The Consort
Chapter 56: Opening

Five months later:

“Wake up.” I whisper, poking at his shoulder.

Heloix doesn’t move, choosing instead to pretend like he’s still asleep. Sighing, I remind him that he is forcing me to do this before roughly shoving my fingers into his sides, tickling him.

He jerks away at my touch, quickly rolling over to the other side of the bed.

“Heloix.” I snap, climbing on the bed and crawling over to his body. “Get up.”

His left eye creaks open as he sneaks a peek at me. I spot the corners of his lips turn up slightly as he tries to hold back a smile, his amusement felt strongly through our bond. I crawl my way on top of his body and plop down on his chest, peering down at him over my large belly.

He lifts his hands and presses them against my stretched skin, his eyes shining as the baby kicks at his palm.

“We don’t need to be up for another hour.” He pouts, sliding his hand down suggestively.

I reach down and grab his wrist, stopping him. He groans at my actions, rolling his eyes dramatically as he tries again with his other hand. I reach out and stop that one as well, not in the mood.

“It’s been days, Addie.” Heloix sighs. “My cock is growing cobwebs.”

I shake my head, refusing to give in.

“I want to get there early to make sure everything is set up correctly.”

Heloix pushes me back a couple of inches, moving me from his chest to his hips so he can sit up. He wraps his arms around my waist and presses me against him. I blush as my bump gets in the way, embarrassed at how big I’ve gotten.

A low growl reverberates out from his chest, his Beast unhappy with the dislike I have for my body.

“I love your belly.” He murmurs, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “It’s carrying our baby.”

His lips are on mine once more, and he wastes no time deepening it, sliding his tongue in my mouth. It’s warm as it presses against my own, and my thighs clench around his hips in return. As much as I’d love to feel him inside of me right now, the need for today to go smoothly takes precedence, so with a quiet sigh I pull away.

“Adeline-” Heloix groans. “Pretty please.”

I smirk, shaking my head. “I’ll make it up to you tonight. I promise.”

He visibly perks up at my promise, his eyebrows raising suggestively. Wrapping his arms back around my midsection, he squeezes me against him and stands, setting me gently on my feet at the foot of the bed.

“Then let’s get going.”

----

We pull up to the building slowly, the driver cautious not to hit anybody as they scramble around in the road. Everything looks so good, and it seems like significant progress has been made since I was last here.

I glance around the mass of bodies, surprised at the number of Beasts helping the humans set up. While I expected that there would be a couple, from where I sit there appear to be dozens.

“There’s a lot more Beasts here than I thought there’d be.” I comment, unable to hold back my smile.

Heloix chuckles, his hand gripping mine as he pulls me across the seat into his body. His arm wraps around my waist as he opens the door and steps out, bringing me along with him.

“They came to support.”

I close the car door behind us, enjoying the sight of the humans and Beasts working together so closely. I spot John standing with a couple of others near the front door, his arms waving as he gives directions as to where they can put the merchandise.

He seems so happy taking charge of this, his leadership skills really coming into play. I lift my hand and wave to him before pointing to the shop door to our right, signaling where we are going.

He nods in understanding before quickly getting distracted by our driver walking over to him. I roll my eyes as the Beast pushes through the others to get to John, grinning slightly as he bends down to press a kiss to his lips.

Turning my attention away, I tug on Heloix’s arm and begin leading him inside. He follows behind with no complaint, more than happy to be my assistant for the day.

A couple of humans are working on the finishing touches, and I give them a small wave as we pass by.

“I’m so excited.” I whisper, moving to stand behind the tall shelves along the back wall.

Bending over, I reach into the open box that sits on the floor and pull out the books. My eyes shine as I look over the cover, so proud of the humans who worked together to write it.

Heloix picks the box off the floor, holding it open for me so I don’t have to bend over to pull the books out.

“Me too. This is a big step for the humans.” He admits, dropping his eyes to the floor momentarily. “I’m sorry it took me so long to do this.”

His shame hits me through the bond, and I stop what I’m doing to give him my full attention.

“You have changed so much since I met you, and I’m proud of what you’ve been able to accomplish in these past months.” I state.

In all honesty, I was a bit wary of what Heloix would do after the rebellion, skeptical that he would follow through with all his promises to me, but he’s done more than I ever anticipated.

I didn’t believe him at first when he told me he dedicated a large portion of his own land to build housing for all the displaced humans, giving them a place to live and start their own families. But only a couple of months later we already have thirty houses built, and even more in progress.

