Chapter 115: Risqué
Maya stood in front of the mirror in the nightdress, wondering what she was doing or why she had even agreed to this. She was alone in the room; Palmer had left as soon as she had helped her prepare for the night.
Her skin felt soft and moisturized. Her arm still hurt but the pain didn’t feel worse than normal. At least she would be able to take off the bandage for good soon. If only she had a wolf, she wouldn’t need to take this long to heal.
Sometimes it felt like lacking a wolf was all she thought about but she couldn’t help it. She was certainly an anomaly—even Claude had said so.
She let out a loud sigh and forced herself to pay attention to her reflection as she stood in front of the mirror.
Her black hair partially covered her face, and even in the low-lit room with only one candle on the dresser, she could still vaguely see her blue eyes. But it was the outline of her dress that drew attention.
It was too risqué. Maya palmed her face as her cheeks turned red. She peeked at the mirror through her fingers.
She could see the outline of her breasts and trace it down to the thin hair that grew between her legs. The nightdress was loose, with long sleeves that needed a tied string to stay around her wrists.
She groaned into her palms. It was too late now. Palmer was long gone. She would really have to sleep next to Keenan in this.
Maya yelped as a soft knock loudly echoed in the room. It felt like her internal thoughts were about to be exposed.
She turned around just as the door opened and Winnie appeared. She was still dressed in the same dress she wore during dinner. She slipped into the room and looked toward the side door.
"Winnie." Maya couldn’t understand why she whispered her name, but Winnie was acting as though she was sneaking in.
"Maya," she whispered back and tiptoed toward her. "Palmer just told me she helped you get ready for the night."
"Yes, she just left."
Winnie was smiling as she looked at the nightdress. "What do you think?"
"It’s too revealing," she mumbled, still whispering.
"Not that it matters—you’ll be sleeping under the covers. Also, I figured you’d want something loose with the bandage tied around your arm for days now."
"Thank you," she replied. "It’s very comfortable and soft."
"Beautiful. I am glad you have no problems with it," Winnie said casually, but Maya couldn’t miss the glint in her eyes.
"Don’t you think it’s," she glanced toward the side door, "inappropriate?"
"To your husband? I think not. Besides, I saw the faded hickey the day you returned to Verlassen."
Maya’s eyes widened as several expressions passed across her face. "Wait a minute. Are you trying—"
"I’m just trying to be a little helpful," she winked.
"Wait, one blimey minute. Isn’t it odd that you’re the one with love problems, yet you’re trying to set me up?"
"Mine is a lot more complicated. Yours isn’t. Anyone can see you’re in love with Alpha Keenan. I am just supporting your cause."
"I am wearing a net, Winnie. This is more than just being supportive."
"Palmer told me you said yes. So, you’re not against this."
"I’m not trying to seduce Alpha Keenan," she blurted out.
"Your blush tells me otherwise."
Maya palmed her face. "I am not."
"I can change the dress if it makes you that uncomfortable."
She slowly removed her hand from her face. "I’ve already put it on."
Winnie smirked and nodded her head. "I understand."
"That’s not what I mean. I-I don’t want to trouble you."
"I understand."
"Winnie," she cried. "We don’t have that kind of relationship." She twisted her hands as she spoke.
"You might say that but you’re in his room, on his bed." She stretched out her hand and tucked Maya’s hair behind her ears.
"Alaina has been trying to do this for a long time. Keenan won’t spare her any attention. You’re more special than you know."
"Are you using me to get back at your sister?"
Maya changed the subject. It was either that or she might cry at the young woman’s words. She could hear it ringing in her head.
"Are you against it?"
"No," she blurted and immediately covered her mouth.
Winnie chuckled.
"But doesn’t she have her mate?" Maya asked.
"Yes but she has never cared about him. She’s using him to hurt me. We used to be close before he was sent to the mines. But all that’s unimportant right now. I only came here to say goodnight and chin up—stop worrying so much."
Maya grinned at her. "I’ll try."
Winnie nodded. "Goodnight, Maya. I’ll see you in the morning."
"Goodnight, Winnie. And thank you."
Winnie smiled as she turned away from Maya and walked toward the door.
"Oh, Winnie. One more thing."
"Yes," she replied and turned to Maya.
"I was thinking about asking Keenan if I could go with you to work tomorrow."
Winnie’s eyes sparkled. "You should. It will be so much fun. You don’t have to do anything and if you’re tired, I can just send you back to the main house."
"Don’t you think the request is a little presumptuous of me to ask Keenan?"
"Do you want to go or not?"
"I do, but I don’t want him to distrust me more. He might think—" she stopped herself.
What was she saying? She was telling her problems to someone who was already going out of her way to help, even though she had every reason to do otherwise.
Besides, she had shown no reason that she could be trustworthy. Winnie was just a really nice person.
"Ask, Maya," she simply said. "I can’t change how you feel, but you won’t know unless you ask. He might tell you no but you don’t know that yet. Goodnight."
Maya nodded, grabbing her bandaged arm. "Thank you, Winnie. Goodnight."
Winnie smiled at Maya as she left the room. Maya didn’t move for the longest time and when she did, she threw herself into bed, burying her head in the pillow.
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