The drive to the country side was long and tedious. I knew I would have to deal with the British pack and for someone who hates being around people this would be especially hellish. Stuck in the country with people I did not like, who saw me as a breeding cow, and the bastard daughter of the old Scottish alpha.
I had fallen asleep in the car, requiring Arthur to carry me inside. He had stripped my boots and leggings off but left me in my shirt. I awoke to the sound of his soft snoring in a large wooden bed. The room was dark but I could see it was a typical Edwardian style room.
I looked over at Arthur again. His dark eyelashes were longer than most men and his lips were incredibly full. I found my hand wander up to his face and begin to outline his lips.
He groggily opened one eye noticing someone was touching his face.
"Sorry," I whispered and pulled away. "Go back to sleep."
Paeton's words lingered in my head. Lock the doors and introduce myself.
He took my hand and pulled me to him. My head was on his chest and my arm slung over his mid section. I fit. It was a perfect fit.
"We could be good friends," I whispered against his skin.
Can you resign yourself to a marriage of friendship?" He asked me.
"It sounds better than what I expected from this union."
"Because, honestly, I'm not sure I can..." he pulled away and rolled out of bed.
I watched him throw on a shirt and leave the room.
He avoided me for most of the day. I walked around the garden and I read books.
"Are you coming to bed?" he asked when the sun had gone down and I was sucked into the literature world.
My mind was fully immersed in the book I was reading that I simply waved him away.
"Lilly," he snapped and got my attention. I looked up to see him standing in the doorway of the library.
"What?" I snapped back.
"Are you coming to bed tonight?" he asked and I looked to the clock on the mantle. It was almost three am and I had barely blinked since opening my book.
"No," I looked back to him. "Just go to bed, I'll take the guest room when I finish this, so to not wake you."
"Lilly," he said coldly. "We talked about this."
"Do we ever actually talk about anything?" I quipped. "Seems like I'm told most of the time."
"You agreed to sharing my bed," he reminded me.
"Come on," I pleaded. "it's just for appearances and no one else is here yet but us."
"It doesn't have to be for appearances," he said calmly.
I grew uncomfortable with his implications and he could tell.
"Fine, take the guest room," he snapped and left the library.
Victory. But it did not make me feel well. It all but spoiled my book.
—————————————-
"So who is all coming?" I asked over breakfast in the overly sized dining room.
He cleared his throat. "Everyone."
I looked up from my plate. "That's a lot of people," I said.
He nodded, "yes, well, that's what I want to talk to you about." He said simply. "You have to act as if you are my wife," he shrugged his shoulders.
"Why are you being so sarcastic?" I asked.
We had, had a disagreement the night before but he was going back to his cold ways again.
He sighed, "it's easier than fighting with you."
"We don't fight," I pointed out.
"Well, it certainly feels like we do," he murmured. "By the way there is a run Friday."
I dropped my fork. "Ummm I can't go," I said sheepishly.
He seemed concerned. "Why?"
I stared at him until he figured it out. Females in heat could not attend pack runs. Too many times someone ended up hurt.
"Oh," he realized. "Then you will have to stay at the estate."
I nodded, "sorry."
"Why are you sorry?" He asked indignantly. He stood up from the table and left suddenly.
Subconsciously he already had known, I realized. The past few days he had pushed me away and I knew it was for his own benefit. I did not take offense to it.
He had been silent towards me since the previous morning. I sat before the fire thinking about home. Tak had told me the tribe refused to break their treaty nor would they make a new one. He promised to find a way to release me from my obligations but I knew it was futile.
My life here was boring. I could not fight, other than with words, and I had no purpose, I was simply decoration. Each day I lost hope of being myself again.
Arthur entered the study and sat beside me on the settee, with a glass of scotch.
"May I ask you something?" I whispered.
He looked over at me. "Yes." He put up his guard as he had been doing the past few days.
"What would you do if I went back to Canada or at least go back to Kent."
He growled, "why would you go back?"
"Why the hell am I here?" I snapped. "Isn't that the better question?"
He grew angry, "why not do what you came here to do?"
"Which is what?" I snapped as I jumped from the couch. I began to pace. "Hang on your arm, look pretty, keep my mouth shut?"
He shook his head, "maybe warm my bed? Give me an heir? Cement this alliance like you were promised to do." He roared. "I should be able to have you whenever I want, this week, especially."
I was taken aback by his statement. My cheeks warmed and I felt sorry about the situation we were both in.
"How else were you planning to fulfill this union?" He acted as if I were a naïve child.
I wanted to smack him across his face.
"I was not planning to fulfill this union," I said honestly. "I was told to come here, say a few words in front of a priest, and pretend I was the Countess of Lockenmoore until peace had finally settled."
He smirked, "at least you're honest."
"Why did you agree to this?" I asked exasperated.
He shook his head, "I didn't."
"What?" I couldn't believe what he said. "Then why do it?"
He folded his hands as he thought. "It was my idea." He looked up at me. "It was determined I take a wife by the council. I chose you."
My mind was spinning. "Why?" I almost whispered.
"You're a good fighter," he said with admiration. "You are strong and independent. You're also... gorgeous but that wasn't my main reason. It was a good part of it but not the final reason." He shrugged his shoulders. "You had a strong sense of duty and I thought you would do the job well."
What he said was true. I understood his reasoning.
"However," he continued. "I was obviously wrong."
"Excuse me?" I whispered.
"You refuse to do your duty and have fought me at every turn," he explained.
I felt guilty. "I'm sorry but I rarely get close to people. And you have to agree you have not said anything to me unless it's sharp or demanding. I don't know you and to be honest... I don't want to give myself to someone who doesn't... who I don't care for." I tried not to sound sappy.
"Maybe because you're in love with a Republican who continually tries to undermine my supremacy?" He said pointedly.
I sighed, "Maybe at first..." I whispered. "But not anymore." Lately Tak had become annoying with his radical views. I was sure he would lead us into another civil war. "I'm certain his views on me have changed as well."
He raised his eyebrow. "The boy has a vendetta against me and it has nothing to do with a power struggle. He's mad I took his woman."
"I'm not his woman," I snapped. "I belong to no one."
Arthur stood from the couch and approached me slowly. I refused to show fear or back away. He cupped my face with his massive hand, gently. Before I could speak he held me up against the wall as his lips were on mine. He moved greedily against me and explored my curves with his hands. I held onto his shoulders as he deepened the kiss.
A knock came at the library door but he roared and told them to go away.
He lifted me until I wrapped my legs around his hips. I was pinned against the wall as his lips trailed down my cheek and his hand held my jaw in place. His face settled into the curve of my shoulder and I felt a sharp pain as his teeth sunk into my neck. He was marking his territory, I knew. The pain subsided and was followed by a warmth. He let me down and kissed my lips softly.
We were bound together in the terms of the Wolf world. I had allowed it or it would not have taken. I put my hand to my neck and felt the raised area of where his teeth had been. It had healed quickly.
"Do you still want to go back?" He whispered against my lips.
"No," I said softly. I wanted him but it made no sense. There was something there that I did not understand. My skin tingled and I was disappointed when he pulled away.
"You going to be a good girl and give me what I want?" He breathed.
"In time," I whispered. I just needed more time.
He grabbed my left hand and slid his grandmother's ring on my finger. It was heavy in more than one way.
His eyes locked on mine as he backed away and left the study.
What has happened?