Under His Reign

by Willow Winters

Genres: Shifters

Synopsis

From the best selling author of To Be Claimed and All He'll Ever Be, Willow Winters, comes the next gripping fantasy romance with heat and lust in this twisted tale.

Power and riches mean nothing if you have nothing to live for.

A lifetime of wealth beyond imagine and a throne to rule have kept the pain at bay. With a tragic beginning I was prepared for a tragic end: the death of our kind and the final reign of the dragons.

And then there was her.

She's only a pawn in a greater war, a captive and completely at my mercy.

Her striking eyes are filled with hatred, but she can’t hide her heat. And I can’t hide my desire. Nor can I contain a fire I thought had long ago been extinguished.

I will burn the world before I let anyone take her from me.

 

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Release date: October 24, 2023

Print pages: 252

Sample

Prologue

 

Alec

 

At the Estate of the Authority

 

Asmall knock on the door makes my pen slip on the paper. I tap it against my desk as I watch the door part and open. I knew she wouldn’t wait for me to answer. My love, my beautiful little love. She pushes the door open with her gorgeous backside as she steadies the tray in her hands. An asymmetrical grin pulls at my lips. “You’ve brought me tea again? It’s nearly midnight.” I click the home button on my phone to double check—1:34 a.m. I close my eyes tightly and sigh in irritation. Time has gotten away from me yet again.

“It’s chamomile, Alec. You need to relax”—Isabella gently places the silver tray on the edge of the desk before slipping her petite frame between my legs—“and come to bed.” Her wide brown eyes find mine, as she lifts herself up to sit her lush ass in the center of the desk. I settle my forehead on her chest and wrap my arms around the small of her back. She runs her small hands through my hair and whispers, “Why don’t you come to bed with me tonight?”

I pull away from her warmth to look into her gorgeous eyes. “You know why.”

“But they’re going to find out regardless of what we do. You can’t stop it, Alec.”

“They’ll take you from me if they know how much you mean to me.” My blue eyes plead with her to understand. I kiss the dip in her neck, just below her throat. We’ve had this same conversation over and over. Sighing deeper, I sit back in the leather seat, readjusting. A frown mars my face. As a sorcerer, I am never to love or have companionship. It clouds the visions and intentions. Never in my life did I feel tempted…until her.

“They’re going to take me, Alec.” Her tone is mournful but absolute. With her hand slipping over mine, she adds, “You are not taking advantage of the time we have now.” Even as she states the tragic truth, happiness is evident on her face. She doesn’t fear her death, but I do. I can’t allow it to happen. I will do everything to protect her. Even if that means denying what I desire most.

“I can’t risk you.” I take her small hand in mine and kiss the gentle pulse of her wrist. She maneuvers herself and settles in my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing my cheek. Suppressing a groan of want and temptation, I resist moving at all. Not to pull her in closer and certainly not to push her away.

“It’s not up to you. The seers are never wrong.” I refuse to look at her as she speaks, so I stare at the back wall. It can’t be true. I won’t allow it to be true. The antique clock seems to tick louder and louder as I watch the time pass. There must be something I can do to prevent the fate the seers gave her. There’s always a way.

Loving her is a death sentence. One we both knew when temptation beckoned us.

She tilts my head with her small and dainty fingers on my chin so I’m forced to look into her eyes. “They’ll come for you once the war starts, and they’ll find me.” Her gaze searches mine. “You can’t stop it, just like you can’t stop this war.”

My response is harsher than I intend. “I won’t let them find you. I won’t.”

“So you’ll keep me locked away?” Her warm breath and sultry voice harden my cock instantly. Her fingertip plays along my lips before traveling down my chin and throat until it reaches the dip of my throat. She leans into my ear and whispers, “Will you keep me chained, Alec?” The image of her naked and bared to me is my undoing.

“Do you want me to chain you, Isabella?” My tone is smooth and teasing, although my heart beats faster with lust.

“I want you to let me love you while I can.” She scoots off my lap and onto the floor, settling between my legs. I place my hands on my thighs, my fingertips dig in, holding me still while she runs her hand over the bulge in my dark gray pants. Her firm breasts are pressed together, barely covered as the thin cloth of her linen robe slips down. Isabella is relentless in her need; she pushes my thighs farther apart. 

“Bella.” There’s a trace of a warning in my voice, but she rises on her knees and places a gentle kiss on my chest just as the word leaves my mouth. The love in her action makes her name sound like a prayer as it passes by my lips.

