The Wolf Lord's Mate

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Would you like me to help you relax?" Nathaniel's finger tips traced down my arms. I was acutely aware of the press of his leg against mine, of the heat radiating off of him. Of the power he exuded towering over me. And yet, the same things that should have made me want to cower, only urged me to lean back and take him up on his offer.

I shifted away, the mate bond tugging inside my chest. "No, thank you." I said, looking anywhere except at the intimidating form of the man before me. No, not a man–a beast. A Wolf. That was why I would not succumb to his soft whispers or gentle touches because it was all a trick in the end. Just a facade for the true creature that lived beneath his skin. "I should try to sleep," I continued, daring to meet his heavy gaze, "It is late."

Nathaniel hummed in response, those emerald eyes glued to mine and glowing with all manner of desire. It's not real, I told myself, if not for the bond, he would think you were as useless as the rest of the humans.

"If you change your mind, little mate," Nathaniel spoke slowly, wetting his lips with his tongue, "All you have to do is call. Know that if you said the word, I would warm your bed every night. I would show you pleasure the likes of which you could not imagine. And after you were properly and thoroughly spent, I would hold you in my arms and listen to the slowing of your heart as you fell asleep. Because your peace is my peace."

Nathaniel lingered for awhile after that, offering more than once for me to join him in his bed, or for me to sleep in his bed while he slept out in the study. As enticing as it sounded to curl up in Nathaniel's bed—and to finally see what his chambers looked like—there was no way for him to fit on the chaise comfortably.

I denied his requests, and he hesitantly left me in the study, though I could tell he waited by the bedroom door for some time, my body already becoming more attuned to his. I would have to find a way to fix that, but for now it worked to my advantage. Hopefully it would stop him from being able to sneak up on me so easily.

****

"Mira?" A hurried whisper shifted my blank dreams, and I turned over to shove my face back into the pillow, willing the voice to leave me alone, "Mira, wake up."

Turning back over with a groan, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes with the butt of my palm. Glancing over, I was ready to tell off Nathaniel for disturbing me. When I saw who it actually was, my heart stopped.

Samuel looked down at me, anxious confusion painting his face, his eyes darting between me and the door of Nathaniel's bedroom. "What are you doing here?" Samuel hissed, "His Lordship will be awake soon."

"I must have—" I wracked my brain for anything, any reason to give him that would explain why I would be sleeping in the Lord's study, "—Sleepwalking. I must have been sleepwalking."

Samuel's brow furrowed, glancing down at the nest of pillows and blankets that Nathaniel had prepared for me. It was a ridiculous reason, and Samuel came into the Lord's study everyday, he would know that something was amiss. "Sleepwalking?" Samuel repeated.

"Yes," I nodded, sitting up and swinging my legs off the chaise, "It only happens when my stress is high, and with all of the changes moving into the manor—It's been happening for a few days now, his Lordship must have set this out in case I wandered in here again." I forced a small laugh, and the embarrassment behind it was genuine, at least, "He is so very—generous towards us, isn't he?"

Samuel nodded, though he didn't look quite so convinced.

"Ah, I see you've wandered in again." Samuel and I both turned to look towards the now open door of the Lord's chambers. If I thought my heart had stopped before, seeing Nathaniel in the morning jolted me back to life.

His hair was tousled, eyes still slightly bleary with sleep. But my entire focus was locked on his naked torso, miles of glistening tan skin on display. My mouth went dry immediately, and I was grateful for the blanket covering me so that no-one else in the room could see me clench my thighs together.

Nathaniel's body was perfectly chiseled, hard pectorals sitting above sculpted and well defined abs that tightened with every breath he took. His breaches were unlaced and slung low on his hips, revealing the deep v-line directing my gaze like an arrow to his bulge. I couldn't even begin to image how large he was. A cock that large might just kill me—but then again, what a way to go.

I slowly lifted my eyes to meet his gaze, acutely aware by the small smirk on his lips that he knew I had been staring at the now growing bulge in his breeches.

"Your Lordship, we didn't mean to disturb you—" Samuel began, but Nathaniel raised a casual hand stop him.

"Not at all, I'm a light sleeper—I like to keep my wits about me," Nathaniel sauntered over slowly, and I had to force myself to look away from his sinfully gorgeous body, "But there's no need to bother Mira. We've already had a lengthy discussion about what to do about her little predicament going forward. Mira is welcome in here anytime she likes, isn't that right?"

I nodded, chewing on my lip as I considered the invitation I had been given to the Wolf's den.

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