by Cara Wylde
“Played a bit at Alma Venus, but I was never crazy about it.”
“But would I beat you?”
Claudia studied the board and pretended to analyze his non-existent technique.
“Nah, don’t think so.”
“Bummer.”
He started putting the pieces back into their box.
“So, what’s up?”
That was another thing Claudia liked about Matt. He never beat around the bush.
“I wanted to ask you something…” She bit the inside of her lip, unsure of how to express herself as to not make him think she was desperate.
“Ask away.”
“Is… mmm… Karl okay?”
Matt looked up from what he was doing. “What do you mean?”
“Well… he hasn’t been answering my calls or my text messages. So, I was thinking… maybe something happened?”
Matt averted his gaze and shrugged. “Nothing happened. He’s fine.”
“How do you know that? Have you talked to him?”
Suddenly, the Beta wasn’t as chatty as before.
“Matt, have you talked to him?”
“Yes.”
His answer was more of a whisper. It was quite clear her question had made him uncomfortable.
“When?”
“Pretty much every day.”
“Of course. Of course,” she whispered silently.
Her body was burning with anger. She felt as though if she didn’t control her voice, her words would turn into small, sharp daggers that would stab Matt right in the chest. But she wasn’t angry at him, she was angry at her stupid husband. The good part was that now she didn’t care anymore what Matt thought about her. This marriage was clearly not working, so maybe it was better if she found her way back to Alma Venus. Soon.
“So, what do you guys talk about?”
Matt stole a quick glance at her to assess how angry she was. The look on her face made him shudder, and he realized he had never felt threatened by a woman before. Claudia was pure Alpha female material. No wonder Karl was so smitten with her. If only she had known…
“Stuff… he’s mostly complaining about Councilor Voinom.”
“I see. Stuff.”
“Mhm.”
“Do you… ever talk about me?”
Matt’s eyes went wide. “Oh no, not at all!” The hurt in Claudia’s eyes told him that was the wrong answer. “I mean… not like that. Not like… you know…”
“What?”
“Well, you know… gossip? We don’t gossip, we never gossip.”
Claudia nodded. “Then how?”
Matt leaned back in his chair and scratched his chin. This had to be the most uncomfortable situation Karl had ever put him in.
“He asks about you, wants to make sure you’re fine and have everything you need.”
“Does he?”
Her voice sounded incredulous, and Matt sighed. What was he supposed to do? Leave her with her doubts, or tell her the truth? His Alpha would kill him.
“Yeah, yeah he does.” A small pause. “He… cares about you.”
“Huh.” Claudia leaned over the table to look him straight in the eyes. “I don’t believe you, Matt. I know what you’re trying to do, and I understand why you’re doing it, but lying to me to make me feel better is not going to work. Karl doesn’t care about me. If he did, he would have called. He would have at least picked up the phone when I called him.”
Matt ran both his hands through his messy red hair. “Man, if I do this, I’m dead,” he thought, but reached for his smartphone anyway.
“Look, I’ll show you.”
“Show me what?”
He browsed through his texts, then placed the phone in front of her.
“But you have to promise me you will never, under any circumstance, ever tell Karl I did this. Okay? He’ll cut my balls off, and Lord knows I need them to score a couple more dragon girls.”
“Okay…” Claudia’s attention was drawn to the long string of texts Matt and Karl had exchanged over the past week. “What’s this?”
“Go on, read all of them. I, for one, have nothing to hide.”
Claudia took his phone and started scrolling down, then went back up to read each and every message carefully. Apparently, Karl had sent most of them, sometimes sending two or three before Matt cared to reply.
Karl: “How’s my wife doing? Is she having fun?”
Matt: “Yeah, man. All the fun in the world.”
Karl: “I’m serious…”
Matt: “I’m serious too. Chill.”
Karl: “What was for dinner tonight?”
Matt: “…”
Karl: “…?”
Matt: “Fried chicken and baked potatoes.”
Karl: “Is she eating well?”
Matt: “LOL”
Karl: “Is she?”
Matt: “Yes.”
Karl: “How’s Claudia?”
Karl: “Matt?”
Karl: “Is she okay? Has something happened?”
Matt: “She’s fine.”
Karl: “Why didn’t you answer me?”
Matt: “I was in the fuckin’ bathroom.”
Karl: “What did she do today?”
Karl: “What the hell? You in the bathroom again? Don’t leave me hanging for 10 minutes.”
Matt: “Read in the garden.”
Karl: “What’s she reading?”
Matt: “Gone with the Wind… I think.”
Karl: “Good book. Is she eating well?”
Karl: “Matt…”
Karl: “Fuck you.”
And the texts went on and on in the same manner. As she was reading them, Claudia couldn’t hide the smile creeping on her lips. When she finally read the texts they had exchanged that very morning, a huge, bright smile took over her face and even Matt started smiling stupidly.
Karl: “I want you back in London.”
Matt: “Just me?”
Karl: “No, you moron. I want Claudia back in London.”
Matt: “You said you wanted me…”
Karl: “You, the both of you. But now you can stay there for all I care. See if you can ask her today.”
Matt: “I will.”
