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Rose taps the screen, urging me to read the advertisement.
Prince Edward of Kingdom Cullen seeks incubators to carry forth his line. All applicants must be between 19 and 24 with blonde hair, blue eyes, and lithe, athletic bodies with ample bosoms. The right candidates must also meet the sensory requirements of the prince.
The position includes around-the-clock pampering, well-appointed apartments near the prince, and the ability to bring their own staff—if so desired.
Monetary enrichment shall be given on a "per heir" basis.
"No way." I swipe through the other ads, intent on talking some sense into my best friend and roommate. "Look, here's one for a liaison between kingdoms."
She glances at the screen, her nose wrinkled in distaste. "If I'm going there, I'm aiming for the top."
"Please, Ros—"
"No, Bella." Her lips settle into a grim line. "I'm not safe here. Royce's hold on Forks has grown too strong." She taps the tablet. "They can take care of me."
"At what cost?" Agony wells inside me as I think of everything Rose has already been through. She was a young woman, just starting out on her own when Royce King stalked into her life and turned it upside down.
He's a man twice her age with money and clout. At first, she was flattered by his attention, but it soon turned dark. He wanted to conquer and control instead of love and adore. His obsession drove her into hiding, and we've had to jump around every few months to keep him off our tails. Because if he finds her, I'll probably never see my best friend again.
She grabs the tablet and pulls up an image.
Without me opening my mouth, she knows exactly what I'm feeling. I wouldn't call myself prejudiced, just … old fashioned. The world that lurks beyond the Kingdom of Forks was hidden from me for most of my childhood, only coming to light when I was fourteen, and it rattled me. I've never been able to think of it as normal, but Rose isn't like me. She's an adventurer, ready to grab the reins and ride off into the great unknown.
"Look at him, Bella."
She shoves the tablet into my hands, and I blow out a heavy breath as my eyes fall. The large screen is filled with a singular image, and I chew my bottom lip as my eyes roam his face.
A luscious, flowing golden mane and tawny skin frame his clear glass-green eyes and strong jawline. Sinew ripples across his shoulders and down his lean, graceful arms. His chest is smooth and brawny, pecs bulging atop a long torso that leads to a trim waist.
My brows pucker as my gaze falls lower, and my breath picks up speed. I'm not sure if it's from lust or repugnance, but I squeeze my eyes closed to block out the mystifying image of the prince.
I shove the tablet back toward my best friend. "This is crazy."
Her trill of laughter grates on my nerves. "I've never been boring."
I heave a resigned sigh. "When do we leave?"
"Yes!" She shakes her hips from side to side and tosses her hands in the air. Her celebration only lasts about five seconds before she taps my arm. "The transport will be here in fifteen."
"Days?" I follow her to our tiny bedroom, wondering if that's going to be enough time for me to work out my final notice and tell my parents goodbye.
"No, silly." She opens our dresser and starts tossing clothes. "Minutes."
"What?" I snatch the suitcase from where it sits at her feet. "Wait just a second," I say as I dodge her reaching hand. "I can't be ready that fast."
"Sure, you can." Her deep blue eyes lock on me, and they're full-on puppy-dog begging. "I can't do this without you, Bella."
"My job," I mutter quietly, my chest tightening as I think of all the things we'll be leaving behind. "My parents."
"They'll understand," Rose says softly, tugging the suitcase from my hand. "We can contact them once we're there."
I'm lost in thought as I pull stacks of neatly folded clothes from our dresser and pass them to her. It's time to relocate, so the change isn't entirely out of the blue, but this is an unforeseen wrinkle that's frightening and downright insane.
But it's Rose, and I love her.
It's just before nine on a Thursday night, and the seedy area of town where we've been living is alive and vulgar. Women dressed in see-through bras and bright neoprene miniskirts traipse up the sidewalk, giving Rose sneering glances as she passes.
They see her as a threat to their profession, and the truth is, she would be if she were that type of girl. She's tall and sleek, with long blonde hair, ivory skin, and deep blue eyes. She's a vision that not many a man would turn down.
A salacious moan breaks me from my reverie, and I glance toward the sound. At the mouth of an open alleyway, a smartly dressed man in a pale gray suit has one of the women pinned against the brick. His belt sags to his ass cheeks, and he thrusts hard, ramming her into the wall over and over.
She doesn't seem fazed with her legs locked around his waist and her fists in his hair. Her eyes are closed, and her mouth is lax as low mewls push out between parted lips.
I should look away.
But I can't.
While some might find it sleazy and sordid, I'm fascinated and maybe even a little turned on by the display. There's just something erotic and raw about the encounter.
"Come on, Bella." With Rose's long stride, I'm barely able to keep up. "We have to hurry." Two blocks later, I'm out of breath, but we've finally come to a stop. She pulls out the tablet again, checking the time. "Only two minutes to spare."
"Aren't we lucky?" I mumble it under my breath, but she hears me, and concerned blues flash my way.
"You could always stay behind." She's merely stating a fact, but the worry I might do just that is as clear in her eyes as the reflection of the neon sign across the street.
A silver streak zips to a stop before us, and I shake my head even though I'm quaking on the inside. "Where you go, I go."
