Page 74 of Wolf’s Fated Bride

He’s playing games. Petty ones, but games nonetheless.

These types of games are a part of our courting traditions. Is that what he’s doing? Courting me?

If that’s the case, we’re in trouble. Alpha males are notoriously possessive creatures. They’re also obsessive and curious about the unknown. I’m the unknown. He can’t figure out what’s happening with us, but he knows he has no control over it.

And neither do I.

Maren and Sven are already a problem. My parents will lose their minds. The only saving grace is that Maren and Sven are packing to leave soon. I might join them, so that will help with my parents not noticing Ash and me have a thing going on between us.

Since Ash occupies the baths in the tower, I use his bathroom to wet a cloth and wipe myself. I undress and roll my clothing up so that when I shift into wolf, I can carry the bunch between my teeth straight out of his bedroom and all the way to mine.

Maren lets me in, and I shower immediately, tucking the clothing that smells like Ash in the hamper. I’ll wash it right away.

“Showering again?” Maren asks from the door as I step under the stream.

“Yeah. Did you need something?”

“No. Just asking.” Maren walks away.

I finish and throw on a robe, then wrap a towel around my hair. The windows shake under the onslaught of a new wind gust. I hope the glass holds. Just as I think it, the window shutters slam shut, casting the room in darkness. The bathroom lights turn on, but I leave, and they turn off.

“How many—” I stop at the sight of my brother in the room. Sören’s hands are crossed over his chest, his water element a murky gray-blue tide within his eyes.

Maren sits on the bed, her own eyes wide, appearing scared.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“Sit down,” Sören barks.

Fuck. I sit next to my sister.

Sören’s gaze bounces between us, landing on Maren first. I count my blessings that she’s older and always gets in trouble first.

“You,” he says, “must tell me who was in this bedroom last night. Because it wasn’t Ash Fireborn. And before you lie, you should know that I spoke with Ash after breakfast and got a whiff of a peculiar female scent. It took me a while to identify the scent, but I’m in disbelief over it.” Sören gags. “While I ate breakfast with my family this morning, Ash ate with me while my sister’s pussy was all over his fucking face. Unless Ash forced himself on you, I can’t think of a reason why either of you would jeopardize the treaty.”

“Are you saying he wasn’t in my bedroom but somehow ended up smelling like me?” Maren asks.

“He didn’t smell like you,” my brother says, then turns to me.

Maren gapes. “Is that true?”

Should I fess up?

“Tell me!” Maren shouts.

“It was a…a mistake. It won’t happen again.”

Maren laughs. “You hit it. Woohoo!”

Sören isn’t impressed. “Don’t sound so heartbroken, Maren.”

“So what if I’m relieved?” Maren says. “I didn’t have to sleep with a male I didn’t care for. I won’t have to ever spread my legs and sell my body for the greater good, because the greater good is only good for us while we serve the human agenda. The moment they have no more use for us, the moment their alchemists figure out what makes us live longer, they’ll force us to labor and die for them even more than they’re doing now.”

I expect Sören to push back on Maren’s doomsday predictions, but our brother crouches and gathers her hands into his. “This treaty is so much more than just a peace signing. Our pack numbers are dwindling. The Fireborns are gaining on our territory, and humans are taking over our pack functions. We’re being squeezed on two ends. We have no choice but to proceed with the treaty. If Ash breaks the treaty”—Sören looks at me—“for whatever reason, the humans will put out a call and draft every able-bodied werewolf to go fight against Ash’s pack. And before you know it, the Fireborn Alpha will become our Alpha too, or the humans will have taken over the entire pack. Either way, we will lose our sovereignty.”

“We lost that the moment Father signed on with humans,” Maren counters.

“You talk like a Fireborn wolf,” Sören says.