Chapter 44

I instantly loved my new office. It had everything I’d asked for, and I couldn't help but smile, relishing the prospect of having my own space to work and think and spread out.

I started off with placing the less-crucial case information in the built-in bookshelf—background information and leads that didn’t go anywhere—and my plan was to put the important papers on the large corkboard that had been added at my request. I wasn’t working for long before a soft knock interrupted my concentration.

"Come in," I called, turning just as Jordan entered, with a smile on her face and a package of Oreos in her hands.

My eyes lit up. "Jordan, you are a saint among sinners," I exclaimed, hopping down from my stepstool and reaching for the package. I’d thought those stories of pregnancy cravings were a little overdramatic, but now that I was experiencing them I realized they were completely accurate.

“Oh my god,” I said, mouth still full, “Jordan, I could kiss you. This is bliss.” Jordan just laughed.

“I thought you could use a pick-me-up,” she said, “especially with the news I have to give you.” My eyebrows shot up. I’d asked Jordan to keep an ear out for rumors and talk among the maids, so whatever she had to report couldn’t be good.

My wolf stirred uneasily within me. "Go on," I urged, setting down the cookie.

Jordan hesitated for just a moment before sighing, "It’s about Miss Rita.” Oh, of course it was about Rita.

“Ugh,” I said, rubbing my nose. Jordan cringed in sympathy.

“Sorry,” Jordan said, “I really wish I had better news for you. But she’s started hosting gatherings again, and the maids who were there have all said she’s been running her mouth about how awful you are.” “What sort of things is she saying?” I asked, already tired of this situation.

“That banishing her father was an abuse of station, and you only did it to hurt her,” Jordan said. “She claims you cornered her in the dungeons when she went to say goodbye to him and taunted her about how she’d never be Luna now.”

"I see," I said, not at all liking how that sounded. "Well, thanks for letting me know, Jordan.”

Jordan nodded, then added with a small smile, "It’s the least I could do. The opportunity you gave me, the hope, it means so much more than I can tell you.” I knew she was talking about the ceremonial gown, and my heart ached for her.

“I’m happy to do it,” I told her seriously, reaching for her hand. After a charged moment, I took a deep breath. “Technically Rita has the right to speak her mind,” I said, “but let me know anyway, alright?

Jordan nodded solemnly. "Of course. I'll update you if anything develops."

"Thank you, Jordan. I truly appreciate your help," I said, offering a grateful smile.

As Jordan turned to leave, the office door swung open. Elroy strode in, and the second I saw him all my thoughts fled my mind. He was dressed so impeccably, his charcoal suit perfectly tailored to show off his broad shoulders and thick, muscular thighs.

Most importantly, there was a moon flower embroidered on his breast pocket, right above his heart.

My jaw dropped, my eyes roving over his broad shoulders and strong jawline. A familiar heat bloomed low in my belly as my hormones surged unexpectedly. I’d heard sudden spikes in libido could be a part of pregnancy, but I hadn’t expected it to hit quite like this.

Elroy's gaze locked onto mine and darkened in an instant, his nostrils flaring slightly. A knowing smirk played at the corners of his mouth. Goddess, he could smell me!

"Jordan, you're dismissed," I said, my voice high and reedy. Jordan, thank the stars, didn’t comment and scurried out without a backwards glance.

“Eager for me?” Elroy rumbled, partially teasing.

“Lock the door,” I breathed. He turned the locking mechanism with a decisive click.

Elroy's eyes darkened. "We have to be quick," he murmured, closing the distance between us in two long strides and grasping my chin to tilt my head back up at him.

“Quick is fine,” I said, standing. I held Elroy’s eyes as I slowly bent over my desk, feeling a rush of power as I watched his eyes dilate with every inch I lowered. Oh, he wanted me bad.

“Oh, you dirty thing,” Elroy smirked, moving behind me as he hiked my long green skirt up over my hips. The air on my bare ass made me shudder in aroused anticipation. The way Elroy ran his hands over my skin didn’t hurt either.

