The Wolf King Needs an Heir by Max Rose

CHAPTER EIGHT

His wedding night. And Julian had wedding-night nerves. A month ago, he’d been alone. No special someone. No prospects. He’d been idly thinking about trying out dating apps but hadn’t worked up the nerve to put himself out there.

Now he was married.

He felt a little embarrassed as Edric led him out of the gardens. The guests rose from their seats, and there seemed to be just as much pomp and circumstance for their departure as for the wedding ceremony. He was a bit self-conscious and desperately trying not to blush. All these people knew where Edric was taking him…and what was coming next. He wasn’t a blushing virgin, but still. It was embarrassing.

The palace guards trailed them as they moved through the palace to the king’s chambers. Julian’s heart was pounding fast. His stomach felt full of butterflies. He was so excited and nervous that he barely saw anything around him in the opulent hallways. The Loch Ness monster could’ve been blocking half the hall while wearing a tutu and a monocle, and Julian wouldn’t have noticed.

But he was ready for this. It was only sex. And he was married. And he wanted it. He wanted to be kissed, to be touched. He wanted to be close to someone again. Edric liked him, didn’t he? He had lavished attention on Julian today. Which made sense since it was their wedding day. But, these last five days, Edric had also made a point of dining with him and going for walks in the garden. Julian actually looked forward to those walks and those meals together. So there was something there between them. There had to be. He wasn’t simply imagining it. He couldn’t be.

The guards at the king’s private chambers bowed low as Edric and Julian approached. They swept open the double doors. Julian hadn’t seen these chambers yet. They hadn’t been included in the tour Megan gave him, so he was curious. But he only got a glimpse of dark wood floors, a massive fireplace, and huge windows with the curtains drawn before he found himself swept off the ground. He let out a surprised gasp and realized he was in Edric’s arms. Edric held him close, staring at him with piercing eyes.

“I want to carry you across the threshold,” Edric told him.

Julian’s heart was in his throat. He held tight to Edric, even though the alpha showed no sign of being troubled by Julian’s weight. He could feel the hard muscles of Edric’s arms and chest against his body. It was like being carried by a marble statue.

True to his word, Edric carried him across the threshold as Julian grinned. He saw the two guards pull the big doors shut again, leaving them alone together for the first time today.

Every square inch of the royal chambers screamed wealth. The ceiling was at least a dozen feet high, with an extravagant crystal chandelier. The hardwood floors were covered by stunning area rugs. Everything was impeccably color-coordinated, lavish and lush. The fireplace had a marble mantle and an antique mirror above it. Artwork decorated the walls. Landscapes, mostly. Ornate crown molding circled the high ceiling. Latticed windows nearly reached from floor to ceiling with damask curtains. It was almost too much for his eye to take in.

Edric set him down again, brushed back Julian’s hair from his forehead, and leaned in for a kiss. The kiss was slow and sensual. He moved his lips from Julian’s mouth to his ear.

“Do you want something to drink?” Edric murmured. “Or to eat? Or should I carry you into the bed-chamber right now?”

Julian felt a thrill at the desire in Edric’s voice. “No, thank you. I mean…” He took a deep breath and blurted. “I don’t need anything but you.”

God, how cheesy did he sound right now? Luckily, Edric seemed pleased by his words. Those dark eyes flashed with desire, as if he would sweep Julian back into his arms and carry him to the bed.

He didn’t carry Julian, though. He took Julian’s hand in his and lifted it to his lips, planting a kiss on the back of it. The soft, tender gesture was at odds with how those intense eyes looked at him, telling him that Edric intended to take him to his bed and possess him completely.

Edric kept hold of that hand and led him across the royal chambers to the bedroom. It seemed as if he would never arrive at the doorway, as if it would continually retreat from him, and they would never be able to reach the bed. It was impossible, but it also seemed as if the doorway and bedroom rushed toward him at a huge rate of speed. He felt as if he were floating, his feet not touching the ground, and at the same time flying at breathtaking speed.