We've never left Forks before, so the entire time we're at the wall checkpoint, sweat beads on my brow. I keep waiting for Royce to swoop in, confiscate Rose, and declare her his property. Having her name flagged is exactly the type of thing he'd do.
I breathe easier, relaxing back into my seat once we've entered the vast desert that surrounds my old kingdom. I've seen pictures, of course, but they're nothing compared to the real thing. Orange sand blows from one ridge to the next, a constant shifting of the dry landscape. The blazing sun beams overhead, and sparse green dots are like patchwork in the distance.
Rose tucks down beside me, resting her head on my shoulder. "I can't believe we made it out of Forks."
I yawn, her mood mellowing mine. "I thought for sure Royce would pop up from the floor or something."
She huffs a laugh before taking a deep breath and blowing it out slowly. She may not admit it, but she was afraid too. "I won't be fully satisfied until we're behind the gates of Kingdom Cullen."
"What happens if they reject you?" I'm both scared they will and hope they do. "What will we do then?"
"There's a whole world out there." Just because I made this leap, it doesn't mean I'm prepared to go on an exploratory mission. "I can feel your tension. Don't worry, Bella. They'll accept me. I learned early on how to use my wiles to survive, and this will be no different."
She's right.
Rose is practically irresistible.
We don't speak anymore, so I pull down the window shade and settle in. We won't arrive until five in the morning Cullen time, and with no expectations, the best we can do for ourselves is to be prepared for anything.
A cool marble bench follows the curves and dips of my body as I'm bent over it, legs spread wide. Anticipation clings to my skin like sweet, sticky dew, and a growl from somewhere behind me sends shivers racing up my spine.
I instinctively know not to search for the sound.
Hot breath fans across my shoulder, and I squinch my eyes closed, every inch of my body buzzing with repressed need. His closeness drives my senses to a fever pitch, and excitement swirls in my belly.
Somewhere in my mind, I know this is all wrong, but it feels incredibly right when he enters me from behind. His thick cock fills me, thrusting at a slow, languid pace, and passion smolders like a burning ember.
Fingers grip flesh.
Teeth dig into skin.
His pace quickens.
The ember is suddenly a raging inferno, and a growl reverberates off the stone walls of the low-lit room. Euphoria dances in the distance, tiny pulses of light that I yearn to consume me.
I jerk awake, the image fading so fast I no longer remember it by the time I'm fully cognizant. I look around, dazed, disoriented, and slightly turned on, to find Rose chatting with the two girls in the seat across from us, excitement coloring their tones.
"I know," Rose says, waggling her brows. "It's one of the reasons I wanted to come."
"One of my girlfriends has traveled all over and she says the Cullen knot is incomparable." The girl has long fake-red hair and super-enhanced breasts that bounce when she giggles. She looks nothing like the ad described. "Just imagine what that means for our beloved prince."
I roll my eyes, shifting my gaze out the window to the lights that shine in the distance. I try to block out Rose's conversation, but words like scent and lock and knot reach my ears, and I wonder what in the hell Rose has agreed to. But just as quickly, the image of the prince flashes in my mind, and he suddenly feels more familiar than before.
A lump forms in my throat.
Unease thrums in my blood.
"Hey." Rose nudges me with her shoulder. "You okay?"
A tall metal wall looms in the distance as the transport slows. "I think so," I answer, smiling to put her at ease even though I'm anything but. "Something had to give, so I'm glad you made a move before Royce…" I don't want to finish that thought.
Tears well in her eyes, but she blinks them back. "We'll never have to worry about that again."
A tough-looking guard enters the transport, and I can tell right away he isn't from Kingdom Cullen. His features look nothing like those of Prince Edward. Golden and flowy is replaced by short-cropped pale-blond and round ice blue with large, black pupils. His muscles, on the other hand, bulge and flex with every purposeful step down the aisle.
With nothing more than a cursory glance over each occupant, pausing only a beat longer on Rose, he's off the transport and we disappear inside the gates. If there was ever any intention of changing our minds, that time has passed. Russet sand turns to lush green as the miles go by and the area becomes more populated the closer we move toward the city.
"Look at that neighborhood." Rose whistles under her breath, craning her neck to study the passing scenery.
Clusters of small, stilted houses of varying heights reside among the treetops. Muted, earthy colors blend perfectly with the natural backdrop, making this place seem like it's more from a magazine than real life.
"That's pretty cool." For the first time since we left home, I feel at ease.
Maybe this won't be so bad after all.
We arrive at the palace complex not long after reaching the city, and it, too, is like nothing we have in Forks. Like the neighborhoods, it's also on stilts, but its towers rise at varying heights above the treetops. The trunks are incorporated seamlessly, as if the entire palace is one giant treehouse.
"Holy shit!" the big-boobed redhead says as we exit the transport.
Rose, of course, keeps her composure even though I can see the spark of excitement brimming in her eyes. I gently squeeze her arm to let her know I feel it too. It's been a long time since either of us had anything to look forward to.