Karl: “Be subtle. Figure out if she’d want it too, first.”
Karl: “Matt, did you get that?”
Matt: “Yeah, subtle, got it.”
Claudia handed him back his phone and stared at the table for a long while. Her face had started to hurt because of all the smiling.
Matt cleared his throat. “Remember: not a word, or I’m history.”
She looked up at him. “Why? Why does he do that?”
He shrugged. “It’s quite obvious to me. He’s head over heels. Again, don’t ever tell him I said that. God, I’m digging my own grave!”
“No, Matt. Why does he blatantly ignore me, but stresses you with all those silly questions? Am I eating well…” She rolled her eyes as if to show she knew Karl surely had better things to think about. In truth, his genuine concern for her well-being made her heart flutter.
“He doesn’t know how to be with you. He’s never done this before.”
“Yeah… he’s never been with a woman,” she said sarcastically.
“No, silly. He’s never been in love. He’s never been with a woman he actually cared about.”
Claudia stared at him open-mouthed, not knowing what else to say. It sounded surreal. Sure, Avelyn’s feminine instinct had come to the same conclusion one week ago, but Claudia had found it hard to put her faith in it. Now, Matt was telling her something clear and, more importantly, demonstrable. She had just read Karl’s texts and she could finally believe her friends.
“When were you going to ask me about returning to London?”
“Later-ish…? Look, I was trying to come up with a way to be subtle. I don’t usually do subtle, so I was postponing the moment.”
“No, you really don’t do subtle.”
She was still smiling
. How could she still be smiling without her way-too-stretched lips saying “screw this” and falling off her face?
“So… like… do you wanna go?”
“Yes, I think I do.”
“Cool.” He released a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding and relaxed against the backrest. “How about tomorrow?”
“Perfect.” The smile finally disappeared from her face as she furrowed her brows in concentration. “Tomorrow is perfect because I actually have an idea… a plan. But I want to consult Avelyn first.”
“Huh? What plan?” Suddenly, Matt was alarmed. That didn’t sound good. Women making plans… that didn’t sound good at all.
Claudia stood up. As she started walking towards the castle, she threw over her shoulder: “I’m not sure yet, but I’m working on it.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Scars and Demons
Because Claudia couldn’t wait, they went back to London the next day. She had considered telling Avelyn about her plan and asking for her advice, but then she had decided she needed to make the decision alone. She had to stop asking for help and guidance. She was an Alpha bride now, and she had to start being in control of her life and marriage. Even of her husband. Not yet, but soon…
When they arrived, Karl was waiting for them in the parking lot. Claudia almost jumped into his arms. Almost, because as she was running towards him, she noticed the slightly panicked look on his face and slowed down. He took her face between his hands and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, then stared straight into her eyes as he whispered: “In your room, naked, you’ll find the scarf on the pillow. You have five minutes.”
Her heart jumped in her chest and she suddenly forgot how to breathe. Her pussy clenched with need, and she finally had to admit that she had missed him more than she had thought. She hadn’t only missed his husky voice, manly scent, and overwhelming presence, but she had also missed him physically. Her body had craved his body each and every night, and she had ignored it, too focused on the fact that he wasn’t calling. She needed him so badly, that she didn’t even care if Matt, who was behind them, had heard his demand. Without looking back, she ran up the stairs of the building, two words ringing in her head: five minutes. She barely heard Karl taking the luggage from Matt and dismissing him.
When her husband entered the room, she was waiting for him on top of the bed. As he had demanded, she was completely naked except for the silk blindfold. Claudia had covered her eyes carefully, but unlike the first time she had worn it, this time she could see the faintest shadows through the soft material, the afternoon sun throwing its golden rays through the large windows, enveloping everything in a magical glow. Her breath hitched when she heard the door opening and closing, then Karl’s barely audible steps approaching the bed.
Karl stopped at the foot of the bed and took his time to admire his bride. Her skin glowed like chocolate covered in honey, the blindfold gave her soft, frizzy hair a cute, silly shape, her hard nipples were pointing at him, and he could smell the wetness between her legs. He gulped before he opened his mouth and said something stupid. Many things were running through his head, but he refused to say any of them out loud. “You’re beautiful”, “You’re gorgeous”, “I missed you so much”, “Your scent and your naked body haunted my dreams while you were gone”, “I should’ve never sent you away”… He didn’t say any of that. He couldn’t. It was like every time he was about to express his feelings, the words choked him and didn’t let him breathe until he gave up and swallowed them forever.
Claudia took a deep breath when she felt the mattress sink under his weight. A soft rustle told her he was taking his clothes off, and she bit her lower lip in frustration. Oh, how she would have loved to see him, let her hungry eyes wander down his thick neck, wide shoulders, strong chest, and perfect abs. The tips of her fingers were itching with curiosity… What was his skin like? Did he have dark, coarse hair on his chest? She wanted to run her hands down his abs and grab his cock, weigh it in her palm, then guide it to her lips and taste him. Instead, she felt him lean over her just enough to tie her wrists to the headboard. She sighed and waited to see what he would do next.
