Chapter 6

“Easy does it, sweetheart,” Edifel coaxed me as I perched on the vanity chair in the spacious bathroom.

It was later that morning, and she was assisting me in removing the bandages that had been wrapped around my injuries.

I had to clean up, and I couldn’t do that with the bandages on, even though I’ll admit that taking them off was far from comfortable.

“Are they looking any better?” I asked her as she finally peeled off the one on my shoulder.

“They’re healing up nicely,” Edifel reassured me. She swept my hair over my left shoulder to get to the bandage on the back of my neck.

I winced. It tugged at my hair, and that stung. “You’re pretty lucky, you know. If these wounds were any deeper, you could’ve bled out.”

I caught my reflection in the nearby mirror as she spoke, finally getting a look at the damage the wolf had done.

The wounds were scabbed over and seemed to be healing, but they were still a gruesome sight.

The ones on my shoulder were long gashes, while the ones on my neck were puncture wounds.

Seeing them made me feel a pang of sadness. These wounds would definitely leave a lasting mark.

“These are so ugly. I’m going to be scarred for life because of my mistake,” I murmured.

“Don’t worry, my lady. With this medicine, your scars will fade in no time,” Edifel comforted me.

“Really?”

“Absolutely.”

I can’t say I believed her, but I wanted to. Since I’d been here, I’d started to feel beautiful, even if it was just because I was so desired.

I hoped these scars wouldn’t change how Jekia saw me.

Taking a warm bath felt good, helping my body relax. I took my time, and when I was done, Edifel helped me out, dried me off, and helped me into my dress for the day.

She didn’t put the bandages back on, thinking it was better to let the wounds breathe.

The dress I was wearing was really nice. Like all the other dresses, it clung to my body, but it was soft and light.

It was a pale blue, sleeveless, and hugged my chest and torso, tied tightly in the back with a string.

As usual, I felt a bit exposed with the skirt ending above my knees and the top revealing a good amount of my cleavage, but I guessed I should’ve been used to it by now.

This was how Jekia liked to see me.

I walked out into the hallway with Edifel, both of us heading toward the conservatory. Jekia had said he wanted to spend some time with me there.

I wondered why he’d chosen that spot and not the courtyard, but I figured it was probably because of the heat. The days had been getting pretty hot lately.

But as we approached the doorway, we heard not just Jekia’s voice but another one as well. My heart skipped a beat as I listened. Could it be him?

Edifel looked a bit annoyed as she heard him, her lips pursing as we stood in the doorway.

“Please tell me he didn’t let that rogue back on the property,” she muttered.

“Rogue?” I echoed quietly, looking at her.

“Never mind me. Lord Jekia is waiting for you,” Edifel replied, maintaining her composure as she led me inside.

I trailed slightly behind her, doing my best to stay composed as well. I had a strong feeling that the one Jekia was talking to was the fox Sage.

It was interesting that he’d invited him to the palace. I wondered why, especially if he knew that Sage had shown an interest in me before.

The conservatory was one of the biggest parts of the palace, located at the end of the west wing.

The entire exterior of the room was made of glass, and it was filled with all sorts of plants and intricate structures that circulated water throughout the area.

Jekia had called them aqueducts.

Some of the plants were so big they reached the ceiling, creating a natural canopy.

Combined with the breeze that flowed in and out, this area was much cooler than outside.

We found Jekia in one of the open areas where there was a table and chairs set up, along with a pond fed by a small waterfall.

As we’d heard, he wasn’t alone. Sage was there with him, looking much the same as I remembered, though I realized that standing, he was as tall as Jekia.

They both looked otherworldly in the sunlight filtering through the large leaves overhead.

“You know some of that’s on you. If you’d thought things through, she wouldn’t have felt the need to do what she did,” Sage was saying.

“Don’t tell me how to run things here. I do what I think is best, and you’d do the same,” Jekia replied calmly.

“Maybe,” Sage conceded. His attention then shifted to us. “Ah, you’ve finally brought her. It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Edifel?”