The Beasts have been a huge help too, volunteering their time to assist in the building. Their strength and speed allow us to get them up even faster, cutting our build time in half.

Most humans decided to continue working in the estates and castle, which doesn’t surprise me since that’s what they’ve spent their entire lives doing. Still, there are a number who have decided to pursue other opportunities. Heloix has created generous subsidies for Beasts who employ humans, and as long as that they treat and pay us fairly they stay in his good graces.

It’s still a work in progress, but the incentive has successfully given humans access to learn more trades. We even have one human working at an education center teaching the young Beast children our history. Or at least what we still remember of it.

It makes me so joyful to see the humans beginning to own their lives, and after today it’s going to be even better. It’s the official opening of the first human-run store. Well, technically co-run. Heloix has put Axis in charge of teaching the humans how to manage it successfully, and over time will step back until he is no longer needed.

“What’re you thinking about?” Heloix questions, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I shrug.

“About how nicely this shop has come together.”

Glancing around, I can’t help but tear up as I take in the space. The humans have been having a hard time shopping since moving into the new housing community, the Beasts nearby hassling and intimidating them, so this is going to be an excellent way for them to continue to be independent in a safer manner.

Initially we tried assigning guards to protect the community and nearby Beast-run stores. It worked well, but we quickly realized that it would be more cost-effective just to build one for humans until the Beasts have better adjusted to having us around.

There are groceries all along the far wall, a wide range of food that covers all the bases, and next to that there’s a small section for clothing and hygiene. That section is admittedly a bit small, but Heloix has assured me that we will be able to build out additional stores in the next couple of months.

The last section is for enjoyment, full of books and games. The shelves are still a bit bare, but over time we will be able to add to it.

I know all of this has cost Heloix a fortune. He won’t share with me how much, but I know he’s paid for this out of pocket and even went as far as to open up his ports to help fund some of the more expensive projects.

Heloix shifts the box he holds to his right arm, freeing his left so he can squeeze my butt. I squeal in shock and jump away from him.

“Heloix!” I shout, giggling slightly.

He looks at me surprised, pretending like he doesn’t know what happened. Smirking, I lean forward and try to squeeze his in return, huffing as he turns away and dodges my attack.

“I thought we came here early to make sure everything was set up on time, not to stare at the wall daydreaming.” He retorts, jerking his head to the book I still hold in my hand.

My face flushes as I realize that I still haven’t done anything with it. I puff up my cheeks as I try to come up with a good comeback, but unable to think of any I give up and turn back to the task at hand.

I slide the book onto the shelf, pushing it until it’s even with the others. There are only a couple left in the box and I make quick work of them. Heloix flattens the cardboard as I pull out the last few and walks it over to the recycling while I stack them.

The next two boxes go just as quickly, and before I know it we’ve finished up the small book aisle.

“That’s the last one.” He comments, walking quickly down the aisles to make sure there are no more boxes sitting on the floor waiting to be unpacked.

The few humans in the store give Heloix sideways glances as he passes by, a couple of them even jumping out of the way slightly. It makes me sad that they still feel so uncomfortable around him, but I remind myself that he was a monster to them for a long time and I can’t expect them to ever truly feel safe around him.

“Okay, great!” I exclaim, pushing those thoughts away. “Why don’t you take all the cardboard boxes to the recycling and I’ll go replace John and see what else needs to be done.”

Heloix glances down at the large heap of boxes on the floor, then back up at me with a scowl.

“I’m more than just strong arms and a beautiful face.” He jokes.

I chuckle, shaking my head. “Not today you aren’t.”

A loud laugh erupts from his chest at my words, drawing the attention of the other humans in the store. They all watch as he bends down and grabs a handful of the boxes, their eyes remaining on him until he leaves out the back door.

I can’t help but watch him too, excited by the way his back flexes beneath his shirt. Shaking the thoughts away, I turn and head back out the front door to replace John. He’s still by the front door commanding people around, and I quickly join in the crowd to hear what I should do next.

The humans for the most part ignore my presence but the Beasts move out of the way for me. It feels weird being treated so differently by them, but I try not to let how uncomfortable it makes me show.

“Can you three go make sure that the stock room is all set up?” John says, pointing to the group to my right.

They all nod and head off inside, and I look back at John as I wait for him to tell me what to do. He skips over me and assigns tasks to all the others, making me rock back on my heels slightly.

He shoots me a wide smile after sending everybody away, moving forward to give me a quick hug.

