by Cara Wylde
“So,” he said. “Are you feeling more relaxed now?”
“Definitely.” She met his gaze in the mirror and gave him a smile.
“Good, because we need to take a quick shower and get dressed.”
“Help me choose my dress?”
“Sure, sweetie.”
“I’ll match my panties to your tie.”
“Wasn’t I supposed to match my tie to your dress?”
“Screw that. I’m changing the rules.”
Max laughed and helped her straighten her body. He pulled his softening cock out, and the smell of his cum mixed with her juices assaulted his sensitive nose. Avelyn wiggled her hips, letting his seed run down her legs. The feeling was sexy and strangely comforting. She turned to face him, and Max immediately caught her lips into a bruising kiss. His tongue engaged hers in a fierce battle, and his hands went to cup her ass. He lifted her up, and Avelyn hooked her legs around his hips. He tried to take the few steps that separated them from the bathroom, but realized he couldn’t move with his trousers around his ankles.
“Oops, wait. Not a good idea,” he said against her lips. He almost lost his footing, and Avelyn laughed at his clumsiness. She let her feet fall back to the floor, and watched him as he bent down to get rid of the stupid pants. When he was done with that, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer to catch his lips in another kiss. His fingers started working on the buttons of his shirt.
“My panties will have the same color as your tie, and every time you’ll see my eyes fixing on your tie, you’ll think of my tight pussy, okay?”
“Mmm… yes, ma’am.”
***
“How do you like the Schloss?”
“I love it!” Avelyn tried to return Karl’s smile and sound enthusiastic. “It’s more than I could have ever imagined.”
“Not surprisingly,” intervened Jocelyn while motioning for a young maid to pour her more wine. “As a fox-bride, where would you have lived? In a cottage?”
Avelyn struggled to keep the smile on her face. Leave it to Jocelyn to be unpleasant. “As far as I know, werefoxes live in small communities…”
“Villages,” the she-wolf interrupted her.
“… and have nice, comfortable houses.”
“They’ve always settled for less.”
It was impossible to carry a normal conversation with Jocelyn. Avelyn had the impression that all the she-wolf wanted to do was criticize others.
“Well,” said Karl. “I’m glad to hear that you like it. Still, you should come visit London when you have time. Max doesn’t even have to accompany you. Just steal two of his she-wolves and come have a girls’ weekend.”
Avelyn’s ears perked in curiosity. Was that allowed? She sent Max a questioning glance, but he didn’t look her way. He was busy cutting his steak.
“I… I’ll think about it.”
She took a bite of her own food, and chewed slowly, enjoying the heavenly taste. She was sitting between Max and Christine. Karl sat opposite Max, at the other end of the table, and Jocelyn was right across from Avelyn. Every time Avelyn raised her eyes from her plate, she saw the she-wolf’s sarcastic smirk. It could almost cut her appetite, so Avelyn tried to look more at Karl, who was dressed in an elegant suit. The expensive material stretched on his strong, large muscles, outlining each and every part of his impressive body. He was a tad taller than Max, had black hair just as his brother and sister, and his jaw was perfectly shaved. Avelyn had liked him from the first moment she met him and he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. He was the perfect gentleman. Despite Jocelyn’s persistence, he had insisted that their Betas would have dinner with them. Halfheartedly, he had promised they wouldn’t talk business at dinner, but it was quite clear that he had no intention of keeping his promise.