“I’d say not long enough, but I don’t want to be rude,” Edifel replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Sage took her dismissive attitude in stride. “I can’t even pretend to be surprised.”

Jekia sighed, crossing his arms and closing his eyes before addressing us.

“You can go back to your duties, Edifel. I’ll take care of Lana for the rest of the day.”

“As you wish, sire,” Edifel agreed, giving a polite bow before turning on her heel and leaving the room.

I stayed where I was, unsure of what to do. This was an awkward situation. I hadn’t expected Jekia to invite this fox here, even if he’d said they were friends.

“Come on, Lana. You can sit here,” Jekia told me, gesturing to a chair near him.

“Sure, of course,” I agreed. I thought it was best to be obedient for now. It might help ease the tension.

Sage’s gaze was on me as I walked over and took a seat. I could feel his eyes on me, and I wondered what was going through his mind. I remembered the first time we met, and I tried to keep my composure.

“You’ve chosen a beautiful woman, Jekia. And she has such a strong sexual aura. Are you still denying that she’s an omega?” Sage asked.

“Her status is none of your business. You know I’ve claimed her. What I say goes,” Jekia replied.

“You’re quite possessive, but I can’t blame you,” Sage said, his smile never leaving his face as he rested a hand on his hip. “But you’ve made some mistakes. And that lycan did a number on her. They’re not going to be happy with you now that they know about her.”

Jekia didn’t seem worried. “They can hold a grudge all they want. They know they’re no match for me. And I won’t let them anywhere near Lana again.”

“That’s what you say, but you can’t keep her here forever. If she leaves, she’ll have to be with you. I could help, if you’d let me,” Sage offered.

I noticed the way he glanced at me. It was the same look Jekia gave me before he claimed me. I had no doubt that Sage wanted to do the same.

Jekia frowned at him, clearly aware of his intentions.

“You’re not fooling anyone. You want more than just to help an old friend. You want to watch over her when I can’t, and you want permission to have her too.”

“You make it sound like that’s a bad thing,” Sage replied without missing a beat. “We both know that alphas like us sometimes share a powerful beta. And she’s an omega. You’ve claimed her, but it’s not unreasonable for you to let me have some fun with her when you’re not around. As long as she’s okay with it, of course.”

I tried to keep my cool as I listened to their conversation. Was this what they wanted to talk about? Was this why Sage was here?

Jekia seemed to be considering Sage’s words as he stood next to me, as if he was actually thinking about it.

“If I agree, it’ll be on my terms,” he finally said.

“Terms? I’m curious to hear what they are,” Sage responded.

~So am I~, I thought to myself.

“I think they’re pretty straightforward,” Jekia continued. “You can only be with Lana when I’m not around, and you have to protect her in my place. I know you can do that. And you can only do anything sexual with her if she gives you permission. If I find out you did anything against her will, I won’t hesitate to cut off a few of your precious tails.”

Sage laughed, clearly amused.

“You’re pretty ruthless with your demands, but I don’t see why I can’t agree to them. I find Lana endearing too, and you’re my best friend. I can live with your terms.”

I felt a little trapped. I was trying to understand my relationship with Jekia, and now I had to deal with Sage too. I just hoped he understood that.

“Alright. I’ll have Emelio let you know when you’re needed. For now, I’d like you to leave. I want to spend some time alone with Lana,” Jekia told him.

“I was about to leave anyway. I have some things I need to take care of, but I’ll be here when you need me,” Sage agreed. “Until then.”

He moved so fast, it was like he vanished in seconds. I turned to Jekia, noticing his calm expression. He didn’t seem impressed by any of this.

“Such an arrogant fox,” he muttered.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this? You’ve been pretty possessive since I got here,” I pointed out.

“I’m not thrilled about it, but I understand the trade-off. A lycan knows about you now. If Sage is around when I’m not, they won’t be able to get to you,” Jekia explained.

I tilted my head, looking at him. “You keep calling that creature a lycan. Is he a werewolf?”

“Not exactly, but it’s close enough to what humans believe.”

