Chapter 96

I locked the bedroom door behind me and finally let out a huge, exasperated sigh.

I dropped my purse and briefcase to the floor. I’d pick them up and put them away tidily later. That hostile interaction had just depleted the last ounce of energy I had.

Alexander had been in his office. He heard me come in. His footsteps approached, and then he was there, swinging his office door closed behind him and saying, “Whoa. What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“We need to talk.”

“What is it?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Your friend Iris just surprised me in the hallway as I was walking in from the car, and was highly inappropriate and disrespectful to me.”

His eyes went wide. “What happened?”

I had to close my eyes a moment and take a deep breath to keep myself calm.

“Here.” He came close, touched my arms lightly and then slowly lowered his body to the floor, coming to rest kneeling on one knee. He put one of my hands on his shoulder and tapped one of my feet, signaling he wanted to take my shoes off for me. “Tell me what happened,” he said.

I answered his question while he worked. “It was very strange,” I started. “She wanted to join us for our dinner date tonight. I told her very patiently that was not going to happen. That you and I needed alone time. She became agitated out of nowhere. And then she wanted to follow me over here to our bedroom to hang out or something, and when I told her that was also inappropriate, she completely freaked out.”

“Freaked out how?”

“Just…” I was finding it difficult to summarize. “Just bizarre, overly dramatic behavior. Such as pretending to cry when I walked away.”

He finished taking my shoes off, set them beside the door neatly, and stood.

“I’m sorry about her,” he said, looking down at me with an expression of regret.

“There is something strange about that woman, Alexander. Something is not right with her.”

He sighed, took me by the hand and led me, gently, over to our bed. He sat on the edge. I followed suit and did so right beside him.

“You’re right,” he said. “I had her seen by a doctor this morning. It was a rather odd experience, as well. Iris clearly has some emotional problems. When I talked to the doctor again later, she told me that sort of behavior is not uncommon with people who have had a traumatic brain injury, like Iris has.”

I took in this information quietly and waited for more.

“It doesn’t mean it’s okay for her to be inappropriate. I’ll talk to her about respecting our privacy. I’m so sorry she stressed you out. There’s nothing I won’t do to keep you and the baby safe and well, Fiona.”

“Thank you.” I let him take my hand and press his warmth into it.

I hated that I had to keep pushing on this subject, but I did.

“But I think there’s more to it than that, Alexander. The way she spoke to me… it was sarcastic, personal. She clearly has feelings for you and does not like or respect our relationship.”

He frowned, shaking his head. “I just don’t think that’s what’s going on.”

“No. Don’t give me that.”

I snatched my hand away. I was not about to accept denial for an answer about this.

“You need to establish some boundaries with this woman. I attempted to do so myself and it was not well-received. I am not going to tolerate her disrespect. She needs to hear from you that she has no business interfering in our relationship.”

Alexander sighed, hanging his head.

Not the reaction I was hoping for.

“I’m sorry, Fiona. And like I said, I will talk to her. But I don’t think she means you any intentional disrespect. Honestly. She probably just wants to make friends with you. Are you sure you can’t give that a try?”

I gave him an icy, penetrating stare before answering.

“I do not need a new friend.” I articulated every word carefully. “What I need is a fiancé who has my back when I tell him something is wrong.”

He looked defeated.

“Please listen,” he pleaded. “It’s not only the emotional problems. Iris is also a commoner. She never learned how to socialize with nobility. And after all these years in isolation, it’s clear that she is even less practiced now with how to interact with others respectfully than she was before.”

“That’s fine,” I said as calmly as I could muster. “But you are missing the point. If you need this person here for your investigation, fine. If you are alright with her disrespecting your Luna, fine. But I will not—”

“No, Fiona,” he interrupted. “I am not fine with her disrespecting you.” His tone was starting to sound frustrated.

But then he suddenly changed tac.

“I will deal with it,” he said firmly. “I will make the boundaries very clear.”

Finally it seemed like we were done with the excuses.

“Thank you.” I was still hoping for more. More understanding of my feelings, more empathy for my anger.

But he had nothing more to offer.

“When?” I asked him.

“When am I going to talk to her?”

I nodded tersely.

“I can do it first thing in the morning.” He said this because he wanted to spend tonight with me. I well knew and appreciated that.

But I was so, so irritated with Iris. I needed this line drawn immediately.

“Do it tonight,” I told him.

Alexander raised an eyebrow. “Okay. You want me to go right now?”

“No.” I pushed my chair back and rose to stand, giving him a commanding stare. “I want you to fuck me first. Then go talk to her.”

My sudden and uncharacteristic use of crass language shocked Alexander. Usually he was the one that started the dirty talk and taunted me into joining in.

It did exactly what I intended. His posture went rigid. His breathing became heavy and a dark look of desire fell over his face like a shadow. He looked up at me and smirked.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said. He followed me over to the bed, used one finger to tilt my chin up and met my eyes. Then he whispered, “Turn around.”

I turned on my heel.

He scooped up my long hair and swept it forward over my right shoulder. His touch was delicate, barely-there and electrifying as he began unzipping my dress slowly. All the way down to the bottom.

He took his time pulling the sleeves down the lengths of my arms next, then sent the silky garment to the floor. I stepped out and he snatched it up, then laid it neatly on the pristinely made bed.

I remembered how he’d said this morning that he liked the dress. I smiled. There was something sweet about his adoration for my style.

I thought he’d go for my bra next, but no; he insisted I keep it on. “I like this, too,” he said, running his fingers underneath the lacy blue fabric. He did the same around every edge of the matching panties, too.

Now he was just teasing me. I was enjoying it, though. Wetter every second, and I felt him getting hotter too as he ground his hips against my backside.

He pressed his open mouth to my neck and I ran my hands through his hair, scratching his scalp lightly.

Alexander was still fully dressed in one of his signature deep blue suits. As he kissed my neck and teased my ear with his tongue, I felt him loosen and throw away his tie. It made a zipping sound as it slid fast out of the loop of his shirt collar. He unbuttoned and unzipped his pants next, but didn’t drop them.

Then he was done teasing, done waiting. The blue lace panties were sent to their grave – torn into pieces in an instant. He gripped my hair with one hand and my hip with the other. I bent just enough to plant my hands on the mattress and grab hold of the heavy gold blanket.

He slid inside me from behind and I released a gasping moan. He made a sound too, but I could hardly describe it; a growl is too gentle a word.

He fucked me hard and fast. It was a different this time than the way we’d been playing recently. Less worship, more business.

Because he knew why I wanted this.

That’s why he kept his clothes on, too. He knew I wanted him to go and talk to Iris absolutely drenched in our mingled scents, smelling of me and my claim on my Alpha.

We came together. I think I started it. I collapsed into the bed when I felt him finish, and rolled onto my side.

Alexander looked down at me intensely, still panting heavily. I met his gaze and we had a silent conversation while he re-zipped his pants, buckled his belt, tucked his shirt in and fixed the buttons.

No words were spoken aloud. But our wolves were making an agreement with each other.

I was marking him as mine.

He understood.