Karl had been dying to have her body again. That first time more than a week ago hadn’t been enough. It had just taken the edge off, and he had cursed himself every day for pushing her away and leaving her at Schloss Blackmane. On one hand, he felt like he couldn’t have her around. Her presence, the mere scent of her skin drove him insane with lust. He had to focus on his job and his pack, not let a woman play with his head. On the other hand, he couldn’t live without her. Not having her around had been even worse than seeing her constantly. He had spent his days staring at his phone, texting Matt, and talking himself out of calling her and begging her to come back. As if Schloss Blackmane had been her idea…
But now she was there, in his arms. Naked on top of the covers, her full lips parted, her legs spread wide. He caressed the inside of her thighs and smiled when she shuddered at the touch. His fingers inched closer to her glistening folds, and he heard her take in a deep breath. She released it when his finger traced her slit and sank inside her. Her passage was sleek and warm. He moved his finger in and out a couple of times, but when she started moaning, he couldn’t take it anymore, he couldn’t hold back. His wolf was thrashing inside his chest, demanding to be let out so he could possess his mate. Karl climbed on top of his bride and positioned his hard, throbbing cock at her entrance. As he slid inside her, he watched with hungry eyes how her pussy enveloped the engorged head, then the whole length, taking in everything he had to give. He sighed when he was buried to the hilt, closed his eyes for a second, and when he opened them again, he focused on Claudia’s blissful face. He leaned in and captured her parted lips in a fiery kiss as he started moving in and out of her tight pussy.
“Oh,” she moaned against his lips.
It was even better than the first time. It didn’t hurt, and she was so wet that his cock slid in and out perfectly, stuffing her full, stretching her to the limit, hitting that sweet spot inside her. Soon, he quickened the pace and she had to hold onto the headboard.
“Oh yes!”
She had had no idea she would like it so hard and fast. The wet, sloppy sound of sex filled the room, and anyone who was in the apartment could probably hear the bed creaking under Karl’s erratic attack. She didn’t care. She moaned and screamed louder, soon getting to the point when she was chanting his name as she was nearing orgasm.
“Oh, right there! Karl, yes! Don’t stop!”
He didn’t stop. Seeing her so close, he smiled mischievously, grabbed her legs and placed them on his shoulders. From the new angle, he could sink even deeper inside her. He held her hips in place with his big, strong hands and pounded her until she screamed his name over and over, coming on his cock, her walls squeezing him until he grunted and coated her pussy with hot streams of seed.
“Oh, yes… come inside me,” she whispered. By this time, she had no idea what she was saying. The thought that he was filling her with his seed had triggered another orgasm, and she was riding it lazily, already exhausted. “I love your cock… oh, fuck me, yes… I love you, Karl. I love you…”
Karl froze for a moment, still buried inside her. He looked at her long and hard, almost wanting to rip the scarf off so he could see her eyes and make sure it wasn’t just her powerful release talking. Her hips rose to meet his, urging him to thrust a couple more times, then her body relaxed around him, her legs hitting the mattress.
“Oh God… that was amazing,” she said, oblivious to his reaction.
Not knowing what to say to that, he lay on top of her gently, not wanting to pull out just yet. He was still hard, the head of his cock throbbing softly in the aftermath. He cupped her jaw and traced her bottom lip with his thumb. He kissed her, then kissed her again. Their tongues battled for a long while, Claudia moaning and sighing. Her body was deliciously tired and soft under him, and he realized he never wanted that moment to end.
However, her arms and shoulders were obviously aching, so he reached out and untied her wrists.
At first, Claudia didn’t know what to do with her hands. She wanted to touch him, but she was afraid that if she did, he could only reject her, pull out of her, and storm out of the room. She didn’t want that. She clenched her muscles around his cock and sighed at the sweet sensation of being so close to him, of them being one. She wanted to take off her blindfold and look into his mesmerizing green eyes, but if he hadn’t removed it yet, then it meant he still didn’t want her to see him. “What a strange man,” she thought. They stayed like that for what felt like forever, Karl caressing her face, and Claudia keeping her hands spread to the sides. This was probably as close to cuddling as they would get. She wasn’t complaining, but she did want more. This was the perfect moment to tell him about her clever idea.
“Karl, I was thinking…”
“Mhm?”
She swallowed heavily and took her time to find the right words.
“I was thinking that, maybe, we should have the mating ritual.”
He was silent. She couldn’t tell if it was a good kind of silence, or a bad one.
“The full moon is in two days, and I’m ready. I hope you are, too. I don’t know… this feels right. Us, I mean.” She hesitated a bit, wondering if she wasn’t actually lying. Yes, she wanted to be with him, but did their relationship really feel that right? She dismissed her doubts. “Also, I… I want to take the cure. I want you to bite me so I can take the antidote for the werewolf venom and turn into a hybrid.”
Karl’s stomach did a painful flip. He immediately sat up, pulling out of her, and ran his hands through his short black hair. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, afraid that if he lost control of his heart, stomach, and breathing, he would vomit all over her.
“Karl?”
She raised her head a bit, focusing on the shadow she could see through the black silk. What was happening? She was seriously considering removing the blindfold.