Maybe he hadn’t sweated out all the champagne after all. How did you explain any of those sensations without mentioning booze under your breath?

The bed was huge…with a canopy. The dark wood headboard was carved with geometric patterns. There were only functional pillows, no decorative ones. The bedcovers were a deep, solid blue. The canopy curtains were drawn back and tied. More fine fabric with a very subtle silver pattern. The bed was also gigantic. He might need a trampoline just to get up onto the mattress.

Edric stopped him close to the bed and turned Julian so that they stood facing one another, very close. He gently combed a hand through Julian’s hair, caressing his hand down the back of his neck and then lower to the bowtie. His eyes were locked on Julian’s as he slowly undid the bow tie. Julian’s heart was hammering away. He stared into Edric’s eyes as the man slipped off Julian’s tuxedo jacket and tossed it aside as if it wasn’t the most expensive piece of clothing Julian had ever worn.

His husband, his new mate, began to undress him. Edric’s strong hands undid the buttons of his white shirt. He slipped Julian’s shirt off, and cool air was on Julian’s now-bare skin. His nipples immediately pebbled, grew tight and erect, and goose bumps rose on his pale skin.

He didn’t have a hairy chest. He didn’t have a very broad chest either. But Edric didn’t seem to mind that Julian wasn’t built like a bodybuilder or didn’t have a lot of man hair. Edric leaned in and kissed his way down Julian’s neck, down his collarbone, and still lower. Those lips felt so soft and warm, like velvet against his skin. He let out a shuddering breath. Then his breath caught when Edric’s mouth found his hard nipple. Pleasure rippled through him. His hand came up to grip the back of Edric’s head.

Edric’s tongue slipped across the erect tip of his nipple, stimulating him, making him groan. Then Edric raised his head and captured Julian’s lips again in a ferocious kiss. As Edric kissed him, his hands circled Julian’s waist, stopping at his belt and undoing the buckle. His big hands skimmed the front of Julian’s tuxedo trousers. A pleased grunt, almost a growl, escaped Edric’s mouth when he felt Julian’s hard cock straining against the fabric.

He continued kissing Julian, a soul-deep kiss that owned him completely, even as Edric carefully drew down Julian’s zipper. Julian lost the lip-lock as he awkwardly kicked off his shoes, but Edric didn’t seem to notice how ungraceful that had been. He simply kissed his way down Julian’s chest once more, to his belly button, and lower. He drew down Julian’s trousers and nuzzled his nose against Julian’s erect cock, still trapped in his underwear. With a grin, Edric drew down Julian’s underwear, too, freeing his cock.

Julian started to turn his body away as his erection bobbed in front of Edric’s face. He suddenly felt self-conscious. The urge to cover himself was strong. He knew he wasn’t even close to one of those porn star cocks. He didn’t have a telephone pole between his legs. He was merely average at best—and who wanted to be average?

But Edric was having none of that. He put his hands on Julian’s hips and stopped him. Then he leaned in and licked his way greedily up Julian’s cock. The sensation had Julian gasping and his eyes rolling back in his head. Edric’s mouth felt incredible. When Edric let go of his hips to gently cup and stroke his balls, Julian practically went up on tiptoe, all his muscles tensing.

His lover seemed to enjoy his responsiveness. He took Julian’s cock in his mouth and took it deep in his throat. After only a few seconds of this, Julian was already fighting the need to come.

Again, Edric seemed one step ahead of him, sensing how close Julian was to losing control. He gave Julian’s cock one last playful lick and stood again. He kissed Julian deeply, wrapping him in his arms. The alpha was so strong that he simply lifted Julian from the carpet and moved with him to the side of the bed, all while never breaking the kiss. All while not crushing Julian in the hug. Julian was smiling, kissing and smiling, as Edric set him down again.

Gently but irresistibly, Edric nudged him onto the bed. Julian lay back willingly, his hard cock lying along his lower abdomen, slightly off to the right. His cock had always leaned slightly to the right. It was weird.

