by Cara Wylde
“Nothing much.”
“What has Max been up to? It’s the first time he’s not having lunch with me.”
“Oh, that.” Christine’s wrinkled face stretched into a huge smile. “Now I understand. You’re like this because you miss him.”
“What? No!” Avelyn almost choked on her food. She immediately realized her mistake and smiled timidly, her eyes locked on her plate. “Maybe… a little…”
Christine clapped her bony hands and laughed wholeheartedly. “Don’t worry, he’ll be back before dinner, and you’ll get to tell him yourself how much you’ve missed him.”
Avelyn just kept eating, silently chastising herself for her impulsive reaction. “Idiot. Why do you keep forgetting you have a role to play?” On the other hand, yes, maybe she wouldn’t have minded having Max sitting across from her, eating his own lunch, squeezing her hand gently, yet possessively from time to time, his green eyes drinking her in as if she were a much delicious treat than the dessert Harold had prepared for them. She chased away the slight pang of… what was that? Regret? Longing? “Nonsense!”
“He’s been very busy lately. It’s a miracle he manages to have his lunches and dinners at the Schloss, and that’s entirely thanks to you. If you weren’t here, he’d most likely be gone for days. Like Jocelyn. She left with half of her pack the day you came here. That’s why there isn’t much activity in the courtyard and the castle.”
“Why did she leave? Anything to do with me?”
“Oh, no. Why would you think that?”
“They don’t want me here.”
“Who doesn’t want you, child?”
“The wolves…”
Christine hesitated for a moment. She watched Avelyn thoughtfully, unsure of what to say. She didn’t want to make her feel even more isolated and alone, but she didn’t want to lie to her either. It was true. The wolves weren’t very pleased with the fact that their main Alpha had decided to take a Vulpes bride instead of a Lupi one, who would have been educated to understand and respect their culture. They took anything that had to do with the foxes with a grain of salt. The differences between werewolves and werefoxes went back to ancient times.
“They don’t know you yet. We werewolves tend to be very traditional in our views. This is not always a good thing. Sometimes, traditional is uncomfortably close to narrow-minded.” Christine kept her voice warm, almost motherly. The last thing she wanted was to hurt Avelyn’s feelings. “Jocelyn left because she’s helping Max and Karl gather information about… about a matter they want to bring up to the Council at the annual meeting in December.”
That was enough to stir Avelyn’s curiosity. She had been trying to lure both Max and Christine into telling her more about the clan’s affairs and Max’s work. He was gone almost all day, and it drove Avelyn mad that she didn’t know why, that she was intentionally kept in the dark. Any information about the family business, about Karl’s diplomatic work in London, Jocelyn’s importance to the clan, and, eventually, the Schloss, could have proven to be helpful, or even crucial to her escape plan.
“Oh, the Summit right before the Winter Solstice. But… Max is not a Councilor. How is he even allowed to attend it?”
“Karl and Max are both advisers of the representative of the wolf-shifter faction, Councilor Voinom. If anything happens to him, a member of Clan Blackmane must take his place.”
“Why? Doesn’t this… Voinom guy have any heirs? I don’t know much about the wolf clans, but it still doesn’t make sense to me. If Voinom is the werewolf Councilor, then he must be the most influential Alpha in the world, right?”
“Yes. In Europe and the world. He’s got five packs under his command. All five Alphas are his own sons, granted that they all come from different mothers. But Councilor Voinom doesn’t trust any of them when it comes to the peace treaty.”
“Wow! Why not?”
“Long story,” Christine sighed and smiled. Avelyn understood she wasn’t going to get more information on this. Why? She couldn’t know. It wasn’t like Clan Voinom mattered to her in any way. Besides, the discussion had strayed a lot, and she had to find a way to direct it to what interested her.
“I’m sorry,” Avelyn took a sip of water and pushed the tray away, not even touching the cheesecake.
“Goodness, why?”
