Love and laughter

Jaden shifted, a moan slipping from her slightly parted lips. For the first time since being kidnapped and imprisoned, her dreams had been happy and filled with love… and love making… The dream she was having right now, however, could not hold a candle to any of the others. Another moan slipped from her lips as her hands slid under the covers, running down her own body until her fingers connected with a head of long, soft hair. Jaden's eyes shot open as her fingers explored the head between her thighs. She could feel heat creeping up her cheeks and spreading through her entire body. She realized it had not been a dream at all. Eyes wide, she lifted the covers. She swallowed hard as brilliant cyan eyes met hers. Russ lifted his head, a wide smile spread across his lips. Her fingers slipped through the long strands of his blonde hair. She'd never seen him seem so happy… And it made him even more beautiful.

"Good morning, babe. Happy wedding day." He glanced down as he licked his lips. "I thought I'd make it a more memorable start to your day." He sent her a seductive wink.

Jaden's blush spread as he gripped her breasts and gave them a firm squeeze. "Isn't it bad luck for the groom to see the bride on the day of the wedding?"

Russ pushed the sheet away as he moved up over her. He pressed the tip of his hard cock against her wet center. "Does this feel like bad luck to you?" He sent her a sexy grin as he slid slowly inside her. "Feels pretty nice to me."

Jaden's protests died off with a wanton moan. The hands that had been pushing against his chest moments ago grasped and clawed for traction, pulling him closer. She arched against him letting her head fall back against the plush pillows of the royal chamber. As part of her early education, it had been hammered into her head. A woman's place was to endure whatever her alpha wanted, to fulfill his needs regardless of what it entailed… regardless of the pain it may cause… She'd never understood and never seen a good reason for it, but it had been those lessons that had gotten her through the years of torture she'd endured in this very palace. But it was different now… so much different than she'd ever expected... Better than she could have ever imagined. She'd expected to endure, to suffer, to fulfill an obligation.

She bit into her bottom lip as she dug her heels into the backs of his thighs pushing him deeper inside. Something about the wild abandon Russ showed when making love broke down her barriers, and caused her own beast to crave more. She pulled him closer, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist. She licked, nipped, and kissed her way across his collarbones and along the length of his thick neck.

Russ chuckled as he cupped her head, holding her tighter against his neck. He was well aware of the marks she was leaving, but he didn't care. Instead, he encouraged it… craved it. He flipped them, pulling her on top of him. He moved below her as he smiled warmly up into her confused eyes. "Ride me, baby." He clasped her hips, moving her in rhythm with his thrusts. When she began moving on her own, he gave her a lustful smirk. "Just like that, baby." One hand continued guiding her hips as the other lifted to her small but pert breast. He teased the tiny bud of her pale pink nipple. "You're beautiful… I'm a lucky man." He brought his hand up to her mouth, tracing her lips with his index finger before dipping it inside.

Jaden stared heatedly down at him as she obediently sucked his finger. Her eyes widened slightly as he slid a second finger into her mouth.

"Lean back, baby." Russ instructed as he pulled his fingers from her swollen lips. "Good girl." He praised huskily as he slid his fingers into her folds. He traced her inner folds, letting his fingers tease either side of her opening as it stretched against the girth of his cock. He watched, growing more aroused as her own gaze heated. Her mouth fell open as she panted causing him to bite back the urge to empty inside her. He continued sliding his fingers up and down either side of her inner folds as he pressed his thumb against her clit. He matched the pace of his fingers against the flick of his thumb, bringing gasped pants from her. "Cum for me, baby." He murmured gruffly as he drove his hips upward into her harder, faster.

Jaden braced herself, digging her fingers into the thick muscles of his thighs. Her own thighs burned as she struggled to match the pace of his pounding thrusts and the arousingly tortuous assault of his hands on her body. Every nerve ending was on fire with pleasure. Her heart beat almost painfully against her chest, and her breaths came out in gasps. His words only drove her further over the edge of desire. She could feel her body go rigid, tightening around him.

