Word Count: 2027

~Meara

I press my head deeper into the cushion, propping my book up against my thighs.

This is the perfect night. Sire has brought me back to my cabin for a night to myself, and I'm spending it seated on my couch, wine on the coffee table, a book about questionable morals open for me to read at my leisure.

Despite this being an ideal night of relaxation, there is a strange feeling of emptiness spreading through my stomach.

I think I'm starting to not like being where Sire is not.

A pounding knock on the front door has my book nearly falling from my lap. Resting my palm on my ribs, feeling my heart thundering under my touch, I stand.

Sire promised me a night on my own. Could he really not bear to be away from me for so long.

I throw the door open. "I told you to give me a night...oh."

It isn't Sire standing at my door, but Carran. The night is draped around him like a magnificent coat and there is a danger in his eyes that alerts me to exactly why he is here.

"Meara. Hello," he greets.

He doesn't sound angry. In fact, he sounds apprehensive. He's undoubtedly here because he knows Sire is out and he wants to enact his revenge.

Shit. Why did I think it would be a good idea to be away from Sire right now?

"Carran." I force a smile onto my face regardless. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought we could talk." He smiles tentatively.

"I would slam this door in your face, but I suppose I have no other option but to let you in, huh?" I clutch the edge of the door, tempted to swing it shut regardless.

He narrows his dark eyes a little, looking past me into the cabin. Does he think Sire is here? I doubt it...I bet he came here knowing Sire isn't with me, because Sire would rip his head off.

"Don't forget, I'm your Alpha," he warns.

I hold the door open. "Ugh. Come in then."

With his hands seated in his pockets, he strolls casually into the room, looking around. He's being awfully calm considering I betrayed him and brought his biggest enemy back into his life.

He will know that there is nothing he can threaten me with now to bring harm to Sire. Because of that, he's going to end me.

"You could look happier to see me," he murmurs, turning back to me. "Don't forget, you're mateless now."

Surprise flares which I hope doesn't appear on my face. There is no way.

Does he not know Sire is free? In all his arrogance has he not taken steps to ensure Sire is still buried there? He can't access the tomb...but did he not have me followed?

I swallow tightly, my back plastered against the door. "Right..."

"Life gets very lonely, and this cabin is awfully large for a girl like you," he muses, looking around it.

I blink. If he isn't here to accuse me of freeing Sire, why is he here?

"Does your visit have a point?" I ask warily. Suddenly he seems so much taller, more imposing. He's seemed more like my enemy coming into my home and not like my Alpha.

He pauses, looking down at his feet. His shoulders are slumped, his expression uneasy. He looks like he is going to be sick.

"I've been thinking about you a lot, recently," he mumbles.

My gasp catches my throat. For a second I don't think I heard him right because his sudden admission is too absurd to believe.

"I'm afraid I don't share the sentiment," I tell him firmly. I'm not going to let him in here to say something completely unbelievable.

"It wasn't your fault that your mate is a soulless, evil man who if allowed any ounce of freedom, would destroy the Pack you call home," he says.

I stare him down, a bout of laughter fighting with a burst of anger. He can't be serious.

"He...hmm." I break off. I don't want to risk saying anything that reveals Sire is free.

"Now you have to face the rest of your life without him." Why does he sound like he actually feels sorry for me, and not like he is taunting me.

I stalk past him, grabbing my glass of wine. "So what? I can handle it."

"You're stronger than I anticipated, and smarter," he muses, watching me keenly. I don't fold under his gaze, not wanting him to know that he makes me uncomfortable.

"Smarter because I listened to you instead of my mate?" I ask, giving him a cold smile.

"Absoloutely." He runs his hands back through my hair. "My point is, I feel bad about forcing your mate away from you."

"Good, you should," I snap.

He may not have a mate, but what he did is unforgivable. He knows now that the curse hasn't gone away, and he still wouldn't free Sire. Sire is too much of a threat to him personally.

He takes a step toward me, looking like he wants to reach out to touch me. "I you want to talk..."

"Why would I talk to you? We aren't friends," I growl, taking a long drink from my glass, hoping this is just an alcohol fuelled dream that I will soon wake up from.

"But we can be," he insists. "If you want to stay with me..."

I try not to pull a face. No amount of money could convince me to live in close proximity to him for a period of time. Not to mention what Sire would do.

"I'm fine."

He falls silent as I turn away. It's like he's battling with something in his mind, unsure of how to say it. Tension gathers in my shoulders as I anticipate what he is going to say next.

He grabs my arm, twisting me around. Before I can wrestle from his grasp, he plants both hands on my shoulders and grips me tightly.

