Amia's POV
"All done," I whispered to myself proudly.
Even without cleaning equipment, I had spent hours dusting and shaking out the old bed sheets.
It wasn't perfect. Far from it. But for the first time since arriving here, the room felt like something I could claim as mine. And despite the fatigue, I felt calmer.
The bath I had taken afterward helped even more.
The cold water had eased the tightness in my muscles, washing away the dust and sweat from hours of cleaning.
The clothes I chose to wear afterward were old and clearly worn out, but they were warm and clean enough. The fabric felt soft against my skin, and that was more than enough for me.
I moved slowly toward the bed and climbed onto it before lying down with a heavy sigh.
The mattress dipped under my weight, the quiet creak of the frame echoing faintly in the still room.
"Another night, another day," I whispered softly.
I raised my hand in the air and stared at my fingers thoughtfully as the dim light from outside filtered through the window.
How was Cassidy doing?
The thought came suddenly and painfully.
Was she calling my name?
Or worse…
Was she crying because she missed me?
My chest ached painfully.
I groaned softly and turned to the side, blinking back the tears that were beginning to gather in my eyes.
My mate…
The word felt strange in my mind.
He had been cold on our first night. Distant and ruthless.
Asking him… begging him… to let my sister stay with me was probably nothing more than a foolish dream.
Still, the thought refused to leave my mind.
Perhaps I needed to find a way to beg the general for help.
But then…
Wouldn't that put me in trouble?
I turned again, facing the other side of the bed as my thoughts spiraled.
Perhaps I first needed to learn more about the ranks within the nest from Serai. Only then would I understand who held power and who I could safely approach.
Only then would I know how to survive here.
I sighed heavily and closed my eyes.
Serai was obviously not coming back tonight.
Her returning would be a miracle after how she had left earlier, looking frightened as if something terrible had chased her away.
But then…
Who was Lady Rachel?
Did the lord have a close family member?
A sister? A lover?
A queen before me?
I sighed again and tried to relax as I began to doze off.
I woke to the sound of the doors being thrown open. The sound ripped me from sleep.
I sat upright, my heart already racing.
The room was dark, and the night air was colder than before.
A faint chill ran across my skin.
Then my eyes shifted toward the doorway. Someone stood there.
For a second I forgot how to breathe.
It was my mate.
Even though the room was dim, I could see him clearly thanks to my wolf's sharp sight. An ability we shared.
The lord stood silently in the doorway.
His long serpent tail curled behind him, moving slowly across the floor. His face was still covered with a dark cloth mask that hid most of his features, leaving only his piercing eyes visible.
He wore a golden robe made of fine silk that draped loosely over his powerful body.
For a moment, I simply stared.
Then reality struck me.
I had been staring at him for far too long.
Panicking, I quickly slipped off the bed and bowed.
He and I were mates. But that didn't mean we were equals.
He was royalty.
And I refused to do anything that might anger him.
If he reported something negative about me to my father, the consequences would fall on Cassidy.
That was the last thing I wanted.
So even if I wasn't happy… even if my heart was filled with fear… I would still do everything in my power to act properly in front of him.
When I slowly looked up again, I froze.
His gaze was fixed on the clothes and other places I had dusted.
Did he hate that I had cleaned? Was he going to walk away because of that?
I was about to apologize when he raised both of his hands slightly.
Beautiful red rays of magic surrounded him instantly.
The red light spiraled through the air like dancing flames, spreading throughout the room and lighting it in a soft crimson glow.
The magic moved gracefully around his body before fading into the walls like mist.
Then he lowered his hands.
I held my breath as I watched his transformation.
His long serpent tail slowly shifted.
Scales shimmered and dissolved like liquid as bone and muscle reshaped themselves.
Within seconds, the powerful tail became two strong human legs.
My breath caught in my throat.
But that wasn't what shocked me most.
My eyes dropped lower.
He was completely naked.
Heat rushed to my face as my gaze betrayed me.
I couldn't make myself look away.