Russ sat up. He slid his feet along the sheets letting her collapse against his bent legs as he continued driving into her and rubbing her clit. "Again." He whispered seductively.

Jaden clutched his shoulders as she began to collapse forward. "I… I can't… too-ahh."

Russ pressed against her clit with more pressure, his thrusts below her becoming more erratic with need. "You can, baby, and you will. Just relax. Let it happen."

Jaden bit into her lower lip hard as the overwhelming pleasure continued to build. "Please…" She begged, her fingers digging into his shoulders as her head rested in exhaustion against one.

"Please what, baby?" He teased huskily.

"Cum! Cum inside me!" She blurted. Her eyes widened and her hand quickly shot up to cover her mouth.

Russ sent her a mischievous smile as his fingers moved away from her clit. He tugged her hand away from her mouth replacing it with his lips. He held her gaze as he drove harder and faster into her. He entwined his arms around her, clamping one hand down on her shoulder pushing her down farther onto his shaft as he emptied inside her. He held her snuggly against him as his seed pumped against the tight clamp of her walls. "I love you, Jaden." He whispered against her lips. "I love you."

Happy tears streamed down Jaden's cheeks as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "I love you…"

A knock sounded at the door. "Sire-er, Russ, the Fae are here to place the wards."

Russ chuckled as he carefully rolled Jaden back onto the mattress. "Tell them I'll be down in a minute." He yelled back to the guard outside the door, his eyes not leaving Jaden's. "I'm busy with something important right now." His words trailed off becoming huskier as he lowered his lips to hers. He could hear the guard's muffled, panicked voice but ignored it until another knock sounded.

"Hum… Sire-er, Russ, she says…" The guard's voice became muffled again as he seemed to be arguing with someone else in the hallway. "I can not tell the king that."

Russ rolled onto his back pulling Jaden against his side. "Is she out there right now?" He called out to the guard.

"Y-Yes, Your-er Russ." Awkward embarrassment echoed in the guard's voice.

Russ rolled his eyes with a laugh. "Hold on, I'll be right out." He gave Jaden a deep kiss before pulling away and placing a light kiss on her forehead. He sat up and pulled the sheet back over her. "Take your time getting up. Remember, today's your day. The entire day revolves around you and your desires. If you want to lay in bed up until a few minutes before the wedding then do so, alright."

Jaden stared back at him in amused confusion. "I don't think it works that way… exactly… but… I'll take your words into consideration."

He chuckled as he leaned down and gave her another kiss. "At least get a little more rest before you try tackling the day." He waited for her nod. He gave her sheet-covered butt a pat. "Good girl." He gave her another kiss before standing and pulling on a pair of sweatpants he'd left discarded beside the bed. Another loud rap sounded on the door, and he could hear the frustrated guard arguing outside the door. "I'm coming, hold your tits!" He called back with a deep laugh, before turning a wink to Jaden. "Fairy godmothers… what can you do?" He blew her a kiss from the door. "Love ya, babe. See you soon, I hope."

Russ pulled open the door to a scene he was sure no other ruler of this palace had ever seen before. Raven had the guard in a headlock his arms pinned over his head, and Isha impishly danced around the man. Naru stepped away from the door guiltily raising his hands.

"Hey, they told me to!" Naru declared as he backed away from Russ.

Russ tried his best to forge stern irritation, but his joyous smile continued to break through. "Just be glad I'm in a good mood this morning."

"Yeah, because you were finally getting some." Isha teased with a mocking giggle.

Russ couldn't help the smile that spread across his lips as he shrugged. "It's my wedding day, shouldn't I be?"

Raven rolled her eyes as she released the guard and watched in amusement as he quickly straightened and began to right his uniform. "Most people wait til the wedding night… but hey… to each their own, I guess."

"Why should he? You didn't!" Isha teased as she brushed seductively against Raven.