From time to time, Avelyn stole glances at the three werewolves she was seeing for the first time. Kevin was Max’s Beta. For some reason, she had always thought that Caleb was his Beta, so she was extremely surprised when Max whispered into her ear that Caleb was only a Delta. Kevin was a tall, handsome man, with a lean body, shoulder-length blond hair he always kept tied in a low ponytail, and a soft, rather long beard. Avelyn had never been into blonds, but she had to admit Kevin was quite a hunk. Ryan sat next to Jocelyn, his Alpha. Another surprise there. Avelyn could have sworn that a she-wolf like Josie would only accept another she-wolf as a Beta. Ryan was a mountain of a man. His brown hair was cut military style, and he had a deep, white scar running from his jaw up to the corner of his right eye. He spoke little, and when he did, he mumbled the words, making it impossible for Avelyn to hear him. Of course, the other werewolves heard him just fine. Karl’s Beta, Matt, sat between his Alpha and Ryan, and he was the most unexpected appearance in the dining room. He was quite short, slim, and he looked younger than everyone else at the table. His fiery red hair reminded Avelyn of a mop, and the ridiculous amount of freckles on his white nose and cheeks made his eyes sparkle in the greenest shade she had ever seen in a werewolf. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, and she kept wondering why in hell’s name a powerful Alpha like Karl would choose this perky, cheerful fellow as his Beta.
“Since Josie here was so kind to mention that you were supposed to be a fox-bride, do you mind if I ask you something?”
Karl’s question took her by surprise. “No…” From the corner of her eye, she saw Max set his fork down and pat his lips with the white napkin.
“I don’t think this is the right time,” he said.
“It’s nothing serious, I promise.”
“No, it’s okay, Max,” Avelyn said. “It doesn’t bother me.”
“Can you tell me a bit about these… communities?”
“The werefoxes’ communities?” asked Avelyn confused.
“Come on, Karl! What can she tell you that I haven’t already covered in my reports?” Jocelyn said annoyed.
“Actually, Miss Avelyn,” intervened Matt, Karl’s Beta. “We’re more interested in the relationship between the Alpha foxes and the rest of their pack.”
“Their earth, you mean,” Avelyn corrected him.
“Earth, sure.”
The classes she had enjoyed most at Alma Venus were the ones on the shape-shifters’ culture and folklore. She loved discovering and studying the differences between them. It was wrong to think that if they could all shape-shift into certain animals and then back into humans, they were similar in any way.
“From what I’ve learned, the relationship between an Inari and his or her earth is usually quite relaxed. The werefoxes are not as traditional as the werewolves or the weredragons, and for them the established ranks are not as important as, say, honor or wisdom. The members of an earth often see each other as equals.”
“See?” said Jocelyn. “Nothing you didn’t know.”
“What about the tails?” asked Karl. “Doesn’t a higher number of tails give the Alpha more power and superiority over the earth?”
“Yes and no.” Avelyn took a sip of red wine and tried to choose her words carefully. She wasn’t sure how she could explain this part to a werewolf. “First of all, you have to know that a Kyubi hasn’t been born in more than a thousand years.”
“What’s a Kyubi? I’m confused.” Jocelyn didn’t like to admit she couldn’t exactly follow Avelyn, but she didn’t want to be left out either.
“A Kyubi is an Inari, or an Alpha, as you call them, with nine tails,” Avelyn explained. “They’re more of a legend, it seems. Today, the wisest and most powerful Inari in the world has only five tails. His earth is somewhere in Alaska.”
“The Inaris in the Urals had either one or two tails,” mused Jocelyn. “Does this mean they’re not very dangerous?”
“As I said, the number of tails doesn’t mean much. A fox-shifter can have three or four tails and never reach the knowledge or skill to use them. Yes, a higher number of tails will make them more influential, and an Inari with at least two tails will probably never be challenged by anyone in his ea
rth, but learning how to use their tails is an entirely different story.”
“There is a way they can use their tails?” asked Matt, curiosity and excitement dancing in his beautiful eyes. He turned to Karl: “We had no idea! We thought they were just a sign of power, or something.”
Karl turned to his brother. “Max, I told you earlier that I liked your bride, now I think I love her.”
Avelyn blushed and looked down to her plate. She could feel Jocelyn’s eyes throw daggers her way, but that was nothing compared to the weird sensation that everyone at the table was staring at her. Christine patted her knee under the tablecloth, a sign of encouragement. Everyone had stopped eating, except Ryan, who was already digging into the second course.