“How are you?” He questions, glancing down at my belly.

It’s gotten quite prominent in the past few weeks, making moving around a bit harder than usual.

“I’m good!” I exclaim, returning his hug. “What can I help with?”

John frowns at my question, glancing once more at my belly. I cross my arms over it in response, not liking his hesitation to give me work.

“There really isn’t anything else that needs to be done.” He lies.

I glance around, raising an eyebrow at the sight of people running around trying to put all the last-minute things together.

“John.” I start, gesturing to the hectic environment surrounding us. “I’m perfectly fine. Just tell me how I can help.”

Heloix comes up behind me as I speak, throwing his arm around my shoulder. I lean into him slightly, enjoying the warmth he gives off.

John’s eyes dart to him momentarily before settling back on me.

“Addie, your ankles have all but vanished and Heloix told me you’ve been having bad back-”

Heloix lets out a loud cough, cutting off John’s words. I turn to look at him with a glare, unhappy that he’s been telling John my business. He’s too busy glaring at John to look at me but I know he feels my betrayal through the bond.

----

“Do you like it?” Heloix asks, crouching down between my legs.

I nod. “This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

Glancing up at him, I smile as he eyes my food hungrily. I hold out the popsicle for him to try, wincing as he leans forward and bites off the tip with his teeth. In an ideal world his Beast would be a part of me too, preventing me from feeling pain when I bite into cold things like this, but he’s being stubborn and refusing to connect with me.

Heloix says that his Beast is technically inside of me, but has chosen to put his energy into the baby to ensure it remains safe and healthy. I’m not at all upset about it, and in fact am quite happy with the assurance that comes with knowing how protected my baby is. Still, sometimes I wish that his Beast would spend a little energy removing the fluid buildup in my ankles or the ever-constant queasiness that lives within me.

Although, to be fair it’s not like he’s not protecting me at all. The other week when I cut open my finger slicing vegetables his Beast healed me immediately. The sudden effort made Heloix vomit though, so I’ve been careful not to injure myself further.

“Are you still mad at me?” Heloix questions, his fingers rubbing my knee softly.

I shake my head, a bit embarrassed at how intense my mood swings are. Heloix smiles wildly at me, his body pivoting forward so he can kiss me on the head. My body leans into his touch, missing it after he spent the past hour away from me helping to finish set up.

“Is everything ready?” I question, bringing the popsicle to my lips and licking off the melting liquid.

Heloix nods, his eyes darkening as he watches me. I can feel his desire for me through our bond, encouraging me to slowly slide the cold dessert down my throat, slurping loudly as I pull it back out.

“Come on.” He whispers, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet.

I smirk as I follow along behind him, watching his head turn left and right to make sure nobody has spotted us. His pace is fast as he leads us around the block towards the housing development and pulls me into the first building we come across. It’s only half-built, but enough walls have been put up that we won’t be seen from the street.

The popsicle falls from my hand as he leads us inside, a gasp leaving my lips as I turn around to pick it up. Heloix prevents me from doing so though, his arm wrapping around my waist and tugging me inside.

He wastes no time pushing me gently against the wall, my front pressing into the wood as he presses up against my back.

Large hands trail down my sides, before hooking into my pants and pulling them down my legs. I hear a quiet thump as Heloix drops to his knees behind me, a shocked squeak falling from my lips as he presses his face between my legs to lick my pussy.

His hands wrap around my thighs and pull them apart slightly to make more room for him to fit between them. He flattens his tongue and presses it firmly against me, licking over the entirety of my pussy before stiffening the muscle and fucking me with it.

My thighs shake as I press back against him, choked moans falling from my lips as his fingers move from my thigh to my clit. He pushes firmly down on the sensitive bundle of nerves, rubbing it in quick circles as he continues to pleasure me with his tongue.

The vibrations caused by his loud moans have me rolling my hips against him, my head slamming into the wall as I feel my orgasm begin to approach.

He continues working me, rudely pulling away seconds before I cum. I let out an angry huff at his actions, arching my back as I listen to him undo his pants and push them to the floor.

I look over my shoulder to watch him. His jaw clenches up as he grabs hold of himself, quickly working to line up his cock with my entrance. His mouth is still wet from going down on me, the sight making me clench up against him.

His eyes flash and pupils dilate as he looks up and makes eye contact with me. Neither of us looks away as he begins to slide himself inside, his length quickly filling me.

