Chapter 2

Camilla’s POV:

There was nowhere for me to go that would save me from the three’s wrath. That was what I told myself as I was standing outside my mate’s door.

I took in a shaky breath and brought my balled hand up. Before I could think, I was already knocking on the Beta’s bedroom. Within seconds, the door was swung open and my mate, Seth, was standing in the doorway, shirtless and looking confused until his gaze finally settled on my face.

“Camilla…” My name trailed off his lips, and I could feel my body growing hot. I wrapped my arms around myself and took a step back.

What was I thinking coming here? Goddess, I knew he didn’t want me. He already made that clear a few hours ago. I took a shaky breath and turned my head to the side.

“I’m sorry, I-I shouldn’t have come here,” I whispered and was about to turn away when his arms wrapped around my shoulders and he pulled me in.

My whole body was on fire from his touch, and my lips were parted in a gasp. Seth closed the door behind us, and I was now very aware of him.

“Seth…” I whispered his name, and his large hands cupped my cheeks. My body continued to hum, and I couldn’t help but close my eyes and push my body closer to him.

“Who hurt you?”

I snapped my eyes open and looked at his, which had turned to slits. “What?” I was confused by his question, my brain finding it hard to understand anything else while he was so close to me.

His thumb ran across my cheek, the same cheek that still stung from one of the three slaps. “I can see the traces of a palm on your cheek, Camilla. Who. Hurt. You?”

I forced myself to take steps back until my back was against the door. I shook my head and looked down. I couldn’t tell him about it—even if he tried to do something to help me, it would only make things harder for me.

“No one.”

He took one long step toward me and tilted my chin up. His light brown eyes were swirling with anger as he looked at the redness on my cheek. “I will find out who it is,” he said, his hand reaching for the door, but I quickly placed my hand on his chest and he took in a sharp breath. “Please don’t. Really, it’s nothing.”

He looked at me for a long moment before nodding. He grabbed my hand and tugged me toward his bed. “You’ll be staying here tonight,” he growled with finality in his voice, and I couldn’t help but smile.

Seth walked to the double door closet. “Do you want to shower first?” he asked, turning to face me, and I nodded, finding it hard to locate my voice. Seth handed me a shirt and a brief, then cleared his throat. “You—uhm—can change into this when you’re done.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, my cheeks heating up. I quickly made my way to the other door where I knew the bathroom was from the countless times I had come to clean the high-ranking quarters.

As soon as I stripped, I quickly jumped into the shower and was grateful that the water was still warm. I frowned as it began to feel very hot on my skin and turned the heater off. Even with the water now running cold, it still felt very hot against my skin.

My stomach clenched tightly and I groaned. I quickly got out of the shower and put on the clean clothes Seth had given to me. When I pulled the bathroom door open, Seth was pacing around the room, and I looked at the clock that hung on the wall to see it was a few minutes past midnight.

“Seth?” My words came out in a whisper and I held onto the door for support. His body went rigid and slowly, he turned to face me.

“I don’t feel good.” I choked out and placed a shaky hand on my stomach that continued to clench in pain.

“You’re in heat.”

“Wha—” I tried to take a step forward but failed as my legs shook from the pain that shot from the pit of my stomach. Seth caught me before I could fall, and the parts where his body touched mine instantly became cool. I wanted more; I wanted him to touch me everywhere.

He carried me and placed me on the bed. As his hands were moving to leave my skin, I shook my head. “No… it hurts.” I choked, and the look on my beta’s face was twisted in pain.

“It’s only natural, Camilla. You just found your mate and it’s a full moon.”

I couldn’t register his words as the only thing I wanted was his skin on mine to ease the burning inside of me. “Touch me.”

Seth’s light brown eyes instantly darkened and he closed his eyes for a second. “You don’t want this, Camilla. It’s your heat making you feel this way.”

I only groaned, and my eyes welled up with tears from the pain that shot down to my legs. “It hurts. I know what I want, and I want you, my beta.”

“Fucking hell,” was the last thing I heard from him before his lips met mine and his hands cooling my every part of my skin that he touched. But it still wasn’t enough. I wanted more. I needed him to ease the burning inside me.

“Inside—” I gasped, turning my head to the side. “It hurts inside of me.”

Seth was breathing heavily above me. “Do you know what you are asking for, Camilla?”

I swallowed, looking at his face before spreading my legs. “Yes, Beta. I want you inside of me.”