Moon Bound

13

Toying with temptation
~
Accalia
~

Droplets of water fell down her body and with each, single drop either a sharp inhale or a relieving sigh would fall from her lips.

She wished the water would wash away every ounce of distress Lycus had caused her. The chaos he had created for her.

But that couldn't happen with her being in the same house as him, a distance away and too close for comfort.

As pathetic as it looked, painful as it felt, Cadence and Accalia almost had to beg Gabriel and Nina to let them retire for the night without a hint of watching over them or any control at hand.

Cadence was at the point of smashing the window in and escaping, but Accalia talked her down, dabbling to the side of cooperating with Gabriel. And she knew Cadence, she wouldn't attempt to flee without her.

That icy facade of his faded and he allowed the girls to shower and retire for the night without supervision.

Accalia felt like she was still in a deep and drowning slumber as her eyes reaped with heaviness, a purple set of bags swelled beneath her eyes and detachment clung to her from the previous nights of restlessness.

When her fingers began to prune and her body drank in the steamy heat, Accalia turned the tap off and slid out, wrapping a towel around her.

She wouldn't spare a look in the mirror, she would be more appalled than ever before, beaten and grim-looking. Sparing herself a frightening image, she headed out of the bathroom and secured the towel around her body.

They were both assigned their own room. Cadence was down the hall and proclaimed this outdid the miserable cells.

Accalia thought back to Lycus's intentions, wondering when the facade would fall and unveil the conniving beast she knew him to be. She was always taught to be wary of a person's kindness rather than accepting it.

And Lycus was no man of kindness. Hardly a man at all.

Accalia knew what was expected of her with this type of pairing. Soul tied to someone only elicited a few requirements for mates that held great stakes. Catering and providing for one another, pleasing and pleasuring ...

And despite the Alpha of Alpha's kindness, Accalia wouldn't fathom lowering her guard, not even for a minute.

Reaching for her shirt, a knock at the door sounded through the room and Accalia froze on the spot, her long hair dripping droplets to the floor.

"Come in,"

It must be Cadence, Accalia assumed and watched as the door rattled before opening.

"Lycus," Accalia said breathlessly, tightening the towel around her as he sauntered on in.

His glossy black hair was unkempt, lucent amber eyes were sharp as he took in his mate's appearance. Underneath his black attire was a defined and towering build that wouldn't go unnoticed by anyone.

Accalia was the sacrificial lamb preparing for the slaughter as his watchful gaze never left hers.

"What do you want?" Accalia asked stiffly, trying not to shudder on the spot and do what her head wanted: to run. She would slip on the droplets of water that formed a puddle at her feet.