by Aria Chase
With a sigh, he began again. “Jared, do you take this woman…”
Alyra let his words flow over her, drifting in a pleasant state of disbelief, only realizing it was her turn to agree to the sham of a marriage a couple of minutes later when all eyes focused on her. “I’ll do my best… for a while.”
“Alyra, for God’s sake.”
She turned to Jared, an innocent smile on her face. “I’m sorry. Wasn’t that the answer you wanted?”
His mouth tightened, and he looked too much like his mother for her comfort. “Could you please be serious? I know you’re upset—”
“I’m not.” She didn’t let him finish his words, not wanting an audience, and not wanting to acknowledge the hurt she still felt. Instead, she squared her shoulders, forced a solemn expression, and said, “I do.”
Looking mollified, the cleric faced Jared. “Place the ring upon her finger.”
A low groan escaped Jared. “I didn’t even think about it, and I was in Seattle today.”
Charlotte was tugging at her snug ring, and Alyra stepped forward before the other woman could get it off. She didn’t want her ring. “We can skip that part, can’t we, Reverend?”
“Just until I get her a ring tomorrow,” Jared added.
It was clear the minister had no idea what to say as he closed his Bible with deliberate movements. “Very well. I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
When Jared dipped his head to brush his lips against hers, Alyra turned her head at the last minute, and his mouth touched her cheek instead. It would have been easier to accept the traditional kiss, but her heart rebelled at having anything in the charade of a ceremony resemble how it should really be, if they were in love. She had to keep it all businesslike in her mind, or she wouldn’t get through what was required of her. Her heart ached at the way Jared stiffened at her rejection, before withdrawing, a grim expression on his face.
“We’re finished?” Upon the reverend’s nod, she turned to Charlotte. “Which room is mine?”
Jared’s fingers bit into her forearm as he pulled her against him. “I’ll show you our room now, darling.”
She hoped it was a bluff for the sake of Reverend Cooley as she followed behind him, struggling to keep up with the pace he set. If it wasn’t, the confrontation she had hoped to put off until the following day would be happening much sooner than anticipated. Jared probably wouldn’t care that she wasn’t going to sleep with him, unless he had some old-fashioned notion of husbandly rights. If so, she would set him straight quickly… if her traitorous body would cooperate and not give in to the desire still thrumming between them.
7
Her heart sank when he led her into a room that was so masculine it had to be his. The chocolate-brown carpet seemed to turn to mud under her feet, sucking her down so she couldn’t move. The sand-colored walls seemed to close in around her, forcing her nearer to the massive four-post rosewood bed with its navy and taupe spread. Her breath caught in her throat as panic welled inside her. Alyra’s plan to be rational about the marriage was evaporating under the heat of standing so close to Jared.
A quiet moan escaped her when Jared cupped her upper arms, pulling her back against his chest. Darts of desire shot through her at the contact, and her eyes moistened at the tender way he kissed the top of her head. Squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to regain her focus, she tried reminding herself of the decisions she had reached before marrying him. Her mind was stronger than her body—it just needed some convincing to realize that.
“Alyra.”
The husky way he said her name made her shiver, and her resolve further weakened when he repeated it, adding, “I’m sorry you’ve been hurt by this. My parents handled things badly, and I didn’t help by going to Seattle for my father.” He shook his head, his chin rubbing against her hair. “When he sent me, I suspected they had planned something. In fact, I almost hoped they did, because I didn’t want to face the aftermath of my announcement. I’m sorry for that.”
His words annoyed her, and she pulled away. Maintaining a cool expression as she turned to him took every ounce of her will, but she didn’t falter. “I would have preferred you tell me the terms yourself, Jared.” She shook her head. “Why last night’s charade, and all that business of claiming me in the old way? All you had to do was tell me you needed a fill-in until things settle down after your Ascension. I would have agreed. After all, it’s my duty as Elijah’s sister to pay for his sins.” The bitterness in her tone revealed more than she wanted to, but she couldn’t call back the words now.
His brow had furrowed as she spoke. “I might have handled things differently if I hadn’t been so angry last night, but I won’t apologize for how I claimed you.”
She allowed her lips to twist. “Of course not. I wouldn’t expect an apology from an Alpha, Jared. I’m merely an Omega.”
“Now you’re Lupina.”
His eyes were stormy with emotion, but she didn’t break contact with them. “Only for a little while. Now, where is my room?”
Jared seemed on the verge of arguing for just a moment, but then his shoulders slumped. “There’s a room adjoining mine.”
Her heart sank at being so close to him. Having him farther away would have allowed her brain to override any urgings her body wanted to indulge in. “That will work fine.” With squared shoulders, she followed him to a door. Behind was a huge dressing room, larger than the small house that had come with her position as stable master. Jared’s possessions barely filled up one wall, and he had more clothes than any man she had ever known. Someone had taken the time to unpack her things, and the hangers took up little space on her side.
