Hearing my name on her lips yanks another growl from me and a moan from her. “Come screaming my name.”

I bounce her lightly up and down my stoyuk while testing a theory. Zhuliya isn’t touching herself anymore, but nor am I.

The weight of her body rests in my hands, and I can’t properly rub her like I want. Instead, I purr, the rumbling sound vibrating from me into her.

She gasps, and I fuck her harder, never stopping the rumbling coming from my chest. Zhuliya starts chanting my name, but it’s not enough.

“Scream it!”

“Fuck, Ilian, please!”

“That’s a good soyam.”

Her mouth forms an O of shock and her body shakes as she comes again. I’m unsure whether it’s from my purring, my words, or a combination of the two, but I catalog her every reaction.

It doesn’t matter that this can never happen again—pleasing my mate is my number one priority at the moment.

Zhuliya collapses forward in my arms, the movement forcing her body downward, and she inadvertently seats herself nearly on the entirety of my stoyuk.

A hoarse cry escapes me, but I push aside the tsunami of emotion threatening to pull me under to check on my mate.

“Soyam, stop moving. You’re going to hurt yourself. I’m too big—”

Instead of listening to me, Zhuliya squirms. “More.”

“I’m not sure—”

“More!”

The logical part of my brain disconnects, and I slam Zhuliya down the remainder of my length. Instantly, all her emotions flood through me. To my relief, none of them is pain—only joy.

I exult in her happiness, marveling at how perfectly we came together despite our differences. I try to catch her eye, but Zhuliya is staring down at the dark gray spikes.

They’re meant to pleasure an Ithaquan female, but to my delight, I note that when Zhuliya rides me, one of them rubs against where she touched herself.

She twists on my stoyuk until the spike hits exactly where she wants, and then she goes boneless in my arms, letting me take control once more.

I desperately want to make our first—and only—time mating together memorable, but then Zhuliya starts begging me to go faster.

Harder.

As with anything she asks, I can’t deny her. When her pussy tightens like a vice, I know she’s close, and I purr in satisfaction when she comes around my stoyuk.

Zhuliya chokes out my name, and I’m lost. With a roar, I slam into her small frame, grinding us together as I fill my mate.

My seed leaks out of her pussy, dribbling onto my fur, and Zhuliya runs a finger through it before bringing it to her mouth.

I mutter a prayer to the goddess when my stoyuk jerks to attention again. Zhuliya needs to rest, but my body wants nothing more than to breed my mate.

As does my bond—the one she never asked for.

The moment is perfect, my arms wrapped around my mate, but it’s shattered when her eyelids flutter shut and she whispers something.

My heart lurches as she drifts between consciousness, and I shake her back awake. “What did you say?”

I already know, but I need confirmation.

Zhuliya’s brow furrows. “I said…best dream ever.”

Her brown gaze widens, as if she’s only now realizing she’s not asleep. I groan, tossing my head back on the mountain of pillows, my horns no doubt shredding the silky covering.

“It wasn’t a dream.”

Raising my head, I peer at Zhuliya. If possible, her eyes grow even larger, and guilt churns inside of me. It was wrong to go after her and give in to my urges—but I let myself become the beast I swear to everyone I’m not.

Fuck…how do I even fix this mess I’ve made?

CHAPTER FIVE

Zhuliya

The once scorching temperature of the room plummets as I stare at Ilian. Unease envelops us in its dark embrace, and my hands tremble with the realization that I’m wide awake.

“N-n-not a dream?”

Ilian shakes his massive head.

Oh fuck, what have I done?

Images of the last few hours whip through my head at breakneck speed, all too embarrassing to look at closely—everything is too raw right now—but I gasp at one memory in particular.

“My back!”

Immediately, Ilian picks me up from where I’m cuddled into his side, maneuvering me like I weigh nothing.

This stokes the dying embers of my arousal, and I silently curse the needy flesh sack that I call a body.

Isn’t it enough that I have to feed and water it constantly—now it’s lusting after a monster?!

I scowl as Ilian turns me in his arms, positioning my body until I’m straddling the entirety of his right arm.

My bent legs hang off either side, and my stomach trembles against the fur tickling me there. Surprisingly, it’s rather comfortable—minus the fact that my bare pussy rests on his hairy bicep.

Ilian smooths his hand down my back, his claws lightly prodding the surface, and goosebumps break out over my skin.

Shit, I need to think of something—anything—else except this man and the crazy reactions he pulls from my body.