“And you consider them your enemies, and they feel the same about you?”

Jekia knelt in front of me. “You could say that, but let’s not talk about it anymore. I’d rather enjoy my time with you. We haven’t had much of it yet.”

He took my hands in his, gently stroking my fingers and the ring he’d given me. He seemed content, which was a good sign.

“Did you have something in mind that you wanted to do with me?” I asked him.

“I did,” Jekia confirmed. He stood up, helping me to my feet.

“I don’t want to leave the grounds with you yet, especially after what happened. And I think it might be too much for you. Let’s just relax here today.”

“That sounds nice,” I agreed, smiling.

I was more than okay with that. I liked the idea of spending time with him like this.

Maybe I could get to know him better, and hopefully he wouldn’t be too arrogant.

The conservatory was a big place, filled with all kinds of plants, many of which I’d never seen before.

The flowers were large and beautiful, their petals vibrant against the backdrop of the pure blue water that flowed around the ducts. As we walked together, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. This world was so different from the human one, so much more beautiful.

Jekia was talking about the weather, “It seems that the summer is coming in much hotter than anticipated. I’m glad that things have been set up to keep my palace cooler during it.”

“Are the summers here usually hot?” I asked.

“They can be, but it’s usually not completely unbearable,” Jekia replied. He stopped to pluck a large flower with long petals and a pink hue. He tucked it in my hair with a smile. “Such things suit you well. You are quite the natural beauty.”

“I’ll take the compliment.” I smiled back. It was nice to see him making an effort to be kind.

“I hope that we can stop misunderstanding each other. Despite everything, I enjoy having you here by my side. A long life becomes boring without someone to share it with,” he said.

He ran a long piece of my hair through his fingers, then traced the scabbed wounds on my shoulder with the tips of his claws. This was familiar by now. He had no hesitation in touching me as he pleased, and I had allowed it since that first night.

“It seems you’re trying to communicate better now. I appreciate that,” I told him.

Jekia let out a quiet breath, his ears lying back for a few seconds.

“I agree that we started off on the wrong foot. But that’s how things can work on this side, and I can’t see where you would be that unhappy with most of it.”

“No, I can’t say that I am completely, even if some of what you say bothers me,” I admitted, letting out a long sigh and looking to the side.

“Perhaps I’m overthinking things. It’s not good for me as a woman not to understand my place, even here.”

“True, but I must confess that I find your fighting spirit rather provocative,” Jekia responded, a knowing smile crossing his face as his claws lightly danced over the tops of my breasts.

“Along with this beautiful body of yours, of course.”

I glanced at the large scabs on my shoulder. “Well, I suppose it still is mostly, even if these are unsightly now.”

“They’ll be gone within a few days. The medicine you’ve been given will ensure that. Aside from that, they don’t bother me. I don’t see where they take away from your beauty.”

“I see that spending this time doesn’t take away your desires.”

Jekia chuckled. “Not at all. It’s simply too easy for me to be drawn into you.”

“Perhaps not so much if you didn’t have me wear such dresses.”

“Where would be the fun and intrigue in that? I rather enjoy seeing as much of your body as I can, especially here in my palace.”

I wasn’t surprised by all of this. His desire for me wasn’t going to change. I mentally resigned myself to this, knowing what was probably coming soon enough.

He wouldn’t let me get away with not keeping my word from earlier that morning, especially if I was getting around so well now.

We ended up walking around the conservatory for a while longer, then headed to the parlor near there.

It was a nice, open room, with a beautiful breeze flowing in from the massive windows that were all sitting open.

The two of us curled up together on one of the couches, with me resting against his chest as he read a book. It was so quiet, so serene, a welcome relief from the trauma of the previous few days.

I closed my eyes, taking in the sound of his heartbeat and allowing my mind to drift. The memory of that morning’s conversation replayed.

An omega. Was the difference between that and a beta truly a matter of essence? Sage certainly seemed to believe so.

Yet Jekia wasn’t even willing to acknowledge me as such. I wondered if he feared doing that. Could he have feared what might come out of it?

