Chapter 9: The Tempting Bath

CONNOR

~Jerk.~ That was the only word I could think of for my brother, who was looking at Elaine with such love in his eyes.

I was consumed by a strange jealousy. It was a foreign feeling, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t even like Elaine. In fact, I despised her.

So why was I feeling so jealous watching them together?

The drive back was quiet. I kept stealing glances at her, her face turned to the side, looking out at the snowy forest.

“They’re going to set up the royal bedroom for us,” I said, trying to make conversation. Elaine just nodded. “We should talk about the ceremony once we’re settled.”

“There’s no need. We’ll have a teacher to explain everything when we get there,” she replied. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I’m not,” I retorted. Why would she think I was worried about her?

We didn’t speak again until we reached the castle. Several pack members were waiting for us as we parked and started unloading our things.

“Alpha,” my beta greeted me.

“I need your information for the beta position tonight,” I told him, causing him to frown.

“That soon?” Leo asked, looking confused. I turned to him.

“Do you have a problem with that?” I asked. Leo shook his head and helped me with my bags.

I glanced at Elaine, who was carrying her own bags without any help. She didn’t need a man to assist her.

“But, Alpha, shouldn’t your brother be your beta?” Leo blurted out.

I was taken aback. Was he serious?

I growled, drawing everyone’s attention. Leo lowered his head, staying quiet.

“Is there a problem?” a voice I didn’t want to hear asked from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder.

I clenched my jaw when I saw the frown on his face.

“Nothing,” I muttered, my tone bitter. I started following Elaine, my grip on my luggage strap tightening.

The idea of Sorin being a better beta than Leo was irritating. The last thing I needed was Sorin around Elaine all the time.

I stopped walking and looked at Elaine, who was chatting with a pack member.

I looked her up and down. There was no way I had feelings for her. The thought alone made me feel sick.

“Hurry up,” I ordered, causing her to raise an eyebrow at me. “NOW!”

“Watch your tone with me,” Elaine snapped back, before apologizing to the person she was talking to.

I decided to make her pay for her rudeness by walking faster, causing a burning sensation on our wrists that made us both stop arguing.

I swallowed the pain and heard Elaine curse under her breath, which brought a smile to my face.

I kept walking, with Elaine following close behind. This was going to be fun. It was my chance to get back at her for what she’d done to me.

***

“I’ll take this side,” Elaine said, smiling. I watched her from the closet door.

“Fine by me,” I shrugged, keeping an eye on her.

Earlier, my father had shown us our new bedroom, which had been set up with everything we needed, including a larger bed.

I had to admit, it was luxurious, just the way I liked my rooms.

We were a pack of wolves living in the cold mountains, far from any cities, which meant we didn’t have access to certain things.

But I liked the luxurious life I had here. I wanted all the comforts a man could have, especially in my room.

I let Elaine do her thing and looked around the large white bedroom we were sharing. I noticed the oval ceiling with the Moon Goddess painted on it and cursed under my breath.

I looked at the rest of the room, momentarily forgetting that it was Elaine’s fault we were in this situation.

There were two large chandeliers hanging next to each other. The bed was a four-poster king with silk sheets that fell onto the white marble floor.

There was a fireplace at the far end of the room, with a plasma TV above it, a bear rug in front of it, and large pillows scattered on the rug.

It was the coziest room I’d ever been in.

I looked at the long green drapes on the large windows, feeling the breeze fill the room.

I walked over to the bathroom next to the walk-in closet and turned on the lights. The bathroom was covered in white and black marble tiles. There was a white bathtub in the middle, next to an open balcony door.

The view from the balcony was of the icy mountains surrounding our pack.

“This is nice,” Elaine murmured from behind me. I glanced at her before returning my gaze to the view.

I listened to her humming. It was annoying, but I’d have to put up with it for now.

“I’m going to take a bath. Can you leave?” Elaine suddenly asked. I frowned and turned to look at her.

She was leaning on the counter, motioning for me to leave.

I had barely stepped out of the bathroom when the door slammed shut behind me. I growled at her rudeness. I grabbed a chair and dragged it over.

I sat down in front of the door, closed my eyes, and tried to focus on my duties as Alpha instead of the sounds coming from the bathroom.

I tried for five minutes, but it was difficult. The sound of water filling the bathtub and the rustling of clothes was distracting.

I rolled my neck and tried to mind-link Leo, but I was blocked. I was considering another approach when I heard footsteps outside our bedroom.

I recognized the voice: Sorin. He was here and heading our way.

I growled and jumped up from my seat. He wasn’t planning to knock on the door and ask for Elaine, was he?

I felt him standing outside the door. I reached for the doorknob, but stopped when I heard a yell from the bathroom. I turned and instinctively moved toward the sound.

I threw open the door and found Elaine on the floor, naked and hissing in pain.

My gaze wandered down her damp figure, barely concealed by the towel. A tantalizing scent wafted from her, causing me to step back.

A sheen of sweat broke out on my neck as warmth spread through my body.

“What the hell?” I muttered, drawing her attention.

Elaine’s face turned a deep shade of red as she let out a piercing scream. I flinched, muttering curses under my breath.

“Enough,” I commanded as hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway.

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Sorin frozen in shock, his eyes darting between us. I tried to speak, but Sorin shoved me aside, causing me to collide with the door frame.

“Are you okay? What happened?” Sorin asked, concern lacing his voice. He helped Elaine to her feet, his focus solely on her.

“It’s nothing. This jerk moved too far away,” Elaine managed to say.

“So it’s my damn fault?” I retorted, anger flaring. “I’m stuck in this mess too. Don’t forget.”

Sorin shot me a warning glare as he cradled Elaine. My hands clenched into fists. Why was I so irritated?

As Elaine straightened up, her towel slipped, revealing her pale, exquisite body. Both Sorin and I were caught off guard, while Elaine blushed furiously.

She let out a squeak and crouched down, while Sorin quickly retrieved the towel. I, however, felt my body stiffen, reacting to her.

The scent of her filled my senses, causing a stirring in my pants and my breath to hitch. I growled and bolted out. I couldn’t be near her, not when I felt like I was on the verge of losing control.

“No!” Elaine’s cry echoed from the bathroom as I halted and let out a yell.

The pain in our wrists made it difficult to run. It was like a warning, urging me not to leave her alone.

“Stop, Connor,” Sorin commanded. He was really getting under my skin.

As I tried to move again, I bit down on my lip, tasting blood. I reached for the handle and forced the door open, but my vision blurred and my body swayed.

“Stop, Connor,” Sorin shouted. I let out a guttural growl. What the hell had the Moon Goddess done to us?

I felt his hand grip my arm, pulling me up from the floor.

“You’re hurting Elaine,” Sorin said, trying to bring me back to reality. I shoved him away, causing me to fall to the floor.

A grimace twisted my face as a searing pain spread through my chest. Clutching my aching ribs, I glanced at Elaine, who was crying.

A gasp escaped my lips as a sharp pain squeezed my chest. Elaine was crying, and oddly enough, it made me feel wretched. I didn’t want to see her cry, but why?

I moved toward her, crawling on the floor. Elaine’s pale face gradually regained color as I neared her.

The pain subsided.

My mind cleared as I closed the distance between us. Elaine met my gaze and let out a relieved sigh as her body relaxed. Feeling a pull, I moved and caught her as she collapsed into my arms.