It's that moment when I get my first look at a native of Kingdom Cullen. A lithe, serious-faced Cullenite steps forward, hands behind his back as he surveys the women before him. Much like the prince, his features are strong and definitive, his amber gaze piercing, yet he lacks the regality of the heir apparent.
I take an imperceptible step back, not wanting to be confused for an applicant.
"Ladies." He's abrupt, no-nonsense. "Princess Alice has been eagerly awaiting your arrival. She has a crew ready to receive and prepare you for the sensory ceremony." He pauses, his large eyes stopping on each woman. "Disrespect her and you shall be cast out. Otherwise, short of failing the sensory test, you will be moved into your apartments just after."
His piercing eyes shift to me. "Guests should follow me to the gallery where you can observe the ceremony."
The inside of the palace is everything I expected and more, elegance personified. Light and airy, while also being opulent yet sustainable. The halls are quiet and empty, a feeling of majesty draping the space. It's easy to tell that the ceremony to come is a crucial step for the survival of this kingdom.
"Here you are." The Cullen guard comes to a stop and motions to a narrow hallway. "This will take you to the gallery. I advise that you move to the very front for the best view."
"Thank you." Two other women move past me, and then my cheeks burn in embarrassment when I realize I'm the only one left.
He arches a brow.
"Sorry." I put my head down and scurry away. I'm surprised when the hallway opens up to a grand room and the seats we're supposed to occupy are much like the front row of a runway show. The other two women are already settled, so I take a plush chair beside one of them.
I'm not sure how long we sit there in silence. I've already memorized the stage, even counting the wood planks that line the cathedral ceiling, before a trumpet sounds and King Carlisle and Queen Esme are announced.
I take them in.
It's easy to see why Prince Edward is so appealing.
They're stunning.
Majestic.
It's only when the incubators are announced that I drag my eyes away from their regal forms. My jaw drops when Rose is brought into the room. One at a time, each applicant is led, naked, to a pedestal where she is bent forward, legs spread wide, fully on display for the prince to taste, smell, and touch.
It all feels strangely familiar.
The women beside me murmur excitedly.
"So hot," one of them whispers.
"I should've applied," the other one returns.
She's at least forty.
"Can you imagine…" I tune them out.
I might find it hot if I weren't watching my best friend degrade herself because another man forced her here in the first place. I could just as easily be disgusted by the entire show. It's a crapshoot right now, as everything I feel is tied up with Rose's dignity at the center.
A loud drumroll sounds and the room falls silent. All heads turn to the small opening on the opposite side of the room.
My breath lodges in my throat.
Unmoving, I stare as a sleek, feline figure appears, stalking out of the shadows and into the spotlight. He stands to his full height, his cool green gaze sweeping the room. The resemblance to his photo is uncanny, but this beast is cleaner cut, his mane trimmed, face smooth, and a perfectly coiffed tuft of fur at the tip of his tail.
He lifts his velvety nose into the air and sniffs, once, twice, three times before a fierce snarl erupts and his sea-green eyes blaze to life.
The women beside me go nuts.
And I've yet to take a breath.
Closing my eyes, I break his control over me and breathe deeply. I don't know what's happening, but I'm eager for it to end. I'm not cut out for this kind of mindfuck, and this whole ceremonious drivel is doing a number on me. After I've gathered myself, I open my eyes, searching until I find him on his knees, his nose running along the first woman's inner thigh.
My own tighten.
His lips pull back over his teeth, mouth gaping, and he breathes in her scent. A hiss sounds and he's back to a standing position without a backward glance. He does this two more times, and for each one, confounding emotions swirl inside me.
I'm on the brink of collapse and Rose is still two applicants away, but a commotion from the main doorway interrupts the process. The prince snarls as he stalks toward the disturbance, his muscles flexing and rolling. They have a low conversation, glancing toward the women before the prince nods.
The large guard from the transport earlier moves toward the applicants, his trajectory on my best friend. I jump up, unsure of what's happening but anticipating the worst. I watch in horror as the oversized guard takes my best friend by her bicep and starts to lead her from the room.
"No!" My heart is thundering as I put my leg over the barrier and race toward her. "Where are you taking her!"
Several things happen in quick succession.
The lithe, amber-eyed guard who led me to the gallery is on me before I've made it very far. He grips my arm tightly to stop my forward progress and I fight against his hold, everything within me needing to get to my best friend. Tears roll down my cheeks and I scream her name, but it's no use.
A deafening roar expands inside the room, causing me to cower, and just as quickly, the guard's grip is gone. I'm on the edge of a panic attack when I lift my head to see what happened. I go to run, but a mystical force tethers me in place.
Brown meets green.
Time stands still.
I don't need breath.
My heart doesn't beat.
Green darkens three shades, and the alluring almond-shaped pupils shift to fine, vertical slits. The room around us no longer exists, just he and I and the translucent string that connects us. It originates from my heart and weaves its way across the space that separates us, binding me to him for all eternity.
His nose flexes as he inhales a long gulp of air, and a deep growl rumbles in his chest. Before I know what's happening, he loops his arm around my waist and bounds from the room. Behind us, people are calling his name, but he only spins and hisses, his teeth bared, stopping them in their tracks.