The sight of his body… the way he was built… the size of him…
It made a shiver run down my spine.
Memories from last night flashed painfully through my mind.
The roughness and the pain.
Yet despite that, my body reacted in a way that made me feel ashamed.
Warmth spread through me.
My nipples hardened painfully beneath the thin fabric of my clothes.
Without saying a word, he began walking toward me. Each step was slow and controlled.
When he reached me, he grabbed my wrist firmly.
Before I could react, he dragged me toward the bed.
My body stumbled forward as he pushed me down gently onto the mattress, causing me to bounce slightly.
Before he could climb onto the bed, my hands lifted instinctively in protest.
I didn't want to experience the same terrible pain again.
Last night, I had felt worthless.
Used.
Left unconscious like I meant nothing.
There was no love between us.
But at the very least… I had hoped he would be gentle.
"My lord…," I began softly.
"Please, can we talk?"
A low sigh escaped him.
It was quiet, but it was filled with clear irritation.
My heart sank.
Was he annoyed with me?
That thought made my wolf growl angrily inside my chest.
Then suddenly, he turned around and began walking toward the door.
My eyes widened in panic.
I sat upright instantly.
"Please, my lord, you can't leave; we have to produce an heir," I forced the words out quickly.
I couldn't let him leave.
What if someone had been planted nearby by my father to spy on us?
If news reached him that the lord was ignoring me…
Cassidy would suffer.
"I promise I won't say a word if that's irritating to you. So please… let's go through with tonight," I said quietly.
A painful lump formed in my throat.
He stopped walking.
Slowly, he turned back toward me.
Then he began walking toward the bed again, his footsteps heavy and deliberate.
I tried to shrink away, to merge with the mattress, but there was nowhere to run.
When he climbed onto the bed, his hand clamped around mine with a grip of iron.
Before I could react, he flipped me onto my stomach with a sudden, violent jerk.
My breath caught sharply in my throat as my face pressed into the pillows. I bit my lower lip, shutting my eyes tightly.
Then I felt it. The sharp, violent sound of fabric tearing.
His hand had ripped through my clothes without effort.
Cold air touched my bare skin as his heavy weight settled over me, pinning me flat against the sheets.
Tears filled my eyes.
My fingers curled into the blanket.
I was terrified of him and the sheer power he held over my trembling frame, but as he pressed his chest against my back, I couldn't resist.
Even as my heart pounded wildly, my body began to react strangely to his closeness.
His skin was cold against mine as his rough fingers clutched my hips. Familiar tingles raced through my body while heat pooled between my thighs.
I felt my pussy begin to slicken, despite the silent panic scream in my mind.
He shifted, and I felt something thick and hard press against my backside. But as he moved, I realized there wasn't just one. I felt the unmistakable, blunt heads of two massive cocks rubbing against my ass cheeks, sliding against each other in a rhythmic, heavy friction.
I froze as a shockwave of adrenaline ran through me. The sheer impossibility of the situation made my heart race harder. Two of them, thick and pulsing, demanding to be let in.
His hand reached down, gripping my jaw and forcing my head to the side. His hiss was a low, dominant warning that made my insides quiver.
It was clear that my mate didn't ask; he simply took.
I felt one of those dicks probe at my entrance, the broad head stretching my tight opening, while the second one rubbed insistently against my clit, teasing me with brutal pressure.
My stomach twisted painfully.
The dominance and helplessness overwhelmed me, and my breathing became uneven, heavy, and shallow.
Tears soaked the pillows as I held in my voice.
With every rough thrust he made, my vision blurred. The pain was too sharp, the fear was too deep, but I held on.
Darkness slowly crept into the edges of my sight, the world narrowing down to the feeling of his thick cock stretching me beyond my limits.
I could feel the vibration of his hiss in my spine, while the smell of musk and sweat filled my nose.
My fingers slipped from the sheets. The room blurred.
I couldn't breathe well. I couldn't think.
I heard his voice somewhere above me, but the words no longer made sense.
Then everything went black.