“Tell , my friend, what can I do for you? ” Luther smiled.
I had to hold back my scoff. Friend? The man kidnapped my dear Brook, cursed , tried to kill Theo, and worked with Raymond to lead my pack to destruction. Just because he was polite right now didn’t an there was a chance for us to be friends.
“Look,” I lifted my gaze and pointed to one bare spot of the flower bed. “Those little ones are all dried now, I don’t think I can revive them, but I think it would be good to get so more color in here, don’t you?”
“I agree, whatever makes you happy,” he comnted.
I wanted to say that what made happy was to let go back to my pack, but I doubted he would go with that. So I continued, “I want to get so flower seeds to replant them today.”
He gestured for to continue.
I brushed my hair away from my face and put it behind my ear. “I recognize so of them, they grow in the wild, but I assu I don’t have the freedom to leave this property on my own? So I wanted to ask if you could accompany and take outside to get so seeds.”
This ti, he didn’t say anything imdiately. He stared at for a mont. His eyes bored into mine. I did my best to remain calm.
Luther was like Theo when it ca to analyzing people. He noticed every single detail which made it hard to get anything past him.
I had to bring out my best acting skills here, which to be honest were less than stellar.
After a while, his smile returned. “Just that?”
“Yes, just that,” I assured him.
I couldn’t read his expression, but to lower his suspicion, I shrugged, “If that is too much of a problem, I understand. After all, I’m not really a friend, just a prisoner.”
Finally, he let out a chuckle. “It would be my honor to accompany you.”
“Really?” I clapped my hands and did my best to sound excited. “That’s wonderful! Where are we going? Is it far?”
“It’s in the valley. I know exactly where to go. My mother used to take there.”
“I can’t wait!” I smiled. “Maybe we could get there faster if you shift and carry on your back. What do you say?”
“That’s right, you can’t shift yet.”
I nodded, “My birthday isn’t for a little while.”
“I will carry you.”
Luther began to unbutton his shirt.
“What are you doing?” I turned around so I didn’t see his naked torso.
“I happen to like this shirt and I don’t want it to be ripped to shreds.” He let out a soft chuckle. “You know, as wolves, I thought you are used to nudity just like . Why are you looking away?”
I felt the heat creep onto my cheeks. “Of course I know that. It’s just that...”
I couldn’t find the words I wanted to say. It was just that if Theo was around, I didn’t want him to see staring at another naked man, especially when that naked man was his enemy.
When I looked over my shoulder he had now stripped right down to his boxers and had an amused grin on his face.
“I’m glad you find this amusing,” I said to Luther.
“You’re adorable, do you know that?”
“So I’ve heard,” I grumbled. “Now are you going to shift or are you going to just keep ssing with ?”
He smirked and looked away from . He did a little running before he jumped into the air and shifted into an impressive gray wolf. He landed on his paws gracefully and turned to face .
I walked up to him slowly, as he watched carefully through his amber eyes. Every movent I made was analyzed and anticipated. Despite that he called a friend and he acted friendly, deep down, he was still skeptical towards .
I raised my hand and reached out to him. His nose lifted and he slled the air around . Wolves could often catch onto things that we normally couldn’t in our human forms.
When he was satisfied with what he had found he tapped my palm with his nose.
I was in the clear.
Luther lowered himself so I could get onto his back. I carefully straddled him and got into a comfortable enough position.
He let out a little huff and looked over his shoulder at as if to say, hang on tight.
I lowered myself and clutched onto his fur.
***
By the ti we returned to the mansion it was sunset and the day had already co to an end.
“Thank you for spending ti with today.”
Luther smiled, “You’re welco, Ciana. And thank you for reminding of sothing today.”
We stopped walking when we got to my room. I held onto the seeds in my hands, my body shifting a little uneasily from Luther’s proximity.
“What is that?”
“A shift in perspective. I never wanted to ever plant flowers in my mothers garden bed because the mory of losing her was too great and still felt too fresh no matter how many years passed. But you,” he stepped a little closer, “reminded that it’s okay to look back on those mories with fondness and to allow her mory to live on.”
The sincerity in his voice threw .
All of a sudden, I felt a little guilty because everything I did was to get his fur.
Luther grabbed my hand and kissed it gently. “Thank you.”
“You’re welco,” I replied gently. Would he feel even worse if he ever found out the true purpose of what I did today? I sighed, “It has been a long day. I should get so rest.”
Luther nodded and stepped away from . “See you tomorrow, Ciana.”
“Good night, Luther.”
I walked into my room and pressed my back against the door. I let go of the breath I hadn’t known I had been holding and closed my eyes.
I reached into my back pocket and fished out the fur I had gathered.
