Chapter 17

I was still processing that kiss, but apparently my wolf wasn’t so flustered. Well well, I heard her say, almost amused at my internal struggle, It’s good to see you’re doing so well.

I flushed bright red at the implication, but the embarrassment was secondary to the overwhelming joy of hearing her voice. I gasped in excitement. So much had happened tonight that I hadn’t even realized I could talk to my wolf freely now!

“Oh, Goddess above,” I breathed, “you’re back! You’re back!”

I never left, my wolf chuckled. I just…couldn’t reach you. I’m so sorry I left you alone.

“It’s okay,” I said quickly, sitting on the edge of my bed. “It doesn’t matter now. How are you?”

Honestly? Weak, my wolf replied. I don’t know what happened to us, but I feel like it’s going to take a long time to get my full power back. You probably can’t use the Mate link, at least for now.

“Honestly, that’s probably a good thing,” I admitted, remembering how violated I felt when Damian had used the Mate link to talk to me. “I don’t think I’m ready for that. So Elroy can’t feel my emotions?”

No, just physical needs like pain and hunger. I sighed in relief. Honestly, my heart was still pounding from that kiss, and I didn’t need Elroy to know just how many butterflies currently occupied my insides.

Our relationship was a contract. Our marriage was a business deal. Emotions like this had no place, and I didn’t want him to know I was growing any.

I’d crush it soon enough, then it wouldn’t be a problem again.

I could feel my wolf’s disappointment, but she didn’t say anything and neither did I. Instead she told me something else I hadn’t been expecting.

While I was asleep, she said, I kept seeing this beautiful silver light. I could feel that it was yours, a power that belonged to you, but it was sealed away just like I was. I frowned.

“A special power?” I asked. “A few wolves have had those through history, but they’re on a totally different playing field than me.” After all, those wolves were the ones who created governments and won wars and brokered peace—I wasn’t putting myself down but I knew I wasn’t at that level.

Not at that level now, my wolf corrected. If I’m right, and I think I am, then you could have the power to change everything.

That thought made me distinctly uneasy. I was having a hard enough time as it was, I didn’t need any more curveballs or complications. But if it was a blessing the Moon Goddess had granted me…

“Do you know how to unlock it?” I asked. My wolf huffed.

No. I don’t even know what it is, other than yours.

I pursed my lips. Maybe I could talk to Iris tomorrow? She’d been able to wake my wolf, so maybe she knew something that could help with this too.

But that was a problem for tomorrow. Right that moment the adrenaline high was receding, leaving me sore and exhausted, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay upright for long. I almost didn’t want to even get up to take off my dress before falling asleep.

Yeah, we can deal with it tomorrow, my wolf agreed. I just thought you should know as soon as possible. Also, do you really want to sleep on top of flowers?

No, no I did not, and we both knew it. The flowers would be dead within a few days anyway, but that didn’t mean I had to crush them all by rolling around on them tonight. I sighed heavily as I stood up to remove it, every joint creaking ominously.

Tomorrow’s gonna suck, I thought, hoping my werewolf healing would get rid of the worst of it while I slept.

You never know, my wolf said hopefully. Maybe you’ll have a really good dream and wake up in a good mood.

Maybe my wolf’s power was prophecy, because I dreamt about Elroy that night. More specifically I dreamed of our first night together, only this time it was different. We were still in the bedroom above the bar, but this time I knew somehow that we were only there as a pitstop.

We’d been married that afternoon, and we were travelling to our destination honeymoon.

In the dream, he looked at me with the same spine-tingling hunger of that first night, only this time I was sober. It didn’t change the way my thighs clenched, or the nearly overwhelming desire that he made me feel, but now I could give as good as I got. And I got it good.

His cock filled me up exactly how I remembered, that almost overwhelming sort of full that made my head spin and my pussy throb. He jackhammered into me, grunting out a constant stream of words that just got filthier and filthier.

“Gonna knot you, baby, gonna make you a Mama,” he said, dripping sweat from the work he was putting in. He was determined to get me pregnant, I could feel it. “That’s it, Liv, clench on me—I’m gonna give you a baby—”

Not, “you’re going to give me a baby,” like I’d heard so many times during my fertility treatments. No, he said “I’m going to give you a baby.” It wasn’t me serving him, it was him giving me what I wanted the most and feeling honored to do it.

I came in my dream, just as his knot locked us together.

Through Elroy’s Eyes

I woke up feeling restless. I sighed; this happened sometimes, when my Alpha duties followed me into my dreams, but at least this time I couldn’t remember what the problem was.

Otherwise I’d have to go into my office and fix whatever the issue was before I could sleep, and I didn’t feel like doing paperwork at 4 in the morning on my wedding night.

I threw the covers off, grumbling, but figuring I could just go down to the private kitchenette at the end of the hall and get something to drink. That would probably be enough to solve some of this restlessness and let me get back to sleep.

I threw on some pajama bottoms, just to not be indecent now that someone else could show up in the kitchenette too, and headed down the hall. As I passed Olivia’s room, though, my sharp Alpha hearing picked up Olivia quietly calling my name. I froze, instantly on high alert.

She’s calling us, she needs us, my wolf immediately said. She could be in danger, we have to protect her!

I knew, logically, that there was nowhere safer than in the heart of this manor, and that just sighing my name didn’t inherently mean she needed me. There were no distressed pheromones in the air either. But the instinct had been triggered, and the compulsion to check on my Mate was strong.

I wasn’t so panicked that I busted the door down like Rambo, at least in part because I didn’t want Olivia to be mad at me. She’d never expressly said I couldn’t come in her room, but I wanted to give her at least some privacy. I opened the door quietly, determined to check on her and leave without her ever knowing.

That plan went to shit almost instantly. Not because there was anything wrong, no—Olivia was sleeping soundly and there was no threat to be found. But Olivia had gone to bed nude, the sheet pooled at her waist, and I couldn’t help but step closer.

Her bare breasts were exposed to my gaze, wobbling enticingly as she slowly shifted on her back. Her chest was pink, as were her neck and cheeks, and her hair was all around her like she’d been squirming all night. Even as I watched she licked her lips, giving a little sigh.

It was obvious what kind of dream she was having, and heat rushed through me. She looked so alluring, so vulnerable, so open, and she had called for me.

A wave of desire swept through me. My wolf was making it known how very much he wanted to stay in this room with her, to lay down next to her, to take whatever she would give. He was normally calm, but he was almost urgent with his need to be closer to our Mate.

He never behaved this way: only ever when it came to Olivia…

My mind replayed the kiss she’d given me, how slow and sensual it had been, and I was overwhelmed by the desire to kiss her again. I leaned over her without realizing it.

Her eyes snapped open.