Verum

twenty one.

twenty one.

evelyn

Alexander made me wait all day for him to scent me. He directed for me to rest up and had Ma bring me high-calorie and high-protein meals. Which included the nastiest protein shake I'd ever had as a snack between breakfast and lunch.

When Alexander joined me for lunch, he frowned upon finding it mostly full. I had only been able to stomach about three mouthfuls of that garbage before avoiding it like the plague.

"Evie, you should drink this," he insisted, snatching it from the bedside table and bringing it to the couch where I was sprawled out.

I immediately pulled the fuzzy blanket over my head and flipped over onto my stomach. "I will puke if I have anymore. It's nasty!"

"It's good for you."

"Did I stutter?"

I scream-laughed when Alexander ripped the blanket off of me and jumped into tickling me from behind, almost falling on top of me to nuzzle into the back of my head as he attacked. "Lose the attitude or else," he threatened playfully.

He rolled me over and stopped tickling only when I begged him to. The massive wolf leaned over me, perched on the edge of the couch with one hand on either side of my head. "I am looking forward to tonight," Alexander murmured, rubbing his nose against mine affectionately. "But not if you're going to continue with that attitude."

"I won't," I promised him. "I was just being funny."

He hummed in response, pressing his lips to mine. "How is it that you are both seductive when you're so sweet and soft and innocent as well as when you are being a little, playful brat?"

"Maybe you're just a creepy old man that gets turned on too easy?" I offered.

Alexander laughed boisterously, peppering kisses across my whole face. "Tell you what, pup. If you drink this delicious, healthy protein shake I made you, I won't turn your ass red for that comment."

I gave him a chaste kiss on the lips before sitting up. "I think I'd rather have the spanking. Surely something that tastes that nasty can't be healthy?"

"It has spinach, kale, two bananas, chia seeds, matcha tea, carrots... And oatmeal-flavored protein powder," he listed off, taking a sip of it himself. "It tastes fine. You're being dramatic. Look, gorgeous. We will likely not get any sleep tonight. Most of it will be spent running around in our wolf forms. I don't want you to burn too many calories and hurt yourself or feel sick. Please, for me, just drink it."

With an exaggerated sigh, I took the glass from him, frowning into the greenish-gray goop. Alexander combed his fingers into my hair, sliding the tips across my scalp until he was cupping the back of my head. With his other hand, he guided the glass towards my lips. As I drank what I decided to call Swamp Sludge, Alexander murmured the sweetest praises. After a couple deep gulps, I was only continuing to hear him say more nice things. Good girl. That's it, puppy. You're doing so good. I know it's not your favorite. Look, pup. You're almost done, Evie.

It sent heat straight to my core and even though I was sure he could smell my arousal, Alexander didn't let on that he did. When the glass was empty, I was rewarded with a deep kiss and his fingers massaging my scalp. "I don't want to wait until tonight," I whispered, fisting the fabric of his button-up shirt.

Alexander sighed, as if in pain. The man shifted our positions so that he was reclined on the couch and then pulled me to straddle his waist. "I do not want to wait either. But this is the way," he assured me. "Unless you want everyone in the castle to see you and I running about naked in the forest."