ONE NIGHT STAND WITH HOT DUKE-Chapter 32: The Nest

Days slipped by since their return from the battlefield. Now, Demian Morvex and Valerie Austin secluded themselves in the northern territories, far from the noisy celebration awaiting the Duke in the capital.

For Demian, none of those accolades mattered his ancient blood hummed with a primal call, urging him back to the sanctuary of his domain, to the lair where the mating season ignited every nerve ending with relentless hunger.

Outside, snow blanketed the earth in cold, silent drifts, but within Duke Morvex’s chambers, there raged a feverish blaze of lust that knew no restraint. Each night blurred into the next, a delirious dance between heated embraces and wild, unending desire.

Every corner of that room echoed with the music of their pleasure: moans, guttural cries, the sound of bodies colliding in a frenzy that tore the cold apart and filled the air with animal heat.

Valerie rode Demian with the abandon of a goddess drunk on sin, her form arching atop his heaving chest, hips grinding down as if to brand him as hers.

Demian’s hands mapped every inch of her flesh, leaving red trails along her waist, thighs, and the swell of her breasts. Their mouths devoured each other, lips bruising and tongues tangling in wet, possessive kisses while the taste of sweat and sex thickened the air, drowning out all sense of reality.

There was no pause in their union, as if the world outside simply ceased to exist, only two bodies locked in an endless cycle of pleasure and longing, desperate to consume and be consumed. Valerie screamed his name as Demian flipped her with beastly strength, taking her from behind and driving himself even deeper into her.

Every thrust was a pagan worship, a reckless offering to gods of lust that demanded more, always more. They clawed, bit, and ravaged one another, each climax only fuelling the next wave of raw, ravenous need.

Only survival instincts forced them apart for brief moments to gulp down water or food. But as soon as those necessities were sated, they were swept right back into the maelstrom of carnality erotic cries and ragged breaths once again filling the air, woven with the rhythm of a bed that shook to the tempo of their wild communion.

In the heart of the northern winter and the throes of the mating season, that chamber became a new battlefield not for blood, but for pleasure and the fierce melding of two souls unwilling to separate.

Night after night vanished in a wordless liturgy of flesh and hunger, their bodies speaking the only truth that mattered: a relentless, unending symphony of sex and surrender.

Valerie opened her eyes slowly, her eyelids still heavy as if she had been dragged out of a dream that refused to let her go. The bed beside her was empty, cold, unoccupied. Her breath halted for a moment. Ever since she began staying in this room, Demian had always been close, even during her most restless nights.

He left?

The question circled in her head until the door opened. Sera and Lira hurried inside, still graceful and respectful, relief flooding their faces when they saw Valerie awake.

"Did the Duke leave?" Valerie asked softly. There was a faint fear there one she didn’t fully understand.

"Yes, My Lady," Sera replied with a small bow. "The Duke went out to inspect the territory. The sky is clear today, and there is no storm."

Valerie nodded, though her chest felt tight as if an invisible string had been pulled taut inside her. She rose slowly, supported by Sera and Lira as they fixed her hair, her clothes, and draped a warm cloak around her. She had been living in this snowbound castle for several days now, sharing a room with Demian... as if it were the most natural thing in the world. But every time she looked into the mirror, she still saw a woman who didn’t know where she was supposed to stand.

Once ready, she headed to the dining hall. Her footsteps echoed softly through the corridor, and the moment she entered the hall, dozens of eyes turned toward her.

Everything paused, servants, soldiers returning from duty, even a few noble guests. Their gazes were a mixture of curiosity, disdain, mockery, and... envy. Valerie took her seat quietly, trying to focus on the food in front of her. But the whispers drifted to her regardless, sliding through the air like a wind that knew every crack.

The Duke’s mistress...Even though he has a legitimate fiancée...Shameless...

Valerie lowered her gaze. Strangely, the pain didn’t hit as sharply as before. Maybe she was getting numb. Or... maybe someone had made her feel worthwhile, even if only for a few fleeting days.

"Do you enjoy the meal, Lady Valerie?" a gentle yet dignified voice asked.

Valerie lifted her head.

Edward the castle’s head steward, approached with a look of genuine concern.

"Yes... it’s good," Valerie replied with a small, polite smile, barely noticeable.

"If it’s good, then why aren’t you finishing it?" Edward asked not in a reprimanding tone, but with the worry of an uncle watching a child force themselves to eat.

Valerie swallowed. "I don’t really like venison," she admitted softly. "The taste is too... strong."

Edward nodded in understanding."Then I shall adjust your meals starting tomorrow. We can prepare chicken, warm soups, or anything you find more comfortable."

"That’s not necessary," Valerie said quickly, bowing her head. "I don’t want to trouble anyone. This is already more than enough."

Edward regarded her quietly for several second the look of an adult who recognized a young person desperately trying not to take up any space in the world.

"I understand," he murmured. "But please allow me to at least ensure you eat properly. This castle is cold, and your body needs strength."He bowed slightly before stepping away.

Valerie stared at her plate, a tight ache forming in her chest.She was no one here.No rights.No status.Even her voice felt small.

But somehow... Demian’s face surfaced in her mind.The way he looked at her as if she mattered.The way he held her in front of everyone, uncaring of any eyes watching.

And for the first time since she woke that morning...

Valerie hoped he would return soon.