Chapter 12

Shemika found herself in a fog for the entire week that followed. Her body ached, covered in bruises and scratches. The marks on her waist were hard to hide, especially with her usual choice of clothing. So, she spent most of her time holed up in her room.

Her healing process was slower than the other wolves, mainly because she didn’t consume as much meat as they did. The buffet-style dinners had some meat, but most wolves preferred to hunt their own meals.

Lyosha had sent someone to check on her, claiming he was worried about her. She hadn’t been seen much in the past few days. She sent the messenger back with a request, and Lyosha had finally given her a large TV.

She spent a few days trying to lose herself in trashy reality TV, hoping it would distract her from her intrusive thoughts. Thoughts about Caturix and their brief sexual encounter. The more she thought about it, the less it seemed like an exchange. Caturix had taken. ~Oh, how he’d taken.~ She couldn’t stop thinking about it.

She’d never spent so much time replaying a sexual encounter in her mind, but she couldn’t seem to stop. She winced as her hand instinctively moved to touch her cheek. It was the most healed of her injuries, with only light bruising and scratches along her cheekbone.

She hadn’t seen Caturix since. She was honestly quite nervous. She didn’t know why, but she wanted to sleep with him again. Her thoughts drifted back to their conversation before they’d had sex.

~“That’s where you’re wrong. In my bed, I fuck you.”~ he’d said.

Yes. She wanted him to fuck her again. But why?

~Ugh.~ She hit the side of her head, trying to shake off thoughts of Caturix. It didn’t work. Her mind kept circling back to one thing. They’d had sex, sure, but she felt like she hadn’t had the full experience. She hadn’t even seen him naked. She hadn’t seen his bare chest, let alone the thick appendage that had entered her.

~No.~ She shook her head violently. She didn’t need to sleep with him again. She was done. She just needed to move on to the next man, and who better than the first man she’d met?

Shemika waited until after the dinner bell to leave her room. That way, she wouldn’t have to look for Nikandr. He’d be in the dining hall, as always.

She stood by the doorway, casually waiting as the pack members gradually left after finishing their meals. Nikandr took his time, unaware that she was waiting for him, but eventually, he left the dining hall.

She grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

He turned his head, his eyes wide until they softened with recognition. “Hey, little wolf. I haven’t seen you in a hot minute. Where’ve you been hiding?” he asked warmly.

~Ahh.~ Someone who actually tried to talk to her. At least Nikandr seemed to care about her a little. “I was around,” she replied vaguely. She didn’t want anyone to know what she’d been up to. “I came to find you,” she added, trying to sound flirty, which was a challenge after weeks of one-sided flirting with Caturix.

~Caturix.~ Shemika’s knees almost buckled at the thought of him. What an overreaction. She hadn’t even made it into his bedroom.

Nikandr smiled, but it faded quickly as his eyes scanned her. He reached up and touched her cheek, right where it had been rubbed raw. “What happened to you, little wolf?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Why couldn’t she be intensely attracted to a man like Nikandr? He was decent enough. Traditionally attractive, with warm eyes. Caturix, on the other hand, was cold. His eyes were icy, and his mouth was a harsh line.

She tried to laugh it off and brushed his hand away from her face. “It’s nothing, just my own decisions.” She’d considered saying bad decisions, but she didn’t think her encounter with Caturix was bad. How could she when she wanted more?

His gaze swept over her and landed on the bruises and cuts on her stomach. His gaze hardened. “You slept with Caturix,” he stated, not even bothering to ask.

She opened her mouth to deny his claim, but he must have seen the disagreement in her face because he added, “I told you I clean up after his women, little wolf. I know the marks he leaves.” His voice was chiding.

Shemika’s lips pursed. “Fine,” she conceded, but even that wasn’t true. She hadn’t slept with him. She hadn’t even made it into his bedroom, let alone his bed.

“I warned you,” Nikandr said softly, stepping closer to brush her golden hair behind her ear. He was so close she could smell him. A mix of cinnamon and coriander with a hint of whiskey, but she couldn’t stop thinking of rosemary and mint.

~Caturix.~

Damn him. She needed him out of her mind.

“I haven’t seen your place, Nikandr,” she said, looking up at him through her thick lashes.

He nodded absently but paused after a moment.

He’d offered to show her his home when he was giving her a tour, but she’d declined. She’d known that being alone in his home might lead to sex, and she hadn’t been ready for that. They’d just met, after all.

“Are you sure you want to see my home? People will think—”

Shemika leaned closer, her nose brushing against his as she tilted her head up. Caturix was too tall for her to reach like this. She’d have to stand on her toes. ~Fuck.~ Caturix was all she could think about.

“I want to do exactly what people will assume,” she whispered back to him.

He stepped back, blinking in surprise. “Are you sure, little wolf?”

She nodded.

A seductive smile spread across his lips. “Very well. I’ll guide you.”