Kearn

The firelight crackled in the hearth, glowing on the cup of strong liquor in my hand. Something was off, I could tell. When my guards had brought news of her death, I should have been relieved. One less mouth to feed, considering she was the daughter of my enemy. But deep down, guilt ate at me. Then, she walked back into the palace, the purple gown she wore flowing like she carried the Lori stream on her body. Her hair, trimmed and properly sat on her shoulders made her eyes look like jewels. Her skin glowed so bright that I thought her ghost had walked right into my pack.

"What are you going to do now, Alpha?"

My aide and best friend, Tristan, spoke up.

I had almost forgotten that he was there. "Well, she insisted that her sight coming back was just a random miracle. I'll pretend I believe it."

"And you're serious about making Vienna your Luna?"

I clenched the cup tighter while I gritted my teeth before answering, "I'll be damned if I do. Handock needs to pay for all he's done. Giving her the Luna position is like feeding a prey instead of eating it."

"Making Lianna a slave seems like you're going too far, though."

One glare told him he's said too much. Fortunately for him, he got the message fast and shut his mouth. I hated being told I was wrong, especially since I always ended up being right all the time. I knew what I was doing, unless fate plays a part. Like the way I found out I was being bonded to Lianna again.

I never rejected her or severed our bond. Why did we reconnect? Besides, why did she look different? Where was the timid, weak and useless Lianna I came to know?

Her recent bravado and sharp tongue bothered me more than I wanted. I am the Alpha of this pack. A useless wolf shouldn't keep me up at night. But sitting next to the fireplace, alcohol in hand with my best friend hunched up beside me at twelve in the midnight, indicated that Lianna is indeed keeping me up at night.

Morning came too quickly, the sun peeking through the study room where I finally spent the night, rummaging through reports. Anything to get Lianna off my mind.

"Good morning, Alpha." Or maybe not.

Lianna showed up in my study room, dressed in a simple blue satin gown that clung to her body. She was carrying a tray of kettle and a cup.

"I was asked to bring your morning tea to your study room." She began to pour while I just sat back, studying her features.

For the first time since I let her stay with me, I truly looked at her. She was way more beautiful than I thought she was even though I'd rather fight a thousand rogue wolves and train a hundred dragons before telling her that. She was just like the other slaves. Expendable and replaceable.

"Um...Alpha?" I snapped out of my thoughts. "Did you hear what I said?"

"What did you say?"

She blinked and swallowed hard before saying, "How do I prepare your bath?"

"You don't!" Vienna stormed in, her voice bouncing off the walls.

I almost rolled my eyes but she was fast, sitting on my thighs and attacking me with kisses. "I didn't take you for a dedicated slave, Lianna. You're so fit for the job I'm wondering if we can make you head of slaves."

Surprisingly, I didn't find her joke funny. As if on cue, Lianna's eyes met mine and it seemed as though she was expecting me to join in on making fun of her. However, I had better things to do.

"Give me a second, Vienna. Why don't you go see if you can talk to the widows of the pack? See if they need anything as the future Luna."

She gave me her best smile as usual, but I didn't return it. When she was gone, I turned to Lianna.

"Go and prepare my bath. Make it warm and euphoric. It will be best to have you wash me instead, so get ready."

I was determined to make her break. I needed to see the old Lianna. The one that brought me satisfaction, knowing the daughter of the one who caused me severe pain was also in pain. Outrightly punishing her could cause an uproar in my pack, and since I didn't want to add that to my list of headaches, I had to do it discreetly.

When I got to my bath, a large room with a pool like tub, filled halfway to reach my waist. She did well, considering she had never done this before. No. She did exceptionally well.

While she stood in a corner, eyes drifting everywhere except where I stood, I took off my robe and stepped into the water. It was heated to the perfect warmth, not scalding but deep enough to soothe muscles.

White jasmine petals, lavender buds and chamomile blossoms with golden flecks floated on the water. Rose petals filled the water with a deep red color, a sprinkle of sage leaves meant for cleansing and healing, and a blend of amber and myrrh oils mixed into the bathwater.

A faint trail of bergamot and clove burned in a diffuser by the side, giving the air a spiced atmosphere. Flames flicker low, throwing golden light on the walls. This was exactly how my mum made my bath. Emotions rose to the edge in my chest, anger welling inside me as I began to remember things. How could she?

"Lianna!" I growled, looking up to see her by the edge of the bath, fiddling with her gown. "Get in here."

"What?" Her eyes widened with surprise but I wasn't ready for her pretense that morning.

"Take off your clothes and get in here, now."

Reluctantly, she let her satin gown slide off her body, leaving her bare. I almost choked on my own breath seeing her naked. This wasn't the first time. But seeing it now made it seem like it was. When she began to step into the water, a hint of coyness shading her cheeks into a color of red, I felt warmth travel down my stomach to a part of me I never thought she would have an effect on.

The perkiness of her boobs, the soft curves of her waist and the roundness of her hips, leading straight down to long, slender legs that I would give anything to wrap around me.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

In a bid to forget my thoughts, I grabbed her and pressed her body, back to my chest, against the tiled walls of the tub. I lowered my head and whispered, "What the hell are you trying to do with the bath?"

"Nothing. I swear." She answered, quivering. Where the hell is the confident Lianna?

"Now, what I hate most, Lianna, is liars." I said, trailing my hand up her thigh, her small waist and finally her boobs to get more of the scared Lianna I had been looking for. Or maybe, that was just an excuse to touch her without feeling guilty for it. This was conflicting and frustrating. "Why the hell are you suddenly not blind anymore? And how did you know my bathing routine to the core when you had never even known what I looked like?"

She tightened and the alarms in my head rang off. Something was wrong. I fucking knew it. As she slid off my grip, I let out my claws, pinned her to the wall and pressed them to her throat.

"One wrong move and I'm slicing your throat the fuck off." I continued through gritted teeth, my voice almost a whisper. "What the hell are you?"