I'm disoriented by the time I'm on my feet again, but we're in a well-appointed room with a giant bed against one wall and glass doors lining another. The prince paces near the door, a steady rumble coming from his chest.
I should be terrified.
But I'm not.
His anxiousness is also mine.
He glances my way, our eyes lock, and the cord that binds us solidifies into a visible entity. He leaps across the room with a trill and pulls me into his arms. Honeysuckle that's been warmed by sunshine fills my senses and imprints on my mind.
I'm not sure what's happening.
But I'm powerless to stop it.
I don't want to stop it.
Prince Edward is suddenly the most important thing in my world, and every molecule within me seeks to become one with him. "Please," I murmur, fingers locked into his luscious mane. "I don't…"
"Mine." It's a gruff claim that should snap me out of this daze, but instead, it makes me burn for the unknown.
Nails extend and shred my clothes, my underwear following quickly after. His wandering tongue snakes out, rough like sandpaper, and targets my nipples. Prickly sparks travel down my body and gather in my pelvis, causing wetness to drip from my center. Running his nose along my stomach, a low-frequency rumble builds in his chest, and I nearly cry when I realize what it is.
His purr.
Pupil slits shrink to fine black lines, clear glass green filling his entire eyes. He drops to his knees, panting now, and laps at my juices. His tail encircles my waist, pulling me flush against his velvety nose.
With a deep inhale, his eyes fall closed as he coats his lips in my scent. Hot breath sends shivers coursing through me, and I waver on my feet from the explosion of need that pulses through my body. Impatience flows through our connection, and with a leap, we're across the room.
He pushes me to the bed. "Mine."
My legs are spread, and his head is between my thighs in an instant, tail flicking back and forth in the air, signaling his pleasure. Tensing his tongue, he thrusts the long appendage inside and then flattens the tip to tickle my most secret spot.
I arch from the bed, fingers locked in his mane. "Prince Edward," I moan, thrusting against his mouth. "More. Please."
His purr swells so loudly it fills the room, the sound vibrating his tongue as it picks up speed, thrust, thrust, thrusting in and out of my soaked pussy. Sparks of light flicker at the edges of my vision, just out of reach, and I beg for them to blind me.
"Please, please, please," I chant, nearly incoherent.
He presses down on my stomach, holding me anchored as the first wave batters me. There's another and another until I've come unhinged and am floating in a honeysuckle pond. I've never been more sated in my life, and yet I need more.
I want all of him.
My desire pulses through our connection, and with a snarl, he flips me and pulls my ass in the air. His tail wraps around my ankle, the barbed tip pressing into my skin ever so slightly. I look over my shoulder, trying like hell to see when he unsheathes his glorious cock, but he's inside, filling me like no other ever will.
Much like earlier, the heavy tone of his purr quivers through his being. His thrusts are short and fast, deep and hard, wild and untamed—animalistic. And just when I'm about to pass out from sheer pleasure, he pushes one final time, and a distinctive knot swells from his cock, stretching me to my limits.
There's a slight ache as I adjust to the size, wiggling my hips before pushing back to take it all. He grips my thighs, pointed nails pressing into tender flesh, and releases a possessive growl as he rotates his hips against my ass.
Fireworks erupt behind my lids as another orgasm rocks through me. With every shift of his pelvis, ripples of ecstasy radiate from where we're locked together. His heated breath on my neck causes goosebumps to scatter down my arms, and I'm delirious.
His tongue snakes out and makes slow, easy passes along my shoulders and upper arms, his purr reverberating from his chest to mine. A slow, steady throb pulses from the knot, reinvigorating my spent body. A shimmy of my hips announces my urgency, and my prince push, push, pushes as deep as he can go.
Edward's satisfied purr turns into a low, keening groan that travels directly to my thundering heart, and his burgeoning ecstasy thumps through our connection. Pulses of muted pink light dance behind my lids, a reflection of his building pleasure. His knot throbs, thump, thump, thumping until another orgasm rushes through me.
My rapture sets off his own, and his thunderous roar is deafening just before he digs his canines into my shoulder and comes inside me. Our connection thrums with warmth as pink shifts to deep red, our souls binding together as one.
My name is irrelevant, he knows me.
And I know him.
Inside and out.
Soul to soul.
Mind to mind.
Heartbeat to heartbeat.
The cord that binds us transforms into a full-blown shield that dances around us and shimmers like diamonds. I don't know where I start or where he ends. We're one being now with two like minds, forever entwined and eternally bonded.
The slow pulses ebb and the knot recedes, his cock disappearing into its sheath. Exhausted and spent, we're fully sated for the first time ever. I don't know how much time passes before I come to some semblance of awareness, but when I do, I'm nestled into Edward's chest. The only sign of life is the slow circuit his tail tuft makes up and down my back.
Edward's fingertips brush my arm, and a low snarl snaps through our connection. "Please forgive Jacob." His voice is a deep baritone that wraps me in warmth. "He was only doing his job."
I nod.
Jacob who?
I try really hard to catch his meaning, but it escapes me.
I'm lost.
Swimming with no destination.
Edward lifts a lock of my hair, his nose flexing as he inhales. A low rumble sounds from deep in his chest and it vibrates my entire being, causing tiny pulses of want to flicker to life.
