Chapter 9

The prospect of meeting the other rulers of this world was both thrilling and a tad scary.

I had to acknowledge this to myself as I lay in bed, gazing out the open window at the full moon that hung high in the starlit sky.

It was late into the night, but sleep eluded me. My mind was buzzing with the incredible invitation Jekia had extended to me.

The night was pleasantly warm, and I let the sheet gather at my waist as I lay there. I had to admit, I no longer felt uncomfortable sleeping in the nude.

In just one week, it seemed Jekia had managed to rid me of such insecurities. I tried to convince myself that I should feel somewhat empowered by this.

This was a freedom I would never have experienced in my world.

As I lay there, my thoughts wandered to Jekia for what felt like the hundredth time. As much as I hated to admit it, I missed him already.

I missed him lying next to me, his arms wrapped around me. The memory of it made me sigh.

How could I have such deep feelings for a creature who took pleasure in defiling me?

Well, I could deny it all I wanted. But the truth was, I was willingly letting him do so.

I closed my eyes, trying to force myself to sleep. Staying awake and being too tired in the morning would do me no good. It could also embarrass Jekia, which I definitely didn’t want.

I was on the verge of drifting off when I felt the bed shift slightly behind me. It startled me, and I sat up a bit to look. Golden eyes met mine, amusement dancing in them.

“Did I scare you?” Jekia asked, his tone teasing.

“You’re back? But you said you wouldn’t be back for a few days,” I reminded him as I turned to face him.

I wondered if I was dreaming. Had he invaded my dreams too?

“I did, but I changed my mind,” Jekia replied. He still looked amused as I reached out to touch his face, confirming to myself that he was really there. “Do you think I’m part of a waking dream?”

I giggled. “No, I don’t think so now. I’m just really surprised, but also really happy. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to sleep without you here,” I confessed.

I was surprised to see Jekia’s ears flatten for a moment and his eyes look away, almost as if he was embarrassed.

“I guess I could say the same. Maybe I’ve gotten more used to your presence than I initially thought,” he mumbled.

~How adorable~, I thought to myself.

I never thought I’d see Jekia look like this. But I quickly checked myself, reminding myself not to get too comfortable.

I was still at his mercy here, not truly loved.

“Well,” I continued, snuggling up against him. “I’m glad you came back tonight. It’s much more comfortable lying with you.”

Jekia settled into the bed with me, holding me while he stroked my hair back. I could feel his tail wrap around my thigh, the soft fur gently caressing my bare skin.

“I admit that I needed to. I couldn’t sleep there. Not without you by my side. So I’ll be taking you with me when I go back tomorrow,” he told me.

“Is it really okay for you to be here? I don’t want to get in the way of what you need to do,” I responded.

“You won’t,” Jekia assured me. “I can do as I please during the night and before and after our meetings. If I want to come back here, then I can.”

“I see.”

He kissed my temple. “Rest now, my dear. We have a long day ahead tomorrow, and we both need our sleep.”

I relaxed in his arms, feeling safe and comfortable. Yes, this was what I needed. It definitely helped me sleep.

When I woke up next, the early morning sunlight was beginning to filter in through the window. Jekia was still lying with me, although it seemed he was already awake.

I lifted my head from where it was resting against him, noticing that his gaze was fixed on the window near us. He had a distant look in his eyes, as if his thoughts were elsewhere.

“Jekia, are you okay?” I asked softly.

He blinked as if snapping out of a trance. “Yes. I was just letting my mind wander in the silence,” he assured me.

I wondered if he was thinking about his family, but decided it was best not to ask. Instead, I turned onto my back a bit more, looking at the window he’d been staring at.

“Are we leaving soon?” I asked.

“We will soon, but it’s still pretty early. I’d rather stay here a bit longer,” Jekia answered, not loosening his hold on me.

I lay still, soaking in the quiet around us, although my mind started buzzing with the anticipation of what was to come.

The events of the previous afternoon also came back to me, along with a twinge of guilt. Could I even mention such a thing to him? I didn’t think I could.