When my eyes slowly open, I find hers still on me. “Please love me.” Her bright eyes are filled with a sadness that’s never there. My heart sinks and I immediately push the chair back, the legs grating on the old wood floors of my office. I get on my knees, carrying her with me, then cradle her face in my hand.

“You know I love you. I love you more than anything this world has for me.” My lips are just inches away from hers. She must know how much I love her; every chance I see her, I tell her of my devotion. She’s my world, my everything. I search her eyes for the acceptance of my words, but tears brim there instead, and I feel a tightness in my chest; a hard lump grows in my throat.

“Then make me yours, Alec.” Her head falls against my shoulder as sadness overwhelms her. I wrap my strong arms around her and kiss her hair as she buries her face into my chest. Her small body shakes in my arms. Pain flows through me. I’ve never questioned anything in my life. I’ve been granted so much power, so much wealth, and so much control. Every action has been made with determined intent. But she weakens my resolve, clouds my thoughts, and makes me question everything.

“Bella, once we start this…” She leans into me, her breasts heaving with her every breath.

“I know.” Her wide eyes plead with me. “I know, Alec, and I still want it. I only want you.”

I pull us both up and sit back in my chair with her on my lap. I take her lips with mine and bring her legs to straddle me, so I can rock myself against her. I’m rewarded with a gentle moan, the most pleasurable sound. Her fingers pull at my hair as her mouth devours mine. With a possessive grip on her hips, I rock her against me, teasing both of us. “Please,” she whispers in the air between us, gasping for breath.

Hearing those words on her lips is what brings me to fold. She will be my undoing. I know this, yet I can’t help myself.

With one arm under her ass, I carry her. I use the other arm to wipe everything off my desk. It scatters recklessly as my heart rages and adrenaline scorches my veins.

“I’ve wanted to take you on my desk every day you’ve stepped foot in my office.” I pull away from her as I set her on the desk and slowly take my clothes off. Her heavy breathing and the blood rushing in my ears are all I can hear as I unbuckle my pants. She watches, her pouty lips dropping as my clothes fall to a puddle on the floor. She follows suit, slipping off her robe and revealing herself. I can’t resist her. Her lush, pale breasts fit my hands perfectly. Her soft, pink nipples are small and peak easily as I pinch them between my fingers and pull, marveling at how perfectly they harden. She bites into her bottom lip, her head falling forward as I toy with her. I lean down and take one nipple in my mouth as she arches her back and moans.

As I lose suction, I pull

back and let it pop out of my mouth.

“Alec,” she moans and I tisk her, “Quiet.” I rub her clit through the thin lace that’s soaked with her arousal. “You’ll be quiet, won’t you, my little love?” The vampires are gone, no longer on the estate, but I can’t allow anyone to hear.

This is for us. Only for us.

“I’ll be quiet, Alec. I promise.” She squirms, eager and wanton.

“Be still.” Her lips part as I pull my hand away to gently remove her undergarment. “Lie back and spread your legs for me.”

She easily obeys. Her blonde hair lays like a halo around her and her hands pinch her nipples, keeping them hard. The sight of her pleasuring herself has my dick harder than steel and begging to be inside of her. I lean down and suckle her clit while pushing a finger inside. Her hymen keeps me from fully entering her and makes me groan against her heat. Her tight walls pulse around my finger as she nearly reaches climax from just the vibrations of my groan on her clit.

“Good girl.” I lick her arousal off my fingers as I pull back, towering over her, knowing all too well what I’m about to do. Planting soft kisses on her belly and up the curve of her waist, I finger fuck her, my thumb on her clit, until she comes undone for me. Her thighs shake and I nip her, not enough to leave a mark, but enough to stifle my groan.

A blush rises up her chest as I line up my dick. Her head thrashes with the waves of her orgasm overwhelming her. I should do it now. I should rip through her virginity and take her while she’s lost in pleasure. The head of my dick stretches her walls as my thumb presses mercilessly against her clit. Her mouth parts and I know she’s going to scream from the intense sensation, so I quickly cover her mouth with mine and thrust all of me into her. In one swift move, I take what’s mine. Her back bows and I muffle her cries with my kiss. I’m still buried deep inside her and continue to rub her hardened nub. Her pussy pulses around my dick and slowly stretches to fit me.

I pull away slightly to look down at her. Her eyes are closed tightly as she continues to pant. Her skin is flushed a beautiful pink and her plump lips are parted. The sound of her shallow pants makes me worry that she’s in too much pain. ...