Fuck.
Me.
He smiles, his lips pulling back to reveal two rows of perfectly straight teeth, including four sharp canines. "I'm Edward and you are…"
"Isabella." His smooth tone is buttery delicious, and chills radiate from where we touch. They travel up my arms and down my spine. "My friends call me Bella."
Friends?
Friend.
Rose!
"Rose!" I jump up, our bond pulsing bright orange. "Where is she?"
"Who?" His mood shifts to match my own.
On edge.
Panicky.
"My best friend." Fear fills me with adrenaline, and I frantically search the floor for my clothes. "The applicant!"
It's no use.
They're all shredded.
I move to a nearby dresser, searching for something to put on, but there's nothing.
He doesn't wear clothes.
I can't stay here.
My chest throbs in agony.
"No!" His roar echoes across the empty space between us, marking my soul, and he cages me inside powerful arms. "I can't let you leave."
It should frighten me, but I feel safer than ever before. I don't want to leave him, but I have to find Rose. "Okay." I take a deep gulp of his sweet fragrance, allowing it to center me. "Please, find her. I need my best friend."
Edward's pillowy soft palm rubs a soothing path down my arm and back up again. "She's been recalled," he whispers, his nose nestled in my hair. "We've been requested to return her to Forks."
"No!" I struggle against his hold for the first time. "You can't do this. Royce is insane. I'll never see Rose again."
"I'm sorry, Isabella," Edward offers, his tail brushing ever so slightly against my jaw. "I can't let you go. You belong to me now."
"Then save her." Tears roll down my cheeks, and I turn in his embrace, burying my face in his honeysuckle neck. "Please."
"Come." He takes my hand, and I can barely keep up with his long strides.
Our connection pulses orange when panic rises inside me. "Stop," I say, pulling from his grasp right as he grabs the doorknob. "I'm naked."
His eyes fall, and orange turns to pink as passion burns in his bright green eyes. He licks his lips. "Yes, you are."
Tingles spread in waves over my skin, but I shake my head, refusing to let Rose be returned to Royce. "We can't. She may already be on the way back to him, and we must stop the transport." Tears flow freely down my cheeks at the hopelessness building inside me. "I need clothes. We can't do anything if I'm stuck in here."
Pink fades to black as my mood affects his. "As my one true mate, you'll become the princess of Kingdom Cullen, and that would earn you the right to override a recall, if you chose her to be your personal staff."
"Of course, anything." Hope begins to replace the dread, and our connection basks in it. "What do we need to do?"
"Clothes," he breathes, his heartbeat thundering. "We need to get you covered. I'm fighting every instinct I have by not fucking you this very second." Bright red pulses and flexes. "I'm going to my father, and I'll send in my sister with some things for you."
He closes his eyes to break the connection between us and backs away from my touch. Panic swells inside me. "Don't leave me!"
"Isabella," he whispers, a low purr soothing me. "This is painful for me as well, but please know, you'll never be without me again."
His lips crash into mine, and I sigh, gulping in his delicious taste. His long, agile tongue snakes into my mouth and twirls around my own, thrusting and sliding and driving me mad with need. There is no battle, only compliance as he brands my mouth the same as he has every other inch of my body.
"Fuck," he grunts as he pulls away. "Must. Leave."
He's gone before I can stop him, and I'm glad. Otherwise, I'm not sure I could've let him go. The farther away he moves, the clearer my mind becomes but the tighter the connection between us feels. It's as if I can close my eyes and pinpoint his very location. It's reassuring and makes me wish I had a similar connection with Rose.
I worry and pace.
Stop and listen.
Pace some more.
It feels like forever before there's finally a quiet knock at the door. It isn't Edward because I can feel him elsewhere, so I assume it's his sister. Uncaring that I'm stark naked, I race over and sling it wide.
The princess is different than her brother but also the same. Where he's flowy golden, she's lighter, almost blonde with deep, dark eyes and a much shorter stature, though still larger than me.
"Isabella," she says, holding out something for me to put on. "Is it true?"
I take the item, grateful, but tilt my head at her question. "About Rose? Yes, of course. Royce is a hor—"
"Oh, I believe that." She clasps her hands behind her back as she walks past me into the room, her nose crinkling. "Smells like sex."
"Excuse me," I say, wrapping the thick white robe around my body and tying the belt. "Isn't that how this works?"
She spins, dark eyes questioning. "The mating ritual? I wouldn't know." Her shoulders slump and her voice softens. "None of us do."
"What does that mean?" I've gone from grateful to offended to curious in the span of minutes.
Princess Alice is giving me whiplash.
"No Cullenite has found their one true love in one hundred and seven years." Her eyes are glassy as she blinks back tears.
My heart seizes in my chest. "What?"
"It's true," she says. "So you can see why I'd ask."
I move to the bed, leaning against the edge. "How am I supposed to know?"
Dread builds in my chest, and I start to question everything. The bond between Edward and me turns a muddy brown, distorted by doubt. And that's when I feel him racing my way. My distress is his driving motivation as he leaps through the halls of his home.