“Are you nervous about what’s to come?” Jekia suddenly asked.

“A little,” I admitted. “I don’t know what to expect when meeting the other rulers.”

“There’s not much to expect. They’re not that different from me in their positions, and as I imagine Emelio would tell you, they’re also very interested in meeting you,” Jekia informed me.

I turned toward him again, closing my eyes as I snuggled against him. There was no harm in enjoying this a little longer.

“Do they also keep women like me?” I needed to know.

“Not currently, but decisions like that are very important for us, and we need to be sure before we make them.”

“You were that sure about me?”

Jekia chuckled. “I knew the moment I saw you that you were the perfect woman for me, even if you have tested me a bit with your futile attempt to run away.

“I still don’t understand why you did that. I can’t imagine you being that unhappy here, even if I upset you sometimes with how I treat you.”

“I can’t say I’m totally unhappy here,” I admitted, pulling away from him to sit up.

“But I have to tell you, sometimes when you talk to me, your words sting. It really gets to me. Don’t you realize you do that?”

Jekia didn’t seem bothered by my words. He just lay on his back, watching me.

“Maybe not. I’m not used to being nice to anyone at this point in my life. But having you here has made me learn things about myself too.

“You were right to be mad at me when I brought you back, and for that, I feel like I owe it to you to try to be a little more like what you want.”

“You don’t owe me anything like that. I just want to feel like I could mean more to you than just a lover,” I told him.

“You think you’re not?” Jekia asked, sitting up with me.

“I don’t know what to think,” I admitted, unable to look at him now.

“Yes, you’ve given me a lot since I came here, including some freedom, but you also demand sex from me often, and you even made a deal with a fox for that in exchange for him watching over me.

“You have to understand how that makes me feel like I’m just a convenient woman who gets a comfortable life in return for her body.”

“Maybe some things have come across wrong,” Jekia said.

He wore a neutral expression as he traced a finger from my neck to my belly button. “I told you from the start that I wanted you to be a wife to me, like claimed betas often are.

“But I admit, I didn’t expect you to become an actual omega, and I didn’t expect my own pent-up lust to be so strong.

“Whether I meant it or not, what you are plays a big part in my desires.

“And having Sage involved not only gives you more protection when I’m not around, but it also helps control those desires enough so I don’t end up hurting you when I come back.”

“You think you could hurt me?” I asked, surprised by my own reaction.

“I know it’s possible. You’re still a human woman, and I know I’m much stronger than you.

“I don’t think I could ever forgive myself if I hurt you during any of our encounters,” Jekia admitted.

I hadn’t thought of that, even though it made a lot of sense. Jekia could easily hurt me with his strength and power.

“I get it, and I appreciate that. I guess things like this just make me feel guilty about who I’m supposed to be for you,” I said, still not able to look at him.

“That’s understandable.” Jekia made me look at him. “And if it were any other creature, they wouldn’t be allowed to touch you.

“I only made an exception for Sage because he’s always been my closest friend and I trust him not to take you from me, even though I admit I get a little jealous when I think about him being with you.”

“You get jealous even though you’re okay with it?”

“What guy wouldn’t?”

He had a point. If the roles were reversed, I’d be jealous too.

“Yeah, that’s true.” I lay back down. “We don’t have much time left before we have to get up, do we?”

“No, unfortunately not,” Jekia said. He moved to lie on top of me, and I closed my eyes as he kissed me, enjoying the familiar comfort of it.

~How weird~, I thought to myself. ~When did I get so comfortable with all of this?~

I wondered if it had something to do with how my sexuality had blossomed there under him. This Luna Dog had awakened passions in me that I didn’t know I had, and so had that fox.

Jekia smiled as he pulled back and stroked my hair. “My beautiful Lana. I don’t think I could ever let you go now.”

“I don’t plan on leaving you, just like I promised,” I reminded him.

A smile spread across my face as I touched his. “Besides, I have to admit, I’ve gotten pretty comfortable being here with you. It feels weird when I can’t be.”

“I’ll take that as a good sign.” He kissed my forehead gently. “Let’s get up now. We don’t want to waste too much time getting ready to leave.”