Through the dressing room, there was another door that led to her suite. Despite her turmoil, Alyra couldn’t contain the rush of pleasure when she saw the chamber. “It’s lovely.” The steel-gray and delicate pink should have been too harsh a contrast, but they melded together to form a solid, feminine space. The furniture was sturdy, but softened with elegant etchings, and an antique mirror in a black metal frame drew the eye, becoming the focal point of the area.
Jared ignored the praise, standing with his hands in his pockets. He seemed at a loss, and it was almost amusing to watch him. If she hadn’t felt the same uncertainty inside, she might have been able to dismiss him with a light remark. Instead, the silence deepened, until he abruptly straightened.
“This is ridiculous. You’re my wife. What kind of marriage can we have with you in one room, and me in the other?”
“The temporary kind.” Was that pain she saw flare in his eyes? No, surely not. It must be anger that he wouldn’t get all the benefits out of his fake wife as he would from a real one.
His fingers seemed to shake when he ran them through his hair. “Dammit, why are you doing this? That was my parents’ idea. I had nothing to do with imposing a time limit.”
“That’s too bad, because I like the idea.” She forced carelessness into her voice she was far from feeling. “Really, you can’t expect me to spend the rest of my life paying for Elijah running away with Elise, can you? At some point, I’ll want to marry a man I love.”
All emotion left his face, except for the tight grooves around his mouth that betrayed a hint of tension. “If you feel that way, I won’t try to change your mind.”
“I do.” The irony of repeating the words that had bound her to him such a short time ago to confirm she didn’t want to be with him forever didn’t escape her. It brought her that much closer to weeping, and she prayed he would leave quickly, so she could indulge in the tears threatening to fall.
He spun on his heels, issuing an aloof, “Sleep well,” over his shoulder as he strode from her room, slamming the door behind him. Alyra maintained her rigid posture for a long moment, until she was certain he wouldn’t reappear. Then she crumpled to the floor, allowing the tears to fall. The thick carpet muffled her sobs, and she allowed the grief to pour from her, already mourning a relationship that
would never exist, and had never existed, except for in her girlish fantasies.
8
Jared paced the balcony of his room, uncertain how to rid himself of his pent-up emotions. Frenetic energy thrummed through him, the kind to facilitate reckless actions—like last night. He paused in his pacing, gripping the balcony rails in a white-knuckled grasp, and stared up at the moon, hoping to find calm. The half-full orb did little to soothe him though, and he turned away with a sound of disgust.
The cool November air blew into his room from the open door as he stripped off the white shirt he had worn to the wedding, having found no time to change. Alyra had been eager to rush through everything, and no wonder. The sooner she got it over with, the sooner she would be free.
A pang in his chest caused him to sink into a wingback chair near the fireplace. He rubbed the spot without thought, mulling over why her rejection stung so badly. He had what he needed from her, which was a mate. Why did it matter that she didn’t want to give their marriage a real try? He shouldn’t care that she wanted to put no effort into it. After all, as Alpha, he would be too busy with his new duties to spend time trying to woo her. It was much more practical to keep things as a business arrangement.
So why did his heart hurt each time he thought about Alyra leaving him, whether it be in a month or a year? It was disconcerting to realize he was developing feelings for her, when she clearly wanted nothing to do with him. Even last night, what he considered the most passionate night of his life, had been nothing but a mistake to her. She must think he had used it to trick her into agreeing to be his bride.
A long sigh escaped him, and he vowed he would act as she wished. If Alyra changed her mind and decided her bed was too cold and empty without him, she would come crawling to him, by God. He wasn’t about to sacrifice his pride for a woman who had only agreed to be his mate because her brother had wronged him. He didn’t want her because old customs of the pack demanded she accept the punishment in Elijah’s stead. He only wanted her if she wanted him.
***
“Jared?”
He looked up from the stack of papers in front of him. His eyes had blurred from the hours spent reading the business documents, and it was a relief to take a break. A grin spread across his face when he saw Orion standing in front of his desk. In the past six days, since Charlotte told a select few about his marriage to Alyra, at least half the pack had tromped through his office, all wanting to know more, and most not bothering to hide their disapproval. It was good to see a friendly face for a change. “Hey, have a seat.” The other man settled his large frame into a normal-sized chair that looked like a kid’s under him. “What brings you by?” Casting his mind back, Jared realized it had been weeks since he had seen his best friend.
“I wanted to talk to you about…” Orion hesitated, looking uncomfortable. “About the rumors going around.”
Jared leaned forward, his fingers forming a steeple on the cherry desk. “You’re talking about those kids who plan to challenge me for leadership?” He shrugged. “I’m not worried. Not one of them does an honest day’s work on the island. All they do is sit around, play video games, and plot to overthrow me.” He laughed, expecting Orion to do the same, but his friend’s concerned expression lingered. “You aren’t worried about them, are you?”
With a shrug, he said, “Worried enough to have a talk with the three ringleaders.” His lip curled. “Did you know they planned to attack you together? Three against one… as if the pack would accept the leadership of an Alpha who gained it so underhandedly.”
“What did they say?”
“I think they’re going to back off.” He flexed a meaty hand, causing his biceps to contract. “I made them understand their way is corrupt, and should they manage to defeat you, I would challenge them.”
