Chapter 11

And that’s how I ended up horizontal with Elroy for the second time—though this time was much less…enthusiastic. We laid together above the covers, fully clothed, as I let Elroy rest his hand gingerly just above my waistband. Right over our baby.

Elroy’s hand was large, warm, and heavy, and it was strangely soothing to have it sitting there. I was more enthralled with watching his face though; he was all carefully modulated excitement and serious intensity as he stared down at his hand, and aside from being drop-dead gorgeous, it made me feel like he’d be a good father.

Good. My baby deserved nothing less.

We sat there for long, silent minutes while Elroy’s energy carefully reached out to the baby’s. It wasn’t something I felt, more like something I was aware of, but it was like watching an animal gently sniffling at something it knew was fragile. I watched the way Elroy’s eyes lit up when he located the tiny wisp of energy our baby was starting to develop.

I was a little jealous, unable to feel it without my wolf. I wondered what it felt like.

I fought back the urge to squirm as the minutes dragged out. It wasn’t that I was uncomfortable, just that it was a little awkward—I felt, oddly enough, like a third party. But babies nourished with the father’s energy were healthier and stronger, so I had no intention of cutting this impromptu session short.

Until Elroy looked to my face seriously, and I felt a wave of fear.

“What?” I asked quickly. “Is something wrong?”

“Puppy says I’m cool.”

I blinked down at him for a second, unsure if he was joking. He laughed quietly at me, and I pouted.

“Don’t make fun of me,” I said. “I was prepared to have a child with a Beta—I don’t know if Alphas can, like, talk to their unborn children or something.” That made Elroy laugh harder.

“No, of course not!” he laughed. “I wish I could, but…no, all I can tell is that the pup is developing healthily. But if it could, it would be telling me I was cool today.”

I rolled my eyes, but I could admit I was overjoyed with the news that my baby was healthy. And, okay, Elroy’s teasing was kind of cute. Whatever.

“…I guess you were pretty impressive,” I admitted begrudgingly. It wasn’t as if I could deny it, after all—he’d fought hard, especially injured and poisoned.

Elroy looked like he was getting ready to wheedle more compliments out of me when he suddenly stopped, his face going blank. I froze, unsure what caused the change. Then Elroy leaned into my neck and inhaled, and I realized my pheromones had changed.

I was in heat.

I…was in heat?

The doctors had tried to trigger a heat for years, but never could. They chocked it up to my dormant wolf.

But here I was, years and years later, with a slightly-too-warm face and a tingling starting in my stomach. I could hardly believe it, but I’d smelled heat pheromones on other people plenty of times before. There was no mistaking it.

I bolted up, desperate to run back to the Pearl Room before it could really hit me. I’d heard all about how desperate people in heat could become and I didn’t want Elroy to see me act like some sex-crazed freak. How would I ever look him in the eye again?!

Elroy grabbed me before I could get up, though, pulling me back down onto the bed and trapping me against his body with his arms crossed over my chest. I gasped and squirmed, but he didn’t let up.

“Hey, relax,” he chuckled at me. “I can help.”

“But I’m going to get so—so--!” I stuttered, face bright red.

“Lewd? Desperate? Whoreish?” Elroy supplied with a grin I could hear. If I wasn’t trapped with my back to him I’d give him the nastiest glare!

(I knew that was already wishful thinking. The “horny” stage was already kicking in, ramping up so quickly I couldn’t help but squeeze my thighs together. Oh, Goddess, I wanted him bad.)

“You should always be accompanied during a heat if you’re pregnant,” Elroy said with certainty, hooking his chin over my shoulder. “Keeps cortisol levels low. Otherwise it could hurt the baby.”

Had he been doing research already? He’d found out I was pregnant yesterday!

I was shaken from that thought by a spike of lust so strong I gasped out loud. My pussy twitched so hard I felt the pleasure like a physical touch. Elroy just chuckled.

“So?” he purred. “Do you want my help, or…?”

The idea of him not touching me made me immediately and irrationally angry, like I was denied a prize I’d rightfully earned, and my decision was made in that instant.

“If you don’t fuck me within the next five seconds—” I growled over my shoulder. Elroy gripped my pussy over my pants and my threat was swallowed by a wanton groan.

Elroy seemed all too pleased at my reaction, turning his head to nose at my scent glad as he swiftly slid his hand into my underwear. The touch was far more electric than normal and I bucked against him, only dimly embarrassed by my actions at this point. My clit was throbbing.

“That’s it,” I heard him say lowly. “That’s my good girl. So fucking wet.”

I was, too, practically dripping against his palm even though five minutes ago sex hadn’t been a thought in my mind. Now, though, it seemed like it was all of my thoughts. I remembered how good his cock felt inside of me, and I wanted it again.

In seconds my pants and underwear were pulled down to my mid-thigh, trapping my legs together but freeing my pussy to Elroy’s assault. He was quick about it, probably aware of my mounting frustration, and went straight to fucking me with three of his wide fingers. I moaned in satisfaction.

The stretch was so good, the slight burn of the sudden intrusion only heightening my enjoyment as Elroy set to work. Sounds filled the room, and not all of them were from our mouths.

“Listen to you,” Elroy cooed, almost inaudible against the heavy squelching around his hand. “Your pussy’s so noisy for me, and I’ve barely even done anything. How fun.”

His words added to the heat lacing up my spine, and I dug my fingers into his forearms with my eyes squeezed shut. Each swift, confident swipe of Elroy’s fingers curling against my g-spot ratcheted me higher and higher. My body was already tightening up.

“Hmm,” Elroy hummed, grinding his hips against my ass. I could feel the outline of his cock and it made me crazy. “Hope there’s nobody outside—they could probably hear your pussy through the door.”

It might have been something about my Alpha need to stake a claim, to let others know this man was mine, but for whatever reason those words sent me right over the edge.

I practically screamed as I arched, barely noticing Elroy’s little grunt—but I definitely noticed the moment his teeth sunk into my neck. He’s Marking me, I realized dumbly. The next pulse of my orgasm was even stronger for it.

It was all so intense that I was out like a light before I even came all the way down.

I woke up in the Pearl Room, alone. My heat was over, I guess shortened to just one wave by my pregnancy, and I was grateful to have a clear head again. I hadn’t minded the fog in the moment though, that was for sure—I’d never had an orgasm quite like that from just some fingering.

Once again Elroy had wiped me down and put me to bed, and I smiled to myself. It was sweet of him to—no, I shouldn’t think like that. I could be grateful, but I had to remember that our relationship was purely contractual.

He must just go the extra mile for everyone he sleeps with, I thought, though I immediately frowned at the thought. I decided that our next conversation was going to be about monogamy; it seemed like Elroy was on the same page as me, but a contractual marriage was still a marriage and I would be damned if I let my husband cheat.

I hadn’t tolerated it with Damian, I wouldn’t tolerate it here.

Damn, I’d have to ask about the Luna Ceremony too—when it would take place, what I would need to prepare, who I would need to meet before then… I stood up out of bed, already making mental notes, when my phone pinged with a message. My face paled—it was Louisa’s number.

Eclipse will never accept a Luna who can’t shift, the text read. Sign over the Harp House in three days, or I’ll tell them the truth.