“Wish I had time to take you apart,” my Mate said, pulling my panties down to my knees. He cupped my cunt and my breath hitched. “Oh, Olivia! So wet already?”

“I’m pregnant, what’s your excuse?” I shot back with a challenging grin. Elroy growled, thrusting his still-clothed cock against me in a way that just made me hungrier.

“My excuse,” he grit out, “is that my Mate is shaking her ass for me.”

“That’s all it takes?” I laughed breathily, looking over my shoulder with a look that said ‘I dare you.’ “I didn’t know you were so easy, Alpha Elroy.”

Elroy pulled his hips back with a curse, and I bit my lip on an excited smile. I’d never had so much fun riling someone up before. I heard a clink and a zip, and then I gasped as Elroy filled me up.

The stretch was harsher without the foreplay, but I was just wet enough that it wasn’t truly painful. If anything I relished the slight burn. I wanted to feel this for days.

My hand went to my clit as Elroy started up a solid pace, both his hands gripping my hips and pulling me back into his thrusts. As my fingers made frantic circles, making me wetter and easing the glide, Elroy started to really move. I huffed out noises as he pounded into me, the tilt of my hips somehow making him feel even bigger.

It also pressed him against all the best parts, his fat head scraping against that spot that made me see stars, and I let him know it by rewarding him with a groan. If he was going to go out there with my flower on him, then he deserved to do it with my moans ringing in his ears.

He was mine, and he was going to show all of Lunaris tonight. The Alpha part of me, the possessive and proud part, sunk its teeth into that knowledge and loved the taste.

“Fuck,” Elroy hissed, shortening his thrusts to increase his pace. My hips rattled the desk with every powerful push and my legs started to quiver. My hand sped up as the pleasure mounted fast.

It wasn’t an overwhelming orgasm, but it was exactly what I needed to take the edge off, and as my pussy contracted around Elroy’s cock I heard him grunt. He had the decency to pull out, since it still felt wrong for him to cum inside with our baby still growing there, and I crammed three fingers into my hole to make up for the loss. The sound Elroy made was feral.

He painted my ass with a few hot stripes of cum, and then leaned heavily against the desk to recuperate for a moment. I panted as I came down as well, feeling blissed.

After a moment Elroy laughed breathily, and I cracked one eye open to look at him in question. He smiled down at me, face flushed such a pretty shade of red from exertion. “Sam is going to kill me,” he said by way of explanation.

I imagined Sam’s face when Elroy arrived at the press conference, hair just slightly mussed and smelling of sex, and I couldn’t help but snort. “No one to blame but yourself,” I said, slowly standing back on my jelly legs.

“I don’t know, I think I can blame this pretty pussy,” Elroy said, cupping me again as he pulled up my underwear—trapping his cum on my ass. Guess he wasn’t the only one wearing a mark today.

“Do you blame a rose for blooming?” I smirked. Elroy laughed and moved away, straightening himself. “You still look put-together,” I told him, “just maybe run a comb through your hair.” “No stains?" he asked, carefully adjusting his shirt now that he was tucked away in his pants again. I tried to pretend it wasn’t a loss.

“No,” I said, looking him over one last time. He had to look perfect up there—this was his first press conference as Alpha, something he hadn’t had time for while he was busy putting out fires. “Good luck out there.”

Elroy’s smirk lifted into something a little softer. “Thanks,” he said. “And I hope you like your office, because it’s consecrated now so there’s no moving it.”

I laughed. Dammit, he could be so easy to be around!

As the door closed behind him, I leaned against my desk, my legs still wobbly. My wolf stirred within me, a low rumble of satisfaction and pride. I closed my eyes, trying to quiet the surge of emotions threatening to overwhelm me as that embroidery flashed through my mind on repeat.

"It's just a flower," I whispered to myself, but the words rang hollow. I knew what it meant – a silent declaration of support, visible to all of Lunaris. My mark on him, for everyone to see.

It was a political move, I knew, clarifying his stance on the future of this pack and stating his intentions to support the changes I’d spoken about. It wasn’t personal.

I just had to ignore how much I wished it was.