Chapter 10 : Steamy Surprise

**Noah POV

"You could have objected at the wedding and had her back on the streets by now," Judith's voice chimed from the other end of the call. "I mean, you had video proof of her getting down with you the night before her wedding. It would have been enough!"

I stepped outside onto the roof garden, making sure that no one was around, before answering Judith.

"I was going to, but someone erased the footage before I could get to it," I hissed quietly. "She must have someone else in the house on her side. Besides, publically objecting at my father's wedding and exposing Aria there…it would have shone a negative light on my pack."

"So not only is she now your stepmother and Luna to the pack, but she also may have accomplices?" Judith sighed in exasperation. "Do you have any idea how much danger you're in? She could stage a coup right now, murder your father and take over the pack, and there would be nothing you could do about it!

"And you're worried about publicity?"

I picked up a stone and threw it with all my might across the grounds of the estate. It flew over the trees, and I watched as it disappeared into the foliage about a mile away.

"It would take a lot more than a coup and a few infiltrators to bring us to our knees, Judith," I said to her. "I appreciate your concern, but I have things under control. All I need is for her to slip up and confess that she's working for the Hansens or trying to murder my father."

"And how are you planning to do that? You've failed so far to get her to admit anything," Judy chastised. "One more mistake and your dad will kick you out of the pack."

"I'll figure it out," I said, and hung up.

I went back inside, opting to take a hot shower before returning to the issue of my new stepmother.

My face grew warm at the thought of her perfect face.

She was definitely not in this marriage because she loved my father. She could not be trusted. Yet I often found myself thinking of her, yearning to be alone with her again despite knowing she could be an enemy.

Judith had been right; despite the damage it would have done to my pack's publicity, the safety of the pack should come first. Had I objected and stated my case in front of all the Alphas, I could have prevented the marriage or at least postponed it.

But I feared the look of anger on her face, the look of disgust if she were to gaze upon me. She already resented me for everything I had said and done so far.

If I was going to save my pack from whatever she was planning, then it would have to be because she slipped up.

Suddenly, her scent wafted through the air. I thought that it was perhaps my imagination because I was thinking of her, but it lingered too heavily for it to be a hallucination.

I knew that I shouldn't, but I followed her scent. I didn't know what I was going to do when I eventually reached the source…I wasn't thinking that far ahead. I just needed to get there.

Strangely enough, the trail led straight into my room.

What the hell was she doing in my room? Was she trying to steal information? Was she planting a bug, or perhaps poison?

Perhaps she planned to seduce me and tell my father that I had assaulted her; he would no doubt banish me for that.

I cautiously entered the room and looked around. It was empty, but she was definitely here. I heard the sound of running water and saw steam wafting out of my bathroom.

She was in my shower.

I peered through the door and saw Aria's naked form for the first time. My heart nearly went crashing through my ribcage as I bore witness to the most beautiful sight I'd ever laid my eyes on.

Her delicately toned back was to me. Her body curved perfectly and accentuated her sexy a*s.

I shouldn't be looking, but I was unable to turn away. My body would only allow me to move forward.

***

Aria POV

After the wedding, I kept mostly to myself. As Henry had promised, there was very little need for me to be in the public eye or mix socially with other women of high society. As Luna of one of the wealthiest packs, the excuse was that I had too many duties at home.

The excuse provided me with ample time to do what I came here to do: treat Henry and find a way to fully cure him of his ailment.

Despite being tempted to indulge now that I found myself in the lap of luxury, I buried myself in my work and spent most of the day in my office. I only came out to treat Henry, eat, or go to bed.

Diggory was true to his word and provided me with detailed reports of goings-on in the mansion. He had found several bugs and hidden cameras in and near my room, as well as in Henry's chambers.

Whatever informants had infiltrated the Bergmann estate, they certainly wanted to know as much about me as possible.

"Keep this with you at all times," Diggory had said the morning after my wedding, handing me a bracelet. "There's a chip in there that will vibrate when it detects any bugs or hidden surveillance equipment."

It had been two weeks now since I had become Mrs. Avaroux-Bergmann, and so far it had been uncomfortably quiet and stressful.

Henry had said they were at war with the Hansen pack, but so far there had been no indication of an impending skirmish or invasion. But anxiety filled me as I awaited that inevitable moment.

There was also the issue of Noah and me being under the same roof. I avoided him for the most part. Occasionally I saw him at dinner on a Friday evening, but I made sure to not make eye contact or acknowledge him in any way.

But I could not avoid his scent that lingered throughout this house. My office was the only place that I could escape his musk, due to the constant sanitization of my medical equipment. It was the only place I could keep a clear head and not perpetually daydream of seducing the man who wished to be rid of me.

"Sh*t!" I cursed, accidently spilling a beaker of green chemicals all over me.

It began to burn as it soaked into my clothes. I needed to shower quickly.

I swiftly made my way to the spare room on this floor, but found that the shower was out of order.

I needed to wash myself off quickly before the chemicals burned my skin, and I needed to disinfect myself as well.

Noah's suite held the only other bathroom close by, and I recalled seeing him leave not too long ago. He usually went out for long hours at a time, so I wouldn't risk running into him there.

Left with little choice, I ran to Noah's room and quickly stripped naked once I got into the bathroom.

I sighed with relief as the hot water cascaded over my body. I took some soap and carefully lathered my ample breasts and the other parts where the chemical had spilled.

Once I was certain that all traces of the chemicals had been washed from my body, I succumbed to simply relaxing under the hot water.

Noah's scent was strongest here, and I found my mind drifting to thoughts of the last time Noah and I had shared a steamy moment.

True, he had been trying to sabotage my marriage to his father, but it was still the most arousing experience that I'd had with anyone.

Deep down I knew that I wanted him more than anything, so keeping my distance was best.

But right now, in his shower, I allowed myself to daydream of his touch, the sensual sensation of his lips, the skilful movements of his tongue inside my mouth. His strong yet gentle hands groping my curves.

Lost in my thoughts, I had forgotten to rinse my hair, and shampoo suddenly streamed into my eyes. I hissed in pain as it partially blinded me. I reached blindly for a towel just outside the shower, and instead knocked over several shampoo bottles.

I carefully descended to my knees and tried to pick up the bottles that had fallen onto the bathroom floor...when my hand suddenly grabbed hold of a foot.

I screamed and slipped backwards, landing painfully on my back while still blinded.

"Who's there?" I yelled, thinking that perhaps it could be an assassin, come to dispose of Henry's new bride while she was most vulnerable.

"Relax, Aria," a deep, familiar voice whispered. "It's just me."

"Noah?" I said, turning red as I realised that I was completely naked and had been caught in his shower.

I felt him gently clasp a hand around my arm and pull me to my feet. A towel then touched my face, wiping the suds from my eyes.

Finally, I saw him staring at me intently. He did not seem angry or annoyed with me as he usually did. Instead he seemed confused, unsure of what to do next.

The last time we were in a compromising position, he had an agenda. Now it seemed that he was just as surprised as I was.

And I felt as unsure as he seemed.

I should have covered my exposed body, but I didn't. I wanted him to see me naked and wet, aroused from thinking of him while I washed up in his shower.

His scent was too much for me to handle, so I finally gave into my instincts. I grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him into the shower with me, ripping off his clothes and rubbing my naked body against his while our lips crashed into a hungry kiss.