“For asking so many questions. It’s just that… I feel trapped in here. I have moments when I almost suffer from claustrophobia. I was trapped at Alma Venus, and now here. I mean, for the last seven days I’ve been reading a lot of things on the Internet: articles, news, reports I’ve never had access to at Alma Venus. I realized how much the boarding schools keep the brides in the dark.” She rose from the sofa, and started pacing the room, arms folded over her chest to prevent herself from gesturing in despair. “It’s insane, you know? Alma Venus is like… like this closed, dystopian society in which the students are fed only the pieces of information the headmistress deems appropriate. I see now that we had no real contact with the outside world.” She sat down next to Christine. “Do you think this is fair? What happens to us, shifter brides, the way we are treated and educated? The way we are kept in the dark and then thrown out in the real world and expected to manage?”
Christine remained silent. Her heart ached when she saw the sadness and anger in Avelyn’s eyes, but she had to be careful because an inappropriate reaction could have made things worse.
“Since I’ve come to the Schloss things haven’t changed much, you know? Sure, I now have access to all the information the Internet, the newspapers, and the television have to offer, but I’m left out of anything that has to do with Max, everything that is happening in his world. Your world,” she hesitated. “My… world.”
The old woman took both her hands into her own. “Avelyn…”
“I get it. None of you trusts me because I tried to run away the moment I found out he had bought me. It’s just that… it’s… it’s hard.” A tear made its way down Avelyn’s cheek, and she wiped it before it reached her chin.
Christine took her into her arms and rubbed her back gently. “I know, Avelyn, I know. You must be patient. Things will get better, you’ll see, and then Max will never hide anything from you again.”
“Everything is happening so fast. I need time to adapt, time to know the Schloss and the wolves. Time to know him. And being trapped in this room, looking out the window every day and watching everyone else simply living and enjoying their freedom… it’s driving me insane.” She sobbed silently, her shoulders trembling under the pressure she was struggling to keep bottled up in her chest.
“I know, child, I know.” Christine placed her dry, calloused palms on Avelyn’s shoulders, and pushed her gently, keeping her at arm’s length. She looked into her deep, teary eyes. “Max knows that you need time. Even though he might not tell you, he knows what you’re going through. Every time he leaves and turns the key in the lock, the metallic click tears his heart apart.”
Avelyn made a great, almost painful, effort to control herself and not roll her eyes. “Yeah, sure… I bet he’s bleeding right now.”
“But you’re not trapped. You’re free, you just don’t see it yet.”
“How does that even make sense?” The thought ringed so loud and angry in her mind, that she hoped Christine’s wolf senses didn’t detect it through some kind of wolfish magic.
“What kind of freedom involves not being allowed to leave the room?” she asked out loud.
“Don’t hate him for this. It might not be the best decision he’s ever made, but he’s afraid you’ll leave him.”
Avelyn swallowed heavily. “I won’t.”
“Then, do your best to let him know. Gain his trust. Offer him something that will show him how much you love him. Something that will bind you two forever.”
“I… I’m not ready. This whole thing scares me so much. It’s overwhelming.” Words failed her. Something that would bind them forever. Avelyn knew what that was because it was exactly w
hat she wanted to avoid. After what Christine said, there was no way she could bring up the issue that had kept her awake last night. A baby would bind them forever. That’s why she needed something to prevent that from happening, and her only hope was Christine. At least, that was what she had thought during her long hours of insomnia. Clearly, it was no longer a solution. “I’m sorry,” she put some distance between her and Christine, moving towards the edge of the bed. She wiped her tears and reached for the box of tissues on the nightstand.
“You have nothing to be sorry about. Max will wait, you’ll see.”
“Sure, he’ll wait for me to rot in here,” she thought. “Because I’d rather rot than let him have his way with me and risk getting pregnant.” She blew her nose, then turned to Christine and gave her a weak smile.
“Thank you, I’m feeling better now.”
“This means you’re going to eat the cheesecake, after all?”
“What?” Avelyn looked at the table, having had forgotten about dessert. “Oh, yes. Please leave it, I’ll eat it later.”
