Yes, this was it. Making love to her was blissful, but this—this was life itself. Protecting her from harm was a powerful instinct, but the raw, unrelenting rhythm of mating his fertile Breeder until she could no longer bear it was every bit as strong.

When he finally came, roaring from primal need to voice his claim yet again, she’d long since lost the ability to scream. The final climax he pushed from her shuddering pussy was only accompanied by her hoarse cry and weakly convulsing body.

Kain collapsed on top of her, only barely remembering to catch most of his weight on his arms before he crushed his small female.

Everything was bliss. Bliss, and calm.

The mating after the auction had been immediately followed by the urge to shield her from his kin, but this time there was nothing to stop the rush of hormones flooding his system. He belonged here, inside of her, protecting her body and bathing in the light of her soul for as long as he remained on this Earth.

“That was beyond amazing.”

Selma’s sleepy voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he nuzzled at his mate’s hair to let her know he was listening.

“I told you you were worrying over nothing.”

Worrying? Kain frowned. Why would he be worrying? He’d never been this unworried in his entire life.

It wasn’t until Selma moved a little and gasped in pain when his ridges caught inside of her that he remembered.

The monster within, the one that’d reveled in pounding her ruthlessly as she screamed, had fought its way to the surface despite his promise to never force her like he had at the auction.

“Forgive me.” He spoke the words before he could stop himself, biting down hard on his lip after they escaped. He did not deserve forgiveness—not when he couldn’t feel truly sorry while his body was still light from having claimed his mate so thoroughly.

“What?” She sounded astounded. “Forgive you for what, exactly? The mind-blowing sex?”

“I was rough with you,” he growled as self-hatred nestled heavily in his stomach. He was exactly like his father, and he’d ruin this woman like his father had ruined his mother by his mere presence in her life—because clearly, he was too weak to stay away from her.

As gently as he could, he lifted off her, pulling his softening member from her swollen channel.

She winced at the slow process, fidgeting until he finally popped out of her and his semen dripped out to soothe her red opening.

When he rolled to his back and hid his face in his hands, Selma scoffed—and then she wrapped her soft body around his, her head resting over his heart.

“Some demon you are,” she murmured, “apologizing for being a bit rough. You didn’t hurt me—you know that, right? I’m not some fragile little flower.”