ZARAMANNI (BOOK ONE)

“You are back.” Laura’s voice hit King Darren’s ears, and her voice made the throne room feel less lonely.

Blinking hard to kill the strain in his eyes which he was certain were bloodshot, his head darted toward his wife who was dressed quite seductively, her short gown jumping while she walked.

“You left without saying a word,” she said.

When her feet ended up in front of the large couch that was placed behind the Alpha’s throne, her head ducked slightly and she locked gazes with her husband who reached for her hands and quickly pulled them until she was straddling him.

He began to caress her milky skin and as he stared into her light-coloured eyes that reminded him of the half-fairy, Darren decided to let go of his search for sleep.

Since he arrived at the palace, he had not found sleep. For two days, his eyes only closed, but they never drove him to a blissful state of slumber.

“I missed you, Darren.” He heard Laura say while he thanked the heavens that his raging beast was quiet.

It would have been hard for him to deal with both his wolf and his lack of sleep.

So, Darren looked up at his wife who caged his sharply curved jaw in her palms, and he decided to replace his lack of sleep with something else.

It seemed Laura was yet to put a stop to her talking as she said, “So much has happened since we came back from Amarxona and…”

His right hand briskly found the roots of her short hair. Gently gathering a handful, Darren made his wife’s lips lean toward his, and without hesitation, he kissed her. For some reason, her lips felt like a stranger’s. But, he soon felt her warmth and he captured her lips with desire.

His other hand drew her closer to him and he could feel her naked pussy pressing against his clothed groin.

Luna Laura was excited about the way things were going. So, with haste, she began to fiddle with the buttons that securely held his dark-coloured trousers.

“I have missed you so much, Darren,” she whispered as his lips traveled from her chin to her neck, his teeth biting her at certain points he knew drove her crazy to the point that her breath got ragged. “These days…” her breath became irregular, halting her intention to pull his trousers down, “… I never see you around.”

Laura soon pulled down his trousers without the need to turn or leave her position. And King Darren, who was yet to say a word, made her back arch into his palms. Laura stretched her upper body and allowed her husband to pull her seductive gown off her body.

When that piece of clothing was gone, Darren quickly latched his lips onto the softness of her breasts. Burying his head into those charming bosoms for a second, Darren gave her skin a single lick while his head felt embraced by her breasts more and more.

Then, his lips and fingers went back to pleasantly torturing her nipples. As he licked one, he fondled the other, his hand occasionally digging into the softness of her full breast.

Laura, whose head was thrown backward as she moaned her husband’s name with delight, managed to reach for his exposed dick which was almost erect to her satisfaction. Shifting gently, she locked eyes with Darren, and with that gaze maintained, she took her right palm to her mouth.

With a lustful look in her eyes, her tongue coated her fingers.

Darren resumed playing with her breasts, or sometimes, her skin, and Laura reached for his cock and began to stroke him.

“Ugh…” Darren’s first utterance since his wife came in was a groan which communicated the strain he felt in his manhood as Laura ably stroked him, her palm moving at a pace that shot Darren out of his desire to find some sleep.

“Yes!” Laura screamed when Darren dug his fingers into her waist and made his tongue probe the hollowness of her belly button. As her body jumped, she cried, “Right there.”

Her groin melted into his skin and she danced erotically as her face showed that she was indeed pleasured.

Soon, Darren could feel some of her juices on his skin, and his dick was more responsive with veins popping to indicate how close he was to feeling a release.

With no intention to continue their foreplay, Darren quickly got up, and expertly, he changed their position. His dick probed her from behind and her jiggly buttocks teased his sight. Laura held onto the decorative arcs that rested on top of the couch. The rest of her body frolicked toward his protruding member which she was desperate to accept.

With his hands on her butt cheeks, Darren guided himself into her hole and with a loud moan of satisfaction, Laura clenched her walls around his torturing length.