The old woman stood up and went to clear the table. “Would you like some tea?”
“No, thank you.”
“Well, then, I’ll take this back to the kitchen.” She balanced the tray in one hand, and drew the key out with the other. Avelyn eyed it curiously. “Maybe? But no.” Christine unlocked the door and gave her a smile and a “see you later” before she closed it behind her and locked it back.
Avelyn threw the tissue across the room. “Fuck!”
***
Each night, Max became more and more demanding. He had kept his promise to wait for Avelyn to be ready to give herself to him entirely and in every way he knew how to take her, but she felt the impatience bubbling underneath his every touch, kiss, and caress. She would have given in completely and wholeheartedly if it weren’t for the rational part of her brain reminding her time and time again that the last thing she needed was to remain pregnant. The moment that happened, she would have to kiss her freedom goodbye and accept that she would never be more than Max’s wife, the mother of his children, and the mistress of the Schloss. She couldn’t let that happen. So, each time Max’s eyes begged for her to let him bury himself deep inside her, and his hard cock inched too close to her soaked, pulsing entrance, she grabbed his hips and forced her hands to push him away rather than pull him closer. “Please, I’m not ready yet.” And Max understood each and every time, restrained himself, and either went down to lick her frantically until she orgasmed, or shoved his cock into her mouth and fucked her hard and deep until he released all his lust and frustration in hot streams she swallowed greedily. Not going all the way stressed them both, and Avelyn ended up still horny even after his tongue and fingers had made her orgasm two or three times. But there was no way she’d risk getting pregnant.
She had searched the Internet for contraceptive methods, but she soon realized she couldn’t get access to any of them. And the calendar method was out of the question. It was too risky to even take into consideration. Her only chance was to either convince Max to use protection, or find a way to protect herself without him knowing. The first was not even an option, let alone a solution. Avelyn laughed bitterly the moment it crossed her mind. An Alpha using protection when the main purpose of getting a human bride was breeding? There was no way that would ever happen. Not in this world. So, naturally, her only chance was Christine. But, how could she convince the old woman to help her when she saw so clearly that she always took Max’s side? Christine was a werewolf, and it was in her nature to abide by the rules. So, with no further ado, it was safe to say that Avelyn was in deep shit.
After Christine left, she sat down in front of her laptop and started browsing the porn sites she had bookmarked for later reference. “Let’s see if I can find some kinky ideas I can put into practice tonight. Something good enough to distract him one more night.” Faking a headache was also out of the question. She was trying to seduce him, after all, so the idea was to show him how eager and hungry for him she was all the time. It was better to overdo it than give him the slightest reason to start asking questions about why she always stopped him at the last moment. When the “I’m so innocent”-card didn’t work, she switched to the “I’m so scared it will hurt”-card, also known as the “you’re too big for me”-card. But she knew her tricks wouldn’t work forever. They’d eventually get old, and then she’d have to submit. She clicked through a couple of videos, keeping in mind the positions and kinks that could have proven useful.
Avelyn spent the whole afternoon mindlessly jumping from one site to another, then trying on the dresses and sexy lingerie with which Max had filled their dressing room. Her new wardrobe was a gift from him, a way to apologize for keeping her locked up in a room like a princess in a tower. Except, in this case, he was both the villain and the hero. She turned on the TV on the news channel, and tried on all the pretty dresses she had refused to wear because there was no point in dressing nicely if no one except him would see her. Some of them were quite skimpy, and Avelyn guessed they were not intended to be worn outside, while others were extremely elegant and sophisticated. “Hmm… what should I put on for dinner? It was a mistake not to wear them,” she thought while switching between a black lace dress and a purple chiffon dress in front of the huge mirror on the dressing room door. “I should definitely start wearing them, or he’ll think I’m refusing his gifts.” She settled for the black one. The deep cleavage barely covered her nipples, and the hem stopped right under her butt. She chose a pair of black stilettos that made her legs go on and on forever. But Max didn’t make it to dinner.
