with dark, hungry eyes.
My fingers trembled as they found the laces at the front of my dress. The bond made it almost impossible to refuse — every cell in my body wanted to please them, to bare myself for their gaze. I let the torn fabric slide down my shoulders and pool at my feet, leaving me in nothing but my soaked panties.
“f**k…” Ryker breathed, stopping in front of me. His hand reached out and cupped one of my breasts, thumb brushing over my hardened n****e. “Look at these pretty t**s. Perfect for sucking while I knot you.”
A whimper escaped me. My knees buckled.
Ash was suddenly behind me, strong arms wrapping around my waist to hold me upright. His lips found the mark on my neck that Ryker had left earlier, kissing it tenderly before sucking harder, deepening the bruise. The contrast between them — one rough and filthy, the other gentle but just as intense — was destroying me.
“Please…” I didn’t even know what I was begging for.
Ryker dropped to his knees in front of me, powerful shoulders flexing. He hooked his fingers in my panties and dragged them down slowly, eyes locked on the glistening evidence of my arousal. “So f*****g pretty,” he murmured, voice reverent for once. “And all ours.”
He leaned in and dragged his tongue straight up my slit in one long, slow lick.
My cry echoed through the room. My hands flew to his hair, gripping tight as my hips jerked forward. Ryker growled in approval and dove deeper, licking and sucking at my swollen c**t with devastating skill. Ash held me from behind, one hand kneading my breast while the other kept me steady.
“You taste like heaven,” Ryker groaned between licks. “Sweet little omega p***y dripping for her Alphas.”
Ash turned my head and kissed me deeply, swallowing every moan and whimper while his brother devoured me. The pleasure built faster this time — sharper, hotter. My legs shook violently as Ryker slid two thick fingers inside me again, curling them perfectly while his tongue flicked relentlessly over my c**t.
I came with a broken scream, gushing against Ryker’s mouth. He didn’t stop, licking me through every wave until I was sobbing with overstimulation.
When he finally pulled back, his lips and chin glistened with my release. He rose to his full height, towering over me, and kissed me hard — forcing me to taste myself on his tongue. Ash’s hands never left my body, stroking my stomach and thighs like he couldn’t stop touching what was now his.
They guided me to the massive bed. I expected them to take me fully — to finally claim me completely — but they didn’t. Instead, Ryker stripped off his remaining clothes, revealing a body carved from pure muscle and a thick, heavy c**k that made my mouth go dry. Ash did the same, more gracefully, his own impressive length curving proudly.
They climbed into bed on either side of me, caging me between their naked bodies.
“Not tonight,” Ash whispered against my temple, even as his hard c**k pressed against my ass. “You’re still shaking. We won’t take you fully until you’re ready.”
Ryker grumbled in disagreement but wrapped one possessive arm around my waist anyway, pulling my back flush against his chest. “Tomorrow then. I want my mark on your neck and my knot locked inside this tight pussy.”
“Ryker,” Ash warned, but there was heat in his voice too.
I lay there panting, sandwiched between them. Their scents wrapped around me like a drug. My body hummed with aftershocks. Every small shift made me aware of their hard c***s pressing against my skin — one against my stomach, the other nestled between my ass cheeks.
The reality of my new position crashed over me.
“I don’t know how to be a Luna,” I whispered into the quiet room, voice cracking. “I couldn’t even shift. How am I supposed to stand beside both of you?”
Ryker’s grip tightened. “You don’t have to know yet. We’ll teach you. And anyone who challenges you dies.”
Ash pressed a soft kiss to my shoulder. “We’ll figure it out together. But the pack… they’re already divided. Some elders are calling this a curse.”
A heavy silence fell. I could feel the first cracks of rivalry forming between the twins — Ryker’s aggressive protectiveness clashing with Ash’s careful patience.
I closed my eyes, exhaustion finally pulling at me. But sleep didn’t come easy. Not when every breath reminded me I was trapped between two powerful Alphas who wanted to claim every inch of my body and soul.
And not when distant howls outside signaled that the pack’s unrest was only just beginning.
As I drifted off, safe yet terrified between their warmth, one terrifying thought circled in my mind:
What if the Moon had made a mistake after all?