Chapter 27

Lyosha, the alpha, was seated at the head of a table, surrounded by intimidating men. Each one was marked by unique scars and wore an expression of indifference. They all appeared to be battle-hardened warriors, turning to face her as she entered.

Lyosha’s conversation halted abruptly as she walked in, as if he had been discussing something highly confidential. He flashed a tight smile at the men, acknowledging their patience, and beckoned her closer. “What is it, my sweet?” His smile was sugary, but she knew the danger lurking behind it.

She navigated around the men, feeling their intense gazes as she moved toward the head of the table. “Sir, I wanted to talk to you—” She glanced at the men, who were watching with unabashed interest. “Alone.”

He sighed, as if dealing with a child lost in her fantasies. “Anything you need to say can be said in front of my men, princess.” He gestured to the men around the table, most of whom she had only encountered once or twice. “We’re quite busy, my sweet. If you could just say what you need to and then leave, I’ll see you at dinner.”

“No,” she replied.

He looked taken aback. “No?”

She immediately regretted her response. “Not no in general, I meant no, I won’t be able to make it to dinner. Not for a few days,” she hurriedly explained.

Lyosha leaned back in his chair, a brow arched in annoyance. “And why is that, little one?” His tone was slow and measured, barely concealing his irritation.

She glanced at the men, who were engrossed in their exchange, and frowned. “For personal reasons,” she said, not wanting to inform Lyosha about her impending heat. She planned to spend those days alone, locked away. Those were the days when her sexual urges would become uncontrollable. Her body would heat up, flushing with arousal.

Lyosha rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed by her evasiveness. “If you won’t tell me the reason, then I expect to see you tonight.”

Shemika’s eyes widened in fear, but she had to come up with something. If she told Lyosha, and the men, about her heat, she was certain she’d have several unwanted visitors. Or Lyosha might not allow her to isolate herself. Some men enjoyed watching a she-wolf squirm with desire, making a spectacle of herself as she begged to be mated.

Shemika’s hands clenched into fists as she scrambled for an excuse. “It’s a womanly issue,” she began, and seeing his reaction, she quickly added, “Yes, womanly.”

He grimaced in disgust. “You shouldn’t discuss your lady’s days in the presence of men, Shemika,” he said, shuddering at the unwelcome revelation.

She nodded obediently. “Of course, I never intended to. But I was hoping you’d excuse my absence while I deal with my lady’s business,” she said, hanging on his every word.

Lyosha paused and looked at the men, who seemed unfazed by her admission. They appeared to be soldiers, so she figured they wouldn’t be bothered by a menstrual cycle.

Finally, Lyosha sighed, as if he strongly disagreed with her absence but couldn’t argue with her request. “Fine, if you must. But don’t expect to be making any unnecessary social calls in your condition, since you can’t make it to dinner,” he said, sounding irritated.

She nodded eagerly. “Absolutely, sir,” she promised. “I’ll be in my room the whole time—”

“Good. I’ll have my men ensure you have peace and quiet,” he said, his eyes narrowing with hidden meaning.

She raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond.

“If that’s all,” Lyosha said, gesturing to the men around the table, “I have important matters to discuss.”

“Oh, no. Not at all,” she said, turning to leave.

As she walked down the long, winding corridors, she could already feel the effects of her heat. It would be in full swing by the next night. She’d be a mess of lust, and the thought terrified her.

Back at Vale, Shemika would usually lock herself in her room and wait it out. She didn’t have food there, but it was better than being a slave to her sex drive. Not just her, but any male around her could smell her pheromones and become a slave to his wolf’s sexual hunger as well. So she’d have to lock her apartment and ensure her pheromones didn’t seep out.

It was a good thing Lyosha believed she was on her period, rather than the truth. She didn’t know Rurik’s rules for a she-wolf in heat. Ylenia had told her about a pack Dancescu had mentioned, where the women were made to copulate with every breeding-aged man when they went into heat, in hopes of conceiving.

Packs were desperate for pups. At least Vale had a few, a handful of she-wolves who had miraculously conceived. They were pampered by every member of the pack and heavily guarded. They couldn’t even get a paper cut without the entire pack rushing to their aid.

On her way back to her room, she caught a scent—rosemary and mint—and froze. She looked up from the floor and locked eyes with Caturix, who was standing at the other end of the hall, watching her intently. Her heart fluttered with excitement.

She started to walk toward him, but he stormed off in the opposite direction, causing her heart to sink and a lump to form in her throat. He was angry about something. So angry, she suspected it was about the other night, when she’d…tried to cuddle. Caturix didn’t like that. She just wanted to apologize and promise never to do it again.

Maybe she’d turn it around and say it was nothing, why was he making such a big deal of it. Maybe she’d tell him she thought he wanted to do it, she didn’t even like cuddling.

Shemika continued on her way, her chest aching. She wished she hadn’t seen him. That way, she wouldn’t feel rejected.

She unlocked her room and locked it again behind her. She felt lonely all by herself. Caturix had been bringing her many things, maybe she could plead with him for a kitten like his own Kisa. Some kind of creature to welcome her when she returned.