A mischievous smile curved Raven's lips as she pulled Isha against her hard armor. "I wonder why that was?" The guard cleared his throat loudly as he trained his eyes on the opposite wall and stood rigidly straight. Raven arched her brows as her gaze moved between the guard and Russ. "Where did you find this stick?"

Russ chuckled as he walked over and patted the guard's shoulder. "Easy, man." He gave the man's shoulder a light squeeze. "Just relax… loosen up a bit… I'm not my dad…" He nodded to the guard. "This is one of the guards that used to serve my father. It took some time to track him down, but according to dad's journals, he was always super loyal. Dad really respected and cared for him."

The guard bowed slightly. "Thank you for your kind words, Sir-er… Russ."

Russ chuckled. "The way you say my name, you just as well be saying a title. Relax man. I promise it's alright. We're all in this together, on equal footing."

It was Raven's turn to laugh. She shook her head. "Oh, Russ… Russ… Russ… You have no idea." She nodded to the elderly guard. "This man has been trained in the old ways. You're probably killing his very soul forcing him to call you by your name."

Russ frowned. "Is this true, Riff?"

The elder wolf nodded, lowering his head in a slight bow. "It is, Sire."

Russ's brows furrowed. "You're more comfortable calling me Sire? Prefer it?" Russ rubbed his chin… "Just seems so cold, and formal…"

Naru stretched onto the pads of his feet as he threw an arm around Russ's broad shoulders. "Just keep being you, dude. I'm sure they'll come around… eventually…" He eyed the stoic-faced guard. "I mean, no one can be that uptight for real, can they?"

The guard bowed again. "My apologies S-…" Instead of trying to use any titles or names, Riff just let his words drop off.

Russ reached out and patted the man's shoulder again. "It's alright, man. Don't worry about me. You just do whatever is most comfortable for you, but just know… you don't have to call me sir or Sire or any of that other stuff. We're all family here, ok."

Riff nodded with a slight sniffle of emotions, a single tear threatening to spill down his weathered cheek. "You are so much like your mother, Sire." He gave a deep bow as he struggled to hold back his tears.

Russ rubbed the older man's back. "Thanks, man. I… I'm glad to know my mother left such an impression on you, that you would shed tears for her this many years later."

Riff sniffled as he stood back up, a smile breaking his stoic expression. "She was amazing. Cared deeply for her people… loved everyone regardless of statues… as I can see you shall do as well."

Russ gave him a pleased nod. "I'll do my best for you and the people." He tilted his head. "Have you eaten yet, Riff?"

The guard's weathered face reddened. "Um… not yet, Sire."

Russ nodded. "I was just about to go to the kitchen. Would you like to join me?" He followed the guard's worried eyes as he glanced back toward the bedroom door. Russ smiled. "Don't worry about Jaden. She's awake and will be along shortly. She's perfectly safe in there, I promise."

Riff was just about to refuse when his stomach growled in protest. He cleared his throat. "If… if you insist, Sire."

Russ and the other's chuckled as they headed down the hall. "So, what do wolves actually eat, anyways?" Naru asked as he followed beside Russ.

Russ sent him a teasing grin. "Cats, mostly…" When Naru swallowed hard, Russ busted out in laughter.

Naru shoved him hard making the guard stiffen in discomfort. "You asshole!"

"You've eaten with me hundreds of times, what makes you think anything has changed?" Russ laughed as he shoved Naru back.

Naru shrugged. "I don't know…" His eyes scanned Russ. He'd gotten taller, his muscles even thicker and more developed than before. "I just figured to bulk up this much in a year, you must be putting down some hella calories."

Russ shrugged as he examined his own arms and abs. "No… not really… The guys have had me training like crazy, maybe that's it."

Naru lifted a finger. "Ah ha! Bootcamp of the gods… demigods?... What were they again?"

"Titan's actually… if you must put a label on it…" Arei answered from the bottom of the wide staircase. He lifted his free hand, the other was wrapped possessively around Jos. "How's it going? Are the wards up yet?" He called out as the crowd drew closer.