Edric stood over him, only his bowtie and shoes off, staring down at him with heated eyes. Julian suddenly felt self-conscious of his nakedness and his off-center, not-huge cock. He lifted a hand to cover himself.

Edric was quicker, leaning in enough to catch his hand and hold it still. He took his time looking Julian over, seeming to drink the sight of him in. From his look and his scent of arousal, Edric liked what he saw. That did much to reassure Julian. To make him feel…desirable. Wanted. Worthy of this king’s kisses.

He began aching for more of those kisses as he lay there. But Edric was determined to do things his way. He was in control. Julian was fine with that. He felt comforted by it. Letting go. Giving control. Trusting.

Edric met his eyes again and began to undress. Julian propped himself on his elbows, heart pounding as he watched Edric strip away his tuxedo layer by layer. He had to bite back a groan when the alpha undid the last button and slipped off his shirt, exposing a broad, muscular chest dusted with dark hair.

Then Edric undid his belt, the button of his trousers, and drew down the zipper. Julian’s eyes were riveted on the man’s crotch as he pushed down his pants. Edric wore black boxer-briefs that fit his body snugly…and showed off the hard length of cock trapped inside the cotton. Julian swallowed and heard his throat make a strange, almost embarrassing gulping noise. Because Julian’s cock was impressively thick and long. His own cock twitched as a wave of raw lust swept through him.

Grinning knowingly, Edric hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his black boxer-briefs and drew them down too. For a second, Julian was literally breathless. The king had a stunning cock thrusting out from his muscular body. Edric was bigger than either of Julian’s past lovers. He already felt the ache of anticipation of having his lover inside him.

Edric moved toward Julian on the bed. Julian started to turn over to present his ass to Edric, expecting to be taken from behind. That’s how past lovers had always taken him. He was a bottom, but he didn’t feel any shame in that. He never had.

But Edric put a hand on his shoulder before he could do much more than begin to turn. Edric was firm in pressing him back into the bed…and then ravishing him with a deep kiss.

After the kiss, Julian opened his eyes to find Edric staring down at him with those heated eyes. “I want us face to face for this first time.”

Julian drew in a breath to say how much he would like that, but Edric lunged in for another kiss that silenced him and drove every thought but his need from his mind.

Edric positioned Julian on the bed, bending and spreading his legs to have access to Julian’s anus. Julian watched him, unable to take his eyes off the man’s glorious naked body. He lifted a hand and pressed the back of it against his mouth. He felt so exposed right now. Laid bare in front of this impressive man.

Not just any man. Your husband. He vowed to love you.

Yes. He drew his hand away and let Edric look his fill. Edric’s hot gaze traced its way over Julian’s lean and pale body once more. He must have liked what he was seeing because his cock was still hard and jutting upward, a bead of precum at the slit.

Edric reached out to the nightstand and withdrew lube from the drawer. His movements were smooth and confident as he first lubed his own cock up. Edric stroked it slowly, covering his length completely as Julian watched, his mouth dry and lust aching deep inside him.

Then he leaned down to Julian, not forgetting to first give him a kiss, giving Julian time, reassuring him. Julian kissed him back hard. They kissed until he had to draw back to catch his breath. His head was spinning with desire.

He arched when Edric’s fingers gently traced around his rear hole, coating him with the lube. Carefully, Edric teased the tips of those big fingers into Julian, slowly piercing him, sliding into him, working the lube inside him. Getting that muscle to relax even though the rest of Julian’s body was tense and almost shaking with need. Edric was skilled. He was gentle and patient enough that it didn’t hurt…wasn’t even really uncomfortable. Julian closed his eyes and surrendered the rest of his control to Edric.

His mate finished preparing him but didn’t enter him right away. Instead, he took Julian’s erection in one of his big hands and began to slowly stroke him as Julian lay on his back with his legs spread wide. He varied the pressure on Julian’s shaft, keeping him guessing, and the pleasure built inside him once again. His eyes fluttered closed as he gave in to simply experiencing all this man—his new husband—wanted to give him. So he was surprised when Edric’s mouth found his again, claiming another deep kiss. He kissed back with all he had while Edric continued to stroke him.