“You see,” continued Avelyn, suddenly eager to help them. She didn’t know why she was doing it. It was clear they were hoping she would tell them something useful that would offer them insight into the fox-shifters’ culture or reveal something they could use against them. Maybe it was Karl’s impeccable behavior that made her feel like she belonged. Maybe it was Matt’s bright eyes, or Jocelyn’s scowl of dissatisfaction. She didn’t know. “Just like the werewolves have a thing for the full moon and the weredragons for the solar eclipse, the werefoxes are somehow connected to thunderstorms and lightning. It is said they can use their tails to create jolts of electricity, and the more tails they have, the more powerful they become because their electric attack is stronger. But it takes years of studying the ancient texts and even more years of practice to be able to make the tiniest lightning by rubbing their tails together.”
“Fascinating!” said Karl. “Max, why didn’t you ask her these things?”
“I didn’t want to get her involved in this madness we’ve started. We don’t even know what we’re after. Avelyn doesn’t need to worry about these things.”
“Yeah,” said Jocelyn and rolled her eyes. “Let me translate that for you, Karl: he didn’t trust her.”
“Josie, why would you say something like that?”
Avelyn saw anger flash into Max’s eyes. She could also feel the tension between him and his sister. Karl simply looked at them, and then fixed his eyes on Avelyn. She couldn’t hold his gaze, so she turned to Christine, who had resumed eating her steak.
“Because it’s true, obviously.” It seemed that Jocelyn had no intention of backing down.
Max squeezed the corners of the table, as if he was struggling to stop himself from pouncing on the she-wolf. Avelyn dared to touch his arm in an attempt to calm him down. However, she knew there was nothing she could do if he suddenly decided to teach Jocelyn a lesson, given that he was the main Alpha, and Josie was, in a way, his subordinate. She felt his muscles tremble under her small hand.
“That is a lie, and you know it,” he said between clenched teeth.
“Is it, Max? Is it?”
“Okay, okay, this isn’t helping anyone.” They all turned to Kevin, surprised to hear him speak for the first time since he had sat down at the table. He set his elbows on the table and rested his chin on the back of his joined hands, leaning in to see Avelyn over Christine’s small frame. “Do you know if there’s any Inari who can actually use his tails to produce electricity as a weapon?”
Avelyn felt like she could lose herself in Kevin’s deep, kind eyes. “No…”
“What about that five-tailed Inari in Alaska?”
“I don’t know… I don’t think so. What I’ve told you is based on legends. I mean, everything is true, but it seems that, for some reason, in time, the fox-shifters have lost their ancestral abilities.”
“So,” Kevin turned to Karl and Matt. “Does this change anything?”
Karl took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair, arms folded over his chest. “Honestly, I don’t know what to say. I was hoping Avelyn’s knowledge about their culture would hint to any possible answer as to why they have started to take so many human brides in the past few years.” He turned to Avelyn. “Tell me, only Inaris can have more than one tail?”
“No. A Yako, which would be the equivalent of a Beta, can also grow more tails. Also a Ninko, which would be the Delta. Technically, fox-shifters can grow new tails based on their knowledge of the ancient texts, their wisdom, and their determination to evolve. However, it takes an awful lot of time and energy.” A fleeting thought crossed Avelyn’s mind, and she laughed. “It’s probably easier to procreate as much as possible until one of them finally gives birth to a nine-tailed pup.”
No one at the table found her joke funny.
“A Kyubi,” noticed Kevin.
“Yes,” said Avelyn. “A Kyubi can only be born, not made. An Inari can grow up to eight tails by himself or herself, but a Kyubi is simply born with nine tails and the ability to create lightning.” Then it struck her. “Wait.” She turned to Max, who had calmed down and was listening to her with wide eyes. “You told me the werefoxes are now buying human brides for all the members of their earths.”
“And you’ve just said that any fox-shifter, regardless of his or her rank can grow more tails,” he completed her train of thought.
“That explains it,” said Jocelyn. “The more children they have, the more chances of giving birth to one of those Kyubi things.”
“But why?” added Karl. “This is the damned question we need to find an answer to. Why?”
