ZEPHYR
Of all the reckless, insane decisions I'd made in my one hundred and ten years, this had to be the worst.
Not challenging my uncle Zeb to a wolf fight at fifteen.
Not walking into a polar bear's cave in Svalbard, Norway, during the dead of winter, just to bring back its head and prove I was worthy of being Alpha one day.
No, none of that compared to this… choosing not to shag Lyla like I'd always wanted to, especially when I finally had the chance.
Choosing not to bury myself deep inside her, spilling my seed.
It was an opportunity I might not get again anytime soon, knowing how she was. I guaranteed she'd wake up the next morning, embarrassed and return to her cold, defiant self.
She'd looked so damn sexy on that table… legs spread, cheeks flushed, tits exposed, begging me to make her come.
Resisting had been hell.
Feeling her pussy clench around my fingers as she exploded… Fuck.
My dick throbbed painfully, sticking out like the freaking Eiffel Tower as I headed to my room after tucking her into bed. She'd been so exhausted from her orgasm that she fell asleep immediately.
Me? There was no sleep for me tonight. Not with my cock this hard and on the verge of exploding.
Why hadn't I given in, dropped the entire pathetic love-me-first excuse and just fucked her?
What was wrong with me?
I never cared about these things, about wanting someone to love me. It always happened naturally, on the other person's end, unforced. And I never gave a damn. But with Lyla… I wanted her to love me. I needed her to love me.
And I wouldn't make love to her unless she did. Just like I wouldn't go through with the marriage if she didn't.
It was probably just the stupid mating bond messing with my head.
I turned the water pressure up, switching from warm to ice cold. Maybe the shock of the cold water pelting down on my head would clear my thoughts. But it didn't.
Who was I kidding?
I saw Lyla again.
Lyla moaning.
Lyla looking at me with those half-closed, desire-drenched eyes.
Lyla begging me to make her come.
Lyla coming hard.
Lyla collapsing into my arms.
With a growl, I slammed my fist into the wall.
Tomorrow was going to be busy. My private investigator was finally going to expose the mole who'd been selling information to a rival company. I could not afford to keep thinking about Lyla when there were bigger issues to handle.
Then there was Darrin. He hadn't made a move yet, but I knew he had something up his sleeve. He was plotting something... payback for refusing to negotiate with him.
And, of course, the engagement. Lyla had been here for a month now, and while I'd made it clear we weren't getting married immediately, we still needed to make things official. A small, low-key engagement dinner. Just our families.
I exhaled, shutting off the shower and leaning against the tile. No amount of cold water could rinse away the heat burning through me.
Moving away from the wall, I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my waist. Sleep wasn't coming tonight, but at least I could get some work done. Maybe drowning myself in numbers and reports would silence the thoughts of her.
At least for a little while.
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The next morning, I sat alone at the dining table, dressed for work and eating breakfast. Nik and Alex had gone ahead of me to New York, where a dispute had broken out among some of our people, one that required higher authority to settle. I had important matters at work to handle, particularly the issue of the mole, so I'd sent my brothers ahead to assess the situation. If things didn't clear up soon, I'd join them later.
Just as I lifted a steaming mug of coffee to my lips, Lyla walked in, wearing an oversized T-shirt on denim shorts.
"Morning," she muttered, avoiding my gaze.
She was glowing, the perks of a good orgasm, despite her moody demeanor.
"Morning, Wildflower," I replied, watching as she took a seat across from me.
Her heartbeat quickened at the nickname.
"Sleep well?" I asked, setting my mug down.
A blush spread across her skin. "Yes, thank you," she said, clearing her throat and keeping her eyes trained on her coffee as she reached for her cup.
"How about you?" she asked. "Sleep well?"
I shook my head, remembering my painful tent pole hardness. "Not quite."
She was about to ask why, then stopped, putting two and two together.
I had made last night all about her, neglecting my own pleasure.
