Chase’s Point Of View
The four of us go back to eating, dropping the subject of Ivy, but I can’t help but think about how awful it would be later that night, thinking about Grant making love to her.
I want to be the only one with Ivy, but I have to share her with these other three guys.
I’ve been with quite a few women in my twenty-five years, but I’ve never met anyone who affects me the way that she does. The feeling is both exhilarating—and terrifying.
We finish breakfast before anyone speaks again. "You guys up for a game of basketball later?" Grant asks.
"I’ve got some work to do," Julian replies. "I need to check in with the leader I left in charge back home."
"Me, too," I answer. It is really hard to run a pack from this sort of distance, but we have to figure out a way to make it work because our Betas have to be with us as well. I don’t really trust the three guys I’ve left in charge not to screw everything up, but at least my mother, who is still an acting Luna, is there to help keep them on track.
"No problem," Grant says. "Maybe after lunch?"
"Sure thing," Julian agrees as he gets up from the table.
"Yeah, catch you later," Adrian says, also rising.
I want to take the opportunity while we are alone to threaten Grant that if he hurts Ivy, I’ll mess him up.
But I keep my mouth shut. I have to remember she doesn’t belong to me. And I have to hope she is strong enough to speak up for herself. "See ya," I say to Grant as I get up to go.
"Chase!" he shouts, getting up from the table to follow me. Grant is a big guy, even bigger than me, and it takes him a few hurried steps to get all of that muscular girth over to me. "Are you mad, man?"
"No," I tell him, shaking my head. "I’m thrilled. I can’t wait until you take Ivy to your room and have your way with her. In fact, I can’t wait to hear the full report in the morning over breakfast."
We take a few more steps before he says, "I can’t help but think you’re being sarcastic."
I bite back another snide remark. "Yes, Grant. I am."
"Well, I’m sorry, man, but that’s kind of how this goes. We’ve gotta be nice to one another. We are allies, after all. Besides, Ivy probably wouldn’t like it if we were fighting with one another all the time."
I want to tell him that he can’t presume to know what Ivy will like because he doesn’t even know her. But I know he’s right. She wouldn’t like for us to argue.
"Okay," I say to him. "Just... be gentle with her."
He bows his head to me, like I am his Alpha, and I snarl. Now who is being sarcastic?
Grant chuckles and pats me on the back before he ducks into his room, leaving me to walk to mine. My heart is heavy and with every second that ticks by, I can’t help but think I am already awfully attached to Ivy. I’ve never felt like this before about anyone. Am I falling in love?
Ivy’s Point Of View
The room is deafeningly silent except for the rhythmic sound of my feet pattering on the floor as I walk around, lost in my thoughts. I look up and see the luxurious bedroom, adorned with flowers in every nook and corner. It is an exquisite sight; I would normally find it romantic in any other context, but right now it is suffocating me. The memories of last night’s passion that had momentarily left me fully satisfied are now evoking doubts and second thoughts. Did I please him? That’s all my mind can think about right now.
My thoughts are violently interrupted by the sound of the door opening swiftly. I turn around sharply and see Willa making her way in with a tray of bath salts in hand.
She seems a bit startled to find me back in my bedroom, but I’m the one who should feel that way for being intruded upon. "Good morning," she greets me.
Is that a grin I glimpse on her face? Will everyone be looking at me like this today? The whole palace knows that last night I had a tumble between the sheets with Alpha Chase. How much more awkward could all this get?
Bedroom affairs are meant to be private, and it seems unfair that my bedroom schedule is out for the whole world to observe.
"Good morning, Willa," I say plainly as I turn my back to her. The mischievous leer on her face as she continues to gawk at me is making my face hot.
"I didn’t know you were back from... you know... ahem... well, I brought you some Himalayan bath salts. They are great for reducing inflammation and irritation. I thought they would be useful to you after last night."
I turn around in time to catch that naughty, lingering smirk on her face. Where did she think I’d be at this time? Sex wasn’t supposed to last that long, was it? Did I do something wrong?
"Any salts there that could just make me disappear for the rest of the day today?"
Willa blinks at me as she makes a funny sound and starts coughing. I can tell she is trying her hardest not to laugh. I am glad she finds this amusing. It slightly eases the awkwardness until I realize I’m the one she’s laughing at, not with.
"My lady, forgive me for giggling. You don’t look bad in any shape or form. I can tell you that most palace maids envy you and this opportunity you get with these handsome Alphas. Although after your bath, we are going to have to use a bit more concealer than usual."
I frown at that statement. I have never been one to need that much makeup. Why would I need it now? Had my first night with a man turned me into some sort of monster? Is that what happens when a woman gets with a man for the first time?
I rush to look at myself in the dressing table mirror. Has my nose grown bigger? Have my womb horns transferred to my face? Nowhere in those books had I read about transforming after giving up one’s virginity.
As I look at my reflection, I see nothing amiss except for my hair, which looks all roughed up. Well, my hair couldn’t be the cause of the need for concealer. A brush could easily fix that.
Willa seems to sense my panic, and she walks over to me. She places the tray on the dressing table. "May I?" she asks as she lifts my hair, which is in a messy ponytail. My neck bare, she points at two huge red spots on my skin. I gasp.
Had there been mosquitoes in Alpha Chase’s bedroom? How big had they been to cause such huge marks? My eyes meet Willa’s in the mirror. "It seems like Alpha Chase left his mark on you."
I bring my eyebrows together. What did she mean by ’mark’? Did one get marks after making love to wolves? No one had told me about this side effect. If I was going to be sleeping with four Alphas, and they all left marks on me, how would I look afterward?
I was definitely going to turn into a monster after all this. This is why I didn’t think I wanted to be with any other Alphas after Chase. If I only stuck with him. At least all the marks would look the—
The voice inside my head is abruptly halted mid-sentence as a cheery laugh from behind us makes us both jump.
"Oh, my word! Last night seems to have been hot. Ivy has a hickey or two!" Callie says as she makes her way toward us.
Willa bows her head slightly toward her. She hurriedly takes the tray and retreats to the bathroom.
I turn to face Callie. She is smiling from ear to ear. "Spill! How was it?" Her eyes roam over me as she winks at me playfully.
Suddenly, I am again conscious of myself. Every inch of my skin has a highlighted sense of meandering anxiety, derived from the way everyone seems interested in my sex life. How much more embarrassing could this get?
Callie pulls me to the bed, and we sit next to each other. I smile at her. Well, somehow I feel like I want to tell her all about last night. I want to hear her opinion and any advice she can give me.
Also, she needs to tell me more about these hickey marks one gets from having sex. I know I can’t talk to anyone else about this. Not even my mother. Not that the woman is here. I haven’t heard from my parents since I left. They must’ve gotten the money, though, or else they’d be calling.
Memories of last night flood my mind just as blood rushes to my cheeks. I blush and immediately feel embarrassed. Chase’s face flashes in my mind. I can still feel the sensation of his pulsating rod inside me as my intimate muscles tightened around it, a wet pool beginning to form between my legs.
Callie is watching me with pure fascination on her face. I can feel my face flushing. I raise a palm to my cheek and come to the realization that I am smiling like a love-struck puppy... Well, maybe I am love-struck.
"That good, huh?" Callie giggles.