The closer he comes, the surer I am. There's no doubt that I'm anything other than his soulmate. Elation thrums inside my chest, stretching through the bright yellow bond and searing his heart. The two organs thump in tune as each stride brings him closer to me.
"Isabella?"
"I do know," I say to the princess, my voice sure and steady. "We are one and the same."
"Fascinating," she muses, studying me like a chemistry book.
Edward bounds into the room, his long legs closing the gap between us in seconds, and he pulls me into his embrace. Honeysuckle invades my senses, and the warm scent brings instant calm.
I nearly weep with joy.
"She's fine," he soothes, running his hands up and down my back. "We were able to radio the transport before it made it to the Kingdom gate. She'll be back at the palace before nightfall."
Burying my face in his chest, I breathe him in.
Rose's savior.
My prince.
"When is the ceremony?" Alice is still here, and I huff a laugh. Edward and I are so tuned in, I'd forgotten about her completely.
"In forty-five minutes," Edward answers her over my head.
"How did you convince Father?"
This is another one of those things that should terrify me, but it doesn't. They're speaking of a ceremony that will make me Princess Isabella of Kingdom Cullen in such a casual manner, but that's because it is. It would physically hurt me to leave his side.
Destiny has spoken.
I'm his.
"It wasn't very hard," Edward assures his sister. "The entire room witnessed my reaction to her scent."
"And heard afterward," she mumbles.
Our bond glows light pink as affection sings between us. "Will you help Isabella prepare for the ceremony?"
I tilt my head up, meeting his gaze. "I won't be naked, will I?"
"No." He hisses his displeasure. "Alice will round you up something more appropriate than this robe."
"I know just the thing," she trills, hurrying for the door. She pauses before exiting. "Welcome to the family, Bella."
"Make sure my mark is visible," Edward calls after her.
I touch the tender spots on my neck where I can still feel the delectable pain of his bite, and it stirs all sorts of wanton feelings inside me. I'd much rather hide away in this haven with Edward than suffer through an entire pomp and circumstance ceremony.
"Will it be like a wedding?"
"I don't think any of us have a clue what the real ceremony should look like, so it'll just be a formal declaration. It's a must if we're to challenge the recall on your friend." A steady hum erupts in his chest as he sits on the bed and I straddle his waist. "I only hope I can refrain from staking my claim in front of everyone."
I should hope so, too.
But I don't.
Not really.
I scoot forward, thrusting my pelvis against his sheathed cock. He's already hard, and I moan at the pressure. "You could stake it now."
"Fuck," he rasps, a low growl rumbling in his chest. "We don't have enough time for all the dirty things I'm going to do to you."
"We can be quick," I whisper, rocking my hips. "I ache so badly."
He tugs at the tie of my robe, indecision flickering through our bond before he yanks it open to expose me. His nails dig into the pivoting flesh, and I don't know if he's going to stop me or help, but his slight pause only makes me wetter. I can already feel my orgasm building in the distance, so I press him to urge me on.
Lips at his soft, tufted ear, I whisper, "Please Edward. Make me come."
His response is immediate, our connection a bright, fiery red. "So fucking hard."
Where he grips me burns deliciously, and a low purr vibrates where we touch. His knot swells, a deep resounding throb building, and he rocks me against it at a frantic pace.
My clit pulses.
His lips ghost my ear, and his strong arms continue to drive me against him over and over. "Do you feel what you do to me? I want you riding me like this all night long."
Ecstasy brims behind my lids, and my head lolls.
My body quivers.
Our bond flexes and snaps.
Sparks ignite.
And I explode, falling, falling, falling until I land in a river of honeysuckle dew that's been kissed by the sun. I'm floating, boneless and carefree, more content than I've ever been.
The purr beneath my ear is so low that I'm sure only I can hear it. He runs his pillowy palm down my back. "You're so fucking hot when you come, Isabella."
Tingles make their way up my spine.
His nose flexes as he inhales. "So receptive," he purrs, lips pulling back to show his teeth. "We're going to have the sexiest fucking life."
A knock sounds before I can respond, and I jump up, pulling my robe closed. "Come in."
Edward slips behind a closed door just as his sister enters. "I found the loveliest material," she says, holding up a roll of pale blue silk. "We'll drape it and adorn it with family jewelry to hold it gathered. You're going to be breathtaking."
"She already is," Edward interrupts, joining us. He looks as fresh as ever, so that must be an ensuite. "I'm going to go to Jacob's room to get ready, love. I'll see you in thirty minutes."
I nod, our bond already turning a muddy color. "I can't wait."
"It's the last wait of your life, my mate." He dips his head and unleashes a heated kiss that I'll remember no matter how many others I get.
It's hot and possessive and downright nasty.
And I love every scintillating second.
He frames my cheeks with his hands when we break apart. "I love you, Isabella."
The sentiment startles me, and mud turns to bright pink as tenderness courses between us. "I love you, too, Prince Edward."
He's gone with a low growl.
"Well," Alice says, peppy and excited, "let's make sure to get you to the ceremony on time."
The first thing she does is shove me into the bathroom for a quick shower. "Sorry, Bella, you smell like sex."