I think we both didn’t want to, but we didn’t have a choice. I got out of bed with him, stretched for a moment, then went into the bathroom with him to clean up.

This wasn’t the first time I’d done this. Like I said before, the bathroom was big, and there was even a place with running water for him to clean up that he used a lot.

I think he called it a “shower.” I’d never seen one until I came here, and it was pretty cool to try it a few times, even though I have to admit, I like baths better.

After we were done, I went to the nearby wardrobe room while Jekia went back to our room.

As I expected, Edifel was already waiting for me by the door. She smiled when she saw me, opening the door for me.

“I noticed that Lord Jekia came back last night. How interesting,” she said as we went into the room and she closed the door.

I tried to act like it wasn’t a big deal as I held my towel around me.

“He didn’t feel comfortable sleeping there, so he decided to come back to his own bed,” I told her.

“Is that it?” Edifel didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t push me on it. Instead, she led me to the middle of the room.

“Let’s drop it for now. I’ve been excited for you to wear my newest dress.”

I waited patiently as she got the dress from a nearby stand, then let her help me put it on. Like the one from the night before, this dress was really beautiful.

It was pearl-colored, with beads at the waist and a full skirt. Even though the neckline was low, I wasn’t uncomfortable with it. Again, it was like looking at the person I was supposed to be.

“Beautiful. Lord Jekia was right. This color really suits you,” Edifel said, stepping back to take in the full effect.

“I do like it. The fabric is so light, too. I appreciate that,” I agreed, swishing the skirt around a bit.

“Let’s see what Lord Jekia thinks,” Edifel suggested, taking my hand and leading me out into the hallway.

I have to admit, I was a little nervous. This wasn’t the kind of dress Jekia usually had made for me. But more than that, there was this sense of anticipation bubbling up inside me.

I wanted Jekia to like how I looked. I wanted him to think I was beautiful.

We ended up in the courtyard, where Jekia was deep in conversation with Emelio.

That wasn’t surprising. I figured Emelio handled a lot of things for Jekia, probably even transporting him back and forth from here.

“I don’t want any more problems with this. Are we sure there haven’t been any lycans spotted on his lands recently?” Jekia was asking.

My heart pounded a little harder as I listened. The memory of the lycan attack was still fresh and terrifying.

“He’s sure, and he’s promised that Lady Lana will be safe there. Especially since she’ll be with you and the other rulers.

“We mages will also do everything we can to ensure her safety,” Emelio assured him.

“Alright,” Jekia conceded. “I suppose that’s some comfort. Finish up what you need to here, then we’ll be ready to go.”

“Yes, sire,” Emelio agreed, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

I looked around and realized Edifel had also left. That wasn’t surprising. She often disappeared when I was around Jekia, and I suspected it was at his request.

Jekia turned as he sensed me, standing still about ten feet away. I froze, taking in the way he was looking at me.

His expression was neutral, but his eyes held a hint of surprise. It seemed he hadn’t expected what he saw.

But there was no anger in that surprise. Instead, there was something that looked a lot like longing. I wondered if I was just imagining it, hoping to impress him.

After a moment of us just staring at each other, he finally spoke. “Come here,” he said quietly.

I walked over to him, feeling nervous and keeping my head down a little.

“Are you unhappy?” I asked softly.

“Not at all,” he answered immediately. He lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him. He didn’t look unhappy. He looked...captivated.

“I didn’t think this kind of dress would look so good on you. You look like you were born into a higher class.”

“I feel like I’m just playing pretend with a compliment like that,” I admitted, relief washing over me.

Jekia shook his head, hand on his hip. “You know, the whole idea of social classes has been a burden on societies since the beginning.

“It’s even true here sometimes. One being isn’t worth more than another, no matter what they’re born into,” he said.

“You don’t think you’re better than others, even though you’re a ruler?” I asked.

“I know I have more power than most, but I don’t think my life is worth more than theirs. All life is important and serves a purpose.

“Those who hurt others just because they can don’t deserve to live.”