His pleasure was building fast, his need deepening. Then Edric drew back. He slipped a hand under the back of Julian’s knee and tilted his hips more, angling him for penetration. Julian watched as Edric grabbed his thick cock around the base and moved between his legs, lining up the tip with Julian’s hole.

He sighed as Edric edged the warm tip of his cock around his hole and then upward to brush against Julian’s balls, teasing him. Making his need spike.

He was going to lose his mind if Edric kept this up. He wanted the alpha’s cock in him, and he wanted it now. He lifted halfway off the bed, reaching desperately for Edric’s cock, meaning to put it inside him.

With a smug grin, Edric caught his hand and leaned in to kiss his palm before moving his hand away once more. He finally took pity on Julian and slowly sank into him, filling him completely. His muscle stretched with the alpha’s width. He groaned and tried to relax as Edric eased all the way in.

Julian watched with half-lidded eyes as Edric began to pump into him with slow, deep thrusts. With every thrust, he rocked Julian’s body back on the bed. Julian clutched at the bedcovers to try and keep himself anchored. He was breathing fast, almost panting, as Edric made love to him. Edric’s hot gaze was on him, barely blinking, and he seemed to revel in the sight of Edric impaled on his cock.

Edric still held one of Julian’s legs under the knee, controlling the angle of his penetration. With his other hand, he reached down and took hold of Julian’s cock. He began to stroke Julian’s shaft, matching the rhythm of his thrusts. The building pleasure had Julian moaning helplessly, his muscles clenching. Edric groaned himself, apparently liking it when Julian’s sphincter muscle tightened down and gripped him.

It all felt too good. He’d been trying to hold back, to make this last as long as possible…until he suddenly couldn’t. His pleasure raced out of his control. Edric seemed to sense that he was getting close because he began pumping faster, driving his cock into Julian harder, stroking him faster.

Julian’s orgasm took him. He arched his head back into the bed, clutching at the covers as his cock began to pulse. His hot cum spurted across his stomach, some of his seed pooling in the divot of his belly button.

The sight of Julian lost in pleasure finally pushed Edric over the edge as well. He thrust hard into Julian faster, faster, then drove deep and held still. Julian vividly felt the alpha’s cock begin to pulse as he shot his seed into Julian, filling him. Julian’s heart melted when Edric growled his name. That…that alone was almost better than the sex.

Almost.

Edric let out a shuddering breath before finally, carefully withdrawing from him. Julian vividly felt the loss of their connection, but Edric leaned forward to kiss Julian soundly. That helped.

They didn’t say anything as they pulled back the covers and climbed onto the bed the right way. The sheets felt like a thousand thread Egyptian cotton. He didn’t know if thread counts went that high, but the bed did feel like lying on a cumulus cloud.

Edric pulled him into his arms, and Julian curled up against the man’s big body. They lay there naked and entwined, Julian with his head on Edric’s broad chest. He was delightfully exhausted and completely sated.

Edric stroked the bare skin of his back, tracing random patterns on his smooth skin. “Sleep well, little wolf.”

“Are you going to be here when I wake up?” he asked drowsily.

“Yes.”

“Promise?”

Edric chuckled, the sound rumbling in his ears like distant thunder as he lay with his head on Edric’s chest. “Promise. But don’t sleep too late. We’ll be heading out on our honeymoon.”

“Mmm. Where are we going again?”

“Private jet. The French Riviera. The French wolf king is loaning us his superyacht as a wedding gift.”

“Sounds…amazing.” He yawned…and then right on the heels of that yawn, he yawned again. “Don’t mind me. I’m going to doze off. Need my…beauty sleep.”

Edric chuckled again, and it made Julian feel good that at least he could make his husband laugh. He might not be big and strong or wealthy or well-educated or have a ten-pound penis, but sometimes he could put a smile on Edric’s lips.

He would take every little victory he could get.