Camille's POV

“Stop! I… I can't do it,” I cried, but I didn’t move, my eyes closed. My hand on my nightie fell to my side as waves of pleasure shot through me.

“I’ve never done this before!”

He laughed hysterically, then continued. “I’d love to hear what you sound like when you do.”

Placing my hand on his chest, “Feel my heart? It’s beating that fast for you.” His deep baritone suddenly had an even more powerful flavour.

His fingers traced the lines along my back; I had no idea when my own fingers moved too.

He stood over me, raising his brows slowly and cunningly toward my face as he inspected my body sprawled on the floor.

“I like how feisty you are. I think you’ll enjoy showing me more of that.”

“Please, don’t…,” I whispered, fighting to pull away from his grip, but the overwhelming desire to stay kept my feet rooted in place.

He dropped my body onto the bed.

His hand on my neck, his other hand brushing away strands of hair from my face.

He smirked wickedly. “Make me,” he whispered into my ear, beginning to caress my arm and moving his hands.

His breath on my face made me feel like I was drowning and yet, so alive. The cold air in the room suddenly made everything feel even more intense.

Placing a light, feathery kiss on my neck again, he melted every ounce of resolve in my body.

The rest of the night blurred in a haze.

*********

The sun filtered through the curtains, stirring me from sleep.

I opened my eyes slowly, adjusting to the gentle light in the room. I spotted the empty space in the bed.

I bit a part of my lower lip as I sat up lazily

I was grateful he wasn’t here. Grateful I didn’t have to add any worry about what he thought of last night to the tangled feelings hanging over me.

I didn’t want to see the look on his face.

My hand moved to my neck, where his mark should have been. But there was nothing.

Had he forgotten about it? Or had he been carried away? I felt the blush rise on my cheeks as I remembered how he had screamed out in sheer delight.

Had I fulfilled my duty well as a new mate?

The sheets on the bed were sodden and smudged.

Raking my hand through my ruffled hair, I pulled my hand over my mouth to stifle a yawn.

I was damn hungry.

I headed to the bathroom for a quick shower before going down for breakfast.

Gently sipping from the teacup in my hand, I tried to piece together what had happened last night, as Lana set some freshly toasted bread onto my plate.

“Alpha is on his way,” Lana informed me.

I almost dropped the teapot in surprise when he took the chair next to mine.

Forcing my mind to focus on the cup, I steadied my hand and poured myself some tea.

“Good morning,” I greeted.

He didn’t respond. His attention was fixed on his iPad.

As I moved to set down the teapot, his hand brushed over mine then immediately pulled away.

I noticed his face was hard, emotionless, and distant this morning.

“You’ll need to leave the suite tonight. My guest will be staying here with me. I’ve instructed Lana to move your things to one of the rooms on the top floor.”

It felt like an explosion had gone off in the room. The excitement I was feeling suddenly turned to a sickly flutter in my stomach.

My face blushed bright red with embarrassment and anger.

Had last night meant nothing to him?

"Why?" I asked, stifling my anger

Alpha Sigewuf narrowed his gaze at me and looked away.

I knew I wasn't born to cower and accept whatever life or fate or the goddess or even a cheating lycan mate threw in my face.

"Answer me!"

“Why do I have to leave the suite? Am I not enough for you, Alpha?” I asked.

His cold eyes pierced into mine. “You are not enough. You could never be enough, even if you wanted to be. The moment the gods decided your fate—to keep you wolfless and as my mate, I knew you would never be enough.”

His words dripped with venom. “So, leave the suite tonight. My guest will be there with me.”

“Your whore, you mean?” I snapped, biting back the resentment I felt.

One night in, and he couldn’t keep his whores or mistresses away?

“You sound bitter,” he said, not shifting his gaze from the screen in his hands.

“Bitter?” I scoffed.

“You sound despicable,” I shot back.

“Telling me—your mate, that…”

“And that’s all you are!” His eyes darkened to a deeper green as he glared at me, sneering down my defiant stare.

“You can never be anything else but that. And a wolfless mate cannot rule beside me or expect not to face perfidy!”

“All I owe you is my sperm, to make me a worthy heir, considering the Moon goddess takes pity on you,” he spat.

A furrow marred his brow. “Aside from that, I owe you nothing.” He shrugged. “You’re not in my class anyway!”

What?

After last night! Had I been dreaming all along?

As if reading my mind, he said, “And last night was nothing. It meant nothing. Don’t think you’re special because of some good sex. It’s your duty. A duty we had to perform for the pack.”

I wanted to vanish. I could feel my entire body trembling with rage.

I stared him down. “Tell me last night meant nothing special to you. That I… that I meant nothing to you.”

He didn’t deny it or admit it.

He simply ignored my question.

I grabbed the arm of the chair and pushed myself up. “Tell me, did last night mean nothing to you?”

“It was just once. But tell me, beyond a doubt, would you change anything about it?”

I saw his mask slip for a brief moment before he quickly pulled it back on. “No. It meant nothing.” He dropped the teacup onto the table.

“Your focus should be on getting me an heir, not challenging who or how I choose to run my relationships.”

His words felt like daggers piercing into my chest.

“Know your place and stay there,” he muttered, then standing up, he left the room.

Know my place? Really?