n

n

nRETH

nAs he stood and watched Elia storm back to the cave, a faint snigger rose in the woods behind him. Reth whipped his head around with a snarl. It stopped immediately.

n

"Just wait until you have a mate,

" he growled at the unseen guard.

"Then see how funny it is.

"

nTaking a deep breath, he followed her across the meadow and into the cave, but did as she wished, and didn't follow her into the bathing pools.

nEven after she walked through the cave naked and staring a challenge at him.

nHe should be crowned all over again for his restraint.

nWaiting for her to bathe almost sent him over the edge, though. His body yearned to shift, to take her, to assert dominance and wipe all trace of the other male's scent on her. He paced the great room like the caged lion that he was, waiting for her to emerge, and when she finally did—still naked, and pink skinned, her hair twisted up on her head, he rushed to her, inhaling deeply, making sure there was nothing left of Gahrye on her.

nWhen he couldn't sense anything, he purred his approval and tried to pull her into his arms. But she folded her arms, and wouldn't come.

n

"Elia, please.

" He stood over her, rubbing her arms. He was calmer now, but she wasn't.

n

"You called me yours in front of the entire city.

"

n

"But you are mine!

"

n

"And you're mine—you don't see me walking up to every female that talks to you and snarling at her.

"

n

"Oh, you should. That would be hot,

" he said, smiling. But her eyes widened. Reth sighed.

"I'm trying really hard here, Elia. I am. I know this is different for you than it is for us—I get that. I know you're seeing this through different eyes. But I'm telling you, the reason I am King, Alpha at all, is exactly because of what you just saw. I didn't humiliate Gahrye, I dominated him—he submitted. By choice. Which is why I didn't tear out his throat. And if I had, I would have grieved him, but I wouldn't have been wrong to do so. He touched you.

"

n

"Are you serious? You'd put a death sentence on a guy for touching me?

"

nReth's voice got rough.

"If he touched you with ill-intent, yes. Absolutely. And my people would applaud me for it.

"

n

"Then you all have a horrendous respect for life!

"

n

"No, Elia—

"

nShe pulled out of his hands and started for the bedroom. His anger flared and he followed stalking after her and taking her hand to turn her back. She whirled, but yanked her hand out of his grip and even though he let her go, he growled.

nElia startled and took a step back.

"Is that how this works, Reth? You don't get your way and suddenly you're baring your teeth at me? Do I have to worry about my throat getting torn out?

"

n

"Of course not, you're my mate! I growled! I was displeased! It's no different than you raising your voice at me.

"

n

"Oh, it's different,

" she said, her arms folded over her chest, which unfortunately, pressed her breasts up in the most delicious way. His mouth watered.

"Hey! Eyes up here, Reth!

" she snapped her fingers and he yanked his gaze back up to her face.

nAnd something inside him snapped.

"You want to order me around, Elia? Is that it? You want to feel like you're the strong one? Because you can. That's part of why the people are so uneasy about you.

"

n

"What? Why? What are you talking about?

"

nHe took a step forward and she stepped back. But he kept coming, slowly, stalking her like the predator he was.

n

"My whole life is about dominance, Elia. It's why I'm here. It's why I'm King. And it's what they love me for. Then you show up, and suddenly, I'm giving myself. I'm breaking tradition, and letting you do and say things I never would have let anyone else get away with.

" He paused, considering her.

"You want to feel powerful, Elia?

" he asked softly.

nHe hadn't stopped pressing forward, and she had kept backing up. Now she ran into the cave wall, stopped short in a parody of that first night, when she'd run into the tree, and he'd announced that he would mate her. He wondered if she remembered.

nLeaning on the wall behind her head, he loomed over her, his nose only an inch from hers.

"Never question it, Elia,

" he whispered and her eyes widened.

"No matter how strong I am out there, no matter what I bark, or growl, or whose throat I tear out… the real control is yours. Because I might have their hearts and minds, but you've got mine.

"

nShe swallowed as he leaned in, tilted up her chin when his mouth tipped towards hers, but he didn't cross that last breath of space between them. He hung back, holding her eyes.

nHer breath came fast and shallow. She licked her lips and he felt it like she'd licked his skin.

"The choices are all yours, Elia,

" he whispered.

"And whether they think it or not, deep down they know it. That's what makes them so nervous. They can feel that you are in control of me, and they fear it. Because that means you're in control of them, too.

" Their twin breaths mingled as they both began to pant.

"Do you want to be in control, Elia?

"

n

"No!

"

n

"Are you certain?

"

nShe stared at him and her eyes dropped to his mouth. His skin tingled, pulling towards her. But he knew… she had to come to him now. She was finding herself again. Her plea to him to move them forward, to show her how love worked, was changing. She needed to know her strength—and his. She needed to know he chose—would always choose—to bow to her needs. But that was his choice to do so.

n

"I could force you, Elia,

" he said quietly.

"I could make you into anything I wanted to, because I am the King. But I want you to be exactly who you are. The very best of who you are… I love you for that. And I want you to love me for who I am, not what you mold me into.

"

n

"I do,

" she murmured.

n

"Not if you would fight me for taking control of a situation that is necessary to the wellbeing of the Anima.

"

nHer brows pinched.

"You were embarrassing him for—

"

n

"No one was embarrassed today, but you. The Anima are not embarrassed by our bodies. We are not embarrassed by our roles. And we are not embarrassed to give the King the respect his position is due. Or the Queen,

" he added as an after thought, one eyebrow up.

nShe snorted.

"The Queen is embarrassed all the time,

" she muttered.

nHe smiled.

"The Queen is adorable when she's embarrassed—and beautiful when she is fierce,

" he looked at her mouth again and she swayed towards him.

"The day will come when you will need to challenge me, Elia. I know it. The day will come when I am wrong and I will need to hear you roar. But today was not that day.

"

nShe took a deep breath and her breasts rose and fell with it.

nReth groaned in his throat, and Elia's eyes lit up.

n