“Well, rumors have been my way of keeping people in line for a long time,” I admit. “I let most of them slide as long as they don’t cause direct harm. And until now, the gossip about my love life has kept the vultures away.”
“You only like brunettes,” she says, almost accusingly.
“I’ve only ever been seen with brunettes,” I clarify.
“You have women ready to** and I quote**’service you’ whenever you want, spread across every corner of your massive pack,” she says, her voice dropping a little. “Past tense. And just to be clear, ‘service’ means blowjob. Nothing more has ever happened, and I have never returned the favor.”
“But… how is that even possible? Girls talk,” I say, surprised.
“Not when they’ve been commanded,” she replies coolly. “And you can’t judge me for seeing other women when you had a trail of guys following you around, including my delta for a few days. How many of them have you actually been with? I know you were sleeping with Ben**it was written all over his face whenever he looked at you. Actually, I don’t even want to know about Danny. He’s one of my best friends, and I don’t want my wolf tearing him apart.”
I feel my wolf growl deep inside my chest, and for once, I don’t silence it. It’s irrational, but I’m irritated that she’s been with other men.
“So you knew about us being mates that night on the balcony,” I say quietly. “Why didn’t you say anything then? Were you and Ben serious?”
“I’m going to keep ignoring your questions if you keep ignoring mine,” she warns.
“Fine,” I relent. “I was suspicious right up until we danced. When I touched you, I knew**you were ours.”
“And I’ll ask again,” I press. “Why didn’t you say anything? We could have talked a long time ago.”
“You’re human, Kennedy,” she says softly. “And before you get all defensive, it’s not an insult**it’s just a fact. You don’t heal as quickly as we do. Although, I know I can help you now. I wasn’t sure if it would work because you don’t have a wolf. I wasn’t even sure if you could feel the mate bond the way we do. I just needed time to process everything, and no one made that easy for me. Now, answer me**were you and Ben serious?”
“No,” I say, my voice steady. “And before you ask, yes, we slept together. I wanted it to be with someone I trusted before I left the pack for college. I never even thought I could be mates with someone**that was never on my mind.”
“What about his mate?” she asks quietly. “You took that away from her first.”
“Maybe. Maybe not,” I reply honestly. “He made the choice. It wasn’t forced on him. We both decided it would be better to get the awkward moments out of the way and figure out what we like and don’t like. Why are you so hung up on this? You’ve already said you’ve been with other women.”
“Not like that,” she says softly.
“Huh?” I ask, confused.
I bury my face in my hands. “Kennedy… I’m a virgin.”
Wait a minute. “How can that be true?” I push myself up onto my knees, my hand instinctively rubbing my stomach again. This has to be a lie. There’s no way the sensations I experienced were just in my head or some kind of trick.
He growls lowly, his voice rough. “Kennedy…”
“What? You can’t just ignore me for weeks and then expect me not to be curious when you finally decide to speak,” I snap, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath as if trying to steady himself. “Can we just go back to sleep and talk about this tomorrow?”
“No chance. Tell me how it’s possible you’re a virgin. I know exactly what I felt, what happened to me.”
“I’m not afraid to answer questions,” he says quietly, “though some answers might not be what you want to hear. But please…”
“Then what the hell is wrong with you?” I almost yell again, unable to understand. “Why won’t you even look at me?” I inch closer, aching to reach out and touch his cheek despite the anger simmering inside me. The need for connection is overpowering, yet I hold back, waiting.
“Do you have any idea what I’ve wanted to do to you since that night on the balcony?” His voice is low, tense. “And now you’re here, beside me, half-naked… wanting to talk. No, I can’t look at you. If I do, I won’t be able to control myself. I love seeing you kneeling next to me, but if I look, I’ll touch**and if I touch, I won’t stop myself from doing something I’m not ready for.”
It’s all about him and his feelings**typical. Well, two can play that game. I know he’s painfully aware of me right now. The evidence is clear, tenting his shorts. He can smell me, feel every tiny movement, but I want to give him a taste of his own medicine.
Slowly, I shift, straddling his legs just behind the undeniable bulge. I’m close enough that I can feel his pulse throbbing against me. He sucks in a sharp breath but doesn’t let it out. I lean forward, placing my hands on the headboard beside his head and whisper into his ear.
“You really ought to learn to control your urges. They always seem to get you into trouble.” I tilt my hips just a little, and he whimpers softly. “Don’t you dare move a muscle. You’re going to sit here and take everything I give you, like a good boy. Aren’t you?” Another tilt, another whimper in response.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.