“Oh, this dress fits you so well,” Christine complimented her while she was setting the table for one.
“What does it matter if he’s not here to see it?” Avelyn was disappointed, but she couldn’t quite say if it was because she had spent all afternoon making herself pretty for him, or because she hadn’t seen him for almost seven hours.
“He must have been caught up with business. It happens all the time.”
“Right, business,” Avelyn huffed. “What is his business anyway? Each time either of you mention it, you use these elusive worlds. Business, work, important affairs. What is this? Some kind of code language?”
Christine sighed. “You must be patient, child. He will tell you everything one day.”
“Why is it such a secret?”
“It’s not. It’s just…” Christine threw Avelyn a glance filled with compassion and regret. She rubbed her bony hands against her thin, sagging hips, as if she was trying to rub away the sweat that had gathered in her palms. She didn’t know how to choose the right words.
“What? It’s just what?” Avelyn pressed on. Silence. She studied the old woman, trying to read the expression painted on her face. “Oh… right. It’s just that he doesn’t trust me,” she hung her head in disappointment. How could she have been so naïve? Of course Max wouldn’t tell her anything about his family and their business or political affairs. He couldn’t trust her. She remembered the short discussion about Councilor Voinom and his sons. Did Max think that she actually hated him enough to go straight to his competitors if she ever managed to escape the Schloss? Maybe she did.
“I’m sure he’ll be back after dinner,” offered Christine.
“Yeah, whatever. Thank you for now. I’d like to eat alone.” Avelyn was a bit harsh with the old woman, but Christine didn’t protest. She left the room, and, as the key turned in the lock, Avelyn was surrounded by silence. She eyed the food before her, suddenly not feeling hungry anymore. She had the impression that everyone and everything was against her. How was she supposed to live like this? How was she supposed to dream like this? Make plans for the future? Whatever that future would be… She grabbed the fork and knife and willed her shaky hands to use them.
***
After she finished eating, she left the tray with the leftovers on the table, and went to take a shower. She threw the pretty dress in the
laundry bin and abandoned the stilettos in the middle of the bathroom. The hot water helped her relax, and cleared her mind enough to allow her to lay down in bed, a comedy playing on TV. Christine had taken the tray back to the kitchen and left a hot mug of jasmine tea on her nightstand. It was perfect. She didn’t feel like seeing her at least until the next day. The woman was not her friend, and Avelyn knew she’d do well to remember that. She focused on the movie, glad that it was hilarious enough to make her smile from time to time and forget about all the dark, stressful thoughts that had clouded her mind all day.
When she heard the key turn in the lock, her heart jumped. She sat up in bed and saw Max enter the room cautiously, as if not to disturb her in case she was sleeping. Why was her heart beating so damn loudly?
“You’re awake,” he said. He was next to her, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss, before she could understand what was happening. He had crossed the room in a mere blink of an eye.
“I’ll never get used to how fast you can move.”
Max laughed and took her in his arms, peeling away the bathrobe to kiss her neck and shoulders. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it for lunch and dinner.”
“You could have called.”
“I know, I know. I wanted to, but I couldn’t find a free second. This whole… this whole thing is eating up all my time. And my wolves’.”
“What thing?” She knew he wouldn’t tell her, but she had to try. After all, Avelyn was naturally curious, and if she stopped asking, Max would certainly notice.
He kept her at arm’s length to study her face and wet hair. “You’re gorgeous!”
Avelyn gave him a bright, satisfied smile. At least, she hoped it looked that way. “Well, that’s a clever way of avoiding the subject,” she thought.
“Fuck, I want you. I want you so badly,” he said, and smashed his lips against hers. His tongue parted her lips and started exploring her mouth. He licked her teeth, sucked on her tongue, nibbled on her plump bottom lip, and moaned in pleasure. His hands roamed her body, almost tearing up her bathrobe, and his expert fingers started massaging her soft, heavy breasts.