Chapter 35

Aina He held my gaze, his fingers brushing softly against my cheeks before he leaned forward, pressing his forehead to mine. I could feel the warmth of his breath mingling with mine. “I won’t force you, Aina,” he whispered, his voice low, roughened with restraint. “Just let me mark you.” Looking at him like that, I knew I couldn’t refuse. I had always imagined being marked at the mating ceremony, before everyone, when he would proudly claim me as his. But here, now, in his arms, didn’t feel wrong either. It felt real.  I nodded, slowly tilting my head, baring my neck to him. My eyes fluttered closed, bracing myself for what was to come. His nose brushed the sensitive skin of my neck first, followed by the soft press of his lips. Then came the slow drag of his tongue, wet and deliberate, as if savoring me like candy. The gentle strokes sent shivers racing through me, waves of pleasure curling down my spine, making me crave more of him. And then I felt the sharp edge of his fangs. I gasped as he sank them into my skin. Pain lanced through me, hot and searing, worse than my first shift. My body trembled and I clung to him with a cry, “Ah—” but as quickly as the agony rose, it began to ebb, replaced with warmth and a deep sense of connection. His fangs retracted, his tongue soothing over the fresh mark he had left. My body relaxed into his arms, but inside, I felt different. Stronger. My senses sharpened in ways I had never known before, as though a piece of Osborne now lived inside me. He pulled back just enough to look into my eyes, his own burning with satisfaction. “It is done,” he said, his tone husky. The way he looked at me then made desire pool low in my belly. His eyes didn’t just say it is done—they said get on the bed. And truthfully, that was exactly what I wanted too. But we couldn’t keep the Luna waiting. Forcing a smile, I teased, letting my gaze flicker down to the obvious bulge in his pants. “You better do something about your… big guy. While I go meet your mom.” He laughed, low and amused. “Or,” he countered, “you help me for a bit.” His hand slid boldly up, cupping my breast and giving it a firm squeeze. I gasped softly, batting his hand away. “Not now, Osborne. But I can kiss you if you want.” I didn’t need to repeat myself. He caught me in his arms, crashing his mouth to mine. His tongue pushed into me, seeking and tangling with mine, and when I sucked on it, drawing it deeper, a low growl rumbled from his chest. His hands roamed lower, gripping and squeezing my ass with greedy urgency as his hardened length pressed against me. I melted under him, my body pulsing, aching to give in. My core throbbed with need, answering his desire, and for a moment I was ready to lose myself completely. But then, footsteps. We froze. Osborne turned toward the sound as a knock landed on the door. “Speak,” he commanded, his voice still edged with his wolf. “The Luna asks if Miss Aina is ready yet,” a maid’s voice came from outside. “I am,” I answered quickly, steadying my voice. “Are you here to escort me?” “Yes, ma’am,” the maid replied. “The Luna is with Mistress Bella in her dressing room. I’ll escort you there.” Osborne turned back to me, his eyes narrowing slightly, scanning me as though to be sure I was steady enough to face Bella. “I’ll go alone first,” I told him gently. His brow furrowed in protest, but he nodded after a beat. He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my lips, then his gaze dipped to the fresh mark on my neck. His lips curved into a smile, pride glowing in his eyes. I touched the mark, smiling too. I didn't want to go though, I like being in his arms but then again, it's better I face Bella now than I do it later so I tapped his shoulder and head for the door while he leaned onto the window staring at me till I was gone.  As I walked alongside the maid, my thoughts drifted back to Bella. Compared to her, I probably looked like one of her servants, someone beneath her notice, someone she wouldn’t even bother to speak to. You’d expect me to dress up for her, to put on makeup and try to impress, but I hadn’t. I wanted to prove something, to her and to myself, that worth isn’t always about appearance. Deep down, I knew Bella would try to use how I looked against me, but honestly, I didn’t care anymore. I didn’t mind being chubby. I didn’t mind that I used to wear glasses, even though today I had lenses on. I didn’t mind my short hair, or the fact that I couldn’t even tell where the extension had gone. If Osborne could love me exactly as I was, then I needed to love myself that way too. This wasn’t just about proving myself to Bella—it was about proving it to me. We were nearly there when I caught the sound of their chatter coming from inside. My chest tightened with unease. To say I wasn’t intimidated would be a lie. I let out a long sigh, bracing myself, as the maid opened the door and I stepped inside. The moment I entered, I knew I didn’t belong in a place like this. The room radiated elegance. They both sat poised, teacups in hand, dressed beautifully with jewels gleaming against their skin. I’d seen the Luna in casual clothes before, so I couldn’t understand why she felt the need to dress so finely now, unless, perhaps, it was to impress Bella Hamilton. Bella rose immediately, her lips curved into a smile—until her eyes landed on me. In an instant, her smile vanished, and her eyes widened in shock. “Why the hell do you smell like Osborne?” she demanded, her voice sharp enough to make me flinch.