Her reaction was so amusing, it drew a chuckle from me. "Don't think too much about it, darling. I've dealt with worse" I said. "Now, eat."
She nodded, reaching for a piece of toast.
The table fell quiet, save for the sound of cutlery.
I had already finished eating, but I enjoyed watching her. After a while, I pushed back my chair and called out to her.
"C'mere."
Reluctantly, Lyla stood and made her way over until she was beside me.
I slipped a hand around her waist, pulling her down onto my thigh.
I was running late for work, but who cared?
I was the CEO. If there was a challenge, it came from me. Always.
Brushing a few strands of hair from her face, I watched as a rosy blush stained her cheeks. She was quieter than usual this morning, her argumentative energy tamped down.
"When I get back from the office, we're gonna talk, okay?"
Her eyes widened. "What's the talk about?"
I smiled. "When I get back, you'll know."
"Okay," she muttered, then hesitated before speaking again. "Am I allowed to explore the further grounds of the mansion again?"
She asked it softly, like a child seeking permission to play outside.
I arched a brow at her.
It had been a while since I placed that restriction, and given our relationship was progressing, I supposed it was time for a change.
"Yes," I replied.
A childish grin spread across her face before she quickly wiped it away. "Thank you."
My dick hardened.
I glanced at my watch. I had a meeting in an hour.
"Why am I not allowed to leave the mansion?" she asked again, shifting on my leg. The action did not bode well for my dick.
"You have werewolves stationed everywhere. This place is a fortress."
"Mhm," I murmured, distracted by the tiny dotted freckle behind her ear.
"It should be. Keeps people out, both obsessed fans and werewolf rivals."
"Obsessed fans?" She shot me a look.
My finger brushed over the freckle. "I'm among the top Most Eligible Bachelors"
"I see," she huffed. "Wonder how you made it on that list."
A joke.
Lyla Gray was joking with me.
Someone pinch me.
"You did not just say that," I replied.
She shrugged, smirking. "I'm sorry, but I don't see..."
Before she could finish the sentence, I spun her across my lap and sent a slap to her ass, loathing the denim shorts for dulling the impact.
A sharp gasp left her lips, the sound thrilling me.
"Zephyr!" She sounded alarmed, and yet there was something else in her voice. Something needier.
I loved hearing my name from her lips, especially when it came out like that… slightly breathless.
"If you want to joke with me, Wildflower, you better be ready for the consequences," I murmured, settling her back onto my lap. Leaning in, I let my lips brush her ear. "Would've loved to lay you out on this table and watch you tremble as I make you come… but I'm late for work."
I'd said it deliberately to tease her, cause I loved watching the way her body reacted, like the way it was reacting now... fast beating heartbeat, goosebumps, and the rush of dopamine subtly altering her scent.
I lifted her off my lap and stood, grabbing my jacket from the chair and shrugging it on. She was flushed from head to toe.
"So… can I go out?" she asked, shifting on her feet. "Being stuck here is killing me. Even if it's just for a few hours…"
"One hour," I cut in firmly. "I'll have Alexei, Troy, and Garrett go with you. Take Celine too." I stared at her pointedly. "I want updates on where you're going, when you arrive there, and when you're leaving. Also, when I call, you answer."
She crossed her arms with a dramatic sigh. "Jeez, you're such a control freak."
Ignoring her, I pulled my wallet from my jacket, slid out a card, and placed it on the table. "Pin is 1915. Don't forget."
"Is that when you were born?" She asked, her eyes rounding in curiosity.
I merely smiled. "Anywhere you go, Garrett and Troy go with you. Alexei remains in the car."
Lyla rolled her eyes, taking the card from the table. "Gee, thanks, Daddy."
I smirked. "You'll be calling me that soon enough, with less sarcasm and a lot more moaning."
Her blush deepened as I turned to leave.
"One hour, Wildflower," I reminded her over my shoulder.