I felt like I was getting a glimpse of the real Jekia as he said this. I was sure there was more to him than the arrogant exterior I’d first met.

It gave me hope that maybe I’d get to see more of the real him, and maybe even fall in love with that person.

“She looks really good like that, doesn’t she?” I heard Sage say suddenly.

I followed Jekia’s gaze to a nearby tree. Just like the day before, Sage was sitting on a large branch, grinning down at us.

Jekia didn’t seem surprised. “I figured you’d show up again when you heard I was back to get her. Did you enjoy your time yesterday?”

I fought the urge to blush at his words. It seemed he knew what had happened, even though I had no intention of talking about it.

“I did,” Sage confirmed. “But I have to admit, I’m surprised you’re introducing her to the other rulers so soon.”

“I don’t see a problem with it, since it’s only Vincent and Merrick who’ll be there,” Jekia replied.

Sage’s ears perked up at that, and he jumped down to join us.

“So, the ogre didn’t show up again?” he asked.

Jekia huffed, hands on his hips. “It’s better that he doesn’t. We all know what he’s doing to the people he’s supposed to protect.

“He’s given us no reason to welcome him, and he doesn’t seem to want to deal with us anymore.”

“If he had shown up, would you and the other rulers have killed him?” I asked.

“There’s a chance, but I can’t say for sure. We weren’t expecting him to be there anyway,” Jekia answered.

“No, I wouldn’t have expected him either,” Sage agreed. Then he changed the subject. “But on a lighter note, I think it’s good for them to meet Lana now.

“I’m actually surprised Vincent hasn’t come to see her already. I’m sure he knew she was here within a day. Nothing gets past him.”

“You make him sound like he’s like me,” Jekia scoffed.

Sage laughed. “I know how it sounds, but we both know Vincent.

“He’s always had a soft spot for you and me, you know. He makes it a point to keep an ear out for anything that could shake things up within the Veil,” Sage said, his voice soft and thoughtful.

“I’d even say we’re some of his only real friends.”

“I can see that,” Jekia replied. “But I can’t chat much longer. If you want to continue this conversation, it’ll have to wait until I’m back tomorrow.”

“I get it. Just wanted to let you know I’ll keep an eye on things around the palace while you’re gone. I don’t trust the lycans in this area, especially now that one of them knows about her,” Sage said, his voice serious.

“I appreciate that. I’ll see you when I get back.”

“Looking forward to it.”

As Sage vanished, I turned to Jekia. “I didn’t realize Sage was friends with the other rulers,” I said, a hint of surprise in my voice.

“He’s closer to Vincent and me. We’ve been ruling our lands the longest. Merrick only took over the western lands a few thousand years ago. He’s not as quick to trust or understand Sage as we are,” Jekia explained.

“Is your friendship also because Sage was originally asked to rule alongside you?” I asked, curiosity piqued.

“Ah, so he did tell you about that.”

“Should he not have?”

Jekia shrugged. “I don’t mind. You’ll learn a lot of things as you stay with me. Trying to keep them from you would be pointless.”

I smiled. “Maybe so.”

A gentle breeze rustled our clothes as we stood there. Jekia gently brushed my hair over my shoulder, his claws lightly tracing a path from the right side of my neck to my collarbone.

“You look beautiful like this. I’d love to see you in dresses more often. But something’s missing. Maybe I should get you some jewelry to go with them,” he suggested.

“No, no! You’ve already given me so much! I can’t ask for more!” I protested.

Jekia just smiled. “It’s not you asking. It’s me wanting to see you shine. You’re mine, and I love seeing your beauty.”

I should have seen that coming, and I accepted it. This life was like a beautiful prison, and my captor was incredibly attractive.

“Yes, of course,” I agreed softly.

“Good girl.”

I closed my eyes as he held my face and kissed me. I had no choices here, but I didn’t mind anymore. This life with him had to be better than anything the mortal world could offer.

Jekia pulled back, his fingers gently caressing my cheeks as he smiled at me.

“Let’s go,” he said. “We don’t want to be late.”