I did my best not to think too much about that. It was pleasant enough being here like this, and Jekia was acting quite agreeable. Perhaps our talk had made a little bit of difference.

“Jekia, may I ask you something?” I spoke quietly, not bothering to move from my comfortable position against him.

“You may,” he allowed.

“Are you truly the last left of your family?”

“I am.”

“Are you lonely from it?”

“Not truly.”

I glanced up at him, seeing that he hadn’t looked away from his book. It was like he was completely unaffected by speaking of his family.

“You speak almost like they never mattered,” I noted.

“Should they have?” Jekia responded. He finally lowered his book and set it aside to face me.

I pushed myself up to sit. “I’m afraid I don’t understand you with such notions. I have always thought that one would at least care some for their family members,” I continued.

Jekia sat up with me. “Why would such a thing matter so much, especially if they brought nothing to your life except for giving it?”

“That’s very cold to say.”

“You’d truly say such after what your family has done?” Jekia contended.

“You seem to forget that your parents were selling you off to pay for ~their~ debts, and never cared in the first place to have a girl. Or were you telling me wrong in an emotional state?”

Oh no. Here came that arrogant stance he often took. But I was determined not to back down to it this time.

“No, I did not tell you wrong. I simply stated that most would show at least a little care for their family. It is only sad that my own did not muster it for me,” I informed him.

“Yes, that is very true,” Jekia relented.

“Either way,” I continued. “I suppose there is no sense in speaking any more of it now. You have made your stance clear, although it does concern me for the fact that you wish for heirs one day.”

“I made it clear that when the time comes, I’ll be there for them. Just because my parents weren’t there for me doesn’t mean I’ll do the same,” Jekia said.

“You talk about your parents like that, yet you want to be a good dad,” I observed.

“There’s no reason not to want that,” Jekia replied, a sly grin spreading across his face.

“You seem pretty interested in talking about families. Are you ready to be the mother of my kids?”

I didn’t return his smile. “I didn’t say that. I was just curious.”

“Sure you were.” Jekia moved closer, forcing me to lie back as he hovered over me. “But I don’t mind waiting. I like having you all to myself.”

“You sure have a strong sex drive for someone who claims he didn’t need women before.”

“As I said, none of them caught my eye before. Maybe that’s a good thing for you. You get to enjoy all my pent-up desire from all those years.”

I wasn’t sure I liked hearing that, but I couldn’t deny the warmth spreading inside me. It was happening again, even though I thought it wouldn’t until I was more recovered.

“You want to do it again?” I whispered.

“Absolutely. But let’s not do it here. I think it’s too open for you.”

I looked around us, taking in the silence. The heat inside me was growing stronger, and I wasn’t sure I could make it to our room.

“If no one can see or hear us, then I’m okay with this room,” I told him.

A smile spread across Jekia’s face. “Alright. I can do that for you. I hate waiting anyway.”

He snapped his fingers, and instantly, the door closed and dark curtains fell over the windows, plunging the room into shadow.

I barely had time to take it in before I was pulled into a passionate kiss. My arms wrapped around his shoulders, savoring the pleasurable feelings growing inside me.

As much as I hated to admit it, I would have missed this if I had managed to run away like I’d planned.

Jekia pulled back and sat up again. “Why don’t you take off that dress for me? I want to feel all of you against me.”

I did as he asked, slowly standing up and untying the back of my dress, letting it fall to the floor. I felt no shame standing there naked in front of him.

He had seen me like this so many times that it felt almost normal.

I stood still as he undressed himself and then sat down on the couch. His eyes looked at me with hungry anticipation, and I could see that he was already hard.

It sent a wave of heat between my legs, and all I could think about was how much I wanted him inside me.

“Come here,” he quietly urged me.

I obeyed, moving forward and straddling his lap. A soft moan escaped me as he entered me.

It didn’t take long for his thrusts to find a rhythm, and even though my wounds ached a little, they were nothing compared to the sensations of him inside me.