I clench once more around him as his hips press against me, bending over slightly so he has a better view. He immediately takes the bait and moves his attention to where our bodies connect, his jaw dropping as he watches himself slide back out of me.

I expect him to fuck me quickly given our time crunch but he takes his time, filling me gradually before pulling back out at a painfully slow pace.

His body bends forward to cover mine as he reaches around to rub at my clit, his fingers moving quickly. It’s a drastic change from his slow pace and has me panting into my arm.

“It’s been six days since I’ve last been inside of you.” He whispers, pressing his lips to my neck. “Six days since I’ve gotten to hear you scream for me.”

I spread my legs further as he speaks, pressing back into him with a cry. His hips stutter for a moment before speeding up, slamming into me at a tempo just shy of being painful.

He rubs his fingers faster against me, his other hand moving from my hip to cup my breast.

“Heloix.” I pant, arching my back and pressing my shoulder blades against his chest. “I’m close.”

His tongue darts out to lick the skin of my neck, and seconds later I feel his teeth sliding into me, marking me once more as his. The pleasurable sensation has me throwing my head back with a loud moan, tensing up around him as I reach my peak.

Heloix continues to fuck me through it, his rhythm punishing. He pauses for a moment as I come down, waiting for me to nod my head in approval before fucking me once more.

I can tell he’s wasting no time chasing his own orgasm, his hips slamming into mine as he moans into my neck. His movements quicken as he approaches his climax before he tenses up against me, his arms holding me tightly to his body as he cums inside of me.

We remain still for a moment as he catches his breath, a satisfied sigh leaving my lips as he slowly pulls out of me.

“That was pleasant,” I comment, grimacing as his cums spills out of me. “But every Beast is going to know what he just did.”

Heloix laughs, a boisterous sound that brings a smile to my face.

“Good.”

----

John waves us over as we replace our way back into the crowd, and I grab onto Heloix’s hand to lead us there. A couple of the Beasts chuckle as we walk past, no doubt smelling what just happened between us, but I pretend like I don’t notice.

I can feel Heloix’s satisfaction at everybody knowing what he just did, his Beast not giving one care to the embarrassment I feel.

“Where were you? I was afraid you’d miss it.” John scolds as we come to stand next to him. He turns his attention back to the storefront before we have the chance to respond.

I spot his boyfriend holding back a smile as he greets Heloix, the action making my cheeks heat up. I hope he doesn’t share any of this information with John.

My elbow makes contact with Heloix’s ribs as he winks in the other Beast’s direction. His eyes widen as he looks down at me, but I turn to face the storefront before he can say anything. We are too far back for me to really see anything, so I standing on my tippy toes in an attempt to see over the crowd. Heloix must notice my struggle as seconds later I’m being hoisted up into the air, his arms gripping onto my hips and lifting me a couple of inches so I can see.

In front of the building is a small clearing, and inside stands Axis and the humans he will be training to take over the store. He gives a small speech about the unification of our species and how excited he is about this project before handing it over to the humans.

They each take turns expressing their gratitude for this opportunity, one of them even tearing up a bit as he speaks. Heloix’s embarrassment reaches me as they briefly talk about how they never imagined they would be allowed such privileges, and I reach down to place my hand over his in an attempt to comfort him.

The speeches wrap up quickly and before I know it they are taking the key from Axis to unlock the front door, signaling the store’s official opening.

Loud cheers break out from both the humans and Beasts as the doors are pushed open. The crowd immediately begins to break apart and move inside in excitement, their eagerness to check it out quite apparent.

Heloix and I stay back and watch as the people trickle in and out. The humans seem so excited, giant smiles on their faces as they come out with groceries and other small knick-knacks.

I don’t realize I’m crying until Heloix wipes at my cheeks, his thumbs soft against my skin.

“I hope these are good tears.” He whispers, pressing a soft kiss to my temple.

I nod.

“They are.”

____

The End!

I know that the ending is a bit abrupt, but it was done so intentionally. I read a lot of stories in this genre where by the time they finish I’m ready for it to be over, and I didn’t want that to be the feeling here.

It’s unreal to think that I’ve written an entire book (like, what???), and hope that you enjoyed their journey! It’s bittersweet reaching the end, but I’m really excited to begin proofreading and cleaning up the story a bit (I wrote this entire thing in the notes app on my phone so lots of typos lol)

Thank you for all the love and support you’ve given me along the way! Y’all are the best!

I'd love and appreciate it if you'd consider leaving a review if you enjoyed this story! It'll help to boost it in the ranks and get some more eyes on it :)