Afterward, she adorns my hair with gemstones, wraps me in silk, applies jewels to hold it in place, and leaves my feet clean but bare. When I look in the mirror, I barely recognize myself, but the glow is evident. Two red indentions stand out prominently just above my clavicle, and I'm proud to have them. My cheeks are full of color and my hair is shiny.
I look young and happy and in love.
She leads me through the hallways of the palace, and I'm stunned when I realize how far away Edward had taken me. Just as I start to recognize my surroundings, two people round the far corner, and my breath lodges in my throat as my best friend spots me.
"Bella," she yells, tears streaming down her cheeks.
It's like a movie.
Both of us take off, arms open, feet racing.
We're in each other's arms in mere seconds, and Rose sobs as I hold her. "I thought I'd lost you."
I rub her back, fighting back my own tears. "Royce will never see you again."
A roar echoes off the palace walls, and the connection between Edward and me strains under his distress. He can feel the cacophony of emotions that run through me, and it has him on edge—cagey and unsure.
I send serene waves of green through the cord.
He settles slightly.
Still impatient.
"What's going on, Bella?" Rose pulls back, wiping her face. "Emmett said something about a ceremony and you saving me. Please tell me you didn't make a deal."
Emmett, the guard from the transport, snorts.
"I didn't make a deal," I reassure her, linking our elbows as I urge her to follow Alice. Edward is pacing like a caged lion. "But something did happen."
"It must not be too bad," she replies, eyes moving over me. "You look beautiful."
"It's not bad at all." The bond between my prince and me strengthens, coiling into a giant ball and lodging in my chest. I feel like I could float away on pure love alone. "Prince Edward and I have bonded for life."
Her feet stop moving, and we come to a halt. "How? What…"
"I don't know how," I reply, shrugging. "It hasn't happened in over a hundred years, but it did. I can feel him, his love for me. It pulses inside me." I tap my chest. "And if you'd like, as Princess of Kingdom Cullen, I can offer you a position as my personal attendant and it will cancel any recall request from Forks."
"Oh, my god." She throws herself into my arms, the waterworks freely flowing once again. "I can't believe this. Yes. Of course, I'll be whatever you need. You're my best friend."
Alice and the guard, Emmett is what Rose called him, take the lead after that. They allow Rose and me the appearance of privacy to murmur among ourselves as we make our way to where the ceremony will be held.
"Who are you and what have you done with my best friend," she whispers, snickering quietly. "I imagined a lot of things when we set out on this trip, but this wasn't on my bingo card."
"Mine either," I reply, shrugging. "But when our eyes met, the world shifted beneath my feet."
"Whoa." She's quiet for a minute, processing. "So that's it? Does that mean all the applicants are dismissed or…"
I huff a laugh, knowing this answer only because Edward's mind is my own. "We haven't discussed it, but yes, they'll be dismissed and compensated for their time." I lean closer, whispering very quietly. "Even that ditsy redhead."
Alice's laughter fills quiet space, and my cheeks heat. "She would've never made the cut." When I tilt my head, confused, she elaborates, "The description was specific, and she didn't live up to it. Had Edward made it to her during the ceremony, he would've cast her out."
"Why?" Rose asks. "Bella's isn't blonde."
"Edward outlined a specific look," Alice replies, falling back to walk beside us. "Bella, here, destroyed that idea, but this,"—she smiles, sighing—"the mating bond, is truly special and better than we could've ever hoped for."
"You don't think it's strange that it occurred with a human?" Rose asks, and I'm glad because I'm so lost in my bond with Edward that I haven't questioned anything.
"Not at all," Alice tells her. "Edward has laid eyes on every female Cullenite in the kingdom, so it wasn't going to happen otherwise."
"Why didn't he just use surrogates from Kingdom Cullen for the breeding program I applied for?" Again, good old Rose with her excellent questions.
Alice's dark, soulful eyes fall. "Our community has shrunken so visibly that we're at risk of inbreeding. So our father decreed that we're to breed beyond our species so that we may thrive."
Alice's reasoning is sound, but I don't miss the glassiness of her eyes. "Something's wrong," I say, touching her arm. "What's bothering you about this?"
"I'd already developed feelings for a fellow Cullenite." A low rumble emits from her chest. "And now, I'm expected to produce children with another species. I don't have a choice."
"Oh, Alice," I say, wrapping my arm across her taut shoulders and pulling her into a side hug. "I'm so sorry."
"It really is okay, Bella." She sighs away the growl. "It hurts, but this experiment has breathed new life into our kingdom, and that's exciting. Who knows, maybe my human is out there too."
"When will male humans be brought in?" Rose is back to questions.
"Not until next year when I'm considered of breeding age."
"Excuse me, ladies," Emmett says. "We've arrived at the ceremony space." He juts out two elbows. "Princess, Rosalie, would you allow me to escort you to your seats?" His cool blue eyes shift to me. "Edward will be out to walk with you momentarily."
Rose squeezes my hand, and I watch my best friend flirt with the canid guard as he leads her into the room. I also noticed he called her Rosalie. No one calls her that, except her mother whom she hates, so there's definitely been some story-sharing happening at some point since he dragged her away from me.