I never thought I could enjoy sex so much, the feeling of him moving deep inside me, his mouth on my breasts, the way he held my hips to move them with his thrusts.

No, I didn’t love him, but I did want him, almost as much as he wanted me.

“Oh please… please… more…,” I begged.

“Ah yes, I’m so close now,” he whispered. I gasped as he thrust into me again. “Your surrender to me is divine. It makes me want to fill you over and over.”

I felt like my body was spinning as his thrusts became harder, and I barely heard myself begging for more.

Maybe that was for the best. I might not have been able to look at myself in the mirror later if I was aware of my raw need in that moment.

Jekia’s breathing became heavier as he continued, and the next thing I knew, warmth filled me.

I let out a choked cry as it triggered my climax, and I threw my head back. It was almost too much.

“So beautiful,” Jekia breathed as he nipped at my neck.

I leaned against him, closing my eyes as I tried to catch my breath. Nothing had really changed yet, and I didn’t expect it to for a long time.

But that was okay. I might not have had much freedom, but at least he could give me this incredible pleasure.

We took a while to catch our breaths, and once we did, we both got up and dressed.

I left the room with him, then stepped out into the courtyard as he excused himself to check on something he’d forgotten.

But as I did, I noticed someone sitting in a tree at the far end of the courtyard, a flash of silver.

It looked like Sage had stayed on the grounds.

Feeling curious, I walked over to talk to him, hoping he hadn’t sensed what I’d just been doing.

“You decided to come back?” I asked as I stood by the tree.

“I like being able to come here when Jekia allows it, so I thought it would be nice to come back,” Sage replied.

He smiled and jumped down, landing in front of me. “It’s nice to see you again too.”

“Yes, I don’t mind.” I looked around us, making sure we were alone. “Tell me, did you really mean the deal you made with Jekia about me?”

“I did. Like I told you before, I wouldn’t pass up the chance to be close to you, or the chance to be with you a few times,” Sage answered without hesitation.

I have to admit, his words were tempting. There was something about this fox that was as sexually appealing as Jekia. Maybe it was because they were both alphas.

“I might let you if there’s a time when Jekia isn’t here. But now isn’t the time,” I told him.

Sage let out a soft laugh. “Don’t worry, I’m not that reckless. But now that we’re alone, I have something to suggest.”

I eyed him warily. “What kind of suggestion?”

“Don’t be so quick to doubt me. What I’m about to propose is mostly for your benefit,” Sage said, moving behind me and gathering my hair over my shoulder.

“You didn’t just run away because you were scared of this world. You ran because you couldn’t stand being treated like an object by Jekia.

“But as you’ve seen, his perspective on life and relationships is pretty narrow.

“Some might say he was raised with a strong sense of duty but a lack of emotional understanding. I think you might be the one who can change that.”

“And why would you want that?” I asked.

Sage laughed again. “A big part of it is because he’s my oldest and best friend, and it hurts to see him messing up something as beautiful as what he has with you.

“I truly believe that you were brought into this world because you’re meant to be with him, and to help him become the leader he’s destined to be.

“But I won’t deny that there’s a small part of me that would enjoy seeing him jealous, knowing that I’ve been with you too.”

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. There was something about being near him that was incredibly enticing. He had some kind of power, and he was using it on me.

“So you’re saying you can help me bring out Jekia’s emotions? Do you really think he’s capable of that?” I asked.

“I know he is,” Sage replied, his warm breath tickling my ear. “Just think about how he reacted when you ran away, and when he brought you back.

“He was furious, but he was also scared of losing you. If he didn’t have those feelings, do you think he would have saved you?”

“He might have just been reacting to the idea of losing a lover and potential mother of his children,” I suggested.

“No, trust me, you mean so much more to him than that. He just needs a little push to realize it.”

Sage moved in front of me, leaning down until his face was just inches from mine. “So what do you say, little omega? Are you ready to see what’s really in your lover’s heart?”

I looked at him, my decision already made.

“Yes. Help me reveal the real Jekia.”