Chapter 12: The Wolf and the Trees (Part I)

The Next Day-Afternoon

Bursting into Kano’s room, Cayden banged a spoon against a pot. “Hear ye, hear ye, thy older brother has gotten trim!” he shouted. Kano rushed from his bed and tried to shush Cayden, who only laughed. “He was laid down in purity and arose from the sinful ashes of sexual release as the Slayer of Snatch, the Lord of Labias, the Aristocrat of Anal, the Prince of Pussy!” Kano grabbed him by the throat and growled.

Cocking his head back, Cayden gave him a smirk. “It was those very growls last night that arose from thy chamber door that let me know you tore into trim so feverishly, you had to growl in glee.” Eyes gold, face mortified, Kano turned his brother by his neck. Seeing Essence, Cayden’s mouth dropped in embarrassment. “Essence!” he shrieked, “I thought you left!”

Her eyes gleamed in amusement. “Not yet. Me and the Count of Climaxes woke up late.”

Kano seethed at his brother, who hid his face in embarrassment. Clearing his throat, Cayden tried his best to apologize. “I meant no disrespect to you and should not have been so crass. I was just excited that my brother—”

“Reigned in releasing?” she said, cutting him off. Covering his face, Kano groaned as Cayden darted from the room.

Kano didn’t want to face her; last night had been perfect. He was already addicted to her body, and the way he smelled on her. The way she’d responded to him would forever be etched into his mind.

Picking up his discomfort, Essence gave him a genuine smile. “It’s fine, really. I thought it was funny as hell. Plus, I’m sure he heard me just as much as he heard you.” He nodded and smirked before walking over and kissing her. Pulling away, she covered her mouth. “My breath is hot!” she said. He nodded again, then chuckled when she playfully punched him.

Exiting the shower, Kano raised his nose to the air. Towel wrapped around his hips, he walked into his room to see Essence looking at two dresses. She mumbled, “Damn my ability to look sexy in anything.”

Tracing the curves of her body that he could see through her towel, his senses heightened. She smelled of her natural vanilla scent that usually seeped into his nose, and threatened to send him mad—but now, it made him almost feral. He shook his head, his eyes continuing the glow, no matter how hard he tried to calm his wolf. Walking over to her, he stood behind her, holding her as she jumped slightly.

She chuckled. “Fucking hell, we’re going to have to put a bell on you or something.” Kano let out a small laugh, and he felt her still. He kissed her bare shoulder, gently grazing it with his canines. Leaning into her, he pointed to his favorite out of the two dresses.

“T-thanks. That’s my favorite one too,” she said. She couldn’t explain why she was nervous, but the tenseness of his muscles against her told her he was trying his best to remain in control. Kano tugged at her towel, making it fall to the floor. She bit the side of her lip and inhaled sharply as he kneaded her nipples with his calloused fingers. She felt him slowly run his tongue against her neck and she softly moaned. The more he touched, the more his canines throbbed, and he fought the urge to mark her.

She reached behind her and pulled at his towel, backing herself into him, and a low, deadly growl pulled from his mouth. His breath ragged, he bent her over and entered her wetness. Essence groaned, her hips moving against him, pulling him deeper inside her. She felt his nails lightly tap her back, and he ran one up her arch, causing her to shiver.

“Kano…” She could hardly recognize her own voice. The deep raspy pitch made him immediately react. Grabbing her waist, Kano thrust hard and deep against her spot. Gripping into the sheets, her eyes closed as she matched his stroke, causing him to growl again. One hand to her waist, the other firmly on her shoulder, his wolf raged against him, begging him to let it free. Obliging, he heard her gasp as he jerked her to him, increasing the vigor of his stroke inside of her. Her moans of pleasure filling the room, he cocked his head back as she tightened around him. Her legs shook violently as an orgasm tore through her, triggering his. Breath harsh, Kano leaned down to her, inhaling her scent, his wolf now calm.

She hit his hand. “Dammit! Now I have to take another shower!”

He chuckled then whispered against her ear, “I’m.not.sorry.” He pulled away from her, and she crawled onto the bed.

“Just give me a minute to get myself together. I thought I was getting a virgin but ended up with a wolf who keeps working me over,” she said, trying to catch her breath. He laughed, and she rolled her eyes. “Glad you find it funny.” Standing, she snatched up her towel and retreated to the bathroom.

Dressed and waiting for Essence to get out of the shower, Kano stared at their picture on his wall. The way she smiled brightly at him made him feel like he was on top of the world. He shook his head at how much happened in such a little time. A hidden alpha who never dreamed about having a mate had not only found her, but she’d completely stolen his heart. He sighed. “Please, don’t leave me,” he whispered.

He didn’t want to think about when that moment would come. The moment his mate would leave him to be in his immense sadness again. The moment she’d walk away and take his heart right with her. Deciding it best to just enjoy the time he had left with her, he smiled, hearing the shower shut off.

Essence emerged, fiddling with her bonnet. “Look, if I’m gonna be staying over here, you’re going to have to make some room for me in the bathroom because I have things—” Her words stopped when she saw Kano staring at her wildly. His nose to the air, he shut his eyes and shook his head as his eyes shifted between blue and gold. “Are you alright?” she asked, and he exhaled sharply, trying his best to ward off his wolf. “Kano what’s—” He swiftly moved across the room and out the door, not letting her finish.

Two hours later, a very pissed off Essence stormed around the castle. “Kano, when I find your quiet ass, I’m going to drop kick the hell out of you!” She was furious after spending the last few hours looking for him, with no luck. Seeing Cayden and Anastasia return from their errands, she walked up to them, glaring. “Your brother is a complete and utter asshole,” she said.

Cayden looked at her. “I mean, yeah, but you already knew that, so I’m confused.”

She scoffed. “Look, if he wanted some ass, then he should have just mumbled that. I would have had no problem climbing the tree, but noooo, he had to do all that romantic stuff last night, and now, he’s avoiding me like I’m some clingy ex-girlfriend.”

Anastasia twisted her lips. “E, Kano is crazy about you. I don’t understand, did something happen?”

She nodded. “We took showers, had sex and we were fine! Then I hopped back into the shower, and when I came out, he was all twitchy and shit, and next thing I know he’s running out the room, and I have been looking for him since.”

Cayden sighed. “Fucking hell,” he said. Leaning forward, he looked behind Essence’s ear, already knowing what was happening. “Will you two excuse me?” Saying nothing else, he went to find his older brother.

Knowing exactly where he was, Cayden walked into the massive kitchen towards the hidden pantry. “Kano! Come out of that damn pantry right now!” he growled. “How the hell are you even fitting in there?! We aren’t kids anymore, certainly you must—” He heard a whimper, and he burst out laughing. “You’re stuck, aren’t you?” Opening the door, he laughed harder, seeing Kano balled uncomfortably in the space. “That’s exactly what you get,” he said, amused.

Kano glared at him and extended his hand. Looking at it momentarily, Cayden grabbed it. “Fine, I’ll help you, but then we’re going to have a chat. Then you’re going to have one with Essence because she is pissed with you.” Kano huffed, already assuming she was. “You know she thinks that you just wanted to have sex with her?” His pale eyes softened. If he could shake his head, and dart to her, he would, but he couldn’t move an inch.

Tugging, Cayden worked to jimmy the large alpha from the tiny room. “Almost…” He yanked and Kano landed hard on his side on the floor. He blew steam from his nose, and Cayden looked at him in pretend shock. “Now why in the world would you accuse me of doing something so mean on purpose?” he teased.