I'll have to keep my eyes on it.
"Bella." My name is whispered in a breath of relief, and I open my arms for my prince to step into. "Finally."
I drink in his scent, every part of me taking him in, reconnecting us on a physical level, the bond snapping tightly around us. "Thank you, Edward," I murmur, flooding him with waves of calm, happy blue. "Rose made it. She's here."
He pulls back from our hug, his tail brushing my bare shoulder. "I may have threatened to do bodily harm if Em didn't get her here before we started." A piano sounds from the open doorway, and Edward's pupils dance in his large round eyes. "It's time. Are you sure you're ready for this?"
Every part of me flushes pink. "There are other things I'd rather do, but it seems this is standing in the way, so yes. I'm ready."
He grips my nape and smashes his lips to mine. "Not for long, my love."
The ceremony really is just a short proclamation from the king. A red silk cord is bound around our wrists, my right to his left, and a passage is recited in their native tongue, which Edward translates for me in a low, gruff voice.
He will be the sun
and you will be the warmth.
You will be the ocean
and he will be the waves.
He will be the air
and you will be the breath.
Whatever you are, you and he
will always be joined.
"I declare my son, Prince Edward of Kingdom Cullen to be forever bound to the new Princess of Kingdom Cullen, Isabella Swan of Forks."
The room erupts into cheers, and Edward and I ignore it, savoring the moment silently between ourselves. Bright, happy yellow sings between our connection, invigorating and ecstatic, before shifting to orange and then pink.
Love surges to the forefront.
And a tear rolls down my cheek.
"Baby," he breathes, his tail brushing my arm. "Please don't cry."
"Happy tears, I promise."
He sways us from side to side, his strong lean fingers gripping my hips tightly. "I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to hold back."
Pink deepens.
Red pulses.
"The need to claim my mate is strong." His voice is tight, strained. "Mine." Wetness gathers between my legs, and he lifts his nose into the air, the nostrils flexing. "You're in heat."
Cool gray confusion pulses in the bond. "I'm human."
He leans down, his lips at my ear. "And I can smell your wet pussy."
I fist his mane, digging my nails into the silken hair. "Then take me, my prince."
"Here?" He lifts his head, eyes scanning the room.
"No."
Edward grabs my hand and stalks from the room. I give Rose a quick smile and wave as I hurry to keep up with his long, determined strides. Every step makes me wetter, my juices leaking down my thigh. Breaths come out in desperate gasps, and I'm slightly delirious with need.
He rounds a corner and presses my back into the wall, his nose skimming my cheek. "They're going to hear us," he warms as I grab for him.
"Don't care." I smash my lips into his.
A low growl rumbles in his throat as I shove my tongue into his mouth. His hands are frantic, tugging at the jewelry that holds pale blue silk in place. I hook my leg over his hip, grinding against his rock-solid cock. Our tongues are already fucking when he snarls and shreds the material so that he can reach where I need him most.
I sigh into his mouth when he shoves a finger inside me, pumping in and out before adding another. His lips leave mine, his rough tongue licking a trail along my jaw before delving into my ear. His husky groan sends shivers racing down my spine as my pussy clamps down on his fingers.
"I can almost taste your come," Edward rasps, his fingers twisting and flexing. "I'm going to fuck you so hard, but I need you to let go for me first." He's practically lifting me with the masterful thrust of his fingers, and I can barely hold myself upright. "Please, Bella."
It's the hoarse plea that sends me into delirium.
My body convulses.
Stars explode.
Deep purple swells around us.
I'm pushed up the wall by two strong hands and brought back down onto his thick cock. He fills me completely, sending my orgasm into the ether and making me burn for another.
Thrust.
Pivot.
Swirl.
"Goddamn, baby," he growls, flexing his hips.
Lifting me up.
Slamming me down.
Filling me so fucking good that I might pass out from the sheer pleasure of taking all of him. But then he swells, and I cry out. Pain and pleasure swirl, a maelstrom of sensations ricocheting through me that lead to another orgasm, this one harder than any before it.
I can barely breathe.
Think.
Feel.
I simply exist.
And then his knot throbs; slow and dull develops into heavy and thundering. And I find myself only to lose it again. He pushes, pivots, and flexes, giving me every pulsing sensation that exists.
A growl builds in his chest.
And as I start to come again, his roar expands around us, his cock pulse, pulse, pulsing his pleasure.
And somewhere among all of this, our bond sings bright green, celebrating the two lives that will soon be growing inside me.
We've done it.
The Cullen line will continue.
Our existence is forever tied in a perfect knot.
The wedding passage is an edited version of "Untitled" by R.M. Drake.
I'm posting this like it was written here for all my readers to check out. I do intend to write more, but this was written with the publishing world in mind… book or Vella? Idk yet… either way, I'll most likely finish it here and pull when it's complete.
New chapters will come eventually (I believe, gotta make sure the muse agrees) … but not until after the final installment of the Endless Summer Nights series, so like late fall probs. I'm happy with where it sits right now to give you a peek and also keep you content as I work on more.
I hope you liked it!
Thanks for reading :)