Another laugh escaped Jared as he imagined that confrontation. “I bet that scared them straight.”
“Let’s hope.” Still appearing troubled, Orion leaned forward, dropping his voice. “But that wasn’t the rumor I was referring to.”
“Oh?” His stomach dropped, and he braced himself for the only other reason his friend would be here. Alyra. Now that word had reached the other islanders, he seemed to have seen almost every member of the pack the past few days. They dropped by for various reasons, but all subtly—or not so subtly—probed to see if it was really true.
“Is it true? Elise really ran away with an Omega?”
He nodded.
Orion shook his head. “What is the pack coming to?”
Jared held his tongue, knowing he couldn’t condemn his ex-fiancée’s actions without looking like a hypocrite, since he had married an Omega.
“Is it true you’ve taken the Edwards woman as your mate?”
Without allowing a hint of doubt to appear in his voice or expression, Jared nodded again.
“Why?”
A slew of answers waited to spring from his tongue, but Jared hesitated. As good a friend as Orion was, he wasn’t the person to confide in, at least not about what weighed on his mind. If he hadn’t sorted out his conflicting feelings for Alyra in almost a week, there was no way his friend could help him with the problem in just a few minutes. Instead, he gave a flip answer. “She was expedient.”
His friend blinked, seeming to take a moment to absorb the reply. “I see.” He frowned. “Have you thought about the pack’s reaction? They won’t want an Omega as their Lupina.”
Steel underscored his tone. “They’ll adjust.”
For a moment, Orion looked like he wanted to argue, but his tone was mild when he asked, “So, you think this is best for the pack?”
With a nod, Jared said, “And for me.”
Slowly, Orion leaned back in preparation to stand. “Now I know all I need to.”
Jared stood with his friend to walk him to the door. When Orion stepped outside, he clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks for handling the situation with those kids.”
Orion wore a solemn expression. “I do what’s best for the pack, my friend.”
9
Alyra, standing naked on her balcony, stared up at the now-full moon, wondering if Jared stood on his balcony doing the same. The walls separating their rooms were thick, preventing any sound from transmitting to her, so she often lay in bed at night, curious about what he did all by himself in the room that was so close, but too far away.
She knew he must be nervous about the Ascension ceremony. He had seemed increasingly tense the few times she had seen him in the past two weeks. Alyra spent most of her time in her room, but had heard from some of the servants that someone definitely planned to challenge Jared’s Ascension. Each time she heard such talk, she had to resist the urge to go in search of Jared, to touch him and reassure herself he could defeat anyone who challenged him.
The moon was approaching apex, reaching its full tumescence tomorrow night, but it was nearly full enough now to allow easy transformation. When the moon wasn’t full, it took more energy to transform, and the process was painful. But with the moon in its current state, she would be in wolf-form in minutes and then loping through the forests of the island, seeking out a measure of serenity.
She hoped changing would soothe the longings in her heart and body that urged her to ignore the stupid contract and try to make a go of her marriage with Jared. But knowing he wouldn’t have chosen her if Elise had kept her word always held her back. She refused to be second-best, and she would always be a means to an end for him. How could he love her if he regarded her as an expedient solution, and how could they have a real marriage if he didn’t love her as much as she loved him?
Tingling started in her body, indicating the transformation was beginning. Alyra tossed back her head, letting her hair fall to her waist. She stood in the nude, in preparation for the change, ready to leap from the balcony and charge into the night as soon as she attained wolf-form.
The tingling of the conversion started like a mild itch, before progressing to a burning sensati
on. It was almost painful, but in a good way, like stretching muscles that had cramped. The process increased the awareness of her own body, and she could almost feel every cell growing, shifting, and changing. She enjoyed communing with herself on a cellular level and always marveled at the freedom of being in wolf-form. During the three days of the month when it was the easiest for their kind to shift, she tried to spend as much time as possible as a wolf.
In the process of sinking into the heady sensation of alteration, Alyra paused, aware of a difference in her body, one she had never experienced before. She stilled her mind, forcing back the reckless pleasure that had been about to consume her, and focused on what was different. A gasp escaped her, and she reeled back a step when she recognized the spark—two… no, three sparks of life within her. With a tentative hand, she touched her stomach, feeling the urge to transform fading away in the marvel of the moment.
In human-form, she wouldn’t have known for weeks to come, but as a wolf, her body told her she was pregnant, and there could be no mistake. The essences inside her were foreign, yet familiar at the same time. Her heart seemed to melt into a warm puddle, and tears blurred her eyes when she stumbled back into her bedroom to drop onto the bed.
Shock filled her, mingled with delight. It was a miracle she and Jared had created these fragile lives with their single night of passion. Suddenly, the tears in her eyes threatened to become an onslaught when she remembered the circumstances of their conception. It had been magical, but had happened for all the wrong reasons.
Her babies deserved two parents who had a real marriage, and she knew then that she would go to Jared. Walking to the door that separated them, she hoped he hadn’t given in to the urge to transform, because her courage might falter if she had to wait for him to return.