Dorian's POVYou are going to be a father, Dorian. I was going to be a father?Ashly's words resounded in my head and I accepted the fact that she had lost her marbles. All of them."Have you gone mad?" How exactly did my not touching her equal to a pregnancy? "How can you be pregnant if I have never touched you?"She adjusted her robe like we were having an absolutely normal conversation. "But no one knows that. Besides, it's like you said. If no one knows that our marriage is a sham then all my children are automatically yours.""What?"Never would I have thought my words would be used against me to this extent. Ashly was devious and I wondered at how I could have been so deceived as to have marked and mated with her regardless of the whiteshades.She smiled wide. "Did I stutter? You thought you could get rid of me so easily, didn't you? Well, that won't be possible."Ashly had completely blindsided me. There was nothing I could do to counteract this. The married couple madly in
Kiara's POV"What did you want to talk to me about? If it's about the date, I understand you are busy and I am not upset."I was seated at the dining table with Katlsn and heaven knew where Damien and Keturah had wandered off to. It was probably for the best that they weren't around when I did this.I met Kaylan's beautiful blue eyes. "You should be." He had every right to be upset at me. I think I would have preferred it if he was instead of being so understanding. "This isn't just about the date. It's about everything."Kaylan seemed to understand this was no routine conversation."Kiara.""Please let me speak while I still have the courage to do so."I inhaled deeply. I could do this. It would be quick like ripping off a band-aid. "You are a good guy. The best. I haven't been completely honest with you. Mostly because I am still very confused myself."I met his gaze. It was the least I could do while saying something so hurtful but it needed to be said."I like you…as a person. B
Damien's POV"It's not a game to me, Kiara."And I meant it. I wanted her to admit her feelings for me and to stop being in denial. She was only driving both of us insane with her inability to pick a side. I thought that I had finally gotten to her. I should have known better. Kiara looked at me with wide eyes and Kaylan looked between us as though he could finally see the relationship we shared. It had taken him long enough. Although that wouldn't stop my wrath. He touched her. He had known she was off-limits after seeing my anger at their first kiss but he had still done it again. This time there would be no mercy. I walked towards them with my hands in fists as my wolf struggled with me for supremacy. He wanted to claim what was his and rip apart those who thought to touch her. Kiara stepped forward to meet me only she faltered, her hand drifting to her belly as she doubled over. "Kiara?" Kaylan was at her side instantly, his hand going around her waist sending waves of jeal
Kiara's POVI couldn't feel half of my body when I woke up. I groaned groggily, moaning as I turned. The bed felt soft and massive as though it was actively trying to consume me with each movement I made and it smelt like Damien. It was that thought that jolted me fully awake. I sat up in bed-Damien's bed. I was wearing a nightwear that wasn't mine without any underwear. I looked around his room, certain I was still dreaming because how had I gotten here and more importantly, what had I done here?I recalled my conversation with Kaylan. Then nothing. Not exactly nothing. I remembered the feel of Damien's hands on my body. I remembered the feel of his hardened length against my core, I remembered the taste of his skin on my lips… Goddess, did we have sex? If we did, why couldn't I fully recollect what had happened? "You are up."I jumped at Damien's voice as he stepped out of the shower, his hair dripping water down his broad shoulders to his smooth well-muscled chest down to hi
Damien's POVI saw the surprise in Keturah's eyes. It had been the last thing she had been expecting. "Damien? Damien, what are you saying?"I stood up from my chair putting some distance between us. "I think this was long overdue. We no longer want the same things."I wanted Kiara. I wanted my mate at my side. And I was ready to put in the effort to keep her by all means necessary. That was why my time with Keturah had to end. Keturah was next to me in an instant, her hand reaching out to touch me. "If this is about the labels, we can continue snd–"I moved to avoid her touch before meeting her eyes so she could see I was serious. I meant what I was saying. "It isn't. I wanted to tell you before you started talking about Kiara."Keyurah's face went almost frighteningly blank, her hand falling to her side. "It's because of her, isn't it?"It kind of was but at the same time, it wasn't. What we had couldn't have lasted forever regardless of Kiara entering our lives. "Keturah."
Kiara's POVDid he just say what I thought he did? I couldn't believe my ears. "What? I should come to your room?"Damien looked at me with an almost bored expression across his face as he spoke. "You don't need to get too excited about it."I fought the urge to throw something at him from across the table. How was it that he was the one throwing inappropriate advances but he was making it seem like I was dying to be with him or something?"Excited? You seem to have gotten the wrong idea. I am mortified. How can you just proposition me like that?"He had the effrontery to sip on his juice like what I was saying didn't remotely concern him."I am not propositioning you."Really? I wasn't deaf. I had heard him loud and clear and now he was trying to gaslight me."You are. You literally just asked me to come up to your room. You can't treat me like a slave and expect me to come up to your room because you are horny and–"He didn't let me finish before he interrupted."Kiara–""Let me f
Kiara's POVWhen there was a knock on my door so early, she was the last person I would have even expected. "Keturah?"She smiled at me tightly and I wasn't sure how I felt about her presence. After that fruitless argument for Damien again and touching myself, it had become even more considerably out of sorts. I made sure to accept every and all the corrections Damien asked me to make to the treaty and I was already rounding up drawing up the treaty with Damien's input. Sometimes it felt like he was watching me but it was possible that it was all in my head because Damien hadn't shown even a flicker of disturbance at having me so close by. He made me doubt all that Keturah had said. And while the temperature of his office kept going up, we had not had any intimate moments. That in itself almost felt strangely intimate. And I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if he had seen me touching myself. Knowing Damien, I had no delusions about what he would have done. He
Kiara's POVMaybe I shouldn't have asked. Maybe I should have just sat quietly and ignored the voice in my head that wanted answers. It would have been smarter.But what Keturah said had pushed me. The way she had said it. And of course, the 'secret' itself had compelled me. I could still hear the liquid fluidity of her voice that was heavy with implicit meanings."You want to hear a secret? Damien and I were expecting once. I was going to bear his heir and be his. Then we were betrayed and I lost the child. You are probably thinking how this is any of your business but consider something."I wasn't thinking it was none of my business. I was thinking how it was possible that both of them shared such a bond and I had been unable to tell. I thought what was between them didn't get any deeper than casual sex. But keeping a child. At least until it was terminated or whatever betrayal meant, was a different ball game entirely. I suddenly felt guilty for all the moments I had shared wit