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***
"I promise not to knot you."
The words should have been reassuring—a vow of restraint—but instead, they sent a pang of disappointment through his heart. As if his ovulating body was rejecting the idea. Because looking at Deroki, seeing him willing to "help" him during this time made his breath hitch, his stomach twisting in ways he couldn't explain.
He wanted to insist on denying the King, insist that he go and leave him with his vises but no, his mouth refused to form the words. Because every muscle in his body wanted to surrender to this Alpha, this god, this epitome of maniless.
The heat that burned through his body made every sensation sharper, every breath heavier. His skin prickled under Deroki's gaze, his presence a force that left Gabe feeling vulnerable yet achingly aware of every inch of his own body.
Deroki stepped closer, his dark eyes unreadable. The flickering lanterns in the room cast shadows over his sharp features, the glow reflecting the quiet hunger simmering beneath his careful restraint. Gabe could see it, feel it in the air between them—this thick, unspoken tension, stretching taut like a string about to snap.
Gabe swallowed hard, his pulse a frantic rhythm in his ears. The way his body was singing for Deroki, the way goosebumps rose on his arms, it was nothing but his body betraying him. Gabe leaned subtly into the warmth radiating from the king before him.
The memory of his own hands, folded in prayer for Deroki, flashed through his mind. Yes, he had spent years in worship, whispering his devotion into the quiet of his room. The image that flashed through his mind was entirely different. Temple halls, wearing ancient clothes him underneath the huge godly form of Deroki as he thrust inside him. Gods, he didn't know where is image came from but it felt way too familiar. Way too real.
"Come here," Deroki murmured, his voice a low, velvety whisper.
Gabe hesitated for only a breath before Deroki reached for him, tilting his chin up with careful fingers. The touch was gentle but firm, grounding him even as it sent a shiver racing down his spine.
Then, Deroki kissed him.
It started soft, a featherlight brush of lips that stole the air from Gabe's lungs. But it didn't stay gentle for long.
The moment Gabe responded, the kiss deepened—hungry, searching. A warmth bloomed inside him, spreading through his veins like fire. He barely stifled a whimper as his hands fisted into the fabric of Deroki's robes, clinging to him as though he were the only thing tethering him to reality.
Deroki tasted like something rich and intoxicating, his touch like embers against Gabe's fevered skin. He was losing himself in the sensation, in the heat, in the sheer weight of the moment.
Deroki's hands skimmed down his arms, his grip firm but not demanding. Every touch sent another wave of sensation crashing through him, his body responding before his mind could catch up. The ache inside him only grew, twisting deeper, more insistent.
And then—Deroki pulled away.
Gabe gasped at the loss, his lips tingling, his body trembling with unspent energy. His lashes fluttered as he looked up, breathless, dazed.
Deroki's gaze was darker now, filled with something dangerous. Something Gabe wasn't sure he was ready to name.
"Lay down," Deroki murmured, his voice thick with promise. "Let me take care of you."
Gabe's heart pounded, his body swaying slightly, but he didn't resist as Deroki guided him back, his touch reverent, worshipful in a way that made Gabe feel cherished and undone all at once.
Tonight, he wasn't a mere mortal praying to his god.
Tonight, his god was answering.
***
"Look at me, love," Deroki whispered, his voice steady, grounding. It cut through the fog of need clouding Gabe's mind, pulling him back from the edge.
Deroki hovered over him, a solid presence against the hard mattress of the maid's quarters, but Gabe barely registered his surroundings. There was only him—Deroki—watching him with dark, consuming eyes.
"Let me see you," the god-king murmured. "Let me see what I do to you."
The words sent a shiver down Gabe's spine. He was unraveling beneath Deroki's touch, losing himself in the slow, calculated way the king moved. And yet, Deroki remained in control. Confident. Composed.
It should have been infuriating, the way he held all the power. But instead, it made heat pool in Gabe's stomach, pride swelling in his chest. That hunger in Deroki's gaze, that sharp edge of admiration—it was for him.
Gabe's breath stuttered as Deroki's expert hands mapped over his body, fingers grazing, teasing, exploring with a reverence that left him trembling. Every touch sent another bolt of sensation through him, a slow, torturous build-up that made him arch, his hips shifting restlessly against the mattress.
"Stay still, love," Deroki growled softly, threading his fingers through Gabe's hair, keeping him grounded.
Gabe let out a strangled noise, his lips parting as Deroki tilted his face up, holding him in place with a touch that was firm but tender.
"Use your words," Deroki coaxed, his lips ghosting over Gabe's jaw. "Let me hear you."
"I... I can't," Gabe whispered, voice wrecked, his entire body coiled tight with anticipation.
Deroki's eyes darkened, amusement flickering in the depths. "Can't?" His touch stilled, and the absence of sensation sent a frustrated whimper spilling from Gabe's lips.
"What do you want me to say?" Gabe gasped, breathless.
"Tell me how good I make you feel," Deroki murmured, his fingers tracing slow, torturous patterns over Gabe's skin. "Tell me you want more."
Gabe's face burned, his body shuddering at the weight of the words. He squeezed his eyes shut, overwhelmed, but Deroki wouldn't allow it.
"No," the king whispered, his tone commanding yet gentle. "You don't get to hide from me. Look at me."
Gabe struggled against the pull of sensation, but he forced his eyes open, locking onto Deroki's. The god-king's expression was unreadable, something raw and possessive lurking beneath the surface.
Gabe swallowed hard, his breath coming in uneven pants. "Don't tease me, Your Majesty," he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper. "I think I'm dying."
Deroki chuckled, low and rich, his gaze turning molten. "You're too quick to die, love," he murmured. "We've only just begun."
And then, just as Gabe thought he would finally shatter, Deroki pulled away.
The sudden loss of contact made Gabe gasp, his body throbbing with unresolved tension. But Deroki didn't leave. Instead, he sat beside him, his movements slow, deliberate, as he traced gentle fingers along Gabe's flushed skin.
"This should help you sleep tonight," Deroki said, his voice quieter now, steadier. "Tomorrow, you'll send for the healer. You need a higher dosage of suppressants."
His tone left no room for argument, but there was something softer in his gaze, something almost... tender.
Gabe turned his head, meeting those dark eyes. And in that moment, the truth hit him like a punch to the chest.
He was falling in love with him.
Deeply. Hopelessly.
And there was nothing he could do to stop it.