Chapter 7: Seven

SOLANA

The strange woman rose to her feet instantly. Alpha Roman paused when he saw her. He blinked slowly. Then he glanced at me, his red and green eyes boring into mine.

"Why is she here?" He said in a monotonous voice.

I parted my lips to speak, but she beat me to it. "Can you believe it, Alpha? She's been running her mouth, calling you her husband. Clearly, she doesn't know her place."

Alpha Roman quietly shut the door behind him. Then he walked past the both of us, heading towards the bathroom. Then he halted.

"Solana, what are you doing standing there?" He asked, and I stiffened.

I knew it.

He didn't like my body. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up.

Biting my lower lip, I moved to grab my dress where I'd discarded it. My chest tightened painfully.

Don't cry, Solana.

Don't be such a crybaby.

"Solana, you are my Luna, are you not?" Roman suddenly said, and I froze.

Wait... what does that mean?

Slowly, I turned to meet his gaze. His face was expressionless as usual.

"Send her out of here, Solana. Don't let her trample on your rights."

The strange woman gasped. "Alpha, what are you saying?"

He ignored her, simply stepping into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

Forcing a breath through my nose, I tightened my grip on my dress.

"You heard him. Please, leave," I said.

"What? Leave? How dare you," she growled, raising a hand to hit me.

For a moment, my body froze. But then, Alpha Roman's voice from earlier flooded my head. And the moment she made to strike, I grabbed her by the wrist and pushed her away. She stumbled backwards, growling under her breath.

"You'll pay for that," she hissed.

Then she stormed out, slamming the door shut.

The moment I finally registered her absence, my knees went weak. I couldn't believe I'd really defied her.

A watery smile tugged at my lips. But then I looked down, staring at the towel wrapped around me. My lingerie was gone. Thanks to that woman. Who on earth was she? I really hoped I wouldn't have to see her again.

What do I do now?

Wait for my husband to come out?

This is so hard.

I'm not used to making decisions for myself.

While I was beating myself up, the door of the bathroom jerked open.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, could have prepared me for the majestic sight that greeted me.

Alpha Roman's thick black hair hung in damp waves down to his shoulders. Tight, thick muscle bulged under his slightly tanned, damp skin. His defined abs led down to the mouthwatering groove of his lower abdomen that led to...

I swallowed hard.

His manhood was large. It hung limp between his thighs, impressive even when he wasn't even aroused.

He moved with a predatory grace that suddenly made breathing a strenuous exercise for me.

The mere sight of him had me clamping my thighs together, a strange heat settling low in my belly.

Desire—that's what it was. Still, under that alien feeling was the fear of not being enough.

"What? Never seen a naked man before?" Alpha Roman droned.

I'd seen plenty. Alpha Elric and his vile friends had made sure of that. But none of them could be compared to Roman.

He moved towards me and came to a halt, his rosy scent washing over me.

Don't stare... Don't stare...

"My eyes are up here, Solana," I heard him say, and heat crept up my neck.

"You seem very eager to get intimate with me, Solana. Is there something you would like to tell me?" He asked, and I shook my head.

He brought a hand to my face, his thumb stroking my cheek.

"You are a mystery, woman. But I'm not allowed to be curious about you," he whispered, and my heart skipped a beat.

That meant he was curious, right?

"I'm nervous," I breathed. He stared at me for a moment, tilting his head. Then, a smile ghosted over his perfect lips.

"You are? Why? Between the both of us, I should be the nervous one," he stated.

My eyes widened.

"You see...as ridiculous as it might sound, this brute in front of you is a virgin."

My brain short-circuited. I couldn't stop myself. I let out a giggle.

His lashes lowered, but the faint smile on his lips did not fade.

"Is it that funny?" he asked.

I looked up, gazing deep into his eyes. He was so beautiful, it was unfair.

"Can I...can I touch you?" I asked in a small voice.

He silently stared at me for a few seconds.

"Yes."

My pulse went into overdrive. Slowly, I reached up to touch his face. His damp skin was cold. He seemed to hesitate a little before nuzzling against my palm like a cat. Adorable.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked, and I nodded.

Slowly, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me flush against him. The towel slipped off, leaving us pressed skin to skin. Electricity shot down my spine when my nipples brushed against his skin.

Goddess, I could feel him.

His lips molded against mine, nudging, brushing, teasing. I parted my lips, giving him entrance. He felt so good.

He kissed me deeper, cupping the back of my head with a large hand. I moaned against his lips, leaning up to slide my hands over his broad shoulders.

My toes curled, heat flooding my veins. More, I needed more.

Alpha Roman let out a guttural groan, angling his head as his tongue stroked against mine.

The bond sizzled and flared brighter, making me dizzier.

Suddenly, the kiss ended abruptly, my husband pulling away from me with a sharp hiss.

He was staring down at his swollen manhood, a confused look on his face.

Why does it seem like he hasn't experienced an erection before? I wondered.

"Alpha—"

His gaze met mine once more, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat.

"I...how...what did you do?" He asked me. I frowned at him, confused.

"You've never had an erection before?" I asked, but he said nothing, his expression shuttered as usual.

Oh...

He was really a virgin.

He pulled away from me, running a hand over his face.

"You can't let anyone know," he breathed.

Strange. Why would I tell anyone about it?

"Go to bed, Solana," he uttered abruptly and moved towards his closet to grab some clothes.

Embarrassment washed over me as I picked up my towel and wrapped it around myself.

Was he ashamed? Or was he just struggling to process this?

I wanted to ask questions, but I was scared of pushing him away even further. So, I watched as he got dressed and left the bedroom.

My shoulders slumped as I stared at the door. I hoped he wasn't going off to sleep in an uncomfortable place just to stay away from me.

...

The next morning, I awoke to the sound of a knock on the door. I sat up in bed, yawning. I hadn't enjoyed such a good sleep in forever. I was grateful to Alpha Roman for lending me his bed.

Easing out of bed, I headed straight for the door. The instant I opened it, I was greeted by a splash of salt on my face. I gasped, bewildered.

Standing there at the door was Anna's twin. The one from the ritual. She tossed red beans at me and stepped aside, gesturing at me to come out.

"Don't get arrogant, mutt. You're only here to prepare Alpha Roman for his mate, Zamora. After that, you will be discarded," she said, and I froze, feeling sick to my stomach.

"I don't understand. He didn't—"

"Of course he didn't want to break your fragile little heart," she said.

My chest caved in, the feeling of betrayal gripping me.

"That's enough, Elder Maeve. Don't scare her like that," a cheery masculine voice called out.

I turned to see a tall, leanly muscled man approaching. He had dyed red hair and blue eyes.

Elder Maeve rolled her eyes and walked away. The newcomer then held out a hand to me.

"Nice to meet you. The name's Hawke. I'm the pack's gamma. Alpha Roman asked me to accompany you to the healers for the fertility test," he said, and my eyes bulged in their sockets.

Fertility test?!

He winced. "He didn't tell you. The main reason you're here is for you to bear him an heir."

My stomach churned. That's right. He did mention that I was to become his breeder.

"W-what happens if I can't give him one?" I croaked, my heart painfully slamming against my ribs as I awaited his reply.