258- The Name That Built His Walls
POV Aldren Valmorin:
“I don’t want to sleep! I want to talk and do things!”
“What bit you?” Her human energy surprised me sometimes.
“The happiness bug,” she confessed, running her fingers along the outline of my abdominal muscles. “There’s something I’m really curious about…”
The corner of her lips twitched, and she shrugged, suddenly looking embarrassed.
“Speak, my bitch.”
“Are you sure?”
“That I’ll answer? No.”
“Please…” she coaxed.
“Ask the question, and I’ll decide.”
“All right… Why is there a cage in your room?”
I held back my nervousness so it wouldn’t be obvious.
“I’ll trade the information for a blowjob,” I joked, trying to ease my own tension.
Even under nothing but moonlight, I could see her cheeks flush.
“Aldren…”
“I’m joking, female.”
“You dog!” She scratched my stomach, laughing.
“In short, my room used to be on the third floor.”
“Where the guards’ quarters are?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you change?” Of course she would ask.
“Bad memories,” I revealed, tasting the bitterness of them. “The largest room on the second floor was a temporary prison. There were three more cages like that one.”
“Wow!”
“When I renovated it, I decided to keep one.”
I shifted the arm supporting my neck and grabbed her leg with my free hand.
“What for, Aldren Valmorin?”
“I may have used the cage for some games with a few she-wolves.”
“Ugh!” She wrinkled her nose in disgust.
“Don’t worry. For now, I have no intention of repeating that.”
I suddenly lifted my torso and flipped our positions, placing myself on top of her.
Her legs wrapped around my hips, and I touched her face, sliding my thumb along the contour of her mouth—then the little brat bit it.
“For now, Mr. Aldren Valmorin?”
“Yes, for now.” I leaned down, breathing in the scent of her neck.
“And if I want to go to that lust festival? Will I be allowed?”
I pulled back and looked at her in challenge.
“If you promise to behave, so I don’t have to kill anyone, yes.”
Her lips parted.
“Deal with your jealousy, alpha.”
“No, you deal with it too, unless you want to bury the heads I’ll end up severing,” I growled the threat, gripping her chin firmly.
“No one would dare touch me… or would they?”
“The festival isn’t attended only by Valmorin’s people. Four other packs take part.”
I released her chin and tugged at her lip with my teeth.
“Now I’m having doubts… Is Lunara going?” Her blue eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“She doesn’t usually go. Last time she only attended to curse me out.” She laughed.
“Can I visit Lunara instead of going to that party?”
“You don’t mind if I go alone?”
“No…” She gave me a lovestruck smile. “You promised.”
“I promised.”
She trusted my promise, and that touched places in me that usually remained lifeless.
The way we fit together frightened me, and nothing like that ever frightened me.
If that sweet and dangerous female, with blue eyes lit by the moon, were not my mate, I doubted any other ever could be.
(...)
POV Elowen Grimwald:
I spent the morning sighing and smiling at the wind. I didn’t see my alpha after being brought back to the house before dawn, and we didn’t have lunch together either, but I was surprised when Bratvo handed me a gift.
A cellphone! My first cellphone!
Aldren had been kind enough to write his number and my sister’s inside the little box, and Nerin taught me how to set it up.
He hadn’t replied to my thank-you message yet, but Lunara and I had already exchanged dozens, even though I misspelled everything from not being used to typing on a screen.
Pulling on my new boots, which matched my jeans, I decided to visit my only acquaintance besides Nerin.
My guard accompanied me to the central area of the village. The weather was mild, and the cool breeze soothed my skin under the two o’clock sun.
A few meters later, my heart stopped.
Near the harvest warehouse, which stood in front of the housing area, I spotted the hottest alpha in the world talking to one of his men. Scenting the air, he turned his face, and our eyes met.
The gods were witness to how badly I wanted to run into his arms and kiss him.
That wasn’t what happened.
Aldren shook his head no at me and then at Bratvo, signaling that we shouldn’t approach.
I glanced around, feeling embarrassed. The few people passing by tried to pretend they hadn’t noticed, but a young red-haired woman laughed.
Was Aldren ashamed of me?
I took a deep breath, trying to ease the tightness that formed in my chest, and continued on to Mrs. Korlina’s house.
When I arrived, I was greeted at the door with a smile, but even being an expert at forging them, I failed to return one. Bratvo didn’t stay outside this time, but at least he remained in the living room while we went to the kitchen.
I sat at the small two-seat wooden table in the corner of the narrow room.
A counter was divided by a small refrigerator and an oven. Only one wall had cabinets, and on the other, above my head, an assortment of stones and crystals of various colors were fixed decoratively.
Somewhat… exotic.
“You’re not feeling well yet, my dear?” she asked, sitting in front of me and serving me a plate of cookies and a cup of coffee.
“Forgive me, Mrs. Korlina, I swear I was happy before I reached the village… my intention was to be good company,” I whispered, hoping Bratvo wouldn’t hear.
“Do you want to tell me what happened?” she asked softly, matching my tone.
I looked at the cookies, but my displeasure made me lose my appetite.
“I’m just a little confused and… insecure about my relationship with Aldren.”
“Are you not understanding each other?”
“We are.” I paused, trying to restore my feelings to normal. “I think I’m wanting too much. I should be satisfied with what we have.”
“Has he been rude?”
“No.” Korlina frowned as if doubting me. “It’s true, he’s been kind, he just seems to have walls that are far too high inside himself.”
“The walls that Samsara built.”
“Samsara…?” I remembered having heard that name before, but where?
“He never told you?” I shook my head. “Samsara was Aldren’s fiancée.”
It wasn’t as if I expected a three-hundred-and-fifty-year-old alpha to have no past, but I couldn’t help feeling unsettled knowing he might have loved someone enough to ask her to marry him.
“What happened so they didn’t get married, Mrs. Korlina?” I controlled my tone carefully.
“Drink your coffee, it will get cold.” I did, not wanting to be impolite. “Is it good?”
“Strong and sweet, just how I like it. I want to cook something for you someday, to thank you for the company.”
“Do you know how to cook?”
I tilted my head, considering.
“Well, I know how to follow recipes…”
Korlina laughed quietly and stood up to serve Bratvo.