Mission accomplished.
I poured myself a cup of water and sat down on the couch. Now all I needed to do was wait until tomorrow’s party.
It was late and Theo must be doing whatever he thought was necessary at the mont. I probably should get so rest like I told Luther.
“You’re back.” A low voice rang in my ear.
I nearly jumped out of my skin from the sight of Tallis.
“You scared ! Why are you just standing there like that?”
His jaw was locked in place and he looked like he was on the verge of exploding.
Imdiately my heart dropped, “What happened? Why do you look so mad?”
“Where have you been all day?” He bit out.
It took a mont to register his words. “What do you an where have I been? Did you not tell that I needed to get the fur from Luther?”
“I said get the fur, not go on a date with the guy.”
I blinked at him trying to process exactly what I just heard.
“You’re joking, right? Need I remind you, Tallis, that you are the one that told to go to him in the first place. You said that I needed to figure out a way to get the fur and I did. Why are you mad at ?”
“I’m not mad.” Tallis moved to the bed. “Why would I be mad?”
“Did you not hear what you said? And look at yourself!” I grabbed a handheld mirror and lifted it up to show him his own face.
“I know what I’m saying.” He glanced at the mirror and pointed at his reflection. “What are you trying to say about my face? That frown is just my normal expression, nothing special.”
I didn’t even know whether I should laugh or cry. “Can we just have a normal conversation?”
“Yes, we’re having a normal conversation. Did you have fun on your little ride? What did he do? Woo you and whisk you away to so fancy restaurant in the town square?”
Looking at his scowl, I shook my head. At first, I was upset, but now, I found it kinda funny. “You are kidding . Are you...are you jealous right now?”
His eyes snapped to . “Jealous? Please. I am not a child. I have no reason to be jealous. Why would I be jealous of that half breed alpha anyway.”
I pressed down the upcurl of my lips, and decided to play along.
“You are the one who said I needed to get the fur. Did I flirt with the guy to get what I needed? Yeah. But did it an anything? No.” I stood up from my seat and made my way over to him.
“So you admit you flirted with him.” He pointed a finger accusingly at . “You find him attractive?”
“I’m not blind.” I shrugged and rolled my eyes, again, intentionally to irritate him. “Any female with eyes would find him appealing to the eye.”
“Appealing to the eye,” Tallis mocked. “The guy is incompetent and generic. There is hardly any real substance to him. Is that what you’re into, Ciana? n with the sa personality as a cardboard box?”
Yep. Theo had lost it.
“You are being ridiculous. And even if I was flirting with him, then so what?”
Tallis took a dangerously slow step toward . “So what? He is the culprit for the problems in your pack!”
“Raymond is a bigger problem.”
“Ciana, I can’t believe you just said that.”
“I can’t believe you are acting like this.”
“I am trying to help you so that you’re not deceived by that Luther, rebellion guy.”
“I don’t need your help. Also, I’m the daughter of an alpha and you are just a stupid carny. How is who I flirt with and don’t flirt with any of your business? You are not my father nor my boyfriend.”
Rage flared up in his heated gaze and I regretted the words as soon as they left my lips. Even though I was just ssing with him to begin with, I felt I might have crossed the line.
But he had been poking at and insinuating that I was being so loose slutty woman, which was really annoying.
“Stupid carny, huh?” He took a dangerous step toward causing to step away from him. We continued this little dance until my back hit the wall and I was cornered. “Nowhere to run, Ciana.”
I gulped.
His two hands pressed against the wall on either side of my head and drew his face closer to mine. “Close your eyes.”
My heart was thumping against my chest. I knew what was going to happen next and I closed my eyes, obeying him.
He then crashed his lips onto mine in a heated and possessive kiss. It was the kind of kiss that you felt all the way down to your toes.
I felt the tingles move up and down my spine as his lips coaxed mine into movent. It took a few monts to begin to move to the sa rhythm as him.
His tongue brushed my bottom lip asking for entrance which I gladly gave.
This felt like heaven.
And his familiar scent of the forest after a fresh rain... yep, it had to be Theo.
His kiss left feeling breathless and delirious all at the sa ti.
When we finally pulled apart, my lungs desperately tried to take in as much air as they needed.
His eyes had darkened and I could see the lust swimming behind his irises. He was just as affected by the kiss as I was.
I raised my hand which still clutched onto Luther’s fur. I slowly opened my palm showing him what was inside.
“This was the only reason I was with him today. Nothing more.” My voice ca out low and draped in heat and lust. “And I didn’t flirt with him. He told about his mother, that was all.”
I stepped out of his hold and dropped the fur in his gloved hand.
“Now, please get us ho.”
#
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