Clusters of houses lined the edge of the market, most of which were tucked above and between inns, pubs, and shops that hung over the dirty cobblestone street. I slipped into one of the alleys, taking a shortcut back to my apartment. It was not the cleanest part of town, nor the safest, but it was what I could afford, and it still carried the memory of Mother with it.
The puddles splashed beneath my feet as I made my way, bits of chatter slipping through the gaps in the alley. A narrow path opened up between a pair shops, and I glanced between them at the sound of two deep voices, my breath catching as I caught sight of the Lord.
"I just don't think it was necessary." His Head Guard sighed, the one he had called Leo, his lips pressed together in a firm line.
"Ulrick is not afraid to use violence for petty matters, but by the time a month has passed, he will have forgotten the offense and move on to something else. It is for the man's own protection." The Lord had his arms crossed tightly over his chest, muscles bulging out of his tunic and capturing all of my attention at once.
"Oh!" My mouth opened before I could stop myself, my foot catching on one of the loose cobblestones and sending me tumbling onto my backside. My pride was more hurt than anything else, but before I could push myself back onto my feet, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, tugging me up.
"Are you alright?" The Lord asked, and all at once I felt as though I couldn't breathe. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen, and the place where his hand touched my middle made my skin erupt in tingles beneath my clothing. He smelt of cinnamon and cloves, so delicious it made my mouth water, and I had to stop myself from pressing into him to catch more of that scent.
"I'm fine," I said, my face burning with embarrassment as I realized just how close we were, "I'm not hurt." The Lord let me pull out of his hold, his fingers flexing as I stepped away, and the warmth that had surged through my body at his touch turned cold and almost uncomfortable.
"What is your name, female?" The Lord's voice was soothing and low, like the softest piece of velvet sliding over my skin.
"Mira, your Lordship." I said, my voice coming out quieter than I intended. I cleared my throat, speaking up, "My name is Mira."
"Mira." The Lord repeated, almost with reverence, and the tone of his voice sent shivers up my arms, that warmth once more pooling in my belly at the way he was looking at me. Well, not looking.
Staring.
The Lord was staring at me, those piercing green eyes somehow even more dazzling up close. The intensity of his gaze made me want to squirm. It was as if he was seeing down into the very core of me, making my heart race until my chest ached. That ache willed me towards him, made me want to dart into his arms and hide my face in his chest.
He took a step back, almost as if he could sense my urge, and the thought made my face burn hotter. What had happened to me? How could I, of all people, be developing a crush on the Lord?
"Are you alone?" The Lord glanced around, drinking in the alleyway, "This part of town is not safe for humans." I had to bite my tongue to keep from responding with what I wanted to say, which was that no part of town was safe for us, and whose fault was that? But he was a Wolf, he didn't understand, and the memory of his earlier call for punishment ran through my head. Just because the Lord was being strangely kind to me, did not make him kind.
"I live here," I spoke slowly, gesturing down into the alleyway, "Under the Lucky Fox. I was making my way home, I wasn't looking for any trouble."
"Of course you weren't, I only–" The Lord squeezed his eyes shut, and when he opened them again, I found myself looking into a sea of calm. There was only surety and confidence. The strong gaze of a male fully in control, and I was ashamed to admit that the strength of his focus on me almost made my knees tremble, and not with fear. "If you are alone, then I will escort you."
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The Wolf Lord's Mate
Werewolf"Understand, little mate," Nathaniel's lips curled into a smile, "That I intend to fuck you on every surface of this house. There will not be a single room that is not saturated with the scent of your pleasure." *** When human seamstress Mira is off...