"I'm attracted to you. I have been since I first saw you, and I thought about how cruel fate must be to pair you with a monster like Sire over someone like me," he says in one breath.

I nearly choke on my surprise.

"Uh..."

"I'm not asking you to want to be with me right now," he says, shaking his head. "But if you want to go on a date or something, I am open to it."

My mouth has been hanging open for so long my throat has dried out. I can't tell if I want to laugh in his face for his audacity, or if I want to investigate more to ensure there isn't some deeper, more sinister plan going on.

"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to understand what you're telling me," I say slowly.

Something flickers in his eyes. "This is unprecedented, I can assure you. I didn't expect to struggle so much to get you out of my head."

There is a sincerity in his expression that suggests this isn't a trick. That terrifies me more than anything.

"That's just guilt."

"Maybe." He closes his eyes. "I'm sorry, I should probably leave."

He finally let's me go, his touch burning into my skin.

"I think you feel this way because you're not attracted to me, but the power Sire could have," I tell him. "I am a part of what Sire could have had, and you want that."

Carran is borderline obsessed with Sire. He wants his power, to be as successful of an Alpha as he is. He didn't have to work to be powerful, he just fell into the role. Now, he wants an easy piece of the puzzle, and that's me.

Repulsion blooms in his eyes. "I don't want to be anything like Sire."

I prop my hands on his hip. "Then why do you want me?"

He pauses, quiet desperation and desire mixing in his eyes. His gaze traces over my face, falling onto my lips, and suddenly he's closing the gap between us.

I yelp as he grabs either side of my face, his hands so big they practically cover everything. He draws his mouth to my lips, stunning me.

Shock, repulsion and fear spark up in me, fighting through the mist of confusion.

Mercifully he doesn't move his lips, although the intensity of which he presses them against mine conveys enough of his desire to truly disgust me.

Planting both my hands against his chest, I push him off me. He stumbles back, gaping at me.

"What are you doing?" I snap.

"I'm sorry. I'm out of my mind." He turns away, digging his hands into his hair.

"You are," I gasp back, unable to reign back my surprise. "Don't forget, Carran, the curse still runs rampant. You failed your end of the deal, and the fact that you think it's okay to come in here and declare attraction for me is insane."

"We are resolving the curse issue," he assures me, although him and I both know he is lying. "We will figure it out shortly, but trust me, Sire being back would cause more problems then it would fix."

I shake my head, sighing irritably.

The only problem would be to him...

"Consider yourself lucky. If he were here, and he knew you were trying to seduce me, he would kill you," I remind him coldly.

Sire can't learn about this. He wouldn't care about reason, he would go straight to Carran and he would kill me, or try to, and then Carran and everyone else will know Sire is back.

I can't let that happen.

Carran frowns. "Not before I killed him."

"Whatever." I gesture to the door, wanting him out of here. So much for my night of relaxation.

"Consider my proposition," he murmurs as he brushes past me, pinning me with his stare. "We both could do with a distraction."

I prop the door open. "Goodbye Carran."

I slam the door behind him, shuddering. I can still feel the ghost of his touch on my shoulders, my face and most disturbingly, my lips.

Rubbing my mouth, I collapse onto the couch, letting out a breath. I can't believe that just happened.

The sound of rustling behind the couch has my eyes flying back open. Has Carran come back to do more than just kiss?

As I sit up, I nearly faint with relief. It's Sire, looking wary as he holds up a bag of something.

"I know you said not to come by, but I wanted to bring you some dinner," he says sheepishly. "I'll leave right now."

I scramble off the couch, smiling warmly. "That's really sweet. Thank you, Sire."

"Are you okay? You're flushed." His gaze presses into my face, concern ceasing between his brows.

"I'm fine, I'm just a little hot." I press my hands against my cheeks, and sure enough, they are burning. "I'm going to eat this and have a bath."

I take the bag from him, avoiding his gaze. If he figures this out, Carran and I are both done for.

Thankfully he doesn't seem to think anything is amiss, a lazy smile touching his lips. "You sure you don't want me to stay?"

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I assure him, reaching up to kiss his cheek, trying to placate him.

"Of course. Enjoy your night."

He vanishes after giving me a departing smile. I wish I could be more grateful for his kind gesture, but I'm worried about Carran.

I shake my head, sinking down into my seat at the dining room table. Sire is safe, and so am I.

For now.

🤎••🤎

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"...I've never had an orgasm before!" I blurt out, backing away a few steps.

He sits up, dark hair ruffled and messy from the fingers I ran through it. His eyes, once wide, slowly darken.

"You what?" He breathes.

~Midika 💜🐼