***
“You were wonderful! They all loved you!” Max lifted Avelyn off the floor and spun her a few times, a bit faster than human speed. He put her back down and laughed when she lost her footing.
“Yeah, well… I still have to work at making Jocelyn like me.” She rubbed her forehead, trying to chase away the dizziness. She felt a bit sick, so she untangled herself from Max’s arms and strolled towards the bed. She sat down and started removing her clothes.
“Here, I’ll help you with those. I think my lovely, gorgeous bride deserves a treat.”
Avelyn smiled, but shook her head and pulled away when he reached for the zipper of her dress. “As good as that may sound, I think I’ll pass.”
Max was taken aback. It was the first time Avelyn refused him. Or, maybe he misunderstood her?
“What’s wrong?”
Avelyn cringed at his serious, slightly confused tone. She really didn’t feel like dealing with him right now. “Nothing, I just don’t feel very well.”
“Okay… I can give you a massage, what do you say? Or I can rub your feet…” He took hold of her feet and removed the black high heels, but Avelyn stood up before he had the chance to even touch her soles.
“No, thank you. I want to lie down and try to sleep. The dinner went very well, indeed, but it was exhausting.”
“All right…” Max hadn’t moved from where he was kneeling in front of the bed. He watched her as she unzipped her dress and let it slide to the floor. She went to the dressing room, found a large T-shirt, and threw it over her bare skin. She strolled back to the bed, but didn’t even touch him before sneaking under the covers and making herself comfortable. His wolf senses sharpened, trying to catch the smallest clue that could tell him what was happening. There was something wrong, and she didn’t want to tell him. Maybe Jocelyn had truly managed to ruin her evening? Could it have been Ryan, who had only grunted and mumbled and refused to even look at her over the table? He had no idea. She went to her side of the bed. “Baby, are you okay?”
Avelyn let him caress her forehead, enjoying the warmth of his big hand. “Sure. My stomach, though, not so much. Could you, please, turn off the light?”
“Yes.” Max had to force himself to stand up and walk away from her. He did what she had asked, and stood for one long minute in front of the bedroom door, unsure if he should slip into bed and hug her, or go back downstairs to have a drink with his brother, Kevin, Matt, and Ryan, as he had promised them. He looked at her small frame in the dim moonlight that barely penetrated the heavy curtains. He almost decided to join her in bed and ask her the same question over and over again until she wo
uld tell him what had bothered her, so he could make it all better. But this was Avelyn. She was stubborn and feisty, and she could turn into an impossible little shrew if he insisted on something she didn’t want to share. It was safer to leave her alone for now, and bring the matter up in the morning, when she’d feel better. However, nothing too tragic would happen if he went back to kiss her forehead and tuck her in.
Avelyn closed her eyes when Max pressed his soft lips to her forehead. She sighed and smiled reassuringly, hoping he’d understand he shouldn’t read too much into this. The truth was that she couldn’t bring herself to make a bigger effort to convince him everything was fine. She wanted him out of the bedroom, so she could focus on her own thoughts.
“Good night, my love,” he said.
“Good night.”
“I’ll be back up in a bit. I’ll just have another glass of wine with Karl and the guys.”
“Don’t worry. Take your time, I’ll be here.”
“Take all the friggin’ time in the world,” she thought. She sighed in relief when he closed the door behind him, and shoved the thick covers off her body. It was too hot in the room. Or, was it just her? She sat up and flung her legs over the edge of the bed. With her elbows placed firmly on her knees, she rested her head in her open palms and rubbed at her tired eyes. “Shit, I should remove my make-up.” But she didn’t move. Yes, there was something wrong, and it wasn’t Jocelyn.
In fact, Jocelyn had told the truth. She might be a bitch, but at least she was an honest one. Not like Max, with his stupid “I love you”-s that sounded so fake and artificial. How would he have defended himself in front of his sister if Kevin hadn’t intervened and gotten the discussion back on track? Would he have openly denied that the reason for which he hadn’t asked her about the werefoxes had been, indeed, that he didn’t trust her?