King Darren’s long hair came loose from the bun it was packed into and when some strands hit his face, he huffed to drive that distraction away. Then, he went deeper into her pussy and groaned while cursing, “Fuck…” He went deeper and his eyes shut tightly. “You are so tight, Zaramanni.”

The Alpha was about to begin a rhythmic and rapid penetration to help him feel that incoming release when Laura whipped her head toward him, a deep frown on her forehead.

“Seriously?” she asked.

“What is it?” Darren found it inconvenient that she wasn’t staying the way he wanted her to. Securing his hold on her buttocks, he shifted her body.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” she instantly flared when he placed his tip at the entrance of her hole, ready to get some action.

“What is it, Laura?” He watched with some sort of horror on his face as she left her position and stood upright, her hand already reaching for her gown that was sprawled on the floor.

“Are you in love with her now?”

“What on are you talking about?” Darren watched her swiftly put on her gown, and he wondered what he would do about his erection if she eventually walked out on him.

“Really? You just freaking uttered that girl’s name when we were having sex!”

Darren’s eyes narrowed as he pondered her ridiculous claim. When did he ever mention the girl’s name? He was aware that Zaramanni was part of his brief visit to the manor in a way he didn’t like, but why would he mention her name when he was with the woman he loved?

“Unbelievable.” Laura scoffed, her hair being swept to the back with her right hand. “You can’t even deny it. Is this what you wish to do to me?”

“Laura, I don’t know how that happened,” Darren took a cautious step toward his wife, “but I didn’t mean to say her name. I might not remember it, but…”

“The fact that you don’t remember says it all, Darren!” Laura exclaimed, her eyes now wearing a mix of anger, sadness, and confusion. “She is on your mind. You want her.” Her loud voice turned into a whisper on the last statement.

“Laura, please…” Alpha Darren felt confused as well at that point. He failed to recall what he uttered, he failed to resonate with the things Laura was saying. But, he didn’t wish for her to walk away from him at that point.

With the mysterious palace murder and the Overlord’s unexpected death, he could already feel his kingdom rushing toward her doom. He barely had people holding hands with him to assure him things were going to be good. Laura was the only person that soothed him during hard times in the past and he needed her to do the same in the coming days.

So, he didn’t want to watch her walk out of the throne room with such tension between them.

“Laura, I…”

She scoffed as her eyes fell on something that was positioned around his hands.

The moon decided to have bad timing. Its rays flew past the numerous windows in the large room and the one that came from the framed glass behind them landed on Darren, revealing The Red Thread.

“That must be the reason…” Laura raised her hands and displayed them in the light. She didn’t have the thread. “She must be your mate. So, what?” The look in her eyes pained him, the strain in her voice made his heart ache. Darren hated to see her distressed. “Are you going to marry your true mate? You already imagine yourself having sex with her, it would be thrilling to have her in your bed every night.”

“Laura!” The King bellowed, his hands pulled into fists as he dragged his eyes off the lengthy thread. “You are the only one I have ever loved.” Discomfort settled in his throat and his thick brows twitched. “You are the only one for me. I don’t like that girl in the way you think. I never did. I will never like her.”

“Darren…” His Luna sniffled quietly. “Ever since the moon’s brightness came back, my wolf yearned for you. We may not be destined mates, but each time she feels the moon’s powers, she pulls me toward you, asking for your love each time.” The water that clouded her eyes made Darren’s heart break some more.

What was going on? He wondered.

Why was his mind so distorted to the point that he was uttering the name of a girl he barely regarded?

“I should get going. I need to sleep.”

“Laura, please, don’t…”

“I want to rest. We can talk later,” she said, shutting him up before he could say one-third of the things he wished to tell her.

As he watched her leave through the door she came in from, his legs lazily shifted until he was standing beside his throne. A hand placed on the gold-plated designs on the head of the royal chair, Darren began to ask himself questions.

