Page 93 of Alpha Claimed

CHAPTERTWENTY

APOLLO

Twenty-four hours later, both Apollo and his wolf were exhausted. He could barely lift his arms or sit up. He worked out, but… this was like a ten-hour plank session. He had no idea how many times he and River made love. No idea how he'd managed to get there or get her there so many times. And no idea how neither of them hadn't dehydrated and died.

She'd only been asleep for twenty minutes when a moan escaped her, and his erection twitched. The pain that shot through him made him wince. It surprised him that either of them still had skin left to hurt.

He slid to the edge of the bed and stood. The ceiling and the floor traded places, and he closed his eyes and leaned on the nightstand for support to keep from toppling over.

Not good. The world spun behind his eyelids, and he fought to stay on his feet. After several moments, he swallowed hard and went to the bathroom. Turning on the cold water, he stuck his head under the faucet and let the shock of the spray bring him to his senses. He gulped down several huge mouthfuls, scrubbed his face, and ran his hands through his hair.

Water dripped down his torso, and his muscles shook with fatigue. He wondered how often females went into heat. As much as he loved making love to River, he was pretty sure it would take him at least six months to fully recover from just one night of her being in heat.

River moaned in the bedroom and called his name.

The sound shot straight through him, making his wolf jump to his feet, ready to keep going.

Sorry, bud,said Apollo.The heart is willing, but the body is weak.

His wolf growled as both of them knew what came next.

Trust me. I don't want him near her, but this isn't about us. It's about her. She needs him just like she needed us. We have to do this for her.

His wolf snarled and then whined. Apollo felt the same.

He walked shakily back into his room and grabbed a pair of lounge pants from his dresser. Pulling them on without falling overtook more effort than it should have.

"Apollo," River murmured, pulling her face from the pillow.

Apollo sat next to her on the bed. Her skin radiated heat far greater than when they'd started.

Her eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused.

She looked over him and then frowned. "You're leaving me, aren't you?"

Her words punched him in the gut.

He swallowed hard. "You don't need me now, Kitten. You need him."

River reached for Apollo and pulled his hand to her mouth. She kissed his knuckles before rubbing them on her cheek.

"Maybe… maybe we just need to keep going a bit more," she offered. "Just a few more times, and maybe it will stop."

He chuckled. "Kitten, I don't have a few more times in me. I am more than happy to stay here and give you everything you desire with every other part of my body, but we both know that it wouldn't help."

"But we're mated now."

Apollo couldn't believe the words about to leave his mouth. He willed himself not to speak them even though they were true.

"It's not enough," he finally said. "I'm not enough."

She stared at him and touched his cheek. "Don't say that. I love you, Apollo. You're my mate. You will always be enough."

Apollo's chest squeezed so tight he couldn't get words out. She loved him. He knew she did. But for some reason, it didn't matter. The Moon Goddess decided that River's fate wasn't tied to him alone but to Ares as well. He'd tried so hard to deny it. Tried so hard to make it not true. But it didn't matter. In the end, she belonged to both of them. And no matter how many more hours he spent trying to relieve her need until she had Ares, it wouldn't stop.

"I'll be back," he said.

"Where are you going?"