EPISODE 60

KEILAH

I jolted awake, disoriented, my heart pounding in my chest. The dimly lit room around me was unfamiliar, and it took a moment to recognize the faint scent that filled the air. Dhalia. This was her room. She even changed me into one of her dresses, a short, delicate garment. I looked around, a dull headache throbbing at my temples. What the heck happened? Did I pass out from the pain? I wondered.

I sat up slowly, my hand instinctively moving to my chest. The sharp, burning pain I had felt last night was gone, but a dull ache lingered. I brought my hand to my neck, touching the spot where Ralph's mark was. As my fingers brushed against it, a strange sensation pulsed through me-a mix of warmth and sadness.

Memories from the previous night flooded back. I recalled Dahlia's revelation that Ralph was sleeping with Benita. The thought made my chest tighten again, as if the pain was threatening to return. I forced myself to take a deep breath, trying to convince myself that Ralph must have been under a drug or spell. I knew I was being paranoid, but there had to be an explanation.

Determined, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up. I had to see Ralph and understand what had happened. My resolve hardened as I made my way out of Dahlia's room and upstairs towards Ralph's room. The hallway was quiet as usual, the only sound being my footsteps echoing against the marble floor.

As I reached Ralph's door, I hesitated, my heart pounding with fear of what I might find on the other side. My hand hovered over the doorknob, and for a moment, I was paralyzed by uncertainty. What if he really was with Benita? What if everything Dahlia had said was true?

I steeled myself and opened the door. The sight that met my eyes made my heart pound harder with ache-there was Benita, dressing up. Her eyes met mine, and she turned on a wide, mocking smile as she sauntered towards me.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her tone dripping with condescension.

I ignored her question and asked, "Where is Ralph?"

Benita's smile widened. "Where do you get the nerve to come up here and ask where Ralph is? Don't you know who I am now, human?"

I stepped closer, looking her straight in the eyes. "I know well Ralph made you his Luna, but there's something you shouldn't forget: I am his mate, and that will not change. I have every right and power to do whatever I want in this house, including ordering you to get out of this room."

Benita's face turned cold. "You still got a big mouth, huh?"

I cut her off. "Now that you got what you wanted, especially sleeping with him, what did you get? Oh, okay, you now have so much power, I get it. But when you slept with him, did you-"

Before I could finish, she grabbed my hair with a snarl. "Bitch, say another word and I'll behead you in front of Ralph. You'll be surprised when he does nothing as I slice your throat. You know why? Because he doesn't belong to you anymore."

Pain shot through my scalp as if my hair was being scraped off, but I managed to reply through gritted teeth, "You're very wrong." With that, I reached out and grabbed her hair, pulling her closer and using my head to knock against hers. The impact made my ears ring, but it made her stumble back, loosening her grip.

Seizing the moment, I shoved her out of the room before slamming the door shut and locking it. Outside, I could hear her snarling and calling me all kinds of names. I leaned against the door, breathing heavily, pain shooting from my forehead.

Anger surged through me as I looked at the messed bed. Fury and jealousy burned within me. I marched towards the bed and yanked everything off of it, the pillows, duvet, and sheets landing in a heap on the floor. Driven by a need to purge the room of her presence, I marched to the window and flung it open. One by one, I carried the pillows, duvet, and sheets to the window and hurled them outside before slamming the window shut.

Turning towards the bathroom, I heard the shower running. Anger flared anew within me, propelling me towards the bathroom door. With determined steps, I entered and swiftly locked it behind me. The misty shower doors loomed ahead, concealing Ralph's figure within. Without hesitation, I marched forward and slid them open.

Ralph stood under the stream of water, his eyes widening as he saw me. Steam filled the space between us, and for a moment, neither of us spoke.

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I took in his naked form, momentarily forgetting what had brought me here. But then thoughts of Benita flooded back, and I turned back to him, my gaze sweeping him from head to toe, imagining Benita's hands all over him. My eyes darted down to his… mighty thing, lingering there with a mix of jealousy and desire, the image of him with Benita burning in my mind.

Ralph's harsh voice broke through my thoughts, "How did you get in here, human?"

Startled, I turned sharply to face him, my tone biting, "What, am I not supposed to be here? Did I interrupt your little shower fantasy of what you two had last night? Did you enjoy it?"

Ralph raked his wet hair back from his face with a furrowed brow as he turned off the water, his expression conflicted. "Who are you to ask me that question?" he demanded.

"Because I'm your fucking mate!" I snapped, my tone sharp, causing him to flinch. "How many times do I have to repeat myself? I know your mind is a mess because of some selfish people, but I thought alphas were strong enough to handle situations like this. You proved me wrong."

With resolve, I stepped into the shower, and tilted on my toes motioning him to my neck. "This is where you marked me, you moron," I declared, my voice softening just a fraction with the underlying hurt and longing.

Ralph's eyes widened in surprise and a hint of realization flickered across his face as he stared at my neck. Droplets of water cascaded down his toned chest as he stood there, speechless for a moment.

A mix of emotions played across his features-confusion, guilt, and an indescribable depth that he wrestled to name. His fingertips traced the mark, sending tingles of anticipation down my spine. His voice softened, revealing the turmoil within him, "What... what in the fucking world."

An idea struck me, and without hesitation, I tilted on my toes, lifting my chin higher. I grabbed both of his cheeks firmly and pulled him into a deep, desperate kiss. In that moment, as our lips met, I silently prayed beneath my breath, please come back to me.

But he quickly pulled away with a sloppy sound, confusion etched on his face. "What are you doing?" he demanded, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Ignoring his question, I seized him again, pulling him back into another forceful kiss. This time, he hesitated, his resolve visibly weakening as he struggled against the undeniable pull between us. Just as I felt him kissing me back, he abruptly pulled away again, his brow furrowing as he looked down at me, startled by something I couldn't quite grasp.

A resigned sigh escaped me, and I made a move to step back and exit the bathroom. Before I could, though, he gently but firmly grabbed my arm, pulling me back towards him. With a swift motion, he pinned me up against the wall, his arms encircling me as he leaned in and pressed his lips against mine in a tender yet urgent kiss.

This time, his kiss deepened, a slow exploration that sent shivers down my spine. His tongue traced the seam of my lips, seeking entrance, and I parted them willingly, allowing him to deepen the kiss. His embrace tightened, pulling me closer as if he couldn't bear to let go. For a long moment, we were lost in each other, the world outside the bathroom door fading into insignificance.

His lips left mine with a soft, lingering warmth as he trailed kisses down my neck, his hands sliding down to the hem of my dress. With a gentle yet deliberate touch, he slid the fabric down, revealing my breasts. A soft gasp escaped my lips as he took them into his mouth, his tongue tracing circles around my nipples before softly sucking on them.

His mouth found mine again, his kisses growing more urgent as his hands slipped inside my dress, caressing my skin. I moaned softly as his fingers found their way, slowly and gently, igniting a fire within me. His name escaped my lips in a whispered plea as he moved with a purposeful rhythm, each touch sending waves of pleasure through me. Gently, he slid into me, his movements slow and deliberate, making me moan softly, his name again escaping my lips in a hushed plea.

His pace quickened, and I felt myself nearing the edge. Just as I was about to spell it out, his hoarse voice commanded, "Come for me." At his words, I reached my climax, my body shuddering as he followed, gripping my thighs so tightly it hurt before he collapsed onto me, breathing hard.

He didn't let me catch my breath before swiftly setting me on my feet and stepping out of the shower. Confused and hurt, I moved to follow him, intending to ask what was wrong, when his bones suddenly cracked, and before me stood his wolf, staring back at me.