But while he pried into his mind, he felt his chest tighten in a painful way. A gagging sound followed as he clutched his chest, his buttocks feeling the chilliness of the night’s breeze.

Darren’s knees gave in and touched the specially designed floor which wore colourful lines connected to depict the royalty in Zenrada.

His sharp gaze grazed through the huge space ahead and King Darren found himself unable to fight the battle within him after some seconds.

So, with his head resting against the arm of the chair, he gave in.

His gaze maintained on the huge doors at the end of the room, he felt the overwhelming power of his wolf who he prayed wouldn’t cause chaos once out in the wild.

As he slipped into a state of unconsciousness, the King’s hearing ironically became sharper. So, in addition to the sound of moving feet and some distant howls, he heard his wolf’s eerie voice whisper the words, “Zaramanni is ours.”

Then, he fell into a deep slumber- the very thing he had been searching for desperately.

~

Zaramanni took a few steps away from the mirror she found standing in an odd place while she was walking toward the library.

She stared at her image and saw the small cursive mark sitting at the base of her neck, reminding her of the unexpected sensual moment she shared with Zoey by the riverside.

Zara was yet to forget the last word he said before they both fell into a silence that was muddled with their impatient breaths.

’Mate.’

She was yet to forget the way she felt when he uttered that word. She felt something fly inside her, it was weird yet it felt right.

Taking her eyes off her image, Zara smiled widely and resumed her journey to the library.

But, as her happy footsteps moved, she felt a huge nudge against her shoulder. She nearly hit the ground from that impact.

Zara turned and her eyes met the behind of a plump, tall woman who ran in a way that made Zara curious. As the rather thunderous steps of the woman became faint, Zaramanni got the urge to follow her.

It was odd. She didn’t wish to do so, but something within her pushed her until her feet started to run after the woman.

Zaramanni ran until her legs led her away from the main building.

When the strong breeze of the calm night greeted her, Zara quickly halted her feet, her heart racing while her eyes scanned the large space ahead.

The soft grass beneath her bare feet felt itchy but she ignored that feeling as she searched for the woman who seemed to have disappeared.

Since there was nothing more to be seen, Zaramanni gave up and decided to approach her intended location. But definitive sounds reached her ear. They were strong flapping sounds that became louder and louder as seconds passed.

Eyes squinted with confusion, Zara looked around the space which had trees fencing its large area. The ground she stood on was a part of the manor she was yet to know about.

But then, what was there to see?

Apart from the greenery of the trees’ leaves, there was nothing much to see.

But, at that moment, it seemed that something unusual was about to happen.

So, Zaramanni listened with sharp ears.

And she heard a faint whisper of her name.

Swiftly, her head turned.

There was no one behind her or beside her.

Then, a strong wind blew past her and made her loose gown glue against her body in a way that outlined her hidden nakedness. Even her hair was a mess.

By the time Zara faced her front, her eyes widened instantly, and a loud gasp escaped from her lips. Shocked beyond reason, her hands cupped over her mouth, and she looked up at the huge sight in front of her.

Eyes wearing the brightness fire usually had, the enormous creature had its wings dragging on the ground before it flapped them and had them resting against its dark scaly body that was coated with gold in certain areas, especially around its defined, long throat that moved strongly.

Zaramanni’s sight was limited because the creature blocked the moonlight, but those eyes… they were all she could see. Positioned firmly, those eyes gave the creature’s rough face a dangerous look, it gave an aura of one who should be feared.

Zara did fear it. She was scared of its sudden presence. But, the more she stared at the creature which stared back with patience in its webbed stance, the more she felt intrigued.

It was the first time she saw a creature so huge. Ever since she came to the new universe, her sight had been limited to the human form of the wolves.

Zaramanni was about to fearlessly walk toward the creature when its mouth opened and said, “Hello, Zaramanni,” with a voice that instantly made her feel dread and halted her intentions to explore the creature’s presence.